God is not religion,

God is not religion, He is not a set of rules and laws, He is not an invisible "force", He is not a faceless "power" to be manipulated, He is not a teaching to learn.

God is love, God is a father, God is the Father.

He is an individual personality that created you, me, and all we know. He is a loving creator watching longingly over a rebellious and hurting creation. He knows both the big picture of His creation and you, your individual life and problems.

We don't force him to act by praying right, by pleading with him, by following some rules, by appeasing him. That sort of non-sense is the stuff of religion. The silly notion that we could do something to influence God through our actions goes back to the garden where a snake says "you will be like god!". We don't manipulate God! He is not some formula or process or power to be used. He is our dad.

As a dad, He loves us. He knows you and all your problems, and He loves you fully just as you are. You don't have to earn a fathers love, it is given simply because of the relationship. You, the child, did not create that relationship... He did! He chose to make you, and love you as you are.

Some have not had such an earthly father as an example. Some have had a father who does not love and care freely, some that do not love and care at all. But listen, you do have a perfect father. Even if you earthly father did not exemplify that love, you Do have a father who longs to wrap His arms around you and hold you tight and safe, to provide all that you need, to be your dad.

You father in heaven knows your every need right now. Prayer does not inform him of anything new. He already knows. You will never surprise Him nor persuade Him. He already knows. He has a plan. He waits for you to step into His plan.

Being fully known and still loved. That is heaven.

A wise man once walked down the isle of a typical church, tears streaming down.

A wise man once walked down the isle of a typical church, tears streaming down. He was distraught over seeing pew after pew with little plaques proudly displaying "donated by Mr and Mrs Jones". Name after name. Why distraught? Because he realized that those name may well have their only reward in that plaque! They traded a earthly reward in place of a heavenly reward.

Jesus warns us of such. Seeking fame, recognition, reward of any kind for our good deeds, becomes the end of that reward.when a name is praised on Earth, it may be unknown in heaven. How sad!

This isn't to say that we should limit our good deeds, but it says we need to look deep in our in hearts. Ask ourself, ask God "why" we do those deeds. The "why" is always more important than the"what". If the answer of why involves thanks, recognition, fame, reward of any sort, we missed it. 

Our motivation for good works must by compassion, desire to help, love for others. Our motivation should be always to please God, not man. We do what we do because we want, desire, crave the blessings of our father being pleased. 

Store up rewards in heaven, by being silent in our deeds. Don't draw attention to yourself. Resist seeing your name in lights, on a plaque. How much better to let Jesus get the glory! He alone deserves it.

How simple! Here is the answer!

How simple! Here is the answer! 

Jesus waited. He went up the mountain and sat down waiting. Those that came, we're blessed with the words if life, the answer to their hearts desire.all they had to do, was seek Him. That's it! Jesus honored their desire to find truth. They did not have to do anything, prove anything, become anything... All that he required was to seek Him.

Yet, simplicity is not ease! Jesus was on the mountain! Seeking him meant going to Him, up, away from this world and it's distractions. They had to go to where Jesus was... A mountain.

Today nothing has changed. We, you and I, have the same opportunity! We can sit at the Master's feet and absorb the words of Truth and life. He is waiting for all who seek him, he waits for you. Leave the distractions of your life, your day, your needs, and seek the mountain where Jesus waits. 

Jesus gives freely, to all who seek him, who follow him to the mountain. The world can offer nothing in comparison! All that is good, all that fills and soothe our heart is on that mountain where Jesus waits. 

Go, now, to sit at his feet. 

He waits for you.

Words... The stuff of wisdom and life.

Words... The stuff of wisdom and life. All that is was brought about by words, and words are the tool to restore what we lost. 

Not thoughts, but words. We can't think ourselves healthy, we can't fill that deep void inside with unspoken concepts. Only words carry the significance and power to touch souls.

Jesus preached, here in Matthew we have a near complete example of HOW he spoke. As one with understanding, authority. His words opened the door to deep concepts long forgotten. His words cut deep though the muck and mire of our existence to expose our own hidden darkness, to promise true light and peace to our weary hearts. His words were and are still life. 

Yet his words were death, to him. The very light he brought to a hurting world so angered the leaders of the day, they plotted to silence him through death. They could no longer be the ones in charge, because their own words were dark, empty, useless when compared to the light and life Jesus spoke. His words must be silenced so that these dark souls could remain in their darkness where they controlled the masses.

And silenced him they did. Within a few years they succeed in Jesus death, his silence. Or so they thought. But darkness can not snuff out a light! Jesus turned their moment of dark success into an eternity of light! His words persist, changing lives, filling souls, rescuing the dieing, comforting the hurting. His words bring life, power, peace.

Know that words have power, words can bring light or dark. Words can heal or hurt. Words can create or destroy. We must speak, but must speak life. 

Sometimes our words are the only Jesus heard by those around us.

Speak life.

Ever feel like you are walking in the dark?

Ever feel like you are walking in the dark? Unsure where to turn? What is the way? What to do? Feel lost?

What a glorious promise this is! 

God cleary says here that He will guide YOU in your everyday life! Wow! The Creator of the universe whispering in your ear the path to success! What more could we ever ask for? Where else would we turn? Who knows better than God?

And better yet... That day is today! Jesus said that when the Holy Spirit is given to the believers, He would guide them in all righteousness. He is the gift spoken of here's in Isiah. And that happened 2000 years ago at Pentecost! 

No longer do we need to stumble around in our own blindness. No longer do we need to rely on "experts" to guide us. We have the wisdom of the Creator within us! He whispers the way all day, every day. All we must to is learn to listen more. The teacher is here, and he is available to each believer today. 

Wish the scriptures would come alive with meaning and pertinence? Wish the questions in your life were answered? Wish you could walk in confidence in your life? It's all possible, right now. 

Ask the Holy Spirit in, submit to His quiet guidance. Trust and obey. Lean on Him as our teacher, our comforter. 

Yes, this is real. God is real. God's voice in your life can be real. We are not meant to be alone, just ask Him in!

Gentle, meek.

Gentle, meek. These terms tend to conjure up thoughts of weakness, quiet, submission. 

That, is unfortunate! 

Think for a sec. If you were hurt, and alone with someone, and they had to pick you up and carry you to safety, would you want someone who is gentle? Of course! But to pick you up gently, they must be STRONG! Only a strong man can gently pick up an injured person without causing more pain.

Gentleness requires great strength under careful control. 

"Meek" is much the same. Meek is the thought of gentle strength with a humble attitude. Not flaunting the strength, using it wisely in only the proportion required. 

Jesus was the strongest man ever to walk this earth. Strong in spirit, soul, and body. He "could" do anything! Yet He chose to use his tremendous strength only when necessary, only to the extent necessary, and only to accomplish the will of the Father.

So why do we praise the strong boisterous man today? Why do we feel secure in the proud man? Politicians, athletes, celebrities, doctors, law enforcement, so often we tend to praise those who flaunt their power, even their pride! How is that of God? How can we personally seek to be gentle yet praise the boisterous?

Jesus is speaking of quiet strength here. This is a rare virtue in our world of strongmen, of pride, of flesh. It is the quiet that brings success to the strength. A loud boisterous strength is not of God, not something we should celebrate.

It is the quietly humble yet strong that God sends to inherit the earth. Samson was strong without humility, Jesus was strong with humility. 

Be strong in the Lord, strong enough to move mountains, to cast out demons, to calm storms, but walk in self-control as Jesus did and gently carry the hurting to peace.

When the storm comes...

When the storm comes...

So often we do everything in our power to avoid the storm. Then we turn to God and pray, plead, even beg Him to remove the storm. Storms are scary and often painful. Our cry is "no storms!" We seek a calm sunny day to sit outside and enjoy.

But! There is one little word in this scripture we can't ignore... "WHEN" the storm comes.

Storms are inevitable in life. They cannot be avoided. We waste our energy and time when we work so hard to avoid the storm. It says "when", not "if". The storm IS coming, again and again. The goal then, the deep truth that Jesus speaks of here is not avoidance, but preparation. Be ready!

But it goes even one layer deeper. Look at this story. The stormy weather, the flood, is actually a tool of God for good! The storm tests the building, exposing its internal architecture. The storm reveals the hidden truth of the foundation. The visible portion of a house can be beautiful, perfect, elaborate... But the whole thing can be a death trap. This is revealed by the storms that come.

Are we calm in the storm? Do we stand steadfast in Jesus promises, with a faithful and willing heart? Are we at peace as the wind and rain rages against our dreams and hopes? Are we still as all that is not of God washes away outside? 

Embrace the storm! It is for good, not evil. When you are safely in the hands of Jesus, what can come of a storm but purification? Glory? This is how God shows Himself to those around us... through storms. our strength, peace, thankfulness in a life storm is perhaps the greatest witnessing tool possible to a lost, fearful world. 

Instead of praying away a storm, embrace it! Know our prayer for God to use us is being answered! Pray for peace, calm, strength. Pray that all of the world washes away from our own heart. Pray that others see Jesus in our words and deeds of the storm. Can we pray for MORE storm?!? 

Storms, floods, these are not bad, but good. So long as we are safe in a house built on Jesus and Him alone. What is there to fear? Rejoice in the storm! It is the answer to your prayer.

Who will answer the call?

Who will answer the call? 

All night... No sleep... Spending time alone in the presence of the Father. This is where ministry begins. Prayer.

Jesus spent much time alone in prayer, much time. Not just here or there, not just the weekly prayer meeting at the church, not just at every meal or event. No Jesus lived a life of prayer, often all night alone in prayer. This is where purity of thought and purpose is born, this is where hearts are transformed, this is where power is endowed. Prayer, alone, for hours.

Who will answer the call of the Father today to enter into this life of prayer? Who will stay on their knees all night seeking God's way? Who will take time to wait in the Lord? It's so much easier to attend seminars, class, read books, listen to videos, and get a good night's sleep. But God looks for the ones willing to seek Him and Him alone, those who do not rely on man's ways, those who know that God's power and presence is always the only answer. He seeks those willing to spend all night in prayer.

Are you troubled? Do you need a touch from God in your life? In your ministry? In your family? The answer is found in prayer... earnest , heartfelt, honest, continual prayer. 

Who will answer God's call? Who will climb the mountain and spend the night seeking God? Not for an hour, not for an evening, but until there is an answer from heaven.

Anger -- Jesus was angry!

Anger -- Jesus was angry!

We often limit our view of the Savior as that of a meek and humble man, always quiet, always loving and kind. Yet here in the Gospel of Mark we see Jesus speaking "in anger". 

Anger itself is not a sin. Anger is a natural reaction, a God given emotion. If Jesus felt anger, then it can not be wrong to feel angry at times. Yet the scriptures also say "Be angry but sin not". That is the key

Here Jesus was angry, grieved deeply at the church leaders hard hearts. These leaders were concentrating on their own position, their own interpretation of laws and rules, their ability to walk in power and heightened view of the people. They were more concerned about the "rules" than the suffering of the people. That grieved Jesus greatly. Being close to the Father, Jesus knew full well that the Father had granted these priests a position of authority, to shepherd the His flock. Yet instead they took those awesome blessings and used it for their own gain. They cared more for themselves than those they were empowered to lead.

Yes, he was grieved and angered! So what did he do? Did he lash out at them? condemn them? attack them? call names? block them off his social media? NO! Jesus in infinite wisdom and self control, quietly IGNORED them. He didn't play to their little games of intimidation, He didn't launch endless debates, He didn't even address them directly. He simply did what was right to do, in full view of them and the crowd. 

You could call this an act of willful disobedience. These priests were technically in charge of the church. The "made" the rules and interpreted them for the people. Yet their corruption required Jesus to stand against them in truth. Yet he did so quietly and respectfully. 

We get angry about things. It is normal. The question is simply "what do we do with that anger?" Jesus did good with respect to those He was angry towards. He put truth and righteousness above the anger. This is the lesson we so desperately need to follow. "Be angry but sin not"... always turn every situation over to God, let the Holy Spirit guide us in truth and righteousness. 

Next time anger well up inside you.. ask the question, "Lord, what am I to do about this situation?" and then do not act until you hear an answer. Wait on the Lord, and He will guide you.

Are you troubled, depressed, anxious, tired, worried, attacked, suffering?

Are you troubled, depressed, anxious, tired, worried, attacked, suffering? 

Get to the mountain!

The mountain is where Jesus spent a lot of time. Alone with the Father. Quiet solitude away from the distractions that cry out. Away from the needs of the world, distanced from the wisdom of man.

You see, the mountain is where Jesus gained strength and wisdom. Not school, not friends, not self help, not books, not even church! The mountain! Power and peace comes from quiet solitude with the Father. What a revelation!

There is no place, no exercise, no source as powerful and healing as being in the presence of God alone. He is real, and waiting for you to seek him. Head to your mountain and find what your soul thirst for, cries for. Time alone with your creator.

Hard day? Mountain time!
Troubles? Mountain time!
Needs? Yes, mountain!

Put down all those videos, take leave of your friends, close the books and get alone with God. Cry out to Him. He and He alone is the answer to every question, the solution to every need.

The Christian life is work in the valley, rest on the mountain.

Compassion...

Compassion...

Like the woman caught in adultery and brought to Jesus.
Like the man at the pool waiting a lifetime for a touch.
Like the possessed and uncontrollable child.
Like the church leader seeking Jesus under the cover of darkness.
Like the tax collectors, evil politicians that sold out for money.

Jesus had compassion on those undeserving of compassion. He saw their hearts crying out in pain under the weight of their own sin. He saw the person inside, not the sinful dirt on the surface. And he had compassion. He did not "judge" them, he freed them, healed them, and warned them to not sin again.

Do we walk in compassion? Do we feel deeply sad for those living in sin? Do we hurt for those who attack us!? Or... Do we delight in justice, the punishment they deserve? Do we feel peace when another suffers justly for their own sins?

The people Jesus had compassion on, were sinners, evildoers, harming others and living a life unworthy of blessing. They didn't deserve compassion, they deserved death! Punishment! Yet, Jesus showed compassion. And so must we.

Does that mean justice is ignored? No! Those in a position of authority, tasked with carrying out justice, must. But, for everyone else, we are called to compassion. We are called to hurt for the victim and the criminal. Why?

But for the grace of God, there go I.

If we feel "better", " holier", "cleaner" then the criminal, we are deceived! Grace is a gift! Clean is an act of God, not us. We did not save ourself! What right do we have to feel more righteous than a sinner? None! We are all sinners, deserving of death for our actions, except for the grace of God.

Compassion for the criminal is an admission of humility. A recognition of our own nature. Lack of compassion is pride, self-holiness, self-righteousness. Compassion for others is recognizing the free gift of God given to us.

Compassion, what we freely received, that shall we give.

Have you ever wondered, "what can I do with my life today?".

Have you ever wondered, "what can I do with my life today?". Jesus did! And here us the answer that Jesus lived by. 

What God the Father is doing, what is in His heart, that is our call. That is what should occupy our day. That is our life mission.

Jesus walked moment by moment in compassion. Most of the stories left for us center on two things... Preaching life to crowds of any size, whoever would listen and touching the hurting. These really are the same thing! Some need a word, sone need a touch, many need both. But whatever the need, it is an individual that is needing. One is the magic number!

It feels great to "preach to 5000", to draw crowds and big numbers of responses. That sort of thing feeds our own ego well and brings the limelight near to justify our hard work in our own mind. But nothing is greater than meeting the need of the one! God cares about the individual! You, and me. Jesus likewise didn't preach to "A" crowd of 5000, He preached to 5000 individuals! He saw every eye, every heart, every need.

Doing the Father's work, is about the one He puts in our path today. The one who needs a word or a touch. If God cares, so should we. If God would take time to shed light on the one right beside us, we should be the bulb. 

You see, doing God's will and work is not about great ministries and numbers, not about best selling books, large ministries, big followings... No. Doing God's work is about the individual, whether one or a thousand, it is about individual need. God's heart is toward the one. Depth ! Touching the one where they need to be touched. Caring, taking time to meet the need of one.

God the Father directs our steps to bring the one in our path each day. It could be one alone or thousands of ones, but it is always individuals He wants to touch. Jesus touched and spoke to that one that the Father brought his way.

What will you do today? Try this: Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you the hurt and need of each one that crosses your path today. Ask Him to empower you to meet that need. Ask Him for compassion, for wisdom, for power, for love to meet that need fully and deeply. 

You are the light of heaven for all those around you to see today. You are the hands and voice of a Holy God. Concentrate your work on the one you encounter today. That is God's work.

Do you wish to get well?

Do you wish to get well?

Why would Jesus ask such a thing of an obviously sick man? For the same reason He asks you, now. Do you wish to get well?

God honors our free will. He does not force anything on us. He asks, "do you wish"? It's not a question of "what do you want?", it's a question of, "are you willing?". We must speak it! 

Our entire universe was spoken into existence. "Let there be light" was a spoken word, and likewise all that followed. The spoken word has authority and power, when we speak, when we answer.

Do you wish to get well? Are you willing to give up that pleasurable habit? That sin? That serving of flesh and self? That junk food? That focus on money? Whatever it is that has enslaved us into sickness through sin, are you ready to give it up? To pick up your pallet and start life anew? What's our desire, the fun and pleasure of sin or health? 

Do you want to get well? How often our own answer is no. We would rather cling to the sin! We want the consequences of sin to leave yes, but we would prefer to keep the pleasure of sin. 

But you cannot be "well" living in sin. Do you wish to be well? First be willing to leave sin and all it's fun behind. Then answer the question, "do you wish to be well?" and walk away. Speak, then act. Seek holiness and purity. Seek to avoid even the appearance of evil.

Do you want to be well?

Did Jesus walk past dozens of other suffering people ?

Did Jesus walk past dozens of other suffering people ? 

Most likely, yes.

It says here that the man had been sick for decades, and couldn't "heal himself" because others would beat him to the water. Others were there, waiting. Yet, Jesus went to one. Why?

This man was desperate. He could not help himself. Without Jesus, this man would have died sick and waiting. It is not Jesus being cruel here by healing one, it is man being evil by ignoring the one!

When we walk past, or drive past those who can not help themself, are we following Jesus, or man? We don't know here what Jesus said or did to the others present, but we do know that He helped the one who others ignored.

We are called to do the same... To help those least capable, the most hurting, the rejects of society! We aren't called to the rich and powerful but the sick and hurting, those no one else wants. The messy lives that others look down on. Those are the ones Jesus concentrated on, as should we!

Sin... Breaking of God's laws.

Sin... Breaking of God's laws. 

But WHY is there law? What is the purpose of all these rules?

Love. God gave law out of love for us. He is not some tyrannical dictator trying to control us, He is the creator explaining how to avoid consequences. 

Ever read an instruction book? We get some new "thing" and along with it cones a book. That book explains what the "thing" does, and how to use it. There are also inevitably a set of "do and don't" in that book. Is the creator of the "thing" trying to control you? Of course not. He is just sharing with you the details of the "thing" he created, so you can best enjoy using it. He wants to help you avoild ant consequences of misuse.

And so it is with The Creator of our world. He designed this world, this existence. He surely knows best how it works! "The law" then, can be perceived as our own instruction book of "how to live well". It is not a list of rules to control us! It is a list of understandings about life! We have the instructions to... Us!

Want to be happy? Follow the instructions!
Want to stay healthy? Follow the instructions!
Want to truly prosper? Follow the instructions!
Want to avoid problems? Yes... Follow the instructions!

The law was given out of love. God gave us insight into us, how to live, how to avoid pain. We wouldn't put water in the crankcase of our engine, and oil in the radiator, then complain when the car suffers. Why do we complain about natural consequences when we ignore our own creators instructions? Why would we value care for our car above care for our life?

"Do not sin" is not the cry of a controlling dictator over us, it is the gentle encouragement of a loving creator showing us how He designed things to work! "Do not sin" is His desire for us to live and live well. It is the insight into the blueprint of our universe and lives.

"Do not sin" is love, because sin is death and suffering. Not because God punishes us for sin, but because sin causes punishment of itself. Sin IS death. How would we avoid it without knowing what it is? The law shows us clearly.

Do not sin, because sin means bad is coming our way. Instead choose life abundant, by avoiding sin!

Have you ever felt watched?

Have you ever felt watched? Others scrutinizing your every action trying to catch something to criticize? Looking for a way to knock you down?

Here Jesus and the disciples were just quietly traveling along. They grew hungry and picked a few heads of grain to eat. The pharasees were watching! They did not watch to learn, they watched only to find fault! Their goal to catch any little mistake to discredit Jesus in the eyes of the people. They sought to tear Jesus down so that they could bring attention back to themselves.

We can face those same people. Today they might be called trolls... Sneaking around watchfully, looking for any opportunity to discredit us. Picking at every word, every action.

Jesus didn't "block them" as we tend to do on social media. He also didn't argue with them. He simply stated the truth and then moved on. Truth stands in its own, whether they listen or not. Truth does not need approval! It just is regardless of our opinions or feelings.

Jesus answered the trolls of His day with scripture, with truth. He didn't push them away, he tried to reach them. All who would listen are welcome. He didn't pick and choose who to talk to. He is truth spoken openly.

We too can walk in His truth. The Holy Spirit was given for this purpose. The same Spirit that filled Jesus with wisdom is here for us, to empower each of us to walk in that same truth. Don't be afraid of the trolls in our life, just speak truth and move on. Leave the results to God. Leave the doors open.

If they attacked Jesus, know that they will attack us. It is ok... As long as we rely on His wisdom, not our own.

Would you like to sit down with Jesus for dinner?

Would you like to sit down with Jesus for dinner? Think about that. Dining with the creator of the universe, the master of all, the king above all Kings.

Matthew did. Matthew and his friends did. They received a private audience with the King. What an honor!

And what great dead did they do to earn this great honor? What mighty feat was accomplished here? What warranted this reward? Only this... "They were following Him". That's it!

Religion is full of rules, ceremonies, rituals, demands... Things designed to make us worthy of God's presence. Paths laid out to take us to Him, to earn our way to heaven. Religion is man making himself worthy to be with God.

But it is all a lie!

We can not make ourselves worthy. It is impossible. We can not wash away our own sin. No ceremony will suffice. No words or actions will do. None. We will always fail at fixing ourself.

What to do then? Simple. The gospel is following Him. Just as we are! It is Jesus' job to fix us, all we must do is be there, invite Him in. He brings the light. He washes away the stains of our past. It is all Him! 

Matthew, his friends, were just plain sinners. They did not become holy to deserve Jesus presence for dinner. They became holy because they invited Him to dinner first! You don't need to do anything, don't need to fix anything, don't even need to "tidy up" first .. just invite Jesus in! Just as you are. Now, here. Open the door and ask him into your life, your problems, your mess. 

He is waiting not for those who are clean, He is waiting for those willing to follow, willing to invite Him in now as is. It is really that simple!

We can dine with Jesus. He will sit and talk, touch, help, and bring that peace we seek. Open that door, invite Him in now.

Would you climb that mountain?

Would you climb that mountain?

Jesus called for action. He did not heal so that the lame man could stay on his bed. Jesus called him to life! To action! To DO! He heals to restore the ability to live!

But it requires action. What if the man said no? What if he, knowing his reality of being lame, said no to Jesus. "I can't get up, I am lame". Would he have been healed? How would he ever know? You can't know you can walk till you try! How sad to be touched by God but refuse to act on it and miss the blessing!

To be healed, delivered, rescued, touched, we must get up! We must go on with life. That is overcoming! Not by our own strength, no... But by our resolve of faith. We "get up" by doing what we can and trusting that God will bring the results.

Need a job? Sure pray... Ask for help from above, but then "get up" and go look for one! Even if turned down a thousand times, ask God for help, then go look again. "Take up your pallet and go"! Need healing? Need a friend? Need deliverance? Need anything? Pray, seek God, but then "go"! 

God honors our actions when we seek Him first, and then "go". Don't forge ahead without hearing from heaven, but also don't neglect to forge ahead when you do hear! The Christian life is prayer followed by action! 

"Take up your pallet and go" is our call, after we hear from heaven. Hear first, then go, do, act, trust. If He tells you to climb a mountain, know that you now can. Start climbing!

Ever been desperate?

Ever been desperate? So desperate that you are willing to do anything to find an answer?

These guys were desperate! Look what they did! Think of this in modern terms. They so knew that Jesus was their only hope, that they just had to get to Him. With no way in, they dismantled the building itself. Imagine climbing on top of a home and cutting a hole in the roof to gain access to the inside, and Jesus. Wow!

Many of us are desperate today, but how often are we desperate for Jesus? How often do WE see Jesus as the answer to our need? 

It is common to be desperate for money, for medical help, for food, for a job, for a friend, for acceptance. We all have needs. We all suffer from moments that our own abilities seem unable to overcome, forcing us to look elsewhere. But where do we look? Our perception of the source of relief is our true center of faith. It is the moment of desperation that exposes our own heart, our true beliefs, our faith.

In the beginning, God cursed the ground. That was not a punishment as much as a blessing. He cursed the ground after the fall to help us by making life challenging, by exposing our own heart to us. Where do we turn when it really matters? When there is no hope? When all seems lost? Well, unless all DOES seem lost, we would never know!

Examine your heart! Ask God to reveal it to you. See where your trust is when things get tough. Our desperation must be to touch Jesus, to get to Him, to hear from Heaven! That is relief, that is solution, that is peace. If heaven seems far away, ask WHY? Ask where is God! Remove the roof, the walls, whatever is separating you from Jesus. 

When we know that Jesus is the answer, the only answer, then we become desperate for Him. We find that path and according to scripture, will not be disappointed. Jesus will not turn us away! He is there waiting for the desperate. Waiting to touch that need, and forgive that sin. 

Jesus is the answer, to every question. Be desperate for Him!

Hidden thoughts.

Hidden thoughts. Quiet doubts. Private moments. These are no secrets from our Saviour. He knows all that is within us, even the deepest thoughts and fears. He knows, and He still loves us.

These church leaders had secret doubts. Their inward thoughts were haunting them into disbelief. Yet Jesus not only knew their thoughts, He quietly addressed them! He did not openly rebuke, He brought the light in words that directly spoke to their doubts.

How? By following the Father! God Himself provided the means through the paralyzed man and the faith of his friends. Had they not dug through the roof, how would Jesus address the church leaders thoughts so directly? God provided the way, in the right moment. 

God provides the light, the words, the opportunities to address our own hidden thoughts as well as others. He arranges things so that we can overcome doubts and fears if we only listen and obey. This story is a testament to Gods ability to touch our own hidden fears or doubts, as well as encouragement to bless others hidden thoughts.

We don't need years of training, study, schooling, diplomas... No, we need Jesus. We need to spend so much time alone with the Father that we know His voice, His ways. We need humility and obedience.

Jesus knows us. Do we know Him?

Signs and wonders...

Signs and wonders...

Consider for a moment the difference between the gospel, and witchcraft. Between following God and following satan.

Satan offers power, control, the supernatural ability to make things happen, to force others to comply. All the way back to that fateful day in the garden, he encourages us to do our own thing, to make our own choices, to reject Gods laws and find our own path,to wield our own power, to be our own god. "You shall not die, you shall be like god!" Is his cry. 

The gospel, in contrast, is letting go of all selfish ambition. Rejecting our own wants. Refusing to force, coerce, overpower. The gospel is found in quiet but total submission, in counting ourselves as slaves to our Master. In obedience to His will over ours. The gospel is in dying to self, to fame, to power. 

Signs and wonders? They attract. They entertain. They entice. They feed our selfish desire to control things, to wield power. In witchcraft there are spells, procedures, rituals that make things obey our will. In the gospel there is prayer, submission, humility, invitation. 

"If you pray this way... God will do this" can become a hidden danger. It becomes a subtle manipulation by us of God. Shall we "do something" to influence the creator of the universe? Shall our actions force Him to act? Is God's mighty power for sale to exploit for our own wishes? Is such not witchcraft?

No, the gospel is not in signs and wonders, it is in humility, holiness, submission. The gospel is seeking Gods path, not our own. The gospel is serving, dying, not a way to get what we want.

Let us not seek signs and wonders. Let us seek truth, holiness, purity, selflessness, service. There is no secret ritual, no perfect prayer, no magic words. There is following the Holy Spirit in the moment so that we "only do what we see the Father doing".

Signs and wonders do follow those who believe...so long as it is not signs and wonders that we seek.

Honesty... Leading to repentance and peace.

Honesty... Leading to repentance and peace.

Here the woman has already asked Jesus "give me the living water". He got through to her! She's ready for the " sinners prayer". Quick... Grab the moment! Grab the win! Another one saved!

No.

Jesus knew she had no husband. But before giving the living water, He sought her honest repentance. He opened the door of her heart to expose the hidden sin inside. It was her honesty that saved her! Her admittance to her own darkness. 

You see, the life of the gospel is not about knowing the "right words" or "proper ceremony" or "approved procedures". No... The Gospel is about reality! Touching people where they need it most through the leading of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel is about pain and healing, light and darkness, messy lives, reality!

If you have hidden sin, know that it is not hidden! Jesus sees all, no matter how deeply we push it under the surface. He knows, and He will expose the cancer inside to treat it.he will open the door for deliverance from our own darkness, through honesty. Open to Jesus, confess those things he already sees. Give it to him.

And when we speak with others... Never be satisfied with words, ceremony. Hearts hurt from hidden sin. It takes more then " give me this water"... It takes honest repentance followed by the fruits of repentance.it's hard work, it's painful, it's breaking... But then is peace, joy, freedom!

To walk in peace, we must get real, and get Jesus. He is still the answer.

Let me ask you a question... If "Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever",

Let me ask you a question... If "Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever", why do we not experience this sort of evangelism more often today?

Jesus used this ability to see into the woman's life supernaturally to grab her attention. Wouldn't that be a tremendous gift? To be able to meet people, strangers, and know their deepest secrets? Their life story? To see the sin they struggle with?

Yes, it would be tremendously effective. BUT, are you ready?

How foolish to hand a working loaded machine gun to a child? Shall God hand this powerful ability to a child in Christ? To someone so immature that they misuse what perception they already have?

When we abuse others, using our limited knowledge of them to take advantage of them, to abuse them, to cheat them, to criticise them, to hurt them for personal gain... How can God give us more power? When we abuse the power and authority we possess, no matter how slight it may be, how can He grant more?

Paul spoke of love as the greatest need. Without love, all becomes abuse. It is the act of putting others above and before ourselves that allows God to move through us. Only if He knows that we will willingly die to help another, can He give us this ability to "see" them as Jesus did here. It must be grounded in love, nothing else.

What drives you? If it is anything but love, anything other than a pure desire to sacrifice oneself for the one hurting, we need to repent! Can God empower the selfish ambitions? Can God give vision into hurting hearts if our goal is not true sacrificial love?

To walk in God's power, we must first repent of the desire to walk in power! We must open our own heart and ask God to fill us instead with love, compassion, a desire to heal and serve. 

Then, we too can walk as Jesus did, and "do greater things than these"... When our sole motivation, our hearts desire is to love.

"To the men"...

"To the men"...

This dear woman had just had an encounter with Jesus that touched her soul deeply. She met someone with all the qualities of the long awaited messiah, who also openly claimed to be the messiah. This... This was news! And she went to tell " the men". Why the men?

Now, to be fair, the greek word used here "could" refer to mankind, not males specifically. But that is unlikely. We cannot be 100%sure either way. Nonetheless, the translation "the males" fits with scripture. 

All through the bible, cover to cover, it is "the men" tasked with the responsibility of deciding truth. It started with adam right after the fall, and continues through revelation. 

Does that mean discrimination? Are women less worthy? Less capable? Less valuable? Of course not! The church may battle about this concept back and forth, but scripture is clear, the men are called to decide what is truth. At any level, family, church, city, nation, it is the responsibility of the men to be watchmen over their families and society. They must discern, proclaim, defend, and guard the truth, or their society suffers deeply.

But, sadly today, it seems men have dropped this holy call. Families, churches, cities are left to fend for themselves as the men reject their primary God given duty to discern truth. Where is the man who acknowledges this foundation of society? Where are the men with sore knees and broken egos from seeking God's truth and will? Where is the weeping, the searching, the crying out to God to light the path?

The woman of Samaria ran to "the men" seeking an answer. "Is this the christ?" Families all across our land, and right here in our community run to the men seeking an answer, "where is the light?". But how can a man answer when lost in his own world of walking in the darkness, ignoring the call to personal holiness? Adultery, drunkenness, abuse of authority, pornography, money loving, self serving... This things blind men to the light so that they can not be the watchmen. The ones who depend on them are left alone, unprotected, in darkness, and God will not overlook. 

Where are " the men" today? Who is the man that others know they can run to when faced with a need to hear from god? To discern truth? Where is the man who watches diligently over his own, worthy of respect by dying to all of self to live daily for Christ? Where is the man who those that know him best proclaim, "I want to be like him!".

The woman of Samaria ran to the men, and they dropped everything to come and discern Jesus and truth for the town.

Sir, are you ready? Have you spent the necessary alone time in the presence of a holy God so that His nature is what those closest to you see? His glorious light glows from your face and heart? Can you hear clearly the Holy Spirit, untainted by your own selfish ambitions? Have you repented in sackcloth and ashes, broken by the realization of your own sin? 

Do your knees hurt?

Where are the real men?

Have you met Jesus?

Have you met Jesus? 

No, seriously... Have you met him in person? Talked with him? Experienced being in his presence? For yourself?

Many believe based on what they heard in church, the radio, or what they read in books, even in the bible. That's all good... but have you gone the next step and actually met Jesus in person for yourself?

If we believe that Jesus rose on that third day, the His promises are true, that He loves us deeply, that He is the same always... Then we must believe it is possible to meet him for real. Not just through the word and testimony of others, but for yourself!

Crazy? No! 

There is an old story about Jimmy. Jimmy was a very bad young man full of sin, raised on the streets, never graced the door of a church. When Jimmy accepted Christ as savior, he was overjoyed! He ran out and found his best friend, a partner in crime and sat him down. But Jimmy had nothing to say. No training, no words, no concepts, he had never read a single scripture. In desperation to share his newfound life with his best friend, this blessed young believer stepped out on faith and simply said, "Jesus, this is my friend Joe. Joe, meet Jesus!"

Sound silly? Nope! Joe met Jesus that day and accepted Christ as savior also. Jesus honored Jimmy's faith and showed up.

This stuff is real! Jesus is real! He lives and stands at your door knocking, waiting, wanting to come in and talk to you, be with you. As crazy as that reality sounds, it is either real or not. The Gospel is either true or not. 

This isn't some ethereal distant stuff, this is real, here, now. This isn't some set of rules and ceremonies to follow, this gospel is a very real and personal relationship with our savior. 

If you have not met Jesus in person... Do. He is waiting for you.

Living in the day of the harvest!

Living in the day of the harvest!

Jesus points out that there are two things happening during a harvest. First, the workers are paid wages, second those workers build a storehouse of food for tomorrow.

Wages are for today, the day of harvest, so that the worker may eat, live, prosper. Scripture says "the laborer is worthy of his wages". When we do work, we are paid. Simple concept. Here the story starts with hunger. The disciples went to buy food. But when they returned, Jesus was no longer hungry. He had been " paid" wages for witnessing to the Samaritan lady.

This represents us today. When we spend time doing God's work, he pays us wages of covering our earthly needs. When we spend time focusing on "buying food", God does not pay wages, for we are not working for him then.
Wages come when we work! We don't need to demand payment, we simply trust that it will come from a righteous " boss".

But then something else is happening. The work of harvesting builds a storehouse for the future. Wages are for today, but the harvest is for tomorrow! And an even greater blessing, the harvest will be shared! We live in a day of harvest season that began when Jesus walked among us. Before that, many lived in the day of tilling, sowing, watering, weeding, etc. All these beautiful souls will be with us when we begin to enjoy the harvest.

Think of the party that will be! As the song says, "I can only imagine!". We will stand with Moses, Joshua, Elijah, Adam, Enoch, Ruth, Mary, Gideon, all of the men and women who preceded us.now THAT is a party!

Don't fret over today.... If you do the work appointed for you, the Master will pay your wages for today. But rejoice over the day that comes when we all enjoy the fruit of the harvest!

Wait, what? Jesus was weary?

Wait, what? Jesus was weary? 

Yes. Just as we get plain tired sometimes, so did Jesus. He lived our life! He experienced all that we do. He got tired.

Sometimes we are physically tired, sometimes emotionally tired, sometimes spiritually tired. Sometimes we just need a break! So did Jesus. 

But... Even exhausted, even unable to go on, Jesus cared. He sat resting at the well and what ensued was one of the most often quoted set of scriptures in the bible. He cared about the lowly Samaritan woman to spend his last bit of energy on her.

It's refreshing to realize that it's ok to be tired. It's ok to rest. But even in that rest is service. Every moment of life counts, there are so few. As each moment ticks by we have a choice, what to do with it? Each moment, even those tired ones, will be required of us to explain. How did we utilize that particular breath?

On our own we can't be that diligent. No, there is no willpower, no stamina, no tricks, nothing of man that can carry us along this way. It is all Jesus. He was tired and rested but yet served, that we may never be overcome. We can rely on His strength!

Don't try to do it on your own... It is exhausting and will fail. Find your strength in Jesus. Whatever you face, He has been there, and overcome. Only in Him does the storm calm.

Ever go outside on a clear night just to see the multitude of stars in the sky?

Ever go outside on a clear night just to see the multitude of stars in the sky? As your eyes adjust you see more and more, a seemingly endless number of tiny diamonds in the dark sky. And it is... Untold billions of stars arrayed for anyone to see in awe.

Ever sit at the beach and contemplate the number of grains of sand it takes to build that beach? The number of buckets of water in the ocean? Some things are overwhelmingly massive in number.

So it is with life. Sometimes it seems life is full of an immeasurable amount of pain, or failure, or defeat or challenges. Sometimes the circumstances of life take one's breath away and drown dreams in a sea of doubt. Sometimes that doubt is manifest in actual fails, assuring us that there is just no way, that it's already over, just give up. 

But before we sink into despair and hopelessness, know this, "He gives the spirit without measure!"

Even though the number of grains of sands of a beach seems impossible, there is a number to it. A big one, yes. But a number, and an end. God's spirit... Is WITHOUT even measure. There is no end to the presence and power of God's spirit, none!

It matters not how big or how many our problems are... Because the spirit of God, The comforter, the teacher of truth, the ever-present friend, the source of power to overcome is without measure! Infinite!

Sometimes troubles come at us like stars in the sky, One after another in a never-ending "knock me down again" barrage of stuff. How do we stand against impossible odds? Not on our own! But on the infinite spirit of God; given without measure. Every new problem is met with more of God's spirit If we stay focused on Him. And yes, sometimes God allows the attack, to help us. To drive us to the edge of ability and faith on purpose. What will we do?

Do we follow God because of the good He does? Or because He is worthy? Is it what He does for us? No! We serve him because He is worthy, whether He rescues us or not. We serve because that is the right thing to do.

Do we love righteousness more than results? Do we do right just because it is right, or for a reward? What is our motivation? We find out... At the edge of faith. 

Trust that He can, and do right regardless of the outcome. Know that God's hands are only tied by our lack of faith or our selfish ambition. His spirit is without measure.

Competition!

Competition! The "other church" is drawing crowds, growing, even stealing our people! We must do something!

Yes, we must... We must stop seeing that as bad, or even important. 

If all comes from God, what is it to us? How can there be competition? What an absurd notion! Competition in Gods kingdom? May it never be!

Our focus, our heart, must always remain on Gods purpose for us. It's a personal thing. What does He have planned for YOU. It never matters what others are doing... Does their success (or failures) somehow limit Gods plan for you? No! 

Rejoice in increase! If we care where it occurred, we aren't ready! God cares enough about each of us to never give more than our humility can handle. His great love and wisdom ties success to humility, to save us from pride and the inevitable falling away that pride brings.

No, there is no competition in Gods kingdom. We are one, we are a body with many parts working in unison. That concept does not end at the walls of our church! Every Christian around the world is our brother or sister, working alongside us. God has a plan for each of us individually.

When we see others blessed, rejoice! Keep focused on our part, regardless how great or small it seems. There is no greater calling than what YOU can do for Christ today. Be at peace, whether you touch one, or millions. Rest in Gods plan, it is not about results... It is about peaceful obedience.

The meaning of life!

The meaning of life! 

John the Baptist had reached the autumn of his ministry, indeed his life. He understood his ministry well... And it was almost complete. He must decrease, shrink, sink into the background after enjoying the greatest fame of his day.

But wait! No! Our world resists shrinking as "failure"! Our wisdom says to stay in the spotlight, grab attention, keep working and moving, fighting to stay relevant, to succeed. Our world, misses the point of Jesus that John knew, that true success is more of Him and less of us.

Does our walk draw attention to ourself? Do we ensure that we get credit, with our name placed where we contributed? Do we speak of "our" success, "our" skill, "our" abilities. Or do we glorify Jesus, recognize His handiwork, give credit to His hand? Do we decrease while Jesus increases?

God's purpose is not always to grow, to add numbers, to spread influence. No, here God's plan for John was to end his public ministry. As his autumn arrived, he admitted it openly. Are we ok with that? Do we obey freely if the plan does not include prosperity and fame? Are we seeking Jesus increase, or our own?

Ask God to show you your heart, if you dare. Ask him to reveal every last bit of selfish ambition that keeps you in the light. Ask him to drive it out, so that your heart is pure, your goal is His glory, and His alone. Ask that when people look at you, they only see Jesus! Then.. Through that level of deep purity and holiness, can we walk in God's power. Only when we seek to glorify Him can He grant the power to move mountains.

You see, the Christian walk is simple. The more of Jesus others see in us, and the less of ourselves, the more effective and powerful our life is. The irony is, it is our insignificance that opens the door to the life-changing power of the universe! 

Seek to decrease, to focus on Jesus that He might increase until His glory overwhelms us and shines through. Power through weakness, influence through obscurity, peace through simple obedience. More of Him and less of us.

Some would criticize Nicodemus.

Some would criticize Nicodemus. He was afraid. He feared his own friends, his coworkers, his family. He feared loosing his own reputation, his position, his career. He was a man of position, and fear.

But before we throw any criticism his way.. Think of all those who stayed away! The point here is not that Nicodemus was fearful, the point is, he went anyway! He sought Jesus in the way he could muster. And... Jesus was there for him! Jesus honored the fact that he came, not condemning him for coming at night in fear!

In fact, Jesus proclaims this to Nicodemus that fateful night... "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him." 

Are you afraid? Do your fears hold you back from a visit with your saviour, your king? Please understand that He stands waiting for you. Go to him in any way you can! He will not reject you! He is waiting to save you. But you must seek Him.

What of all the others who stayed home that night? What of those who stay home tonight?

If you must seek Jesus in darkness, then go in darkness. Go any way that you can, but go! He promised to honor your step of faith.

Go!

This may be an unpleasant concept!

This may be an unpleasant concept! 

Jesus did not "entrust himself" or "have faith in" man. Not even the educated powerful leaders of his day. He knew"all men" and knew that the heart of man is forever deceitful. All men are tainted with a propensity to sin. 

Who did Jesus turn to instead of the rich, the powerful, the skilled, the educated? Simple. "I do nothing unless I see the father doing it". Jesus relied on God the Father and nothing else!

How much pain would we avoid if we followed this simple truth! If we quit following man and instead followed God himself! All men, all preachers, all teachers will fail somehow, because none are perfect. We find pain and disappointment when we put our faith and blind trust in man, any man. We set ourselves up for failure when we jump from church to church, seeking " the one" who can lead us, the one we can relax and trust.

We are called to follow the Holy Spirit, to discern for yourself, to spend time in prayer and study so that we might properly know truth. We are not called to be robots following blindly along with a church, a ministry, a man. 

Sure, we respect those in authority, those with gifts, even the insight and wisdom of our neighbor. Sure we walk in humility and submission to the leadership God puts into place. But, BUT , we are each individually responsible for discerning " the truth" via the Holy Spirit. In the end... When we all stand shoulder to shoulder, God will not ask "who did you follow", He will ask "what did YOU do?" We are personally responsible for finding truth, for not being deceived.

You have a great gift! The comforter, the teacher, the Holy Spirit of God himself lives in His people to guide us into all truth. Knowing His voice is safety, is security in the storm. 

Respect those God puts in our life, but have faith in God,. Seek truth from the source and double check with others to avoid our own mistakes. Together we keep each other from straying off the path. None of us are too wise to fall, and none are an island to himself.

Do you see a forest? Or trees?

Do you see a forest? Or trees?

Jesus always focused on the forest, the big picture, the "real" aspects of life. But the church leaders of His day, the people, even His disciples seemed to only see the trees before them.

We often miss God's blessing when we focus on trees (individual problems, challenges, needs before us). We get so busy with tree trimming, that we miss the majesty of the forest. And, we miss God's purpose just as these church leaders did. They only saw trees while talking to the creator of the forest, in fact the universe!

Mankind is inherently short-sighted. Ever since the garden with Adam and Eve, we find ourselves focusing on trees. We miss the deeper meanings of Gods word, of life, of our purpose when we focus on the superficial details. Look beyond! Ask God through the power of the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth to open our eyes to the forest! Let him remove the blinders so that you may see the glory of each day in a new light! See God's hand working in lives all around you, and in you. We are not "tree trimmers"... We are forest managers! But first, we must be able to see the forest.

Jesus said " my kingdom is not of this world". If He is indeed our king, we should not be satisfied with seeing only this world. We should seek His world, His kingdom, His vision, His understanding!

Zeal... A word seldom used today.

Zeal... A word seldom used today. Defined as "great energy or enthusiasm in pursuit of a cause or an objective." A bit like "passion in motion". 

Here Jesus was in pursuit of reverence and honor for holy ground, holy places, holy buildings. When Moses met God, at the burning bush, the first thing God says is " take off your shoes, you are on holy ground". If Moses would have refused to honor holy ground, would he have been sent to deliver the slaves? It is obviously important to God that we honor holy places, for God to fill those places with his glory.

When Moses was instructed to build the temple, the instructions were quite explicit. God cares much about His house! The sizes, colors, materials, arrangement was all dictated in minute detail. Only when all was in place according to what was ordered did the glory of God fill the temple.

But fast forward to today. Are we reverent to Gods temple? Do we feel "zeal" for Gods house. There has been one major change... An addition really... Now YOU are Gods temple! It's not just about a church building we visit, although that is still important. Now the Holy Spirit has been given to fill our very bodies and souls. Just as Gods glory filled Moses' temple, He can fill you and me. 

How do we show reverence in our lives to Gods holy temple? First, do you have the zeal of Jesus to do so? If not... Start there! Then, with zeal for holiness, look at what Jesus did here... He rejected the "marketplace" as being the main focus of existence. 

What do you do each day? Go to work, make money, or do you wake each day to serve a Holy God? Is life about you? Your needs? Your wants? Or is life about the one who made you? His wants? Is life nothing but a self-serving marketplace, or a Holy offering of service to our King?

Sure we should watch what we eat, drink, what we say, do. How we dress, present... But how much more should we correct the focus of life itself. Jesus felt zeal for God's place to be holy full of praise, worship, teaching, peace, glorious presence of God. Is that our life? Our zeal?

Seek ye first the kingdom of God.... All the rest falls into place. Let Jesus come into your heart today and "clean it out" like He did the temple. Let the zeal to serve God in holiness be our driving force in life.

Jesus knew Nathaniel.

Jesus knew Nathaniel. He knew who Nathaniel was before meeting him but more importantly, Jesus knew Nathaniel's heart! He knew what was on the inside.

There are two miracles here. First, the obvious that Jesus "saw" something that He did not see with His eyes. He knew physically who Nathaniel was and that he had been under a fig tree when talked to. That was a miracle. There is no earthly way forJesus to have actually "seen" this. How do we know? Because Nathaniel himself considered this a miracle and thereby believed.

But secondly, and perhaps more importantly, Jesus saw his heart. The man inside, the secrets no one else saw. Without ever having talked to or studied Nathaniel, Jesus knew him.

Today, Jesus knows you. He knows all about you; your thoughts, fears, sins, secrets, strengths, weaknesses, everything! He knows you better than you know yourself! He knows what no one else knows about you.

And yet, he loved you enough to take all that hidden burden you carry inside and die with it at Calvary. No one killed Jesus, he died willingly in your place, to pay your debt. He knew your debt and he paid it for you, free and clear.

Then Jesus conquered death itself, that you might live through him, a life of freedom from all that we were.

Why? Because He loves you! He loves you that much, just as you are. And yes, he knows who you are inside and out. He still loves you!

That's the miracle! Not just that Jesus, God of all creation, the one that calmed the storms and conquered death, not just that He truly KNOWS you. But that He loves you anyway. Just as you are.

Just as you are...

"Can any good thing come from ...."

"Can any good thing come from ...."

How often have we said this? How often have we looked to credentials, recognition, or popularity to rate someone? How often have we discounted or praised the message based purely on the messenger?

We should take great care here. God usually uses not the expert, trained, credentialed individual, but rather the lowly, meek, simple individual. He purposefully calls the lowly common man on purpose to show his power. They said of the apostles,"we perceive that these are unlearned men". Yet, they changed the world.

By contrast, Moses was raised in pharaoh's home, a man of privilege and position. Yet, God sent Moses into the lowly wilderness for 40 years to remove all that from him before God used Moses.

Perhaps it makes sense to think the other way around! Instead of blindly trusting an individual based on letters behind the name, or years of study, or proper schools... Perhaps we should remember that God uses the lowly meek and humble. To find God, to find truth and power, look there.

What humility!

What humility!

Here John is questioned by the most important, powerful, and influential people of his day. People who could take him places, open doors, expand his ministry, make him famous, make him successful. Man's wisdom would say, "grab the opportunity!" , "claim your position!" , "become someone".

But no. John did not claim any credit, no honor, no title. He chose humility. He chose to stay just an unnamed voice in the wilderness doing the simple will of God day by day.

Think about what John gave up! He could have used his call to build a name, a following! But he didn't. Instead, what happened? God honored john in an unfathomable way! John baptized Jesus! Woa! What greater honor could there be? John chose humility and was rewarded by one of the highest honors of all time.

We would do good to remain humble. Reject man's wisdom, reject pride and power, reject praising ourself. Instead just do our job and let God honor who He will. We each have a calling, let us be wise to find that calling and then content in the humility of walking in it.

God had greater things planned for John than a title, than recognition of man. God planned on John have a part in the revealing of the gospel itself! And God has a plan for you.

Do what you know, for today. Be content in today's mission. Relax! God has a plan for you to be revealed in good time. All we must do is be faithful in our mission for today, and stay humble.

Be the voice, the tool, the conduit of God's power to a lost and hurting world, one day at a time.