June 8 - Hands

Read: Luke 9:37-45

"Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men." (Luke 9:44 ESV)

Jesus had just worked an incredible miracle. A boy terrorized and possessed by a demonic spirit had been delivered. The disciples were unable to perform the miracle despite having Christ's authority. The father of the boy was himself struggling with unbelief about the after. But Jesus did what he could for the boy. He did everything. And immediately recorded after this awesome and compassionate act is Jesus' prophetic warning about his impending persecution.

Jesus knew. He knew what he was born on this earth to do. How it would happen. Who the culprits were. He knew. And till he chose to come. Still he chose to minister. Still he chose to love, serve, heal, deliver, and teach. Jesus repeatedly reached out with the tender-hearted hand of compassion, eternal hands of compassion. Even as he warned his closest followers that a day was soon coming when he himself would suffer at the hands of men.

When men are on control there is death. There is selfishness. There is wanton reckless rebellion.

When Christ is control there is peace in the struggle. There is hope in affliction. There is rescue from damnation.

Jesus knew what it meant to fall into the hands of men. He understood. And yet still he chose to love us, live for us, and die for us. Truly it is a remarkable thing when we draw life and live life from the grace of Jesus, the work of Jesus, and the hands of Jesus. In the hands of men were held the hammers that pierced the hands of the Son of God, but by that affliction my eternal sorrows are undone, and by that torment are my troubles pulled down from their high places. Thank God for the hands of Jesus.

June 7 - Help My Unbelief

Read: Mark 9:14-29

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said, "I believe; help my unbelief!" (Mark 9:24 ESV)

The disciples encountered a boy possessed by an evil spirit that frequently tried to harm him. It had made him mute and caused other physical manifestations of pain and suffering. For some reason the disciples were not able to make it go away. Jesus alluded to a lack of faith among those present. And I love how the father of the boy responded. "I believe; help my unbelief!"

There are days when faith comes so easy to me. It is nearly effortless to fully, completely, and eagerly accept both the big claims of Christianity and all of its various implications for my life. And then there are the days when I feel like I am having a strong case of unbelief. Not because I have ceased to believe in the truth about Jesus, but because I am internally wrestling with some of what it will mean for my life.

I don't know if you're like that. Maybe you don't have a problem pushing the unbelief out of your life. Or maybe you feel inundated by the doldrums of unbelief on a very frequent basis. Jesus can help. He can help with the prevailing feelings of a lacking belief , and he can help with the root of the issue. All we have to do is ask. All we have to do is communicate our heart to him. He is waiting.

Jesus, we believe; help us with our unbelief.

June 6 - Overshadowed Certainty

Read: Luke 9:28-36

As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. (Luke 9:34 ESV)

There are multiple occasions in the bible when a cloud, fire, or smoke accompanies the supernatural presence of God. The Transfiguration of Jesus was similar. God told the disciples to listen to Jesus, His son. And a cloud enveloped them as God spoke.

This passage is talking about a literal cloud of something that obscured vision and made the disciples fearful. I think sometimes being in the place where God is leading you will also cause you to find yourself in a place of obscured vision and potential uncertainty. Those are trust moments.

When you can't see what's around you. When you can't see ahead, side-to-side, or behind. Those are the moments ripe with opportunity to trust in God. That's probably why He seems to allow us to experience so many if them.

The Jewish psalmist, king, and prophet David wrote about God's protection in times like this. He talked about being in the "shadow of His wings." It is a beautiful metaphor that recalls the protective obscurity of parental shielding.

Maybe we're not certain of the future, and maybe God wants it that way. Ultimately He wants us to depend on Him by trusting in Jesus. When life seems hazy we can be at our most fearful, but that's also a moment of divine opportunity. God wants us to embrace His certainty in a way that will overshadow all uncertainty in our lives.

June 5 - Have No Fear

Read: Matthew 17:1-13

But Jesus came and touched them, saying, "Rise, and have no fear." (Matthew 17:7 ESV)

Jesus took his closest friends with him to the top of a mountain and there they witnessed a supernatural event. This is often referred to as the Transfiguration. It was a moment when Jesus was momentarily revealed in his divine glory. It was revelatory moment for the disciples. It was something they did not fully comprehend.

Moses was there, Elijah was there, and Peter spoke prophetic things he didn't even understand. But the climactic event took place when God spoke in such a way that all in attendance heard and understood.

"This is my beloved son, listen to him."

The disciples were on their faces before the powerful voice of God. It was probably terrifying to hear the disembodied voice of the one true God. When the Father had finished speaking Jesus touched them and assured them that there was no reason to be afraid.

Today, we can walk, live, breathe, and enjoy the presence of The Holy God by way of His only begotten son. Jesus removes the fearfulness that exists between fallen man and God almighty, at least for those that have been covered by the righteousness of Christ. Apart from Christ there is much to fear about eternity. In Jesus there is an eternal reason to have no fear.

June 4 - By the Hand

Read: Matthew 9:18-26

But when the crowd had been put outside, he went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. (Matthew 9:25 ESV)

There is something special about clasping hands with another person. Recently my son started learning to hold my hand as he tries to go up or down steps. It is a gesture of security, comfort, and closeness.

When Jesus went to Jairus's house he revived the man's daughter in spite of skeptics, and mockery. As he performed the miraculous sign he took the girl by the hand. Hand in hand with Jesus she awoke from death into a new life.

Each of us that have believed on Jesus for salvation have experienced the same kind of thing on a spiritual level. We were dead in our sin. Our spirit was stirred and we turned to Christ. In him we pass from death into new life.

June 3 - Laughing at Jesus

Read: Luke 8:40-56

And they laughed at him, knowing that she was dead. (Luke 8:53 ESV)

Jesus had just healed the woman with an issue of blood while on his way to Jairus's house. Arriving at the house he found a crowd of pessimistic and skeptical mourners. They had actually tried to dismiss him from coming at all as they believed her to be dead. When Jesus informed them that the situation was not beyond hope they laughed at him.

I enjoy a good joke. I like to laugh, and try to find humor in things that are sometimes difficult. A dead little girl is not a laughing matter. Neither was Jesus' commitment to minister to the family in the situation.

Why did they laugh at Jesus? Because he spoke with authority and confidence that the girl was going to be ok. Jesus was telling people that a dead girl was going to be fine, that they needed to merely believe and all would be fine. That seemed impossible. It was ridiculous. After all curing someone of something while they were still alive was one thing, but who has the power to make life return to a body that has ceased to function? God does.

Jesus did the inexplicable for Jairus's family. Some of us need him to reach down from heaven and do the inexplicable for us. He can. I believe that he wants to. But if he told us the enormity of the magnitude for what he had planned would we believe him? If Jesus looked at the impossibility of our situation and declared authoritatively that he was about to undo the impossible would we believe? Or we would join the crowd of skeptics and laugh at Jesus?

It's not enough to merely believe in Jesus. We need to move beyond the point of simply believing in his existence and begin to believe in his words. We need to believe in his power. We need to believe that he has our best interest at heart, and in hand. That's no joke.

June 2 - Issues

Read: Mark 5:21-43

For she said, "If I touch even his garments, I will be made well." (Mark 5:28 ESV)

We all have our issues. I don't know what your issue is. It may be something horrible that has plagued you for years. Or, maybe it is something recent that has came up in your life and is horribly troubling. Regardless of the duration, severity, or seeming hopelessness of the situation you can take your issue to Jesus.

The poor woman with an issue of blood was an outcast for years. She was ceremonially unclean from her ordeal. She was broken financially, socially, physically, and spiritually. Jesus helped her. But she went to Jesus.

There is no magic formula to receiving comfort and aide from Christ. For some people he inexplicably interrupts their situation with a supernatural kind of sovereign mercy. For others it does not happen that way.

The bottom line is that we are not in control and that is a big part of the big idea. God is in control. Just as the woman took her issue to Jesus we can take it to him today. We can go fearfully, reverently, and boldly into his presence and present ourselves. He is in control. No issue is beyond God.

June 1 -Fear the Good

Read: Mark 5:15-17

And they came to Jesus and saw the demon-possessed man, the one who had had the legion, sitting there, clothed and in his right mind, and they were afraid. And those who had seen it described to them what had happened to the demon-possessed man and to the pigs. And they began to beg Jesus to depart from their region. (Mark 5:15-17 ESV)

The first portion of the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Mark records the incredible encounter between Jesus Christ and a man possessed by a legion of unclean spirits (demons). Christ sends the demons away from the tormented man, allowing them to enter a herd of pigs. The pigs run down a hill and throw themselves into the water, and the herdsmen run to the nearby community to spread the tidings of this startling event. Afterwards a gathering of curious people come to the site of the exorcism, a graveyard near the coast.

I find it really interesting that the locals were afraid of the events that took place. They clearly saw they changes that had come over the demoniac. He was no longer tormenting himself and loving among graves. He was no longer dwelling in a state of perpetual uncleanliness. He was in his right mind. He was clothed. And they were afraid. What were they afraid of?

They were afraid of the unknown. Jesus did and said things that had never been done before. It rattled people. It was a departure from the known and familiar.

His actions consistently forced people to make a gut check. He was calling people to faithfully embrace the plan of the Father by forsaking the comfort of the status quo. Jesus wanted them to unleash the full freedoms of unfettered faith.

He still wants that. It's time for a gut check. It is time to fearlessly set aside the stale positions of our present in favor of the future set aside for us by God. The difference is drastic. It is the difference between life and death. It is the difference between heaven and hell. The only good we have to fear is the one we fail to follow.

May 31 - When He Saw Jesus

Read: Mark 5:1-20

Night and day among the tombs and on the mountains he was always crying out and cutting himself with stones. And when he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. (Mark 5:5, 6 ESV)

Demons are real and people can fall under their power. I know that sounds like some kind of horror movie mumbo-jumbo, but it is true. There are dark spirits in existence and they want to harm us.

The man from the tombs had tragically discovered the truth of malevolent spirits in the worst possible way. They had led him to place of death, separated him from his people, his culture, and his spiritual heritage. The evil spirits had isolated him in every possible way.

I don't believe in coincidences. I think Jesus knew just where his boat would wash up that day. I think he went there with the express purpose of freeing the man from the legion of demons.

Notice how the situation changed when Christ arrived. The man who had been mutilating himself suddenly ran to Jesus and fell before him. Here is the kicker. His response wasn't out of his human desire to be free from those entities. The action of submission and supplication was actually a response by the demonic spirits to the presence of Christ. Jesus changes everything. When the demons saw his arrival they took note. They cast themselves upon the mercy of the Son of God.

If a demonic legion would seek the mercy of Jesus with such fearful reverence shouldn't we take note and consider our response to Jesus?

May 30 - Possible With God

Read: Mark 10:17-22

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God." (Mark 10:27 ESV)

You can not save yourself. You just can't. None of us can. But God did. And only by journeying through this life with Him will we know the joyous peace of our intended eternal home. Apart from God arriving at this place is impossible. With God the impossible becomes possible.

Why? Because there is nothing that is beyond the scope or ability of God.

I'm certainly no mathematician, but I think it could look something like this.

If: X + Man = Impossible Then: (X + Man) + God = Possible

God is the change agent in your life. These are the words of Jesus. Nothing is beyond Him. Nothing is above Him. Nothing is impossible.

That is a truth that is so powerful it holds the potential to uproot and alter every discouraging piece of news, every negative circumstance, and every bad day. The fact is that facts change when God gets involved. Why? Because apart from God we are impossible, but with God the impossible becomes possible.

May 29- He Went Away

Read: Matthew 19:16-30

When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. (Matthew 19:22 ESV)

During the final stretch of Jesus' public ministry a young religious ruler secretly came to him to find out the truth about eternal life. Jesus shared with him several insights about living a devout Godly life. The young man met all of the criteria, he was on his way to experiencing eternity with God, until Jesus revealed the final piece of the young man's personal journey.

Some biblical translations call this man a rich young ruler, a name that adequately describes his place in life. At a young age this fellow had amassed great power and wealth. That was a problem. Not because either of those things are bad things, but because when Jesus asked him to leave it all behind he was unwilling. He went away sorrowful.

I am not rich and powerful. If God called me to lay aside my finances it would not be a monumental request. For this man it was. I believe that is exactly what Jesus asks of his followers sometimes. He sees into our hearts, and knowing the very things that would distract us from following him with the greatest sense of passion, he sometimes asks us to lay them aside in favor of a simpler life in pursuit of him.

In those moments we are presented with a choose similar to that of the rich young ruler. Either we will lay aside our idolatrous distraction and follow Jesus without reservation, or we will walk away sorrowful, unwilling to part ways with the gods of our own making. What will you choose?

May 28 - Who Believes In You?

Read: John 7:1-10

For not even his brothers believed in him. (John 7:5 ESV)

I want people to believe in me. It's part of my personality. I have an innate desire to inspire others to believe. In an often selfish twist of this I regularly wish for them to believe that I know what I am doing, how I will do it, and why I will do it. Perhaps I am not so alone in this.

We all probably crave to have others believe in us. Sometimes it can become a distraction, especially if we come to depend on it as a measurement for self-worth or accomplishment. But encouragement is an exceedingly powerful thing. So, who believes in you?

Jesus faced this same issue. His own flesh and blood siblings doubted his divinity. They would not change their minds about it until after his resurrection. They would not simply believe in him. In spite of their doubt Jesus kept on ministering. He never lost focus. He never got distracted. He knew there was a source of belief in him that surpassed anything that could come from men. The Father believed in him.

The Father believes in you too. He believes in His image and likeness with which you were created. He believes in His righteousness with which you were covered. He believes in His future in which you can be a part.

That is a life changing bit of encouragement. It is actually quite daunting. God believes in you. We spend so much time sometimes considering the notion of belief as a term for the contemplation of existence. To believe also means to support, to encourage, and to rally to. So let me say it again, God believes in you.

Jesus believes in you. He believes in you so much that when his family, his culture, his country, and his friends rejected him he carried on. He endured. He sacrificed.

All. For. You.

All because he believes in you. He believes you were worth it.

May 27 - Not Everyone

Read: John 7: 1-24

For not even his brothers believed in him. (John 7:5 ESV)

Sometimes the people you love the most can be the harshest critics. Maybe family are your biggest critics, often it is family, perhaps it is close friends or peers. The simple truth is that the more we operate inside of Godly community, the more we love, and are loved; the more vulnerable we become to rejection at the hands of those same people.

Jesus was rejected by His hometown of Nazareth.  He was rejected by His own brothers, at least until after his resurrection. He was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver by one of His chosen twelve Apostles.  He was denied by His best friend.  His own Father turned His back on Him in His final moments.

Sometimes, many times, the Christian existence will call, send, and guide us into territory where life's many potential vulnerabilities become realities. Thankfully we follow someone that has already faced that kind of hardship and overcome it.  We can carry our cross with the full faith that Christ leads us into His own glory. That is, He leads us into the glory of God, by the grace of God.

May 26 - Who Are My Brothers?

Read: Matthew 12:46-48; Mark 3:31-35; Luke 8:19-21

But he replied to the man who told him, “Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?” (Matthew 16:48 ESV)

Brotherhood is a remarkable thing, truly.  Many of my favorite memories in life involve my brother.  I have loved him deeply, as only brothers can, since the first moment my parents told me he was coming into this world.

Jesus had brothers too.  After his birth Joseph and Mary went on to have other children.  James, one of Jesus’ brothers eventually even went on to pastor the Jerusalem church.

Jesus’ statement concerning his family wasn’t an attempt to downplay his love and concern for his earthly family.  There are several examples in the Gospels that demonstrate Christ’s consideration and adoration for his family.  Rather, it was an inquisitive statement put forth to engage his audience.

The New Testament frequently uses the language of family to describe Christian community.  Those of us who follow Jesus have been adopted into the family of God.  We are brothers and sisters in Christ.

May 25 - No Signs

Read: Mark 8:10-12

And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation." (Mark 8:12 ESV)

Why are we always looking for signs? We seem to be a people who crave the security of inside information.  We doggedly go about searching for clues or insights to the near and far future. We even sometimes fall into the trap of worshipping that kind of information, maybe not in ritualistic religious observances, but with our intense desires and passions.

The Gospels record Jesus being approached about his signs on a few different occasions.  People wanted proof of his claim.  They wanted some kind of supernatural ID, but they wanted it on their schedule and on their time.  He had already been demonstrating all kinds of supernatural things. Healings, exorcisms, and other miraculous wonders that superseded the natural world.

I believe God does supernatural things for two reasons.  He does them simply because He loves us and wishes to help us.  And He also does them to bring glory to Himself.  He does not do them to whoa us, wow us, or woo us.  No sign is coming simply to sate our estranged curiosity. God does not work on our time, to please our whims, or to satisfy our selfishness.

I think that leaves us with an important question.  Will be of a generation that freely receives from God simply because He loves us and is longing to demonstrate His love? Or, will we go to Him as the Pharisees did with our list of demands and conditions for belief? One option leaves us disappointed, depraved, and destitute. The other leaves us sitting as His feet, awaiting the Father’s good pleasure.

May 24 - Seeing Signs

Read: Luke 11:29-32

For as Jonah became a sign to the people of Nineveh, so will the Son of Man be to this generation. (Luke 11:30 ESV)

Seeing is believing right? For most of us it is simply easier to accept what we can see. But it is also important to ask yourself, what exactly do I see? What is the sign before my eyes?

Jesus declared that he himself would be a sign to his generation. The nation was in turmoil. They were occupied by a conquering force. They were crushed by a cruel puppet king. They were spiritually starving under the leadership of a corrupt religious aristocracy. Jesus was the sign that all of that would change, and it did.

What kind of sign is before your eyes? Do you see Jesus? Do you see him for who he is?

Jesus does change everything. His death was the catalyst for our new life and restored relationship with God. Look to him. Find answers. Find assurance. Find provision and find peace.

May 23 - Seeking Signs

Read: Matthew 12:38-42

Then some of the scribes and Pharisees answered him, saying, "Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you." (Matthew 12:38 ESV)

I use signs a lot when I'm driving. Especially if I am traveling into new territory or looking for somewhere/something new. In our culture we depend on signs so much that we invented technology to give us audible voiced cues as we drive down the road. We want to see and know what is ahead. We want proof.

The religious leaders in Jesus' time wanted proof as well. Or at least they outwardly claimed that it was proof they were aster. Some were motivated by their power, influence, and bank accounts, but ere were those among their number earnestly seeking to please God, and serve Him. I'm not sure what category the group fell into that first asked Jesus for a sign, but I know that his response addressed the real issue.

What is it about us that demands proof? Is it mistrust, a lack of faith, or absurd arrogance? Maybe it is a meandering conglomerate of all of them. Maybe we vacillate between varying shades of mistrust and arrogance in our pursuit of proof. But what lies at the core of what we are actually searching for in our pursuit of proof? Are we hoping to find irrefutable evidence for the existence of God or the supremacy of the human intellect? Many with varying opinions would argue that proof for both arguments already exists. No, the answer to what we are seeking is secondary, or maybe even tertiary. The chief question in our humanly selfish pursuit of proof is, why are we seeking proof? Or, why do we demand a sign? The answer to that question reveals a great deal about our hearts.

May 22 - Denounced

Read: Matthew 11:20-24

Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. (Matthew 11:20 ESV)

We choose whether or not to believe in the supernatural. It is a choice all of us must wrestle with. For some this is an easy and nearly effortless struggle as they willingly, readily, and eagerly accept the notion of things happening beyond the realm of natural explanation. Others reject offhand the notion that anything can take place that is not potentially explainable by science.

Where do you fall on that scale? Maybe you find yourself believing in the supernatural. Maybe you have seen things that are unexplainable. This important statement that Jesus made boils down to one question; what do you do with the revelation of Jesus' supernatural power?

Some who experience the supernatural still refuse to acknowledge the source of that power. They explain it away, chock it up coincidence, and try to forget about it. Jesus would have none of that. He let it be known that his supernatural acts were attempts to draw attention to the Father. Everything the Son did was to exalt the Father.

Jesus used powerful language when describing the fate awaiting those who experienced his supernatural power and did not repent. He warned them of the trouble that awaited their stubborn refusal to return to a right standing with God. It's a side of Jesus we rarely see in the Gospels.

What would it take for Jesus to denounce you or I? Surely we must be wary of falling into the same trap of refusing repentance. It's not about merely being sorry for our actions. It is about our willful acknowledgement of God's plan and power.

May 21 - Don't Look Back

Read: Luke 9:57-62

Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." (Luke 9:62 ESV)

Not every yesterday is a pleasant memory. Often the recollection of yesterday is a painful remembrance. Perhaps terrible thing were done to you or by you. They are part of your yesterdays.

Jesus cautioned his followers against being consumed by worry for yesterday. In order to thoroughly live in the freely given identity we receive in Christ we must step into the new life provided for us while rejecting the pain of the past. It means recognizing that all of our hope, all of our strength, all of our joy, and all of our provision are rooted in Christ. It means looking ahead to the life and work he has for us.

I have made many mistakes in my life. Some would easily be deeply regrettable. But instead I find a measure of gratitude where cynicism, or even, fondness could linger. I don't miss my days of reckless selfishness. I don't wish to be back in that season of life. I'm not looking back instead of ahead.

Jesus calls each of us that bear his identity as a child of God to press on. Yes, we have been hurt. Yes, we have failed in some pretty shameful ways. But those things do not define who we are. We are children of God. We are coheirs with Christ. We have identity in Christ. He is calling us to look ahead.

May 20 - Leave the Dead

Read: Matthew 8:19-20; Luke 9:57-62

And Jesus said to him, "Follow me, and leave the dead to bury their own dead." (Matthew 8:22 ESV)

Life and death. You are alive or you are dead. That's pretty much how we think. That is especially how the naturalistic kind of perspective trains you to think.

Really we are, all of us, born into death. The curse of sin that was brought into God's creation by His first created couple is something we are all faced with. And the only thing that rescues us from that curse is life in Christ.

The question of life or death is the question of Christ. To be in Christ is to be alive. To be outside of Christ is to be dead, even though you may still draw breath. This is to what Jesus was speaking of. He was drawing followers to himself that could be counted on guide Christianity in its infancy. Jesus was, and still is, looking for people who would be willing to walk from anything and everything the natural life had to offer in order to discover supernatural life in him. Where does that leave you?

I don't believe God is asking us to leave and reject our loved ones. He is however calling us to leave behind death and follow him into life. Life in Christ.