Ani's Favorite Things

Revelation

2018-12-31T08:12:00.000-05:00

We made it! All the way to the end! Revelation is all about Revealing Jesus Christ. You might think that Revelation is confusing. You'd be right. Much of this book is prophecy that hasn't happened yet. Many times prophecies are vague until they happen, and then you go: "Oooh, that's what that meant!" But since we're living pre-fulfillment, it's kind of confusing for us.

However, there are plenty of great truths that are easy to understand.

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Like the above, for example. The Alpha and Omega is the A and the Z of the Greek alphabet. God is the beginning and the end.

The next section deals with 7 churches that are examples to us, and were actual churches.

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I love this reassurance that God knows what we're doing. All those seemingly insignificant things, the perseverance in being a good steward of our body and not eating that third cookie, the taking time to read your Bible daily even in a busy time of year, the desire to love even the difficult people... God knows. God cares!

And there are incentives to be faithful. Whether it's in the little things, or if we're facing much more deadly persecution.

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And even in this last book of the Bible, Jesus is waiting to be let in. It's not too late!

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When John was in heaven, he saw Jesus getting all the praise He deserved!

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And how awesome is this? John saw saved people around the throne of God, and they were from everywhere! What an amazing place heaven is going to be! All our differences will pale in comparison to our devotion to Christ!

Then we get hard core into the prophecy. Let's just say that all that judgement that God had been mercifully putting off IS eventually coming.

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But still they did not repent! (9:20) God would have accepted them, even after He started all his judgments. Because He is merciful. But eventually those who choose their own way WILL be judged.

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I thought it was fun to hear how God will deal with Satan (the "Great Dragon" in this verse.) Kind of like that last scene in the avengers is fun where the Hulk just takes Loki (the villain in that movie) and smashes him several times. Wahoo! Good guys win!

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There have been several chapters of judgements already, but God calls His people to himself again so that they will avoid the judgements he pours on those who have refused Him.

At the end of the book, there are descriptions of what life will be like in the New Heaven and New Earth. All the judgements have been poured out, Satan has been dealt with once and for all, Jesus has been victorious!

My favorite part is probably the Marriage Supper of the Lamb though. We've watched God with His people all through this journey. He's been patient when the Israelites (and then the church, in the New Testament) followed Him, and then followed their own desires, then came back to God, then left again. It really is like a soap opera reading through the Bible. But here, at the concluding chapter of the story, we find Jesus getting married to His bride. God has finally finished His work in the bride and is presenting her to Jesus pure and undefiled. So, not only is the bad guy defeated, but the good guy gets the girl!

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How's that for a happy ending?

And it finishes with a warning:

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I mean, for me and those who love Jesus, it's not a scary thing. It's less of a warning and more an exclamation! Much like the promise that Christmas is coming! -- I get to see Jesus! He's coming back! And I want to bring as many people with me as I can, so I have some work to do!

Jude

2018-12-24T08:13:00.000-05:00

Jude encourages believers to contend for the faith. This short book is only one chapter, but packs a punch. The author, Jude, spends the first half describing false teachers and how terrible they are. He defines them as people who try to make a profit using religion and those that do religion their way. These men will be punished and destroyed, just like God executed judgment on people in the Old Testament. Like Egypt who oppressed God's people, Korah who rebelled against God, and Sodom and Gomorrah who were perverse, God will wipe these people from the face of the earth.

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Jude spends the second section of the letter encouraging the believers to persevere and to fight for their faith. To "build yourselves up," "pray," "Keep yourselves in God's love," "show mercy," "snatch others from the fire." The Christian life is not a passive one, folks!

Glory, majesty, power and authority belong to:

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So glad that God is able to keep us from stumbling. And present me without fault and with great joy! Looking forward to that day!

It is interesting to contrast the two parts of this letter. On one side you see someone who will be destroyed, on the other someone who is kept and preserved. This, I think, is where we see the balance of God's unending, never-ceasing love for us and our free will. We get to choose on which side we want to be. If we choose to pursue God and love, we don't need to fear "slipping up," because we still want God and He will keep us. However, if our "slipping up" turns into a hardened heart that is unwilling to change, Jude warns us that judgment will come.

2 & 3 John

2018-12-17T08:14:00.000-05:00

John has a couple more letters he wrote. 2 John is to the "lady chosen by God and to her children." Because he is concerned about false teachers, John gives a short refresher on the Gospel. He narrows it down to:

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He says "This isn't something new, this is the same message we've had since the beginning." And what does it mean to love one another?

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It all comes down to love. I mean, we could definitely see that theme in Paul's letters. He even said "Love fulfills the law" in Romans. And Jesus boiled it down to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart, mind, soul, and strength and love your neighbor as yourself." Logically it makes so much sense. I can have a GIANT list of rules to follow, or I can just love people. I mean, even think of the 10 commandments, how many of those could I do if I loved God and my neighbor. Well, I wouldn't kill my neighbor, or steal his stuff, or lie to him or about him... And if I loved God I wouldn't use His name in vain, I'd visit him on the day he asked... Hm... yeah....

And since they're small, we'll jump into 3 John. This letter is to Gaius. John was encouraging fellowship with other believers.

This one reads like an actual letter. It starts out:

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This next verse is my favorite of the book. I don't believe John was referring to biological children here, but of course parents are happy when their children follow Jesus as well. But as someone who loves Jesus, and tries to help others know Him, it is SO ENCOURAGING to hear that someone is continuing/starting/making effort to follow Jesus!

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John encourages the believers to do good. I mean, that's another message that keeps popping up. And it's tied to the "love one another" message. It's not about "doing enough good" to get to heaven, or to be liked, or to be a prominent person in your church/community/world. It's about doing good because you love Jesus and Jesus loves you! "Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God." I John 1:11

1 John

2018-12-10T08:14:00.000-05:00

1 John is a letter, written by John, to believers about fellowship. Essentially - I'm a God follower, God is my father. You're a God follower too. That makes us brothers and sisters! Or, to quote John, "If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin." 1:7

John reassures us of God's forgiveness.

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He also warns against loving the world. That's not the people of the world. In John's first book he told us God loved those "For God so loved the [people of] the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life." This "don't love the world" is about the "lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life." That would be, the fast cars, beautiful women, pleasurable experiences, money, power... And John isn't saying that you should never have anything enjoyable in your life... not at all! He's saying "Don't make this your first love." Make God your first love, and you'll have many blessings (as we've seen throughout the Bible, if you honor God, He will honor--and bless--you!)

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I learned a song about this verse above when I was a child. To claim us, to make us His children, to adopt us, was a costly process. God's true son had to die so that you and I could become God's children too. Thankfully, because He is God, Jesus didn't stay dead! But I can't imagine spending 33 years away from my parents so that I can work at adopting a bunch of siblings. But that's exactly what Jesus did. How much love did that take? A lot! And God has given that love to us! To you! To me!

John encourages us not to just give lip service. We can't love God and hate our brother. We can't love our brother and not help them when needed.

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And when you feel outnumbered or alone, remember

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John then goes off on a tangent about love... what? oh, that's not a rabbit trail, that's the main message? Right... John keeps talking about God's message: "Love one another."

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The two parts of this are great. GOD IS LOVE. And if you know Him and His love, then you will love one another!

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2 Peter

2018-12-03T08:12:00.000-05:00

Peter warns against false teachers. And much like how a banker is taught how to recognize a counterfeit, instead of getting into all the details of the wrong thing, he makes sure he knows the right thing so well he can't be fooled.

I think 2 Peter 1:3 is one of my all-time favorite verses. "His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who call us by his own glory and goodness." I won't spend the whole post unpacking that, but I really could! God gives us EVERYTHING we need for life. That includes physical things, spiritual things, emotional things. And he does it "through our knowledge of HIM." Meaning, the more I know about God, the more I trust what He promises. And the more I know what he promises. Like: meeting all my needs according to his riches in glory, being a comfort, working all things out for Good... And the end of the verse is a great reminder. God has called US! We are now called Christians, or "little Christs" directly translated.

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And, if we're living with everything God has given us, our lives will look this way:

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And why do we want to live that way? "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." I don't know about you, but I'm a doer. I am always working on some project or other - usually more than one. Being "ineffective and unproductive" makes my soul shudder. I want my work to have meaning. God designed us all to be significant. I would hate to have a bunch of knowledge of Jesus and just be ineffective. And I'm sure we've all seen that. I'm sure it is not exhibiting love, godliness, or goodness to bash someone over the head (figuratively, of course) with the Bible telling them all the things they're doing wrong. It would demonstrate Bible knowledge, but not the application of the way God wants His followers to live.

Peter spends a bunch of time warning against false teachers and their gruesome ends.

Then he reminds us that God will eventually redeem the world. He will destroy this world and make a new one! He will come and claim all his people! But though it may look like the fulfillment of this promise if still lifetimes away:

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How exciting! God is never late or early, He keeps his promises exactly when he means to!

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1 Peter

2018-12-01T08:00:00.000-05:00

Now we're on to a letter written by Peter. This is addressed to all the Christians who had been scattered or dispersed throughout the region. These Christians were facing persecution. The government and the established religion didn't like the Christ followers, and made life difficult for them. I mean, you remember where Paul came from? He first was helping kill the Christians in a misplaced attempt to keep God's people pure. Those things were still happening. Peter encourages those who are suffering for Christ.

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It's fun to read these letters, because each author has his own writing style. Peter, while he started out as a fisherman, has some deep stuff to say. (Haha. See what I did there?) And he has spent some time studying the Old Testament, because there are many quotations in these 5 chapters. It's fun, because some of these are actually art journaled in other places in my Bible from earlier this year.

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I love this verse. Holy means "set apart." I mean, Jesus and God are perfect, but He didn't say "be perfect as I am perfect." Gosh, that would be such an impossible goal. I would live such a defeated life! But I'm supposed to be set apart, dedicated to a special purpose. I'm the china that's not for every day, only special occasions. I'm that special snack that's not for the kids, only for mommy. I'm that chair that's "Dad's chair." I'm set apart for God's use.

Peter admonishes the believers to "live in such a way nothing sticks" in 2:12. Instead of people accusing you falsely and making people pause, live in such a way that everyone sees your good deeds and doesn't believe it. Now that's #goals right there.

If we continue to remember what God has done for us, our lives will be different.

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This next verse I've heard before, there's even a song about it I learned as a kid. :) But in the actual context it's talking about hope in trials. When someone sees you suffering but still having hope, that's when you should be ready to answer. That's a powerful testimony, whether someone is falsely accusing you, or if life circumstances are just tough right now. Those early church believers had plenty of both situations.

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"Live for the will of God." Hmmm... Peter, I think you said that before with the "Be holy for I am holy." Love one another. (That's one of Paul's soapboxes too!) Serve one another.

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Hard times will come. Don't be frightened or surprised. Christ suffered; His people will too. If you suffer for being a Christian, rejoice that you are God's.

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I also love what Peter says to the suffering in 4:19 "So then, those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good."

Do good? I know that theme! It keeps coming back!

But we're not supposed to live in a vacuum and "just keep swimming" no matter what happens. God acknowledges that this life is hard, and that He cares. For us. For me. For you. He wants you to give him your anxiety.

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The final warning is that we have an enemy, and he's stalking us. But "stand firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers thought the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

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James

2018-11-26T23:33:00.000-05:00

James is all about faith that works. I feel like this book is "concentrate." There are so many great verses in here, and its bursting with flavor, I mean, wisdom.

James says if you lack wisdom, ask God, because He gives it!

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And James reminds us where our blessings come from! (Bonus, Psalms says this too! I just love when I can see connections in the Bible. It's like extra confirmation of the truth! Check out Psalm 16:2.)

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James also gives us a great "rule of thumb" to live by:

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And a good portion of James is spent reminding people that they can say whatever they want, but it's what they do that proves it. So, saying you believe Jesus isn't enough unless you back it up with how you live.

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And to close, James gives some encouragement.

No matter where you are, if you reach for God, He'll be there.

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No matter what you're going through, prayer is the answer. Sick? Pray! Overwhelmed? Pray! Happy? Praise! Trouble? Pray! Struggling with sin? Pray? Why?

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What a great promise! God is listening and will answer! How wonderful!

I remember James being one of the first books that I read straight through as a young person. I'll admit part of the reason that I was drawn to it was that it only had 5 chapters, but James definitely packs a lot of pointed truth into those few chapters. As intelligent as all of Paul's arguments are, I found that James' simple logic and profound wisdom was challenging for me as a young person. However, the beauty of it is that reading it again is challenging me to grow deeper in my faith still. And at the heart of James message is a simple challenge to put flesh to what you say you believe.

Hebrews

2018-11-19T08:00:00.000-05:00

This is another letter, but not written by Paul. In fact, no one is sure exactly who wrote it, though there are guesses. This letter is all about the Supremacy of Christ. Christ is over all. Christ is all!

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Let me start by saying that Hebrews isn't my favorite book of the Bible. Yes, I am allowed to say that. There are 66 books, and not all of them can be my favorite. I think part of that is because while other books hand you polished gems of verses, Hebrews more often hands you a pick axe with a wish of "good luck!" It is more academic than some of the other books. That being said, I still found this to be a compelling book to work through.

Chapter 2 spends its entirety explaining that Jesus became a human so that he could rescue people. Then chapter 3 starts with "Therefore." Such a great word and used by biblical authors to connect huge concepts. Jesus saved us, therefore we should ...

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This next verse I memorized in high school, and it's been encouraging ever since. Sometimes I wonder if spending time reading the Bible really matters. I mean, when I'm this deep in it, I really don't wonder, I know the truth of this verse. But times when I'm away from the word, those are the times I wonder if spending time doing "devotions" will really make a difference in my attitude. Or if stopping my show to make sure I have time to read the Bible before bed is really that important. The answer IS yes; however, sometimes it feels more true than other times. It's so fun to be able to see the truth of this when I've spent a bunch of time in the Bible.

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Since we have an amazing Savior, who has been through this life without sinning in anything and yet was tempted by everything, we can pray with confidence--asking for the help we need to be victorious.

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Way back in the first five books, God outlined a bunch of ways for His people to live. Hebrews points out that Jesus is the fulfillment of that system. No longer is a lamb needed, Jesus was the Lamb of God, who died once and for all.

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And because we know God's love...

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This next verse is familiar to many:

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But it's really fun to pair it with this one from the previous chapter. We don't have "blind faith" we have faith in a rock solid God!

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All throughs this book, we are reminded that Jesus is supreme, that is, He is the reason for our hope. In the face of extreme hardship we are told to have faith in this hope. Here's another reminder not to quit! Because as chapter 11 reminds us with so many stories, one person makes a difference! I'm sure you remember some of these: Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Rahab, Joshua, Gideon, Samson, David, Samuel... The author says there were too many to name. What each of these people have in common is that they lived by faith. And that they were one person. There may have been people following them, or most of the people were against them, or they left all the people they knew... but each person made a difference. What an encouragement when I feel like my corner of the world is small and not worth noting.

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I absolutely LOVE this next verse. We're singing a song in church that is called "Do It Again" talking about how God has done amazing things in the past, and I believe he will do it again. That's what this verse is saying! The same Jesus who died for me, still loves me! He raised the dead and healed the sick; He is not unaware of my problems, nor is He unable to do something about them.

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Philemon

2018-11-12T08:00:00.000-05:00

This book is about forgiveness. Philemon was the recipient of this letter, and he was a wealthy person. Onesimus was his slave and had run away. Paul sent this letter with Onesimus back to Philemon. The best news was that Onesimus had become a believer in Jesus while he was away. And because he knew Jesus, he was willing to go back to his old master.

Paul starts out this book thanking God for Philemon.

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And it's pretty great to hear that Paul has been encouraged by Philemon's love and following Jesus. As a side note, it makes me wonder if people looking at my life are encouraged because I'm following Jesus?

Paul is confident that he is sending Onesimus back to a good place. He's confident that Philemon will continue to show Jesus' love to this former runaway. Because he is no longer a slave, but a dear brother!

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Philemon is really an odd letter when compared to the rest of Paul's writings. It's not the only time we find him writing to an individual, but it is so specific to the concept of forgiveness that few other subjects are even mentioned. Normally, it is quite easy to identify several different theological concepts in Paul's epistles. Contrarily, here we see only Paul's "appeal" to his brother to accept his servant back with forgiveness. With this in mind, I do see Philemon being a primer on how confrontation, forgiveness, and unity ought to be pursued in the church.

The practical side of this is challenging and somewhat obvious. Throughout my life, I've been in all three positions: the one challenging another to forgive (Paul), the one needing to forgive (Philemon), and the one needing forgiveness (Onesimus). And the truth of the matter is, as you read through Philemon, knowing God is a benefit to you no matter which role you find yourself in. Do you need to confront someone? God promises to be with you and help you to do the good works that He's asked of you. Are you finding it hard to forgive? You need only remember the mercy and grace that God has offered you. Do you feel like you cannot be forgiven, that you can't even ask for it? God went to great lengths to say to the whole world, "I love you." (That includes you!)

God may not changer our circumstances, after all, Onesimus did go back to serving Philemon, but knowing Him will COMPLETELY change how we handle things!

Titus

2018-11-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Titus is also a Conduct Manual for a pastor. This time, Paul is writing to Titus, another son in the faith.

Paul left Titus in Crete so he could set up a structure for the church. Paul gives the qualifications for the elders, similarly to how he did for Timothy. He also warns against false teachers. These teachers were making rules that Jesus hadn't. Paul responded that:

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In other words, if a follower of Jesus can do something in good conscience, it's pure. There doesn't need to be a bunch of extra "don'ts" added to what God has said.

Those that are not pure can claim that they know God, but they really don't. Their lives evidence that they don't actually know and love Jesus. They are "unfit for any good work" as Paul says. That was a big insult coming from him. Paul said that those who want to lead the church must be a "lover of good" and he admonishes all the believers to:

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Paul also reminds us that we don't have to continue on this path indefinitely. There's something awesome we're waiting for!

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And, just in case we get to be thinking that we're something special, because we know all the right things, Paul reminds us all:

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It surprises me how many times "love" and "good works" pop up in these letters. I suppose it shouldn't. God is love, after all. It would make sense that we need to be reminded of that often. Because, let me tell you, God's mercies are never ending, but mine definitely run out! But God's love can run through me. And when it does, there will be good works as a result. Works don't gain us favor, but they do prove the genuineness of our faith. (More on that in the James post!) It's great to be reminded that God didn't save me because of something that I did. Which means nothing I can do (or don't do, for that matter) can make God change His mind. What a relief!

2 Timothy

2018-11-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

2 Timothy is another letter from Paul to Timothy. This one comes at the end of Paul's life, when he was in prison in Rome. And this isn't the "under house arrest, and can still visit with friends" type either. Damp yucky cell, without many friends. The persecution of the Roman empire had made Christianity illegal, so Paul was mostly alone.

So, naturally, Paul took time to encourage Timothy to endure in ministry. These are some of his last words.

Paul reminded Timothy that even though he might be younger than some he was trying to lead, that he had God's spirit.

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Paul acknowledged that his life circumstances were pretty crappy at the moment. However:

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Paul acknowledged that his suffering is worth it if others experience the salvation of their souls through Jesus.

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Paul warns that there will be hard times in ministry, but that they are worth it. And we have the best tool to face life:

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We have this tool - God's word - so that we can be "thoroughly equipped for every good work." (3:17)

Paul knows he will be executed soon. He reminds Timothy that he has faithfully followed God. I don't know about you, but that's an encouragement and challenge to me. I want to get to the end of my life and confidently say (though I am far from perfect) that I have kept the faith. It's neat to see that at the close of Timothy's first letter, Paul exhorted Timothy to "Fight the good fight of faith" and in 2 Timothy, Paul confirms that Paul has fought the good fight.

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1 Timothy

2018-10-29T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 Timothy is another letter from Paul. This one is a bit different because it is written to an individual, not a church. The letter was a Leadership Manual for the church, so to speak, written to a young pastor. Paul encouraged Timothy to teach the believers, to continue following Jesus for himself, to combat false teaching, and to cling to the truth.

Paul and Timothy met in Ephesus, and then Paul left Timothy there to continue the work. Paul continued on his journey and perhaps wrote this letter from Philippi.

Paul takes a moment to marvel at the grace that he (and we!) have been given. God's grace overflows toward us.

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Paul encouraged Timothy to pray for everyone. He reminded Timothy that Jesus is the only way we can get to God.

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Paul encouraged those looking to be an "overseer." That's a fancy word for "pastor." There are requirements for those that are seeking to serve in this way, but the desire to be a pastor or deacon is a good thing. We should support and encourage these servants of God.

Paul laid out the purpose for the letter in 3:14-15 "I hope to come to you soon, but I am writing these things to you so that, if I delay you may know how one ought to behave in the household of God, which is the church..."

Paul reminds us that everything God made is good, the way God designed it to be. Of course, Satan twists what God has made and makes it not good. But, if we enjoy what God has made the way He designed it, it is very good!

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Paul encourages Timothy to remember that it's not his age that matters, but who he follows. If we follow God, we can be an example to others, no matter what our age, gender, social status, etc.

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Great reminders also that the love of money leads to all kinds of evil. Contentment comes with being satisfied with what God gives. And that's a huge blessing. Side note: money isn't evil. The love of money leads to evil. You know, the kind of obsession that drives you to do whatever is necessary to get more money. I'm sure we've all seen those villains in the movies who are willing to kill to get what they want, or who will take whatever they want from whoever has it... That's pretty evil. And the love of money leads to those big things as well as myriads of "little" things. But cheating on your taxes is just as much a sin as murder.

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Paul ends with encouragement

Acrylic Paint, Fudenosuke, White gel pen, Beautiful Word. (Reference is actually 6:12... oops)

2 Thessalonians

2018-10-22T08:00:00.000-04:00

2 Thessalonians is all about Christ's Return and the Day of the Lord. How exciting! This is even more exciting that some of the other things, because this one hasn't happened yet. We are still waiting for Jesus to come back!

Pitt Pens. I chose Frosty, because this assurance by Jesus reminds me of the last line of the song Frosty the Snowman and how we should be anticipating Jesus' return.

Paul instructs the Thessalonian church about Christ's return. There were false teachers who were confusing the issue. Paul encouraged the church with the truth. God will triumph. Evil will fall. We will be with Jesus! Even those who sleep will be brought back to be with Him. Paul encouraged them that we have hope because Jesus promised he would be back.

I love how our theme of love keeps coming back though.

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I keep being reminded that when we truly experience God's love, our lives CANNOT be the same. If they are, then we've forgotten the love we've experienced. Or maybe we only thought we'd experienced God's love. It reminds me of a hidden picture on the wall of a friend's house. Supposedly in this nature scene there was the face of Jesus. I told them "I think I can see Jesus." And they replied that if I had seen it, then I would know without a doubt. They showed me, and I was wrong. They were right. Once I actually saw the hidden picture, it just jumped off the wall at me.

If I have truly experienced Jesus' love, I will experience life in such a different way. But it is also important to remember that our experience must be continual. Like a broken cup, we cannot continue to hold God's love. Hopefully we're pouring it out, but even if not, it will continue to leak out. We must continually be filling the cup.

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1 Thessalonians

2018-10-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

This is a letter of Paul's to the church in Thessalonica. This was a church Paul helped start on one of his missionary journeys. He felt like a father to these young believers. The theme of this book is Sanctification. God's power is needed to become a child of God, and it is needed to grow as a child of God. Sanctification mean becoming more like Jesus.

Paul was grateful for this church, and proud of them.

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I want to be a person like that!

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We just talked about hospitality in church this past week. This is exactly what Paul is talking about. We want to share Jesus with you, but we are genuinely friends and want to share our lives with you. I feel like this is the opposite of the MLM people. "Oh hey, person I haven't seen in years! Do you want to be my Facebook friend? Great! How are you? What does your life look like now? Did you know I sell makeup/essential oils/health coaching/cleaning products? I'd love to show you sometime!" Paul didn't do that. He genuinely was interested and became involved in people's lives.

Paul wanted the Thessalonian church to also experience that love.

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And as we've explored before, LOVE is the answer. The more I love, the more I treat people like Jesus would treat them. The more I behave like Jesus. Therefore, the more I love others, the more sanctified I am. Becoming like Jesus requires that I love like Jesus.

Paul closes out his letter with a few final instructions:

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Colossians

2018-10-08T08:00:00.000-04:00

Colossians is another of Paul's letters. This time to the city of Colossae, where he'd never even been. The theme of this letter is the sufficiency and preeminence of Christ. Those are $5 words that mean that Jesus is most important, but also that he is everything we need.

Though Paul had never met these believers, he prayed for them and was thankful God was working in them. He challenged them to live in a way that pleases God.

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And then he spent a bit of time reminding them of Jesus' position. We only exist because of Him. Literally.

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And not only have we heard of this amazing Christ, who helped create the world and hold it together, but he died for us. We were once enemies, but now we're servants. God has redeemed us.

Paul calls this a great mystery that God has chosen to reveal:

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Paul's goals in writing this letter are clearly spelled out in chapter 2 verses 2 and 3. "My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." Paul wanted these believers to know Jesus. Knowing Jesus makes a difference!

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If we are living for Christ, Paul encourages us to focus on that. Not that we don't still have families and other things to care about, but our main focus should be on the main thing: Jesus.

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Oh, and I was excited to find this verse: And over all the virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (3:14) I mean, at this point, boy does that sound familiar! Paul was really into love! (Probably because Jesus was really into love...) I want to be known like that. When people ask others "What's Stephani like?" I want those people to respond "She knows Jesus. She knows love. She wants others to know Jesus."

I finished reading a book recently called Made Like Martha. It was a great book, and the main point was not to stop doing things, which is great for a type-A, get-it-done, list person like me, but rather to embrace how God made me. That was refreshing. Instead of finding my worth in my work, I do things because of who I am to God. Everything I do should be a response to God's love toward me, not a convoluted set of behaviors trying to be "good enough" or earn God's love. Paul says the same thing. Work with all your heart for GOD.

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That's your act of worship. Your response to love.

Philippians

2018-10-01T08:00:00.001-04:00

This short book packs a wallop! It's another of Paul's letters, this time to the Christians in the city of Philippi. And the main thrust of this book is to live is Christ. That's a HUGE topic for just 4 chapters.

And, I have to admit, that I have many favorite verses in this book!

First, God promises to continue what he's begun in us. How awesome is that!? I know that I'm not perfect, and I'm so glad that God responds with "I'm not finished yet. But I've started something amazing!"

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And Paul says that whether he lives or dies, he wants to serve the Lord. In fact, he's okay with either option, because to live is to serve Christ, and to die is to BE with Christ.

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Another one of my favorite verses that I have memorized and claim as "mine" is Philippians 2:3. I want to do NOTHING that is motivated by selfishness. That's a hard one. Especially when you have a 2 year old. Hiding out in the bathroom just so I can finish that chapter... I'm pretty sure that falls into the "selfish" category. Oops.

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But also on the same page is chapter 2:13. I am so encouraged by this one. "For it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose." That means God not only helps me to ACT according to what He wants (He gives me the power to do it), but He helps me to WANT what He wants. When I notice I'm being selfish and I'm convicted, that's God right there. He's pointing it out. And my feeling sorry, confessing that sin, and wanting not to be selfish next time, that God again. Left to myself, I wouldn't desire anything except my own benefit. God has helped me want things that benefit others.

Jesus is the perfect example of someone who was unselfish. Paul reminds us that Jesus was GOD. And yet, this God-man came to earth. And allowed himself to be killed. For us. It totally makes me think of a superhero movie or book. I mean, Percy Jackson was not about to kill Zeus, the mythological king of the gods. Duh. He wasn't nearly powerful enough. However, that's just what Jesus allowed to happen. Puny humans crucified the Son of God. And because of that God has highly exalted Jesus.

Paul reminds the Philippians that if anyone can boast in his credentials, Paul could. He had many things in his resume that would have enabled him to go anywhere. But Paul counted it all as garbage compared to Christ. He left everything else behind and followed God. May I also hold on to the things and relationships of this world in such a manner that I can follow God without reservation!

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Chapter 4 has many great verses. I love the beginning and endings of Paul's books because they are like "concentrate." There's just so much good stuff there!

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This last one is a very popular verse. But we often don't look to see what Paul is talking about. Paul is talking about contentment here. He has learned that Jesus is ENOUGH. Whether he has lots to eat or nothing, whether he is surrounded by friends or in prison, Paul can be content because He can do all things through Christ.

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Continuing in this same section, Paul thanks the Philippians for sending him gifts to provide for him. God used them to meet Paul's needs. This ends up with a very practical illustration of the main idea that is woven throughout this letter. He once again points out that Christ is sufficient for a good life. God has promised:

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Note: Many of these pictures were from art journaling through the Bible a few years ago. The lady who chose the verses must have loved Philippians too!

Ephesians

2018-10-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Here's another of Paul's letters. This one is written to the Ephesians. Ephesus was a booming port city in Asia that had quite the cultural experiences and business savvy. People came from all around to visit the temple of Diana, so you can bet that being a Christian there was not a popular choice. Paul had helped establish this church, then visited it on his subsequent missionary journeys. This letter was written after that and was telling the believers how to build the body of Christ, that is, the church.

There are some super familiar verses that you find in here, as well as some times Paul sends the same message as he did in another of his letters. It's fun to see what you can learn about Paul from his letters. It's like you get a little window into what he cared about by reading them. And I hope that through this journey you can get a window into what God has cared about by reading his letter. I know I certainly have!

Paul lets the church know that they are special. Ephesians 1 is a whole chapter telling the believer they are blessed, chosen, holy, loved, adopted, redeemed, forgiven, lavished upon, given a purpose, heirs, and sealed.

We studied this in a Bible study once, and my favorite part was listing all the things we're NOT, if we are all the things God listed. I'm not forgotten, unloved, abandoned, in debt, condemned, destitute, purposeless, an orphan... Those are some powerful words!

Paul lets the Ephesians know that we are saved through GRACE, not because of anything we've done.

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And that is directly followed by one of my favorite verses:

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We are created for a purpose! God already has amazing things He wants us to do! I mean, in some ways, that's a bit daunting. I know if I just sit on my butt, I won't be accomplishing what God wants me to do. It's a responsibility. However, I've found some of the things God has for me are things He's built me for! God wants me to study His word and share it, whether here or in my Sunday school class. God wants me to be a Mom and wife, and to care for others. Even to write cards to my friends. All of that counts.

Paul also reveals his prayers for the church. His overarching passion was that the Ephesians know Christ's love. How much difference would that make?! If you truly knew God loved you, would you share it with others? Would you live differently? Would you avoid things that make God sad, just because you wanted to avoid them, not just feel guilty because you should have avoided it but didn't? My prayer is that others would also know Christ's love!

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If we know Christ's love in a real way, then we will spread it to others

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Knowing God's love makes such a difference. That's Paul's whole point in this book. And Paul acknowledges that it's not easy to live loved. The devil, or "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places" tries to distract and derail God's children. We must be on guard, and must help one another to stay connected to God's love.

Galatians

2018-09-24T08:32:00.000-04:00

This book is another of Paul's letters. He had helped start the churches in Galatia, and had visited them on his journeys. He wrote this letter when he had been informed that there were false teachers going around saying that to follow Jesus you had to become a Jew first, that is, to be circumsised. But Paul's letter is all about freedom from the law so he wrote to the Galatians to keep things straight. You were saved by FAITH, and you will continue to become like Jesus through FAITH, not works.

There are a few of my favorite verses in this book, and for only 6 chapters, Paul certainly packs a lot in here!

Paul starts with a defense of himself and a reassurance that he is preaching the same message that he's always preached. He even went to Jerusalem to present the message he preached to Peter and the other apostles to ensure that he hadn't gotten off track anywhere. Those apostles confirmed that God was the one working through Paul. God worked through Peter to spread the message to the Jews, and through Paul to spread the message to the Gentiles.

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This is one of my favorite verses. And it keeps going: "The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aide the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!" This is where Paul is going, "Um, guys? Hello! You've missed the point. If we could have followed all the rules perfectly, then Jesus didn't have to die! But we couldn't. So Jesus did die. And if you're now trying to follow all the rules 'just because,' well, that's just stupid."

He goes on to another of my favorite passages. "Oh foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you?...Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?" (3:1-3) Paul is astounded that these people just abandoned the "grace" part of the message (means of the Spirit) and are trying to earn it themselves (means of the flesh). Nope. That's not the way this works. That's not the way any of this works! Either Christ saved you by faith, or you can be saved by following every single piece of the law. (Spoiler alert: no one can perfectly follow the law except Jesus.) So, these people who have been saved and feel like they need to add circumcision, or following Jewish law on top of faith, are just doing unnecessary things. I don't know about you, but I haven't run into many people telling me I need to become a Jew to follow Jesus. But I do see people who are trying to earn what God has already given them. By all means, attend church faithfully, give to your church, give to the poor, be kind, but do it because God loves you, not to earn His love.

Paul does come back and explain the purpose of the law. The law existed to guard. It was the "caretaker" of God's people until Jesus came. It was the "babysitter" if you will. Now that Jesus has come, it has no authority.

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Paul has an impassioned plea here. He encourages the believers not to be slaves again by following a list of dos and don'ts. If you follow a piece of the law, you're responsible to follow all of it. So, claim your freedom in Christ. But Paul continues in 5:13 "You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." Hmm... that message is sounding a bit familiar! (I always love finding things like this that pop up in a few different places.)

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In case we need to know what Love looks like, Paul lists the fruit of the Spirit. It is interesting that it is not the "fruits" of the Spirit, but the singular, "fruit." I believe (and others smarter than me who have studied this out) that's because there is only ONE fruit of the Spirit: LOVE. The rest of these come from living out love. Makes sense to me!

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Now, "you reap what you sow" also sounds familiar, doesn't it? Kind of very similar to the "If you honor God, He will honor you." that the Old Testament is filled with, huh?

And if that's the case, Paul exhorts us:

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Look for the opportunities to do good, and don't limit it just to other believers! (6:10) And, we're doing this out of love, not because it's "required" and not because we're trying to earn the grace that has already been given.

The more I know God, the more I realize that I can't help becoming more like Him as I get to know Him better. I want to be more like Him. Of course, if I stop getting to know Him and just do the "Christian things" like going to church, reading my Bible, giving to the poor, and I get so caught up in tasks that I stop getting to know HIM, then it's completely possible that I will slide into thinking that my actions earn God's love. But the more I pour God's love into my life, the more I know I can do nothing to earn this overwhelming, amazing gift that has been given me, so instead of trying to earn it, I will just do what I can to honor the one who gave it!

2 Corinthians

2018-09-17T07:36:00.000-04:00

This book was also a letter written to the church at Corinth. Paul had sent Titus to encourage them, and had received encouraging news back, though there was a minority that didn't think Paul had the authority to teach. In response, Paul defended his authority in this letter.

I love the little glimpses into Paul's life that we get throughout these letters. Paul says in 1:8-9 That they experienced great troubles in Asia, beyond what they could endure. They felt like they had received a death sentence. "But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead." How cool is that?! And how surprising to some ways of thinking. I'm pretty sure there's a tv preacher (or several) who would say that if life is hard, you just need more faith, and possibly to give more to the church. Instead, Paul is saying they were given a hard time by God so that God could prove himself.

Paul goes on to describe how God's message is amazing and powerful and impressive, and that he, Paul, is not.

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I've always loved this verse. God allows hardship, but is still protecting us. He still loves us!

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We must focus on the right thing. Our current hardship is "light" on the scales, but the glory that's coming is so much more "weighty." Therefore, focus on what's coming more than the current hardship.

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I am so glad for this next truth. I'm sure Paul was too. He could look to a "before Jesus" time in his life and an "after Jesus" one and see that there was so much difference. Praise the Lord!

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Paul also referenced his first letter. He didn't want to hurt the church, but they needed correction. Even though Paul wasn't happy to be the one delivering it, he was glad the church responded well, because repentance and restoration was exactly what Paul was going for.

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Paul gets into the details of how qualified he is to be preaching this message in the last chapters of the book. Read the end of chapter 11 if you want a snapshot of the different things God allowed him to go through. It's pretty crazy! But Paul was confident that God had a plan throughout all of it. And God did use it. God even sent Paul his own personal challenge, that Paul calls a "thorn in the flesh." He even asked God to remove it. And contrary to the tv preachers, God didn't say "You don't have enough faith, sorry." God said:

Tombow Markers, Beautiful Word. I was going for bubbles, I'm not sure if you can tell by the picture.

How amazing is that?! God's power is made perfect in weakness. If we go back to that "jars of clay" sentiment, that's us: people. We are weak when compared to God, but because we're carrying such a great treasure, people can clearly see God in us. What a privilege to display God's glory for others to see.

1 Corinthians

2018-09-10T08:00:00.000-04:00

1 Corinthians is another of Paul's letters (called epistles). This one is to the Corinthian church, one Paul helped start. He's writing to correct several things they'd gotten wrong. Correction is the theme of the book.

The Corinthians were behaving divided, based on which teacher they were following. Paul admonished them that we are all co-workers in God's field. (3:9)

One of my favorite passages in the book happens in chapter 6. It is talking about "rights." People say "I have the right to do anything I want" and Paul comments "but not everything is beneficial." Just because you have the "right" to do something doesn't make it a good thing. And Paul encourages us not to be "mastered" by anything in the NIV. In other versions it says "brought under the power of." That sounds an awful lot like addiction. I mean, thankfully I'm not sleeping around like the people Paul was writing to, but how many times do I do things because I CAN and not necessarily because I SHOULD. I suppose Netflix, Facebook, reading, hobbies, and many other things can fit into the category of things that bring me under their power. Am I addicted to my cell phone? Can I live without my caffeine in the morning? Obviously these things I have a right to are not wrong in and of themselves, but they can quickly turn into a problem if left unchecked. I mean, I have the right to a Netflix binge, but it's not helpful. Paul urges us not to forget that while we make the decisions, we need to consider more than just our personal desires.

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I really loved that part of Romans where Paul said "love fulfills the law." That's still ringing in my ears as I read this:

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How true. If I know something, I feel above others. However, if I love others, I help them up.

Paul is also the deliverer of a great promise:

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God ALWAYS makes a way out. He always supplies the power to say no to temptation. It won't be easy, but if you're facing it, then you and God can conquer it together. That's a promise.

Paul encourages the Corinthians to follow his example.

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I want to be able to say this. I want to be so confident that I'm following Jesus to the best of my ability that I can tell others to follow me as I follow Him. Obviously that disclaimer is needed since I'm still human. "Don't follow me in any areas I'm not following Jesus! But that's my goal: to be Jesus-like. And if it helps you to have a real, live example, then you can pick me." How awesome would that be, to know that following Jesus is something I'm actually doing!

Paul later comments this:

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He knows he's not perfect, and how he's gotten to where he is.

And, what overview of 1 Corinthians would be complete without this:

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Love fulfills the law. Love builds up. It's all about love.

Romans

2018-09-03T15:47:00.000-04:00

Romans begins the letters written by Paul. The gospels go through the adventures had by the disciples, and Acts chronicles the beginning of the church - both to the Jews and the Gentiles. You find a lot of Paul's story there. However, here we get a chance to get a more in-depth snapshot of Paul, as he writes letters to believers. The theme of Romans is Righteousness.

Romans was written to the church in Rome, who Paul had not met. However, Paul wanted to communicate some very important truths, and I'm glad we can still read them today.

Paul's life goal was to share the gospel.

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Paul spends a bunch of time talking about circumcision. That was the sign God had given the Jews back in the time of Abraham. The Jews felt they were better than the Gentiles (non-Jews). Some of the Jewish Christians felt like Jesus only came to them, and not the Gentiles. Paul spends a lot of time communicating that Jews and Gentiles both need Jesus. No one has an advantage.

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In fact, Paul goes so far to say that just because you have been physically circumsised does not mean you're a God follower. I feel like there are plenty of people around today who rest in something that does not save. "I go to church" does not mean you follow God. "I give to the poor" is a good thing, but it doesn't mean that your'e following God with your life.

But there is hope! We all sin, but God gives life!

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Paul also admonishes Children of God to choose not to sin.

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Notice the word "let." Do I allow sin to rule me? It doesn't have to! I've been freed! Now, in case it sounds like I'm making something quite complicated too simple... I kind of am. However, even Paul, who wrote much of the New Testament, wasn't perfect. He confessed:

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So, Paul needs Jesus in his every day life to make the right decisions. How much more do I need a daily dose of Jesus!

However, even when I make bad choices and sin,

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And because God loves us, gives us the power not to sin, frees us from sin's bondage, Paul encourages us to be a living sacrifice: our true and proper worship.

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We are all meant to work together

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This whole book is great. I'd forgotten how much I love Romans. Paul's writings are very logical. He proves his point quite well. All have sinned and are under condemnation. Jesus died for all. God loves us all. Because of all that Love entails, how can we not love one another!

Acts

2018-09-01T08:00:00.000-04:00

Acts is all about the formation of the church. That's really cool, because that institution is continuing today! I'm looking at the beginning of something I'm actually part of!

Acts starts with Jesus going to heaven, and promising the Holy Spirit

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The disciples continued to preach Jesus' message.

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This time it was Peter talking. How cool is that, that this fisherman from the country, non-educated, non-polished, spent time with Jesus and now can proclaim the truth to many people! Acts 4:13 says "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."

The believers formed a community.

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The first part of Acts follows Peter and how he took the gospel to the Jews. But in chapter 10, God lets Peter know that the good news is not just for the Jews. God wants it shared with the Gentiles (non-Jews) too. I don't know about you, but I'm grateful for that, because I'm not Jewish!

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We also are introduced to Saul, who persecuted Christians because he was a good and religious Jew. However, God miraculously met and transformed him and changed his name to Paul. Saul saw the errors of his ways, repented, and chose from that day forward to follow Christ instead of persecute Him. He went on to write most of the New Testament. Paul went through many trials, and preached to many Jews and non-Jews alike in his travels.

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Paul is one of my favorite Bible characters. I love not only how he writes, but also the adventures of his life. He radically followed Jesus. There was no half-way about it. And it was challenging. I'm sure there were times of great rejoicing when people chose to follow Jesus, and great encouragement when people shared what they learned or shared their blessings with Paul, but there were many times Paul was in prison, under house arrest, shipwrecked, beaten, whisked away from a city under cover of night so he wasn't killed, put on trial... But because of all these things, he was able to most effectively share the good news about Jesus.

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God chooses each of our lives to best reflect His glory. If He has chosen to supply you with more than you need, it's because He desires you to bless those around you and bring glory to your Savior. Likewise, if He has chosen a challenging road for you, that's because He wants to bring beauty from those ashes and have you share amazing things with those around you!

John

2018-08-27T08:05:00.000-04:00

John's gospel is all about Jesus as the Son of God. Between all the gospels, we get a great cross-section. Jesus as servant and king, and Jesus as human and God. John's gospel has a bit of a different flavor, because he tends to peek behind the curtain of what's physically happening and explain a bit more of the spirituality behind them.

John starts out with how Jesus is the Word. (If you study ancient Greek philosophy, there's some fascinating connections, but I won't get into that here.)

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Nicodemus, a Pharisee, seeks Jesus out and wants to know more about Him. It is during this exchange about being born again that we find this very famous Bible verse:

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John the Baptist realizes that his "proclaim the way for Jesus" ministry is at a close since Jesus has started His own ministry. His comments here have become a prayer of mine:

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We find many miracles of Jesus and many times He spoke to crowds. Jesus used many analogies so that the common people would understand Him. I believe John is the book with the most analogies.

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And there are so many great truths sprinkled over John. I know that these were just as true for the original conversation, but they also apply for MY life.

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How truthful is this! EVERYONE you know is a slave to sin. We humans are compelled to look after ourselves. I'm not talking about self-preservation, but self-indulgence and self-glorification, things the Bible would call selfishness or pride. But if God has set you free, you are no longer slaves! So, while I sometimes choose to sin, I no longer HAVE TO obey those desires. I'm free! That's encouraging...and challenging. I have the power to resist sin in my life because of Christ. If I don't, that's all on me. That was MY choice to sin; I am no longer forced to follow it. But knowing I am FREE INDEED is just amazing!

And this next verse is one of my favorites in this whole book.

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Another version translates "life to the full" as "abundant life." It reminds me of a cup that's overflowing. And Jesus came to give us this! Not sell it for a million payments of $19.95. Not exchange it for going to church. He wants us to have abundant life, and paid for it Himself. I pray that I have abundant life, and that I recognize it. That's the tricky part. Just because I don't have a comfortable life doesn't mean that I don't have God's abundant life. God usually gives me abundant chances to trust Him and abundant opportunities to decide whether to display how much I am like Jesus...or not like Jesus. Many times He gives abundant blessings, but they may not look like what I expect. And He gives abundant joys, but that doesn't happen with an absence of sorrows or challenges.

Jesus also confirms the truth of the Old Testament

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Doesn't this sound like "If you honor God, He will honor you?"

John writes a nice conclusion that wraps up his book.

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This book definitely displays that Jesus is God. He came to SAVE. He came to SET FREE. He came to give ABUNDANT LIFE. He is worth following. And he LOVES us. Not just people in the general sense, but me, personally. And you. I hope that you have come to grips with this and have chosen to follow.

Luke

2018-08-20T08:53:00.000-04:00

The third gospel is Luke and it's all about Jesus as the Son of Man, that is, that Jesus was truly human. Luke was a doctor, and he paid attention to details. That's why Luke has more personal encounters than either Matthew or Mark. This one focuses on little snapshots of Jesus and His interaction with people. It's fun to see who pops up.

I think the theme is two-fold. 1) Jesus was a person. This is important for later, when theologians would argue that Jesus wasn't actually human, but was merely spirit. Luke proves He was. 2) Jesus cares about people. And not just people in general, but this one, and that one--and you!

Luke starts with the full story of John the Baptist, and how an angel came to his father. Luke chapter 2 is the traditional Christmas story that's read at Christmastime (or at least on Charlie Brown Christmas!) But that continues with the meeting of Simeon and Anna at the temple when Jesus was 8 days old. These people weren't mentioned in Matthew or Mark.

As I read through this book, I came across an illustration I drew in my Bible last summer. Jesus asked the fishermen to put their nets back in the water. That doesn't seem like a huge deal to me, because I don't know how fishing works on the Sea of Galilee. However, these guys were just coming off shift after not catching anything all night. The fishing would happen at night, in shallow water. However, Jesus said "Hey, it's daytime, I know you're tired. But, put out into deep water and put those nets you just cleaned back into the sea." These fishermen would not have understood anything, other than it sounded like a carpenter, who didn't know anything about fishing, was trying to give them advice--bad advice. However, they had faith, and did as Jesus asked. And there was a miraculous catch of fish. So many they couldn't fit them all in the boat! At that point, they came face to face with Jesus, and ended up leaving all they had to follow Him. This is encouraging in my own life when God asks me to do something that seems to make absolutely no sense.

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There are so many personal encounters with Jesus. Jesus heals a Centurion's servant, raises a widow's son from the dead, forgives a sinful woman who washed his feet, calmed a storm, and healed a man with a demon, along with many others. The point of these was the same for Him working in our lives:

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Jesus also reaffirms the theme of the Old Testament (remember? If you honor God, He will honor you.)

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Each paragraph has its own story and offers its own gems of wisdom. Jesus has just finished telling the parable of the rich young fool, and how he cared only about earthly riches. Jesus goes on to tell His disciples not to be anxious, because God knows their needs and will provide for them. Look at the lilies, look at the sparrows. God provides for them. And you're worth so much more than birds! Instead of seeking earthly riches, seek God's kingdom. Be willing to give up your earthly riches for it.

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I don't know about you, but I definitely don't want to be that foolish rich guy who missed all the things that really mattered!

And that's not to say that all God's followers (or all the best followers) are poor, either. God definitely gives some more than others. But:

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God gives us what we need, and sometimes more, so that we can share with others and do God's work.

Jesus spends a bunch of time talking about God's kingdom and how awesome it's going to be. But He doesn't sugar coat the cost of following Him.

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In those times, the cross would have been a symbol for a horrific death. Jesus was meant to carry his own cross up the hill so he could be crucified. Jesus isn't asking us to wear a necklace or get a tattoo identifying us as His children; He's asking us to carry the instrument of our death. To surrender our life for something much greater. It does cost all, this following Jesus and dying to self. However, it's so worth it! When we surrender our own agenda and submit to God's, amazing things happen!

I'll bet many of you know the song of Zacchaeus. He was a wee little man. But he was a tax collector, so nobody liked him. Tax collectors in those days were Jews who collected tax for the Romans. So the Jews hated him as a tool of their oppressors. And Rome looked the other way while these guys collected more than they were supposed to (that would be stealing) and made themselves rich. Zacchaues wanted to meet Jesus, but since He was short, climbed up in a tree. Since he was a tax collector, he didn't expect Jesus to single him out and come to his house! But that's exactly why Jesus came!

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I'm so thankful for Luke's gospel. Zacchaeus isn't mentioned in any other gospel. Neither are many others. We can clearly see that people are important to Jesus. And not just all people. But specific people. And you and I are each one of those specific people!

Mark

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Mark is such a fun gospel. It's all about Jesus as a servant, and it's kind of a "run through" rather than a "walk through" as the shortest gospel. It's kind of like the 2 hour version of Pride and Prejudice instead of the 6 hour one. Hits all the necessary parts, but quickly.

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Mark starts out with John the Baptist and God identifying Jesus as His son. Throughout the book there are so many healings and miracles, showing how Jesus served others. When the Pharisees were disgusted with Jesus for eating with Levi, the tax-collector, and his friends (because, gasp! they weren't good Jews!), Jesus said:

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I've seen too many churches who are comfortable with their own people, and don't go out to the community. Or they do, but just not to certain places or with certain people. It's awfully hard to introduce Jesus to someone you won't be seen with.

Jesus also told many parables in Mark, and took many teaching opportunities.

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I picked this verse because it reminds me of Jeremiah and the other prophets where God was upset that His people didn't have good shepherds. So, Jesus stepped into that role Himself. And after that teaching, Jesus fed the people and sent them on their way. We are told that there were 5000 men in that crowd (plus women and children), and He fed them with 5 loaves and 2 fish!

I absolutely love this next small snapshot.

Jesus was approached by a man whose son was demon possessed. The disciples tried to cast it out and failed. The father said "If you can help, we need it!" And Jesus said "If I can... of COURSE I can! Just believe." And the man said this:

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I so love that Jesus doesn't expect my faith to be perfect. I can say "Lord, I want to believe, but it seems impossible right now. Help me!" And He does! This verse personally has meant a lot to me. I journaled this one when we were considering our move to where we are now. It was a change of states, a change of careers for my husband, a closing of a business for me, and starting over. Was this something God was really calling us to? I wanted to have the faith to follow God's direction, and He gave it! We did end up moving, and it's been a wild and fulfilling ride since.

There's also a theme that keeps coming around.

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Or a chapter later, Jesus says "All things are possible with God." and in chapter 11 "Whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours."

However, I have to tell you it's a pet peeve of mine to just doodle those verses and claim them as promise. I think that's where some tv preachers have it wrong. I don't just need to ask God with enough faith and he will give me half a million dollars, and if I don't get it, I just didn't have enough faith. That's baloney. God's answer to that was, "No," and that's a legitimate answer to prayer. Jesus knew this to be true. I have seen people hurt by this poor theology. God's purpose for life is not our comfort. I know that's not a popular opinion. I like being comfortable as much as the next person, but God wants me to become like Jesus. And He uses hardship to do it. For example, look how many people in the Bible had comfortable lives. Um... Not many. That's not to say that God doesn't bless some people with fast cars or lots of money or good health or lots of possessions. Sometimes He does! But many times He doesn't. And that's not due to a lack of faith. That's due to a presence of a plan on God's part. Psalms promises that God does not withhold any good thing from those who walk uprightly. So, if I don't have something, it would not be a good thing for me to have right now. Such a great reminder!

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Jesus asked if there was any way He didn't have to go to the cross. That's the "take this cup from me" part. "God, take away these terrible circumstances, please!" But Jesus finishes with "Yet, not what I will, but what you will." He says, "I want what you want, Father. I am willing if there is no other way." Jesus models for us what real faith in prayer looks like; this was not Jesus' lack of faith--that He didn't pray hard enough--that He didn't get what He wanted.

Much like the Great Commission in Matthew, Mark also finishes out with a challenge.

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It is so awesome to be a part of God's great plan! Spoiler alert, guys: God wins! And we can be a part of it by sharing Him and His love with others!