God’s Power or Your Power?

January 22, 2011January 22, 2011 ~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written: ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee.”

Peter answered and said to Him, “Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.”

Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.”

Peter said to Him, “Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you” (Mathew 26: 31-35.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Jesus was about to be seized by the temple guards and crucified. He told his disciples that they would abandon him upon his arrest. Peter exalted himself above the other disciples, saying, “Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble.” Jesus told Peter his attempt to remain strong would end in failure; and indeed Peter went on to deny that he ‘knew Jesus’ three times before the morning had arrived. Peter overestimated his own abilities to endure persecution and suffering without Jesus. (Jesus had provided for their needs; he had protected them; their strength came from him; when Jesus was taken from them, they became as weak as any other men.) After Christ rose from the dead and ascended in to heaven, he sent the Holy Spirit (God) in to their hearts. The same Peter who had denied Christ three times in fear, marched directly in to the temple filled with people who had crucified Jesus, and he preached the gospel with boldness. He went on to endure beatings, and a life filled with persecutions, until finally being crucified in the city of Rome (upside down.) What was the difference between the Peter who ran away, and the Peter who willingly endured a lifetime of suffering for his faith? The first Peter relied on his own strength, but the second Peter relied on God’s strength.

Another example of reliance upon God comes from the Old Testament. When the Israelites were in bondage in Egypt, a young Israelite named Moses believed he was destined to free his people. One day, as he saw an Egyptian beating one of his countrymen, he killed the Egyptian, and buried him in the sand. A few days later it became known to him that his attempted burial had not worked, and that the Pharaoh was likely seeking his life. Moses fled to the desert defeated, and spent decades shepherding sheep. God appeared to him when he was nearly 80 years old and told him to go back in to Egypt to lead his people out of slavery. He responded by telling God he wasn’t ‘the right man for the job.’ He didn’t believe he was able to accomplish the work. A once prideful self-reliant young man, had become an old man who recognized his weakness apart from God, and for that reason, he was finally, ‘the perfect man for the job.’ The first Moses, under his own power, was unable to bury even one Egyptian. The second Moses, under God’s power, lead a nation to freedom, and in the process, was able to bury the entire Egyptian army beneath the waves of the Red Sea.

Western culture promotes pride and self-reliance; but in the divine culture, reliance upon God is paramount. Is there anything in your life that you are trying to accomplish on your own (outside of God’s power?) Are you trying to get through a trying time without utilizing God? Are you struggling alone with an addiction or a bad habit? Are you seeking to fulfill a need in your life without asking for God’s provision in prayer? Are you trying to repair some pain in your heart with positive thinking, or will you give in and ask for God to heal you? Humble yourself, and know that apart from God, failure awaits; but take heart, for with God, nothing is impossible.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we come before You and we lift You up in honor. You are truly amazing. We recognize Lord that apart from You we are weak and incapable of accomplishing great things. We ask You to be our strength; help us to rely upon You and not ourselves. Give us victory Lord over the things that have caused us to stumble, and may we stand firm, knowing that You are holding us up. Give us humble hearts that desire to be close to You. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.

Two types of servants

January 19, 2011 ~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

“Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing. Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods. But if that evil servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with drunkards, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mathew 24: 45-51.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

A sizable Middle Eastern home in the first century had one master (usually the father or patriarch), and many servants who strictly adhered to the commandments and directions of their master. Often, when the master went on a journey, he placed his most trusted servant in charge of the household. This parable utilizes a common cultural illustration to describe a heavenly truth. In the parable, the master represents Jesus, who would shortly ascend in to heaven with the promise of his eventual ‘second coming.’ He left the apostles and all future believers (servants) with his power and authority, and a mandate to serve others, to love others, and to always be prepared for his immediate return. Jesus describes two types of servants (the faithful and the wicked.) The Faithful servants are those who follow orders, and who in love, provide for the needs of those they serve; the reward for their service is eternal life. The wicked servants are those who start out in faith, serving others in obedience to Christ; but who lose heart over his delayed return and begin to mistreat those they are given. The wicked servants walk away from serving and begin to serve themselves and their own sinful desires. The reward for their disobedience is eternal death in hell, where there is “weeping and gnashing of teeth.”

Before I knew the Lord, I had very little respect for anyone, or anything. One night, after getting drunk with friends and acquaintances, we began to smash everything in my apartment. We smashed beer bottles, plates, a window, (a car windshield got broken as well, I believe) and the toilet overflowed and caused damage to a lower apartment; the mess was overwhelming (someone had even written something disgusting on my mirror with shaving crème.) My Dad had been paying for the apartment which was rented through some family friends; he would come through periodically to inspect the apartment. That night I had passed out, thinking I could clean the mess up in the morning. Much to my surprise, I woke up to my Dad standing over me, yelling my name. I jumped up in distress and in shock; there was glass everywhere; I began to frantically clean up the mess. My Dad had rented the apartment for me and placed it in my hands to respect and take care of; but I abused it. I thought I would have time to make everything look nice before he could see anything. I was wrong; he showed up at a time when I didn’t expect him, and in an hour when I wasn’t prepared. He saw that I was unworthy; in his absence I used my freedom to abuse what he had given me.

Jesus Christ has been gone for nearly 2000 years; and for nearly 2000 years he has appointed servants to represent him in his absence. The good servants are those who have respected what God has given them; they have kept the spirit of the unexpected return of their master. A good servant follows commands. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, then you have been given commandments and responsibilities that require your attention. Your life is no longer your own, but you play the role of Jesus Christ in this place and in the lives of all those you know. He loved, he sacrificed, he prayed, he taught, he inspired hope, he healed the broken hearted, he brought light in to dark places, he spoke the truth, he forgave sins, and above all he served others. How does your life resemble his life? Are you serving Jesus Christ today, or are you serving yourself? Are you taking care of what he has given you, or are you abusing it? Be a good servant; always be ready for the return of your king, and may he find you serving him in a manner worthy of an eternal reward (the reward is well worth the effort.)

“Lord Heavenly Father we come before You and we honor You. We ask that You make us obedient servants, and give us a heart to serve others, and to continue on in Your work. Help us to let go of our own lives, and live them in submission to You. We so desperately want to be the good servants that are continually ready for Your return. Please mold us and shape us in to the image of Your Son. Give us opportunities to reveal Your love to others. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.

Relying on God

January 14, 2011 ~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

Then He called his twelve disciples together and gave them power and authority over demons, and to cure diseases. He sent them to preach the kingdom of God and to heal the sick. And he said to them, “Take nothing for the journey, neither staffs nor bag nor bread nor money. Whatever house you enter stay there, and from there depart. And whoever will not receive you, when you go out of that city, shake off the very dust from your feet as a testimony against them.” So they departed and went through the towns, preaching the gospel and healing everywhere. (Luke 9: 1-6.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Jesus first gave the disciples his power and authority, and sent them out; those who didn’t receive the disciples rejected the Christ who sent them (many today still reject those who come to them with his message.) Jesus desired the disciples to rely on God for provision. They were not allowed to take a bag or extra clothing (as many do when traveling.) They were forbidden to take food for themselves. They were instructed to leave without money, and to travel without a staff (for protection.) The disciples were learning to trust solely in God for their provision.

In another portion of scripture, Jesus interacted with a very wealthy man who desired to follow him. The man found himself in a dilemma when Jesus told him to first sell everything that he possessed. The man left sorrowful, because he chose the security of his riches over the eternal life. After the man departed, Jesus said to the crowd, “How hard it is for those who have riches to enter the kingdom of God.” The wealthy learn to trust in their riches rather than in God. The world promotes self-reliance, but those who are alive in Christ learn to rely on him.

Today, when a problem arises in your life, what do you turn too? When you lose a job, do you spend time in prayer, or do you spend time at the local pub. When you need something, do you stretch out to others before stretching out to God? When you are feeling rejected, do you look for a relationship, or does God become the love of your life. God is pleased when you lean on him; when you rely on him; when you trust in him. Give God the proper place in your life; He is just waiting […] yearning to provide you with whatever you need, all you need to do is ask.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we lift You up, and we praise You and we thank You for Your goodness. Father, please provide for our needs, and help us to trust in You and not in ourselves or others. Show us areas where we need to make You our strength, and take away those things that we are trusting in outside of You. We desire to do Your will, and to carry Your message in to the lives of others. We need You to guide us, and to give us the words to speak; so use us Lord to do Your will, in this place. We love You, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.