December 31 - Faithful & True

Revelations 19:11-16; 21:1-6

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. (Revelation 19:11 ESV)

I don't know what this was like for you, but for our family this past year was kind of crazy. There were many significant changes and challenges that came along. There were lots of prayers and lots of prayers answered. It has been quite the ride.

One thing stands out from among everything else this year. Jesus is Faithful and True! I am not always either of the two, but he is incredible.

All year long, just at the right time, encouragement came my way. When we needed it most provision was there. Jesus is Faithful!

At every turn I have grown ever more convinced that Jesus is True! I started off writing A Year With Jesus to challenge my readership to walk closer with him. I pulled from a lot of my notes I have compiled over the years, and going through it all everyday has pushed me to consider Christ in the fondest of light. I am by nature a consistent doubter, but none of those doubts surround the person and work of Jesus. That he is True, I have never been more convinced!

So, whether this is your first time to check out the blog, or you've been reading along all year long, I hope you have had an awesome year with Jesus. Here's to many many more!

December 30 - The Hand of God

Read: Hebrews 1:1-14

The Lord says to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” (Psalm 110:1 ESV)

Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs. (Hebrews 1:1-4 ESV)

I like working with my hands. In a career where my primary responsibilities usually revolve around study, communication, and spending time with people (all of which also love) using my hands to make, repair, or lift something can sometimes come as a nice change of pace. Even in the hobbies I enjoy like guitar, video games, and art—my hands are vital to the process. Hands are important.

Jesus sits at the right hand of God. It's a place of honor for the God-man and King. It's not a subservient place. It is equal footing. As Jesus is the Hand of God.

When I want to work to fix something I use my hands to do the job. I have to pick up the pieces, I have to make the repairs, and I have to hold the tools. God did something similar, but eternally and infinitely more wonderful than my weak analogy could ever capture.

God reached into human history, as Jesus. Jesus is the handprint of God that marks all of human experience. Jesus is the touch of kindness and measure of mercy. Jesus is the grip of compassion and strong arm of justice that guides the course of eternity. Jesus holds the rod that will rule the future of all futures forever. Jesus is the Hand of God.

December 29 - Jesus Far Above

Read: Ephesians 4:7-10

You ascended on high, leading a host of captives in your train and receiving gifts among men, even among the rebellious, that the Lord God may dwell there. (Psalm 68:18 ESV)

He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) (Ephesians 4:10 ESV)

In about 1000 B.C. King David prophesied that Jesus would ascend into heaven. It was written that Jesus would take the the souls of departed Christians with Him. Paul's letter to the Ephesians mentions the fulfillment of that prophecy.

Jesus did come down out of Heaven. He was murdered for our sin. He descended into the depths of the grave. He took back themes to life. And he ascended again into Heaven—first stopping by to encourage and pastor his disciples for 40 days.

Today, Jesus is far above. In metaphysical terms I believe that he is omnipresent. He is able to be everywhere always. In speaking of his exalted status as King of all—he is far above. We serve a King who sits in authority over, and even far above, all things.

How does that play out in your life? If you're struggling with some terrible need, whatever it may be, Jesus sits in authority above the powerful captivity you might be facing in light of your need. He holds in his hand the power and authority to release a good work on your behalf. And perhaps the best thing about this King of ours who sits far a above is that he will often do just that. He is far above all, but he is not far from.

December 28 - Life Giving Glory

2 Corinthians 3:1-18

Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to be ministers of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:4-6 ESV)

The Spirit of God changes people. He changed me. He keeps changing me. He keeps reminding me of errors, pointing out needed improvements, and guiding toward necessary refinement in attitude, doctrine, and discipline. The Spirit changes me.

The biggest and most impactful change the Spirit of God has worked in my life is salvation. I have crossed over from the destiny of death into one of life. Jesus made that possible. God made it sufficient. The Spirit has made it life.

Everywhere that I go. Everyone that I contact and connect with. I hope that I am able to give and share life everywhere! Just as the Spirit has called, empowered, and encouraged me; I hope that I will give life—the life of Christ—always and anywhere.

December 25 - The Other Christmas Story (Invading Enemy Territory)

Read: Revelations 12:1-17

She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne (Revelation 12:5 ESV)

Christmas is awesome. By far my favorite holiday. I love the festivities. I love the traditions, and the time with my family. But, more importantly, I love the reason for the season.

The story of Jesus' birth is amazing. Many miraculous events surrounded, and preceded it. But it is so much more than the cutesy candy coated Sunday School story we all know and love so much.

The Christmas Story is a story about invasion. It is the beachhead for the divine campaign to reclaim Creation, redeem humanity, and restore the Kingdom. God had set events in motion to become a man. He would walk the Earth. He would feel dirt beneath his feet and oxygen in his lungs. He would work, sweat, eat, love, and even die.

The Apostle John had a unique relationship with Jesus. He was almost like Jesus' kid brother. And he lived long after the rest of the disciples. Having been exiled after surviving several attempted executions, John was visited at his island prison by Jesus. The Holy Spirit worked in John and granted to him a supernatural vision full of wondrous things—many of which are nearly impossible for me to comprehend. He wrote them all down in a book that has come to be called The Revelation. It is the last book of the Holy Bible, and it includes a passage that always rings so incredibly for me at Christmas time.

Jesus was born into tumultuous human times, but it was happening alongside epic supernatural events. Jesus invaded enemy territory. He stepped into death and brought life. He stepped into defeat and brought victory.

I like the Christmas Carols. Silent Night and Joy to the World are beautiful songs. But I imagine that first Christmas to be something more like D-Day than the latest Christmas Special. And all these centuries later, Jesus is still invading enemy territory to restore families, mend hearts, and breathe hope into hopelessness.

Merry Christmas.

December 23 - The Free Gift

Romans 6:15-23

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23 ESV)

Either by willful commission or apathetic omission each of us sin. We do the wrong things, or we choose not to do the right thing. But our sin is not the central message of the Bible.

If sin were the main theme of the Bible it would be a book primarily focused on morality. And while I do believe that the answers to all moral dilemmas are found within its pages, I don't believe it is because morality/sin are its chief issue. Jesus is the central focus of the Bible.

Every book points ahead to Christ. Every book of the Old Testament is a Spirit-inspired wrapping—just as every book of the New Testament is a joyful declaration of the Gospel of Jesus. Jesus is the Good News. Jesus is the hope of the world. Jesus is the central figure of human history, the main idea of the Bible, and the Free Gift of God.

December 19 - Through Faith

Romans 4:13-25

No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:20, 21 ESV)

Abraham trusted God's promise. He wasn't the only one. There are numerous examples in scripture of God leading his people toward something, and them putting their faith in Him.

Faith in Jesus is a powerful thing. It is the foundation of hope, and the cradle of belief. It is precious. It is up-lifting. It is life-giving and life-changing.

Abraham's faith was potent, not because of his mental capacity to understand, or his soulful yearning to believe. Abraham had a complete faith, in that his faith influenced his behavior. Faith caused him to do stuff.

It is through our faith in Jesus as Lord and Savior that we find freedom from sin and death. This faith is demonstrated by our actions and reactions. It informs and influences the initiative we take to help others, and the way we respond to how we are treated. Faith carries us through hard times, but it's also through faith that we will know everlasting peace and assurance.

December 17 - Who Are You?

Acts 19:11-20

But the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I recognize, but who are you?” (Acts 19:15 ESV)

The powers of darkness might know your name. They knew Jesus, they were with him in eternity past before being tossed out of heaven during their attempted coup. They recognized Paul. He had made such an impact for the Kingdom that they had taken notice. Word had spread throughout the demon ranks about the preacher Paul.

Are you on their radar? When your life takes you into contact with a new group of people do the spirits of darkness there get nervous? I think they should.

Jesus told Peter that his church would be an advancing church. We don't just sit back and wait for people to come to us, that's fool hardy and pointless. No, we need to step up, step out, and step into enemy territory.

Maybe the enemy will know your name. Maybe not. But when you step into the role that God has for you you will wear the adopted identity of the name above all other names, Jesus. Who are you? You are his!

December 14 - Jesus: Christ & King

Read: Acts 17:1-9

And Paul went in, as was his custom, and on three Sabbath days he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead, and saying, “This Jesus, whom I proclaim to you, is the Christ.” (Acts 17:2, 3 ESV)

Jesus died. But he didn't stay dead. He returned to life. He ascended, bodily, into Heaven. He went before us into death, and then into resurrected eternity, to prepare the path that who belong to the kingdom of God will one day travel.

Upon his conversion Saul of Tarsus, an infamous persecutor, became an enthusiastic proclaimer of Jesus. He often went into Jewish Synagogues to teach about Jesus, no doubt hoping to bring the truth to his people. He was articulate, and intelligent, persuading a great many people to open their hearts to Jesus—the Christ and King.

It was Jesus' role as Christ which infuriated the Jews; but it was his role as King which the legality of persecution stemmed from. Salvation can come from no source but Jesus. That hasn't stopped a multitude of people from attempting to save themselves, but it is folly.

Just as errant is the rejection of Jesus Christ as King. People often refuse to acknowledge any authority that is not of their own making. They want the throne of their lives left alone. We like to play King, Jesus is both Christ the Savior and the King of kings.

December 13 - To Be Saved

Read: Acts 16:16-40

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.” (Acts 16:31 ESV)

Salvation is a simple thing. But bad religion has sometimes confused the subject. Silly, incorrect, and dangerous requirements, prerequisites, and conditions have crept in to something that was always intended to be incredibly simple.

People worry about what prayer to pray, what lingo to use, what physical demonstrations are required in order to be saved. But all of that is nonsense. They are distractions.

When the Philippian jailer wanted to know how he could be saved, Paul told it to him short and straight. "Believe in The Lord Jesus." It isn't magic. It isn't even hard. It's a simple change in the posture of your heart. And it makes the most important difference you could ever experience.

December 11 - Approved Persecution

Acts 12:1-5

About that time Herod the king laid violent hands on some who belonged to the church. (Acts 12:1 ESV)

James was John's brother. He was one of the first disciples. He was also one of the first martyrs.

Herod arrested a few leaders from the young church. He saw how it pleased the jealous Jews and so he smelled blood in the water. He began a campaign of terror against the Christians, seeking to gain approval from the countrymen that had shunned his family's rule for so long.

It had little to do with beliefs. It wasn't about money, not for Herod. It was about popularity. It was about political power.

The wheels of opinion have long since shifted in America. Once secularist ideas have become commonly held world views. Things that shocked and stunned a few decades ago, are now embraced, promoted, and legitimized. As this trend continues there may come a day, some would argue that it is already here, when Christians are outright persecuted. It may happen simply so a politician can gain, or keep, the spotlight.

The possibility of persecution will not thwart the authentic followers of Jesus. It will instead galvanize the Bride of Christ to shine with the true love of Jesus. It will shine bright. It will draw people away from darkness and into the family of God.

December 10 - Gentiles & Jesus

Read: Acts 10:34-48

And the believers from among the circumcised who had come with Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out even on the Gentiles. (Acts 10:45 ESV)

If you're reading this then chances are pretty good that you can be classified as a gentile. No, not gentle—well maybe, but a gentile. A person of non-Jewish heritage.

Christianity began with Jews. Jesus was Jewish. He came from a Jewish family, as a descendant of a Jewish King, as an answer to a promise given to the Jewish patriarch Abraham. However, his penultimate charge to his followers was to spread the Gospel to the world. The plan was always that Jesus would redeem all of humanity! All people groups! Not just the Jews.

God does not discriminate. He loves all people, in all places, in all circumstances. He longs for them to return to Him. Instead of being surprised by the differences of the people who come to Him, we should enthusiastically embrace the opportunities for diversity that the Kingdom of God affords our church family.

December 9 - From Persecutor to Proclaimer

Read: Acts 9:20-25

And immediately he proclaimed Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” (Acts 9:20 ESV)

The story of Saul of Tarsus is incredible. He first came onto the scene of scripture as a persecutor of Christ's first generation of followers. But after a roadside experience with the resurrected Jesus—Saul was irrevocably ruined as a Pharisee.

No longer could he stomach the jealous hatred that drove his order to dog the early church. He began immediately to demonstrate a powerful understanding for the scriptures from the Prophets and other Old Testament writings. He used his established position as a Pharisee to leverage opportunity to speak in the local synagogues, where he declared Jesus to be the Son of God.

Saul the persecutor became Paul the Apostle. His conversion is even cited as one of the largely held evidences supporting the historical truth of the resurrection of Jesus. He would go on to write the majority of the New Testament, and his disciple Luke would write most of the rest. Not everyone makes the impact in life that he made, but when Jesus saves us we do change.

December 8 - Saul & Jesus

Read: Acts 9:1-19

And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Acts 9:4 ESV)

Saul was on his way to arrest Christians in Damascus. He was hoping to stop the followers of Jesus from spreading their message beyond Jerusalem. But everything changed for him when Jesus intervened.

A blinding light stopped him in tracks. And Jesus Christ spoke to the young Pharisee, charging him with carrying on the very same message he had set out to destroy. Saul was blinded by the light, but carried out the instructions of The Lord and was healed.

Saul's conversion story is incredible. He had an amazing encounter with Jesus—someone whom Saul believed to be dead. But the risen Christ appeared to Saul on the road. And though his journey took him to the same destination his course was forever changed the day that Saul encountered the powerful truth of Jesus.

December 7 - Philip in Samaria

Read: Acts 8:4-8

Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. (Acts 8:5 ESV)

After Stephen's brutal murder Christians came under very heavy persecution in Jerusalem. Saul rose up among the Pharisees and led the charge, arresting people in droves and dragging them off to prison and death. In many ways the death of Stephen was a catalyst for the spread of Christianity.

Philip, like many others, fled from the persecutors. He travelled to Samaria and began to preach the Gospel. Lives were being impacted by the truth of his message, because lives are always changed by the power of the Gospel.

But what if Philip had not preached in Samaria? What if he had merely tried to blend in to their culture, avoiding persecution and confrontation altogether?

Philip, like Stephen, like Jesus, and like so many since—simply refused to stay silent about the hopeful message of the Gospel. Philip preached the truth of the Word of God and it changed a city. Where will God use you to declare and demonstrate His love for those around you?

December 6 - Gaze Into Heaven

Read: Acts 7:51-60

But he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” (Acts 7:55, 56 ESV)

Stephen preached the truth of Christ in Jerusalem and was shaking up the status quo. Grace and power followed his message. Lives were being changed. The religious elite were not happy—Jesus was gone but his followers continued to proclaim his life and message. They drug Stephen to court, trumped up false charges, and asked him to defend himself.

Instead of defending himself Stephen preached his final sermon. It was an exegetical masterpiece as he wound his way through the Torah, Prophets, and Psalms to declare Jesus as the promised Messiah. He delivered solid truth, unflinchingly, to a mob eager for blood. And it was more than they could handle.

As he drew near to the end of his message he looked up, perhaps for a measure of reassurance and comfort. The power of the Holy Spirit came upon him and he had a supernatural vision of God and Christ there with him. The declaration of Jesus' position was more than the ruling authorities could handle.

Not only was Stephen obviously not going to be shut up, but here he was publicly declaring Jesus alive and well. He was stating outright their powerlessness. They were enraged. They attacked and killed him, stoning him to death.

The truth so offended these leaders that they were willing to forsake everything they pretended to serve in order to justify themselves. The truth of Jesus forces a reckoning. Some will accept it, many will reject it. Stephen gazed into Heaven and saw with supernatural eyes the wonders of God. I pray that the truth of Christ would prompt us all to do a little Heaven-gazing.

December 5 - Full of Grace & Power

Read: Acts 6:8-15

And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people. (Acts 6:8 ESV)

Jesus' followers are supposed to be like Stephen. We are supposed to be people who are full of grace and power. People who do great wonders and signs.

Stephen was so impactful as he ministered in the name of Jesus that it bewildered the extremely religious Jewish leadership. So much so that, just as they had done to Jesus, they decided to have Stephen killed. They concocted a phony trial with false witnesses, and they besmeared his reputation through villainous slander.

Stephen remained full of grace throughout. And it was only by the power of God that he withstood their torments. In fact, the whole ordeal only served to better illuminate the power of God at work in Stephen's life.

Today when Christians talk about God's power they are often looking for something supernatural or miraculous. I believe those things can and do happen, but perhaps more often the power of God works in His followers to sustain them through difficulty. Grace and power are fully at work when a lost sinner is made to shine like a saved saint.

December 4 - You First

Read: Acts 3:11-26

God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness. (Acts 3:26 ESV)

Peter didn't pull any punches during his first sermon. He was letting them have it. Both barrels. He recounted the mission of Christ, the life of Christ, the heritage, and the qualification. He turned their murderous actions around on them.

"Jesus was sent to you first!" he declared.

He was not wrong. Jesus showed up in the Judea wilderness performing miracles and preaching repentance. He went to God's people, the Jews, first. Many followed him, while many more rejected him outright.

What if Jesus had come to you first? How do you think you would have responded? How we respond to others now is a direct reflection of our belief about Jesus. Let's strive to serve Jesus by serving each other.

December 3 - In Jesus' Name

Read: Acts 3:1-10

But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. (Acts 3:6, 7 ESV)

Three little words. "In Jesus' name." Where I'm from they are almost the token ending to every prayer I have ever heard, and quite a few that I have prayed. But there is power in Jesus' name. It is a special name.

Peter knew there was authority in the name of Jesus. He had experiential knowledge of the power of Jesus. Also, he had faith—and was emboldened by the Holy Spirit—to proclaim healing for the crippled man at the gate.

The name of Jesus gets thrown around a lot by people who assume that its a magic set of syllables. Too often people wrongly assume that they can declare something supernatural will happen, sprinkle the name of Jesus around—and then POOF, that thing has to happen. That's not how it works. It has never worked like that.

Peter rightly understood that authority rested with Jesus. The power was from the Holy Spirit. And that the combined faith of the parties involved activated the work that God was looking to do in the life of the crippled man. Peter knew that in Jesus' name he had access to God, he had access to power, but he did not have control.

December 2 - Peter Preaches Jesus

Read: Acts 2

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it." (Acts 2:22-24 ESV)

By all human accounts and logic, it would seem as though Jesus left the future of human destiny in the hands of eleven men. It would seem. And certainly they each played an epic part. But the apostles are neither the story nor the point of the story—though each were proclaimers of the story.

Peter was a fisherman, who became a follower, who became a leader. He made the eventual transition from fishmonger to fisher-of-men. But there were many bumps on his journey.

Peter made numerous mistakes. He was brash. He was stubborn and dense. He was both an agitator and a coward, a brawler and betrayer. Peter was a tumultuous wreck of a man with only one notable trait among a laundry list of scruples. Peter loved Jesus.

On the day that Luke recorded in the second chapter of Acts, a day often referred to as the Day of Pentecost, Peter changed. Gone was the fumbling disciple and scrambling coward. Peter arose a leader. A preacher. The proclaimer.

Jesus had promised a power would come. And while in person God was with them in limited form, on the Day of Pentecost God revealed himself in a new way. It changed everything. The Holy Spirit emboldened, encouraged, and equipped a once-dull fisherman to stand up before a crowd, in a city full of people that had just murdered his master, and challenge the status quo.

Peter preached Jesus, and thousands responded.