Has Anyone Loved You More?

Today’s Reading:  Mark 10:17-31

So what have I left?  Have I left anything to follow Jesus?  Would I give everything away?  Would I give my life for him?  So many questions ran through my mind as I was reading these scriptures.  Does Jesus really intend for us to give everything away?  Does he really want us to leave the people we know and love?  The answer to me is yes and no.  If he calls us and specifically tells us to leave or to give something up we should, but we can’t just leave everything to proclaim that we are following him if he did not ask us to do so.  To me, Jesus’ directions for this man were literal and perhaps for others as well, but for all of us he is saying leave it, give it all away spiritually speaking.  What I mean is that he is telling us do not cling to the things of this world; do not put even those we love before him.  Jesus is telling us that although we obey all the rules, the commandments, that this alone does not pave the road to heaven.  We have to let go of what we think is important, we have to hold loosely to the things of this world and hold tight to our Father, Jesus Christ.  He is the only one who will never fail us, he is the only truth, and he is the only way through this world. 

Everything belongs to Jesus anyway, so why should I worry so much about giving things up or giving things away---isn’t he the one that blesses me with all that I have anyways?  Did you notice verses 29 and 30….. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age (homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields---and with them, persecutions) and in the age to come, eternal life.  Isn’t he saying that he will just continue to bless us, not just continue but gives us even more than we had once we give it up?  So why, why is he asking us to give things up?  He doesn’t need anything that we have, but he wants to know that he is first; he wants to know that he is our one and only great love.  He wants us to give up what we have so he can bless us by taking care of our every need.  However, notice the last part in parenthesis… ‘and with them, persecutions’.  I could not help but think of Paul when I read those words, we will be persecuted, we will face persecution in all that we do, but we have to stand as Paul stood with boldness and conviction.  His words in II Corinthians remind me of his deep conviction and love for our Savior.

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  (12:9-10)

With all this we have to rest upon Jesus’ final words in this message to his disciples…. ‘’and in age to come, eternal life.’  Isn’t that our goal, isn’t that why we chose Jesus, isn’t that why Christ died for us?  He loves us so much that he wants us to be with him in a home he has built for us for all eternity…has anyone loved you more?

Jesus Loves the Little Children!

Today’s Reading:  Mark 10:11- 16

Indignant --- feeling or showing anger because of something unjust or unworthy. 

And this is how Jesus felt when the disciples were saying something in protest to people bringing little children to Jesus.   We are all very valuable to Jesus, but little children most certainly hold a special place in his heart.  In fact, he tells us that we are to accept and believe him like a little child.  So what exactly does he mean by this and why did he get so upset with the disciples about these children?  I think about how a young child believes in Santa Claus and the excitement they feel when they know he is coming with presents to give.  These children have no doubt that he is real and that he will be bringing them gifts.  We should believe even more in our Father, Jesus Christ.  He is real, he is coming, and he gives us gifts every day.  I think Jesus was so upset with the disciples because they assumed that these children were not worthy of Jesus’ time, but Jesus knew not only were they worth his time, but that his ‘adult’ children could and should learn from the sincerity of these children.  I can’t help but think of how much I have learned from my own children, as well as, my nieces and nephews.  I have been able to experience Jesus even more by witnessing the unconditional love that these children show every day.  They have taught me not only unconditional love, but how to forgive quickly, how to love freely, and how to believe my prayers are answered the moment I speak them.  While we may feel that we have a responsibility to our children to raise them in a Godly manner, our responsibility to God is to watch and learn about him through our children.  We may think that our children should learn from us, but really we learn so much more through raising our children.  Like marriage, children are just another beautiful gift from our Father, and like every gift from God we need to give it right back to him.

Thank you God for my children, I have no words that could every express my gratitude for my two gifts.  They are growing up to be beautiful, Godly people and I know that it is only because I did make a commitment to give them back to you and ask that your will be done in their lives.  In Jesus name, Amen.

And Two Will Become One!

Today’s Reading:  Mark 10:1-12

This is a tough one and a topic that people don’t really like to talk about, but just like everything else in the Bible it is God’s Word and his word is truth and that is what I will go with.  So instead of focusing on divorce and the effects of it, I want to focus on the beautiful relationship that God ordained called marriage.  The part that stands out to me the most is that through marriage two will become one flesh.  Think about that, two people will become one, and this was God’s design from the very beginning.  Genesis 2:23-24 records the response from man after God created woman…The man said, “This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh, she shall be called woman, for she was taken out of man.”  For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.  This is so beautiful to me, that this is how every man should feel about his wife and every wife should know that their husband feels this way about her.  God’s plan is for us to marry and stay married.  I know that things happen, but God’s plan for us is greater than anything else.  It is not just that this is some rule he has made up, it is that he knows what is best for us and he is trying to prevent any unnecessary hurt that could come our way through divorce.  Now I am no expert on marriage, but I do know from my own personal experience that marriage is not always easy, in fact sometimes it is downright difficult, but to me there is such a peace and a comfort to know that someone is going to be by my side no matter what is going on.  While I am a very independent person, I still long for the comfort of knowing that my husband is not far from my side.  I know that he will always take up for me, that he will always protect me, and that he will always love me even when the world doesn’t.  My marriage is not perfect, but when we put God first in all that we do it sure does make it much easier.

One of my favorite scriptures that describe how I feel about my husband can be found in the first chapter of Ruth.  I know that this is a daughter-in-law talking to her mother-in-law, but I gave this scripture to my husband on the day we got married and I just thought that I meant it then, but I mean it more today than ever before.  You know my husband will probably kill me for sharing this, but I just have to (he’s not a reader, so maybe he want read this).  Not too long ago he told me that he remembered thinking on our wedding day that he didn’t think it was possible to love someone so much, but now that love that he had for me on that day doesn’t even compare to how much he loves me now.  You just have to know my husband to realize how powerful that statement is.  I know without a doubt that he loves me, but he is definitely not the ‘mushy’ type.  Guess he is loosening up in his older age!

But Ruth replied, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you.  Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay.  Your people will be my people and your God my God.  Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried.  May the Lord deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me.”  Ruth 1:16 &17

Father, thank you for the gift of marriage and thank you for blessing me with Clay, he is a wonderful man of God, husband, and father who is so good to me and our children.  I thank you for bringing us together and allowing us to grow old together.  I will continue to give you my life, my marriage, and my family for your will to be done.  In Jesus precious name, Amen.

Don't Worry, Trust Jesus!

Today’s Reading:  Mark 9:33-50

Worry---that is what I thought after reading these scriptures.  Let me explain…it started off with the disciples arguing about who was the greatest among them---they were worried about each other and themselves as to who was better.  I can just hear them saying well I did this for Jesus or I know that Jesus loves me more because he asked me to do this or that.  Funny they wouldn’t tell Jesus what they were arguing about because you know he knew exactly what was said, what was thought, and they probably knew that too, but don’t we do the same?  I know I think things and even sometimes say things that I wouldn’t want Jesus to know, yet I do it anyway.  Why?  Usually because I am worried about something of the flesh---just as the disciples were doing.

We see next that the disciples were ‘worried’ about others that were doing miracles.  Maybe they thought that these people didn’t know enough about Jesus to be performing miracles.  Maybe they thought that others were not as prepared as they were to perform things in Jesus’ name.  Regardless of what they thought, they were worried that people, other than themselves, were performing miracles.

I don’t know about you, but I find myself concerned (this word sounds better than worriedJ) about things that don’t really matter, when I should be concerned only with hearing and following the guidance of the Holy Spirit.  Listen to Jesus as he responds to all these actions.

“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last and the servant of all.” (vs. 35)

“No one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, for whoever is not against us is for us.” (vs. 39, 40)

“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness how can you make it salty again?  Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with each other.” (vs. 50)

Now Jesus said a lot more (make sure you read it all) but these things stood out to me.   Jesus was telling his disciples and he is telling us now to concentrate on him and do what we have been taught.   Quit worrying about who seems to be more important than you, quit worrying about what others are doing, quit worrying about what your flesh is telling you to do.  He wants us to serve, the world may be telling us (sometimes loudly) that we are last, that we are behind everyone else, but we have to concentrate on what Jesus is us---when we are serving---it is like serving him, hence making us first in his eyes and isn’t that what matters anyways?  I can’t speak for anyone but myself but I know that I am for Jesus and no matter what anyone ever says about me or does to me I will always be for Jesus and He knows that whether the world sees it or not.  Just as salt flavors bland food, Jesus is what gives me flavor and I so don’t want to be bland.  I want to be the salt of the earth, I want to serve and I want to love and I will do these not with everything that I have in me but with everything that God has placed in me.  I don’t know about you, but I am beginning to see things with the eyes of Christ and I am excited that he has given me this line of vision.  I feel myself pulling away from the ways of this world and the worries that are attached and more towards the will of God and that my friend is a feeling like no other!

"Listen to Him!"

Today’s Reading:  Mark 9:1-32

Well I cannot tell you how many times I have read through these scriptures and prayed for God to give me something to write about.  And what I feel is that the three words from verse 7 sum it all up… “Listen to Him!”  Something that I know in my mind I should be doing, something that I know I must do, but also something not as easy as it sounds.  Sounds simple huh?  Listen to Him! ---why can’t I just do that?  So why is it so hard?  It is hard because as much as the Holy Spirit is speaking to us; Satan is using everything in his power to go against every word spoken. 

Can you imagine the feeling that Peter, James, and John experienced when they were right there to witness not only Jesus transfigured and the presence of Moses and Elijah, but they heard the voice of God proclaim Jesus as his son… “This is my Son, whom I love.  Listen to Him!”  Something that is hard to even relate to, yet these disciples still did not always listen to Jesus.  They even failed him at times.  They even denied that they knew him.  I have to believe that they were like me in that they would be at a point where the power of God was so strong on them that they felt empowered to live boldly for Christ and then the world rises up against us and once again we fail Him….we don’t listen.

Life is hard, but living for Jesus Christ makes the hard times bearable.  Life will be hard no matter whom we choose to serve, but our life will only be fulfilled and complete when we give it to Jesus.  Just as the father of the boy with the evil spirit showed his unbelief by saying to Jesus “but if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us” we do the same thing when we don’t listen to him, when we don’t trust him with all that we have.  When I first read this I thought wow, this poor man is saying to Jesus “if you can do anything”, surely he doesn’t really know who Jesus is if he is doubting that he can heal his son.  But  don’t I do the same thing when I don’t listen to the Holy Spirit?  When I pray for something and then doubt that it will be taken care of, am I any different than this man?  No, I’m not!  This is no game and God was not playing when he said to listen to Him, in fact this is the most serious choice that any of us will choose to make.  This world will come to an end, but God will remain and if we choose him than we will remain with him as well.  We have to listen and we have to remember what Jesus told this man… “Everything is possible for him who believes.”  So while this life may be difficult, choosing Jesus as our Savior is simple…just ask him and once you choose him let him be your true Savior and listen to him!

But the greatest of these is Love.

Today’s Reading:  I Corinthians 13:1-13

Wow, it seems so long since I have written, man I have missed writing so much!  We have been so busy over the last couple of weeks.  Me and the kids took a mini-vacation while dad was gone to Texas and then some of our dearest friends got married this past weekend.  I have continued reading each day, but it just doesn’t impact my life as much as reading and then writing about it.  So once again I thank you God for all my trials and struggles that brought me to the point of writing---you most certainly know what you are doing and I am learning to lean on you more with each passing day.  With each moment I am drawn even more to your will for my life.

I just have to give a big shout out to one of the greatest friends in the world, Zeb Brown!  He and his gorgeous wife, Lacy, were married this weekend in one of the most beautiful ceremonies that I have ever witnessed, and I was honored to be a part of it!  Many times I have referred to a friend in my blog and most of them were in reference to Zeb, and many other times some of my thoughts come from our conversations about life in relation to God’s Word.  While I have known him almost his whole life, we became really great friends during a difficult time in my life and he has been my biggest encourager when it comes to sharing my thoughts with others.  He showed up in my life when I needed a faithful friend the most and I know God has orchestrated this friendship with great things in mind.   My family and I are so blessed for having Zeb and Lacy in our lives and I want them and everyone else to know that!   So in honor of my faithful friends, today’s reading comes from I Corinthians.  These few words are so perfectly written and show the importance of love in our lives.  Funny that my last post was also about love and at that time I had no idea I would be writing this tonight, so what is God trying to tell me?  I don’t know if he is trying to tell me or simply remind me of the love that surrounds my life, because over the last couple weeks I have been thinking about those that I have in my life and overwhelmed at how much I love them and they love me.  God has blessed me so tremendously, more than I will ever deserve, more than I could ever earn, but that is what God does, that is who God is…unconditional love!  So I say thank you to my family and friends for showing God’s love by loving me in spite of all my faults and failures!  I love you all more than you will ever know!

I Corinthians 13:1-13
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Love...The Will of God!

Today’s Reading:  Mark 8:31-38

How serious Jesus is about following the will of God and not our own! 

I pray for God’s will often, but to be quite honest, I am not always listening when he is guiding me.  I know that Peter was thinking that he was doing the right thing and that he thought he was just standing up for Jesus, the one whom he loved deeply, but Jesus rebuked him harshly by even referring to his words as coming from Satan.

So what am I thinking?  I am thinking that we have to get extremely serious with God and his will for our lives.  I say that I want to do his will, but am I doing it?  How do I know I am right where he wants me to be?  Sometimes I know without a doubt that what I am doing is the definite will of God, but then other times I am not real sure.  Am I saying the right words?  Am I writing the right words?  Am I leading others to Christ just by the way I live my life?  Living in this world is not getting any easier, in fact, it gets harder everyday.  Satan and all his demons are running around attacking everyone and trying to cause as much chaos for us Christians as he possibly can.  I have days when I get so discouraged, let me rephrase that and be perfectly honest…there are days when I get down right angry at how we humans treat each other.  And although it bothers me deeply, it also reminds me of the way in which we should treat each other.  God created us to worship and love him, and if we truly love him than we will automatically love one another.  I don’t know about you, but that last sentence got me---think about it, if we truly love him we will love others?  So if we don’t love others, we don’t love Him?

Alright, well I had to stop a minute and look up some scriptures on loving one another.  I know for a while now I have been saying it is all about love, but today I realized just how much.  At first I thought I was getting off the topic of God’s will and moving onto the subject of love, but then I realized that his will is love and the following scriptures just confirm this.

I John 4:7-8                                                                       

Dear friends let us love one another, for love comes from God.  Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 

I John 3:15-16                                                                                                                                                           Anyone who hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life in him. This is how we know what love is:  Jesus Christ laid down his life for us.  And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.

John 13:34                                                                                                                                                                    “A new command I give you: Love one another.  As I have loved you, so you must love one another.  By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

So what am I thinking now?  God’s will may not always be what we think, it may not mean that he moves us to a new place, it may not mean a different job, it may not mean a different church, it may not mean that we will discover some kind of God given talent.  God’s will may mean that we stay right where we have been placed and just love!  If you are finding it difficult to love those around you, then maybe that is where God needs you to be, maybe that is your mission field.  Maybe, just maybe, God has placed you in a difficult place with difficult people to share his love with them.  Here’s a thought, what if I quit wanting everyone around me to change and I start changing myself by loving them for who they are and let God change them and me in the process of loving them. 

Just like Jesus said in verses 34-36, “if anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.  For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it.  What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"  God’s will does not change, but our will has to conform to his will no matter what we think or want---there is no other way!  We have to give him our life and live it for him, and I am here to tell you that what I have experienced so far with Jesus is so much greater than anything I have ever known.

Questions?

Today’s Reading: Mark 8:22-30

So after reading these scriptures I have a couple of questions. Why did Jesus not heal the blind man completely during his first attempt? I know that Jesus could have just spoke the word and this man would have been healed instantly, but instead he took him outside the village. Once outside of the village Jesus spit on the man’s eyes and then put his hands upon his eyes. When the man did not see clearly, Jesus put his hands back on his eyes. Why? What was the purpose of this? I know that it was not a weakness with Jesus, so it had to be something to strengthen the faith of either the blind man or the others that were around. Or here’s a thought, and of course this is just me, but maybe Jesus knew that I would question why some people are not healed instantly and this is just a reminder that no matter when the healing takes place, it is not a weakness on Jesus’ part, but something to strengthen me. While I am not certain of the answer and may never will be, I do know that Jesus did everything with the end in mind----he did and continues to do everything in the best interest of you and I---his children!

Alright, next question….Why did Jesus tell the disciples not to tell anyone about him? Not to tell people that he was the Christ? I really don’t understand this, so if any of you do please enlighten me! Did Jesus know that people would not believe them and that it could eventually cause more trouble for him and the disciples? I don’t know, but I know there is a purpose to this and Jesus told them this to benefit them and possibly us in some way.

How Quickly We Forget!

Today’s Reading: Mark 8:14-21

How quickly I forget and how quickly did the disciples forget the miracle that Jesus had just performed right before their eyes. I don’t know about you, but I tend to go from basking in the glory of Jesus to finding myself complaining when the least little problem arises. While I know that Jesus has performed many miraculous things in my life, I find myself worrying about things that I know he will take care of. So what is the problem? I know that Jesus is in complete control and I know he has a plan for everything, but I continue to waiver. The problem…me! I let my fleshly mind start wondering instead of focusing on the One that never wonders! Just like the self-assignment from my last posting. I did great Saturday, and even though it was not a perfect day I continued to focus on the simple things that God does in my life every minute of every day. I noticed many things, but the one thing that stood out to me was laughter. I enjoyed a day with my family and going to 2 birthday parties. What fun….friends, family, and laughter. I thought about how Jesus wants us to have that unexplainable joy in the midst of every circumstance the surrounds us. I thought about how happy it must make Jesus to see us truly enjoying our life and laughing with those that we love. Then it happened on Sunday, just like the disciples, I forgot what Jesus just showed me and became frustrated at the very onset of a minimal problem. Really Rosanne, can’t you learn? Just a reminder of how easy it can be to take my eyes off of Jesus! Just another reminder that I can not live this life for Christ without surrounding myself with Christ! I have to listen to his music, read his word, seek him in prayer, and constantly dwell upon him and his guidance. I am sure that others may be better at this than me, but I recognize that I know that I know that I cannot do this without completely surrounding myself with Jesus---I just don't have it in me to do this without denying myself and giving him everything that I have!  I long for that day that I never forget the awesomeness of Jesus Christ!