IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS ------------

 Jesus Never Ran By Anne Peterson “For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me.” - John 6:38 Jesus came to earth to do the will of his father. He tried explaining this, and they tried killing him. They thought Jesus was being blasphemous, but he was telling them the truth. He even explained that the Son could do nothing by himself; he can do onlywhat he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does, the Son also does (John 5:19). In the same way, Jesus has explained how those of us who have accepted Jesus are dependent on him, much like a branch is dependent on a vine. And he tells us “Without me, you can do nothing” (John15:5). May I confess something to you? I think I have not fully believed this verse, and instead, I have translated it 'without Him, I can do less.' Often, I will charge ahead and do things in my own strength instead of relying on the Lord. And then when my strength gives out, like Peter who slipped down when he took his eyes off the Lord, I call out to Jesus. I used to pride myself on all that I could do, and when I was worn out, instead of going to the Lord for His strength, I would power up and keep pushing myself. It was like those I had seen around me who would wear busyness like a badge. The busier I was,the more effective I was, right? No. I found out instead that I was wrong. Dead wrong. Don’t be conformed to this world. Instead, I found verses where Paul instructed us. We were not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Then we will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will (Romans12:2). The temptation is great to just follow those around us, but we are to emulate the Lord, and he was like his father. God gave Jesus strength. Even though Jesus was God’s Son, he had lived on earth as a man, subject to the same things we are subject to. Jesus had to nourish himself, he had to rest, and even Jesus was tempted as we are tempted. When Jesus needed strength, he would draw himself awayfrom the crowds and spend time with his Father (Mark 6:46). Jesus depended on God’s Word. When Satan drew Jesus into the wilderness to tempt him, Jesus quoted scripture. Jesus responded, “It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone.” (Matthew4:4) If the very Son of God depended on God’s Word, how can we think we can answer the deceiver when he tempts us? Jesus was in step with the Spirit. One mistake we can make as Christians is to pray about something and then become impatient waiting for God and choose to run ahead. I’ve been guilty of this in my own life. I will do something and then ask God to bless it. But God wants us to wait on Him, andhe tells us this repeatedly in scripture. Being in step with the Spirit means we keep in step with God’s Spirit (Galatians 5:16).When I think about Jesus being in step with the Spirit, it dawned on me one day that no matter what was going on in Jesus’ life, and all he had to do, Jesus never ran. He could have, but Jesus was always waiting on God’s timing. Jesus didn’t lean on his own understanding. God tells us to trust in the Lord with all our hearts and to lean not on our own understanding (Proverbs3:5-6). But I have leaned on my own understanding with my whole heart. And instead of acknowledging God in all my ways, I try to figure things out by myself, and then I ask God to work. It’s no wonder I don’t recognize God’s leading. I don’t wait for God. God’s not done working on us. Paul tells us that God who began a good work in us will perform it until the day of Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:6). That’s good newsfor us. It means there’s still time for us to learn how to walk with the Lord. We are works in progress. One day we will look like Jesus (1 John3:2). Intersecting Faith and Life: Are there areas in your life where you try to run ahead of God? Do you struggle with acknowledging God in all your ways? Each day is a new day to trust God. And God invites us to go to His throne room where we will receive mercy and grace (Hebrews4:16). Jesus often went to God’s throne room. Jesus, who never ran. Lord, I pray for anyone who is struggling to trust You. Father, remind us of your presence every day. Help us to spend time alone with you, so your Holy Spirit can remind us of your truths. Lord, give us strength when we feel weak, we look to You Lord, and we pray this in your Son’s precious and Holy name. In Jesus’ name. Amen. ----------------------------- InHeavenly Places “Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in theheavenly places.” (Ephesians1:20) This fascinating phrase (actually, the Greek simply says “in the heavenlies”) is found only in the Ephesian epistle, where it occurs five times. That it does mean heavenly places, rather than “heavenly things,” is evident from our text. Christ in His physicalresurrection body is now in a particular place, and that place is where He is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. In principle now—and ultimately in actuality—we also have been made to “sit tdogether in heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians2:6). In the meantime, however, we must also struggle with the demonic powers who still, like Satan, have access to God’s presence to accuse us of sin when we yield to their inducements. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities,against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places [actually the same phrase, ‘heavenly places’]” (6:12). And when, by the grace of God and the indwelling presence of God’s Holy Spirit, we are victorious in this conflict, it becomes a glorious demonstration throughout heaven, to fallen and unfallen angels alike, that Christ’s salvation is genuine and truly worksin our lives. All of this is “to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God” (3:10). No wonder, with all these glorious events taking place in heaven, the apostle Paul introduces this epistle with a doxology! “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” (1:3). HMM ---------------------- AllThings Well “And [the crowds] were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well!” (Mark7:37) At one point in Jesus’ earthly ministry, “great multitudes came unto him,” and He healed the physical maladies of those who “were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others” (Matthew15:30). Mark 7:31-37 illustrates the healing there of a hearing-impaired man. Verses 33-34 are packed with verbs underscoring the precision of the Master Surgeon. He “took him aside,” “put his fingers into his ears,” “spit,” and “touched his tongue.” Then,looking up to heaven, Jesus commanded, “Be opened.” Immediately the man’s ears heard and his mouth spoke plainly (v. 35)—a healing that was complete, unlike “huckster healing” practices that only alleviate pain temporarily. And the people present were “beyond all measure” (hyperperissos, a forcefuladverb used only here in the New Testament) “astonished” (exeplessonto), or struck with amazement (v. 37). Notice the crowd’s commentary, reacting to the many miracles they had seen Jesus perform: “He hath done all things well [kalós, good].” Their declaration echoes God’s words at the beginning of creation. Genesis 1:31 states, “God saw everything thathe had made, and, behold, it was very good.” Not only did God see His creative work as good, but the people in Mark 7 saw Christ’s miraculous work in the same way! How amazed are you with the Creator God, the Lord Jesus Christ? Do you believe He spoke His creation into existence in six days, as Genesis 1 records? Are you amazed that He has done all things well as our Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer, and Savior, including His saving work of propitiation on the cross? Is He your Lord and Savior? CM ---------------- Offendedat Him “Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary, the brother of James, and Joses, and of Juda, and Simon? andare not his sisters here with us? And they were offended at him.” (Mark6:3) There is many an individual who has by God’s grace found the Lord and has had a fruitful ministry in a place far from his hometown where he once lived a lifestyle of which he has now repented. Going home is difficult, for his former companions in sin will bethere to oppose and tempt and disbelieve. In the course of His travels, Jesus returned to His hometown (Mark6:1), and although He had lived a sinless life in His early years, He was still only one of the local citizens, and this resulted in their prideful opposition and disbelief. “And when the sabbath day was come, he began to teach in the synagogue: and many hearing him were astonished, saying, From whence hath this man these things? and what wisdom is this which is given unto him, that even such mighty works are wrought by his hands?” (v. 2). As in our text, His local roots brought scorn and pride and offense. Their unbelief (v. 6) seemed to limit His ability to work miracles (“and he could there do no mighty work,” v. 5), but such is not the case. There is no limit to the power of the omnipotent Creator! He is not limited by our feeble faith, but evidently He choseto limit His work as a way of reproof of their pride and unbelief. Yet, note Mark’s casual mention of the healing of “a few sick folk” (v. 5). Such healings were in fact a mighty display of God’s power, a fact that Mark’s readers (primarily Romans and other Gentiles very impressed with power) would have recognized. Let us not allow our modern-day familiarity with Christ and His power limit the honor and obedience that we return to Him (v. 4). JDM ------------------------ TheWord of His Grace “And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, andto give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.” (Acts20:32) Many beautiful descriptors are used in the New Testament to illustrate the powers of the Word of God, both spoken and written. For example, the Lord Jesus is called “the Word of life” in 1 John 1:1, and Paul, speaking of the Scriptures, reminded the Philippian Christians that they should be “holding forth the word of life” (Philippians2:16). Jesus called the Scriptures, which were to be spread through the world like seed sown in a field, “the word of the kingdom” (Matthew13:19). The apostle Paul called them “the word of faith, which we preach” (Romans10:8). Quoting a particular Scripture, he spoke of it as “the word of promise” (Romans9:9). As His witnesses and ambassadors, it is to us that He “hath committed...the word of reconciliation” (2Corinthians 5:19), wherewith we are to beseech men to be reconciled to God. Paul also said that “the word of truth” was nothing less than “the gospel of your salvation” (Ephesians1:13). The writer of Hebrews called it “the word of exhortation” (Hebrews13:22). In writing through John to the faithful church at Philadelphia, the Lord Jesus commended them because they had “kept the word of my patience” (Revelation3:10). But undoubtedly one of the most beautiful and meaningful of such metaphors of God’s Word is the one found in our text (and also in Acts 14:3), that is, “the word of his grace.” There is no grander theme in the Bible than the unmerited, abundant, inexhaustible, saving grace of God in Christ, and it is fitting that God’s eternal Word be known as “the word of His grace.” The book, in fact, ends on this very note. “The grace of our LordJesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Revelation22:21). HMM -------------------------- The Consequences of Sin Genesis 3:14-19 Christians tend to categorize sins, rating some as small and inconsequential, but others as huge and far-reaching in the damage they cause. In reality, no one sins in isolation. Each disobedience to God affects not onlythe sinner but also countless others in both the present and the future. If we were to separate Adam and Eve's sin from its context, few of us would convict them of great transgression. All they did was swallow some fruit from a tree with a "do not eat" sign. Today people think nothing of ignoringcommands—even biblical ones. But God has a totally different view of our sins. Each one is followed by negative consequences. Adam and Eve's disobedience led to pain and frustration in two basic areas of fulfillment—relationships and meaningful work.The whole earth fell under sin's curse, and every person born since then has entered the world with a sin nature that alienates each one from the Lord. That first rebellion plunged humanity into a terrible condition. Civilization is now plagued by countless ramifications of the innumerable sins committed by human beings throughout the ages. Is it any wonder the world isin such sad shape? Sin not only causes suffering; it robs us of God's best. The Garden of Eden is closed and locked to sinful mankind. The good news of Christ's grace and forgiveness is our only real hope in this fallen world. Though unpleasant, focusing on sin's consequences is necessary at times to remind us of the greatness of our salvation and to move us to obey God, even in the small things. Each obedience is huge to Him. ------------------- The Practices of Maturity Hebrews 5:12-14 Believers are on a continual growth track that ascends higher and higher. This side of heaven none of us ever "arrive," but we each have a responsibility to press on to maturity. Though many people think those who know a lot about the Bible are the spirituallymature ones, Hebrews 5:14 adds the element of practice to the growth equation. This word means a custom or habit. Christian growth requires the discipline of godly habits carried out daily. The most important practice to cultivate is a personal devotional time. Since God is the source of all spiritual development, you can't neglect Him and expect to become mature. Transformation begins with time in His Word and prayer. Obedience is another essential element for advancement. When our desire to obey the Lord is stronger than our attraction to sin, we'll know we are making progress in our spiritual life. In terms of physical development, the goal is to become more independent and self-sufficient as we age. But in the spiritual realm, the opposite is true. Those who are mature in Christ recognize their own inadequacy and rely on the Holy Spirit within them. It's His job to transform our character and empower us to accomplish everything the Lord calls us to do. Getting older doesn't mean maturity in God's eyes. By digging into Scripture and developing righteous habits, we can use our years to grow stronger in the Lord instead of wasting time with passivity. No one accidentally becomes mature. Spiritual growth requiresa diligent pursuit of God. ---------------------- Failing to Listen to God Genesis 3 Listening to God is not a onetime event. We must continually keep His Word before us, or we'll begin to listen to the wrong voices. In Genesis 2:16-17, the Lord gave a command not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. But Eve began to listen to another voice and did not hold firmly to her Creator's words. All that Satan had to do was plant a single doubt about God's integrityand offer Eve one appealing advantage of doing things her own way—and she fell for it. He mentioned wisdom, but using her own reasoning, Eve added two more benefits to the temptation: the fruit is good for food and a delight to the eyes. The schemes of the Enemy have not changed. He still whispers lies and twists truth to convince us that a) God cannot be trusted and b) His ways are not the best. In every temptation, there is a deception about the character and motive of God, plus an attractivepromise of a better way. The world is filled with voices that vie for our attention and influence our thoughts and actions. Throughout the day, consider the messages that are sent your way through the media and people. Consciously begin to compare them to what Scripture says aboutGod and His ways. Remembering what God says in the Bible is our safeguard against deception and temptation. Daily devotions won't protect us if they're quickly forgotten during the day. Follow Christ's example: be ready with truth in your mind and on your tongue whenever temptation strikes (Matt.4:1-11). ------------------