The Church....again

Greetings,

I love Jesus. I can say that without any reservations. Now, how do I live out that love...this is where I have reservations. We've been talking about discipleship in our Sunday services as we study the book of Mark. We find the fisherman-turned-disciple Peter spending two years with Jesus untilbefore he makes his "amazing confession" that Jesus is the Messiah. Why did the disciples not recognize the true identity of Jesus until just weeks before Jesus is nailed to the cross?

I believe that Peter and the other eleven knew the facts about Jesus. They knew he was a prophet. They knew he was a miracle-worker with the authority that could only come from God. They knew he had great compassion and love for all people. How then could they have missed the Messiah?

I relate to Peter in many ways. Peter was a man of action. Peter enjoyed being with Jesus. Peter seemed to like the crowds and the activity that always followed Jesus. BUT, Peter seemed to spend little time reflecting on his Master''s presence and his Master's teaching. Time to read the gospels and reflect on Jesus' life and on His teaching....often missing in my life. I wonder how many of us Christ-followers have accepted Jesus as Savior, but spend so little time reflecting on His teachings that we would be hard pressed to call Him our LORD.

Everywhere I go I see people texting and talking on their cell phones. (here we go again....) This addiction affects believers and, I believe, aids in the busyness of our lives to the degredation of our time spent reflecting on Jesus. Facebook and My Space consume our time. I am always amazed at how many people spend hours a day on their computers staying in touch with all their "friends" and so little time reflecting on the One who has already called us His friends.

The other night at a leadership meeting, my friend Terry Carter mentioned that he thought a fast from TV would be helpful in helping us re-orient our time and encourage us to spend more time in God's Word. I agree and would add to that cell phones and computer screens. So, here I am blogging.....

My challenge to all of us it to limit our time facebooking friends and take the time to reflect on our greatest Friend and LORD, Jesus. How much am I missing (like Peter) because I don't slow down and simply spend time with Jesus and His Word?

Your friends can wait....listen and visit with your heavenly Friend.

Blessings and joy,
Rob

Leftovers

When my oder boys were teenagers and swimming for their HS swim team, they had two-a-day practices. Their caloric intake could be calculated by our monthly food costs!! They ate constantly. One sad result was that we never had leftovers. If all the dinner Lyn fixed for our family was not gone within 10 minutes of serving, it certainly disappeared before our vultures settled into their beds. We had no need for tupperware!

Now, with only two children left at home and my beautiful bride still not too sure how much food to fix for a "normal" family of four, we finally have leftovers in our fridge in the morning...it is awesome.

Jesus taught his disciples one of his most important lessons using leftovers. Twice, in Mark 6 and in Mark 8, Jesus feeds the multitudes. Mark states that Jesus had compassion for the people and had them sit down and then took five loaves and fed 5000 and then took seven loaves and fed 4000. Even though the 12 disciples distributed the food, they were still pretty clueless as to who Jesus was....they saw Him as some miracle worker.

Later in chapter 8, Jesus warns them to trust Him and have faith in Him....the disciples get it all wrong and begin to argue about the fact that they had brought only one loaf of bread with them as they journeyed with the Master...not enough food for 13 men.

I am amazed at their dullness and hard heartedness and their blind eyes and stopped ears, yet I must admit that I am no less dull as I live out my discipleship.

Jesus rebukes the 12 for their lack of understanding. He asks them how many basketfulls of leftovers they picked up after the feeding of the 5000....they quickly respond with "twelve." He asks them how many baskets of leftovers they picked up after the feeding of the 4000...they quickly respond with "seven." Did it dawn on them that if, from five loaves they picked up 12 baskets of leftovers and if from seven loaves they picked up 7 baskeds of leftovers (and these were huge baskets...not your puny cute picnic baskets) that Jesus could provide for them from the one loaf of bread?

God has a way of providing beyond our needs. He is our provider as we recognize His compassion and love for those who call Him LORD.

As I look out over our congregation and preached this message, I honestly doubted God's ability to provide as I looked at family after family who are in need. Do I really believe and apply what I know to be true? I can read it and study it and preach it....do I believe it. Lyn recieved a phone call on Monday about this passage. One of our families in our church related to Lyn five consecutive things that occured beginning Sunday after church through the day on Monday of God's miracles of providing...abundantly and excessively. It was their children who reminded mom and dad of God's love and desire to provide.

For me, Jesus rebuke of "don't you remember" rings in my ears when I doubt God's ability and desire to provide. I remember time after time when He provided answers to prayers and needs in my life and in the life of my family. YES, he does provide our needs and He often provides in excess.

God is a compassionate God who loves His children.

Blessings and joy,

Rob

Forcing my hand

Greetings,

Now that our website has been updated, I see that Dave has a link to this blogspot next to my profile. I'm not sure I'm up to that kind of pressure. I think my blog used to be hidden and easily ignored. Now....

So I'm going to ignore it for another day or two. We're working our way through the book of Mark, so I'll blog some thoughts before week's end.

Blessings and joy,

Rob