Friday Focus #34

Stop Making Excuses

I have heard people say that when they are done living whatever lifestyle they are living or when life calms down then they will go to church, get right with God, read the Bible, etc. I think to myself, why wait? If you really want to do something you will make time for it regardless of what else is going on. People who love to work out will work out. People who love to plant and garden will plant flowers and tend to their garden. If you like working on cars, then you will make time for that. But as for God, many will say it just isn't the right time. There is no good reason as to why you need to wait to reconnect with God. Stop making excuses.

If we don't want to go to church, read the Bible, etc then just say that instead of there is no time for it. We all have 24 hours a day and chose to spend it doing what we want and what are also priorities. If you do not add time with God to your schedule then there will be something else that will come into the mix later and keep you from making time. Some people have said that they will wake up earlier or spend part of their lunch hour reading the Bible. Others listen to sermons while driving to and from work. There is always time, but your choice is has been to do something else.

Do you remember when Jesus went to visit Mary and Martha? Read through Luke 10:38-42 and see how Martha was so distracted doing so many things that that when she realized she was not getting help from her sister, she complained to Jesus who told Martha that Mary had chosen to spend time with him rather than run around doing other "stuff" that was not as important. What ever is important to you will show not just by your words, but also by your actions.

 

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John 16- Overcome the World

Overcome the World

Jesus was explaining to his disciples that he came from God and man (Mary) and would be returning to God. Typically, he would say things like this in figures of speech, but changes his method hear as the time drew near that he would be crucified.

When Jesus was relaying to them that there is a time when he will return to God, he let them know that their faith may be shaken and they will return to their homes and leave him alone. That is a glimpse into the death on the cross and his body being placed in the tomb. He told them not to worry because he would be with the Father. He told them this so that they could have peace and for them to understand that there will be tribulation in the world but he overcame the world (John 16:33).

 
Jesus wanted them to be at peace and not worry about him as he was with the Father. His overcoming the world is the overcoming of sin by being sinless, overcoming being arrested, beaten, misjudged, and even the overcoming of death through his resurrection. Life has problems. We all have had them, will have more and may even have some now. But, no matter what the problem has been, Jesus has overcome it. With him we can overcome them too.

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John 1:14- And the Word Became Flesh

And the Word Became Flesh

Maybe not for me or you, but I have this feeling it is "easy" for some to forget that Jesus was God in the flesh. Not just a good guy, but the human version of God who was both God and Man at the same time.

God is not the type to overlook you. Remember that. In John 1:14 we see it clearly with "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."

"The Word became flesh" breaks down how God became human and was Jesus. "Dwelt among us" shows us how Jesus walked with people and did not just live up on some cloud in the sky. "And we have seen his glory" refers to the physical evidence that shows that it was not some fairy tale told generation after generation, but witnesses seeing the same great things Jesus did. "Glory as of the only Son" tells us that God only had one Son. The S in Son is capitalized to reference that God was in Him. Remember Jesus was half Mary's and half God's. Joseph would be Jesus's step-father so to speak. We have earthly parents while Jesus had one earthly parent. "Full of grace and truth" identifies Jesus's character and his fulfillment of the prophecies.

The next time you think you are having a bad day or think no one cares about you, understand that God came down on earth to walk among us. He didn't do it out of obligation, but out of unconditional love. In that Jesus died for our sins forever uniting us with God if we accept Jesus as being God in the flesh and follow him.

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Luke 2:49 - My Father's House

My Father's House

In this chapter we get to see Jesus's birth and an excerpt from when he was 12. The excerpt by itself could seem rather normal, but if you have read through Matthew and Mark with me, then you understand nothing about Jesus was normal, primarily because he was God in the flesh.

During the Feast of the Passover in Jerusalem, Jesus went with Mary and Joseph as was the custom. After it ended, Jesus was thought to be traveling back with them, but he was not with them. They returned to Jerusalem to see him sitting among the teachers asking questions and listening to them. Mary and Joseph were worried and I love the response Jesus had and I will tie this in to who we are today. Jesus's response in Luke 2:49 was “Why were you looking for me? Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?” 

It was the custom during this time for the son to take on the same work his father had involved himself with. We know Jesus was a carpenter as was Joseph, but we can't overlook (while I can understand the reason why) that Jesus is God's son, not Joseph's. While Jesus had taken on the customary apprenticeship of his earthly father, he also took on the work his Heavenly Father had for him.

God has roles for each of us, but if we are not in tune with what God want's from us, then we are just fulfilling earthly duties. I ask you this question, are you about your Father's business? Are you doing what it is God wants you to do? I don't just mean with work or school (but it could be that), but outside of the church for the purpose of spreading God's word and the life of Christ.

We must be about our Father's business and be in our Father's house. We are to do what God directs us to do out of obedience for Him. Even Jesus, after Mary and Joseph found him still in Jerusalem, he went back with them to Nazareth and was submissive to them (verse 51). Jesus was doing what he was supposed to and that was pleasing to God.

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Luke 1- God's Promises

God's Promises

I have seen in my own life how God's promises do hold true. I was reflecting yesterday on how one thing that seems horrible at one point can be an absolute blessing years letter in retrospect.

In treading through Luke 1, I kept seeing something pop up. It was God's word holding firm and being true. God said something and it became true. In verse 13 an angel of the Lord came to Zechariah (father to be of John the Baptist) and told him his prayers had been answered and he and his wife, Elizabeth, would bear a son. Zechariah did not believe the angel (Gabriel) and for that was made mute (verses 18-20) until the birth of John.

Gabriel is the same angel that also told Mary (mother of Jesus) that she would give birth to a son even though she was a virgin. In verses 26-33, so much information is given about Jesus from not only his name but to how he will live.

In verses 62-64, as John was born, many were saying that he should be named after his father Zechariah, but he wrote on a tablet that "His name is John" which released his inability to speak. That is exactly what Gabriel said before that the inability to speak would last until John was born due to Zechariah's unbelief.

The thing I love about this chapter is that even when things seem impossible, Luke 1:37 reminds us of the truth that "nothing is impossible with God." Whether you are an old woman or an unmarried virgin, God can and will use you, if you let Him. Being out of God's will (as you may have read yesterday) is never helpful in your walk with Christ.

Another note, that really solidifies all that is embedded in why we follow Christ was that his birth fulfills prophecies that were stated and documented years and years before his birth. I read from Dave Guzik on Studylight.org who explains that when Gabriel spoke from God's presence about words being fulfilled in their time (section 4 subsection 2 c), he was referring to Jesus's birth and the surround prophecies that prove that Jesus is the messiah and not just a good teacher. Know that!

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Mark 16:14- Rebuking Unbelief and Spreading the Word

Rebuking Unbelief and Spreading the Word

We know that after Christ died on the cross and was resurrected. We know that an angel told Mary Magdalene and Mary (mother of James) that Jesus had risen from the dead. But, did you know that as the disciples were told that he had risen, they did not believe it? It wasn't shock, it was disbelief. They did not believe that Jesus did what he said he would do (see Mark 8:31-38).

In verses 9-11, Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene and tells her to go and tell the disciples that he has risen. They did not believe her. I understand that Jesus would have chosen her because in this time women were not respected. But, when God uses a women to deliver a message and you don't believe the message due to your prejudices, then you have missed the point on following Christ and loving your neighbor as yourself. The disciples messed up again as Jesus appeared to two of them in verses 12-13, but not in the form of Jesus. There is more detail of this encounter in Luke 24:13-35.

In verses 14-16, when Jesus appears the the eleven disciples (used to be 12 but Judas hung himself) he rebukes them for their unbelief. Jesus sent the message of his resurrection by Mary Magdalene and again in another form, yet the disciples did not believe. Jesus said what he would do and who he was, yet when the going got tough, the disciple's faith got going, in the wrong direction.

Then he commanded them to go into the world and make disciple of all nations. This was not specific to only people in one land or another, but in all lands. Jesus did not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, color and nation of origin. Jesus explains "Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned." As we must remember, we cannot just sit on the history of Jesus. We must tell others about him.

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Matthew 2:12

Matthew 2:12 "And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way." commentary- In this chapter God spoke to the wise men & Joseph in different ways. The wise men didn't take Jesus back to Herod as Herod would have killed him. An angel appeared to Joseph to take Jesus & Mary to Egypt. Again an angel of the Lord told Joseph when to return. I see that when God tells you to do something, you do it. We don't always have the reasons why, but it is best for us to do what God says so that we are protected by Him.