18
Sep '18
You Are the Miracle
18
Sep '18
September 18, 2018
You know the story, don’t you? There was a little boy with a picnic lunch – a few fish and loaves of bread. He was part of the big crowd that followed Jesus out into the wilderness one day. Picture it: There were about 5,000 families there that day – so maybe 20,000 people total. Rock concert size crowd! They stretched from the foot of the mountains all the way to the Sea of Galilee. They were out there with Jesus all day long in the hot sun, and now evening’s approaching. “Send them away,” advised the disciples. “It’s dinner time. Tell them to go get themselves some food.”
“No,” replied Jesus. “You feed them.”
“What are you talking about?” says Peter. “That’s impossible! It would cost a fortune. We don’t have that kind of money.”
“Well, what do you have?” asks Jesus.
“Well, now, let’s see. There is one little boy who offered to share his lunch with us. He has five little flat loaves of barley bread and a couple of sardines. Fish and loaves. That’s it.”
But a little can become a lot when given to Jesus. They put the five loaves and two fish into the hands of Jesus. He blessed it and broke it and told his disciples to pass it out to the people. And it was amazing! He kept breaking up a little bit more and a little more …and it just never ran out. When they finished distributing the food, everybody in that rock concert sized crowd had their fill – and they had twelve whole baskets full were left over!
There is an important lesson in there for us: A little becomes a lot when given to Jesus. Whatever you place into His hands is multiplied.
Why did that whole big crowd in the Bible story get fed that day? Why? Because one little boy was willing to share the one little bit he had. Right? One little boy just using the little bit he had.
What if that boy had not been willing to share his five loaves and two fish? I guess Jesus could figure out some other way to care for the crowd, but it does seem to be a clear principle of faith that God works best when He has something to work with. It might be fish and bread – it might be your time and tithe – but you’ve got to give God something to work with.
What about you? Are there loaves and fish that you have that God can use in a miraculous way? It might be some material possession. It might be some talent. It might be that you’ve got some time to give. But I guarantee that there is something that you have – however small – that God could use to meet someone else’s need. You are the miracle someone else has been praying for.
Do you feel like you’re feeling empty, hungry, tired? Listen to me very clearly. You matter to God. What you are going through matters to God. And, not only does He feel a tremendous compassion for you, He is capable of doing something about it.
But you also have a part to play. God works best when we give Him something to work with. Just like that little boy who shared his lunch … you play a part in the miracle. Let God use you to meet somebody else’s need. Let God use you to be a blessing, be an answer to prayer, be a miracle to someone else. And here’s what you’ll find: When you meet somebody else’s need, God will find a way to meet your need. He … is … able!
28
Aug '18
Do You Want to Get Well?
28
Aug '18
August 28, 2018
What a strange sight it must have been!
At one of the busy gates into Jerusalem, there’s an area known as Bethesda. A tired traveler walks through the gates and the first thing he sees are two enormous pools. Around these pools are big porches – picture rows of towering marble columns with a roof overhead to shade people from the blazing mideastern sun.
And here’s what’s really strange … there was an urban legend, back in the day, that said that periodically an angel would fly over the water of those pools, and his wings would stir up the water. And, according to the legend, the first person to jump into the water after the angel flew over would be miraculously healed of any ailment.
And so, in the days of Jesus, sick people would travel from all over the region to hang out at that poolside, trying to time it just right, trying to make sure they were on the spot if that angel happened to fly over, so they’d be the first one in the water.
So, one day Jesus is walking through the area. He sees the pools. He sees the porches. And He sees hundreds of people, maybe thousands of people, lying around on stretchers. Everywhere you look – the injured, the blind, the paralyzed. Everywhere – homeless people begging for change. Everywhere – the groaning of the sick, the begging of the homeless, the din of despair.
Out of this multitude of people, Jesus’ attention is drawn to one individual in particular – a man who has been lying there, paralyzed, for 38 years. Jesus stops in His tracks, turns his eyes on the man, and says, “Do you want to get well?” The guy starts making excuses. “It’ll never work,” he says. “It can’t happen.”
Jesus speaks with utter confidence. He speaks with a commanding voice, as men do when they are comfortable in their own skin, comfortable being decisive, comfortable that their words will carry weight. Jesus looks directly at the man and says: “Get up! Pick up your sleeping mat and walk.”
Now, this man has been paralyzed for 38 years. He can’t move. He can’t even turn over. But … but … there is something in the way Jesus said it … something that made the man respond without question. Instantly, the man is healed! He sits upright, feeling the blood coursing in his legs, feeling the nerves and sinews come alive! He stands, rolls up his mat, and walks!
His handicap … became his chance to see God’s handiwork! And it can happen in your life like that, too. Your greatest handicap can become God’s greatest handiwork!
So, let me ask you a question … What is your handicap? What is it that keeps you down? Maybe it’s your job. You feel like you’re financially paralyzed. You’re like, If I lose my job, I don’t what I’ll do. Maybe it’s your love life. You’re like, Yeah, what love life? Wish I had a love life! Maybe you’re struggling with an addiction, and it’s paralyzed you. Everything revolves around that addiction.
See, everybody’s got a handicap. I heard a woman in a wheelchair say, “The only difference between you and me is, you can see my handicap.” Everybody’s got something. We just don’t all get the good parking spots! What is your handicap?
Maybe you’re emotionally paralyzed. You’re not happy anymore. You’re looking back on the first half of your life and you’re thinking, Man, isn’t there something more to life? Maybe you feel stuck. Some of you are like, Man, I wish I was stuck. Instead I’m in reverse. What is your handicap?
Second question … Do you want to get well? What Jesus said to that man lying on his mat two-thousand years ago, is what He is saying to you today: Do you want to get well?
It’s a simple, straightforward question. Two-thousand years ago the man’s response was interesting. He began listing all of his excuses. He said: “I’m all alone. I don’t have anyone to help me. Other people let me down. Other people always seem to get ahead of me. I don’t have a chance.” Is it any wonder that he remained in that condition for 38 years?
I love how Jesus answered him. He didn’t even respond to his sad story. He didn’t say, “Yes, friend, I agree with you. You’ve had a tough time. Let me commiserate with you.”
No, Jesus looked at him and said, in effect, “If you are serious about getting well, if you are serious about getting your life in order, if you really want to get out of this mess, here’s what you must do: Get up off the ground and get moving.”
No more lying around feeling sorry for yourself. No more whining. No more excuses. Stop blaming people or blaming circumstances that disappointed you. Instead, make this a turning point in your life.
Would you pray with me about that?
Lord, I have a confession to make. Sometimes I feel like that paralyzed man. It’s easy to lie around complaining. It’s easy to make excuses … blame other people … say it’s not my fault.
But, Lord, I want to get well. I want to get up and get moving. I want You to set the direction.
Lord, maybe I can’t take a big leap of faith. But I can take a small step. And that’s all You’re asking of me. Just one little step … and tomorrow, another step … until I have an unbroken chain. If I don’t break the chain, all those little steps of improvement will accumulate … accumulate into large improvements.
And, Lord, I know it will take effort. I know it won’t always go smoothly. But when I face difficulties, when I face disappointments, when I face rejection … help me to remember that that rejection may be Your direction. If one door closes, I’m going to look for another. If there’s not an open door, I’m going to look for a window! I know You may want to do something new in my life.
Lord, I’m opening myself to Your direction …
In the powerful name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!
21
Aug '18
Quit the Blame Game
21
Aug '18
August 21, 2018
The Bible tells the story of a man who was blind from birth. It becomes the story … of a miracle.
One day Jesus passes by a blind man. His disciples point to the guy and say, “What’s with that guy? Someone must have sinned big time to make God mad enough to do that to him! Who sinned – him or his parents?”
Jesus says, “What do you mean, ‘Who sinned?’ You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. Instead, focus on what God can do in this man’s life.”
Jesus smiles brightly, a confident smile, a winning smile. He says, “You’re going to get to see God work a miracle in him! He may be trapped in darkness now … but I am the Light of the World!”
I need to stop seeing myself as a victim and quit the blame game. What’s the first thing the disciples did when they saw the blind man? They said, “Who’s to blame for this?” Verse 1: Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?” Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for” – what? – “someone to blame.”
I know a lot of people like that. They spend their life looking for someone to blame. Maybe someone hurt you. Someone did something to you. Now you’re telling yourself, “I’ve got these problems, because of them. My life isn’t what it should be, because of them.”
You will never, ever fix your problems by blaming someone else. The sooner you accept that, the sooner your life gets better. Today God wants you to stop seeing yourself as a victim.
Perhaps you’re thinking, But, Jeff, I am a victim. Maybe somebody physically or emotionally abused you as a child. Maybe a drunk driver took away somebody you love. Maybe somebody walked out on you, betrayed you, or broke your heart. You’re thinking, Jeff, I am a victim. My life will never be the same again.
Okay, that’s the hand you’ve been dealt; now you have to decide how you are going to play that hand. Maybe you didn’t choose what happened to you, but you can choose how you will respond to it. You, and only you, can choose your reaction to the events of your earlier life.
Is it fair what happened to you? No. Is it fair that you have to deal with that? No. Is it fair that you have to live with the hurt and manage it for the rest of your life? No. Are you nevertheless accountable for how you live with it and manage it? Absolutely.
There was a famous tightrope walker, who came from a family of seven generations of tightrope walkers. He was asked, “What is the key to walking on the tightrope? You make it look so easy.”
He said, “The secret is to keep your eyes fixed on where you’re going. You never look down. Where your head goes, that’s where your body is going, too. If you look down, there’s a good chance you will fall. So you always look to where you want to be.”
It’s the same principle in life. Some people are always looking back, focused on their hurts and pains. Other people are looking down, living in self-pity, and complaining that life is not fair. The key to moving forward is to keep looking where you want to go. The past is over. You own today. Take ownership of your life. Start looking to where you want to go.
What does God want me to see? I have to stop seeing myself as a victim …and start seeing myself as a victor.
14
Aug '18
Do What Jesus Says
14
Aug '18
August 14, 2018
Do what Jesus says.
At the wedding at Cana, Jesus’ mother said to the servants, “Do whatever He tells you.”
When God is calling you to do something … when you hear something in the Bible and it just hits home … when you hear something in a sermon and it drives home a point to you … Do it. Act upon it.
The Bible says, “Faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.” In other words, you can come to church every time the doors open. You can say you believe all day long. But if you are not willing to put that faith into action, then your faith is dead.
So I have to ask the question. What part of God’s solution are you simply not putting action into? What part of God’s solution are you simply not obeying?
• You say you want God to show up in your finances and work a miracle. But, yet, you don’t obey. You don’t tithe. You don’t do what Jesus says.
• You say you want God to show up and supply you that person – you want Him to bring that person into your life that you’re going to spend the rest of your life with. But, yet, you don’t obey in your relationships. You jump from one bad relationship to another, often finding yourself in bed with someone, not living the way God expects. How can you expect Him to bring that person and deliver a miracle in your life, in your relationships, when you are not willing to obey?
Today’s the day we begin to obey. Today’s the day when we act, when we do what Jesus says. And the minute we do that, we open up our lives to the miraculous. We open up our lives to God’s best. God says, “Now I can work with you; now you’re ready for My best.”
07
Aug '18
Perfect Peace
07
Aug '18
August 7, 2018
They had a contest years ago – paint a picture that captures the feeling of perfect peace. Many wonderful paintings were submitted. One depicted the peacefulness of a meadow high up in the Alps. One depicted a Caribbean beach with soft white sand, crystal blue waters, and majestic palm trees. But do you know what the winning picture looked like? It was a picture of a gray, stormy sky, with dark dangerous clouds, and a cold craggy cliff. On the side of that cliff was a nest … with a baby bird … under the sheltering wing of its mother.
Perfect peace … It wasn’t the absence of the storm … it was the presence of the parent. The protection, the care, the comfort of the sheltering wing. You are going to go through storms in life. But you will always have he presence of your Lord.
Perfect peace … It wasn’t the absence of the storm … it was the presence of the parent. The protection, the care, the comfort of the sheltering wing. You are going to go through storms in life. But you will always have he presence of your Lord.
Remember the famous words of the Twenty-Third Psalm? “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art … what? Say it … with me.” “For Thou art with me.” He’s with you. God says, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”
24
Jul '18
Shaped By Trials
24
Jul '18
July 24, 2018
Tough times show what we’re made of.
The Bible says, “Don’t be surprised by the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange was happening to you.” (1 Peter 4:12-13) All through life, you will face trials, you will face tough times. And even though you may not enjoy them, God will use those trials to shape you into the person He knows you can become.
I’ve discovered in the struggles of life that God is more interested in changing me than He is in changing my situation. I’m not saying God won’t change your situation. Certainly He can – and often does. But most of the time, God is more interested in changing me than changing my situation.
Have you found that to be true? “Jeff, I can’t stand my boss,” you say. “He irritates me to no end. I don’t know why I have to work with him day in and day out. When is God ever going to change that man?” Have you considered that God may want to change you? God may have purposely arranged for you to be in close proximity to that person who grates against you. He may be trying to teach you how to love your enemies. Or, He may be trying to toughen you up a little bit and teach you to have some endurance, to not run from everything that is hard, uncomfortable, or inconvenient.
Listen, God is not going to change anyone you are dealing with until He first changes you. But, if you quit complaining about everyone around you and, instead, start taking a good look inside, and start cooperating with God to change you, then God may change those other people. Fact: God is more interested in changing you than changing your situation.
17
Jul '18
Tapestry
17
Jul '18
July 17, 2018
We don’t always understand God’s methods. His ways don’t always make sense to us, but we have to realize that God sees the big picture. Consider this possibility: You may be ready for what God has for you, but somebody else who is going to be involved is not ready yet. God has to do some work in another person or another situation before your prayer can be answered according to God’s will for your life. All the pieces have to come together for it to be God’s perfect time.
Your life is like a tapestry. How do you create a tapestry? By weaving together a bunch of loose threads. The weaver takes thousands and thousands of threads of different colors and he weaves them together into a pattern. Now, if you look at that tapestry from underneath, you will see only a bunch of loose ends and random colors and no discernable pattern. But when you take that tapestry, turn it over, and look at it right side up, you see that all of those elements were woven together to create a work of art – a masterpiece!
That’s how life is. Life is a tapestry. When we look at life from down here, we see only a bunch of loose threads. You can rarely see the pattern or make sense of it. But one day, we’ll be up above. We will be in heaven. We will see things from God’s perspective. And we will see how everything came together perfectly. Why, even the dark parts that we didn’t enjoy, even the ugly parts that we didn’t understand, all were needed and all had their place.
See, you don’t have to struggle. You don’t have to go around always wondering why God is, or is not, doing something. No, when you are trusting God, you can be at peace knowing that at the right time, God will keep His promise. It’s going to happen, and the good news is, it’s not going to be one second late.
10
Jul '18
Stand Up on the Inside
10
Jul '18
July 10, 2018
Do your best, trust God for the rest.
Turn to the Old Testament and you will meet that great hero, King David. One day David and his men were out patrolling, doing what God told them to do. But while they were away, some bandits attacked their city. The bandits burned the city, stole their possessions, and kidnapped the women and children. When David and his men returned, they were devastated. They wept until they could weep no more. But as David sat there among the ruins, watching the smoke and ashes fill the air, he made a decision … a decision that would change his destiny. He was knocked down on the outside, but he decided he was going to get up on the inside.
The spirit of a champion began to rise within him. Instead of sitting around crying over what he had lost, the Bible says that “David encouraged and strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” (1 Samuel 30:6) In other words, he got up on the inside. He said to his men, “Get your armor back on. We’re going back out there to fight for what is ours.” And they did just that. As David and his men rose up, God supernaturally helped them recover everything that had been stolen. But – and here’s the lesson – I don’t believe any of that would have happened if David had not first gotten up on the inside.
You may be sitting around waiting for God to change your circumstances. Then you’re going to be happy, then you’re going to have a good attitude, then you’re going to give God praise. But God is waiting for you. He’s waiting for you to get up on the inside. When you do your part, He’ll do His part. He’ll begin to change things and work supernaturally in your life.
Some of you in this room have had some losses in life. Somebody took advantage of you, mistreated you, or deceived you, and now you are tempted to sit around crying over what you’ve lost, thinking about how unfair it was, and how your life will never be the same. I understand. I do. I’ve had those feelings, too. But you need to turn that attitude around. Do like David. Do your best, trust God for the rest.
19
Jun '18
The Fine Art of Saying No
19
Jun '18
June 19, 2018
“No.” It’s such a simple, easy to say word. Moms and Dads, remember when your two-year-old learned it for the first time? Good times. But as we got older, saying “no” got harder and harder. Didn’t it? That’s because many of us are naturally wired to want to please and try to meet the expectations of others.
We say “yes” to something we really don’t want to do because a little voice inside our head whispers, “I will disappoint her if I don’t do this,” or “I will cause conflict if I don’t give in,” and “It’s just easier to say yes and get it over with than say no.”
We say “yes” to something we really don’t want to do because a little voice inside our head whispers, “I will disappoint her if I don’t do this,” or “I will cause conflict if I don’t give in,” and “It’s just easier to say yes and get it over with than say no.”
Sound familiar?
Saying “no” is not easy. We fear failure, of disappointing someone we love. Some of us fall into the trap of feeling like we have to save everyone and everything. Others of us are just born people pleasers. And most of us have been on at least one guilt trip for saying “no” at some point in the journey.
When we avoid saying “no” enough times in our lives, though, it’s so much harder to establish healthy boundaries for ourselves, our family, and our schedule. And then, resentment creeps in. You end up feeling used or taken advantage of. When you do too much, you end up burned out, exhausted, and lose all motivation.
So, how do you learn the fine art of saying “no?” By saying “Yes” to God first!
At the beginning of each day, take time to pray and ask God to order your steps. Ask Him to bring the people and opportunities into your life that He has for you. And as things come up, resist the urge to give a knee-jerk response. Instead, develop a habit of asking for time to think about it, look at your schedule and most importantly, pray.
If you know right away that something isn’t right for you, here are a couple great responses. A simple but direct, “I’m sorry, but I can’t help you with that right now.” Or, “I’m already overcommitted,” is perfectly appropriate. Or how about, “Thanks for thinking of me, but that won’t work with my schedule.”
This can be hard, but keep in mind that the person you need to please each day is God. And when you take time to pray and commit each day to Him, asking for His wisdom in your life, He’s going to give it to you. A transformation will occur where you begin to enjoy a more healthy-paced and effective life. When you learn to say “no,” you open the door to say “Yes” to other things – including rest and healthy boundaries.
12
Jun '18
How Jesus Handled Stress
12
Jun '18
June 12, 2018
During Jesus’ life, He undoubtedly felt pressure and stress. Wherever Jesus went, people wanted something from Him – a healing, a teaching, a moment with Him. So, how did He handle it? The very next verse tells us.
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Mark 1:35.
Jesus handled that stressful day by doing something specific.
He found a solitary place to pray. In fact, He does this on several occasions throughout the Gospels.
What did that do for Him? I think it did at least 3 things.
• First, I think even though there were still immediate needs, He knew that He needed to rest His very human body, or He would risk total exhaustion, and then He wouldn’t be good for anything.
• Second, I think He knew that His strength comes from His Father, and that spending time with Him was essential to building that strength.
• Third, I think it made Him more confident of His purpose.
• Second, I think He knew that His strength comes from His Father, and that spending time with Him was essential to building that strength.
• Third, I think it made Him more confident of His purpose.
Luke 4: 42-43 tells it this way:
At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for Him and when they came to where He was, they tried to keep Him from leaving them. But He said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”
At daybreak, Jesus went out to a solitary place. The people were looking for Him and when they came to where He was, they tried to keep Him from leaving them. But He said, “I must proclaim the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent.”
He needed physical rest, alone time with God and time to refocus on His purpose. And I need to follow His example for these very same reasons. And notice it doesn’t say He felt guilty about ditching the crowd!