Angrily – February 24, 2009

Angrily

Mark 3:5

Jim Stephens

02-24-09

 

Scripture:

 

He looked around at them angrily, because he was deeply disturbed by their hard hearts. Then he said to the man, “Reach out your hand.” The man reached out his hand, and it became normal again! (Mark 3:5 NLT)

 

Observation:

 

In the meeting place one Sabbath Day, Jesus got angry.  What made Jesus angry on a Sabbath Day at church?

 

He was angry because:

·        The Pharisees cared more about the practice of religion than the purpose of God.

·        The Pharisees cared more about details of religion than the needs of people.

·        The Pharisees wouldn’t make the leap from dead religion to real relationship with God.

·        The Pharisees were even willing to join forces with wicked King Herod rather than embrace God’s Kingdom.

 

Application:

 

All the religious tendencies of the Pharisees are present today in the church.  These religious tendencies are present in me.  If I am not hungry for God, not willing to exchange the comfortable for the challenging, not determined to break out of anything that has lost its life and meaning, I could think and act like the Pharisees in Capernaum that Sabbath Day.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, I want to keep going.  Please don’t let me settle for religion and religious practices instead of embracing the reality of your kingdom in my life.  Don’t leave me out!  Don’t let anything in me cause me to miss it!  Amen!

Nicolas of Antioch – January 30, 2009

Nicolas of Antioch

Acts 6:5

Jim Stephens

01-30-09

 

Scripture:

 

Everyone liked this idea, and they chose the following: Stephen (a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit), Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas of Antioch (a Gentile convert to the Jewish faith, who had now become a Christian). (Acts 6:5 NLT)

 

Observation and Application:

 

When I read the list of the first deacons of the Jerusalem church, I almost always focus only on Stephen.  Maybe that’s because he was such a powerful man of faith and the miraculous.  Maybe it’s because the rest of this chapter and the next chapter tell the story of his courageous witness and his martyrdom.  He’s a true hero of the faith.

 

But this morning I noticed Nicolas of Antioch and I thought there’s something about him I admire, too.  Nicolas of Antioch was a life-long seeker after God.  Nicolas was born a Gentile but at some point in his life he believed Yahweh was the one true God and made the challenging and possibly difficult conversion to Judaism.  The conversion to Judaism was often difficult because the Jews looked with suspicion and often disdain on anyone who couldn’t trace his Jewish ancestry at least back to the time of David.

 

Then Jesus came and Nicolas believed the Good News and became a Christ-follower.  Nicolas of Antioch is a good example of the kind of leaders churches need today.

 

Like Nicolas, I want to be known as a life-long seeker of God who is willing to learn and change and grow. 

 

Prayer:

 

Father, I pray for the grace to never stop seeking after you.  Thank you for your persistent grace that leads me forward and your patience that gives me time to adjust and grow.  Amen.

 

Come! – Dececmber 31, 2008

Come

Revelation 22:17

Jim Stephens

12-31-08

 

Scripture:

 

The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. (Revelation 22:17 NLT)

 

Observation and  Application:

 

Such amazing events described in John’s Revelation!  Wars, beasts, dragons, plagues, judgments, demonstrations of power on a truly cosmic level.  Nations rising and falling, truth and lies, destruction on a planet-shaking level.  It’s like all the battle scenes from all the Star Wars movies put together!

 

Then God rolls out the new heavens and the new earth and brings down the Holy City and makes peace and harmony and health and safety available and accessible to all whose names are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

 

The Spirit of God says, “Come and drink freely from the water of life.”  The Bride of Christ says, “Come and drink freely from the water of life.”  Everyone who hears and believes becomes a messenger saying, “Come and drink freely from the water of life.”

 

I need to remember that the message is “Come and drink freely from the water of life.”  No matter what’s happening in earth and heaven, no matter what colossal events are occurring, the way is open for the thirsty to come and drink freely and live.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, keep me from getting so caught up in the meaning of world events and speculation about what’s next and how it affects me.  Keep me from forgetting that no matter what’s going on, the message is, “If you are thirsty, come and drink freely of the water of life.”  Amen.

 

Ashamed – September 17, 2008

Ashamed

Ezekiel 43:10-11

Jim Stephens

09-17-08

 

Scripture:

 

10 “Son of man, describe to the people of Israel the Temple I have shown you, so they will be ashamed of all their sins. Let them study its plan, 11 and they will be ashamed of what they have done. Describe to them all the specifications of the Temple—including its entrances and exits—and everything else about it. Tell them about its decrees and laws. Write down all these specifications and decrees as they watch so they will be sure to remember and follow them.  (Ezekiel 43:10-11 NLT)

 

Observation & Application:

 

I noticed this scripture many years ago and I’ve thought about it in terms of church leaders casting vision to inspire and motivate people and then explaining the plan and the process after the people really “catch the vision.”  This morning it became very personal to me.  As I read this and the parallel reading in Revelation 22 – (included here for your viewing pleasure)  The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” Let anyone who hears this say, “Come.” Let anyone who is thirsty come. Let anyone who desires drink freely from the water of life. (Revelation 22:17 NLT) – I felt my Father speaking directly to me about spiritual hunger and thirst and about a repentant, teachable heart.

 

When I hear someone describe God’s glorious purpose, or when God stirs my heart with a glimpse of what he could do with my life were it fully yielded to him, I am ashamed of my small thinking, my selfishness, my self-limited faith and expectation.  When I hear the Spirit say “Come and drink freely from the water of life,” I nearly gag on the stale, dirty water of my own battered canteen.

 

Prayer:

 

Father, forgive me for my pitiful self-efforts at being the man you’ve called me to be and doing the work you designed me for.  I am ashamed and I am thirsty.  Please never let me be content with my own plans and efforts and my own stale canteen.  Amen.