Jesus wants more than my feet

Jesus wants all of me not just part of me.  He doesn't want to just polish up certain parts of my life He wants to polish all of my life.  My Lord and Savior loves me so much that He cares about every aspect of my being.  He cares about my speech, my thoughts, my emotions, my attitude, my hurts, my weaknesses, my strengths.  Christ is genuinely concerned about the things I do, the places I go, who I help, who I care for, what I do with my time, do I take care of myself, do I care about others, picking me up when I fall, my sickness, am I in fellowship with other believers.  It matters to Him if I am modest, am I pure, am I faithful, am I growing,  He really does care about everything.

As I was reading the story of when Jesus washed His disciples feet his conversation with Peter spoke to me.  Peter didn't want Jesus to wash his feet.  I don't know if it was pride or humility that made Peter feel that way.  Could it have been pride because he didn't want to be embarrassed?  Was it humility because Peter knew Christ was greater than himself and he didn't deserve to have Jesus wash his feet.  I honestly do not know the answer.   Either way it really doesn't matter because Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet.

When it comes to my relationship with Christ it doesn't matter if pride or humility gets in the way.  Either way I still hinder the fullness of what Christ wants to do in me and for me.  

Jesus responded to Peter by saying this; "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."  Wow!  Just simply a humbling wow.  My reasons don't matter, whatever they are if they hinder what Christ desires for my life there is a part of me that will have nothing to do with the one who died for me.

I am pretty sure Peter was wow'd as well.  Immediately Peter wanted Jesus to wash all of him, no bars hold and no excuses.  I want to be like Peter, I want Jesus to wash all of me.

John 13:8-9  "No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

What are you wearing?

Have you ever heard the saying "it is written all over your face", or "you wear your emotions on your shoulders"? These sayings relate to how people appear because of what they are feeling or experiencing. More often than not people wear their emotions and feelings for others to see.

If you think about it, there is a great deal of truth behind these sayings.  Just watch people and you will see for yourself.  When something bad is going on you can see it.  Body language and affect appear distraught, depressed, or even hopeless.  When something exciting is happening, you can't help but notice.  Big smiles, joyful affects, and attitudes that are contagious.  Parents can relate best to what I am saying.  When your kids have done wrong, you can see it by how they appear and behave.  When your kids have done well, you can see it before they ever speak a word.

In the book of John we can read about Lazarus.  Lazarus was stinky dead laying in a tomb for four days.  Spiritually we are dead in sin and life stinks because of it.  Jesus did not see Lazarus for what he already was, he saw Lazarus for what he should be.  Because of that Jesus called Lazarus from the tomb of death and raised him back to life.  But check out what the last thing Jesus said concerning Lazarus.  "...Take off the grave clothes and let him go." (John 11:44). I love it, Lazarus was no longer dead and therefore his appearance would no longer portray death as well. 

When I came I Christ and accepted him as my LORD and savior, Jesus said to me "take off your grave clothes, you are no longer dead to sin."  Right after that he said; "clothe yourself in me, for now you live and for now on you will look like it."  My affect, my attitude, and my life are no longer clothed to appear dead, but very much alive.

Can I encourage you to change your spiritual clothes?

Galatians 3:27 for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel

Rock and a hard place

Between a rock and a hard place with no apparent way out.  Has this ever been you?  It has been me more than once.  So many times before it seemed like any decision was a lose lose.  Often I had to make the lesser lose decision, but none the less it's was a loss.  Usually those lose lose and lesser loss decisions were made without consulting anyone or seeking wise advice.

As I have grown in my faith I have learned God allows those "between a rock and a hard place" situations.  He allows it either intentionally or as a result of my own choices.  Either way, when I am in that place He always asks; "what are we going to do?"  God has never expected me to answer that question.  Gods intention is for me to ask Him that same question.

Nothing surprises God and there is no such thing as a rock an a hard place for God.  He can move mountains right?  I have learned this is Gods way of getting me to listen.  He already knows what needs to be done.  Consider the story of Jesus feeding the five thousand in John chapter 6.

John 6:5-6 When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?"6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.

Can I challenge you to just ask Jesus? He already has the answer.

Disbelieving professed believer?

Are you a disbelieving professed believer?  Do you profess to be a believer in Jesus Christ but your actions exhibit disbelief?

I have been a youth minister for nearly 5 years now and a christian for over 20 years.  The other day I asked our youth; "what did I preach on Wednesday night?"  Out of the group only a small portion raised their hands.  The ones who did not remember were all professed Christians.  Is this true for the church as a whole?

I got to thinking about the church as a whole myself included.  How many times have I forgotten what that really awesome message was about?  How man times was I challenged to take my faith to the next level only to keep my life status quo.  Am I known for applying and acting upon Gods word?  Is the church as a whole becoming more and more like Christ?  Or are we maintaining status quo?

Jesus speaks I this very problem in the book of John.  He says to the religious leaders; "you diligently study scriptures because you think that by them you have eternal life." (John 6:39).  Do we think we have eternal life because we own a bible and go to church?  If so we are just as wrong as the religious leaders of Jesus's time.  

Jesus concludes by saying; "if you believed mosses you would believe me, for he wrote about me.  47 but since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"  (John 5:46-47).  I don't know about your church, but my pastor is the godliest man I know.  He faithfully brings the word of God every week and throughout each day.  He doesn't preach his version of the gospel, he professes and proclaims the whole word of God as inspired by the spirit of God.  If I truly believe my pastor yet never remember, apply, or even change then by my actions I am a disbeliever.  If I really believe I would react and respond I the word of God.

Praise the LORD I am a believing professed believer in Jesus Christ.  I'm not perfect but I am growing and evolving.  I'm not forgetting and I am reacting.  

Are you a disbelieving professed believer?  I hope not.  Gods word is true and his promises never fail.  

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel

The only thing

The only thing that stands between your life now and the life God wants to give you is you.  It may be pride, shame, guilt, doubt, anger, disbelief, or whatever other reasons and excuses you can come up with.  No matter the excuse or reason, it all comes down to you.  

It is our excuses and reasons that keep us from repentance, the turning away from the sinful life we lead now and turning to a life in Christ.  We allow our excuses to hold us in bondage, enslave, and captured to the life we really don't want to live.  

Repent and God will forgive and you will be given life.

Luke 24:46-47 He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel

Excuses excuses, I can't

I don't have enough courage, I don't have enough wisdom, I don't know enough theology, I don't have enough time, I won't ever be able to do that, I don't have enough to make a difference, I don't ever think I could, I don't, I don't, I don't.... So many people have so much more and have a lot more they can do and give, way beyond what I ever could.

Is this the voice inside your head when it come to serving and giving to and for the LORD? 

It once was mine.  Fortunately I had a Mosses and the burning bush experience with The Lord the week of July 4th, 2009.  Thankfully I received the same answer as Mosses.  I kept saying I am not able and God said "I AM."  

Several months later I realized that God considered a poor widow rich not because of how much she gave, but simply because she gave her all. I realized I did not matter how much knowledge, courage, wisdom, strength or even money I had.  All God wanted was for me to give my all so He could make it rich.  

Nearly 5 years later, God took my shy, bashful, hermit crab, I can't mentality and has made my life rich.  I am blessed to be a youth minister, having God the father of my savior Jesus Christ use what little I have to reveal the richness of His mercy, glory, and grace.  

May I encourage you to give Him all you have so your life can be rich too?

Luke 21:3-4 "I tell you the truth," He said, "This widow has put in more than all the others.  4 All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on."  

#god #godsword #jesus #jesuschrist #christ #christian #bible #bibleverse #scripture #salvation #church #faithful #faith #hope #love #gospel 

Be bold and ask

Just because you are a christian doesn't mean you no longer have to ask for things.  For some reason Christians believe that once they give their lives to The Lord He does the rest in making their lives more peaceful and joyful and they don't have to do anything else.  This is wrong.

Jesus assures us He will meet our needs, not because it's expected but rather we ask.  In Luke chapter 11 Jesus teaches on prayer.  He explains in a parable about two friends and meeting the others needs.   The friend goes to the house at an inconvenient time at night asking for bread.  The friend does not give the other bread because it is expected,  the expectation is the friend should wait to ask until a more convenient time.  Jesus explains the needs are met because of the mans boldness to ask at the most inopportune time.  

We are told to ask out of boldness even in the midst if the most inopportune times.  In turn Jesus assures us we will be given what is needed.  Do not confuse your wants with your needs.  He promises to meet needs not wants.  If I am struggling financially and I want to get rich, that may not happen.  Jesus may provide a love offering to make ends meet, he may put it upon someone's heart to give me food, or maybe have someone pay a bill unexpectedly for me.  

Be bold and ask Jesus to meet your needs, He will.

Luke 11:8-10 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him the bread because he is his friend, yet because of the man's boldness he will get up and give him as much as he needs.9 "So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.10 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.