DON'T BE AFRAID!

I came into your house.  You did not gie me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair.  You did not gie me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet.  You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. - Luke 7:44-46

READ LUKE 7:18-50 TODAY

    You ever wanted to give someone a huge hug, but didn't think it was the right place or too many people around?  You were afraid of what they might think.  You ever wanted to write some mushy, gushy note of encouragement, but were afraid of how the person receiving the note might respond?  You ever wanted to just heap praise after praise on a person but were a little timid to do that with someone you didn't know very well? 

     Have you ever been afraid to do something for someone that you knew would honor them?

     It seems like we have two people in our Bible story today - one who has forgotten how to make people feel special and one who realizes they are in the presence of greatness.  One doesn't even welcome his guest much less do the little things like wash their feet or greet them with a kiss.  The other wipes his feet with her hair pours perfume all over them.  One, it seems, has just taken for granted the awesomeness of people.  The other realizes, as the song goes, how great is our God!

     Think about this - what if every person you met was Jesus?  What if every person who came into your house was Jesus?  How would you treat them?  I think we all would say we'd love to do the stuff that this woman did.  BUT WE GET AFRAID OF WHAT OTHER PEOPLE MIGHT THINK.

     Here's my advice to you (and myself) - If we feel like God really wants us to do something, just do it.  Don't be afraid! 

     That's it!  Now go back to enjoying the Free Agency Frenzy!

YOU CAN'T DO IT!

That is why I did not even consider myself worthy to come to you.  But say the word, and my servant will be healed.  For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me.  I tell this one, "Go" and he goes; and that one, "Come" and he comes.  I say to my servant, "Do this," and he does it.  - Luke 7:8

READ LUKE 8:1-10 TODAY

    "You can do it!"

     The great American classic, Waterboy, turned that phrase into a way of life for many people in the U.S. (and heck probably around the world!).  Every kid from the age of 10-24 could be heard resounding the words, "You can do it!"

     Problem is YOU CAN'T!  Problem is, if you're gonna treat people the way Jesus would, YOU CAN'T DO IT!  I CAN'T DO IT!  I've realized that.  I'm too much into myself.  I'm too angry.  I'm too focused on what I want to do.  To treat people the way I want to be treated - CAN'T DO IT!

     But, Jesus can!  That's what this dude realized.  Jesus could do what he couldn't.  In fact, Jesus could do anything he needed!

     Got a relationship that needs fixing - HE CAN DO IT!  Got some junk inside that needs healing - HE CAN DO IT!  Got some issues that need dealing with - HE CAN DO IT! 

     WE CAN'T DO IT, BUT HE CAN!

    Have a Great America day!

DO IT!

Why do you call me, "Lord, Lord" and do not do what I say? - Luke 6:46

READ LUKE 6:46-49

      We have a thing called the Koinonia House that we've been partnering with.  It's a place where ex-prisoners go to rebuild their life.  A huge part of the program is a church that comes alongside the guy, mentors him, and welcomes him into their church family.  It's a pretty big commitment; especially for the people who work hands on with the guy.  Well, I was in charge of finding people to do that.....and I failed.  No one, not a one came through.  Then I read this and thought, "Yeah, you tell them Jesus!  Do what Jesus said!" 

       Then, I thought about what I wrote in my journal this morning and read yesterday.  I've got this job situation where if I don't get my certificate renewed - no new job!  So, I was calling all over the place yesterday trying to remember things I'd done five years ago to be a better teacher.  Long story short, this morning I was praying, "Lord, Lord" work this out!" 

       As I began to type this I think that same Lord reminded me that this message could be for me.  Yesterday, we talked about looking at yourself before seeing the speck in another's eye.  Today, I wonder if maybe, just maybe I should look at my role in the Koinonia House thing.  Maybe I should think about if I'm doing what Jesus says before I beg the Lord to help me out.  Maybe I should think, "Is my foundation on sand or a rock!"

       Then, I'll go yell at those other people for not signing up!

       Boooooyahhh!

BE A GOOD LEADER!

Can a blind man lead a blind man? - Luke 6:39

READ LUKE 6:39-45

     I'm a husband, a father, a new 5th Grade Teacher, a teacher at church and the Assistant to the Vice President of the PTA (just throught that one in there to impress you!).  I "lead" a lot of people.....or do I?  Can a blind man lead a blind man?

     When I look at my own life, I see some stuff that is blind man like.  I'm a judger - I admit it!  I shy away from confrontation, I don't intentionally look to form relationships, I get angry quickly.  There's a lot of stuff I do that I wouldn't want my wife, my kids, my students, other PTA members (just impressing you again!) to do!  Can a blind man lead a blind man?

      I bet a lot of us are in the same boat.  We're a lot more blind man than seeing man!  So, do we stop trying to lead people?  Do we stop trying to "bear good fruit" as it says in Luke 6:43?

     No, Jesus's message today is not to shame us for being blind, it's to enlighten us to the truth that we have stuff to work on.....and so does everybody else.  We're all in the same boat here! 

     A good leader recognizes that before he / she tries to change anyone.  A good leader looks at how they can improve themselves before they try to improve others.  A good leader isn't blind to the truth!

     Can a blind man lead a blind man?  No!  So, open your eyes!

     Later!

SHOW ME SOMETHING!

Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is kind to the ungrateful and wicked.  - Luke 6:35

READ LUKE 6:20-38 TODAY

     I get this one all the time.  "She did it first!"  "But she was mean to me!"  Somehow my daughter's can use that to justify their actions. 

     Luckilly, this doesn't only happen with eight and ten year-olds!  Just to make sure things stay even, I know a forty year-old male who does it all the time too.  Isn't it crazy how we all hate our enemies?  Isn't is wacky that everyone is unkind to the ungrateful and wicked?  Wouldn't it be great if we could follow Jesus on this one?

      Maybe you're thinking, "No, not really!"  There's no reason to be cool to someone who had wronged you.  They get what they deserve.  And I get that......but Jesus doesn't.

      He's saying, "Show me something!"  Anyone can be cool to the people that are cool to them.  What separates us as Christ followers is being cool to those who are way uncool to us.

      Let's try that today.  Let's be cool to someone who is really mean to us.  Maybe send them a note, pray for them, say a nice word to someone who goes off on you.  Just see what happens - not to them, but to you!

JESUS LEFT SOME OUT!

When morning came, he called his disciples to him and  chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles. - Luke 6:13

READ LUKE 6:17-19 TODAY

     Jesus left some people out!  He didn't pick everyone.  He didn't worry about, "Oh, this guy's feelings might get hurt.  He didn't let everyone be an apostle.  There were actually people that came up to that mountainside and went back down probably feeling rejected.  There were people sitting in that crowd who probably second guessed Jesus and said, "I would have been a much better apostle than that Judas." (They would have been right!)  There were people in that crowd who could have had their names written in the 6th chapter of Luke, but instead went on to a normal, "my name is not in the best-selling book of all time" type of life.  There were people who thought it wasn't fair, who had worked harder than those who were picked, who were better "apostle material."  There were probably people who went away hurt, dejected and and a little angry!

      But Jesus made the tough call.  He had to choose.  You can't have a thousand people at the last supper - that's too many feet to wash.  OK, I joke, but Jesus needed twelve and that's what he picked. 

     Sometimes, if we are going to treat people like Jesus did, we can't worry about hurting feelings.  Sometimes we just have to make our decision and roll with it.  Some people are going to get left out.  Some people will get offended.  But, that's what truth requires.

     That's why I don't make a good Savior!

PRAY FIRST!

One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray and spent the night praying to God. - Luke 6:12

READ LUKE 6:12-16 TODAY

     I've got a simple message today: Pray for your friends!  Pray that you get good friends!  Pray that God helps you choose the right ones!  Pray that the ones you choose will go on to do greater things than yourself!  And while you're at it, you may want to pray for your child's friends, your friend's friends, your spouse's friends.  Everyone needs good friends!

    It worked for Jesus!

See yaaa!

PEOPLE FIRST!

The Son of Man is Lord of the Sabath. - Luke 6:5

READ LUKE 6:1-11 TODAY

     Today, Jesus reminds us that people are more important than rules.  Folks are hungry - give them some food.  You can help a sick man - do it!  Sounds pretty simple right?  People are what matter!  Easy one, click the red X, done for the day!

     Hold on a second!  It's your daughter's birthday and you've used all your sick days, what do you do?  There's a big event at school, but your work is having a huge deal with some bigwig clients, what do you do?  It's 9 a.m., time for church, and you see a single mom on the side of the road having car trouble, what do you do?  Your daily schedule says "Get up and exercise" but when you get up your daughter is already awake, what do you do?  You have had this conert planned for months and then you get a phone call from your friend about a break-up, what do you do?  Even better, your family is hungry and you have no money.  You are walking around Jewel and see an opportunity to put some food in a bag and keep walking, what do you do?

     I think it's not so easy!  In life, living people first can be a challenge.  There are a lot of rules - some written, some unwritten, that make us do stuff that we normally wouldn't even consider.  I think I speak for everyone when I say, if we were really going to put people in front of everything else, we'd have a lot of tough decisions to make.

Peace Out!

AND NOW TIME FOR A COMMERCIAL BREAK....

And no one after drinking ld wine wants the new for he says, "The old is better." - Luke 5:39

READ LUKE 5:36-39 TODAY

     OK, so we're supposed to be looking at how to treat people - forget that (at least for a day!).  This bible verse always bugs me.  Old wine, new wine, patches, "the old is better."  What the?

     So, I busted out the iPAD today and did some research.  And I think I've come up with a meaning that I like.  The Pharisees are really getting their undies in a bunch over who Jesus picked as his disciples (read a little before this parable).  Jesus justifies his choice by using this.  You can't teach someone who's already learned the wrong way.  You can't teach an old dog new tricks.

      See, the Pharisee's disciples were trained in the way of the Pharisees.  If Jesus would have chose those guys for His disciples they would have said, "Jesus, you're crazy!"  But, Jesus went to the fisherman and tax collectors - people who had no religious training so that they would not have any bad habits.

     I was talking to a Quarterbacks coach this week.  He said that his ten year-old daughter was easier to teach than his high school players.  She had never developed "wrong ways" to throw a football.  She was COACHABLE!

     That's the take home - ARE WE COACHABLE or have we learned so much of the wrong stuff that we are like the guy who says, "I'm good - I've got it down!"  Because no one after drinking the old wine wants the new.  They say the old is better.

  

     That's my take, what's yours?  Read this passage and let me know!

Booooyahh!

YOU'RE SICK! AND I AM TOO!

"It is not the healthy who need a doctor but the sick." - Luke 5:31

READ LUKE 5:27-34 TODAY

     We need to look out for the sick people.  It doesn't make sense to hang out with the folks who are already healthy!  They don't need us.  The sick ones do.  Our lives should be spent finding those who are sick and fixing them up!

     THAT'S WHAT I USED TO THINK!

     But, then I read this today and realized Jesus was talking to me!  He's saying I'm sick.  I need Him!  And if I'm ever gonna be any good to this world, if I'm ever gonna help anyone live out the Life to the Full that Jesus offers - I better realize I'm the sick one.

      Only then will be I be able to treat people like Jesus treated them.  Only then will I be able to deal with my own junk so that it doesn't affect others.

      I'm out!

IT'S SUMMER, GIVE ME A BREAK!

"When Jesus saw their faith he said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven." - Luke 5:20

READ LUKE 5:17-26 TODAY!

    OK, so it's been a little while since I've written - I'm sure you've done all right without me!  And hey, who's got time for Bible reading when you're getting a job, going to Puerto Rico and climbing up 40 foot towers with your daughter?  (Actually, let me just publicly thank God - this has been an incredible month!)

     But, I do want to get back - back to hanging out with the One who has an awesome plan and back to figuring out how to live out this Life to the Full that Jesus promised with You!  I was reminded these last four days of how crucial it is to spend time with God, and I was also reminded how crucial it is to do that with a bunch of people you respect and trust and admire - like You!

     So, today I noticed a verse.  I've noticed it before - actually someone else noticed it and I stole their idea.  But, they'll never read this blog so it's ok.  Did you notice that this dude was saved by Jesus......because of their faith!  If you read the story, it's about the guys who drop their buddy through a roof so Jesus can heal him.  The guy is just lying on a mat - it doesn't even say he wanted to see Jesus, knew who Jesus was, thought Jesus could save him.

     Do you know anyone like that?  I wonder if our faith could heal those people!  I wonder if just by asking God, other people could be saved from whatever it is that they need saving from!  I wonder if just by asking God, He would forgive their sins.  I wonder if our connection with the Father has life-changing perks attached to it.

     Let's try this!  Think of someone who doesn't really know Jesus, maybe doesn't even want His help, would never think of asking Jesus to do anything.  You ask Jesus for them.  For one week, I want you to step in and ask Jesus to do something for this person.  Let's see what happens!

     Thanks!