People followed Jesus for many reasons. Some followed him to fill their stomachs, some followed for physical healing, and others wanted to gain some position in the coming kingdom that they thought was literal and earthly.
Jesus did not take the step to drive these people away from him. He allowed them to follow. But his teaching remained focused and uncompromising. Those who follow Jesus must deny themselves, take up the cross, and follow him. This type of focus in his teaching naturally drove away those with other agendas.
This was a clear affirmation of Jesus’ purpose to seek and to save the lost. He said he did not come for the righteous; he came that sinners would turn and repent. This purpose impacted every aspect of his ministry. He allowed those with improper motives to stay. Maybe they would be impacted by his ongoing teaching and the ministry.
When Jesus taught about the wheat and the tares, he made a clear statement that the tares should be allowed to remain. Uprooting the tares may damage the wheat and this risk was to be avoided. His instruction was to allow the tares to remain till the final day when God will separate the wheat and tares and burn the tares in the fire.
As we strive to be faithful in the work of the Lord, our focus should be like that of Jesus. Open your arms to those who are weak, hurting, sick, and in pain. Allow them access to you and to all the resources available to you. Bring them to Jesus, who will transform their life.
What do you think? Leave your response on the comments section of this blog post by clicking here.
 
 
 

From the early days of our children’s lives, we wanted to instill in them an attitude of giving.  Of course, it is never too early to begin these things.  We’ve always told them that when we give offerings in church we are giving to Jesus and that He is pleased with our offerings.
Once we were visiting a church where they kept a box on a table in the back for offerings.  After the service, we instructed the children to put the money into the box.  Then we lingered for a while chatting with several people.  When we left, my son looked at the table in the back with astonishment and said, “What happened to the box?  Somebody took the box.”  My daughter quickly responded; “that man took it.”  My son agreed and said, “Yes, he will take the money and throw it into the air, and Jesus will catch it from up there in heaven.”
What is our concept of money and giving?  Generally, Christians give such a small percentage, that the situation is alarming.  Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you.  A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you (Luke 6:38).  Could it be that God has “limited” his measure because of our giving habits?  We often point to many reasons for our financial woes. All the while, part of the fault may be with our own giving habits.
A “poverty mentality” has gripped many believers.  Their concept of money and wealth has been tainted by their own deeds (or the lack of it).  Proverbs says, “A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor” (Pr. 22:9).  We cannot expect God’s blessings without a giving heart.  Too many have the misconception that they don’t have enough, so they won’t give, when their lack of giving could be one of the reasons for their financial burdens.
Christians will do well to adopt a simple, Biblical financial plan for their lives that begins with giving.  Take all the income you receive whether weekly or monthly, and give 10% as tithe to your local church where you attend every Sunday. Then take another 10% and put into a long-term savings that you will not touch.  That gives you 80% to live on.  Of course, the 80% should include whatever taxes you owe to the government, and sufficient gifts to the poor.  These principles are simple, yet Biblical.
Am I guaranteeing God’s blessings if you follow this plan? Not a guarantee from me, just Jesus’ words: “Give and it will be given to you….”
What do you think?
Leave your response in the comments section of this blog post by clicking here.
 

*When things are forced on you, you feel like you are not in control. *When you’ve got your back to the wall, you feel like you’re not in control. *When you’re overloaded, and over-worked, you feel like you’re not in control. *When people take advantage of you, you feel like you’re not in control. Now, let’s face it. Others are not in control. You’re not in control. Fear is. It’s fear that controls your actions and your reactions to what goes on around you. Fear? It may be a fear of being controlled. Fear of losing control. Fear of giving up control. Fear of the unknown. For each person, the factors are different. Here is how you can handle the fear:

1. Acknowledge fear. When you recognize that your reactions are the result of fear, be willing to acknowledge it. Identify fear as the reason for what you experience. We may find situations or other people to blame for our experiences, but that does not correctly help to resolve the issue at hand.

2. Face fear. When you come to such a situation fueled by fear, you have two choices. The easiest and usual pattern is to run. Running from situations that cause fear to rise within you is surely a solution, but it is too short lived. What you really need to do is to face the fear head on. Move forward and do that very thing that is causing fear to rise up within you.

3. Reject fear and replace it with boldness.  “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control” (2Timothy 1:7). God’s Spirit will give us a regular supply of power, love, and self-control. You can begin to renew your mind by repeating Bible verses such as this one.

So when you recognize that what you face may be directly caused by fears within you. It’s time to take action and move forward. Give your response in the comments section of this blog post by clicking here.

As the train approached the platform, the little boy was excited and began walking toward the moving train. The mother yelled at him and the boy immediately turned back toward the mother. But as he walked back, he placed one hand over his head and the other one over his face. As soon as he moved his hand, the mother slapped him several times on his head and face.
I was surprised at the reaction of this boy as well as his mother’s mode of discipline. I suppose she could have sat him down and explained the dangerous situation to him. Unfortunately this was not her way of discipline.
So it seems the boy got what he expected: a full round of slapping from head to face. His quick reactions showed that he’s quite familiar with this from his early childhood. Fear has developed in his mind and whenever he faces his mother in a difficult situation, fear takes over his reactions.
When this boy grows up, it’s quite possible for this fear to take control of his reactions in other areas of life as well. This fear will cause him to be insecure when he needs to make decisions. Fear may become the forefront aspect of his personality.
Due to various reasons, many of us, just like that boy, are riddled with fear and the inability to make firm decisions. But the Bible says: “For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.” It is this Spirit, God’s Spirit, that gives us confidence in life.
So next time you are about to make a decision and you begin to stall – check your heart. See if you sense fear rising within you. Begin to identify that fear. Don’t let it go undetected and uncontrolled. Look at it right in the face and begin to deal with it. Next week, we’ll look at some steps to overcome fear.
Please leave your response in the comments section of this blog post by clicking here.

It was cold that evening as we sat by the open fire. Since I wore only a light jacket and began shivering in the cold, I moved to the side of the fire that was opposite the wind. The smoke from the flame came toward me, but I endured it since I needed the warmth.

We all sat and talked for most of the evening. I continued to endure the smoke in my face and all over me. Everyone sat there shivering. But I enjoyed the warmth of the flame.
The next day, as I traveled from there, I wore that same jacket. But that jacket held the smell of smoke and everyone around me wondered what was going on with this strong smell. That really got me thinking about how that consistent, prolonged exposure to the smoke left a strong smell on my jacket.
In Deuteronomy 6:5-9, there is clear instruction of how God’s word is to have a consistent prolonged exposure on our lives: “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.”
Such prolonged consistent exposure to God’s words will have a major impact in every area of our lives. In a former post, I wrote about a simple three step plan of Meditation and Time Alone With God. You can read that at this link. Every day, follow those simple three steps and that will be your initial move toward a more consistent and prolonged exposure to God’s word in your lives. Be warmed by the fire of God’s word.
To help you along in the journey, I’ve been recording my thoughts as I work through scripture. I’ve been posting those thoughts as a separate blog that you can subscribe to. Click here to open that blog. Read through what I’ve been writing the last few days. Subscribe at this link and receive updates in your inbox. If you wish, you can unsubscribe at any time.
You can also leave your comments to this blog post by clicking here.