– Scripture:

                     In Charge of Everything

Jesus, knowing the religious leaders were out to get him, moved on a lot. A lot of people followed him, and he healed them all. He also cautioned them to keep it quiet, following guidelines set down by Isaiah:
Look well at my hand-picked servant;
I love him so much, take such delight in him.
I’ve placed my Spirit on him;
he’ll decree justice to the nations.
But he won’t yell, won’t raise his voice;
there’ll be no commotion in the streets.
He won’t walk over anyone’s feelings,
won’t push you into a corner.
Before you know it, his justice will triumph;
the mere sound of his name will signal hope, even among far-off unbelievers.

                      Matthew 12:15–21  MSG

 – Reflection:

Me thinking of Jesus walking through the streets, healing those people that needed him, and at the same time trying to tell them hey guys, there are a lot of people after me right now; I can heal you, but be quiet about it. That had to be tough as a person who was just healed, not being able to praise that person for helping you for the fear of them being harmed. The simpleness of the mindset had to happen the way it did, or none of what we praise about him today would be so strong. Jesus knew that his time was ending because he knew the scriptures before they were even written. He was already in charge of everything; now he wants us to take up his power and finish the job he started all those years ago. There are several services that I do to help follow his path. I hope you that read my posts will start a few of your own. It is not to say that I help these people or have served here. I serve because Jesus served, and he says this is how to follow him. The acts of service, though, will not bring you closer to him; you must him into your heart as well.

Where do we go from here?

Follow your hearts and do what the Lord would have you do; everyone needs a community, and those of us that don’t fit into the community in this way, he will wait for you. He is a gentleman; he won’t push his way into your life; you will have to invite him just like the people you invite into your homes. When you are ready and ask, he will always be there to bring you peace and comfort.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, Thank you for this day and the strength that you have given me to carry the yoke that has been placed on me. I come to you today to bring peace to those who need you so much and have asked for you into the space of their lives. Allow them the same access as you have given me and others that follow you so strongly. Jesus, there is so much that you give us every day, to keep us out of darkness. Those that don’t know you yet; I hope they one day will love you as I do. Thank you for being in charge of everything. Amen.

 – Scripture:

                         Forget About Yourself

“What’s the price of a pet canary? Some loose change, right? And God cares what happens to it even more than you do. He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail—even numbering the hairs on your head! So don’t be intimidated by all this bully talk. You’re worth more than a million canaries. “Stand up for me against world opinion, and I’ll stand up for you before my Father in heaven. If you turn tail and run, do you think I’ll cover for you?

                         Matthew 10:29–33

 – Reflection:

In our basketball organization, myself and the other coaches pour into the youth in our community to teach them life skills and basketball. We constantly let the kids know we are there for them and their successes. Helping them learn the drill, walking them through the drill, and then finally letting them do the drill on their own is what we are all about. Very similar to Matthew 10:29-33, he doesn’t leave us to do this on our own we do have to follow him and learn before we can take ownership of the work he has for us, just like the kids we are helping. Following the presence of GOD, we want to ensure that these kids will learn, be able to walk through it, and then take it on their own and do it themselves. 

Where do we go from here?

We must, as the scripture has defined above, forget about ourselves and allow the work and path GOD has prepared for us to take shape. In order to help our communities, we must forget ourselves and do the work before us. I enjoy the opportunity to serve and help whoever comes into the organization.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, it is with great pleasure that we come to you, arms open and happy for all those we have come in contact with and have helped or allowed us to help them. We know you will send those who need to be with us, and that is all I hope for. It is a great stance when we walk with you knowing everything will work out in due time. All the glory belongs to you, Jesus and I look for your favor always. Amen.

 – Scripture:

                      Are You Willing To Accept It?

 When John’s disciples left to report, Jesus started talking to the crowd about John. “What did you expect when you went to see him in the wild? A weekend camper? Hardly. What then? A sheik in silk pajamas? Not in the wilderness, not by a long shot. What then? A prophet? That’s right, a prophet! Probably the best prophet you’ll ever hear. He is the prophet Malachi announced when he wrote, ‘I’m sending my prophet ahead of you to make the road smooth for you.’ “Let me tell you what’s going on here: No one in history surpasses John the Baptizer, but in the kingdom, he prepared you for, the lowliest person is ahead of him. For a long time now, people have tried to force themselves into God’s kingdom. But if you read the books of the Prophets and God’s Law closely, you will see them culminate in John, teaming up with him to prepare for the Messiah of the kingdom. Looked at in this way, John is the ‘Elijah’ you’ve all been expecting to arrive and introduce the Messiah. “Are you listening to me? Listening? “How can I account for this generation? The people have been like spoiled children whining to their parents, ‘We wanted to skip rope, and you were always too tired; we wanted to talk, but you were always too busy.’ John came fasting, and they called him crazy. I came feasting, and they called me a lush, a friend of the riffraff. Opinion polls don’t count for much, do they? The proof of the pudding is in the eating.”

                        Matthew 11:7–19 MSG

 – Reflection:

This passage is Jesus speaking about John the Baptist to the people. This passage heaps tons of praise onto John, highlighting his greatness and how John prepares a way for the people. This would be great if only John weren’t currently in prison. John is elevated to the status of Elijah in a sense, the same Elijah who, to the people, was often thought of as their greatest prophet. Jesus is telling the people to listen to John and set aside any notions of what a prophet of the Lord should be and listen. Jesus doesn’t stop, however, by praising John. He then turns to the people, saying this generation is like children in the marketplace, not engaging with one another. The people are content to sit and watch from the sidelines while not taking seriously God’s messengers.

Where do we go from here?

God will show up to us in ways that are different from what we think. The Holy Spirit often moves in ways we can’t understand or think about, and we must be able to broaden our minds and open our hearts to think differently. John wasn’t what the people expected, but he was named by Jesus to be the next Elijah. We must be open to how God reveals God’s self to us, not on the sidelines waiting for what we expect or want to have happen.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, we thank you for how you show up in our lives. Open our minds and hearts to new ways of understanding, and may we all see you in the unexpected. Amen.

 – Scripture:

                        John the Baptizer

When Jesus finished placing this charge before his twelve disciples, he went on to teach and preach in their villages. John, meanwhile, had been locked up in prison. When he got wind of what Jesus was doing, he sent his own disciples to ask, “Are you the One we’ve been expecting, or are we still waiting?” Jesus told them,
“Go back and tell John what’s going on:
The blind see,
The lame walk,
Lepers are cleansed,
The deaf hear,
The dead are raised,
The wretched of the earth learn that God is on their side.

“Is this what you were expecting? Then count yourselves most blessed!”

                           Matthew 11:1-6 MSG

 – Reflection:

What good news are you waiting for? Can you name it or put a finger on it? Perhaps you know precisely what you are waiting for because you’ve been waiting for it for a long time now, whether a call from the doctor, results from a test, or a message from a loved one. Still, other times I wonder if we are so worried about “bad news” that we don’t even know what good news we are waiting for! So take a moment, pause, and consider what good news you are waiting for.

Where do we go from here?

Jesus’ answer in the above scripture reminds the disciples and John of all the goodness that is going on around them and that this is the good news that they, as a community, have always been waiting for. Jesus pulls these images from Hebrew scripture, reminding us that God’s ways in the world are full of goodness to be seen, heard, and shared. This is the same good news that we long for and look for today – healing and wholeness, welcoming in the outcast, and sharing the good news with the poor.

May we remember this good news when we see it and share it with one another?

Our Prayer for Today

Father in heaven, we will continue to wait for good news to open our eyes, ears, and hearts to recognize your goodness at work. Empower us to join in the goodness of your work and share that good news with others. Amen.

 – Scripture:

                          He’s On Your Side

I’ve done this for twenty years: I slaved away fourteen years for your two daughters and another six years for your flock, and you changed my wages ten times. If the God of my father, the God of Abraham, and the Fear of Isaac, had not stuck with me, you would have sent me off penniless. But God saw the fix I was in and how hard I had worked and last night rendered his verdict.”

                          Genesis 31:41–42 MSG

 – Reflection:

Year after year, Jacob’s father-in-law, Laban, lied to him and cheated him out of his wages ten times. Jacob could have walked away bitter, but he took the high road and kept being his best. In the end, God’s extraordinary blessing on Jacob was so abundant that he had more flocks than Laban.

Where do we go from here?

Don’t be discouraged over what it looks like you’re losing, being shorted, or not getting what you deserve. God knows what you’re owed. When you come into your payback time, you’ll see a sudden increase, unusual growth, and an extraordinary blessing. Here’s the key: Don’t look to people to make it up to you; look to God. That person who hurt you or the company that let you go can’t pay you back the way God will pay you back. If you get it from people, it will be less than it should have been. You have to pass the test of being vindictive. That’s not a battle you’re supposed to fight. Let the Highest God settle your account.

Our Prayer for Today

Father, thank You that You see everything that has happened to us. Thank You that we can let go of every unfair thing and forgive quickly before bitterness can come in. We will continue to be our best and let You settle our accounts. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.