Thoughts: Radical Living

I have determined that I am a radical. If people define being a radical as favoring drastic political, economic, or social reforms, yes, I fit the category. Those who would be most likely to tag me as radical, however, would be from the church. You know, those who preach love for each other, yet can't find it in themselves to support a social gospel. The excuse of being "in the world, but not part of it" doesn't fly with me. I, personally, see Christ as dispensing social gospel with abandon. I do not, however, see the Church following His example. Granted, there are those in the Church that attempt to reach out to others, but many times, unless they "do things way the Church wants them done" they find themselves abandoned and condemned. Too many times, the Church condemns those who try to help others. Where do you think the Church would have stood on social gospel issues, were they to rule on Jesus healing the man at the Pool of Bethsaida? If you read the gospels closely, you can clearly see where the church stood. Remember the reaction of the Scribes and Pharisees on so many occasions, when Christ didn't "follow the rules"?

I've gotten so frustrated with attending a church that preaches love and then kicks those who try to show it to others. Okay, let's get a bit more to the point. How would you handle it if the realtor you were going to hire turned out to be obviously homosexual? On the other hand, what if he was homosexual and you didn't know it? How would you react? The same, or differently? What if you knew the person talking to you after the church service was a prostitute? How would you treat them if you didn't know?

The gospel Christ preached (and actually lived) cared about people---all people, not just the "acceptable" people. He didn't walk by and look at the people with sadness and then promise a prayer. He got down to their pain and worked to relieve it.

Why might it be considered bad to be a radical, or to be passionate about something? I think whenever someone has the passion to change things, others feel condemned, threatened, and the light that shines in their world exposes their lack of love for others. As a result, it behoves them to shut the passionate radical down.

I see a tremendous need for the "social gospel". Note, I did not say I see a need for people to be preached at. They can't hear the words, if the deeds are screaming louder. There is a great need for society to SEE who Christ is. "Inasmuch, do to others.....feed, clothe, shelter, comfort. . . ."

Our challenge? LOVE in ACTION!!!

Imaginings: An Entry in John's Diary

        Thursday was a long day, Peter and I didn’t intend to fall asleep in the garden, but we had been sent early to prepare for the Passover feast that evening. Finally, when everyone arrived, we began to eat. Jesus appeared stressed. The Jewish leaders had been particularly hard on Him lately. My first indication of His stress came when He took bread and wine, and called it his body and blood. He was difficult person to understand at times. One of us would betray Him He said. Why? We loved Him. Naturally, we wanted to know who the traitor was, but when Judas asked who it was, the rest of us were arguing over who was greatest and we didn’t catch Jesus’ reply. Peter motioned me to ask Jesus. When I did, Jesus dipped a piece of bread in wine and handed it to Judas. That didn’t seem like an answer to us. Strangely, Jesus told Judas to leave; we figured Judas was on a special errand.

            Jesus said some strange things that night—what did it mean that Satan wanted to sift us like wheat? Peter was offended when Jesus announced that he, Peter, would deny Him. We went to the Mt. of Olives after supper. Jesus wanted us to wait and pray with Him. We, being tired from the long day, fell asleep. A short time later, Judas appeared with a crowd of armed people who took Jesus to the house of the High Priest. Because of family connections, I was able to enter the High Priest’s home. It was a cold night and Peter was outside, so I asked a servant girl to let him into the courtyard. Meanwhile, in the house, Jesus was being questioned. Since He admitted being the Son of God, Jewish Law said He must die. The Jewish leaders were powerless to sentence anyone to death. In order to carry out the death sentence, they needed to convince the Roman authorities that Jesus should die. Pilate did not want to kill Jesus, but it would have been political suicide to do otherwise. The true issue had been unveiled. Jesus was a threat to the power base which the Jewish religious leaders had carefully nourished. They played their cards carefully, taking Jesus to Pilate knowing that Pilate would not risk an unfavorable report to Caesar.

            The sign over Jesus’ head was in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. These were the languages of the common people, the aristocracy, and the religious. Interesting. It was difficult to watch Jesus on the cross, yet I felt I had to be there. Even in death he was more concerned about others than He was about Himself. Just before His last breath, he committed His mother’s care to me. The next day was a High Sabbath so He was taken down from the cross. It was late in the day, and we had to hurry with the burial. We did only the absolutely necessary. The women would finish the burial requirements after the Sabbath.

            I remember passing people coming from the Temple as I made my way home that evening. Word on the street said that about the time of the afternoon earthquake, the veil of the Temple was torn completely in two—from top to bottom.

            That Sabbath was a long one for those of us in grief. What would happen to us? Our whole lives had been devoted to a man who did not meet our Messianic expectations.

            At sunrise, the women went to the tomb with spices. How my heart leapt when they came running to Peter and I crying, “He’s Alive!” We found it difficult to believe. Even entering the empty tomb left questions in our minds. Reality did not set in until Jesus came to the room where we were staying. He was the same, yet different. He had tried to tell us what was going to happen, but until we saw with our own eyes that He had risen from the dead, we did not realize that the teacher from Nazareth was our Savior and God.

Thoughts: Jesus and John the Baptist

Book of Mark
Gospel of Action
Written to Gentiles about 64 AD
Written by Mark, nephew of Barnabus
Mark tells Peter's story
Includes no genealogy
Key Word "Immediately"
Key Verse: Mark 10:43-45 (Char. of Greatness)
Mar 10:43 But it will not be so among you*. _But_ whoever shall be desiring to become great among you*, he will be your* servant.
Mar 10:44 "And whoever of you* is desiring to become first, he will be slave of all.
Mar 10:45 "For even the Son of Humanity did not come to be served, _but_ to serve, and to give His life [as] a ransom [or, price of release] for [or, in the place of] many."


Mark 1:1-13

Starts out "The beginning of the gospel..." It starts with the story of John the Baptist---Jesus was about 30, as was John. They were cousins. Maybe the quote of Isaiah is actually where "the ball got started to roll"
Mar 1:2 As it has been written in the prophets, "Look! _I_ am sending My messenger before Your face , who will prepare Your way before You." [Mal 3:1]
Mar 1:3 "A voice of [one] shouting in the wilderness, 'Prepare the way of [the] LORD! Be making His paths straight!'" [Isaiah 40:3]
It appears that Mark is really starting with the explanation of how Jesus ministry began.

The Gospel of Mark was written for a Gentile audience yet he quotes Jewish scripture. (Mal. 3:1 and Isa. 40:3) Mark only quotes a portion of the text in Isaiah.(Isa 40:3-6)

Isa. is referencing the custom that when the king is coming to a town all the roads are levelled and made flat before him. Major road construction. (Mal 3:1)

This refers to the tradition that Elijah (because he didn't die) would come back and be the one to formally announce the Messiah. That is why the Pharisees asked John, (John 1:21) if he was Elijah, Moses or the Messiah. In the end times two witnesses are to come Rev 11 (possibly Moses and Elijah) The Jews believed that the Messiah would come as a conquering king so it was difficult to accept Jesus because he came as a suffering servant and will at the end of time come as king. The OT talks about the Messiah as both servant and king and a lot of the Messianic references mix both in the passage, making it difficult to sift out which is which. To the Jews it would seem that there were two Messiahs, not that the same Messiah would come twice in two different roles.

John was baptizing--this seemed to be common among itinerant teachers of this time. Baptism symbolized dying to the old way of doing things and being born/resurrected into beginning a new way of life. The Jews believed only God could forgive sins so this may somehow be tied to Yom Kippur which was the time Jews spent searching their lives and preparing for the yearly day God erased their sins (Rosh Hashanah) There has been some speculation that Jesus actually was born around the Feast of Succoth (Tabernacles) especially since the feast focuses on the remembrance of God being with the Children of Israel in the Wilderness. One argument for Jesus being born about then is that it was still warm enough for the shepherds to still be keeping their sheep in the fields. Remember that Jesus' other name was "Emmanuel" (God with us). If indeed Jesus had been born about this time one might also note that Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah also happened around the same time.

Why do you think it is significant of Mark to mention John's food and clothing? Perhaps because Elijah also wore similar clothing. (2Ki 1:7-8)

Mark says EVERYONE from Jerusalem and around came out to see John the Baptist preach. I'm sure not everyone, but it probably seemed like it because of the large number of those baptized. I wonder how John's preaching affected their "after baptism" life or if they just went on as usual. The reference to John eating locusts and wild honey probably was a way of saying that he came "in the spirit of Elijah", but since Mark was writing to Gentiles how would that diet be received by them? John (Lk 1:15-16)

The fact that John would not drink is an indication that he would take the nazirite vow (like Samson) which indicated that as long as he was under the vow he would be considered a prophet. "Nazirite" means "set apart as sacred, dedicated, vowed" (Nu 6:2-8)

The vow also meant he did not cut his hair---must have looked like a wild man. Interesting that Jesus was not a Nazirite (he drank wine) yet the purpose of taking the vow was to be consecrated/dedicated to God.
I wonder what the people thought about John saying the other one who comes will baptize with the Holy Spirit? John's was a baptism of repentance---what was the baptism of the Holy Spirit?

Jesus came all the way from Nazareth to be baptized by John. Nazareth in Galilee--(Galilee is Hebrew for heathen circle). Nazareth derives from a Hebrew word meaning "shoot or sprout". Which is interesting when you look at Isa 11:1.

Isa 11:1 And there shall come forth a rod (sometimes translated shoot) out of the stem, of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots.

Or perhaps Nazareth came from Nazir meaning a separated Jew who had taken an ascetic vow of holiness (nazirite vow). It was located about 16 miles from the Sea of Galilee and was an agricultural town with no trade route therefore considered inconsequential. Remember Nathanael asking, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" (Jn 1:46).
John said he was not worthy to even untie the shoes of the One who he was announcing. It was the lowest servant who removed the superior's shoes and washed his feet (remember the foot washing story, when Peter threw a fit?) John is saying he is lower than the lowest servant in regards to the one he is announcing.
A dove landed on Jesus after coming up out of the water when baptized. Why a dove? We use the dove as a symbol of peace--Noah sent out a dove. The Jewish rabbinic interpretation of Gen
1:2 was that the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters "like a dove" therefore, the Jews would connect the dove descending on Jesus as being the Spirit of God and of the Isa 61:1-3 anointing of the Holy Spirit.

The voice came from heaven. There was more than one time that the voice came from heaven.
The voice and baptism were public and served to establish Jesus' identity.

Jesus was sent by the Spirit into the desert. He was there 40 days, being tempted by Satan. There was a couple of other times that the number 40 comes up.
40 days and nights of rain with Noah in the ark.
40 years the Israelites spent in the wilderness.
Moses on Mt. Sinai 40 days and nights
Spies searching out the land 40 days Nu 13:25
David reigned 40 years
Solomon reigned 40 years
40 lavers (baths) made for the Temple
Elijah ate what the angel gave him then journeyed 40 days and nights to Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God
After the resurrection, Jesus was on earth for 40 days.

Comparison between the different Gospel accounts

Luke gives the info to date when John was preaching.

John the Baptist began his ministry in the "fifteenth year" of Tiberius according to the Syro-Macedonian calendar, between October 20, 27AD and October 9, 28AD. Pontius Pilate arrived in Caesarea at about that time, by the fall of 27. John was thirty years of age from about July of 26AD to July of 27AD, and he would likely have begun his ministry by the autumn of 27.

It was the custom for a Levite to begin his official ministry for the Lord when he became thirty years old. John the Baptist was a Levite, as was his father, Zacharias. He was a Nazirite (Luke 1:15), and "he lived in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel." (Luke 1:80) His public appearance would have been soon after he reached thirty years of age, as, "from thirty years and upward even to fifty years old" the Levites were to enter the service of the Lord (Num. 4:35).8 Josephus (Ant. VII 14:7) confirmed that the Levites were numbered "from thirty years old to fifty." John would not have delayed much past his thirtieth birthday and would have begun his ministry by the fall of 27AD.

Based on Luke's use of the Syro-Macedonian calendar it was established that John the Baptist began his ministry between October 20, 27AD and October 9, 28AD. This was the "fifteenth year of Tiberius." John began his ministry after the arrival of Pontius Pilate, by the fall of 27AD. John baptized Jesus soon thereafter, and the traditional date of January 6 is here used. This date is supported by an understanding of Luke's usage of Jesus being "about thirty years" old at that time, and the thirty years are exact by the Jewish or Syro-Macedonian calendars. The chronology will proceed using January 6, 28AD as the probable date for the baptism of Jesus. This will place the first Passover of Jesus' ministry in 28AD.

According to Josephus (Antiquitates, XVIII, iv, 3), Caiphas was appointed High-Priest of the Jews by the Roman procurator Valerius Gratus, the predecessor of Pontius Pilate, about A.D. 18 (Ant., XVIII, ii, 2), and removed from that office by the procurator Vitellius, shortly after he took charge of affairs in Palestine, A.D. 36 (Ant., XVIII, iv, 3). During this period the famous Annas, father-in-law of Caiphas (John 18:13), who had been high-priest from A.D. 6 to 15, continued to exercise a controlling influence over Jewish affairs, as he did when his own sons held the position. This explains the rather puzzling expression of Luke 3:2, epi archiereos Anna kai Kaiapha (under the high-priest Annas and Caiphas; cf. Acts 4:6). Caiphas was certainly the only official high-priest at the time St. Luke refers to, at the beginning of the public life of Christ; but Annas still had his former title and a good deal of his former authority.

What was John preaching?
Mat 3:2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Mat 3:3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Mar 1:7 And preached, saying, "There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose."

Luke 3:9 -18

Joh 1:15: John 1:29-31)

If John the Baptist were to be around today doing the same things and saying the same things, how would you react? What do you think the media would have to say? Would you be likely to follow someone who ate bugs and honey, didn't cut his hair and lived out in the desert? Would you have taken him seriously or would you be one of those who tried to commit him for insanity? How do you think his message of repentance would be received in our society? What do you think the current church leaders would try to do? (Anything different than the Scribes and Pharisees?) Okay, now Jesus shows up on the scene and John baptizes him. Some people say they heard a voice and saw a bird land on him. What do you think the news headlines would be that day? Was this a case of mass hypnosis? Would you have gone out to the desert to see John? How would you determine that he really was sent from God as opposed to just a person with issues? Do you think the government might consider placing him on the list as being a potential terrorist? Really look at what he is saying---could that be taken the wrong way? Why do you think the people flocked to see John? Why were the Jews upset with him? In today's words, what was John's message? John the Baptist "prepared the way" for Jesus. Has someone done that for you, or have you done that for someone? How might you "make the rough places plain..." for someone? How might the fact that John and Jesus were cousins affect how you might react to him today? Would you let John baptize you? Think about how the press would view someone like John.

Only Matthew, Mark and Luke mention the temptation. John goes immediately into Jesus choosing his disciples. Matthew and Luke detail the temptation, whereas, Mark and John merely mention it.

John the Baptist was put in prison and Jesus took up where John left off. Simon (Peter) and Andrew were fisherman in the Sea of Galilee and seeing them, Jesus asked them to become His disciples. Why would someone drop their career to follow a rabbi around? Fishermen are not easily convinced to do something so drastic, especially if they had a family. It appears that Peter and Andrew were originally disciples of John the Baptist

Joh 1:35 The next day again John had stood and two of his disciples.
Joh 1:36 And having looked attentively at Jesus walking about, he says, "Look! The Lamb of God!"
Joh 1:37 And the two disciples heard him speaking, and they followed Jesus.
Joh 1:38 But Jesus having been turned and having beheld them following, says to them, "What do you* seek?" But they said to Him, "Rabbi (which [is], being interpreted, Teacher), where are You staying?"
Joh 1:39 He says to them, "Be coming and see." They came and saw where He stayed, and they stayed with Him that day. It was about [the] tenth hour [i.e. 4:00 p.m. Jewish time or 10:00 a.m. Roman time].
Joh 1:40 Andrew, the brother of Simon Peter, was one of the two having heard from John and having followed Him.
Joh 1:41 This one finds first his own brother Simon and says to him, "We have found the Messiah!" (which is, being translated, Christ).

Since John was in prison and Peter and Andrew evidently went back to fishing after John was put there, when Jesus, whom John had pointed out earlier as the Messiah, asked them to follow Him. They had no problem dropping everything to change their discipleship. Galilee at that time was primed for revolution and wanting the Messiah to come so badly they were eager and willing to follow the one who had the most promise.

Peter was married, James and John's father owned a fishing company.

Capernaum----home of at least 5 disciples. Located in Galilee, as was Nazareth and Bethsaida. "village of Nahum" when John the Baptist was put in prison Jesus went and LIVED in Capernaum (Mt 4:12-13) Peter, Andrew, James, John and Matthew lived there also.

Bethsaida----birthplace of Peter, Andrew and Philip Bethsaida means "house of the hunt" founded 10 BC

Sea of Galilee--had several names, Sea of Tiberus, Sea of Gennesaret, Lake Kinneret 13miles long by 7 miles wide. Fresh water lake shaped like a harp

Migdal--town near Capernaum may be where Mary Magdalene was from.

Location: Capernaum
When: Sabbath
Who: Jesus and disciples (they)
What: Teaching in the Synagogue
Reaction: Amazement
Activity: Teaching and casting out demons

The leader of the Synagogue usually chose a distinguished guest to do the weekly teaching. The usual teachers quoted important Rabbi's when they taught. Example: the reading of Scripture happens and then the teacher says, Rabbi _____ feels that this means...... Jesus taught with authority, which is another way of saying, He did not quote other teachers and Rabbis, but spoke as if He completely understood the Scripture.

The disciples haven't been learning with Jesus for very long. What do you think they were thinking as Jesus taught and then cast out demons?

Why might the man with the evil spirit start yelling? What might the people who heard him think about what he was saying? Jesus didn't appear to be ready to announce who He really was, perhaps because, since the Jews thought of the Messiah as a king coming to conquer, there would have been the wrong focus on His ministry. The evil spirit perhaps could not keep silent in the presence of Jesus. I'm thinking that Jesus' deity may have caused the evil spirit to be forced basically to bow in subjection to the higher authority. Why might Jesus have told the spirit to be quiet? More than once are spirits told to be quiet before being cast out. I'm thinking that if the spirit was allowed to continue with it's verbal attack, that the center of attention would have been on it, and not on the fact that Jesus cast it out. Because of Jesus teaching and casting out the spirits news traveled quickly all over Galilee.

Okay, what would have happened if a street person showed up in our church service and started screaming at the guest speaker?
They left the synagogue, obviously it as a Sabbath especially since Mark made it a point to say that people from all around came with sick and demon possessed AFTER sunset. Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law BEFORE sunset. Matthew doesn't put this story until after Jesus had already been around Galilee healing and after the Sermon on the Mount. Luke seems to place the story in about the same place as Mark. John doesn't seem to have the story at all. Of course, if Mark is, as suspected, telling Peter's story, it seems to reason that this story would be included. After healing her, and the people bringing those in need of healing you notice that Jesus refused to allow the demons to speak because they knew who he was?

How would the demons speaking impact Jesus mission?

Thoughts: Water Walking (Matthew 14:22-23

Matthew 14:22-33  

1.       Immediately after the 5,000 ate Jesus made the disciples leave. Why?

a.       (Jn) The people wanted to make Jesus king by force

2.       Jesus wanted some time alone to pray. He prayed after ministering.

3.       There were two evenings in a day 3:00pm and sundown. The people were fed at about 3:00pm (v. 15) Verse 23 was sundown—the 4^th watch was between 3:00-6:00pm.

4.       Jesus must have been exhausted after ministering all day. Perhaps the reason Jesus withdrew to this solitary place (v.13) was to pray but the crowds prevented it, therefore rather than telling the crowds to leave he ministered THEN prayed.

5.       Jesus sent the disciples into the boat (knowing there would be a storm)

6.       Perhaps Jesus told the people a storm was coming and they should head home, of course, the disciples would not have heard this since they had already left in the boat.

7.       Sometimes God send us knowingly into a storm and had we known the storm was coming, would we be willing to go into it?

8.       The disciples had left before sundown and were still on the lake at 3:00-6:00am. What should have been a couple hours of rowing turned into an all night affair?

9.       The boat was 3-3.5 miles from land.

10.   The disciples in the boat were probably those closest to Jesus and would have been fishermen; therefore, they were not unfamiliar with the quick way storms came up on Galilee. It does not mention that the disciples were afraid of the storm but only of ghosts. (Things they did not recognize).

11.   What were the disciples thinking?

a.       Where is Jesus?

b.      Why did He send us out here?

c.       We are never going to see land again?

d.      When is the storm going to stop?

12.   They had been fighting the storm for hours and when they saw Jesus walking on the water they may have4 figured that because of their fatigue they were beginning to hallucinate and that at that point they were doomed for sure.

13.   Jesus went to them at the 4^th watch (3:00-6:00am.)

14.   Jesus IMMEDIATELY told them not to fear.

15.   Peter wanted to be sure it really was Jesus.

16.   How many people do you know walk on water?

17.   Mark 6:48 Jesus saw the disciples straining at the oars even before He went to pray, but He did nothing about it.

18.   Why didn’t the disciples turn around and head back if the storm was coming up while they could still see land?

19.   All that time they had rowed only 3-3.5 miles (Jn6:19)

20.   Peter many times spoke impulsively and this is no exception. Peter asked, “If it’s you prove it”. Do we ask, “How do I know it’s you, prove it, Lord”?

21.   Peter could have said (after Jesus said come) that’s okay now I know it’s really you and not walked on the water.

22.   The disciples had three choices (just like we do).

a.       They could have turned around.

b.      They could have given up fighting the storm and let it win.

c.       They could keep on rowing into the storm hoping to reach the other shore, hoping the storm would stop, hoping for a miracle.

23.   This is the second time the disciples were caught in a storm (Mt 8:23-27) the first time Jesus was in the boat with them.

24.   Even though they were doing Christ’s will they still meet with a storm.

25.   Jesus manifested himself to them in a great way IN the storm.

26.   Demonstration of Jesus’ power over nature—the storm did not cause Jesus to hesitate, He walked into it on the water.

27.   We cannot “walk on water” under our own power.

28.   The effect of sear—sinking.

29.   The effect of faith—walking on water—doing the humanly impossible.

30.   The solution to sinking (fear) Prayer.

31.   Peter saw the wind and had fear—the next time he experienced the wind 3000 were saved.

32.   The wind was as strong in the boat as it was outside/

33.   Peter was the only one that wanted out of the boat and the only one that got out.

34.   Mark and John do not mention Peter walking on the water.

35.   If God says, “Come”, He will provide the means. He will also be right there if you have problems however, there was no reason why Peter should have had a problem unless he started thinking about what he was doing, resulting in him focusing on self instead of Christ.

36.   Why is it that Peter had faith enough to get out of the boat but not to walk on the water? The first step is always the hardest. Is it like us many times when we agree to do something, take the first step and suddenly realize what all is involved, then want to back out? Where is our commitment? The same place Peter’s was—sinking! We, like Peter are yelling to be saved from the situation.

37.   In order to get closer to Jesus we need to commit ourselves to walking on the water and to following His commands.

38.   Sometimes we are not absolutely sure that it is God speaking to us, if we are fairly certain we should be willing to step out on faith.

39.   Christ promises peace when He saves us (the wind died down).

40.   Even if everyone else stays in the boat—you follow Christ.

41.   When Jesus got in the boat they were at their destination.

42.   By saying, “Truly you are the Son of God”, the disciples were more likely meaning to say—only God could have done that!

43.   The crowd was out to get what they could from Jesus—most had no long range plan to follow Him. Do you ever remember reading where Jesus complained to His disciples that He wished the people would go away if all they wanted was to take advantage of Him? I don’t, I know that if it were me in Jesus’ place I probably would have said that.

Thoughts: Hidden Identity

            Dirty, crude, misshapen, the rock lay discarded on the ground. Many had picked it up, studied it, and then discarded it. Finally, still bruised from the elements, the rock was chosen by one who knew what it was really worth. Carefully, and patiently he spent time reshaping and polishing. There were some painful times for the rock. These times called for cutting, chipping and abrasiveness. Gradually, it took shape into an item of great beauty. Another had pretended to see past the dirt and roughness, but had merely used the rock for a paperweight on his way to somewhere else. The rock had yearned to become an object of great value to someone and had thought the job of paperweight might possibly be it, not realizing that there are millions of paperweights in the world and when a new one struck its owner’s fancy they discard the old. Not many people choose to spend the time and energy required to look for the gem beneath the surface. How many rocks are really valuable gems never discovered?

            We can easily overlook diamonds in the rough. Diamonds don’t come out of the ground looking like those we know to be diamonds with sparkle and expertly cut facets.  I’m sure many are passed over because they look like a dirty old rock. Diamonds are really coal submitted to extreme pressure. We would not consider wearing a coal ring, yet many show off their diamond rings with pride.

            People can be like diamonds, until we get to really know them. They appear to be like the dirty, misshapen rock. There are times that a person is treated as if they have no value and it takes a special individual to discover the diamond within.  How many people have we stereotyped that, if we had spent the time to get to know them would have enriched our lives?

           

Thoughts: Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Ø When we pray, do we attempt to say the “right words” in an attempt to manipulate God to do our bidding? In that case, does not the answer to our prayer end up glorifying us when God’s stated purpose to answer a prayer is to glorify Him? How many prayer phrases do we use almost by rote? (i.e. God’s will be done, in Jesus name, etc.) This doesn’t mean these are bad thing to pray-just that the impact/meaning is diminished when they are prayed as if they are an afterthought and are words spoken without the weight of meaning behind them.

Ø Prayer is relationship.

o   The depth and frequency of your talking/communicating with your family or friends also determines the level of intimacy of your relationship. The level of intimacy may extend to your prayer life and to your relationship with God. Bible study teaches us about God’s character and prayer brings us closer to Him. Reading about an author (as in an autobiography) tells us about him, but until we spend time with and talk to him we can’t really say that we are friends or that we know him. Prayer without Bible study does an injustice to both and one cannot truly know another without sharing in each person’s history. You could not understand that my reaction of fear to a dog unless you know that I had been bitten when a child.

o   If you were to ask a stranger you’d met briefly and your best friend both for the same favor, which do you think would give it to you?

o   Do we sometimes pray small because we think God’s world is as small as we are? Why not pray big because God is big. I think God wants us to pray big. If He created the universe, praying small might be an insult saying that He, as God, cannot handle big things. On the other hand, is it us, being afraid to ask big because we may get what we prayed for and not know what to do with it? Perhaps we may find that what we prayed for is really not what we wanted.

Ø Mark 11:25 When you get set to pray, first forgive.

o   Sometimes prayer turns into a reminder of who is really in control. The more desperate the prayer, the more the Who is in control is evident.

o   If we refuse to forgive another, does that presume to say we are acting as if we are God over them? God forgave us. How can we refuse someone else, knowing from what God forgave us?

o   If we look at others as being hurting people, how might that change the way we respond to them?

o   If we talked to our best friend the way we pray, what would they think?

§  Formally (almost as if we were reading a legal document)

§  Long and drawn out with a chance for the other person’s input

§  Demanding

§  Impersonal

§  Asking, taking and no giving

§  Praying out of our heads and not our hearts

Ø Because something is legal, does that make it right?

o   “Confess your sins one to another” James 5:16

§  Perhaps vocalizing our sins to someone else helps to diminish the sins power over us. We need to lance the wound so that the built up blood and pus are able to run into the stream of blood Jesus shed for our forgiveness.

Ø God’s Timing

o   If God answered everything immediately we would miss  communion with Him and we would have reduced Him to being a vending machine.

o   “In Jesus’ name” sometimes sounds like “open sesame”, the magic words that open the door.

o   Sometimes God’s voice is as loud as thunder, but most times, it is still and small.

o   Jude 1:20 …continue to pray as you are directed by the Holy Spirit.

§  How often do we “pray as directed”? How might we do this?