02-07-13 BFG 4

Matthew 26:36-45 "Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. ⁴¹ “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.” When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴ So he left them and went away once more and prayed the third time, saying the same thing. Then he returned to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Look, the hour has come, and the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners."

If we could interview Jesus about this night, how might it go? Maybe something like this:

Jesus, we know this was an excruciating time of sorrow in your life. Is it ok, if we ask You a few questions about it?

"Yes, you may ask and I will answer."

Thank You. What were you thinking and feeling as you were praying?

"Being fully God, I knew what was about to happen. I didn't want My sheep to be without a Shepherd. I wanted to stay and teach more, heal more - to - share My heart that was bursting with love for those who knew Me and for those who had never a chance to know Me. I knew all sorts of confusion and unbelief would enter into the hearts and minds of those lives I had touched and it grieved Me."

Why did you single out Peter when You said "Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” ?

"I wanted to prepare Peter for what I mentioned previously. I didn't want him to have to endure the pain of denying and rejecting Me. The denial would be devastating for him, but I also knew it would not destroy him - I saw in him not a lowly coward, but a courageous warrior."

Being fully man, was there anything else You were thinking about?

"Being fully man, my flesh was warring against my Spirit. I had a choice. I could face the incredible amount of physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual pain I was about to endure - I could have gone back Home - or I could have lived forever. My flesh did not want to die, it wanted to live.

What did your Spirit want to do?

"My Spirit knew what had to be done and to die was the ONLY way I could live and bring life to others. To die was the only way to bring Fathers' children back to His Presence."

Well, I'm certainly thankful and humbled by what You have done by dying a criminals death on the Cross. I am greatful because you ARE alive and for what You continue to do in our lives.

One more question, though, if You will. Why did you take Peter, James and John with you where you went to pray?

"Being fully man, I did not want to be alone. Even just knowing they were physically near me, was a measure of comfort to me. I knew Father would not look on sin, and soon I would be bearing all the sins everyone had ever committed or would commit on myself. Therefore, He would have to turn His face from Me, and I would be cut off from Him. I just didn't want to be alone."

Sometimes, our friends don't need an explanation of how they got to be where they are or answers to the questions that they ask (and already KNOW the answers to). Or when they are filled with grief or sorrow - they may not need spoken words. Sometimes just being with our friends physically is enough.... walking through a park or helping them with chores. Sometimes texting or emailing a kind word of encouragement, sometimes sitting and holding their hand in silence is enough. We should listen to the Spirit inside of us during these times... and do what He says to do or not to do.

Our Father, our Abba, or Dad loves to give us good things, His desires for us, answers to prayer - but He's just as happy to sit with us in silence when we are hurting or even when we are happy - in sorrow or in joy. So we need not fear silence.... when you're in worship or even alone in your room or even at work - take a few moments and listen to the silence of the Presence of the Lord inside.....sometimes, it really is golden.

02-06-13 BFG 3

John 13:4-5,12-17 "So he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him... When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."

So, let's say that we opened our eyes one morning and found out we 'weren't in Kansas anymore', but we were in the times of Christ. Our cell phone rings... oh, I mean, a courier, sent by donkey stopped at our door and told us that Jesus was having dinner that night and invited us to dine with Him. Maybe we were a ways off - on the other side of town. So, a few hours before dinner we walked to where He was having this feast. As usual we arrived just in time.... and did not have time to wash off our feet. No, Nike's were not in style back then - so our feet were pretty dirty. We were a bit perplexed because Jesus was saying something about the wine being His Blood and the bread being His Body.... and we're supposed to remember Him by this.

Then He gets up, took off His most of His clothes and wrapped a towel around His waist? We are all thinking the same thing, "Isn't that the way a servant dresses? What in the world is He doing? He has done some strange things before, but this?" He's getting closer and all the while you're thinking, "I really should've done something about my feet. This is rather embarrassing." He gets a fresh batch of water (as He has with everyone - another story for another day), and finally He's at your feet. He begins to wash them - one by one - gently and lovingly. There were a few spots where He had to scrub a little abrasively - because of that long journey). All the while He's looking into your eyes and you see the love He has for you.

When He finishes, He explains why He washed our feet. Few of us understood, until after He died and was resurrected. Our Lord had just become a servant, doing one of the dirtiest jobs of a servant. Then, He tells us that we're to do the same for each other... become their servant. God not only demonstrated His love for us by sending Jesus to where we live, but He washes our feet (He cleanses the filth that has attached itself to us) - demonstrating what a true friend does. Jesus put His words to action... He got down on His knees and 'got dirty' with His friends. Sometimes, the Lord leads us to 'get dirty' when our friends are hurting or in trouble; when they're grieving or when they've fallen into a pit of gunk. To enter the battle with that person and fight when their strength is gone or when they are wounded from the battle and are in the process of being healed. We demonstrate our friendship with God by doing what Jesus did - when we allow Him to flow through us to serve those around us.

Mark 10:43-45 "Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

02-05-13 BFG 2

1 Peter 4:12-13 "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed."

Let's continue this week on what it means to be a friend of God.

I asked the Lord this morning what verse I used yesterday and where I should go today. Well, He said James 4:12:13. So I went to look it up and found this verse. Yep, I was a bit perplexed also when I saw that I was in 1 Peter 4:12-13. So, I supposed He did answer both questions at the same time. James yesterday and verses 12-13 in a different book. The Lord does act in mysterious ways.....

I heard this from a friend who heard it from a friend:

There was this person who went to a mid-week worship service not so long ago rather seething inside with anger. It looked like it took every effort for them to stay in the service and not run screaming out the door (ok, maybe not screaming - that would be even more noticeable than the scowl on their face).

The music started playing and the singing started and this person just sat there until they had a thought pass through like a banner in their mind, 'Ok, it's not God's fault - so I might as well worship Him'. They got up and started to worship - at first rather grudgingly. Then this song was sung about surrendering to the Lord and raising hands as a sign of this surrendering. Obviously, this person did NOT want to raise their hands, they were open - that was enough. But soon they started to rise like an unseen force was gently lifting them up.

As related to me from this friend, as this person's hands were up and open, they saw Jesus come and stand before them. He raised His hands and placed them palm to palm with this person and looked them in the eye. He is being reported to say, 'You are sharing in my sufferings.' As this person continued to look into His eyes, they saw that He had suffered everything that they had suffered at the time it happened - and now what they were going through was what He suffered for them at that time. It was still their pain, their terror, their confusion, etc. But somehow Jesus was showing them that He knew EXACTLY what they were going through... and that they could go through it because He had already been there. He would walk with them and be there as a best friend who really knew everything about them and loved them anyway. Friends share burdens - sometimes, even bearing part of the load in prayer, in deed, etc. Sometimes it's just in being there - even in silence. Sometimes, it's getting dirty and in the thick of their battle, but a friend stands beside a friend (especially a Best Friend).

Now I know, traditionally, these verses have dealt with suffering for being a Christian. My mind automatically goes to those who are persecuted physically, even to death. In a way, I'm talking about the same thing. The enemy of our souls, the devil, satan, he wants us to think that once we become a Christian everything is all rosey from here on out... while Jesus is saying, 'don't be surprised at fiery ordeals'. Some of us have been in very fiery ordeals in the past and are just now dealing with them - so, our past fiery ordeals have become present so that God can let His healing waters flow into them. Some of us are in fiery ordeals right now - some due to our own sin, some due to the sin of others, some we may just never know why - but Jesus is saying to us today, 'You are sharing in MY sufferings. Take heart, My Glory WILL be revealed in you - and you WILL be overcome with joy.'

02-04-13 Being a Friend of God

James 4:3-5 "When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. Or do you think Scripture says without reason that he jealously longs for the spirit he has caused to dwell in us?"

Yikes! Talking about a hard word! When I read the first line of this set of verses; at first, I get this sinking feeling in my stomach - like, 'oh man, this is gonna hurt'.

Why is it so easy to see the world and its desires as a friend that we can converse with, wrap our arms around, walk with, etc.? Well, the scripture does say that our flesh wars against the spirit of Jesus that is within us (Galatians 5:16-17). That's the pull, THAT'S the war the enemy wants to win... to pull us away from God by showing us how 'beautiful' and 'pleasant' the world can be... that the fleshly desires within us drive us to embrace the world. But that's not how it works. James 1 says each one is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and then once desire is conceived it gives birth to sin, and when it is full-grown it gives birth to death. The enemy sits there with a fishing pole and baits the hook with whatever our own personal desire is (what are we drawn to that draws us away from the Lord?). It stirs our desire for 'the bait' (at this point is when we should yell, HELP ME JESUS). But most of the time, at least for me, I'm drawn to the bait as the enemy is slowing reeling it in I follow and then when the demon gets me close enough to touch it stops reeling and then I bite. Now what is really insane is that when we bite the bait - we do so most of the time knowing that there is a hook there. The enemy is a deceiver, but it's our own flesh that has effectively now created a barrier between our spirit and the Lord.

So, if friendship with the world brings a barrier between us and God, then it seems logical to me that friendship with Jesus (as a friend that we can converse with, wrap our arms around, walk with, etc.) brings a barrier between us and the world. The point today is our hearts need to come to the point of longing for Jesus more than we long for the lusts of our flesh. When we walk with Him and He shows us how BEAUTIFUL He is and how PLEASANT He is - that we would be drawn to Him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. That He would not only be our friend, but our BFF - Best Friend FOREVER.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pHnBJOGluE

My Soul Longs For You - Misty Edwards

 

02-02-13 Friendship 5

Proverbs 27:17 "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."

Iron sharpens iron... I picture using a file or sharpening stone or something along those lines to sharpen a knife or some other instrument. I see it as one person listening to the Lord and helping another to become 'sharper' - to grow - to come into a position where they can fulfill their original design in God - the dreams that the Lord has placed with them - their 'calling'.

Things that I say to people may be hard sometimes, tough love - we used to call it. But if it's a case where the person is serously affecting my emotional, mentally, or spiritual well-being, then I need to set some ground rules.... if those ground rules aren't followed then I need to speak the truth - but with an attitude that I still love that person, I just cannot 'put up with certain things'. These things are not meant to be hurtful, but to cause the person to at least think about their actions, ways of thinking and relatting and so forth. I don't want to hurt them - that person is my friend, but there's something that needs to be 'called out' and no one else is doing it.... and the Lord picked me (I didn't even raise my hand to be picked)!

My thoughts go immediately to - How will they take it - will they be mad at me - will they know that I do love them and that I really want tot help them grow in the Lord - will they at least pray about what I said. If the Lord prompts me to say something, it's very noticeable within me. I pray about it, then it's picking the right time to say it.

If it's taken in a positive way, we can pray about it and see what courses of action to take. If it's not taken the right way, then I ask the person to pray about it. It's up to them what to do with it from there. I did what the Lord had me do - if I didn't, I'd be disobedient (I may be ornery, but I'm not the disobedient type normally).

It's like prayng for someone - I LOVE to pray for people. Usually the Lord gives me something for that person - a picture - a word - or just simply praying for the need, but I believe that the Lord hears me and answers. If I didn't say what the Lord was prompting me to say to the person I'm praying for (iron sharpening iron), then I would be in disobedience - I would feel really rotten afterwards. It's up to God to do the ministering. I just pray. Same concept when trying to 'say the hard things' to another.

Luke 9:54 "When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them, and they went to another village." Even Jesus had to speak some hard words to His friends. It doesn't say how they took it, but it did say that they went on their way together.

Life isn't easy. It's full of challenges. We are not meant to go through those challenges alone. We were meant to be in community - in relsationship - in friendship. If our friends are truly our friends, we will understand their heart in their 'rebukes'. Pray and then take the action warranted. Sharpening hurts sometimes as the 'metal' of our souls is being honed, but is necessary for all of us if we intend to be the Body of Christ that the world needs.

02-01-13 Friendship 5

Proverbs 27:6 "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses." NIV (what I usually quote from)

The Amplified Bible says, "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are lavish and deceitful."

Now, The Message says it in a little different way. I wouldn't exactly translate friend to lover, but I like the second part because I think it hits the mark. That translation says, "The wounds from a lover are worth it; kisses from an enemy do you in."

Right after I woke up this morning and started to read my Bible, this verse 'popped' into my head. So, on to part 4 :)

Let's take the first part, "Wounds from a friend can be trusted..." Sometimes being a friend means saying some hard things. Things that the other person isn't necessarily going to like and even may make them a bit angry. Most of the time, in my life anyway, my immediate response is this welling up of anger and resentment - due to my own pride. I go away pretty much thinking, 'who in the heck do they think they are - they're just totally wrong - they don't understand.' THEN I ask the Lord, and invariably, yep - at least 98.5% of what they said was true.

So now, not only do I have to repent to the Lord of my resentment, anger and pride - I have to ask forgiveness from my friend because I didn't handle it very well and actually tell them that they were right and I was wrong.

If they are good friend and we trust them and believe them when they say nice things, we can trust the same way when they say the hard things - when they point out a flaw in our character, when they tell us that something we said hurt them, etc.

Now being on the other side where I really sense the Lord is telling me to say something to a friend, that's not exactly a 'feel-good' moment for me. But I will pick that thought up tomorrow :)

The second part of the verse, "but an enemy mutiplies kisses". Until I read the Amplied Version and The Message. That just didn't click.

But I realized that it's not the person we are to dislike, it's the wrong that was done, the hurtful act, the sin. People can be manipulative and selfish and deceitful with us in order to get their own way or be in control or whatever. There's a saying 'don't hate the player, hate the game'. We can dislike the games they play and distance ourselves from them, we don't have to like them - but we can't hate the player. That was yesterday's reading.

Now, I KNOW I don't have it in myself to love anyone - especially someone who has hurt me, but I CAN love them using the Love of God within me.

Don't let the enemy 'do you in' by holding onto resentments against others, it will only make you miserable....

01-31-13 Friendship 4

John 13:1-5 "It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

As I wrote yesterday, Jesus knew who would betray Him - but I was focusing on His (disciples) friends gathering around Him. Today, I feel prompted to focus on the highlighted portion above.

If I knew someone was going to seriously cause me harm and they happened to be sitting at table with me sharing the same food and drink, I would either not invite that person and stay far away from him or not-so-lovingly want to place my hands around their neck and squeeze to twist their head at an odd angle. Ok, maybe a 'slight' anger issue there ;) Either way, I would be seething inside.

BUT JESUS...'Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end."?? Ok, I get it. Matthew 5:43 starts, "You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ (Yea, God - now THAT'S what I'm talking about) But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven." (What?????) Italics mine, of course. He loved Judas until the end (which in my opinion - the end is death).

Jesus was a faithful friend. He was a loyal friend. He was a friend that would never let go - never leave his friends in a lurch - never turn His back on them. He was a friend to the death. He trusted them - had faith in them - poured his life out for them (figuratively and literally). He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

He is OUR faithful friend; OUR loyal friend; a friend that will NEVER let go of us - NEVER leave us in a lurch - NEVER turn our backs on us. He is OUR friend to the death. He trusts us, has faith in us, AND He poured out His VERY LIFE for us.

Jesus is an example of true friendship. If He can love not only his friends (which is hard to do sometimes) and also love His enemies AND He said greater things we can do (John 14:12) - we can do the same and be truly 'children of our Father in Heaven'. Do we want to? Our flesh is probably saying, heck, no. But will we try?

01-30-13 Friendship 3

John 13:22-25 "His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

In this passage, Jesus was telling His disciples (friends) that He knew one of them would betray Him. I can just imagine the sorrow that Jesus felt in saying those words and this close-knit group of friends looking at each other and wondering who could possible do such a thing. I can imagine them saying, "Surely, Jesus must be wrong... but... He's never been wrong before..."

Then a certain friend leaned against Jesus breast and asked who it could be.... and He told him. I don't know if others heard and gasped or if he just told - I believe it was John.

If I close my eyes, and enter into that 'secret place' with Jesus, I can see myself leaning against His breast. Safe, secure, peaceful, protected - those are just a few of the words that come to my mind at the moment.

That's what friendship is - having a person or a group of people that are safe, secure, peaceful, protective and being the same with them. Having friends to pray with - to have fun with - to cry with - to share joy with and even to share sorrow with.

It's hard when a friend betrays us, but it happened to Jesus - it's may happen to us as well. Jesus knows what that feels like - and He had 11 other friends surrounding Him, comforting Him and encouraging Him in His sorrow. THAT is what the Kingdom of God is all about!

01-29-13 Friendship 2

Matthew 22:37-40 "Jesus replied: 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.' "

First, we love God - and we are learning to love God with ALL our hearts, souls and minds - this doesn't happen overnight. There are generally, places that we hold onto that keep us from loving God with ALL of our being. Thank the Lord, that He loves us with all of Himself!

Jesus has given us examples with His Disciples and the relationship He had with them.

But to be a friend to others, we have to be a friend to ourselves. If I'm going to love my neighbor, I need to love myself or I won't have anything to give others. I would feel unworthy of the love of God and my love supply would be empty.

Maybe we don't like the things we've done or not done. We ask forgiveness and God forgives us. We receive the forgiveness and we forgive ourselves. Then we can go on.

Maybe what we should do is take a good look in the mirror and tell ourselves what we think of ourselves and then while still standing there, let God tell us what He thinks.

01-28-13 Friendship

Ecclesiastes 4:10-12 - "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken."

I love the book of Ecclesiastes. It is one book that raises honest gut-level questions - maybe questions we've all had at one time or another. It's a book of honesty and transparency from the author. Seems to me, qualities of a good friendship.

Two ARE better than one - it's community. It's how we were made.... God saw that it was not good for man to be alone. It is not good for us to be alone. Yes, there are times when it IS good to be alone, but we're not really every alone are we. The Lord is always with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. But when we are alone with Jesus, then we are learning to rest in Him - even though sometimes those times are healing times in our lives.. There is a place of rest and it is in Jesus.

We brings others into our lives so that we form relationships and learn how be a community. Jesus is always with us... so a cord of three strands is not easily broken. He interweaves between us and causes us to learn to be family. We are His family. Our 'real' family.

Two are better than one. When I fall, I can either stay down - or I can take the hand of one of my siblings and trust the Lord in them to raise us back up.