Slow Down

I am often annoyed by traffic lights that hold too long.  I watch with intensity for the green to light up so I can get going and then am aggravated because the person in front of me is not paying attention.  Sitting on my deck this morning I am reminded of how often we live in a hurry, always trying to move on to the next task.  Our world is in sharp contrast to the world of Jesus day--no phones, no cars, no computers, come to think about it, I don’t know that Jesus ever got in a hurry about anything.  Some of us live life just trying to get there, wherever there is.  When that happens we miss so many of life’s lessons and blessings.  When the people around you are living in the fast lane it is easy to get caught up in life’s traffic and go along with the crowd.  Let them go on, slow down, take time to listen to His Voice, take time to see His beautiful creation and know that the world doesn’t need another Savior, we already have one. jfs

Ex 5:13 And the taskmasters forced them to hurry, saying, "Fulfill your work, your daily quota, as when there was straw."

Isa 40:31 But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.

To Christians in Iran

I woke up this morning thinking about my brothers and sisters in Iran.  Jesus Christ makes us family.  The world divides itself with politics and religion, but with Jesus there is a simple division, those who have put their faith in Him in a personal way and those who reject Him as the Savior of the world.  Sad to say, there are many cultural Christians in the world and cultural Christianity is no better than any other religion.  Christ’s Church is an organism which is alive with His presence.  I want you to know that you are loved and today I pray for you that our Lord will bless you and keep you from the Evil One.  Please know that you are not alone, we are family and we care about you.  The kingdoms of this earth will all pass away but “of His Kingdom there will be no end.” Luke 1:33 

Living Beyond Ourselves

I have a real concern that we have a new form of worldliness living among us.  It is not bad theology but simply living in our own strength and wisdom.  We are called to something bigger than ourselves.  We are called to a task we cannot possibly do on our own.  We cannot live simply by human wisdom.  From our point of view, God often asks of us things which seem impossible.  If we are not willing to step out of the boat we will never know what God wants to do through our obedience.  Obedience today is the seed of tomorrow’s blessings.  Without a doubt many dumb things have been done in the name of God.  It is easy to try to impose our will on Him and then live in disappointment because it did not work out.  This does not negate the fact that God often seeks to stretch our faith by asking more of us than we can accomplish in our own strength.  Living Beyond Ourselves takes us beyond our own resources.  When we only commit to the human part then we are not likely to ever see the God part.  Why should God do for us what we can do for ourselves?  Let’s not narrow our definition of worldliness to the way we dress or the places we go.  Worldliness masks itself in many ways.  It shows up in our decision making, it shows up in church politics and again and again when we try to run the Church as a business.  Our decisions can’t all be made at the end of a pencil but on our knees.  The first question is not, “can we afford it” but is it His will?  The truth is we can’t afford not to embrace His will.  Living out His will we live Beyond Ourselves.  jfs

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. (John 15:4-5 NKJV)