September 24 - Not Everyone

John 7

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 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.