H.G Wells on his 65th birthday confessed to the amazement of his "friends", "I am sixty-five, and I am lonely and have never found peace." Someone has determined that a city is a place where people are lonely together. The staggering feelings of being alone are not relegated only to those who do not know the Lord. The famous Southern Baptist missionary Lottie Moon said when reflecting on her work, "I hope no missionary will ever be as lonely as I have been." Loneliness is a pain that no words can describe.
You might be surprised to know that Jesus experienced loneliness like no other soul ever has. Most often we picture Jesus with throngs of people around Him, His close friends, and His inner circle, yet at the end of His life loneliness reigned. It is true that Jesus our Savior relates to our physical pain, but it is also true that He understands our emotional pain as well.
As I read Mark 14 and the events that took place in the Garden of Gethsemane, I am astounded at the range of emotions that Jesus displays. He truly was fully human at the deepest level-emotionally. A crucifix can remind us that Jesus was God in flesh, which is why the crucifix came into being in the 4th century, but only the words of Jesus can remind us that He was human at the emotional level as well.
The Scriptures tell us that: They came to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, "Sit here while I pray." He took Peter James and John along with him, and began to be deeply distressed and troubled. Jesus knows what is coming and in this dark hour, He desires to have people with Him. I find it quite touching that he took His disciples with Him, and then once He got them settled, He asked His three closest friends to go a little further with Him. Jesus did not want to be alone. He wanted human companionship and comfort.
Mark tells us that Jesus was deeply distressed and that he was overwhelmed in his soul. There can be many reasons for these feelings but one thing is for sure, Jesus was dreading the total isolation that He was going to endure in His death. He was going to be deserted by His followers and closest friends. He was going to have His own Father turn away from Him while hanging on the cross-a loneliness that goes beyond our imagination!
I believe it was St. John of the Cross that came up with the expression for this kind of emotional pain calling it, "The dark night of the soul." There comes a time in each of us when we see only clouds and feel nothing but despair. One brother was honest enough to write, "God's people have no assurances that the dark experiences of life will be held at bay, much less that God will provide some sort of running commentary on the meaning of the each day's allotment of confusion, boredom, pain, or achievement."
No, the sun does not always shine for those who are followers of Jesus Christ. Suffering and pain come to us to do the work of God's formation of our lives and character. Not all adversity in life comes from dark and sinister forces that want to destroy us. Some pain comes from the hand of God in order to bring growth in our lives. Isolation is painful but it reveals a great deal about our frailty. There is nothing like loneliness to make you realize that being an island goes against God's plan for us.
If you are facing loneliness today, you must first admit your loneliness to yourself. Evaluate your loneliness and how you got to the point where you are. Jesus realized His friends could not feel His pain, so He left them alone and went to pray to His Father. His Father could understand. Have you ever confessed to God and to Jesus that you are lonely? Have you ever told them how much it hurts? Have you ever written a letter to your Father explaining just how you feel?
As an introvert myself, the one thing I know is that if I want friendships (and I do) I have to go and make them. People rarely reach out to one another, even at church. Have you ever been a visitor at a church? Wow, talk about a lonely feeling-all those people yet no one talks to you. The only way to overcome this is to show yourself friendly. You have to get involved and meet people. And at the same time you also have to be careful of trying so hard that you wear people out. If people are avoiding you, maybe it's because you have gone beyond friendly to the point of irritation.
I want you to take comfort today knowing that Jesus experienced the range of emotions that you experience. In the garden, Jesus got upset, discouraged, and depressed that His best friends could not stay awake and pray for Him. In this passage, Jesus says the famous words, "The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Jesus, the creator of our flesh and spirit knows exactly how we operate. He knows the weakness of the flesh and the weakness of our spirit.
Let Jesus, through His Spirit, the Holy Spirit, minister to your spirit today. Pour out your heart and ask the Spirit to not only comfort you, but also sustain you, and give you wisdom as to how to move out of your loneliness. Remember, you are not alone, and you never have been. God is always with you and every brother and sister has experienced those same emotions. Receive comfort, receive the Lord and comfort someone else today as well.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, April 21, 2008
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Be Gentle
The following is an excerpt from Dan Owens book A Joy That Is Real, Chapter 19
The Romans didn't like the word gentle any more than they liked the word humble. It symbolized weakness and frailty.
Paul says that our gentleness should be evident to everyone. The older I get, the harder I find it is to be gentle and patient - especially when I'm out on the freeway. There's always that person sitting in the fast lane doing the speed limit, backing up traffic for three miles. I find myself getting irritated at that point.
Jesus was the ultimate example of this attribute. First Peter 2:23 says, "When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats." The prophet Isaiah tells us that Jesus allowed himself to be led like a lamb to the slaughter (53:7).
I was in a restaurant with a couple of other men. As we sat conversing, a young woman with a physical handicap walked up to our table. She was trying to sell us something. Some of the guys at our table began questioning her and making fun of her. I watched as she answered their questions and was gracious to them.
Her gentleness convicted me, so I took a closer look at what she was selling. She had made little placards with sayings on them, and one read, "People are lonely because they build walls instead of bridges." It looked interesting, so I said, "I'll take three of these." I took out my wallet and gave her some money, and she thanked me and left.
The following Sunday I was preaching at my church, and I looked down and there in the front row sat the same young woman. She smiled at me and I smiled back. I was struck with the realization that if I had been rude to her and said mean things, I would have been feeling pretty bad about myself right then. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit had prompted me to respond with gentleness.
Being gentle means that we yield our personal rights for the consideration of others. Paul also says to be gentle because the Lord could return at any time.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, April 7, 2008
Joy In Prayer
The following devotion is from A Joy That is Real by Daniel Owens, Chapter 19
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:4-7
One summer when I was a youth pastor, we took a group of high school students to a lake in the Sierra Mountains. The lake had a pontoon dock in the middle of it, so one of the other adults joined me in rowing out to reach the dock. We were fully dressed and didn't have our swimsuits on. Once we reached our destination, we tied up the boat and jumped onto the floating dock.
As soon as our feet hit the boards, we noticed something. There was a little hole in the middle of the dock, and out of it came hundreds of buzzing yellow jackets, disturbed from their slumber. I got stung eight or nine times before I could even hit the water. Without thinking about our clothes, we jumped in the water and literally swam the boat back to shore. We couldn't even get in the boat because the bees were everywhere.
Bees really make you move, as we found out. How many people have been in accidents because they were swatting at a bee inside the car? One little bee that could easily be squished will make a person go crazy. Some people are allergic to bee stings, so they have an excuse, but I don't know about the rest of us. Bees certainly get you moving.
In this passage we have a beehive of imperatives that Paul gives us to live by. They should get us moving as well. These verbs are in the imperative tense, which means that they are commands or obligatory duties. Your boss might say, "It is imperative for you to be at work by 7:00 a.m. so you don't lose your job." Here Paul is saying, "It is imperative that you do these things so that you can experience the peace of God."
The Message paraphrase by Eugene Peterson says: "Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."
Be Joyful
Paul gives his first imperative twice: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" This is a present active imperative, which means "do it right now!" Right now, even in the midst of suffering, in the midst of the disunity in the church because of the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche, Paul wants the Philippians to rejoice.
We have all had situations in our lives when we have found it difficult to be joyful. When we experience disappointment, when people hurt us, or when our lives are full of trials or grief, we don't really feel like rejoicing.
One of the things we need to do in the midst of difficult situations is look for God. Do you see him in the suffering you are going through? Do you understand what he's trying to accomplish in and through your life? Is God making you stronger?
A seventeenth-century preacher named Jeremiah Burroughs wrote an incredible book called The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. In it he explains why believers should be filled with joy no matter what their circumstances are. He gives a few reasons why Christians should be content and not have a complaining spirit.
First, complaining is a particularly serious offense in light of how we have been so greatly blessed--especially when we complain about trivial things.
I was standing in line at the bank, and the man behind me started complaining about the bank and the long line. He continued on in such a loud voice that he soon drew others into the conversation. After listening for a while, I turned around and said, "Listen, this bank is open six days a week. In some countries, the bank is only open one day a week, if that. Our money is insured by the federal government--we know it's worth the same this week as it was last week. There are plenty of countries where the government steals your money whenever they want to. I think we're pretty fortunate."
Second, Burroughs says that complaining is especially serious when done by those to whom God has been so gracious, because our troubles are often a part of God's plan to humble us.
Joy is the mark of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It convicts me even to write that. Yet I believe that joy is not based on temperament, personality, or feelings, but on how we let the indwelling Holy Spirit control our lives.
In times past, we were taught that Christians should be solemn. You may have been raised in that way. In the past, Christians walked into church without any laughing or greeting each other, sat down, and quietly listened to ministers who would not even smile from the pulpit because it was God's house.
In parts of that, we were on the right track. God is holy, and we should revere and respect him. However, we sometimes treat the physical house better than we treat our own bodies. Scripture says that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). He lives inside of us, not in a building made by man.
Do we shine the truth joyfully in our lives? Do we rejoice in the Lord during difficult times because we know God is at work in us? Paul could say "rejoice"--even from prison.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. - Philippians 4:4-7
One summer when I was a youth pastor, we took a group of high school students to a lake in the Sierra Mountains. The lake had a pontoon dock in the middle of it, so one of the other adults joined me in rowing out to reach the dock. We were fully dressed and didn't have our swimsuits on. Once we reached our destination, we tied up the boat and jumped onto the floating dock.
As soon as our feet hit the boards, we noticed something. There was a little hole in the middle of the dock, and out of it came hundreds of buzzing yellow jackets, disturbed from their slumber. I got stung eight or nine times before I could even hit the water. Without thinking about our clothes, we jumped in the water and literally swam the boat back to shore. We couldn't even get in the boat because the bees were everywhere.
Bees really make you move, as we found out. How many people have been in accidents because they were swatting at a bee inside the car? One little bee that could easily be squished will make a person go crazy. Some people are allergic to bee stings, so they have an excuse, but I don't know about the rest of us. Bees certainly get you moving.
In this passage we have a beehive of imperatives that Paul gives us to live by. They should get us moving as well. These verbs are in the imperative tense, which means that they are commands or obligatory duties. Your boss might say, "It is imperative for you to be at work by 7:00 a.m. so you don't lose your job." Here Paul is saying, "It is imperative that you do these things so that you can experience the peace of God."
The Message paraphrase by Eugene Peterson says: "Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him! Make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute! Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life."
Be Joyful
Paul gives his first imperative twice: "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!" This is a present active imperative, which means "do it right now!" Right now, even in the midst of suffering, in the midst of the disunity in the church because of the conflict between Euodia and Syntyche, Paul wants the Philippians to rejoice.
We have all had situations in our lives when we have found it difficult to be joyful. When we experience disappointment, when people hurt us, or when our lives are full of trials or grief, we don't really feel like rejoicing.
One of the things we need to do in the midst of difficult situations is look for God. Do you see him in the suffering you are going through? Do you understand what he's trying to accomplish in and through your life? Is God making you stronger?
A seventeenth-century preacher named Jeremiah Burroughs wrote an incredible book called The Rare Jewel of Christian Contentment. In it he explains why believers should be filled with joy no matter what their circumstances are. He gives a few reasons why Christians should be content and not have a complaining spirit.
First, complaining is a particularly serious offense in light of how we have been so greatly blessed--especially when we complain about trivial things.
I was standing in line at the bank, and the man behind me started complaining about the bank and the long line. He continued on in such a loud voice that he soon drew others into the conversation. After listening for a while, I turned around and said, "Listen, this bank is open six days a week. In some countries, the bank is only open one day a week, if that. Our money is insured by the federal government--we know it's worth the same this week as it was last week. There are plenty of countries where the government steals your money whenever they want to. I think we're pretty fortunate."
Second, Burroughs says that complaining is especially serious when done by those to whom God has been so gracious, because our troubles are often a part of God's plan to humble us.
Joy is the mark of the Holy Spirit in our lives. It convicts me even to write that. Yet I believe that joy is not based on temperament, personality, or feelings, but on how we let the indwelling Holy Spirit control our lives.
In times past, we were taught that Christians should be solemn. You may have been raised in that way. In the past, Christians walked into church without any laughing or greeting each other, sat down, and quietly listened to ministers who would not even smile from the pulpit because it was God's house.
In parts of that, we were on the right track. God is holy, and we should revere and respect him. However, we sometimes treat the physical house better than we treat our own bodies. Scripture says that our bodies are the temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor. 6:19). He lives inside of us, not in a building made by man.
Do we shine the truth joyfully in our lives? Do we rejoice in the Lord during difficult times because we know God is at work in us? Paul could say "rejoice"--even from prison.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries
Monday, March 31, 2008
Surprise, Surprise!
"Know Thyself" is a famous ancient Greek aphorism attributed to at least six Greek sages and philosophers including Socrates. It was such a part of the Greek belief system that it was chiseled into the Temple of Apollo. Even though it has the tone of wisdom and we should try to understand who we are, it is also impossible to a large degree.
As a Psychology major in college I was fascinated by how powerful, yet mysterious the mind, will and emotions of a human being truly are. We possess great strength and hold great weaknesses all at the same time. Basic Protestant teaching is that man is totally depraved due to our sin nature. The Catholics on the other hand teach that man is basically good because he was created in the image of God, but sin has wounded mankind. Either way, we know we have within us the ability to think and do shockingly horrible things.
Peter, with all of his bravado, was a man who thought he knew himself, yet was self deceived. Jesus with his closest friends at His side says in Mark 14:27, "You will all fall away." To this Peter responds with such emotion that it caused the others to rally as well when he says, "Even if all fall away, I will not." Then he makes a statement that had to have made Jesus smile at least on the inside, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." With this boisterous statement Peter is setting himself up for a great failure.
Like Peter we are often filled with good intentions to follow the Lord in every way. Our emotions carry us along after we hear a passionate sermon only to see our commitment dissipate over time. We make a pledge to ourselves to read His word daily and find that our will is not as strong as we thought it was. To understand how our mind, will and emotions all work together I would highly recommend the works of Dallas Willard, especially Matters of the Heart and The Spirit of the Disciplines. These two books have been a great enlightenment to me.
Peter's emotions were not enough to keep his intellect and will from turning away from Jesus. The amazing thing is that Jesus knew and predicted that Peter and the others would fall away. And for Peter, Jesus told him exactly how it was going to happen. To me the most wonderful aspect of this passage is the fact that Jesus told them that even after they fell away He would come back to them. Two thousand years later Jesus is still doing the same thing for us!
Let me make a distinction here between what Jesus calls "falling away" and what Scripture calls rebellion against God. There is a difference. The words that Jesus used to describe the upcoming failure of His friends come from the words "to bait" or "to lure." It literally means to be "entrapped." Peter's heart was in the right place, but he forgot that the devil and his own sinful nature could easily set a trap for him. Bravado yes, wisdom no!
You and I must always remember that evil is patient! Never forget that truth. You can have victory after victory and evil will patiently stand by for the right moment to spring. Peter was with Jesus when he made such a bold statement, and evil was standing by just waiting for the right time to take him down. We have all fallen away from the Lord as we have been entrapped by our sinful nature, the schemes of demonic activity and the lure of this world. Like Peter we have quickly learned that the very sin we say we will never commit is the very sin that can easily embarrass us.
Jonathon Edwards one of America's greatest theologians of the early 1700's wrote,
"How ready are we to go astray! How easily we are drawn aside into innumerable snares, while in the mean time we are bold and confident, and doubt not but we are right and safe! How much do we stand in need of the wisdom, the power, the condescension, patience, forgiveness, and gentleness of our good Shepherd!"
Peter fell away while Judas walked away. We see this over and again in Scripture and in life. David fell away, and Saul walked away. Mark fell away and Demas walked away. Jesus knows that we will stumble and fall. When I fall physically it takes me by surprise. I don't plan on tripping over raised concrete on the sidewalk, nor do I plan to stumble backwards by stepping back on something out of place in my garage. The falling that Jesus mentions to Peter and to us is the kind that comes as a surprise.
There is a huge difference between falling and a calculated walking away. As Paul tells us of his once trusted companion Demas, "Demas having loved this present world has forsaken me." There are many who contemplate their next sinful action because their heart is in rebellion against the Lord. They really want salvation on their terms. They want a life that is filled with the junk of this world and just a bit of salvation so they can escape eternal punishment.
Because we have both the ability to "fall away" and "walk away" from the Lord we must draw closer and closer to the Lord. As we grow older we should grow our roots deeper with Christ. Satan is organized in every way, just like an army. He has those who work on keeping people from the Gospel. He has others who work on tripping up new believers. And, he has those who work to bring down those who have been walking with Jesus for many years. Think of the hideous laughter in the demonic realm when a Christian that has been walking with Jesus for years, and now in the later part of their life walks away from the Lord.
As we age, we must guard our hearts from pride, bitterness, envy, jealousy, greed, and lust. These are the sins that will make our hearts turn away. We are all capable of great good, but also of great evil. Guard our hearts Lord!
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded MinistriesAll rights reserved
As a Psychology major in college I was fascinated by how powerful, yet mysterious the mind, will and emotions of a human being truly are. We possess great strength and hold great weaknesses all at the same time. Basic Protestant teaching is that man is totally depraved due to our sin nature. The Catholics on the other hand teach that man is basically good because he was created in the image of God, but sin has wounded mankind. Either way, we know we have within us the ability to think and do shockingly horrible things.
Peter, with all of his bravado, was a man who thought he knew himself, yet was self deceived. Jesus with his closest friends at His side says in Mark 14:27, "You will all fall away." To this Peter responds with such emotion that it caused the others to rally as well when he says, "Even if all fall away, I will not." Then he makes a statement that had to have made Jesus smile at least on the inside, "Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you." With this boisterous statement Peter is setting himself up for a great failure.
Like Peter we are often filled with good intentions to follow the Lord in every way. Our emotions carry us along after we hear a passionate sermon only to see our commitment dissipate over time. We make a pledge to ourselves to read His word daily and find that our will is not as strong as we thought it was. To understand how our mind, will and emotions all work together I would highly recommend the works of Dallas Willard, especially Matters of the Heart and The Spirit of the Disciplines. These two books have been a great enlightenment to me.
Peter's emotions were not enough to keep his intellect and will from turning away from Jesus. The amazing thing is that Jesus knew and predicted that Peter and the others would fall away. And for Peter, Jesus told him exactly how it was going to happen. To me the most wonderful aspect of this passage is the fact that Jesus told them that even after they fell away He would come back to them. Two thousand years later Jesus is still doing the same thing for us!
Let me make a distinction here between what Jesus calls "falling away" and what Scripture calls rebellion against God. There is a difference. The words that Jesus used to describe the upcoming failure of His friends come from the words "to bait" or "to lure." It literally means to be "entrapped." Peter's heart was in the right place, but he forgot that the devil and his own sinful nature could easily set a trap for him. Bravado yes, wisdom no!
You and I must always remember that evil is patient! Never forget that truth. You can have victory after victory and evil will patiently stand by for the right moment to spring. Peter was with Jesus when he made such a bold statement, and evil was standing by just waiting for the right time to take him down. We have all fallen away from the Lord as we have been entrapped by our sinful nature, the schemes of demonic activity and the lure of this world. Like Peter we have quickly learned that the very sin we say we will never commit is the very sin that can easily embarrass us.
Jonathon Edwards one of America's greatest theologians of the early 1700's wrote,
"How ready are we to go astray! How easily we are drawn aside into innumerable snares, while in the mean time we are bold and confident, and doubt not but we are right and safe! How much do we stand in need of the wisdom, the power, the condescension, patience, forgiveness, and gentleness of our good Shepherd!"
Peter fell away while Judas walked away. We see this over and again in Scripture and in life. David fell away, and Saul walked away. Mark fell away and Demas walked away. Jesus knows that we will stumble and fall. When I fall physically it takes me by surprise. I don't plan on tripping over raised concrete on the sidewalk, nor do I plan to stumble backwards by stepping back on something out of place in my garage. The falling that Jesus mentions to Peter and to us is the kind that comes as a surprise.
There is a huge difference between falling and a calculated walking away. As Paul tells us of his once trusted companion Demas, "Demas having loved this present world has forsaken me." There are many who contemplate their next sinful action because their heart is in rebellion against the Lord. They really want salvation on their terms. They want a life that is filled with the junk of this world and just a bit of salvation so they can escape eternal punishment.
Because we have both the ability to "fall away" and "walk away" from the Lord we must draw closer and closer to the Lord. As we grow older we should grow our roots deeper with Christ. Satan is organized in every way, just like an army. He has those who work on keeping people from the Gospel. He has others who work on tripping up new believers. And, he has those who work to bring down those who have been walking with Jesus for many years. Think of the hideous laughter in the demonic realm when a Christian that has been walking with Jesus for years, and now in the later part of their life walks away from the Lord.
As we age, we must guard our hearts from pride, bitterness, envy, jealousy, greed, and lust. These are the sins that will make our hearts turn away. We are all capable of great good, but also of great evil. Guard our hearts Lord!
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded MinistriesAll rights reserved
Monday, March 24, 2008
It’s More Than You Think
It is called “The Lord’s Table”, “The Lord’s Supper”, “Communion”, “Holy Communion”, and “The Eucharist”. Most Christians know immediately what these words imply. We have heard the passage in Mark’s Gospel so many times that if often runs off of us like water off of a ducks back, having no impact on us whatsoever.
The setting was the Jewish Passover meal that Jesus was having with his closest friends. It was the most sacred time in the Jewish calendar year. It was the tradition that allowed all Jews the opportunity to relive the amazing work of God in securing their deliverance from the Egyptians so many years earlier.
In the midst of this meal Jesus, speaking of the bread says, “Take it; this is my body” and of the cup he states, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.” The disciples sitting there with him that evening caught the imagery even if they did not understand the whole message. It was a powerful evening that two thousand years later still causes us to reflect on the condition of our own souls.
We live in a world of “contracts” that require our signatures on pieces of paper. Every time we sign a credit card slip we sign a contract. We sign contracts for work to be done, homes to be purchased and cars to be leased. A contract is for the exchanging of property and business transactions. Jesus did not say to us that His blood was given as part of a contract. No, Jesus says that His body and blood are a “new covenant.”
According to those who are much brighter than me, a covenant does not deal with property, but deals with people. A covenant is the exchange of persons. An example of this can be found in the wedding ceremonies I perform. There are two people exchanging vows and making a covenant of love and faithfulness between them. They are giving their lives away in pledge to each other.
Jesus is telling us that He is giving us His life and is asking that we give our lives to Him in return. He has made a covenant with us and every time we take the bread and cup we not only remember His sacrificial death, but we renew our convent, our vows.
If you ever take the opportunity to read early church history either online or in a book, you will be amazed at how much emphasis is placed on “The Lord’s Supper.” I often hear people mock the Catholic Church for putting so much emphasis on this aspect of their service, yet we often make it almost obsolete in our Protestant churches. We have made church so “hip” that we have forgotten the sacred, the holy, the reverence.
Jesus made it very clear that the taking of the bread and cup was to be a “big deal” in His family. He did not say to His church that every time we gather we should have a Bible study or sing songs, or have a potluck. Jesus said that when we come together we should renew our vows to Him in a covenant relationship with bread and cup.
Personally, I think it’s a sad day when a church tacks Communion on at the end of the service. Sometimes you get the feeling that it is something that “we have to do” so that the older people won’t get upset. It can come across when done in haste in the earlier part of the service like something we “have to get through” so we can get on to the more important part of the service-the preaching. Funny, Jesus did not say anything about the preaching of great sermons, but He did tell us to honor Him and our covenant with Communion.
In what are often called “High Churches” like Episcopalian, Lutheran, and others, the word used for Communion is “Eucharist”. The Catholics also use this second century expression, which simply means, “Thanksgiving.” An attitude of thanksgiving is certainly the need of our day. When the bread and cup are passed to you what is your attitude? Are you thankful for the amazing covenant that Jesus has made with you?
Justin Martyr was born about the same time that the Apostle John died. He was executed for his faith, but not before he wrote much in defense of Christianity to the Roman government. Today we still have many of his lengthy writings and can see the seriousness and commitment of the early church. Regarding The Lord’s Supper he writes,
“We call this food the thanksgiving (Eucharist), and the only people allowed to receive it are those who believe our teaching and have received the washing for the remission of sins and for regeneration; and who live according to the commands of Christ.”
May I encourage you the next time you celebrate Communion at your church that you focus on the vows you have made to the Lord Jesus. You have asked the Lord Jesus Christ to forgive you of your awful sin and to come into your life as you submitted your very being to Him. This is the vow you made through an act of prayerful repentance and confession. Now, are you keeping those vows you made to the Lord? Are you faithful to Him, are you growing in love for the Savior and for others, are you being obedient to His leading?
Blessings to you,
Dan Owens
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, March 17, 2008
The Way
The following is an excerpt from Who Is This Jesus? by Daniel Owens (pages 115-119). Visit the bookstore at www.eternityminded.org to purchase Who Is This Jesus? or other books written by Dan Owens.
THE WAY
Don't let this throw you. You trust God, don't you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my father's home. If that weren't so, would i have told you that I'm on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I'm on my way to get your room ready. I'll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I'm taking."
Thomas said, "Master, we have no idea where you're going. How do you expect us to know the road?"
Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me." (John 14:1-6)
There are many people in our world today who think they know the way to God.
Some people claim the way to God is through enlightenment or through doing good works. A few cults even believe they can get to God by killing themselves.
Jesus makes a bold claim when he claims to be the only way to the Father. Jesus explains to his disciples in Josh 14 how to find him in the future. He leaves a forwarding address. That's why we worship him. Our worship of Jesus is not just for the here and now; it's a worship that will last forever.
John 14:6 is one of the most frequently quoted and memorized verses in the Bible: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The way, the truth, and the life. Those three words contain so much meaning that they merit our focus for this entire section.
The disciples were concerned because Jesus had recently spoken about leaving them. So he comforts them by telling them that he is going to prepare a place for them and that he will come back again. Is is a passage that we read often at memorial services and funerals because it gives us great hope. If the person who passes away was a follower of Jesus, we know we will have a joyful reunion someday in heaven.
Of course, Thomas was not satisfied. "Lord, we don't know the way," he said. The disciples were certainly upset. Jesus was going to leave them, and they wanted to know where he was going.
As I read that passage, I think that Jesus must have been a wonderful person to "hang out with". The disciples wanted to be with him, and not just because he could turn water into wine or feed multitudes from a couple of loaves and fish. They wanted to be in his presence.
I can't wait to get to heaven and hear about what it was like to spend time with Jesus here on earth. I wonder if he joked with his disciples. Perhaps he teased them a little bit. I wonder what it felt like to watch him do miracles.
Thomas expressed a concern that all the disciples felt at Jesus' statement. None of them wanted him to leave. But Thomas was the pessimistic one, always a little doubtful, and he was going to make sure he knew where Jesus was going. The look on his face must have been priceless as Jesus replied, "I am the way."
The Way Is an Offense
While the words of Jesus in the beginning of John 14 are full of hope, when we get to verse 6, they take a little turn. He goes from talking about mansions and rooms in his Father's house to a very select statement: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." That's strong language, and it is offensive to many people.
In 2003, news correspondent Peter Arnett los his job with CNN because of his critical statements about the military in Iraq. However true his statements may have been, they offended a lot of people. At about the same time, the singing group Dixie Chicks made some negative comments about President Bush and found themselves facing the disapproval of country music fans.
Words can be offensive. The words of Jesus have offended people for centuries, and they will continue to be offensive to those who choose not to face the truth. Many of Jesus' claims did not sit well with the leaders of the day. " I am the Bread of Life." "I am the Light of the Word." "I am the resurrection." "I am the Good Shepherd." But John 14:16 may top them all. "I am the way . . . . No one comes to the Father except through me."
One of the biggest reasons his claim is so offensive is that it leaves them without a choice. We don't like being told that we have only one viable option. We are a country of consumers who like choices -- many choices. We want choices about the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the churches we attend, and on and on. With so many religions, each claiming to lead people to God, Christianity stands alone in its declaration: "There is only one option. There is only one way. Jesus is the way."
We Americans have choices in just about every area of life -- airlines, cars, mortgage plans, restaurants, or marriage partners -- and we like it that way. But Jesus says there's only one choice when it comes to how to get to heaven.
Some people will say, "Don't tell me how to find God. I will do it myself and in my own way. Don't tell me I have only one choice, because I will find God on my own. I'm smart enough. I can figure it out." The message of the cross is an offense, just as Paul wrote: "We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Cor. 1:23).
Those words are hard, strong, and unbending. That should prompt a couple of responses from us. First, because the message can be offensive to unbelievers, we need to pray. We need to pray that the Lord will open their hearts to receive it. Second, we need to be careful how we say such things. We need to give the message, without diminishing the meaning, in a spirit of love. Otherwise it comes across as arrogant and obnoxious.
One of the tellers at my bank knows I'm a Christian, and she likes to bait me. Whenever I tell her she is doing a great job, she makes a snide comment to see what I'll do. I don't give her a speech on Christianity or "Genesis to Revelation in ninety seconds" or anything like that. But we are building a friendship, and I am planting spiritual seeds. She is used to aggressive, offensive Christians who bludgeon her with their message. I want her to know that I am not pressuring her.
When we witness to an unbeliever, it is so important to communicate in loving words. In fact, it is impossible to communicate the love of God in non-loving words. When we tell someone how wonderful it is to know Jesus Christ, and we share Jesus' words, "I am the way. There is no other way to the Father," it shouldn't be with an air of superiority. We don't have to shout. We don't have to push. All we need to do is calmly put it out there and let the Spirit of God do the rest. You and I can't bring anyone to the Lord. Only the Spirit of God can do that.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, speaking of Christianity, "I like their Christ. I don't like Christians." Why? Because he had observed a spirit of harshness and a spirit of arrogance. He waited to see the spirit of love that Jesus said we, as his followers, should have.
We cannot change the message that Jesus is the way. There will always be those who find it offensive. But we can present our message in a loving and kind way that demonstrates how Jesus desires everyone to find the way to the Father.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
THE WAY
Don't let this throw you. You trust God, don't you? Trust me. There is plenty of room for you in my father's home. If that weren't so, would i have told you that I'm on my way to get a room ready for you? And if I'm on my way to get your room ready. I'll come back and get you so you can live where I live. And you already know the road I'm taking."
Thomas said, "Master, we have no idea where you're going. How do you expect us to know the road?"
Jesus said, "I am the Road, also the Truth, also the Life. No one gets to the Father apart from me." (John 14:1-6)
There are many people in our world today who think they know the way to God.
Some people claim the way to God is through enlightenment or through doing good works. A few cults even believe they can get to God by killing themselves.
Jesus makes a bold claim when he claims to be the only way to the Father. Jesus explains to his disciples in Josh 14 how to find him in the future. He leaves a forwarding address. That's why we worship him. Our worship of Jesus is not just for the here and now; it's a worship that will last forever.
John 14:6 is one of the most frequently quoted and memorized verses in the Bible: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." The way, the truth, and the life. Those three words contain so much meaning that they merit our focus for this entire section.
The disciples were concerned because Jesus had recently spoken about leaving them. So he comforts them by telling them that he is going to prepare a place for them and that he will come back again. Is is a passage that we read often at memorial services and funerals because it gives us great hope. If the person who passes away was a follower of Jesus, we know we will have a joyful reunion someday in heaven.
Of course, Thomas was not satisfied. "Lord, we don't know the way," he said. The disciples were certainly upset. Jesus was going to leave them, and they wanted to know where he was going.
As I read that passage, I think that Jesus must have been a wonderful person to "hang out with". The disciples wanted to be with him, and not just because he could turn water into wine or feed multitudes from a couple of loaves and fish. They wanted to be in his presence.
I can't wait to get to heaven and hear about what it was like to spend time with Jesus here on earth. I wonder if he joked with his disciples. Perhaps he teased them a little bit. I wonder what it felt like to watch him do miracles.
Thomas expressed a concern that all the disciples felt at Jesus' statement. None of them wanted him to leave. But Thomas was the pessimistic one, always a little doubtful, and he was going to make sure he knew where Jesus was going. The look on his face must have been priceless as Jesus replied, "I am the way."
The Way Is an Offense
While the words of Jesus in the beginning of John 14 are full of hope, when we get to verse 6, they take a little turn. He goes from talking about mansions and rooms in his Father's house to a very select statement: "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." That's strong language, and it is offensive to many people.
In 2003, news correspondent Peter Arnett los his job with CNN because of his critical statements about the military in Iraq. However true his statements may have been, they offended a lot of people. At about the same time, the singing group Dixie Chicks made some negative comments about President Bush and found themselves facing the disapproval of country music fans.
Words can be offensive. The words of Jesus have offended people for centuries, and they will continue to be offensive to those who choose not to face the truth. Many of Jesus' claims did not sit well with the leaders of the day. " I am the Bread of Life." "I am the Light of the Word." "I am the resurrection." "I am the Good Shepherd." But John 14:16 may top them all. "I am the way . . . . No one comes to the Father except through me."
One of the biggest reasons his claim is so offensive is that it leaves them without a choice. We don't like being told that we have only one viable option. We are a country of consumers who like choices -- many choices. We want choices about the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the churches we attend, and on and on. With so many religions, each claiming to lead people to God, Christianity stands alone in its declaration: "There is only one option. There is only one way. Jesus is the way."
We Americans have choices in just about every area of life -- airlines, cars, mortgage plans, restaurants, or marriage partners -- and we like it that way. But Jesus says there's only one choice when it comes to how to get to heaven.
Some people will say, "Don't tell me how to find God. I will do it myself and in my own way. Don't tell me I have only one choice, because I will find God on my own. I'm smart enough. I can figure it out." The message of the cross is an offense, just as Paul wrote: "We preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles" (1 Cor. 1:23).
Those words are hard, strong, and unbending. That should prompt a couple of responses from us. First, because the message can be offensive to unbelievers, we need to pray. We need to pray that the Lord will open their hearts to receive it. Second, we need to be careful how we say such things. We need to give the message, without diminishing the meaning, in a spirit of love. Otherwise it comes across as arrogant and obnoxious.
One of the tellers at my bank knows I'm a Christian, and she likes to bait me. Whenever I tell her she is doing a great job, she makes a snide comment to see what I'll do. I don't give her a speech on Christianity or "Genesis to Revelation in ninety seconds" or anything like that. But we are building a friendship, and I am planting spiritual seeds. She is used to aggressive, offensive Christians who bludgeon her with their message. I want her to know that I am not pressuring her.
When we witness to an unbeliever, it is so important to communicate in loving words. In fact, it is impossible to communicate the love of God in non-loving words. When we tell someone how wonderful it is to know Jesus Christ, and we share Jesus' words, "I am the way. There is no other way to the Father," it shouldn't be with an air of superiority. We don't have to shout. We don't have to push. All we need to do is calmly put it out there and let the Spirit of God do the rest. You and I can't bring anyone to the Lord. Only the Spirit of God can do that.
Mahatma Gandhi once said, speaking of Christianity, "I like their Christ. I don't like Christians." Why? Because he had observed a spirit of harshness and a spirit of arrogance. He waited to see the spirit of love that Jesus said we, as his followers, should have.
We cannot change the message that Jesus is the way. There will always be those who find it offensive. But we can present our message in a loving and kind way that demonstrates how Jesus desires everyone to find the way to the Father.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, March 10, 2008
What Is Your Weakness?
Thomas a Kempis was a German Catholic monk who lived in the time of Renaissance from 1380-1471. His name and work have survived hundreds of years due to his exceptional devotional writings. Both Catholic and Protestant clergy find his famous work, The Imitation of Christ on their bookshelf. It is truly a book that every Christian should read as it is easily regarded as a "Christian Classic" like Pilgrims Progress, Mere Christianity, or The Cost of Discipleship.
Thomas a Kempis wrote, "You will never be an inwardly religious and devout man unless you pass over in silence the short comings of your fellow men, and diligently examine your own weakness." Thomas dealt with the topic of self-examination a fair amount. He realized that we are more prone to focus on the faults of others than to look honestly at our own failures.
In today's reading we find Jesus reclining with His disciples while taking the Passover meal. Chronologically we know that the shocking statement to come from Jesus occurs after He washes His disciple's feet. Jesus disturbs the friendly chatter around the table by saying, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me-one who is eating with me." (Mark 14:18) This comes as the proverbial bombshell to His friends. They are in disbelief, yet they know that their Master is "The Truth" so He cannot tell a lie.
Jesus is the Host of this Passover meal. It is His food and they are His guests. In many countries when you are welcomed to someone's home, food is given as a sign of peace and friendship. Here in the west we offer a drink first and not so much food. Jesus as Host is showing honor to His disciples and once again reminding them of the special friendship they share. In the midst of this incredibly special time Jesus says that one of those present, eating His food, will in turn betray Him.
Each disciple responds with question, "Surly not I?" This was a very powerful time for the disciples, well, minus Judas. Jesus did not just blurt out the name of His betrayer; He gave each man the opportunity to examine his own heart. As William Hendriksen commenting on this passage says, Jesus allowed them to experience "wholesome self-distrust".
We should have a "wholesome distrust" of ourselves. Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Pride is our chief sin and it's the launching pad of all others. We therefore must be very careful that we do not become self deceived regarding our own sin nature. We all have the ability to self-destruct just like Judas.
In that brief moment Jesus allowed each disciple to ask the question, "What do I really believe?" Jesus knew that with the cross just around the corner that these men were going to face their greatest test. They needed to wrestle one final time with their personal belief in Him. They needed to examine their hearts, their faith and their motives for following Jesus.
We know that Peter was filled with the inner conviction that he would never turn his back on the Lord. He was confident in his relationship with Jesus and his understanding of himself. Yet, in the darkness of an arrested Jesus he failed to take a stand and swore that he did not know Jesus. If Peter can fail then so can we. Let's be honest, Judas and Peter both failed. One was premeditated and the other was spontaneous, but they both turned from Jesus and walked away.
Judas hung himself in despair, and Peter bolted back to Christ when he realized that forgiveness was being offered to him. I think Peter well understood the words of Thomas a Kempis, "diligently examine your own weaknesses." I am convinced that Peter later asked himself, "How in the world did I do that?" He learned from his mistake.
What are you learning about yourself? We often play mental games and see ourselves as how we want to be, while never dealing with how we really are. Just as Jesus gave His disciples time for self-examination, church history also provides the opportunity for self-examination through the season of Lent.
Most evangelical churches have all but forgotten Lent as well as other wonderful traditions like Advent. Though I do not have time to deal with the history of Lent, let me remind you that it has traditionally been known as a time of fasting, prayer and purification leading up to Resurrection Sunday. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and concludes the Saturday evening before Resurrection Sunday, which is forty days in duration.
I only learned of Lent as I began to work with other denominations like Lutheran's, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians while on staff with Luis Palau. My Baptist tradition that I came to the Lord in never spoke of it since it was a pre-Reformation tradition that they pretty much threw out. However, it is a wonderful season that we should use to aid us in self-examination with regards to sin. There is a solemnity to Lent if we approach it with the proper understanding.
Someone challenged me at the beginning of Lent this year to give up eating one day a week until Easter for the purpose of self-examination and prayer. At first I began to make excuses as to why I did not care to accept his challenge and then I had a change of heart. I begin to wonder "What do I really give up for the Lord? Could I use this fast to tell the Lord I want to hunger for you like I hunger for food? Could I use this time with stomach growling to be reminded of all those children I have seen staring to death in the world and to pray for them? Could I use this time to say thank you Lord Jesus for dying for my sin?"
I decided to commit to the Lord to fast one day a week during Lent, not because I am holy but because I am not holy enough. May the Lord show me my weaknesses during this time so that I will rejoice even more deeply on Resurrection Sunday knowing that it is His power that keeps me from self-destruction!
In This Season of Lent,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Thomas a Kempis wrote, "You will never be an inwardly religious and devout man unless you pass over in silence the short comings of your fellow men, and diligently examine your own weakness." Thomas dealt with the topic of self-examination a fair amount. He realized that we are more prone to focus on the faults of others than to look honestly at our own failures.
In today's reading we find Jesus reclining with His disciples while taking the Passover meal. Chronologically we know that the shocking statement to come from Jesus occurs after He washes His disciple's feet. Jesus disturbs the friendly chatter around the table by saying, "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me-one who is eating with me." (Mark 14:18) This comes as the proverbial bombshell to His friends. They are in disbelief, yet they know that their Master is "The Truth" so He cannot tell a lie.
Jesus is the Host of this Passover meal. It is His food and they are His guests. In many countries when you are welcomed to someone's home, food is given as a sign of peace and friendship. Here in the west we offer a drink first and not so much food. Jesus as Host is showing honor to His disciples and once again reminding them of the special friendship they share. In the midst of this incredibly special time Jesus says that one of those present, eating His food, will in turn betray Him.
Each disciple responds with question, "Surly not I?" This was a very powerful time for the disciples, well, minus Judas. Jesus did not just blurt out the name of His betrayer; He gave each man the opportunity to examine his own heart. As William Hendriksen commenting on this passage says, Jesus allowed them to experience "wholesome self-distrust".
We should have a "wholesome distrust" of ourselves. Proverbs 16:18 "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." Pride is our chief sin and it's the launching pad of all others. We therefore must be very careful that we do not become self deceived regarding our own sin nature. We all have the ability to self-destruct just like Judas.
In that brief moment Jesus allowed each disciple to ask the question, "What do I really believe?" Jesus knew that with the cross just around the corner that these men were going to face their greatest test. They needed to wrestle one final time with their personal belief in Him. They needed to examine their hearts, their faith and their motives for following Jesus.
We know that Peter was filled with the inner conviction that he would never turn his back on the Lord. He was confident in his relationship with Jesus and his understanding of himself. Yet, in the darkness of an arrested Jesus he failed to take a stand and swore that he did not know Jesus. If Peter can fail then so can we. Let's be honest, Judas and Peter both failed. One was premeditated and the other was spontaneous, but they both turned from Jesus and walked away.
Judas hung himself in despair, and Peter bolted back to Christ when he realized that forgiveness was being offered to him. I think Peter well understood the words of Thomas a Kempis, "diligently examine your own weaknesses." I am convinced that Peter later asked himself, "How in the world did I do that?" He learned from his mistake.
What are you learning about yourself? We often play mental games and see ourselves as how we want to be, while never dealing with how we really are. Just as Jesus gave His disciples time for self-examination, church history also provides the opportunity for self-examination through the season of Lent.
Most evangelical churches have all but forgotten Lent as well as other wonderful traditions like Advent. Though I do not have time to deal with the history of Lent, let me remind you that it has traditionally been known as a time of fasting, prayer and purification leading up to Resurrection Sunday. Lent starts on Ash Wednesday and concludes the Saturday evening before Resurrection Sunday, which is forty days in duration.
I only learned of Lent as I began to work with other denominations like Lutheran's, Episcopalians, and Presbyterians while on staff with Luis Palau. My Baptist tradition that I came to the Lord in never spoke of it since it was a pre-Reformation tradition that they pretty much threw out. However, it is a wonderful season that we should use to aid us in self-examination with regards to sin. There is a solemnity to Lent if we approach it with the proper understanding.
Someone challenged me at the beginning of Lent this year to give up eating one day a week until Easter for the purpose of self-examination and prayer. At first I began to make excuses as to why I did not care to accept his challenge and then I had a change of heart. I begin to wonder "What do I really give up for the Lord? Could I use this fast to tell the Lord I want to hunger for you like I hunger for food? Could I use this time with stomach growling to be reminded of all those children I have seen staring to death in the world and to pray for them? Could I use this time to say thank you Lord Jesus for dying for my sin?"
I decided to commit to the Lord to fast one day a week during Lent, not because I am holy but because I am not holy enough. May the Lord show me my weaknesses during this time so that I will rejoice even more deeply on Resurrection Sunday knowing that it is His power that keeps me from self-destruction!
In This Season of Lent,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, March 3, 2008
Better Than The Jedi Mind Trick!
I would be the first to confess that I am a day dreamer-always have been and always will be! My teachers used to tell my parents that I was a day dreamer when I was a kid in school. My world was in my head and it was safe there because I could control it.
Today's passage causes me to drift off and let my wander once again. I have always loved this passage and I am sad to see that many people don’t quite see it in the supernatural way that I do. Even as I read it again last week, I thought, "This is so cool." See if you agree with me.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there." (Mark 14:12-15)
Our story tells us that it is time for the yearly celebration of the Passover or what is often called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Since Jesus was a Jew he most certainly was going to celebrate the Passover, and knowing this His disciples inquired as to how they could help Jesus find a place to celebrate this event. We will look at this more in depth over the next few weeks, but today I want to turn our attention to the instructions he gave to his disciples.
Jesus tells them how they were to find a place for the Passover and low and behold, it happens just as He said it would. At first glimpse it looks like the Jedi mind trick that Luke Skywalker used in Star Wars. It is an awesome display of power.
Most commentators like to state that the reason Jesus could tell them that they would find a man carrying a jar of water was because Jesus had set this all up ahead of time. Well, that sounds reasonable, unless you are a day dreamer like me and a believer in the ministry of the Holy Spirit!
I was sitting by myself recently when the voice in my head said clearly, "You are going to meet this certain person, and he is going to ask you to call him on Tuesday. I want you do what he asks." About and hour later I bumped into this very person, and in the conversation he said, "I want you to call me next week, call me on Monday. No, that won’t work, call me on Tuesday."
We often forget that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that spoke and influenced Jesus Christ also speaks and influences us! I believe with all my heart that Jesus did not set these details up the day before. I believe that the Holy Spirit told Jesus how to find a place for the Passover and Jesus relayed that information to His disciples. Praise the Lord.
This message had to be of the Lord when you look at how it was to come about. Jesus said to them that they were going to find a man carrying a water jar. What?! In the time of Jesus men never carried water and they never carried a water jar! That was women's work and to be more specific, poor women's work. So the disciples knew right away that they would not have a hard time spotting this man. It would be quite easy to spot a man carrying a water jar on his head because it was so out of place-it was not the norm.
Isn't that just like the Lord? When you read Scripture from cover to cover you see that God just seems to work beyond the accepted norm. Blowing trumpets to bring down a city, using 300 men instead of 32,000 men to fight the Midian army, using a baby born in a barn to save the world. Now He uses a man to do women's work. Yes, I can hear all of you women giving a loud "Amen" to that!
I will say it to you once again, listen for and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in your life. Test the Spirit so you can grow to KNOW that voice. I would heartily recommend Dallas Willard's wonderful book called Hearing God to help in this area. I did make that phone call on the Tuesday like I was asked and I was so glad that I did. I don't even know where that contact will lead, but I know the Holy Spirit told me it would happen and that I should make the call. I was obedient to His request which I cannot say that is always the case for me.
The fact that the Spirit asks us to do things out of the norm is probably why we don't always want to obey. We are afraid we will look foolish or that we might offend someone in the process of determining the Spirit's voice. However, joy comes from obedience and blessing comes from submission.
As a day dreamer I like Star Wars, but I love the Holy Spirit because He is reality!
Blessings to you,
Dan
Listen to Dan Owens latest podcast message "God - Slow To Anger" at www.danowens.podcastpeople.com
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Today's passage causes me to drift off and let my wander once again. I have always loved this passage and I am sad to see that many people don’t quite see it in the supernatural way that I do. Even as I read it again last week, I thought, "This is so cool." See if you agree with me.
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples asked him, "Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?" So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, "Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. Say to the owner of the house he enters, 'The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there." (Mark 14:12-15)
Our story tells us that it is time for the yearly celebration of the Passover or what is often called the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Since Jesus was a Jew he most certainly was going to celebrate the Passover, and knowing this His disciples inquired as to how they could help Jesus find a place to celebrate this event. We will look at this more in depth over the next few weeks, but today I want to turn our attention to the instructions he gave to his disciples.
Jesus tells them how they were to find a place for the Passover and low and behold, it happens just as He said it would. At first glimpse it looks like the Jedi mind trick that Luke Skywalker used in Star Wars. It is an awesome display of power.
Most commentators like to state that the reason Jesus could tell them that they would find a man carrying a jar of water was because Jesus had set this all up ahead of time. Well, that sounds reasonable, unless you are a day dreamer like me and a believer in the ministry of the Holy Spirit!
I was sitting by myself recently when the voice in my head said clearly, "You are going to meet this certain person, and he is going to ask you to call him on Tuesday. I want you do what he asks." About and hour later I bumped into this very person, and in the conversation he said, "I want you to call me next week, call me on Monday. No, that won’t work, call me on Tuesday."
We often forget that Jesus was filled with the Holy Spirit. The same Holy Spirit that spoke and influenced Jesus Christ also speaks and influences us! I believe with all my heart that Jesus did not set these details up the day before. I believe that the Holy Spirit told Jesus how to find a place for the Passover and Jesus relayed that information to His disciples. Praise the Lord.
This message had to be of the Lord when you look at how it was to come about. Jesus said to them that they were going to find a man carrying a water jar. What?! In the time of Jesus men never carried water and they never carried a water jar! That was women's work and to be more specific, poor women's work. So the disciples knew right away that they would not have a hard time spotting this man. It would be quite easy to spot a man carrying a water jar on his head because it was so out of place-it was not the norm.
Isn't that just like the Lord? When you read Scripture from cover to cover you see that God just seems to work beyond the accepted norm. Blowing trumpets to bring down a city, using 300 men instead of 32,000 men to fight the Midian army, using a baby born in a barn to save the world. Now He uses a man to do women's work. Yes, I can hear all of you women giving a loud "Amen" to that!
I will say it to you once again, listen for and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit in your life. Test the Spirit so you can grow to KNOW that voice. I would heartily recommend Dallas Willard's wonderful book called Hearing God to help in this area. I did make that phone call on the Tuesday like I was asked and I was so glad that I did. I don't even know where that contact will lead, but I know the Holy Spirit told me it would happen and that I should make the call. I was obedient to His request which I cannot say that is always the case for me.
The fact that the Spirit asks us to do things out of the norm is probably why we don't always want to obey. We are afraid we will look foolish or that we might offend someone in the process of determining the Spirit's voice. However, joy comes from obedience and blessing comes from submission.
As a day dreamer I like Star Wars, but I love the Holy Spirit because He is reality!
Blessings to you,
Dan
Listen to Dan Owens latest podcast message "God - Slow To Anger" at www.danowens.podcastpeople.com
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, February 25, 2008
In It For The Money
In the past few days I have received news of the deaths of three people that I have had contact with through the years. There is so much emotional pain associated with death. The emotions range from guilt to loneliness. There are those however who refuse to acknowledge the subject of death and dying, and those who disguise their discomfort by humorous remarks or dark comedy.
Yet for some of us we live in the twilight between this world and the next and we can almost see with reality that first face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only a thin veil it seems shading the spirit world from our material eyes. And, sometimes it seems the angels blow the veil just enough so that we can catch a quick glimpse of the other side.
As one reads Dante's Divine Comedy written in the early 1300's one can almost imagine that he was allowed to see beyond the veil. Dante writes extensively in the section of his book called "Inferno" regarding the levels of hell and those who populate each level. As he comes to the lowest level in hell, there Satan is frozen in ice up to his waste for all eternity. In Dante's novel he sees Satan while frozen for all eternity chewing on Judas and two others without end. In other words, Judas, the betrayer of Jesus is in the coldest part of hell and in the very mouth of Satan because of his cold and calculated betrayal of Jesus.
In Mark 14 we read Marks clear and concise narrative of Judas's betrayal of Jesus. It is such a stark contrast of good and evil and Mark sets the betrayal just after Mary of Bethany had anointed Jesus.
"Judas Iscariot, the man who was once of the Twelve, went away to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. When they had listened to his offer they were delighted, and they promised to give him money. So he began to search for a convenient method of betraying him."
It not surprising that no one ever names their child Judas. In fact I understand there is a law in Germany that forbids parents from naming their child Judas. It is a name that is synonymous with treachery and back stabbing at its lowest form. A quick glance at Judas causes us to wonder how he could have done something so horrific.
Judas was part of the inner circle and was privy to many of the miracles of Jesus, His amazing teaching, and His compassion towards those devoted followers. Judas was a privileged person from our point of view. He walked and talked with Jesus on a daily basis and was placed in the prominent role as treasurer for the group of disciples.
Maybe Judas signed up with Jesus because he heard Him speak of a new kingdom with amazing rewards. Maybe Judas was looking for a position of authority and power, not to mention monetary gain. John tells us in his Gospel that Judas had some basic character issues that the other disciples were aware of. Last week we read the story of Mary in Bethany pouring expensive perfume on Jesus as she showed love and appreciation for Him. The disciples, especially Judas got upset by her action stating that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. John says in regards to Judas' comments, "He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money he used to help himself to what was put into it."
Judas was in it for the money! He was a man who was so filled with self that out of him came greed, stealing, jealousy, covetousness and a host of other sins. When Judas realized Jesus was going to the cross and the new kingdom was not going to happen, at least as he saw it, then he sold out Jesus-for money of course.
Why are we following Jesus? Are we in it for the money? Have we continued on in the church because we are hoping to get something out of it? Are we, like Judas, motivated by self when we drive into the church parking lot on Sundays?
We must be reminded that the greatest gift that God can give to us is Himself. To understand where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going is by far the most wonderful blessing we can have. We are allowed to see the "big picture" and understand that monetary rewards and earthly comforts are way down the rung as far as what God wants to do in and through us.
Last night while flipping through the channels on my television I saw three different preachers all talking about the money that God wants to give me, if I just give their ministry some money first. Give me a break! It boggles my mind that people are still out there who believe this line. I just cannot imagine Jesus preaching the message I heard last night. In fact, the Sermon on the Mount teaches us just the opposite of what these self serving kingdom builders are preaching on air waves. One of the men I saw last night I actually met years ago. He went into a rage because the wrong kind of car was used to pick him up at the airport. It was a nice van but it was supposed to be a limousine as his staff had requested. The spirit of Judas is still alive!
I have said it many times and I will continue to say it, be very careful of your motives for following Jesus Christ. Judas looked good; fit right in with the other eleven. He could sound as pious as any priest, but he was filled with selfish greed and ambition.
May I encourage you to read Dante’s Divine Comedy even though his theology may not quite match up with yours? The one thing it will make you do is think, reason and examine your heart, and that’s a good thing.
God Be With You,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Yet for some of us we live in the twilight between this world and the next and we can almost see with reality that first face to face with the Lord Jesus Christ. There is only a thin veil it seems shading the spirit world from our material eyes. And, sometimes it seems the angels blow the veil just enough so that we can catch a quick glimpse of the other side.
As one reads Dante's Divine Comedy written in the early 1300's one can almost imagine that he was allowed to see beyond the veil. Dante writes extensively in the section of his book called "Inferno" regarding the levels of hell and those who populate each level. As he comes to the lowest level in hell, there Satan is frozen in ice up to his waste for all eternity. In Dante's novel he sees Satan while frozen for all eternity chewing on Judas and two others without end. In other words, Judas, the betrayer of Jesus is in the coldest part of hell and in the very mouth of Satan because of his cold and calculated betrayal of Jesus.
In Mark 14 we read Marks clear and concise narrative of Judas's betrayal of Jesus. It is such a stark contrast of good and evil and Mark sets the betrayal just after Mary of Bethany had anointed Jesus.
"Judas Iscariot, the man who was once of the Twelve, went away to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. When they had listened to his offer they were delighted, and they promised to give him money. So he began to search for a convenient method of betraying him."
It not surprising that no one ever names their child Judas. In fact I understand there is a law in Germany that forbids parents from naming their child Judas. It is a name that is synonymous with treachery and back stabbing at its lowest form. A quick glance at Judas causes us to wonder how he could have done something so horrific.
Judas was part of the inner circle and was privy to many of the miracles of Jesus, His amazing teaching, and His compassion towards those devoted followers. Judas was a privileged person from our point of view. He walked and talked with Jesus on a daily basis and was placed in the prominent role as treasurer for the group of disciples.
Maybe Judas signed up with Jesus because he heard Him speak of a new kingdom with amazing rewards. Maybe Judas was looking for a position of authority and power, not to mention monetary gain. John tells us in his Gospel that Judas had some basic character issues that the other disciples were aware of. Last week we read the story of Mary in Bethany pouring expensive perfume on Jesus as she showed love and appreciation for Him. The disciples, especially Judas got upset by her action stating that the perfume could have been sold and the money given to the poor. John says in regards to Judas' comments, "He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money he used to help himself to what was put into it."
Judas was in it for the money! He was a man who was so filled with self that out of him came greed, stealing, jealousy, covetousness and a host of other sins. When Judas realized Jesus was going to the cross and the new kingdom was not going to happen, at least as he saw it, then he sold out Jesus-for money of course.
Why are we following Jesus? Are we in it for the money? Have we continued on in the church because we are hoping to get something out of it? Are we, like Judas, motivated by self when we drive into the church parking lot on Sundays?
We must be reminded that the greatest gift that God can give to us is Himself. To understand where we came from, why we are here, and where we are going is by far the most wonderful blessing we can have. We are allowed to see the "big picture" and understand that monetary rewards and earthly comforts are way down the rung as far as what God wants to do in and through us.
Last night while flipping through the channels on my television I saw three different preachers all talking about the money that God wants to give me, if I just give their ministry some money first. Give me a break! It boggles my mind that people are still out there who believe this line. I just cannot imagine Jesus preaching the message I heard last night. In fact, the Sermon on the Mount teaches us just the opposite of what these self serving kingdom builders are preaching on air waves. One of the men I saw last night I actually met years ago. He went into a rage because the wrong kind of car was used to pick him up at the airport. It was a nice van but it was supposed to be a limousine as his staff had requested. The spirit of Judas is still alive!
I have said it many times and I will continue to say it, be very careful of your motives for following Jesus Christ. Judas looked good; fit right in with the other eleven. He could sound as pious as any priest, but he was filled with selfish greed and ambition.
May I encourage you to read Dante’s Divine Comedy even though his theology may not quite match up with yours? The one thing it will make you do is think, reason and examine your heart, and that’s a good thing.
God Be With You,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, February 18, 2008
Reckless Love and Extravagant Appreciation
While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head. Some of those present were saying indignantly to one another, "Why this waste of perfume? It could have been sold for more than a year's wages and the money given to the poor." And they rebuked her harshly. "Leave her alone," said Jesus. "Why are you bothering her? She has done a beautiful thing to me. The poor you will always have with you, and you can help them any time you want. But you will not always have me. She did what she could. She poured perfume on my body beforehand to prepare for my burial." (Mark 14:6-8)
Reckless love for Jesus! It is something we really see very little of. Extravagant displays of appreciation to God are foreign to many of us. Giving as little as possible and doing as little as possible are more the norm of the Christian church. Yet in this narrative, Jesus shocks us with His very own appreciation for reckless love and extravagant appreciation.
As Jesus stops in Bethany on His way to the cross he reclines for a meal with His friends and followers. As we see from reading this account in the other Gospels, Mary of Bethany breaks a white jar of perfume and pours it over Jesus. It is believed that this type of expensive perfume came from a plant root that is found near the Himalayan Mountains. The pouring of scented water or perfume was a normal practice by those hosting special guests. If the guest was a person of great honor then they would pour out the perfume and break the jar so that no person of lesser importance would ever use the same perfume or oil.
Jesus thought it was a wonderful act of kindness and yet those around him thought it a total waste of money. Such hypocrisy comes from Judas the betrayer who spouts off that the money could have been used to help the poor, like he really cared about the poor. Jesus tells them plainly that they could have been helping the poor all along and that the poor can be helped in the future as well, but this is a special gift which he appreciates.
As Jesus prepares for a week where people will mock him, spit on him, pull out his beard, beat him until he is unrecognizable and finally nail him to a cross to die, this last act of kindness is so appreciated by Him. Jesus once again uses the event and conversations to teach his followers as He speaks of the perfume as preparation for his burial to come, but in His humanity, He truly appreciates this extravagant gift given in reckless love.
Jesus says of her gift, "She has done a beautiful thing to me." The NIV translation does a good job of translating that word "good". There are two words that can be used for "good", one meaning "morally good" and the other meaning "lovely" or "beautiful". Mary was so caught up in the emotion that she poured the whole bottle of perfume on Jesus, and Jesus said it was a "lovely thing to do."
Mary was not thinking of the cost because it truly was worth a years wages for the average person of that day. Mary had this one opportunity to be extravagant for the Lord, and she took it. She did not hesitate, she did not debate it, she did not reason it out, she just acted out of love.
I confess once again I am startled by this account. I am rattled when I see how much my Lord appreciated her act of kindness towards Him. So I ask myself, "If her act of love meant so much to Him, then when do I show reckless love and extravagant appreciation?" The bigger question for us all might be, "How do we show this kind of appreciation?"
A friend of mine was telling me of a super bowl party he went to. As the game went on and the drinks were flowing the mixed crowd got a bit out of control. Even in this public place some of the women started doing things that were, well, not morally good. My friend said as soon as that activity started he got up and left the room because he knew God would not want him there.
It was his love for his Lord that caused him to leave the room with diet coke in hand, even though his flesh may have desired to stay. Jesus is thrilled when we consciously make a decision to act in a way that is pleasing to Him. Mary's actions were connected to her heart-not her head! The Father, Son and Holy Spirit long for us to make decisions of the heart to show our love and appreciation for them.
I live near Avila Beach here in Central California. Avila is a Spanish name and there is a city in Spain of the same name. In the 16th century there was a nun who the Catholics now affectionately call, St. Teresa of Avila. I have only read a bit of her life and journals but she had a profound love for Christ, much like Mary of Bethany. In one of her books, she writes, "Since He does not force our will, He takes only what He is given; but He does not give completely of Himself until he sees that we have given all we have to Him."
Isn't that what Paul meant when he said, "Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice" to our Lord and Savior? This week make it your goal to do an act of kindness at least once while you say out loud, "Lord I am doing this because I love you!" Maybe you sacrifice something, or maybe you give to someone, or maybe you just sit reading and meditating on Scripture while talking to Him. "Lord, I am doing this because I love you!" Be reckless in your love and extravagant in your appreciation for Him. Jesus longs for it!
Bless you my friend,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Reckless love for Jesus! It is something we really see very little of. Extravagant displays of appreciation to God are foreign to many of us. Giving as little as possible and doing as little as possible are more the norm of the Christian church. Yet in this narrative, Jesus shocks us with His very own appreciation for reckless love and extravagant appreciation.
As Jesus stops in Bethany on His way to the cross he reclines for a meal with His friends and followers. As we see from reading this account in the other Gospels, Mary of Bethany breaks a white jar of perfume and pours it over Jesus. It is believed that this type of expensive perfume came from a plant root that is found near the Himalayan Mountains. The pouring of scented water or perfume was a normal practice by those hosting special guests. If the guest was a person of great honor then they would pour out the perfume and break the jar so that no person of lesser importance would ever use the same perfume or oil.
Jesus thought it was a wonderful act of kindness and yet those around him thought it a total waste of money. Such hypocrisy comes from Judas the betrayer who spouts off that the money could have been used to help the poor, like he really cared about the poor. Jesus tells them plainly that they could have been helping the poor all along and that the poor can be helped in the future as well, but this is a special gift which he appreciates.
As Jesus prepares for a week where people will mock him, spit on him, pull out his beard, beat him until he is unrecognizable and finally nail him to a cross to die, this last act of kindness is so appreciated by Him. Jesus once again uses the event and conversations to teach his followers as He speaks of the perfume as preparation for his burial to come, but in His humanity, He truly appreciates this extravagant gift given in reckless love.
Jesus says of her gift, "She has done a beautiful thing to me." The NIV translation does a good job of translating that word "good". There are two words that can be used for "good", one meaning "morally good" and the other meaning "lovely" or "beautiful". Mary was so caught up in the emotion that she poured the whole bottle of perfume on Jesus, and Jesus said it was a "lovely thing to do."
Mary was not thinking of the cost because it truly was worth a years wages for the average person of that day. Mary had this one opportunity to be extravagant for the Lord, and she took it. She did not hesitate, she did not debate it, she did not reason it out, she just acted out of love.
I confess once again I am startled by this account. I am rattled when I see how much my Lord appreciated her act of kindness towards Him. So I ask myself, "If her act of love meant so much to Him, then when do I show reckless love and extravagant appreciation?" The bigger question for us all might be, "How do we show this kind of appreciation?"
A friend of mine was telling me of a super bowl party he went to. As the game went on and the drinks were flowing the mixed crowd got a bit out of control. Even in this public place some of the women started doing things that were, well, not morally good. My friend said as soon as that activity started he got up and left the room because he knew God would not want him there.
It was his love for his Lord that caused him to leave the room with diet coke in hand, even though his flesh may have desired to stay. Jesus is thrilled when we consciously make a decision to act in a way that is pleasing to Him. Mary's actions were connected to her heart-not her head! The Father, Son and Holy Spirit long for us to make decisions of the heart to show our love and appreciation for them.
I live near Avila Beach here in Central California. Avila is a Spanish name and there is a city in Spain of the same name. In the 16th century there was a nun who the Catholics now affectionately call, St. Teresa of Avila. I have only read a bit of her life and journals but she had a profound love for Christ, much like Mary of Bethany. In one of her books, she writes, "Since He does not force our will, He takes only what He is given; but He does not give completely of Himself until he sees that we have given all we have to Him."
Isn't that what Paul meant when he said, "Offer your bodies as a living sacrifice" to our Lord and Savior? This week make it your goal to do an act of kindness at least once while you say out loud, "Lord I am doing this because I love you!" Maybe you sacrifice something, or maybe you give to someone, or maybe you just sit reading and meditating on Scripture while talking to Him. "Lord, I am doing this because I love you!" Be reckless in your love and extravagant in your appreciation for Him. Jesus longs for it!
Bless you my friend,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, February 4, 2008
Joy in Contentment
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Joy in Contentment
(passage from A Joy That Is Real by Dan Owens)
I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do everything through him who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:10-13
Have you ever received money you weren't expecting? Perhaps you were going through a tough time financially, and just when you didn't know how you were going to get through the month, a check showed up from an anonymous benefactor. I love to hear stories of how God has worked through people in this way.
In the context of this passage, Paul is showing appreciation for the Philippians who had provided for him in his need. Other churches had failed him, but they were faithful. At one point they had not been able to support him, but now they had renewed their commitment and Paul was writing to thank them.
Several years ago, I became the pastor at Fair Oaks Church in California. After I had accepted the position, another church which had supported my evangelism ministry, wrote a letter explaining that they could no longer contribute financially to Eternity Minded Ministries because I had become a pastor. Their mission statement did not allow them to support pastors.
After I resigned from Fair Oaks in order to spend more time with Eternity Minded Ministries, I called that church; they immediately said they would support me again. They even raised the amount from what they had previously been contributing. I didn't understand all of their reasons for stopping, but I was grateful to have them on board again.
I can relate to Paul's circumstances in this passage because I know how wonderful it feels to have people stand by you in the ministry. Sometimes I don't know how to express my thanks to those who make it possible for me to fulfill my calling to travel and preach the gospel around the world. I couldn't do it without those Christians who faithfully give to our ministry. I imagine that Paul was overwhelmed by the generous spirit of the Philippians and so grateful that they had renewed their support.
Then we come to the part that I find a little harder to relate to, Paul says, "I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances" (v. 11). Paul enjoyed the good life, but he had also learned to enjoy the hard life. He knew what it was to have some wealth, he knew what it was to be in poverty. Paul had experienced the classy restaurants, and he had been without food. He could be happy with the Hyatt Regency or content with a prison cell.
Most of us have been in tough times. Many of us have also enjoyed really great times. Can we say that we were content in the bad times as well as the good?
My sons, Ben and Jordan, are grown now, but when they were little our family struggled a lot more with finances than we do now. Christmas was a particularly stressful time, as we wondered how we could afford to buy presents for everyone. June was the month that my wife dreaded the most because in June there were three birthdays, two anniversaries, Father's Day, and school graduations.
As I reminisced with Jordan the other day, he was surprised to hear that for several years during his early childhood, my mother had supplemented my salary just so we could stay in our home. The cars we had were always broken down, and Jordan had to wear Ben's hand-me-downs. The roof in our house leaked, and any repair that needed to be done was always a huge drain financially. You may have been in a similar situation at some point, or maybe you are going through something like that right now. To me, it was extremely frustrating not to be able to give my family everything, and I definitely wasn't very content.
So what exactly does Paul mean when he says, "I have learned to be content"? Sometimes the best way to define a term is to explain what it is not.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2008 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
We invite you forward any of Dan Owens devotionals to your friends and family. If you received this email as a forward and would like to sign up, please visit our website at www.eternityminded.org for information on how to receive your free subscription.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Talk About A Tough Week!
January 28, 2008
Every Sunday we hear the words coming from the pulpit or lectern, "Now turn in your Bibles to . . ." Having a Bible on our laps on Sunday morning is something that we give little thought to. When our ministry returns to the cities where we have held festivals to help with discipleship and church planting, we always give away hundreds and hundreds of Bibles to the new believers. For people who have never owned a Bible before, the joy of receiving one is unimaginable.
There are many places in the world where we do ministry that even if you gave the new believers Bibles they could not read them. We often forget that much of the world is illiterate. Whenever I go to those places I am reminded so much of the early church. They did not have a Bible like we have as there were no printing presses, and most of the people could not read. Much of what the church held to was passed along by oral tradition and manuscripts that were read to the congregation. Songs were often made from the words of Scripture so that they could be remembered since they could not read.
As we come to fourteenth chapter of Mark we enter into what is known as the Passion. It refers to the week leading up to the crucifixion of Christ. It is interesting to note that the narrative of the fourteenth through the sixteenth chapters of Mark was actually circulated amongst the early churches before any of the gospels were ever penned. This narrative was so important to the early church since they held to the belief of the resurrected Christ. It appears that Mark took the manuscripts that were being circulated and added them to his book almost verbatim. Of the 661 verses in Mark, 242 deal with the last week of Jesus on earth, and 128 verses deal with the actual "Passion." Like us, their faith was founded on the resurrection of Christ.
Before the Passion comes the Passover.
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. "But not during the Feast" they said, "or the people may riot." Mark 14:1-2
The month of April was always an exiting time for the Jewish people. This was a major holiday that even induced many to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover celebrations. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread allowed the Jewish people to reflect on their heritage and how God had delivered them centuries earlier from bondage. There was literally four weeks of preparations leading up to the week of the Passover in which children were told the various stories surrounding the exodus out of Egypt. Again, this was all taught by oral tradition.
It was required that any Jewish male living within 15 miles of Jerusalem had to go to the city for this national holiday. No one really had to be coerced to make the trek. In fact, Josephus and other historians of that day have made it clear that the population of Jerusalem swelled to huge numbers during the feast week. Some estimates have been as high as three million people celebrating during this week that Mark writes about. The increased population would account for the concern the religious leaders had regarding a potential riot if they went after the popular Jesus, especially during this sacred week.
I find it fascinating that the "powers that be" said they would not kill Jesus during the Feast and yet God said the exact opposite. Jesus in fact said that God decreed that it should happen at that precise point: "The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." Luke 22:22. Then in Acts chapter two we find Peter addressing a crowd regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit and the work of Christ on the cross. Peter says, "This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." The time of the slaughter of the Lamb of God was set by the Father to be at the exact time that his chosen people were celebrating the Passover with their own sacrificial lambs. Fantastic! The time of Jesus' death was not by chance it was, as the British say, "spot on" because God ordained it. God was fulfilling his covenant with his people!
Let us be reminded this week once again that God's timing is perfect. When we are going through difficult times that we wish would end, it's often hard to remember that. St. Augustine wrote, "God is not a deceiver that he should offer to support us, and then, when we lean upon Him, should slip away from us." God is with us in the good and bad of life.
There is a contemporary song we sing at our church that chokes me up every time we sing it. It is called Blessed Be Your Name and it thrills me. The premise of the song is that we should bless God in the good and bad of life because he is there and is using it all. Read these beautiful verses.
Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name
As Jesus entered the Passion Week He was and is our example of blessing the Lord at all times!
Blessed be His Name,
Dan
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Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
We invite you forward any of Dan Owens devotionals to your friends and family. If you received this email as a forward and would like to sign up, please visit our website at www.eternityminded.org for information on how to receive your free subscription.
Every Sunday we hear the words coming from the pulpit or lectern, "Now turn in your Bibles to . . ." Having a Bible on our laps on Sunday morning is something that we give little thought to. When our ministry returns to the cities where we have held festivals to help with discipleship and church planting, we always give away hundreds and hundreds of Bibles to the new believers. For people who have never owned a Bible before, the joy of receiving one is unimaginable.
There are many places in the world where we do ministry that even if you gave the new believers Bibles they could not read them. We often forget that much of the world is illiterate. Whenever I go to those places I am reminded so much of the early church. They did not have a Bible like we have as there were no printing presses, and most of the people could not read. Much of what the church held to was passed along by oral tradition and manuscripts that were read to the congregation. Songs were often made from the words of Scripture so that they could be remembered since they could not read.
As we come to fourteenth chapter of Mark we enter into what is known as the Passion. It refers to the week leading up to the crucifixion of Christ. It is interesting to note that the narrative of the fourteenth through the sixteenth chapters of Mark was actually circulated amongst the early churches before any of the gospels were ever penned. This narrative was so important to the early church since they held to the belief of the resurrected Christ. It appears that Mark took the manuscripts that were being circulated and added them to his book almost verbatim. Of the 661 verses in Mark, 242 deal with the last week of Jesus on earth, and 128 verses deal with the actual "Passion." Like us, their faith was founded on the resurrection of Christ.
Before the Passion comes the Passover.
Now the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were only two days away, and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some sly way to arrest Jesus and kill him. "But not during the Feast" they said, "or the people may riot." Mark 14:1-2
The month of April was always an exiting time for the Jewish people. This was a major holiday that even induced many to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the Passover celebrations. The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread allowed the Jewish people to reflect on their heritage and how God had delivered them centuries earlier from bondage. There was literally four weeks of preparations leading up to the week of the Passover in which children were told the various stories surrounding the exodus out of Egypt. Again, this was all taught by oral tradition.
It was required that any Jewish male living within 15 miles of Jerusalem had to go to the city for this national holiday. No one really had to be coerced to make the trek. In fact, Josephus and other historians of that day have made it clear that the population of Jerusalem swelled to huge numbers during the feast week. Some estimates have been as high as three million people celebrating during this week that Mark writes about. The increased population would account for the concern the religious leaders had regarding a potential riot if they went after the popular Jesus, especially during this sacred week.
I find it fascinating that the "powers that be" said they would not kill Jesus during the Feast and yet God said the exact opposite. Jesus in fact said that God decreed that it should happen at that precise point: "The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed, but woe to that man who betrays him." Luke 22:22. Then in Acts chapter two we find Peter addressing a crowd regarding the coming of the Holy Spirit and the work of Christ on the cross. Peter says, "This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross." The time of the slaughter of the Lamb of God was set by the Father to be at the exact time that his chosen people were celebrating the Passover with their own sacrificial lambs. Fantastic! The time of Jesus' death was not by chance it was, as the British say, "spot on" because God ordained it. God was fulfilling his covenant with his people!
Let us be reminded this week once again that God's timing is perfect. When we are going through difficult times that we wish would end, it's often hard to remember that. St. Augustine wrote, "God is not a deceiver that he should offer to support us, and then, when we lean upon Him, should slip away from us." God is with us in the good and bad of life.
There is a contemporary song we sing at our church that chokes me up every time we sing it. It is called Blessed Be Your Name and it thrills me. The premise of the song is that we should bless God in the good and bad of life because he is there and is using it all. Read these beautiful verses.
Blessed be your name
In the land that is plentiful
Where the streams of abundance flow
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be your name
As Jesus entered the Passion Week He was and is our example of blessing the Lord at all times!
Blessed be His Name,
Dan
Invite Dan Owens to Speak at Your Church or Event in 2008
Contact Jill Griffin today @ jill@eternityminded.org to reserve a date or request more information.
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
We invite you forward any of Dan Owens devotionals to your friends and family. If you received this email as a forward and would like to sign up, please visit our website at www.eternityminded.org for information on how to receive your free subscription.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Be On Guard
Invite Dan Owens to Speak at Your Church or Event in 2008
Contact Jill Griffin today @ jill@eternityminded.org
to reserve a date or request more information.
We encourage you to visit our podcast, Becoming Eternity Minded, at http://www.danowens.podcastpeople.com/ today to listen and/or download Dan Owens' message, The Vine and the Branches (Part III of III). Be sure to return to Becoming Eternity Minded regularly to listen to new messages as they are uploaded.
BE ON GUARD
I read a story of a stewardess who became quite frustrated by the inattentiveness of her passengers while sharing her safety demonstration. She decided to change the wording of the prepared announcement and said, “When the mask drops down in front of you, place it over your navel and continue to breathe normally.” Not one person noticed; no one was paying attention.
Having served as a police chaplain for years I have been privy to stories of officers who have had embarrassing situations because they were not paying attention. I am amazed when I hear of men and women who are so professional in their jobs and behavior yet accidentally firing their weapon while in the locker room at the station. Fortunately all the stories that I heard ended with read faces and not tragic results.
Jesus warned his disciples that “keeping their head in the game” was going to be of extreme importance after he left them. In the Gospel of Mark as Jesus speaks of his return he made it clear that he did not know the exact point in time of his return. He left no doubt that his followers should not take this as reason to lose hope, but to be filled with hope of his return.
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do no know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” Mark 13:32-37
I find it quite easy to become complacent and unconcerned about the return of King Jesus. This passage once again informs me that I am too often tied to this world and kingdom U.S.A. instead of the Kingdom of God. The final words of Jesus in this discourse touch me deeply because they are not just given to those standing around him 2,000 years ago. “What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!” I am included in the word “everyone” and so are you.
Jesus gives us his word that he is going to return to earth and he tells us what to do until that time. He admonishes each of us to “Be on guard, be alert, watch.” Those words do not mean that we should be standing around idle, being unproductive citizens nor uncaring Christians. He has already told us that our lives should be about spreading the message of salvation while being a neighbor to those in need.
Alertness means that we should be active morally and spiritually. We should not be people of laxity or laziness regarding the things that truly have meaning and measure in the Kingdom of our King. When Jesus returns he should find us doing what he was doing while he was here on earth. We should be watching for his return while doing all that we can to partner with Holy Spirit to reclaim God’s people.
The sometimes controversial scholar William Barclay wrote concerning this passage: “We live in the shadow of eternity. That is no reason for fearful and hysterical expectation. But it means that day by day our work must be completed. It means that we must so live that it does not matter when he comes. It gives us the great task of making everyday fit for him to see and being at any moment ready to meet him face to face. All life becomes a preparation to meet the King.”
For the most part I think we will be ashamed to the point of nausea at the return of our Lord. I believe that in an instant we will be amazed at how far we really were from what he called us to become. I sense that we will be horrified when we finally come to grips with how much we loved the American lifestyle more than we loved him.
How will we feel I wonder when none of our excuses are heard and all of our arguments for spiritual laziness hit his wall of his truth? When I read the Book of Acts and writings of the early church fathers I feel my stomach churn because I realize I am only a fraction of what God expects me to be.
Capitol One Credit has humorous commercials on television that always end with the question, “What’s in your wallet?” The Holy Spirit of God and of Christ may well be asking the question, “What’s in your heart?”
Let’s pay attention to the things that Jesus Christ says are important: love, faith, honesty, good works and good words just to name a few.
Peace to you,
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Contact Jill Griffin today @ jill@eternityminded.org
to reserve a date or request more information.
We encourage you to visit our podcast, Becoming Eternity Minded, at http://www.danowens.podcastpeople.com/ today to listen and/or download Dan Owens' message, The Vine and the Branches (Part III of III). Be sure to return to Becoming Eternity Minded regularly to listen to new messages as they are uploaded.
BE ON GUARD
I read a story of a stewardess who became quite frustrated by the inattentiveness of her passengers while sharing her safety demonstration. She decided to change the wording of the prepared announcement and said, “When the mask drops down in front of you, place it over your navel and continue to breathe normally.” Not one person noticed; no one was paying attention.
Having served as a police chaplain for years I have been privy to stories of officers who have had embarrassing situations because they were not paying attention. I am amazed when I hear of men and women who are so professional in their jobs and behavior yet accidentally firing their weapon while in the locker room at the station. Fortunately all the stories that I heard ended with read faces and not tragic results.
Jesus warned his disciples that “keeping their head in the game” was going to be of extreme importance after he left them. In the Gospel of Mark as Jesus speaks of his return he made it clear that he did not know the exact point in time of his return. He left no doubt that his followers should not take this as reason to lose hope, but to be filled with hope of his return.
“No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with his assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do no know when the owner of the house will come back-whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’” Mark 13:32-37
I find it quite easy to become complacent and unconcerned about the return of King Jesus. This passage once again informs me that I am too often tied to this world and kingdom U.S.A. instead of the Kingdom of God. The final words of Jesus in this discourse touch me deeply because they are not just given to those standing around him 2,000 years ago. “What I say to you, I say to everyone: Watch!” I am included in the word “everyone” and so are you.
Jesus gives us his word that he is going to return to earth and he tells us what to do until that time. He admonishes each of us to “Be on guard, be alert, watch.” Those words do not mean that we should be standing around idle, being unproductive citizens nor uncaring Christians. He has already told us that our lives should be about spreading the message of salvation while being a neighbor to those in need.
Alertness means that we should be active morally and spiritually. We should not be people of laxity or laziness regarding the things that truly have meaning and measure in the Kingdom of our King. When Jesus returns he should find us doing what he was doing while he was here on earth. We should be watching for his return while doing all that we can to partner with Holy Spirit to reclaim God’s people.
The sometimes controversial scholar William Barclay wrote concerning this passage: “We live in the shadow of eternity. That is no reason for fearful and hysterical expectation. But it means that day by day our work must be completed. It means that we must so live that it does not matter when he comes. It gives us the great task of making everyday fit for him to see and being at any moment ready to meet him face to face. All life becomes a preparation to meet the King.”
For the most part I think we will be ashamed to the point of nausea at the return of our Lord. I believe that in an instant we will be amazed at how far we really were from what he called us to become. I sense that we will be horrified when we finally come to grips with how much we loved the American lifestyle more than we loved him.
How will we feel I wonder when none of our excuses are heard and all of our arguments for spiritual laziness hit his wall of his truth? When I read the Book of Acts and writings of the early church fathers I feel my stomach churn because I realize I am only a fraction of what God expects me to be.
Capitol One Credit has humorous commercials on television that always end with the question, “What’s in your wallet?” The Holy Spirit of God and of Christ may well be asking the question, “What’s in your heart?”
Let’s pay attention to the things that Jesus Christ says are important: love, faith, honesty, good works and good words just to name a few.
Peace to you,
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, January 14, 2008
Who Is Speaking?
INVITE DAN TO SPEAK AT YOUR CHURCH IN 2008
Email us at emm-info@eternityminded.org
We encourage you to visit our podcast, Becoming Eternity Minded, at http://www.danowens.podcastpeople.com/ today to listen and/or download Dan Owens' message, The Vine and the Branches (Part II of III).
Be sure to tune back in on January 21st for Part III.
WHO IS SPEAKING?
We have often heard the line in real life and movies, "I can speak for myself, thank you." This phrase means normally that the person would rather defend themselves or tell the story as they saw instead of someone else doing it for them.
I have learned the hard way that "speaking for myself" is not always a good thing. In fact, there have been more times than I would like to admit that I should have let someone else speak instead. As the saying goes, "Keep your words soft and sweet. You never know when you’re going to have to eat them." Ouch.
As Jesus talked about end times and as His disciples grew in their curiosity and concern, He gave them a wonderful promise. He forewarned His friends that they were going to go through difficult times and be paraded in front rulers and authorities. Jesus told them that they were going to have to speak on His behalf, but they were not to worry. Why?
"Whenever you are arrested and brought to trial, do not worry before hand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit." Mark 13:11
Fear of public speaking is one of America's greatest anxieties. Jerry Seinfeld once said that at a funeral, most people would rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy. For many the thought of standing in front of others while called upon to speak is terrifying. Imagine how it would be if your life was truly on the line as well.
Most of us know all to well the captivity of the mind that happens when we prepare to confront a person or a situation. We play our speech over and over again in our minds. We edit, we change our emotional tone, and we prepare our best illustrations knowing that we will get one shot at saying what we really want to say. It’s exhausting and in most cases our persuasive speech never turns out the way we played it in our heads.
Jesus brings such comforting words as He tells His friends not to stress over their speeches because the Holy Spirit would do the speaking for them. Now, I know many of you are thinking that this promise is only for those who are preaching or ministering the Gospel. You might be thinking, "Sure Dan that is great that the Holy Spirit does that for you when you are preaching in India or Peru, but I am not a preacher."
The Holy Spirit who dwells in us should have the freedom to speak through us as He wills. It can be on a platform in a church or a platform at a railway station. The location does not matter as much as the message that needs to given by the Spirit. To be honest, at this stage of my life, I am more interested in allowing the Holy Spirit to speak through me in my home than I am in India or Peru.
The Holy Spirit can give intellectual words and answers to us through our minds just as we see him do in the book of Acts. And, the Holy Spirit can also give emotional words of love, compassion and encouragement to our hearts to share with others. I think we must begin with asking the Holy Spirit to control our speech every day. We should be sensitive to His leading as we are talking to a friend in need, asking the Spirit to speak to us in order to say the right things. In many ways this is what "words of knowledge" are, or the gift of discernment. It is sensing from the Spirit what is going on in a person or situation and allowing Him to bring the correct words though you. That is something we should all pray for.
I was in a setting recently when an older man, who has become a dear friend, told the audience that I had played a very important role in his life. He shared how years ago while he was trying to determine God's next step for his life and weighing a new opportunity, that I said something to him that helped make his decision. As I listened to my friend who I consider much wiser than me, I was thrilled to think that just possibly on that day many years ago that the Holy Spirit had given me the words to say to him.
At Christmas I was honored to preach at our home church here in California. I would imagine there were somewhere around 1400 people in attendance. I was blessed to bring a Christmas message in place of our faithful pastor. The next Sunday I spoke in a church service with 10 people also here in my home town. My energy level was the same for both services because they were both appointments from God that required the Holy Spirit to speak.
When we really stop and think about all the conversations we have with family, friends, works associates and strangers, we can see the need of having the Spirit speak through us. When you wake up tomorrow it may just be that the Holy Spirit has a speaking ministry for you and He wants to give you the words to say. It may be to an audience of 100, or 10 or even 1. The size does not matter because it is an appointment from God and He wants to use you! Don’t speak for yourself-let the Holy Spirit do it for you.
May the Holy Spirit speak through you many times in 2008!
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, January 7, 2008
The Vine and the Branches
Today we are sending you a brief excerpt from Who Is This Jesus by Daniel Owens, along with a link to our new podcast Becoming Eternity Minded. Regular devotions, Straight from the heart of Dan Owens, will resume next week.
We encourage you to visit our podcast, Becoming Eternity Minded, at http://www.danowens.podcastpeople.com/ today to listen and/or download Dan Owens' message, The Vine and the Branches (Part I of III). Be sure to tune back in on January 14th and 21st for Part II and III.
The True Vine
"I am the real vine and my Father is the famer. He cuts off every branch of me that doesn't bear grapes. And every branch that is grape-bearing he prunes back so it will bear even more. You are
already pruned back by the message I have spoken." (John 15:1-3)
One Sunday I drove home from a speaking engagement along California's coastal highway. As we headed out of Los Angeles, we began to see vineyards popping up all over the place. In fact, the area from Santa Barbara to Morgan Hill, about a 250-mile stretch, seemed to have grown into one big vineyard.
We just gazed in amazement out our windows as we wound through the beautiful countryside. One vineyard after another made it look like a sea of grapes - it was absolutely beautiful.
Jesus used the analogy of a vineyard to describe his relationship with us. He says in John 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." He calls the Father (v. 1) the gardener, or vinedresser. Everyone has a role in God's vineyard.
Tune in to my podcast and listen to more on this topic.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, December 31, 2007
I Don't Believe
The following is an excerpt from In God We Trust . . . but only as a last resort by Daniel Owens (Chapter 6)
I Don't Believe
Bodega Bay in Northern California is famous for being the location for Alfred Hitchcock's movie The Birds, but for me it's a place of adventure. I first dived for abalone off the rocks lining the shore there and discovered the beautiful world under the vast Pacific Ocean. It was also at Bodega Bay that I had my first experience on a charter fishing boat. I was seventeen. What a thrill to jump on board a boat that for once in my life was larger than a ski boat. The boat was complete with a captain and crew and all the stuff one needs for fishing the ocean depths, including food for us to ease the boredom of the long ride out to sea.
It took almost two hours to get to where the captain felt we should be in order to ensure that we would take home our limit of lingcod, rock cod, and sea bass, and who was going to argue with the captain. As we surfed over the gentle waves, many of the men helped themselves to the coffee and pastries included in the day's package. For me, I was happy to stand in the bow and let the wind and the saltwater spray buffet on my body.
Just as we were beginning to feel a bit of restlessness, the big diesel engines died down, and the air became incredibly quiet. An anchor was released to hold our position as the swells moved us around with ease. Now the fun began. Each man began to prepare his fishing gear with care and quiet pride. The bait was made available in big buckets, and it didn't take long for the first salvo of fishing lines to hit the water. Each man found his own place to sit with coffee and pole in hand to wait for the battle to come. I promptly baited my two hooks and let the weights pull my line over the edge of the boat and into the sea. I had never caught fish in the ocean before, and I certainly didn't want to be the last one on the boat to have that thrill.
I had never been this far out into the ocean before. In fact, I had never really ventured out past the bays of Northern California. Even in the exhilaration of the moment I was awed by the amount of water that surrounded us. The shoreline was barely visible.
Our seasoned captain had selected the right spot, and the fish began to take the bait. I hadn't been sitting too long before I felt a pull on my line, and I swiftly yanked on my pole to set the hook. Reeling this first fish in was much harder than I expected. I had forgotten how far down my hooks were and how heavy the sinkers were even without a fish. After many minutes of pulling up my pole, creating slack, and reeling the slack in rapidly, the muscles in my arms were beginning to burn. Just when I thought I might be embarrassed by having to ask for help, the first fish broke the water! It was a large rock cod, fighting to stay in its domain under the sea. Adrenaline kicked in once I saw the fish, and I furiously fought to get it on board quickly. To my amazement, I had a fish on my second hook as well. I landed both fish and was quite proud of what I had just done. I was a deep-sea fisherman!
The boat was filled with laughter, fish stories, and lots of fish. We were having the time of our lives, and no one was in a hurry for the day to end. It seemed to come out of nowhere when the captain yelled, "Cut your lines now!" The gently rolling swells had become steep, wind-driven walls of water that were higher than the captain's housing on the top of the boat. The engines were called upon, and the anchor was put back in its place on board. To the protection of the bay we headed, our trip cut short by a storm we hadn't even seen coming.
The boat that seemed so large and sturdy now seemed uncomfortably small next to the waves that were pitching us this way and that at will. We alternated between being on the very crest of a wave to being in the trough with walls of water on both sides of the boat. Many of the men who had been laughing and eating pastries and other delicacies that their wives had packed for them were now vomiting over the side of the boat. One man who had been in the center of all the hoopla now was huddled in a corner, his face as green as the Grinch.
The sky darkened, the rain shot from the clouds, and the waves grew bigger and bigger. The boat moved at a much slower pace as it fought against the elements, and our two hours coming out turned into about three and a half going in. We all sat there and wondered how much the boat could take and feared that one of those monstrous waves would swamp us. No one dared ask the captain how we were doing for fear that the news would not be good.
Seeing the mouth of Bodega Bay brought an incredible sense of relief. We were soaked, cold, and, let's be honest, terrified! The mood changed back to the levity of the early morning once we were in the safety of the bay. Every man knew this was going to be a story told again and again through the years. My first experience on the ocean was an unforgettable one.
The Gospel of Mark tells the story of a storm I can relate to very well. We find the story unfolding in Mark 4:35-41:
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, and it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you even care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
This story of Jesus and His disciples is not unlike my own. Their day was much like mine, with all the joy and expectations of a great day out on the water. Jesus had said to His disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Can you picture the disciples telling Jesus not to worry about a thing, that they would take care of getting Him across? In so many words, I think the disciples said, "Go take it easy and leave the driving to us!" They were eager to show Jesus they knew a thing or two about sailing. The sun was shining, the provisions were loaded, and the disciples, who at one time made their living on the water, were feeling at home and loving it.
The Sea of Galilee brings to mind gentle sea breezes, blue water, sunny skies, and families at play. A picture of serenity. However, like America's Great Lakes, that sea can give birth to furious storms. Gordon Lightfoot's song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" describes in detail the events leading up to the sinking of a massive ship on Lake Superior. The Sea of Galilee has been known to exhibit waves as high as twenty feet when storms appear, seemingly, out of nowhere.
Mark intimates that the events of the next several hours were not due to some irresponsibility on the part of the disciples or their lack or planning. The storm was a complete surprise. Men of the sea commanded the boat. Men who could read the winds and the waves. Men who had been in storms before. But this storm brought the fear of death. I can picture those black thunderclouds, the cold, biting winds, sheets of driving rain, and mountainous waves. And just imagine - this was happening at night ("when evening came"), when all was dark.
Their little boat was being tossed around, bobbing like a toy. Unlike my experience in the Pacific, the disciples were having problems with water in the boat, a sailor's worst nightmare. The small boat would go down into the trough, but before it could back on top of the swell, the wave would break into the boat. Mark says it was "nearly swamped." That phrase means "filled to the full." It didn't look like they were going to make it. There was panic, fear, despair, horror, and hopelessness. This was an impossible situation, one that apparently was about to take their lives.
Then someone got an idea: "Maybe Jesus can help us out!" I'm sure there were skeptics on board. Sure, Jesus could turn water into wine and heal the sick, but what could He do with a storm like this? But gratefully someone thought of asking for His help.
We've all been hit with storms in life. They've come out of nowhere, taking us by surprise. A broken marriage, loss of a job, the death of a child, a debilitating disease. You may be going through a storm at this very moment and are doing everything you can to make it through, to make sense of it all. Here is where I see myself so clearly that it hurts. Did you notice how long it took the disciples to turn to Jesus? I'm sure they tried everything they knew to do in order to save themselves. Finally, when they ran out of ideas, they turned to Jesus. How many times have I done that very thing? The storm comes, I go into action, and in all the commotion I leave God out until the situation is so desperate that I can do nothing except call on Him.
But remembering the presence of Jesus was the beginning to the end of their problem. Once they turned to Jesus, a sense of peace swept over the situation. . . .
During the storms that blast our lives, we are often filled with negative thoughts. We may think God is out to get us or that He is angry with us because we're not living up to His standard. We forget that "God is love," that He cares for us very much, always. I know that my faith in God is a direct result of the intimacy we share together. The closer I am to Him, the more often I share my thoughts with Him, the more time I spend meditating on His Word, the more I will trust Him. Above all else in life, we must keep our relationship with Jesus current.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
I Don't Believe
Bodega Bay in Northern California is famous for being the location for Alfred Hitchcock's movie The Birds, but for me it's a place of adventure. I first dived for abalone off the rocks lining the shore there and discovered the beautiful world under the vast Pacific Ocean. It was also at Bodega Bay that I had my first experience on a charter fishing boat. I was seventeen. What a thrill to jump on board a boat that for once in my life was larger than a ski boat. The boat was complete with a captain and crew and all the stuff one needs for fishing the ocean depths, including food for us to ease the boredom of the long ride out to sea.
It took almost two hours to get to where the captain felt we should be in order to ensure that we would take home our limit of lingcod, rock cod, and sea bass, and who was going to argue with the captain. As we surfed over the gentle waves, many of the men helped themselves to the coffee and pastries included in the day's package. For me, I was happy to stand in the bow and let the wind and the saltwater spray buffet on my body.
Just as we were beginning to feel a bit of restlessness, the big diesel engines died down, and the air became incredibly quiet. An anchor was released to hold our position as the swells moved us around with ease. Now the fun began. Each man began to prepare his fishing gear with care and quiet pride. The bait was made available in big buckets, and it didn't take long for the first salvo of fishing lines to hit the water. Each man found his own place to sit with coffee and pole in hand to wait for the battle to come. I promptly baited my two hooks and let the weights pull my line over the edge of the boat and into the sea. I had never caught fish in the ocean before, and I certainly didn't want to be the last one on the boat to have that thrill.
I had never been this far out into the ocean before. In fact, I had never really ventured out past the bays of Northern California. Even in the exhilaration of the moment I was awed by the amount of water that surrounded us. The shoreline was barely visible.
Our seasoned captain had selected the right spot, and the fish began to take the bait. I hadn't been sitting too long before I felt a pull on my line, and I swiftly yanked on my pole to set the hook. Reeling this first fish in was much harder than I expected. I had forgotten how far down my hooks were and how heavy the sinkers were even without a fish. After many minutes of pulling up my pole, creating slack, and reeling the slack in rapidly, the muscles in my arms were beginning to burn. Just when I thought I might be embarrassed by having to ask for help, the first fish broke the water! It was a large rock cod, fighting to stay in its domain under the sea. Adrenaline kicked in once I saw the fish, and I furiously fought to get it on board quickly. To my amazement, I had a fish on my second hook as well. I landed both fish and was quite proud of what I had just done. I was a deep-sea fisherman!
The boat was filled with laughter, fish stories, and lots of fish. We were having the time of our lives, and no one was in a hurry for the day to end. It seemed to come out of nowhere when the captain yelled, "Cut your lines now!" The gently rolling swells had become steep, wind-driven walls of water that were higher than the captain's housing on the top of the boat. The engines were called upon, and the anchor was put back in its place on board. To the protection of the bay we headed, our trip cut short by a storm we hadn't even seen coming.
The boat that seemed so large and sturdy now seemed uncomfortably small next to the waves that were pitching us this way and that at will. We alternated between being on the very crest of a wave to being in the trough with walls of water on both sides of the boat. Many of the men who had been laughing and eating pastries and other delicacies that their wives had packed for them were now vomiting over the side of the boat. One man who had been in the center of all the hoopla now was huddled in a corner, his face as green as the Grinch.
The sky darkened, the rain shot from the clouds, and the waves grew bigger and bigger. The boat moved at a much slower pace as it fought against the elements, and our two hours coming out turned into about three and a half going in. We all sat there and wondered how much the boat could take and feared that one of those monstrous waves would swamp us. No one dared ask the captain how we were doing for fear that the news would not be good.
Seeing the mouth of Bodega Bay brought an incredible sense of relief. We were soaked, cold, and, let's be honest, terrified! The mood changed back to the levity of the early morning once we were in the safety of the bay. Every man knew this was going to be a story told again and again through the years. My first experience on the ocean was an unforgettable one.
The Gospel of Mark tells the story of a storm I can relate to very well. We find the story unfolding in Mark 4:35-41:
That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, and it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you even care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"
This story of Jesus and His disciples is not unlike my own. Their day was much like mine, with all the joy and expectations of a great day out on the water. Jesus had said to His disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Can you picture the disciples telling Jesus not to worry about a thing, that they would take care of getting Him across? In so many words, I think the disciples said, "Go take it easy and leave the driving to us!" They were eager to show Jesus they knew a thing or two about sailing. The sun was shining, the provisions were loaded, and the disciples, who at one time made their living on the water, were feeling at home and loving it.
The Sea of Galilee brings to mind gentle sea breezes, blue water, sunny skies, and families at play. A picture of serenity. However, like America's Great Lakes, that sea can give birth to furious storms. Gordon Lightfoot's song "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald" describes in detail the events leading up to the sinking of a massive ship on Lake Superior. The Sea of Galilee has been known to exhibit waves as high as twenty feet when storms appear, seemingly, out of nowhere.
Mark intimates that the events of the next several hours were not due to some irresponsibility on the part of the disciples or their lack or planning. The storm was a complete surprise. Men of the sea commanded the boat. Men who could read the winds and the waves. Men who had been in storms before. But this storm brought the fear of death. I can picture those black thunderclouds, the cold, biting winds, sheets of driving rain, and mountainous waves. And just imagine - this was happening at night ("when evening came"), when all was dark.
Their little boat was being tossed around, bobbing like a toy. Unlike my experience in the Pacific, the disciples were having problems with water in the boat, a sailor's worst nightmare. The small boat would go down into the trough, but before it could back on top of the swell, the wave would break into the boat. Mark says it was "nearly swamped." That phrase means "filled to the full." It didn't look like they were going to make it. There was panic, fear, despair, horror, and hopelessness. This was an impossible situation, one that apparently was about to take their lives.
Then someone got an idea: "Maybe Jesus can help us out!" I'm sure there were skeptics on board. Sure, Jesus could turn water into wine and heal the sick, but what could He do with a storm like this? But gratefully someone thought of asking for His help.
We've all been hit with storms in life. They've come out of nowhere, taking us by surprise. A broken marriage, loss of a job, the death of a child, a debilitating disease. You may be going through a storm at this very moment and are doing everything you can to make it through, to make sense of it all. Here is where I see myself so clearly that it hurts. Did you notice how long it took the disciples to turn to Jesus? I'm sure they tried everything they knew to do in order to save themselves. Finally, when they ran out of ideas, they turned to Jesus. How many times have I done that very thing? The storm comes, I go into action, and in all the commotion I leave God out until the situation is so desperate that I can do nothing except call on Him.
But remembering the presence of Jesus was the beginning to the end of their problem. Once they turned to Jesus, a sense of peace swept over the situation. . . .
During the storms that blast our lives, we are often filled with negative thoughts. We may think God is out to get us or that He is angry with us because we're not living up to His standard. We forget that "God is love," that He cares for us very much, always. I know that my faith in God is a direct result of the intimacy we share together. The closer I am to Him, the more often I share my thoughts with Him, the more time I spend meditating on His Word, the more I will trust Him. Above all else in life, we must keep our relationship with Jesus current.
God bless you,
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, December 17, 2007
A New Fire
The following is an excerpt from A Joy That is Real by Daniel Owens (page 89-91)
If your light was once burning brightly but now has begun to dim, what will it take to make it shine again? What do we need to do to bravely hold forth the word of life?
Wouldn't it be great if we could wake up on Monday morning and say, "Lord, who can I bring closer to you this week?" Instead of thinking about getting to work on time or what bills need to be paid, wouldn't it be great if we could focus our week on where to shine our light?
If every Christian in your city were killed except you, would you be able to march forward? Could you be a shining light to lead others to Christ and rebuild the church? That is a convicting thought for me. Knowledge without power will never transform a community. Dogma and creed without love will never transform a community. Only Christ's love shining through his people will draw others to the truth.
Martin Luther King Jr. gave a wonderful sermon in which he encouraged believers to establish a colony of heaven here on earth. In it he said, "Most Christians are thermometers that record or register the temperature of majority opinion, not thermostats that transform and regulate the temperature of society."(4) We need to be the ones who determine what our society will look like.
Jesus said that he came to seek and to save what was lost. As obedient followers, we should do the same. Our ministry is to hold forth the word of life, and shine as bright stars in a dark world.
In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden . . . Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." We are clearly called to be light to nonbelievers.
Let me give you a challenge. If you don't think about the lost, if you never try to share your faith with anyone, then you are not being an obedient follower of Jesus. Perhaps your light has grown dim, or maybe it has never gotten strong, but you can fan that flame right now by making a commitment to be a witness for Jesus.
When a star burns out, it doesn't come back. When a light bulb burns out, we throw it away. But praise God that he brings back burned-out Christians. Even the person with the coldest heart who has lost his or her way can come back to God, who will relight the fire in our souls.
The Philippian church began with a bright light and a strong witness in their community. However, that light was beginning to dim because of the bickering and arguing that was taking place within the church.
As the church -the body of believers- we need to watch out for this trap. In Revelation 3, Jesus rebukes the church at Laodicea for being lukewarm. Their light had grown dim because they had been choked out by the world and its pleasures. Jesus told them to repent, to go back to the way they had been when their light first started to shine.
For many years when I lived in San Diego, California, we had a Christmas Eve tradition in out community. Volunteers would bring white paper bags, sand, and tea lights to each house. On Christmas Eve we would fill the bags with sand and nestle the tea lights inside, then place fifteen to twenty of them on the sidewalk in front of each of our homes.
When it got dark we would all go out and light the candles, and the neighborhood would be transformed. The streets were lined with these beautiful luminaries, and as you walked down the road, you truly felt like you were in a winter wonderland. We enjoyed a wonderful evening, but eventually the candles would burn out, and by midnight it would once again be dark.
What is your heart like? Is it cold? Have the lights gone out?
No matter what may have caused you to grow dim, always come to the Lord and say, "Relight the fire in my heart. Here are the things that have been blocking my way. Please give me a new passion to love you and reach the lost for you."
As we come to the Lord and open up before him and confess out shortcomings, he fills us anew with his Holy Spirit. The Spirit fans the flame and brings us back to the brightness we once had.
At some point, the light of Christ shining in someone else led you to accept him. Now will you be that light to others? It doesn't matter if we're shy or our gifts are different or if out personalities are not very bold. Let's be living luminaries who bring a warm glow to the dark paths of people's hearts!
Merry Christmas,
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
If your light was once burning brightly but now has begun to dim, what will it take to make it shine again? What do we need to do to bravely hold forth the word of life?
Wouldn't it be great if we could wake up on Monday morning and say, "Lord, who can I bring closer to you this week?" Instead of thinking about getting to work on time or what bills need to be paid, wouldn't it be great if we could focus our week on where to shine our light?
If every Christian in your city were killed except you, would you be able to march forward? Could you be a shining light to lead others to Christ and rebuild the church? That is a convicting thought for me. Knowledge without power will never transform a community. Dogma and creed without love will never transform a community. Only Christ's love shining through his people will draw others to the truth.
Martin Luther King Jr. gave a wonderful sermon in which he encouraged believers to establish a colony of heaven here on earth. In it he said, "Most Christians are thermometers that record or register the temperature of majority opinion, not thermostats that transform and regulate the temperature of society."(4) We need to be the ones who determine what our society will look like.
Jesus said that he came to seek and to save what was lost. As obedient followers, we should do the same. Our ministry is to hold forth the word of life, and shine as bright stars in a dark world.
In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus says, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden . . . Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." We are clearly called to be light to nonbelievers.
Let me give you a challenge. If you don't think about the lost, if you never try to share your faith with anyone, then you are not being an obedient follower of Jesus. Perhaps your light has grown dim, or maybe it has never gotten strong, but you can fan that flame right now by making a commitment to be a witness for Jesus.
When a star burns out, it doesn't come back. When a light bulb burns out, we throw it away. But praise God that he brings back burned-out Christians. Even the person with the coldest heart who has lost his or her way can come back to God, who will relight the fire in our souls.
The Philippian church began with a bright light and a strong witness in their community. However, that light was beginning to dim because of the bickering and arguing that was taking place within the church.
As the church -the body of believers- we need to watch out for this trap. In Revelation 3, Jesus rebukes the church at Laodicea for being lukewarm. Their light had grown dim because they had been choked out by the world and its pleasures. Jesus told them to repent, to go back to the way they had been when their light first started to shine.
For many years when I lived in San Diego, California, we had a Christmas Eve tradition in out community. Volunteers would bring white paper bags, sand, and tea lights to each house. On Christmas Eve we would fill the bags with sand and nestle the tea lights inside, then place fifteen to twenty of them on the sidewalk in front of each of our homes.
When it got dark we would all go out and light the candles, and the neighborhood would be transformed. The streets were lined with these beautiful luminaries, and as you walked down the road, you truly felt like you were in a winter wonderland. We enjoyed a wonderful evening, but eventually the candles would burn out, and by midnight it would once again be dark.
What is your heart like? Is it cold? Have the lights gone out?
No matter what may have caused you to grow dim, always come to the Lord and say, "Relight the fire in my heart. Here are the things that have been blocking my way. Please give me a new passion to love you and reach the lost for you."
As we come to the Lord and open up before him and confess out shortcomings, he fills us anew with his Holy Spirit. The Spirit fans the flame and brings us back to the brightness we once had.
At some point, the light of Christ shining in someone else led you to accept him. Now will you be that light to others? It doesn't matter if we're shy or our gifts are different or if out personalities are not very bold. Let's be living luminaries who bring a warm glow to the dark paths of people's hearts!
Merry Christmas,
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
Monday, December 10, 2007
The Words of Jesus Can Be Trusted
Who can forget the sight of the Twin Towers collapsing to the ground on 9-11? It is a picture that still staggers the imagination and causes a deep emotional response. As we watched the horrific drama unfold it was as though we were watching an action movie at the theater. However, the act was real, the results were deadly and the effects are being felt to this very day.
I also confess that as horrible as that act of violence was, it probably did not impact me as great as it did others who lived so much closer, or knew of loved ones in the buildings. Here on the west coast we feel a bit isolated and insulated from events that take place on the east coast. If something were to tragically happen to the Trans America building in San Francisco or to the Golden Gate Bridge, my emotional duress would be greater because that is where I grew up.
Jesus shocked his disciples with a prophecy regarding the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Unlike my living in the United States and the 9-11 tragedy, the entire Jewish nation was emotionally tied to the temple. It was central to their beliefs, their culture, and their very lives no matter where they lived.
As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!" "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one of stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to be fulfilled?" Mark 13:1-4
The temple that Jesus refers to in this passage is of course the second Jewish temple that was greatly enlarged under the rule of Herod. Since the first temple was destroyed centuries earlier it appears that the disciples were not in disbelief regarding its potential destruction again. It is apparent by their reaction however, that this prophecy is important to them and they wanted to know when it was going to happen.
History tells us that Jesus prophesied correctly and a few years later, 70AD to be exact, the temple was destroyed. The Jewish people it seems had been provoked by the Romans desecration of the temple and its articles. They rose up and battled the Romans for four years until Titus came with a massive army and destroyed not only the temple, but according to some calculations killed a million Jews.
Let's read the words of the Josephus, the Jewish historian who fought in the war and survived to tell about it. It is interesting to note that he surrendered to the Romans while in battle and became an informant against the Jews. He latter lived out his life in luxury as an employee of the Roman government. One can understand that even as Christians have embraced him because of his writings on Jesus, the Jews to this day call him a traitor and untrustworthy.
"The emperor ordered the entire city and sanctuary to be razed to the ground, except only the highest towers, Phasael, Hippicus, and Marianmne, and that part of the wall that enclosed the city on the west . . . . All the rest of the wall that surrounded the city was so completely razed to the ground as to leave future visitors to the spot no reason to believe that it had ever been inhabited . . . . When flames rose, a scream, as poignant as the tragedy, went up from the Jews . . . now that the object which before they had guarded so closely was going to ruin."
Jesus said it would happen and it did!
I have never been a student of prophecy because I have never really seen the need for it. That is just my own personal position, not something that I teach or promote. As a young teenager and new Christian I heard prophecy preachers on a regular basis speak with great authority as to what was going to happen in the near future. Oh, the abuse and manipulation of people still causes me to well up with anger. While I was studying in college and listening to my, at times, arrogant professors speak as though they knew better than everyone else regarding the return of the Lord, I decided not to care about prophecy. I still don't, but you may and that is fine.
What I care about is this passage of scripture and what it tells me regarding Jesus. Jesus said the destruction of the temple was going to happen and it happened. The words of Jesus can be trusted even if we do not have complete understanding.
If the words of Jesus can be trusted, then I should be concerned with Jesus' promise to return to this earth! In college and seminary I was required to study eschatology or end times, which I greatly disliked. There were, and are, so many thoughts on the timeline of future events and everyone thinks they are right. The fact is Jesus said only God in heaven knows the day and hour of his return so why in the world should I waste time studying that when there is a lost world that needs to hear about Jesus and his first coming.
Every generation of Christians has believed that Jesus was coming in their lifetime and so should we! That is the issue at hand today. Jesus said he would return and we should live as though he is keeping his word and will be here any moment. In reality if I could live with the belief that Jesus may come back today might my focus be just a little different? If Jesus returns tomorrow will I be glad? Will my soul be clean before him? Will my relationships with others be mended? Will my values be correct? Will I let go of this world easily? Will I know he is on his way because the Holy Spirit in me leaps for joy?
This is the season we celebrate the Lord's first coming, now let us eagerly anticipate his second coming!
Live It,
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
www.eternityminded.org
I also confess that as horrible as that act of violence was, it probably did not impact me as great as it did others who lived so much closer, or knew of loved ones in the buildings. Here on the west coast we feel a bit isolated and insulated from events that take place on the east coast. If something were to tragically happen to the Trans America building in San Francisco or to the Golden Gate Bridge, my emotional duress would be greater because that is where I grew up.
Jesus shocked his disciples with a prophecy regarding the Jewish temple in Jerusalem. Unlike my living in the United States and the 9-11 tragedy, the entire Jewish nation was emotionally tied to the temple. It was central to their beliefs, their culture, and their very lives no matter where they lived.
As he was leaving the temple, one of his disciples said to him, "Look, Teacher! What massive stones! What magnificent buildings!" "Do you see all these great buildings?" replied Jesus. "Not one of stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John and Andrew asked him privately, "Tell us, when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to be fulfilled?" Mark 13:1-4
The temple that Jesus refers to in this passage is of course the second Jewish temple that was greatly enlarged under the rule of Herod. Since the first temple was destroyed centuries earlier it appears that the disciples were not in disbelief regarding its potential destruction again. It is apparent by their reaction however, that this prophecy is important to them and they wanted to know when it was going to happen.
History tells us that Jesus prophesied correctly and a few years later, 70AD to be exact, the temple was destroyed. The Jewish people it seems had been provoked by the Romans desecration of the temple and its articles. They rose up and battled the Romans for four years until Titus came with a massive army and destroyed not only the temple, but according to some calculations killed a million Jews.
Let's read the words of the Josephus, the Jewish historian who fought in the war and survived to tell about it. It is interesting to note that he surrendered to the Romans while in battle and became an informant against the Jews. He latter lived out his life in luxury as an employee of the Roman government. One can understand that even as Christians have embraced him because of his writings on Jesus, the Jews to this day call him a traitor and untrustworthy.
"The emperor ordered the entire city and sanctuary to be razed to the ground, except only the highest towers, Phasael, Hippicus, and Marianmne, and that part of the wall that enclosed the city on the west . . . . All the rest of the wall that surrounded the city was so completely razed to the ground as to leave future visitors to the spot no reason to believe that it had ever been inhabited . . . . When flames rose, a scream, as poignant as the tragedy, went up from the Jews . . . now that the object which before they had guarded so closely was going to ruin."
Jesus said it would happen and it did!
I have never been a student of prophecy because I have never really seen the need for it. That is just my own personal position, not something that I teach or promote. As a young teenager and new Christian I heard prophecy preachers on a regular basis speak with great authority as to what was going to happen in the near future. Oh, the abuse and manipulation of people still causes me to well up with anger. While I was studying in college and listening to my, at times, arrogant professors speak as though they knew better than everyone else regarding the return of the Lord, I decided not to care about prophecy. I still don't, but you may and that is fine.
What I care about is this passage of scripture and what it tells me regarding Jesus. Jesus said the destruction of the temple was going to happen and it happened. The words of Jesus can be trusted even if we do not have complete understanding.
If the words of Jesus can be trusted, then I should be concerned with Jesus' promise to return to this earth! In college and seminary I was required to study eschatology or end times, which I greatly disliked. There were, and are, so many thoughts on the timeline of future events and everyone thinks they are right. The fact is Jesus said only God in heaven knows the day and hour of his return so why in the world should I waste time studying that when there is a lost world that needs to hear about Jesus and his first coming.
Every generation of Christians has believed that Jesus was coming in their lifetime and so should we! That is the issue at hand today. Jesus said he would return and we should live as though he is keeping his word and will be here any moment. In reality if I could live with the belief that Jesus may come back today might my focus be just a little different? If Jesus returns tomorrow will I be glad? Will my soul be clean before him? Will my relationships with others be mended? Will my values be correct? Will I let go of this world easily? Will I know he is on his way because the Holy Spirit in me leaps for joy?
This is the season we celebrate the Lord's first coming, now let us eagerly anticipate his second coming!
Live It,
Dan
Copyright 2007 Eternity Minded Ministries - All rights reserved
www.eternityminded.org
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