You Don't Have to Get It, You Just Have to Get Him

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

John 13:6-7 NIV

I love Peter because he was just a guy trying to love Christ with all his heart, soul and mind. And we have so much to learn from his life because he was willing. He was willing to ask, willing to step out, willing to try and willing to learn. Peter didn't get everything, but, he got Jesus. 

Like Peter we may not understand what the Lord is doing in our lives, even when what he's doing is right in front of us. Amazingly, Christ understands. He doesn't get impatient and wonder why we don't see the end from the beginning, only he does. He doesn't cut us off because our faith waivers, he promised to never leave us. He never tells us that we have one more chance, he ever lives to intercede for us. 

The important truth is that Christ knows we may not understand what he's doing but, he does ask us to trust him until we are ready to understand what he is doing. Like Peter we will, in God's time understand. You don't have to get it, you just have to get Him. 

What's that to you?

When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?” Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 

John 21:21-22 NIV

Whatever God is doing with someone else has nothing to do with what He is doing with you. The question is what is God doing with you? 

We Seek, He Sanctifies.

For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

John 17:19 NIV

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.

Ephesians 5:25 NIV

As I was reading this morning in John I thought about how I, as a husband and a father, need to continue to seek God in order to sanctify my marriage and my family. I don't mean this as a guilt bomb, but, as a word of exhortation, an encouragement to push on, to go forward, to not give up.

I may not know exactly how, but the Holy Spirit will work. My role is to seek God. Every time I pray, alone, with my wife, with my children, the Spirit works to sanctify us. Every time I read the Bible and seek to do what it says the Spirit sanctifies me and my family. Every time I try to act in faith, to do something in Jesus' name, the Spirit works to sanctify me. 

Our work is to believe in and seek Christ. His work is to send the Holy Spirit to sanctify us through and through.

Father, I pray that as we go out into the world today that you would protect us and use us to glorify your Name. Grant us at least one redemptive moment, action or conversation. Praise be to you in us today!

He Told You So

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33 NIV

The desired state of being is peace. The reality is there's going to be trouble. The need is to be courageous in Christ. The reason is because Christ overcame the world already! 

Lord, we look to you to be our peace in the trials that we will encounter today. Give us the strength and courage we need to fight the good fight in Christ. Thank you that you have already overcome the world and sent you Spirit within us to give us the courage and strength we need. Be glorified in us today!

He Chose You

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you so that you might go and bear fruit—fruit that will last—and so that whatever you ask in my name the Father will give you. This is my command: Love each other.

John 15:16-17 NIV

It never ceases to amaze me that God chose me. My whole life sees to be an enigma. The student that teachers said, "Oh no, not him" who became a teacher. (A middle school teacher of mine literally fell out of his chair spinning around when he heard I became a teacher.) If there is such a thing as Attention Deficit Disorder I still have it. When I was in school a ruler was what teachers used to "help" you pay attention and stay focused. I question just about everything, stumble easily, I'm wrong more often the right, have to do things more than once, learn the hard way, discern mostly with hindsight, remember that I should of prayed first, and I know most of my motives are completely self-centered. 

Yet, Christ chose me. And he chose you...

Know the Good Shepherd's Voice

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. 

John 10:10-11 NIV

Sometimes we tend to overcomplicate things. Christ is the good shepherd, we need to know his voice. If you know the his Word, the Bible, you'll know his voice. By his knowing the Bible I can discern the truth. I used to hear pastors say, "You need to compare what I say with what the Bible says and if they don't match up, forget what I say." 

I am leery when I hear about looking within ourselves for the truth, when my emotions become the divining rod for the truth. Christ is the truth. The Bible tells the truth about God. My experience is filtered through the truth found in the Word of God, the Bible. Know the Word, Know the Shepherd's voice 

Hang On to the Truth

To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:31-32 NIV

Do You Need a Drink?

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried

out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”

John 7:37-38 ESV

Spiritually speaking, are you thirsty? Do you know you need a drink? What I mean is; do you know you need more of Jesus? Do you realize your spiritual poverty? 

No condemnation. Remember, any inclination within yourself to seek God, to know him in a deeper way, to understand the Bible, to be more like Christ, is the Spirit of God working within you. 

Jesus, "cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink." I think this is something we shouldn't overthink. We know we need to drink. Christ said to go to him. Let's go to him. 

Lord Jesus, we come to you and ask for the Spirit, for living waters to flow from within us. Thank you that you hear our prayer.

Helpful

It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.

John 6:63

Many moons ago I took up golf. I bought a book by the late great golfer Ben Hogan Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf. It's a great book and helped me a lot. I just had trouble hitting the driver, so, I took  a lesson from this guy at the local golf course. He was no help at all. He messed me up so badly that I couldn't even hit my short irons anymore. 

Shortly after that I moved and I went to another teacher who watched me for a moment and said, "Your thinking way to much. Just think about your wrists..." Then he showed me how to set up to hit my driver and longer irons. Really helpful. 

What does that have to do with John 6:63? Sometimes we hear all kinds of stuff about walking with God and to be frank, it's often more about the flesh than the Spirit. It's rules, legalism, emotionalism, anything but the Spirit. Now, by the Spirit I don't mean warm fuzzy feelings or hyped up emotional reactions. The Spirit is about faith in God, not ourselves. It's about going to Christ for life. It's not about us, it's about Christ. 

Crossing Over

“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 

John 5:24 NIV

About a week ago I was at a training with a few others staff members from the school I work at. We were working on a presentation and one of my colleagues Air Dropped me a video we created. I forgot that you could do that. When I got home I Air Dropped my wife a few photos I had taken of our son and I hiking. 

It may not be news to you that when you believe in Christ you have eternal life, you won't be judged, and you'll cross over from death to life, but, maybe you might need to remember a truth or two. Maybe you might have forgotten that Christ's death on the cross means he bore the judgement for you sins on the cross so, now you don't have to live under condemnations' cloud. Perhaps you need a gentle reminder that life in Christ is abundant life, true life, eternal life. Or you just need a firm, tell like it is message: "You're a Christian, live like one." Remember, in Christ you've crossed over to a new life.  

The Servants See

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim.

Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.

”They did so, and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. 

John 2:7-9a NIV

One thing I have noticed is that when I am seeking to serve Christ, I see Christ move more than when I am not. 

In the narrative of Jesus's first miraculous sign, the whole wedding party enjoyed the miraculous wine, made in the water jars used for ceremonial washing, and had no idea where it came from. Except the servants. 

So, if you want to see God work, the servant's view is always the best.