iLent.org

So Close, and Yet So Far Away

admin — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 08:05:39 +0000

Mark 6:13-16

They drove out many demons and anointed many sick people with oil and healed them. John the Baptist Beheaded King Herod heard about this, for Jesus’ name had become well known. Some were saying, “John the Baptist has been raised from the dead, and that is why miraculous powers are at work in him.” Others said, “He is Elijah.” And still others claimed, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of long ago.” But when Herod heard this, he said, “John, the man I beheaded, has been raised from the dead!”

Pastor Bill Francis
Morello Hills Christian Church (Martinez)

I imagine that Herod was thinking here, “What have my weak-willed immoral actions got me into this time?” After these verses Mark goes back and tells the story of John the Baptist’s execution (you might want to pull out your Bible and read about it). Mark uses “king” here to describe Herod, a title which was a stretch and likely sarcastic. This is Herod Antipas, ruler over a fourth of his deceased father’s kingdom, and he was not appreciated or respected by the Jewish people. Galilee was part of his territory, and later he would be the Herod who partnered with Pilate in the trials before Jesus’ crucifixion.

Herod’s interest in John and later in Jesus (Luke 23:8) as some sort of spiritual entertainment was especially telling of the character of this man. Though spiritually curious, Herod was weak-willed; this prompted Jesus to use him as an example of a hardened heart in Mark 8:15.

It’s notable to me that in reaction to miracles that should have confirmed to Herod that Jesus was the Messiah, Herod still chose faithless fear. He seemed to believe in the signs and wonders, but he was so caught up in his way of life and his own guilt that he wouldn’t see it – he wouldn’t see Jesus as the Messiah. Recently I read about former Prime Minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon. I was shocked to find that this Jewish man really didn’t believe the events of the Old Testament – so close, and yet so far away. How do we humans become hardened to God’s presence and His work? The Bible makes it clear that this happens because of sin! Sin in its many different forms (from immorality to unbelief) will control us and harden us unless we live in persistent confession and repentance. These are God’s tools to keep our hearts soft and full of life.

Lord, soften my heart. I will lift you up in confession and repentance and keep my eyes on your Son Jesus so that your mercy and grace will be seen by others through me!

Calling and Sending

admin — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 08:05:36 +0000

Mark 6:7-12

Then Jesus went around teaching from village to village. Calling the Twelve to him, he sent them out two by two and gave them authority over evil^[spirits. These were his instructions: “Take nothing for the journey except a staff—no bread, no bag, no money in your belts. Wear sandals but not an extra tunic. Whenever you enter a house, stay there until you leave that town. And if any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.” They went out and preached that people should repent.

Pastor Sean Blomquist
Shelter Covenant Church (Concord)

As I wrote earlier regarding Chapter 2 of Mark, we see a rhythm with Jesus. It is always an invitation to relationship and a challenge to responsibility. Here in Chapter 6, Jesus is calling his disciples to a deeper relationship with himself. The invitation to you and me is that there is always more of HIMSELF to which he is calling us. If we are stagnant in our relationship with Jesus, it’s often an issue of hearing him. He is always calling us to himself. He is the God who calls. As a disciple, am I listening?

There is a simple way to keep the Lord always before us. The Jesus prayer is the ancient orthodox way to place oneself always before the call of Jesus. Simply say, “Lord Jesus, have mercy on me.” The Way of the Pilgrim says it like this: “This is a continuous uninterrupted call on the Name of Jesus with the lips, mind and heart and his blessing in all our undertakings in all places, at all times even in our sleep.” Try it; see if you begin to hear Jesus calling you to himself.

Be careful, because Jesus will send you out. Being sent is the adventure. We get to be with friends (v. 7). We get to confront evil, have authority over it and heal people (v. 13). We get to travel light and live simply (v. 8). We get to stay in one place with people building relationships and see where God is already working in their lives (v. 10).

Lord Jesus, I pray we would not only want the comfort of the call, but also the challenge of being sent. Amen.

Love Interrupted

admin — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 08:05:22 +0000

Mark 5:22-34

Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet and pleaded earnestly with him, “My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live.” So Jesus went with him. A large crowd followed and pressed around him. And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years… When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, “If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed.” Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, “Who touched my clothes?…” Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.”

Pastor Leslyn Musch
Lighthouse Regional Church (Concord)

Interruptions and delays are the stuff of life, often causing frustration, irritation and sometimes colorful metaphors. The more intense life, work pressures, responsibilities, relationships and activities become, the more annoying interruptions become. The way that Jesus handled interruptions captured my attention and made me ask: “How did He do that?”

Jesus was traveling with His disciples, surrounded by a large crowd, when a religious leader pushed through the throng pleading fervently with Him to come quickly and heal his dying daughter. Jesus’ immediate response to this interruption was to help. He could have said, “You know, I’m sorry, but I’ve already calmed a huge storm, had a major deliverance session; I’m tired and now this crowd needs my attention.” Why didn’t He do that?

With the crowd pressing in, Jesus was trying to get to a dying child, and Jesus was interrupted again. He felt healing power go out from Him. Jesus stopped everything to find the woman who had reached out to Him in her suffering, who had pushed through many barriers to receive a miracle. What made Him do that?

Jesus lived from love. He lived from love for His Father and love for others. He saw interruptions as opportunities for love rather than obstacles in His plans. He looked to find what His Father in heaven wanted Him to do in response to them. Next time you are interrupted by someone’s need, ask your heavenly Father how He wants you to respond. Try looking at interruptions as opportunities to extend love, kindness, food, prayer or just a helping hand. Perhaps you will be the answer to someone’s prayer!

Heavenly Father, help me to live from love like Jesus did. I want to be used by You in the day by day. Help me to see interruptions as opportunities to be used by You in the lives of those around me. Amen.

Game Over?

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:05:05 +0000

John 5:25-29

I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out—those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.

Pastor Shawn Robinson, Clayton Community Church

Recently I asked some people what their greatest fear in life was. With the exception of one small boy who answered “playing Barbies with my sister,” the overwhelming consensus was…death! Why do you suppose that is? My guess is because many people are unsure what happens when they die. It sounds like a rather painful experience with an abrupt and final end.

So what does happen when you die? Is that it? Game over? Do you just cease to exist?

Christians believe that death is not the end and that those who have placed their faith in Christ will rise to live with him in his glorious heaven. This is not a fanciful dream, but a truth based on one very simple fact. Jesus overcame death through his resurrection, showing that nothing could hold him down. He is God in the flesh and he has authority over death. Those who place their trust in him will also overcome death. This scripture tells us “a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and… those who have done good will rise to live”

Sadly, this passage also tells us that those who have done evil will rise as well, but their lot in life is to be condemned. So that’s it? A flip of the coin and my destiny is decided? Is there anything else I can do? The answer is a resounding yes! Jesus says whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned.

This is the heart of Easter. Jesus has shown his authority through his resurrection and now offers eternal life to those who hear and believe in him!

Lord, I ask you to come into my life that I might know you and have life in your name. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen!

Week 4 // Invitation & Challenge

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:03:32 +0000

// REMEMBER

It’s a triangle of relationships.

“If you want the blessing of God in your life, you must care about the things God cares about.”

Rick Warren

It’s already week four on the Invitation and Challenge. Maybe it’s time we step it up? What do you say?
I think you will find this week’s practice a challenge and a joy. Here is a helpful hint: Review the suggestion, pray about it and then make the commitment. If you don’t decide ahead of time to let God use this habit in your life, either you will not follow through, or you will just go through the motions without letting God change you. That’s religion, not relationship. Following Jesus does change us. As an encouragement, I remind you that we’re on this journey together!

UP – Water fast: Make water your only beverage for the week remembering Jesus is our living water, and we will never be thirsty. (John 4) It’s an UP thing!

IN – Make this fast a group effort — Do it with others.

OUT – A child dies every 15 seconds because of the lack of clean water. It costs us an average of $0.98 to provide clean, safe water to one person for one year, so every dollar makes a difference! The Challenge this week: Make water your only beverage. Save the money that you would normally spend on sodas, coffee, and sport drinks for two weeks. At the end of the two weeks, contribute the money you saved to Living Water International for the drilling of wells.

PAUSE: Stop sometime today and breathe. Just stop and breathe. Now think: How is it going? What are you learning? Where do you need to bring in some balance? What is getting squeezed out of your life, UP? IN? OUT?

Still

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:02:46 +0000

Turn, turn world! I will be still

and leave the moving up to you.

I need not overtake the hill

to see the moon rise into view.

The stars appearing: glittering skein

glides across the stage of night.

I, deeply moved, unmoved remain.

The spinning world flings my flight

on: soaring, seeing great expanse

of heaven’s canyons cast and lit:

galaxies in gallant dance

while I, fixed trance-like, wide-eyed sit.

A breathless trek, but breathing free

as sunrise rounds to welcome me.

~ Jeff Reed

PROMISE

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:02:25 +0000

Artist: Lori Butler

The image of the virgin Mary holding Jesus’ dead body on her lap is commonly known as the Pieta. This is a portrait of the face of Mary as created by Michelangelo during the Italian Renaissance. I chose this image because of the PROMISE that was kept by our Savior when he died upon the cross.

‘Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:00:42 +0000

Louisa M. R. Stead, 1882

These words are said to have been written after Louisa witnessed the drowning death of her husband.

‘Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,
And to take him at his word;
Just to rest upon his promise,
And to know, “Thus saith the Lord.”

[Refrain]
Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!
How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er!
Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!
O for grace to trust him more!

I’m so glad I learned to trust thee,
Precious Jesus, Savior, friend;
And I know that thou art with me,
Wilt be with me to the end.

[Refrain]

Surely Goodness

admin — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 08:00:14 +0000

Israel Houghton

No possibility of ever letting go
And You’re not mad at me no You’re not mad at me
You’re madly in love with me
You love me madly madly madly surely

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
Follow me all my days
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
Follow me all of the days of my life
(Oh oh yeah yeah)

I used to believe that I could never please You
I spent a long time running scared
Couldn’t receive that You would never ever leave me
I didn’t know that You would call me friend oh
But now Your grace for me is ever chasing me

With all of my heart I can sing Your praises freely
I lift my hands and I lift them high
Open my heart to say that You are so lovely
I worship You as a lifestyle
And now Your grace for me is overtaking me.

Step Back from the Boat!

admin — Sat, 06 Mar 2010 08:05:06 +0000

Mark 5:18-20

As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your family and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolishow much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed.

Pastor Terry Reilley
Creekside Church (Martinez)

What a story! Great drama, complete deliverance as a self-destructive man is unchained then changed by an encounter with Jesus! Could Hollywood do any better than God’s Word? If you casually read this story, you may think “what does this have to do with me?” Yes, there are some distinct differences:

This man lived among the tombs…you don’t.
This man was suicidal…hopefully you’re not!
Men and chains couldn’t contain him…probably not true about you.

This is a picture of every person wherever the enemy is at work to control one’s life. The ultimate outcomes will be the same, bondage and pain. But we, like the demoniac, have been delivered from the kingdom of darkness and into the Kingdom of light. From this story, we see not only the implications of this address change for the delivered man but for each of us today.

Once we experience freedom in Christ, we see that few are called to travel with Jesus but all are called to go home with Jesus. Can’t you see this guy grabbing Jesus’ boat and yelling, “Lord, take me with You! Man, with these chains, scars and my testimony, we’ll pack out services!” It can be exciting to “go” somewhere and tell our story. But Jesus says, “step back from the boat…go home.” Jesus is so practical and always leads us to the starting place for ministry: our home and family, the person in the next cubicle, that rascal of a neighbor! Friends, each of us has a story…a great story of God’s amazing grace! Don’t look for some place out there but re-enter your relational orbit to show and tell of the great things Christ has done! That is where making a difference starts. You watch, you wait, you’ll see!

Jesus, thank you for Your grace and my story. Amen.