July 13 - He Came to Jesus

Mark 10:46-52

And throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. (Mark 10:50 ESV)

Blind Bartemeus sat by the road begging until the day he heard that Jesus was to pass by. It was an important day. He called for The Lord and despite the attempted interference of the mob he was able to connect with him. Jesus called to him.

It is when Jesus called to him that Blind Bart did something that made all the difference. Forgetting his disabling circumstances, the blind man threw aside his trappings, jumped up, and went to Jesus. Then Jesus healed him, and he immediately began to follow Christ.

I am convinced that often when we are in life's difficult times that Jesus is calling to us. He is calling, and all we must do is throw off some of life's trappings and run to him. Sometimes the faith of a motion made toward God is all it takes to change a circumstance.

July 10 - I Have Kept

Matthew 19:16-22

Jesus said to him, "If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me." (Matthew 19:21 ESV)

I am pretty convinced that most of us have a fairly selfish streak that runs right through the middle of who we are. It affects our thoughts, behaviors, and attitudes. It often keeps us from stepping fully into the kind of richly selfless life that Jesus is calling us to live.

That was the experience that the man often called the Rich Young Ruler had with Christ. He was devout. He was dutiful. He was prosperous. But when Christ called him to enter into a new kind of selfless living and thinking, the young man balked at the prospect of losing all that he had. In his words he had kept all of the laws and rules of God, but in his failing to obediently give all that he had away he missed the point of following Jesus.

Today, just like during Jesus' days of public ministry, it is really easy to allow dogmatic religious observance to cloud authentic Christian caring. Jesus didn't want the young man to give all of his stuff away because he wanted the guy to be poor. He wanted the rich young guy to extravagantly give away his many possessions because they had become more important to him than obedience to God.

There are still days, even after all my years in ministry, when I need to take a good look at my self. I have to ask myself if I have done more than keep the moralistic rules that I know to follow. Yes, Jesus sets out a guideline for behavior through his teachings, but often it is all about giving it all away.

July 9 - Give and Serve

Mark 10:35-45

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many." (Mark 10:45 ESV)

Jesus emphatically and repeatedly declared that the disciples were to serve God by serving the people. It was the climax of his teaching after chastising the sons of Zebedee for their misplaced enthusiasm. They were to serve by giving and give by serving.

Our charge today is the same. As harbingers of the Gospel we are to take the message of the good news of Jesus Christ to e lost, hurts marginalized, and destitute. We are to take it to everyone. We are to give it to them by serving them.

Too often Christians polarize around the implied possibility of potential Christian martyrdom. Either we embrace, seek, and expect to give our lives to Christ, or we shy away from any form of reverent selfless sacrifice. What if the example demonstrate by Christ was his attempt to teach that we are to find a balance in both?

Jesus wished to serve, and his service was culminated in giving his life. But his work did not end there. In fact, his ultimate sacrifice was really just the launching point for two millennia of building. He gave to serve. He served to give.

What are we doing?

July 7 - In His Arms

Mark 10:13-16

And he took them in his arms and blessed them, laying his hands on them. (Mark 10:16 ESV)

One day some kids were coming up to Jesus. Some of his disciples seemed not to like it very much and started hindering them. Jesus wouldn't stand for it and used the opportunity as a teaching point. He told them that the kingdom of God must be received as a child would receive it. And then he continued to accept children and bless them.

Mark, writing Peter's account of things, said that he took them in his harms. The children enjoyed Jesus. He just have been fun and funny. He hugged them. He showed them innocent affection born of deep love for their young hearts, and pure spirits.

For many of us it is far too late in life to contemplate existing with a pure and innocent spirit. Because of bad choices or terrible circumstances many of us have either given away or been robbed of innocence. But Jesus came to this earth to restore it to us. And just as he took the children up in his arms, he draws us into his majestic presence to restore to us the purity of spirit with which we were created.

Believing in Christ as Lord takes us into his presence. It begins our life with him. It as an action of desired innocence. It is childlike. And as a result he takes us in his arms. He blesses us. He puts his hand over our lives. A life lived with the Hand of God on it is a blessed life indeed.

July 6 - Separation

Mark 10:1-12

"What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate." (Mark 10:9 ESV)

Those silly religious guys were always trying to one up Jesus by asking him questions that they perceived to be great theological struggles. He always dismantled them with simplistic love and devotion. Always.

One day they asked his opinion on divorce and he stated quite plainly that it was not good. Most of us would probably readily agree that divorce is not a good thing. It's Christ's following comment that I find so interesting. If you've ever been to a wedding in the South chances are that you have heard this one, "What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."

We live in a culture where people easily toss aside things of incredible importance. Relationships. Jobs. Integrity. Devotion. Truth. These are all things that society has learned to easily and conveniently separate from. People let them go on a whim. They let them go for selfish endeavors. We have become a people of separation, which is fitting seeing as how the first man chose to separate himself from God.

I am glad that God Himself made the move to pave a path for our reconciliation. I choose to be with Him, to love and serve Him, and I will one day be joined together with Him. That will lead to an eternal season without separation.

June 24 - He Will Rise

Read: Mark 10:32-34

And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise." (Mark 10:34 ESV)

Jesus knew what was to come. He spent three impactful years pouring into his disciples because of what was coming. He repeated the events to come to them multiple times, preparing their hearts and minds for the hardship. They were often confused when he spoke of his tribulations to come. They didn't comprehend the shifting that would take place when they would become the stewards of Christianity within the world.

Jesus did not hold back. He gave them the details of what was to be done to them. "They will mock," he said—and they did. They mocked him, and his disciples after him. Many today are still being mocked for being a disciple of Jesus. "They will spit," he said. Christianity has been the brunt of shameful displays of willful disrespect. "They will flog," he warned. Beatings have echoed across the centuries as people joined with their Savior in a willingness to endure beatings for the sake of the Gospel. "They will kill," he declared, and so they did, and so they have, and so they will. Wherever and whenever the uncompromised message of Jesus is spread people will die for it.

"He will rise," Jesus promised. Because men may kill one another, they may hate the message and end the messenger, they may reject the truth—they may even dare to kill God, but He will rise. That was the fulfilled promise of Christ. It was fulfilled for him, by him, and through him on the third day. It will be fulfilled in all who have laid down their lives in pursuit of him, they will rise after him.

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 9 - Adulterous Divorce

Read: Matthew 19:1-12 & Mark 10:1-12

And I say to you: whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery." (Matthew 19:9 ESV)

Divorce is a tragic thing. Staggering statistics demonstrate its far reaching affects on our culture. And many who call themselves Christians have been tragically victimized by the saddening reality of divorce.

Jesus was very candid in his opinion concerning divorce. He didn't like it. He taught that the only reason why divorce was allowed was because the ancient Jews had been so stubborn that they demanded Moses to allow it. And apparently he did.

Jesus' thoughts on divorce would make some people very uncomfortable today. H said that it was only acceptable in cases that involved sexual immorality. That's a stern standard that raises the bar considerably, but he didn't stop there. He actually went on to declare that anyone who married a divorced person was committing adultery. Ouch. A tough standard indeed.