A Reflection on Church, Community, and Living Out Our Faith

 

Some months ago, I wanted to branch out and explore different churches here in Massachusetts. I will definitely say there is something to be said about Churches in South, many of them are warm and inviting. Compared to the Northern counterparts. In particular take Florida as an example, when you walk in the doors, you will usually get greeted with a bubbly personality and may even be asked questions to strike up a conversation. In contrast up here in the North, I usually get greeted with a smile and just find a seat quietly, look around and feeling awkward.

This got me thinking about churches and what makes them a place where people feel wanted, accepted and a part of a community. I started thinking about to some of my first experiences with church, it was at First Baptist Church (FBC) of Fort Lauderdale. When my family and I started attending FBC it was back in 1990. I remember the first time I walked into the sanctuary. We were running late and the orchestra and choir had already begun to singing and playing. I was astounded by the sound of the music - there were 250 faces singing the most beautiful songs I had ever heard and a full orchestra with almost every instrument you could think of. I was about 9 years old. I could have sworn that was what it was going to sound like when we got to heaven. Beautiful and in unison and standing proudly proclaiming Jesus as Lord. I had no idea then how much that church was going to change my life in the best of ways!

I think back on those early days with such fondness and wonder. God used the congregation of that church to minister to my family and I in profound ways that completely shaped the person I became. 

At that time, that my dad had been significantly injured and was out of work. We were struggling financially to pay our rent. Someone in the church heard about this struggle. We got a phone call to go check the mailbox and there was a check for the exact amount we needed for rent in our mailbox! I remember my mom crying and getting down on her knees and just thanking God in that moment. Some weeks later we got another call, go check outside there are groceries there. We go outside and our empty fridge was filled with food. 

"Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me." ‭‭Matthew‬ ‭25‬:‭37‬-‭38‬, ‭40‬

Another example, I was being homeschooled at the time and was very active in the church, but I must have mentioned in passing that I really wanted to learn how to play the clarinet so I could join the orchestra someday. Someone heard that I wanted to learn the clarinet and they reached out to one of the clarinet players in the orchestra and told him about me. They asked would he be willing to help teach me. He told them that we would be delighted to teach me! My mom was an amazing seamstress so a deal was struck. To pay for clarinet lessons my mom would do his mending. The only thing left was a clarinet. Someone donated a clarinet and dropped it off at the church office! I got a call that they had something specifically for me. When I got to the church office, the smiling lady behind the desk handed me a clarinet. I opened it and was so overjoyed! With my new teacher, I started learning music theory, learning to sight read music and learning to play songs!  I was off to making a joyful racket with all the honking and squeaking one learning a clarinet does! (If you have ever played this instrument you KNOW what I am talking about) God bless my parents for putting up with me.  

Bunny trail moment:

    A about a year ago, my mom was digitizing all of our old family home videos. Hidden in the midst of my church plays and various outing and vacations we had done there was a clip. This clip was us at a retreat on the beach, we were staying at a cabin. My mom woke up before my dad. I had a mischievous idea to grab my beloved clarinet and play right near his head.My mom laughed and thought it was a brilliant idea. So I went off to put it together. I decided I was not going to play a song but I was going to make a series of honks! I remember the sheer joy I had thinking about this little plan I had. I go into the bedroom where my dad was peacefully sleeping and started honking away! I was so proud of myself. My dad woke up instantly as you would expect and once he realized it was me making that awful racket he smiled and threw a pillow at me and we all bust out in laughter. This moment was caught on camera. Think of the joy that would have missed without that Clarinet! HAHAHA 

Why do I go into such detail? Because I want to share with you what it means to be part of a bible believing, spirit filled church. Where the people are so in love with Jesus that it overflows into people's lives and it changes them forever! You walk in to a church and walk out a changed person for the better! This is what the church should be!!

I can tell you as a kid I learned the power of what being in community was really all about. They say that it takes a village to raise a child and I can telly you God brought me the best village in town! :) It was because of the Sunday services, Sunday school, youth retreats, camps etc- where I learned who Jesus was. I watched the leaders around me and they all were people that lived out loud what they believed. It's because of their genuineness and authenticity that I  believed Jesus was all he said He was! I was changed and made better because of it. I knew, saw and experienced the real love of God through His people. My bible came to life! 

“Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, they should do so as one who speaks the very words of God. If anyone serves, they should do so with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.” ‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭4‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ 

"This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” ‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭16‬-‭18‬ ‭

I bring these things up to simply remind and challenge the importance of being Jesus' hands and feet in this very sick and dying world around us. Just telling someone that you will pray for them is great.  But showing up and providing for a need before anyone asks for help is something that is so much more powerful!!! You will never know the impact you will make in that person's life!! I can tell you, I was one such person. I was changed by the generosity of an amazing congregation who loved and served Jesus with all their hearts. I do not know to this day who helped myself and my family or interceded on my behalf for clarinet lessons. But I am all the better for it today! It was not lip service where they told my family and I they would pray for us. No! It was above and beyond that! These were not people who gave lip service on Sunday. They lived it everyday and did so with purpose, caring and selflessness. What if we as christians truly lived out our faith like this? Can you imagine the impact on our communities?! Can we be challenged to make a difference one people's lives around us? To be the hands and feet of Jesus?

“What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead. But someone will say, “You have faith; I have deeds.” Show me your faith without deeds, and I will show you my faith by my deeds. You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that—and shudder. You foolish person, do you want evidence that faith without deeds is useless? Was not our father Abraham considered righteous for what he did when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see that his faith and his actions were working together, and his faith was made complete by what he did. And the scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness,” and he was called God’s friend. You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone.” James‬ ‭2‬:‭14‬-‭24‬ ‭

I have such a burden right now for the body of Christ to get back to the basics and remember all that Jesus has done for us and to show that love to others. The church is not here for our entertainment. It's for us to come into communion with Jesus and learn about him, get convicted of sin so we can change our ways, to know we are a broken and fallen people without God, and to be in fellowship with fellow believers and to make our communities better by helping those who are in need. When we have become so self absorbed and look only to the pastor to do all the work and we take 0 responsibility or accountability for ourselves this is where the church starts to fall apart. A pastor can only do so much all on his own to make a difference in your life. At some point a person has to grow up and take responsibility for their own faith! To read God's word, really read it not just wait for Sunday to roll around. Pray really pray and cry out to God because that is where he works the miracles! In order for faith to be active and alive in your life you have to see God at work. At what point do you take your faith and give it feet? 

Challenge:

Can we lay down our pride? Can we be a people who practices forgiveness? Can we show those around us compassion, humility and kindness? Can we lay down our swords of division? Can we stop our warrior keyboards? Can we be a people that will stop hurting each other? Can we show compassion for the person and not just see the sin? Can we step outside of our own selfishness? Can we help someone in need? Can we proclaim God's goodness? Can we live like we have been covered and anointed with the blood of Jesus? Can we act in faith and obedience according to God's word and put feet to our faith? Can we show a dying world God's love for them? Can we help change someone's life for the better? Can we start to claim that Jesus in us is so much bigger than all of the principalities of this world? (this last one is HUGE) 

    I have experienced in my own life, what it is like to be chained and shackled (metaphorically) with             unbelief - with thinking my circumstances will never change, as an example. It's like the physical world     becomes so much bigger than Jesus. This is a lie straight from the pits of hell. When you stop focusing         on your problems Jesus becomes bigger and the problem becomes smaller. We have a tendency to put         God in a box and limit his power. This is our own fault, not God's. We are the ones that make Jesus               ineffective.(Oh the conviction as I am writing this!!!) I do it, you do it - we all do it! We have to get out         of our own way and let God be GOD! Ask God to heal the unbelief and brokenness within our hearts so     that we can reach out beyond ourselves to help others.

“Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” ‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭17‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones.” ‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5‬-‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Final Thought:

There is a much bigger purpose for each of us here on earth, there is a an abundant life waiting where joy will overflow out of our lives. However, it will require us to relinquish our own selfish pursuits and indignations and pursue God's ways. Being used by God will be the most rewarding experience you will ever have and it will not only change someone else's life but it will change YOU! 

This is how God works through you and I and how real change happens in our lives.

Understanding Jesus: Fulfillment of Old Testament Prophecies

I was watching a show about Jesus in the Gospels and there were some interesting statements being made about Jesus and His divine divinity. There is a definitive correlation regarding the New Testament being the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies.

I have heard quite a few sermons over the years where the pastors fly through all the references, and you are sitting there like holy cow that was information overload! But it is so good. You really know that they did their homework. I always got the genuine sense that there was so much to be said about the Jewish text and how it intertwines with the New Testament. Jesus was the embodiment and fulfillment of each of these Old Testament prophecies.

I am taking on this task for myself, to dive into both sides of the fence and generate the links between the two.  I understand why the pastors always blitzed through all the data the way they did. The sheer volume and enormity of the details is so great that you can only really cover the high points. Unless, of course, you wanted to be on your way to getting your higher education in biblical studies! lol I can tell you, this post took my many many hours, but it was worth it! I hope you, as the reader, will find what I dug up to be interesting and informative. That it will help to deepen your own faith by knowing a bit more about the Bible and how it relates back to Jesus. It is not all-inclusive list by any means, as there are hundreds of prophecies; but it certainly covers the major high points about who Jesus said he was and who the Bible claimed Him to be.

I am so burdened in my heart for people to truly know what they believe and why. The foundation for our Christian faith is based off the Jewish laws and traditions. From there we take their prophecies, and we see Jesus emerge as the Messiah. To me, if you look at the timeframes when things were written and then you pair that to the New Testament it is quite remarkable to see how God unfolds His plan. It's so intricate and spanned well over 1000 years of writings, over 300 prophecies spanning over 15 books of the Bible to cover my list of 29. This does not consider all the different authors who did not all live in the same time span or even in proximity to one another. How can that happen without divine orchestrated intervention? How can one man fit all of these prophecies? If the Gospels were forged, how do all 4 disciples write almost the same account of events if they did not happen? Not to mention the disciples were not together when they wrote the gospels and some of them were not written within the same timeframe. (You can see this outlined below.) In many cases, there were multiple eyewitness accounts. To have one man fulfill all of these, to me, is still a miracle all on its own. When you really lay this out, it is the actual claim of the gospels - Jesus was the Messiah and a miracle from God and that God orchestrated all the events surrounding Jesus in order to fulfill each prophecy and to show us through every step of His plan who Jesus was. God never intended to hide his best creation, His Son! He wanted us to know Him, love Him and accept his gift of salvation! 

Let's first start with when these 15 different books of the Bible were written to give the timeframe of when the prophecies were made. Next, I will dive into the 29 high level prophecies throughout the Bible that point to Jesus.  I will provide the Old Testament prophecy and then provide the New Testament fulfillment. It is my hope to put this in the most simplified manner possible. 

Biblical Writings

1) Genesis - ~1450-1410 BC thought to have been written by Moses 

2) Exodus - 1440- 1400 BC written by Moses 

3) Numbers - 1450-1410 BC written by Moses

4) Isaiah - ~739- 681 BC Isaiah is known as the messianic prophet and served under the reign of kings Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah.

5) Micah - ~735-700 BC - during the reign of Kings Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah in Judah 

6) Hosea - ~753-722- during this time the northern kingdom of Israel, as it was on the verge of being conquered by the Assyrian Empire. Jewish temple was built. Hosea wrote direct accounts of his life and prophecies later in his life. 

7) Malachi - ~450-430 BC - Malachi lives 100 years after Babylonian exile. Oddly enough Malachi did not leave identifying markers of his life. He preached messages of judgments as the people were turning away from God. 

8) Psalm - ~1500 - 500 BC by far the largest spread - Primarily written by King David 

9) Zechariah - ~570-420 BC - is an account of Zechariah's life and prophecies. He was a levite born in Babylon. Book of  Ezra it states that Zechariah and Haggai were together also in Nehemiah he is mentioned as well.

10) Matthew - ~55-65 AD, it is believed Matthew lived in Palestine when writing the gospel.

11) Mark - ~55-59 AD,  it is believed Mark livd in Rome when writing the gospel.

12) Luke - ~58-65 AD, it is believed Luke lived in Antioch Syria when writing the gospel.

13) John - ~ 70-85 AD,  it is believed John lived in Ephesus and Patmos when writing the gospel.

14) Acts - ~60-90 AD written by Luke Pauls companion and it is believed he was in Rome when writing

15) Hebrews - ~64-68 it is believed to have been written by Paul, but this is not for certain, it is also believed to have been written during Nero's persecution of Christians in Rome. 

Prophecies (Old Testament and New Testament References)

1) Descendant of Abraham - (Genesis 22:18) (Matthew 1:1-17 and Luke 3:23-38)

Genesis 22:18 - is when Abraham did not without Issac as a sacrifice God promised in verse 18 - "through your offspring all nations will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." 

Matthew and Luke both give an account of Jesus lineage showing he was in Abraham's direct line.

2) Tribe of Judah / House of David - (Genesis 49:10) (Matthew 1:1-17)  

Genesis 49:10 - “The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.” NIV

Genesis 49:10 - The scepter shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes. NKJ

The Hebrew word Shiloh is believed by many scholars to be another name for Messiah

Matthew 1:1-17 is Jesus' lineage showing he is a descendant of David / House of Judah

3) Conceived by a virgin  - (Isaiah 7:14) (Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-38)  

Isaiah 7:14  “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.” 

Most of us are familiar with the Matthew and Luke account of Jesus birth. :)

4) Born in Bethlehem - (Micah 5:2) (Matthew 2:6, Luke 2:1-20)

Michael 5:2 But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of  you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Ephrathah was a district in which Bethlehem was located

Again both New Testament references go along with Christ's birth telling us he was born in Bethlehem 

5) Messiah would come and dwell in our midst - (Zechariah 2:10-12) (Matthew 1:23)    

Zechariah 2: 10-12 "Shout and be glad, Daughter Zion. For I am coming, and I will live among you,” declares the Lord. “Many nations will be joined with the Lord in that day and will become my people. I will live among you and you will know that the Lord Almighty has sent me to you. The Lord will inherit Judah as his portion in the holy land and will again choose Jerusalem.”        

Matthew 1:23- “The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel” (which means “God with us”).”

6) Messiah Taken to Egypt as a child - (Hosea 11:1) (Matthew 2:13-15)

Hosea 11:1 “When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son.”

Matthew 2:13-15 “When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him." So he got up, took the child and his mother during the night and left for Egypt, where he stayed until the death of Herod. And so was fulfilled what the Lord had said through the prophet: “Out of Egypt I called my son.”

7) Anointed by the messenger of the Lord - (Isaiah 40:3-5) (Acts 10:38, Matthew 3:3)

 Isaiah 40:3-5 “A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight  in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

 Matthew 3:3 “In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.”

Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”        

8) Anointed by the Holy Spirit - (Isaiah 11:2) (Luke 4:18; Acts 4:27, Acts 10:38, Hebrews 1:9)

Isaiah 11:2 “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—

Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,”

Acts 4:27 “Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.”

Acts 10:38 “How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.”  

Hebrews 1:9 “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has set you above your companions by anointing you with the oil of joy.” 

9) Minister in Galilee - (Isaiah 9:1) (Matthew 4:12-17, Mark 1:14-16) 

Isaiah 9:1 “Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—”

There were at least 2 eye witness accounts of these events.

Matthew 4:12-17 “When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he withdrew to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.”

Mark 1:14-16 “After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” As Jesus walked beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the lake, they were fishermen."

10) Messiah will perform miracles - (Isaiah 35:5-6) (Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all  accounts)

 Isaiah 35:5-6 “Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert.”

All 4 gospels. There were at least 4 eye witness accounts of these events.

11) Messiah will preach the good news - (Isaiah 61:1) (Matthew 24:14, Luke 4:18, Luke 4:43, Mark 16:15)

Isaiah 61:1 “The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners"

There were at least 3 eye witnesses to these events.

Matthew 24:14 “And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.”

Luke 4:18 “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free,”

Mark 16:15 “He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”

12) Messiah will cleanse the temple and John the Baptist would prepare the way for the Messiah  - (Malachi 3:1) (Matthew 11:10 and Matthew 24, Daniel 9:27, 11:31)

Malachi 3:1 “I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty.”

Daniel 9:27 “He will confirm a covenant with many for one ‘seven.’ In the middle of the ‘seven’ he will put an end to sacrifice and offering. And at the temple he will set up an abomination that causes desolation, until the end that is decreed is poured out on him.”

Daniel 11:31 “His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation.”

Matthew 11:10 “This is the one about whom it is written: “ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’”

Matthew 24:15 “So when you see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel—let the reader understand—” (Jesus was referencing Daniel 9:27)

13) Messiah will enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey - (Zechariah 9:9) (Matthew 22:5, Mark 11:1-1, Luke 19:28-44 and John 12:12-19)  

Zechariah 9:9 “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

All of the gospels mention Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey that means there were at least 4 eye witnesses of the event.

Matthew 22:5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

14) Rejected by the Jewish people - (Psalm 118:22, Isaiah 53:3) (Matthew 21:42, Mark 12:10, John 5:18, John 7:52, John 8:39-59, John 10:22-43, Luke 20:17-19)

Psalm 118:22“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;”

Isaiah 53:3 “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain. Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”

Matthew 21:42 “Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone; the Lord has done this, and it is marvelous in our eyes’ ?”  

John 5:18 “For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.

John 7:52 They replied, “Are you from Galilee, too? Look into it, and you will find that a prophet  does not come out of Galilee.” [The earliest manuscripts and many other ancient witnesses do not  have John 7:53—8:11. A few manuscripts include these verses, wholly or in part, after John 7:36,  John 21:25, Luke 21:38 or Luke 24:53.]”

 John 8:39-59 “Abraham is our father,” they answered. “If you were Abraham’s children,” said Jesus, “then you would do what Abraham did. As it is, you are looking for a way to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. Abraham did not do such things. You are doing the works of your own father.” “We are not illegitimate children,” they protested. “The only Father we have is God himself.” Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I have come here from God. I have not come on my own; God sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your         father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! Can any of you prove me guilty of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God.” The Jews answered him, “Aren’t we right in saying that you are a Samaritan and demon-possessed?” “I am not possessed by a demon,” said Jesus, “but I honor my Father and you dishonor me. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. Very truly I tell you, whoever obeys my word will never see death.” At this they exclaimed, “Now we know that you are demon-possessed! Abraham died and so did the prophets, yet you say that whoever obeys your word will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham? He died, and so did the prophets. Who do you think you are?” Jesus replied, “If I glorify myself, my glory means nothing. My Father, whom you claim as your God, is the one who glorifies me. Though you do not know him, I know him. If I said I did not, I would be a liar like you, but I do             know him and obey his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw  it and was glad.” “You are not yet fifty years old,” they said to him, “and you have seen Abraham!" “Very truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” (this is a packed passage that has some pretty awesome stuff in it if you will take a moment to read it through)

Luke 20:17-19 “Jesus looked directly at them and asked, “Then what is the meaning of that which is written: “ ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’ ? Everyone who falls on that  stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.” The teachers of the law and the chief priests looked for a way to arrest him immediately, because they knew he had spoken this parable against them. But they were afraid of the people.”

15) Messiah will be rejected by a friend - (Psalm 41:9) (Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all accounts)

Psalm 41:9 “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.”

The 4 Gospel accounts tell the story of Judas - 4 different eye witnesses

16) Messiah will be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver - (Zechariah 11:12) (Matthew 26:14-16 and Matthew 27:3-10)

Zechariah 11:12 “I told them, “If you think it best, give me my pay; but if not, keep it.” So they paid me thirty pieces of silver.” (Biblical context here to pay a Shepard 30 pieces of silver was an insult, this was the price of a slave gored by an ox. Here we see that Jesus was sold for the price of a marred slave)

Matthew 26:14-16 “Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, “What are you willing to give me if I deliver him over to you?” So they counted out for him thirty pieces of silver. From then on Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”

Matthew 27:3-10 “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. “I have sinned,” he said, “for I have betrayed innocent blood.” “What is that to us?” they replied. “That’s your responsibility.” So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself. The chief priests picked up the coins and said, “It is against the law to put this into the treasury, since it is blood money.” So they decided to use the money to buy the potter’s field as a  burial place for foreigners. That is why it has been called the Field of Blood to this day. Then what             was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty pieces of silver, the price set on him by the people of Israel, and they used them to buy the potter’s field, as the Lord commanded me.    

17) Messiah will die a humiliating death - (Psalm 22 , Isaiah 53, and Daniel 9  (Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all accounts)

Psalm 22 “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from my cries of anguish? My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer, by night, but I find no rest. Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One; you are the one Israel praises. In you our ancestors put their trust; they trusted and you delivered them. To you they cried out and were saved; in you they trusted and were not put to shame. But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by everyone, despised by the people. All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. “He trusts in the Lord,"  they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” Yet you brought me out of the womb; you made me trust in you, even at my mother’s breast. From birth I was cast on you; from my mother’s womb you have been my God. Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help. Many bulls surround me; strong bulls of Bashan encircle me. Roaring lions that tear their prey open their mouths wide against me. I am poured out like water, and all my bones are out of joint. My heart has turned to wax; it has melted within me. My mouth is dried up like a potsherd, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth; you lay me in the dust of death. Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet. All my bones are on             display; people stare and gloat over me. They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment. But you, Lord, do not be far from me. You are my strength; come quickly to help me. Deliver me from the sword, my precious life from the power of the dogs. Rescue me from the mouth of the lions; save me from the horns of the wild oxen. I will declare your name to my people; in the  assembly I will praise you. You who fear the Lord, praise him! All you descendants of Jacob, honor him! Revere him, all you descendants of Israel! For he has not despised or scorned the suffering of the afflicted one; he has not hidden his face from him but has listened to his cry for help. From you          comes the theme of my praise in the great assembly; before those who fear you I will fulfill my vows. The poor will eat and be satisfied; those who seek the Lord will praise him— may your hearts live forever! All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the  nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations. All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before him— those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told  about the Lord. They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!”

All 4 gospels. There were at least 4 eye witness accounts of these events.

18)  Humiliating Death - Rejection - (Isaiah 53:3) (Luke 13:34; John 1:10-11)               

Isaiah 53:3 “He was despised and rejected by mankind, a man of suffering, and familiar with pain.  Like one from whom people hide their faces he was despised, and we held him in low esteem.”        

Both Gospel accounts talk about Jesus crucifixion in detail - multiple accounts.

19) Humiliating Death - Mocking - (Psalm 22:7-8) (Matthew 26:67-68, Mark 16:45, Luke 22:63-65)

Psalm 22:7-8 “All who see me mock me; they hurl insults, shaking their heads. “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him, since he delights in him.”

Matthew 26:67-68 “Then they spit in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him and said, “Prophesy to us, Messiah. Who hit you?”

Mark 14:45 Then some began to spit at him; they blindfolded him, struck him with their fists, and said, “Prophesy!” And the guards took him and beat him.

Luke 22:63-65 “The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” And they said many other insulting things to him.”

Once again we have multiple eye witness accounts

20) Humiliating Death - Beating - (Isaiah 52:14) (Luke 22:63-65, Matthew 27:26, Mark 15:15, John 19:1)

Isaiah 52:14 “Just as there were many who were appalled at him— his appearance was so disfigured beyond that of any human being and his form marred beyond human likeness”

Matthew 27:26 / Mark 15:15  “Then he released Barabbas to them. But he had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.”

Luke 22:63-65 “The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating him. They blindfolded him and demanded, “Prophesy! Who hit you?” And they said many other insulting things to him.”

21) Piercing of his hands and feet - (Psalm 22:16, Zachariah 12:10, Isaiah 53:5) (John 20:25, John 20:27, Luke 24:39

Psalm 22:16 “Dogs surround me, a pack of villains encircles me; they pierce my hands and my feet.”

Zachariah 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

Isaiah 53:5 “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.”

John 20:25 “So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.

John 20:27 “Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

Luke 24:39 “Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”

22) Piercing of his side - (Zechariah 12:10) (John 19:34)

Zechariah 12:10 “And I will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.”

John 19:34 “Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water.”

23) Executed with thieves - (Isaiah 53:12) (Matthew 27:38, Mark 15:27, Luke 23:33)

Isaiah 53:12 Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.” (Interesting fact: this verse is believed to be interpreted to mean transgressors were looked at as being treated like a criminal.)

Matthew 27:38 / Mark 15:27 “Two rebels were crucified with him, one on his right and one on his left.

Luke 23:33 “When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not  know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.”

Once again 3 eye witness recorded events saying the same thing.

24) Executioners will cast lots for his clothing - (Psalm 22:18) (Matthew 27:35, Luke 23:34 and  John 19-23-24)

Psalm 22:18 “They divide my clothes among them and cast lots for my garment.”

All 4 gospels tell a similar event by 4 different people.

25) Gall and vinegar to drink - (Psalm 69:21) (Matthew 27:34 and 27:48, Mark 15:23)

Psalm 69:21 “They put gall in my food and gave me vinegar for my thirst.”

Matthew 27:34 There they offered Jesus wine to drink, mixed with gall; but after tasting it, he refused to drink it.”

Matthew 27:48 “Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink.”

Mark 15:23 “Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it.”

Interesting fact here gall was a bitter substance made from a poisonous plan such as wormwood or myrrh.

26) None of his bones will be broken - (Psalm 34:20, Numbers 9:12, Exodus 12:46) (John 19:36) 

Psalm 34:20 “he protects all his bones, not one of them will be broken.”

Numbers 9:12 “They must not leave any of it till morning or break any of its bones. When they celebrate the Passover, they must follow all the regulations.”

Exodus 12:46 “It must be eaten inside the house; take none of the meat outside the house. Do not break any of the bones.”

John 19:36 “These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,”

27) Messiah will be buried in a rich mans tomb - (Isaiah 53:9) (Matthew 27:57-60, Luke 23:50-56, John 19:38-42)

Isaiah 53:9 “He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death, though he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth.”

 Matthew 27:57-60 “As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away.”

Luke 23:50-56 “Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.”

John 19:38-42 “Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with                 Jewish burial customs. At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.”

28) Messiah will rise from the dead - (Psalm 16:10, Psalm 49:15, Hosea 6:2, Daniel 12:2) (All 4 Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all point to Jesus rising from the dead)

Psalm 16:10 “because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead, nor will you let your faithful one see decay.”

Psalm 49:15 “But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself.”

Hosea 6:2 “After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence.”

Daniel 12:2 “Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt.”

All 4 gospels and at least 4 eye witness accounts.

29) Ascend into heaven - (Psalm 68:18, Psalm 24:7-10,  Psalm 110:1,  Daniel 7:13-14, Isaiah 53) (Acts1:9-11,  Luke 24:50-51, Ephesians 4:8 - multiple verses in Colossians, Philippians  and 1 Timothy)

Psalm 68:18 “When you ascended on high, you took many captives; you received gifts from people, even from the rebellious— that you, Lord God, might dwell there.”

Psalm 24:7-10 “Lift up your heads, you gates; be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. Lift up your heads, you gates; lift them up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is he, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty— he is the King of glory.”

Psalm 110:1 “The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”

Daniel 7:13-14 “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all nations and peoples of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is  one that will never be destroyed.

Acts 1:9-11 “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven.”

Luke 24:50-51 “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.”

Ephesians 4:8 “This is why it says: “When he ascended on high, he took many captives and gave gifts to his people.”

 

Holding on to Pigs?

 

I was scrolling on social media today when I came across a post that has such an interesting perspective on a story many of us have heard. It's the story about 2 demon possessed men where Jesus cast the demons into pigs and they ran off a cliff, I am parapharsing here. In this post, I am going to break down some interesting tidbits that I have learned while diving a bit deeper into this passage myself. There are a few things that I did not know nor did I really give much thought to.

First lets recount the story here:

“When he arrived at the other side in the region of the Gadarenes, two demon-possessed men coming from the tombs met him. They were so violent that no one could pass that way. “What do you want with us, Son of God?” they shouted. “Have you come here to torture us before the appointed time?” Some distance from them a large herd of pigs was feeding. The demons begged Jesus, “If you drive us out, send us into the herd of pigs.” He said to them, “Go!” So they came out and went into the pigs, and the whole herd rushed down the steep bank into the sea and died in the water. Those tending the pigs ran off, went into the town and reported all this, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. Then the whole town went out to meet Jesus. And when they saw him, they pleaded with him to leave their region.”Matthew‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬-‭34‬ ‭NIV‬‬

The first thing that jumps out to me, is that even the demons knew who Jesus was. They called him "Son of God". They also knew that Jesus had the authority to choose where they should go. Interestingly they ask have you come to torture us before the appointed time - just as the Bible foretells, there is an appointed end point where the Son of Man will come and judge the earth. The demons acknowledge there will be a judgment day for them but interestingly they don't know when. Otherwise they would not have asked this question.  

In Revelation 20:10 "And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever." Now, at this time Revelation had not been written, but I do believe when the fall of Satan happened in Isaiah 14: 12-15 and Ezekiel 28 the Bible makes it clear of the judgment will be passed. I do believe, the demons knew what their fate was when they were trying to negotiate with Jesus- they knew Jesus had the authority to cast that judgement right there and then. They asked to be sent into pigs rather than be destroyed.  Once Jesus cast them into the pigs, they ran off the bank to their death. I don't think they saw that coming! Additionally, some biblical scholars believe the sea to represent the abyss. Several places within the Bible the abyss is referred to as place of the dead or the pit. These demons must have been quite powerful to throw an entire heard of pigs into the sea. Its hard to imagine the men who were overrun by these demons - the torture they must have endured!

Another interesting fact, these demon possessed men were likely Gentiles and not Jews. The reason being, is due to the raising of pigs where these men were found. Pigs for the Jewish communities were perceived as unclean and dirty animals and would have never been raised by a Jewish person. Some scholars believe this the first example of Global missions being represented.  

Now to the part that gets interesting - why did the people plead for Jesus to leave their region after he performed this miracle? I had always thought it was due to the destruction of their pigs. But what if there is a much deeper reason? Allow me to set the stage, in the midst of a miracle - two demon possessed men were miraculously healed - and a herd of pigs destroyed. Which of the two incidents had more significance? 

Try to imagine yourself there - if I were an onlooker at this, I would have been amazed by both events. Here was a man who had authority over the demons and then cast them out. The demons drove the pigs so mad they threw themselves off a steep embankment. Now, if I had been the pig herder, I would be furious! I mean there goes my lively hood over the cliff. But what about the two men? They were healed, freed and saved - maybe they had families, friends and children - they would have been rejoicing I would think. But what did the people do, they asked Jesus to leave. They would rather keep the status quo rather than risk him performing another miracle for fear Jesus would cause more chaos and destruction. It's all a matter of perception!  They would rather be comfortable than to be shaken-up, radically changed and freed from bondage. Let that sink in for a moment.

Does this situation maybe have more to say to us? Sometimes when God saves us or frees us from something there is more work that is needed. What things hold you back or cause you to stumble? Maybe friendships / relationships, idols you worship, substances you can't give up, or maybe your comfort - in order to be truly free you cannot keep going back to or doing what destroyed you. Something has to be given up and something needs to change or be torn down in your life. This aspect would be represented by the giving up of the "pigs".  This often times makes us feel uncomfortable. Let's face it, Change is HARD. But if we try and hold on to those "pigs" we stay enslaved, crushed and defeated. But what if you let that "pig" go? Maybe it's the very thing that will make you feel alive, free and whole again. 

Challenge question - what "pigs' are you holding onto in your life? What areas of your life need to be radically shaken up to reveal the things that are holding you back or keeping you enslaved?

I will leave a few versus to meditate on: 

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 2 Corinthians 5:17

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See I am doing a new thing! Now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the barren land. Isaiah 43:18-19

 

When life breaks you down Jesus is still there

 A couple of months ago, I was walking along the beach close to where I live. I was really deep in thought, I had a really bad day at work and really just felt so down (more like defeated) about a lot of things in my life. Suffice it to say I was really going through it and felt the weight of the world on my shoulders. I started to pray, and tears started to roll down my face and I was asking God to show me He is still there. And as I continued to walk, I happen to look down, to the side of me and written in the sand was "Jesus Loves You". I could barely believe my eyes,  I know in that moment, this was the message my heart needed most. I needed to know that God was still there and saw me in my time of struggle. I thanked God for letting me know He was still there and still listening.  I decided I had gone far enough and started heading home. I looked up, the sky was so beautiful as the sun was setting and there was a cross in the sky. Now, I was smiling. I went from being heavily burdened to feeling a sense of peace and calm. It's amazing how God really does know how to show up when you need Him most! 

A few weeks later, I decided to go to South Florida for a last minute trip, its not easy being so far away from where you grew up and all of the familiar things that make a place feel like home. Every once in a while, I need to experience them again and ground myself. I decided to visit one of my favorite churches. I was so blessed when I arrived to find out that it was praise and worship night! I was so excited, this is one of my favorite things about going to church. I have always loved choir and praise team and just singing my little heart out - it is always the happiest moments for me and when I feel most connected to God. But this night, I sang like I never sang before. It's funny how when you are wondering around in a metaphorical desert for so long and then you experience rain, but not just any rain - more like a flood. God's flood of love. That's what happened to me this night. I never cried so hard while singing in my life. It's crazy how a change in environment can make such a difference. When you live in a place where you are constantly being bombarded by negative things, everyone is out for themselves and the "me first" mentality- it really has a way of breaking a person down. We are in a spiritual battle whether we see it or not. I have never been more convinced that we forget how we are not just fighting the physical things we can see but there are other evil forces that are seeking to destroy each of us. I know, for a little while there I had forgotten this fact. I found myself so beaten down but God reached His hand down and pulled me out of the metaphorical mud I found myself sinking in. That night in Fort Lauderdale, was the fresh start that I didn't know I needed. I needed to let go and let God start to give me back my purpose and meaning in life. I needed to be reminded to that He was enough and He was bigger than all my problems and not to rely on humans as much as I was but to lean more into Him. Most importantly, I had to stop trying to solve all my problems on my own. There were far too many surmounting that I could not keep up with the sheer volume. God uses these moments in life to bring us back to that place of surrender.

It was revealed to me once again, everything I have been fighting for had not been in vain that there was a reason for the struggle. There were lessons I had to learn - albeit they painful to go through. In order to grow and transcend where we are, we have to go through a metamorphosis.  For me, my heart had been so heavy for so long that I didn't even realize the moment I let it go how light I would feel again!  LET IT GO!  I love how Jesus shows us He is real through the little things. You just have to be paying attention and listening! He shows each and every one of us that he cares and is watching over us even if we think He isn't. I walked into church feeling like I had been carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders and walked out with a refreshed, renewed soul - a new start! 

Part of being a christian is being real and authentic, not hiding when you struggle but speak out so others who are struggling just like me don't feel alone. None of us are perfect, none of us have this thing called life completely figured out. We are all learning as we go! 

“It has seemed good to me to show the signs and wonders that the Most High God has done for me. How great are his signs, how mighty his wonders! His kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and his dominion endures from generation to generation.”

‭‭Daniel‬ ‭4‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭

Maybe you are reading this right now and you are going through something heavy and you too feel like the weight of the world is on your shoulder. Can I encourage you? Throw it all down at Jesus' feet. Bow your head and pray your with all your heart. Sing like no one is listening. Let it out, cry it out! He may not give you a message in sand but I guarantee He will show up in a way you never expected. Just remember Jesus is just a prayer an away. 

“Unless the Lord had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your unfailing love, Lord, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭94‬:‭17‬-‭19‬ ‭

Pleasing Man or God?

 I recently heard while listening to a sermon – it was stated that: “When we displease God to please people we are doing something wrong.”

 

This got me thinking, I have always heard it said that we should help and do things for others so in a sense the bible does call us to be a sort of people pleaser and to turn the other cheek. However, there is a point where this can be taken too far. When we do something seeking human approval or please a human being only; this is where we have the propensity to take things too far or are doing them for the wrong reason. 

 

Human nature is a funny thing, isn’t it? We all have a desire to be well liked, accepted and be respected by our peers. This is a common thread for all of us. It provides a sense of community and belonging. If we are seeking human approval, it becomes a curious thing because you can do everything in your power for someone and they can still reject you. Most of the time, there is just no pleasing everyone. We will be disappointed by people and they in turn will be disappointed with us.

 

I think about Jesus and some of the examples he provided for us with some of His interactions with his disciples in the bible. Let’s first take Judas, he had a front row seat to everything Jesus had done, he heard his teachings, saw the miracles he performed and got to do everyday life with Jesus. Yet, when Judas betrayed Jesus by kissing him on the cheek, Jesus was not wrecked or devastated by this. Let’s take Peter, who Jesus had warned would betray him 3 times before the rooster crowed. This was a fact known and expressed ahead of time and yet Peter denied him. What about when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane before he was arrested, he asked the disciples to pray with him. They did not even last an hour to stay awake with Jesus. 

 

I had never thought of these interactions before in this light. Jesus was never devastated, he never got angry or blamed them. The bible describes in Matthew 26:37-42, Jesus as sorrowful and troubled and His spirit was overwhelmed as he was facing going to the cross. On top of this fact, I cannot imagine in that moment how disappointed Jesus must have felt in the people he was closest to – they deserted him in his hour of greatest need.  What about you? Has anyone deserted you in your greatest hour of need? How did it make you feel?  Imagine all the feelings you would have in that moment and yet Jesus never held a grudge against any of His friends. His hope was not in people but in God the Father and staying focused on the task that was before Him. People always have the ability to let us down but God never will!

 

“Then Jesus went with his disciples to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to them, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee along with him, and he began to be sorrowful and troubled. Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.” Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?” he asked Peter. “Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away a second time and prayed, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.”

Matthew 26:36-42 NIV

 

As I was listening to this sermon, I was thinking about what the motives were for Judas, Peter and the disciples praying in the garden -What were they? Did they at any point get brutally honest with their own selves about how they failed Jesus? What about us, do we get brutally honest about how we fail Jesus all the time? Man, it becomes so clear how broken and undone as a people we truly are. None of us are prefect and none of us are able to 100% of the time control our emotions and treat people with love when they let us down, especially those closest to us. It takes a lot of spiritual integrity to be able to self-assess and see your inherent need for Christ in your life! We are a fallen and broken people.

 

To dig a bit deeper into the idea of motives - are we truly being conscientious about why we do what we do? I know I am not all the time; I often jump from one thing to anther during the day because it’s what expected of me to do this or that. We get caught up in the “should and the ought” to do lists. I know for me; I rarely stop long enough to really check in with myself during the day and I have been convicted to the folly of this mindset. We also need to be careful of what the motives and intentions are as we make these many decisions throughout the course of our day. Before we know it, we may end up digging a ditch for ourselves and not even realizing how we got there. I know I have done this a time or two! (*shakes head*)

 

“Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Galatians 1:10 NIV

 

We should live to please God, first and foremost. Do not put so much stock in what others around you are saying. God may have asked you to do something that no one else can understand, do it anyway! I think of Noah, God told him to build the biggest boat that the world had ever seen. All the people around him laughed at him. Told him he was crazy. Noah did not put stock into what man said he was solely focused on doing what God told him. Jesus is another example of how he did not let those around him distract him for His higher calling! 

 

Sometimes God picks those of us who everyone does not think can do the task that He has laid before you. There are so many examples in the bible where God did this very thing! As an example, King David, a little shepherd boy who killed a giant with a sling shot and was elevated to a king. He had the hand of God on him, but he sure had his fair share of short comings.

 

“Yet at the same time many even among the leaders believed in him. But because of the Pharisees they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue;”

John 12:42 NIV

 

John 12 really hits the nail on the head about the fear of what people think! Can you imagine giving up a relationship with Jesus solely based on what people may think of you. That is what happened to those Pharisees. They put more stock in people around them. I know I have experienced feeling this way before, where I was more concerned about what others may think of me or how I may offend someone and held that in higher esteem. As I am writing this, I am so deeply convicted! I am just like everyone else, with my short comings and failures. I may be well intentioned in many things I do and come from a good place but that may not always translate outward. As a result, I am grateful that God is more interested in the WHY we do what we do- as that is what is truly deep within our heart. 

 

“To humans belong the plans of the heart, but from the Lord comes the proper answer of the tongue. All a person’s ways seem pure to them, but motives are weighed by the Lord. Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and he will establish your plans.”

Proverbs 16:1-3 NIV

 

In closing this post, God is not really interested in what we do but is more interested in the why we do it. Be aware and brutally honest with yourself about why you do things. As that why – will be where the true growth can happen. Where God is the mirror in your heart and shines a light on a part of you that needs repair. Lastly, don’t put so much stock in what people think about you, keep Christ at the center of your focus. Don’t let doing good for others take you down the path of people pleasing. Don’t get caught up in doing things for the wrong motives.

 

“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”

Proverbs 29:25 NIV