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John 14

3/23/2015

John 14:30-31
“I don’t have much more time to talk to you, because the ruler of this world approaches. He has no power over me, but I will do what the Father requires of me, so that the world will know that I love the Father. Come, let’s be going."

I have always loved reading this part because in it you see the heart of Jesus and His love for the Father. He loves us but that is not why He went to the cross. He went to the cross because of His love for the Father. All throughout the gospel of John we see the love if Jesus to the Father and we see that when our heart is full of love we can forget our own desires and step up and be strong because of that love. In chapter 14 verse 15 Jesus says, “If you love me, obey my commandments." This is not just because, it's what Jesus always did. He obeyed the Father because He loved Him. In John chapter 5 verses 19-23 we see this from Jesus' own mouth. "So Jesus explained, “I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what He sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing. In fact, the Father will show Him how to do even greater works than healing this man. Then you will truly be astonished. For just as the Father gives life to those He raises from the dead, so the Son gives life to anyone He wants. In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, He has given the Son absolute authority to judge, so that everyone will honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son is certainly not honoring the Father who sent him."

We have the strength to grow and surrender because the Spirit of God lives in us and He will give us the power to say no to our flesh and yes to Jesus. When God told Paul "my grace is enough" it wasn't that He didn't love Him it was that He understood that in his weakness he would turn to the Lord and when he did the strength would be there, because the Holy Spirit is in him. Jesus shares this with John in chapter 14 verse 17 and it is so true "He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him, because he lives with you now and later will be in you." He lives in us now and when we feed Him and listen to Him we have the truth, when we love Him we live the truth. We need to let our love show by how we have let God transform us into His image and live doing only what we are shown by His example. Amen

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Luke 12

3/13/2015

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Luke 12:35-36
"Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return from the wedding feast. Then you will be ready to open the door and let Him in the moment He arrives and knocks."

This is important as we accept Christ and continue on our journey as fully devoted followers of Jesus. It does not say once you accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life you can put the car in neutral and let Him do everything. It says, "Be dressed for service..." We must be ready with His wisdom (knowledge of His word) so our actions are one with Christ. It is not a time where we can just wear sweat pants and lay around clueless. We need to get up daily and renew our mind and put on the proper cloths for Him to return.

No one knows when He will return but when our lamps are burning and He comes back there will be no surprises. The second part says, "...and keep your lamps burning, as though you were waiting for your master to return..." There is purpose in what we do as Christians, we can't have it be just a word we use to impress some people. It must be a tool to show that our lamps are lit and we are dressed and ready for anything this world might throw at us. If we continually prepare and renew our minds we will be ready and useful as children of God. The end of verse 36 says, "Then you will be ready to open the door and let Him in the moment He arrives and knocks."

We won't even have to think about it, it will come naturally because the Spirit that lives in us will be a loud voice that we actually listen too. If the next verse doesn't get you excited to be a doer of the word of God then I am not sure what will. Verse 37 says, "The servants who are ready and waiting for His return will be rewarded. I tell you the truth, He Himself will seat them, put on an apron, and serve them as they sit and eat!" This is what we should be doing if we call ourselves "Christians" it is not just a name tag, it is a honor and a duty to love. Every morning wake up and say thank you Lord for giving me life and for giving me the cloths I need to be "dressed for service." Thank you for giving me the fuel and matches to start and keep my lamps burning. Use me today like it's the day you will return, and keep my focus on you. Know that I want to not just say who I am in Christ, I want to live it and show how ready I am to plant and water your seeds so the world can be different. Amen

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Luke 19

3/12/2015

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Luke 19:6-10
"Zacchaeus quickly climbed down and took Jesus to his house in (great) excitement and joy. But the people were displeased. 'He has gone to be the guest of a notorious sinner, 'they grumbled.' Meanwhile, Zacchaeus stood before the Lord and said, 'I will give half my wealth to the poor, Lord, and if I have cheated on their taxes, I will give them back four times as much!' Jesus responded, 'Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost."

As I read this the Holy Spirit showed me a few key things that opened my heart for growth. First it said, "...Zacchaeus took Jesus to his house in great excitement and joy." No matter what he did in the past or how he treated people his belief in Jesus made him excited. As believers this should be how we act daily in all circumstances because we know Him. Secondly, He said, 'I will give half my wealth to the poor.' He took a worldly desire and let it go. He realized that knowing Jesus was filling the gap in his life that he thought money would do. We need to let the excitement of knowing Him fill us so that our focus is on spiritual things and not worldly things. Lastly, Zacchaeus offers to give back four times as much as he took to everyone he cheated. That is the final release of the hold the world had on him, and his desire was now to share and serve the Lord.

We don't get the rest of the story about Zacchaeus but we get what Jesus says in verse 9, "Salvation has come to this home today, for this man has shown himself to be a true son of Abraham." Zacchaeus's heart opened and he didn't care about his wealth or life, he cared about Jesus. What are we holding onto that is keeping us from truly being excited and not caring about our vises? He released his greed and gave; that's what Jesus asks of us to be His disciples.

Matthew chapter 16 verse 24 says, "Then Jesus said to His disciples. 'If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me." Zacchaeus at that moment gave up his selfish ways, and he had excitement and joy. He could have done nothing and enjoyed that Jesus was at his house, but he from his heart, started telling Jesus what he was going to do. This was not a request from Jesus, but Zacchaeus desired to let go and his love moved him to action. Verse 25 says, "If you try to hang onto your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it." As we grow in our relationship and we seek wisdom our lives begin to change, and this co-laboring with God is what moves us and gives us the strength to take up our cross daily.

It can't be by our own strength or we will get tired and it won't be just God making us change. He gave us the key but we still need to turn it to unlock the door. The word tells us to take up our cross, not that God will take it up for us. We need to release the things that keep us focused on the world and let the Spirit guide us to live in the fruit of the Spirit focused on Jesus and love. Amen

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John 14

Luke 12

Luke 19

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