Summer 2011 Bible Study: Week 6

Hello my beloved blog friends.

I must say, Sweet Jesus and I are still discussing a few things. I need some more time with Him, just Him and Me... see you next Sunday.

Mary

Summer 2011 Bible Study: Week 5

Hey friends.

Sweet Jesus and I are needing some time to sort some things out. I will not be posting this week. But we will be back on week 6. There isn't anything to worry about, I just need some time to talk a few things over with Him and really press into Him, alone.

Love you! Mary

Summer 2011 Bible Study: Week 4 Day 7

I am sitting here, at the library in town. My chair is facing the window that is looking out onto the street and I am fascinated as I watch all the cars drive by. I can't help but pray that each and every one of them knows our Sweet Jesus, mostly because I cannot bare the thought of what my own life would be without Him. He is my hope. He is my peace. He is my joy and He is my comfort.

I know, as we spend time in His Word we learn more and more about Him, but my heart feels like I still don't know enough. I can remember when I first started to date my husband. I was in college and we would spend time in the evenings chatting on line, back then, it was before Facebook Chat, it was called AOL Instant Messenger. We would talk about everything. We would chat about work, school, friends, our high school lives, sports we liked, our families. We would just chat and chat and chat... and before I knew it, my roommate had gone to bed and the clock said AM. When we were dating, I could not get enough of him, I still can't. I adore spending time with him.

I love to drive anywhere with him, we have great chats as we drive. But some of the most peaceful moments between us have also been while we have driven some where and hardly said anything. We were just together, in silence, not because anything was wrong or we were mad at each other, more so because we didn't have anything to say. We do the same thing at home, some of my most beloved times at home are when we are just hanging out, either grilling outside while our son plays, watching TV on the couch or just being in the same room.

And, one thing I have come to learn, is that my relationship with Jesus is the same. I spent time this past week in several meetings, talking with people, meeting up with various girls within the ministry, meeting with mentors and friends and talking to family on the phone. And here I sit, alone, computer in hand, at the library, enjoying the peace with my Sweet Jesus. I feel like we are on a date, just Him and me, enjoying the day together, not really saying much, but never the less, I am enjoying His presence.

Lord, come and spend time with me as I look into Your Word. Teach Me. Amen

We are going to spend sometime in the book of Philemon today. I love looking at the lives of the people who LOVED and LIVED with my Sweet Jesus. We can learn a lot about who He is by looking into the lives of the people who love Him!

Turn with me to Philemon and read the entire book.

I have tried to spend time like this before with Jesus and I have always fallen asleep. Even now, my eyes are heavy and I could fall asleep in no time, but the presence of His peace if overwhelming. I remember having these moments while I worked a the hospital in town too. I sat at a desk that faced a beautifully landscaped garden, with floor to ceiling windows. And I often found myself, just sitting still, watching the world outside the window and enjoying the presence of my Sweet Jesus, but then the phone would ring, or someone would need something and my time with Him was over. But today it is different. Today, my time is uninterrupted.

I picked up the house a little bit before I left, I still have laundry that needs to be done and "work" I need to finish up, but I cannot escape the peace of His presence. I cannot help but fall in love with the letter Paul wrote within this book.

Paul wrote this letter from Rome when he was under house arrest. Onesimus was a domestic slave who belonged to Philemon, a wealthy man and member of the church of Colosse. He was a Greek landowner and had fallen in love with Sweet Jesus within Paul's ministry. The Colossian church met within the walls of his home.

Onesimus had run away from Philemon and made his way to visit Paul. While he was meeting with Paul, he was also introduced to our Sweet Jesus. Paul persuaded him to return to Philemon and Onesimus returns.

Within verse 1 & 2 we are introduced to other people, Timonth, Apphia, and Archippus. Timothy was one of Paul's trusted companions and the recipient of Paul's Letters 1st and 2ndd Timothy. Apphia may have been Philemon's wife and Archippus may have been Philemon's son. Paul included them in this letter so that they might read the letter along with Philemon and encourage him to take Paul's advice.

Read Philemon verse 4-7 carefully.

I love hoe Paul reflected on Philemon's love and faith. He had opened his heart and his home to the church and I am personally encouraged by that. Even in the midst of everything that needs to be done around the house, even if there are dishes in the sink and laundry on the floor of the bedrooms and unmade beds, don't you think we should follow the example set before us within this book and invite people into our home and love on them?

Read Philemon verse 8-10 carefully.

Paul, as an elder and apostle could have used his authority and just demanded Philemon to deal kindly with Onesimus. But, instead, Paul chose a different approach. Paul wrote this letter and based his request on Philemon's commitment to Sweet Jesus. Paul wanted Philemon's heartfelt obedience not forced obedience.

As we continue our relationship with our Sweet Jesus, I am sure there are people in our lives that know right from wrong and yet, chose wrong. Do we want to be the type of people to force our loved ones to follow Jesus? Do you want to be the type of person to demand or guilt someone into acting a certain way?

I have experienced one's person in attempting to guilt me into doing things they want. They with hold gifts, they say hurtful things, they try to buy my obedience, and yet, all their efforts have done is destory our relationship.

This book, this letter from Paul, speaks to me. It is heavy enough for me to take in slowly, it requires me to evaluate how I approach my loved ones. I find it interesting that Paul asked Philemon to forgive his runaway slave, in which he had the right, by law, to kill. And Paul actually encouraged him to go one step farther, he asked Philemon to take Onesimus in as a brother.

I wonder how may of us have people in our lives that require our forgiveness. I wonder if we can truly forgive them and change the way we treat them. I know, personally, from first hand experience, that this is easier said than done, but are we willing to work at it for the sake of our Sweet Jesus, because He has asked us to?

I love how Paul says "If you consider me as a partner, welcome him as you would welcome me", this sentence strikes me to the core. Can we welcome those who know right and yet do wrong as we would welcome our Sweet Jesus? Can we forgive those who hurt and harm us and change how we treat them, or talk about them?

Lord, change me, from the inside out. Help me to change the way I treat those I have forgiven. Help me to welcome those that are difficult to welcome as I would welcome you. Thank you for teaching me about You, through Your servant and friend Paul. Amen.

Summer 2011 Bible Study: Week 4 Day 6

Dear Summer Bible Study Friends -

I have loved praying over you and your comments these last few days. Today, I once again opened the Word to my most beloved portion of scripture, so I thought I would include a little portion from a book I wrote, Sticky Notes and Shoes. This book is a 5 week Bible Study and today's materials comes from a portion of week 4, but I adore this day... I adore this scripture... it once again ministered to my heart and my prayer is that it does the same for you.

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Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall; but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:30–31)

I used to keep this verse on a sticky note tucked nicely inside my tennis shoes. I wrote this Scripture on the bottom of my track shoes while I ran on the high school track team. I etched this Scripture into the inside of the grips that protected my hands as a competitive gymnast. A nurse wrote this Scripture on my physical therapy orders after I was hospitalized with a serious neck and back injury. I wrote this Scripture in my diary the day my grandmother passed away. I was given a key chain she used to carry with this Scripture engraved on it. This Scripture is mine. I am sure of it. I am sure when this passage was written, these two verses were written for me.

And today, this Scripture can still be found written on a sticky note and neatly folded and tucked into any pair of my shoes on any given day. This Scripture is one that I hope to tattoo on my body in a very girly and elegant way one day. This Scripture is mine, it was written for me, it speaks to me, and I cannot live without it.

Much like a good pair of tennis shoes, I cannot live without this Scripture. Much like a nice, comfortable, worn in pair of jeans and a ratty old sweatshirt, I am at home within these pages of Scripture. Much like I need my morning coffee—specifically, a white chocolate mocha with a few extra pumps of chocolate, whipped cream on top, and made from whole milk—I cannot function without this Scripture. Much like I enjoy a Mountain Dew, I am revived by this Scripture come late afternoon. And much like I enjoy my comfortable bed and very valuable pillow, I find peace within the words of this Scripture. It is mine. It was written for me, and I cannot live without it.

But lately, I have needed just a little more. So I opened His Word and turned to the very worn pages of Isaiah. I started with the very first verse of this chapter. My Bible naturally falls open to this page; I have highlighted the verses, written prayers in the margins, and stained these pages with my tears. This chapter is personal to me.

So as I started to read, I noticed something I overlooked in the past. I noticed the description of this chapter; it is four simple words that I missed during my time within the Word, but this time, they jumped out at me. These simple, four little words are written just before the chapter begins.

The description reads “Comfort for God's People.” I nearly lost it emotionally one day at work, when I came across that phrase as I searched for a little piece of Jesus. I often visit the Web site known as Bible Gateway when I need a midday dose of Jesus, and on this day I needed some comfort. I ran to my most beloved passage, and true to its description, it brought comfort to me, one of His people. I walked through this chapter verse by verse.

Open the Word with me to Isaiah 40:1. Feel free during our time in this chapter to write alongside the Scriptures that speak to you; mark up your Bible, it is yours and there is no harm in journaling alongside the very words of our Sweet Jesus.

The Scripture that I have included below is from the NIV translation, and you will find my journalings under each passage that speaks to me.

1 Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.

2 Speak tenderly to Jerusalem, and proclaim to her that her hard service has been completed, that her sin has been paid for, that she has received from the LORD's hand double for all her sins.

I praise you, Jesus, for your comfort. I am humbled by the price you have paid for me. I am speechless as I think back on the events of that day when your blood was shed for me.

3 A voice of one calling: “In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God.

At this moment in time, I feel like I have landed in the middle of the desert, and at times I am overcome with fear because it feels as if you are far from me. I feel alone. I feel unprotected. I feel as if I am just standing in the open desert, waiting for an animal to attack me and take me off as his afternoon snack. I am afraid. I am worried and anxious and alone.

4 Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain.

5 And the glory of the LORD will be revealed, and all mankind together will see it. For the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

In the midst of my time in the desert, you are still God, you are still good, and you are still my savior. You will make my rough ground level. You will keep my feet steady and my heart steadfast over you. I trust you. I will proclaim the glory that is yours, even in the midst of my desert place.

6 A voice says, "Cry out." And I said, "What shall I cry?" "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field.

7 The grass withers and the flowers fall, because the breath of the LORD blows on them. Surely the people are grass.

8 The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the Word of our God stands forever."

My desert place will not last. My anxious nights will pass, and my despair will be distant. Your Word says so, and your Word says that it will stand forever. Those very words bring life into my soul. Tears of joy stream down my face. The grass may wither and the flowers may fall, just like my time in the desert will pass, but your Word proclaims that it will stand forever. And for that, I will praise you.

9 You who bring good tidings to Zion, go up on a high mountain. You who bring good tidings to Jerusalem, lift up your voice with a shout, lift it up, do not be afraid; say to the towns of Judah, "Here is your God!"

10 See, the Sovereign LORD comes with power, and his arm rules for him. See, his reward is with him, and his recompense accompanies him.

Lord - The power in Your Word leaves me speechless. The Sovereign Lord comes with power. His arm rules for him and his reward is with him; I cannot help but think that you are speaking about your son, my Sweet Jesus, there. I will find him in you and you in him. I want to find you in me and me in him. I want to take comfort in your sovereign power, and I want to have the confidence that comes with knowing just how much power you have.

11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.

You leading me brings me comfort beyond what I am able to describe. As I look deeper into what it means for you to tend your flock like a shepherd, I am amazed. To know you look out for my every need like a shepherd tends his flock brings me peace. To know you fend off wild beasts that want to attack me and eat me as an afternoon snack rids my mind of worry. To know you will provide shelter as a storm comes brings me hope, and to know you will never turn your back on me or leave me brings me everlasting joy.

12 Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

13 Who has understood the mind of the LORD, or instructed him as his counselor?

Not me … I am amazed at the very things you have put into the place. I am in awe of the power that is within your hands. I am humbled at the thought of the amount of knowledge you possess. You are intelligent beyond description.

Well, my dear one, we certainly spent some time in the Word today, and I pray blessings over you as you go on with your day and week. I know we did a lot of reading today, and I pray you got right in and wrote all over the Word, so for now we will leave off at verse 14. Take a moment and pick out one verse that spoke to you as we spent time together today, and write it on a sticky note and post it somewhere that you will see it and read over and remember exactly who your Sweet Jesus really is. I pray you enjoy Him and His Word until we meet again. I love you!

Today’s Prayer:

Jesus, be my comfort. Amen.

Summer 2011 Bible Study: Week 4 Day 5

Well hello again my friends! Well, I must tell you, the water park, a three year old and almost 50 middle school and high school students, made for a really fun day yesterday. My son isn't a huge fan of the water, or hasn't been, until recently, until yesterday! I could not get that little man out of the water! He played and played and played. He went on a few rides, he swam, he splashed, it was a really fun day. And I did something I hardly ever do, I went out, on an adventure with this little man and didn't bring a camera! I did not capture a single moment from yesterday on film. And for me, that is very rare.

Looking back on my lack of picture taking, I find myself blessed with sweet memories and a day full of playing with my son rather than watching and pictures taking. I am often more comfortable taking pictures and watching him play. But, I will admit, the Lord stretched me, and I, pregnant and all, had a really good time playing with him and the other kids. It was such a sweet day for me.

And in the midst of it all, I read the Word over and over and even managed to do a little research. So, are we ready to dive into the same story, told in three different places?

Lord, reveal Your Word to me. Teach me. Keep me awake today as I go about my day. Remove bitterness from my heart and flood me with peace. Amen.

It is important to note a little bit about the Gospels we will be jumping in and out of during our time together. You see, Matthew, Mark, and Luke are called the "synoptic" gospels, because they give a synopsis of most of the same events from the life of Jesus. John stands on its own, filling in gaps that the others leave out. Each one of these gospels was written for a different audience and emphasizes different things about Jesus. The Gospel of Matthew was written primarily for the Jews and emphasized how Jesus fulfilled the prophecies of a kingly Messiah. Mark was written primarily for Roman or Gentile Christians, so it includes few Old Testament prophecies, and explains many Jewish words and customs. Jesus is portrayed in Mark as the Divine Servant. Luke was also written primarily for Gentile believers, as it also explains Jewish customs and uses Greek names. Luke set out to write an orderly narrative of the life of Jesus, and presented Jesus as the Son of Man, emphasizing His full humanity. John’s Gospel emphasizes Jesus as the Son of God, and includes more of Jesus' revelations about Himself than any of the other gospels. It also gives a much more detailed picture of the events during Jesus' last days.

So let's start in Matthew, turn with me to Matthew 9: 9-13 and read it once more.

We are told in Matthew 9:9 that Jesus went on from there... this is always a clue to me. My very first question is where did he move on from, so we are going to back up a little bit to make sure we read our scripture in context.

Read Matthew 9:1-9

Here we are told that Jesus came back to His town of Capernaum. He time that day healing a paralyzed man who was brought to Him by a few of his friends and our Sweet Jesus faced questions from the teachers/Pharisees.

Now, jump over to Mark 2:13-17 and read that portion of our story carefully. We might as well leave a sticky note or some kind of marker in these stories as we are going to flip back and forth between them several times... Praise Jesus for sticky notes.

You see, the first thing that connects our story together is the location. Matthew notes that Jesus had already gotten in a boat and came back to Capernaum and Mark supports Matthews writing by saying that Jesus had been outside by the lake.

Return to Matthew 9:9-13 with me. We are told here that the man who Jesus approached and told to follow Him as a man by the name of Matthew.

But if we turn over to Luke 5:27-31 and read it carefully.

We will notice here that Luke notes the name of the man Jesus approached as Levi. As we dig in a little bit more we discover that Levi or Matthew is the son of Alphaeus, as mentioned in Mark 2:14. So, why the two different names? Matthew is the Greek name and Levi was the Hebrew name. As a tax-collector, Matthew worked for Greek-speaking Romans. He gathered taxes from Hebrew-speaking Jews

Part of the reason I love this story is because the tax collector was considered by the Jews to be a traitor and very probably a thief. Why? Because the land of Israel was occupied by Rome and the taxes collected went to Rome. There were several levels of authority but the customhouse officers, who were encouraged by their superior to charge compensatory taxes, did most of the real tax collection. These men often charged fraudulent taxes with remedy almost impossible. These tax collectors over charged (Luke 3:13) and brought false charges of smuggling in the hopes of extorting hush money. The tax collectors were called "publicans" and this word means that they were a collector of public revenue. In other words the tax collector worked for the government in charge and that government happened to be Rome. The publicans or tax collectors were considered traitors and apostates. They were also defiled by their contact with Gentiles and because they were working for the "enemy" Rome, they were hated.

Matthew was this man. He was a tax collector by trade. "As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector's booth. 'Follow me,' he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him" (Matthew 9:9). When Jesus called Matthew, he went and followed and became one of Jesus' apostles. Matthew was a Jew who worked for the Roman government and therefore, he too was hated. Yet, when he left his job to follow Jesus he left his money and wealth behind. He sacrificed in one of the hardest areas, he gave up financial stability, he trusted Jesus immediately, and left his security behind.

Therefore, the fact that these tax collectors were hated and considered the worst sinners by most of the population and the Pharisees in particular was that they worked for the occupiers, Rome. "While Jesus was having dinner at Matthew's house, many tax collectors and 'sinners' came and ate with him and his disciples. When the Pharisees saw this, they asked his disciples, 'Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and "sinners"?' On hearing this, Jesus said, 'It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. But go and learn what this means: "I desire mercy, not sacrifice." For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners'" (Matthew 9:10-13).

Because the Pharisees hated the tax collectors and sinners, they thought that Jesus should too. The fact that Jesus sat and ate with what was considered the dregs of society was an act of grace that the Pharisees could not comprehend. This passage is the answer to how Jesus treated the tax collector and sinner. He called them to repentance and grace. Christ had mercy upon the tax collector and sinner and He always received them because that was why He came. Luke 19:10 says, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.".

I adore this story. I love that Jesus came not for the righteous but for the sinner. I love that He points out that the healthy do not need a doctor, the perfect do not need a savior and Praise Him that I am neither healthy no perfect. I love that He heals me from pride and the common cold. I love that He has been healing my husband from strep and my son from weariness. But more than that, I love more than anything that Sweet Jesus came to save the sinner, me.

Comment: How was hopping around the Word today? How did you like the same story told three different times? How are YOU?

Lord - Your Word is refreshing. Please remind me as I go on about my day that You have come to save the sinner, me, which means, I will never be perfect, so I can stop stressing about trying to be. Please remind me that You are my healer and my savior and my friend. Thank You for time in Your Word and time with You this morning. Amen.

Summer 2011 Bible Study: Week 4 Day 4

Well my friends, it is morning and I am awake and in the Word. Praise Him. Not only that, but I am also adventuring out to a water park with my 3 year old and 35 high school and jr. high kids, today. Praise Him for the summer adventures!

I have wanted to look at a portion of the Word, a story that is found in 3 out of the 4 Gospels. And, I want to spend sometime today reading over and over again, it as I hold down the fort at the water park, because this mama is not going on any rides, so I will have plenty of time to read and research. But will you join me in reading the same story in 3 different books.

I will come back to the blog and post a few things about what I have learned as I spent the day in the Word and researching... sound good?

So, read Matthew 9:9-13

Then read Mark 2:13-17

And finally, read Luke 5:27-31

I love this story and I want to see it from all perspectives given. I am off to read and read again and do a little research.

In the mean time, in a comment... tell me what you think of this story...

Summer 2011 Bible Study: Week 4 Day 3

Hello my beloved blog Bible Study friends! Here we are, on day three of our fourth week and I am really excited about the Word the Lord is going to teach us today. Today is the first day of summer, and I adore this time of year. I love the fresh produce, I love the warm sunny days and cool evenings and I will even go as far as saying I like the creepy crawlers that come out this time of year. I love the summer.

I wanted to point out that our lesson yesterday in Luke talked about our Sweet Jesus and the Son of God. Our Sweet Jesus is the “only begotten of the Father” as state in John 1:14. This terminology is used 42 times in the New Testament, “Son of God” affirms the deity of our Sweet Jesus Christ. And I love how we have learned another one of His Names.

Now, I grew up in a family that loved to go camping and one of the most beloved places we went was a place that was right on the edge of a river, we would go to sleep at night listening to the water run down stream and we would often get up early, and I mean early, and go fishing with my dad. My mom would stay back and make the best breakfast one could ever image and we, us three girls and my dad, would head down stream to a spot on the river with large enough rocks that we could sit in the morning sun and fish. It was by far one of my favorite memories as a kid and it is something I have been so excited to pass onto my kids. We go camping as a family, my husband, son and I, in the very same spot and I just love it! I can’t wait until my son and his daddy spend their mornings fishing. And the reason, for my fishing memories is because one of my favorite Bible Stories ever, involves Sweet Jesus and a few fisherman, and that is where we are going to dive in today.

Lord – Thank You for Your word. Thank you that the stories in Your Word are meaningful. May Your Word and the stories within it continue to be my favorite. Teach me something new today and reveal a little bit more about who Your Son really is as we spend time together, You, me, and Your Word. Amen.

Turn with me to Luke 5:1-11 and read it carefully.

I love this story. I love that it is only found within the Gospel of Luke, mostly because I love the way the Gospel of Luke is written and I adore the fact that all four Gospels; Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, all give us a different perspective on the life of our Sweet Jesus. Just because this story isn’t found in the other Gospels, doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, it mean that Luke was the only one to write about it and we get to enjoy a little piece of his life and relationship with Sweet Jesus.

Luke gives us a beautiful portrait of our compassionate Savior. Jesus was not “turned off” by the poor and the needy; in fact, they were a primary focus of His ministry. Israel at the time of Jesus was a very class-conscious society. The weak and downtrodden were literally powerless to improve their lot in life and were especially open to the message that “the kingdom of God is near you” (Luke 10:9).

When we first open the Word and read today’s scripture we are told that Jesus was standing by the Lake of Gennesaret with people crowing Him and listening to the Word of God. So, I can assume that He was teaching or preaching to the people. But, as I dug in a little farther, I have come to find out that the Lake of Gennesaret was also known as the Sea of Galilee or the Sea of Tiberias.

While He was standing at the water’s edge He noticed two boats that were left there by the fisherman, who were busy washing their nets. It is important to note that the fisherman on the Sea of Galilee or the Lake of Gennesaret used nets as a common way of fishing. These nets were often bell0shaped nets with lead weights around the edges. A net would be thrown flat onto the water and the lead weights would cause it to sink, trapping the surrounding fish. The fisherman would then pull a cord that was attached to the net to close any openings the fish might be able to escape from. Once the nets were full, the men would pull them onto their boats. While fishing, the nets would also trap sand, weeds and other debris so it was important for the fisherman to wash out their nets following their time on the water.

Verse three makes me laugh, our Sweet Jesus climbed into a boat, one belonging to Simon/Peter and asked Simon/Peter to take Him out into the water. He needed some space, He didn’t leave the people He was teaching, He just needed a little bit of breathing room. So there He is, sitting in a boat, teaching the Word of God to people just hanging out at the water’s edge listening to Him. I don’t know about you, but there have been moments in my life, either professionally or personally, in which I just needed a little space between me and the people that surrounded me. I am so blessed to know that my Sweet Jesus can relate to that feeling.

So once He was done teaching He turned to Simon/Peter and told him to take the boat out into the deep waters and throw out his nets to catch some fish. Mind you, it is mid-day. Our Sweet Jesus wanted to go fishing in the middle of the day, bless His heart. We read on in verse 5 and see Simon/Peter’s reaction. He simply says, “Well, we have fished all night, and haven’t caught anything. But because YOU say so, I will do it”… Imagine the questions Simon/Peter must have had. Fisherman normally fished at night. And fishing was hard work, so I am sure the man was tired and frustrated because he hadn’t caught anything. Yet, just because Sweet Jesus asked him to do it, he did it. I cannot get over that, Simon/Peter’s only reason for fishing in the middle of the day was because Sweet Jesus asked him to. People must have thought these two men were nuts!

But, take a moment and read on, carefully, look at Luke 5:6-11

We are told that James and John were Simon/Peter’s partners in fishing. We are also told that the nets Jesus and Simon/Peter had thrown into the water were so full that they started to break and they needed help from James and John. Yet, both boats were so full with fish that they started to take on water and sink.

Simon/Peter must have been awestruck at the work of His Sweet Jesus. Notice, his very first emotion, he immediately felt his own insignificance in comparison to Jesus’ greatness. This is a man who had watched Jesus heal people and cast out demons, but this was different, this was more personal, this involved the day to day routine and needs of these men. And JESUS CARED ABOUT IT!

I want to point out that I adore this story because it is proof that our Sweet Jesus cares about us and the tasks that happen on a daily basis. He heals the sick, He saved the World from our sin and yet, He cares about the daily tasks of our jobs, family, friends, school work and so on. Jesus cared about the fisherman, the men who might not have made the most money or had the most glamorous job, He cared about what they did.

As we read on, we are told that Jesus said to these men, “Do not be afraid, from now on, you will catch men.” And these men left everything and followed Him. This was the disciples 2^nd calling into ministry. We read about their first in Matthew 4:18-22, but the thing we come to learn within this story is that Peter, Andrew, James and John had gone back to fishing. They continued to watch Jesus, to learn about who He was and to really see what this thing called life with Him was all about. And as they watched, Jesus established His authority within the synagogues, He healed the sick, He cast out demons and now, He had provided in a very personal way. He met them on their level, He helped these men understand in who He really was through a miracle that involved their daily lives. From that point on, they were in, they left their nets and remained with Jesus.

I am so comforted to know that Jesus was patient with these men. He took the time to meet them where they were at. He spoke to them. He continued to pursue them. He had given them their 1^st chance to remain with Him and yet, here we find out He gave them a 2^nd. For me, this story is personal. You see, sometimes it takes me a little while to really get to the point of Simon/Peter and say to my Sweet Jesus, “I will do this, just because YOU asked me to”, I normally come around to that statement, but sometimes it takes me longer than others.

For example, I know full well, that Sweet Jesus called me into the ministry of Girls Only Ministry long before I actually said yes. To be honest, He made His request known almost 6 years ago, and it took 4 years for me to really know that He was asking me to do ministry. We talked about it, Him and I. I asked Him lots of questions and He provided the people, the legal help, the mentors and the girls. He kept filling my nets with fish over and over again until I finally, a few months ago, said whole heartily to Him, Yes, I will do this thing called Girls Only Ministry, simply because You have asked me to, and I will do it however YOU want it to be done.

Comment for the day: How does it make you feel to know that our Sweet Jesus doesn’t have a 3 strikes out rule? How does it make you feel to know that He will continue to pursue you and talk to you and provide for you in very practical ways?

Lord, thank You for not giving up on me. Thank You for the fact that You love me and will never leave me. I love you. I am so thankful to know that You will not kick me out of Your family. I am blessed by today’s Word and I am so honored to know that You care about the simple, small, tedious tasks of my everyday life. Thank You. Amen

Summer 2011 Bible Study: Week 4 Day 2

Well, my friends, I have got to be honest, the mornings have been rough these last few days. I feel like ever since we opened up the Word and learned about rest, I suddenly got more tired. I know that isn’t the case, I am sure it has more to do with the sickness in our household and the fact that I am getting more and more pregnant as the days go by. But, never the less, I am sorry about having to post so late in the afternoon. My goal is to get back on a schedule, anyone else function better on a schedule?

In addition to being tired, I have been craving some detail, in my time in the Word. I love to research. I love to specifics, I love the details. A while back, I worked full time for a hospital and part of my job was to assist in the design of the new campus as well as the move of all the staff and patients. I LOVED every minute of it. I loved being able to make colored coded time lines. I loved knowing every little detail. I loved knowing exactly how many gallons of paint we needed and used, I was fascinated by what it took to move the patients from one hospital to another, I loved the details of coordination. It could be my OCD office supply, list, organization thing, but I loved that part of my job. And so, today, we will find ourselves in the details of the book of Luke.

Lord, reveal a little bit about Yourself through the details of Your word and the writings of Your servant Luke. Press in on my heart, teach me, show me the specifics, show me something new and reveal a little bit more about Yourself. Amen.

So, this is why I adore the book of Luke. You see, Luke was a doctor, and doctors love details. He was a Greek and Gentile Christian, in fact he is the only known Gentile author within the New Testament. He was a historian of the early Church, He loved to research. He was also a near and dear friend of Paul.

Turn with me to Luke 1:1-4 and read it carefully!

You see, I love this about Luke, He had heard of Jesus, he had heard of His word and works and he investigated everything for himself. He dove right in and researched His Sweet Jesus and I adore that about him.

The Book of Luke, also known as the Gospel of Luke has been called the most beautiful book ever written, and Luke begins by telling us about Jesus' parents; the birth of His cousin, John the Baptist; Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem, where Jesus is born in a manger; and the genealogy of Christ through Mary. Luke looks at Jesus' public ministry and reveals His perfect compassion and forgiveness through the stories of the prodigal son, the rich man and Lazarus, and the Good Samaritan. While many believe in this unprejudiced love that surpasses all human limits, many others—especially the religious leaders—challenge and oppose the claims of Jesus. Those of us who adore, love and follow Sweet Jesus, we are encouraged to count the cost of discipleship, while His enemies seek His death on the cross. Finally, Luke dives in and researches the sacrifice where Jesus is betrayed, tried, sentenced and crucified. But the grave cannot hold Him! His Resurrection assures the continuation of His ministry of seeking and saving the lost.

Luke loves the details and I love him! I adore the fact that Luke researched, he questioned, he wanted answers, he dove in and asked for things to be revealed to him. I think one of the biggest issues I have had to come over is the thought that questioning the teachings of Word I have been exposed to, or looking deeper into things I had also known for the simple fact that I grew up in a church, was somehow wrong. I have come to find out that little things, like the Apostles Creed, doesn’t actually exist within the Word, but never the less, I have vivid memories of sitting in a wooden pew listening to the pastor clothed in his white rode read the gospel messages from the pulpit. I too heard the Word as a child. I heard of Jesus, I went to church and yet, here I am, diving in and researching the very Savior I have fallen in love with. Research is not wrong, nor is it unbiblical. One of the greatest blessings in my life has been the opportunity to walk through life with various girls from various age groups, and I have loved listening to them question what they are taught, often times by me. We have great conversations, we open the Word and dive in, sticky notes and highlighters in hand, ready to see what He has to say about what I said.

So, here we are in Luke. One of the things I adore most about our Sweet Jesus is that He is THE Healer. He is the great Physician. And so, today, as I find myself submerged in the illnesses of life, I want to dive into Luke’s very detailed, physician minded, accounts of our Sweet Jesus healing those around Him.

Turn with me to Luke 4:38-44 and read it carefully.

Jesus had finished His teaching within the synagogue and had left to go to the home of Simon, also known as Peter. We are told that Peter’s mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever. I believe this to be an important fact because I had always assumed that the men who were disciples of Jesus were never married. I am not sure where that thought came from, but for some reason, I had always pictures 12 singles men hanging out with Sweet Jesus. And here, we find out different. Luke points out that Peter was indeed married. As we continue to read we find out that Jesus rebuked her fever and she was healed. But again, the detail of a physician comes into play because we are told that she was not only healed, but healed enough to immediately serve others. Jesus not only healed her physically, but He healed her and restored her strength.

I love that verse 40 starts out with the detail of what time of day it was, my Bible says “When the sun was setting”, I don’t know about you, but it seems like that would have been a long day for our Sweet Jesus. Teaching in the synagogue, walking to the home of Peter, healing his mother-in-law and then people bring their friends and loved ones suffering from all kinds of illnesses to Him. The reason this time frame is also important is because in Luke 4:31, we are told that this was the people’s day of rest. Their Sabbath lasted from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday. The people didn’t want to break the Sabbath law by traveling during their Sabbath so while the sun was setting, while their Sabbath day was ending, they set out to travel and meet their Healer.

Luke goes onto tell us that our Sweet Jesus laid His hands on every single one of those people and healed them.

Verse 41 always struck me as a little odd. My Bible states that demons came out of many people shouting “You are the Son of God” and yet, our Sweet Jesus rebuked them and would not allow they to speak.

Here is my first question to our author, the physician.

Why didn’t Jesus allow the demons to reveal who He really was?

I have found my answer to be three-fold.

#1. Jesus wouldn’t allow the demons to proclaim who He was, in turn He commanded them to remain silent, which in turn showed His authority over them.

#2. Our Sweet Jesus wanted his listeners to believe in who He was through His words and actions, not the words of others, let alone demons. We learned in a previous weeks study about how Satan knows the Word, and that was through the example of him tempting our Sweet Jesus in the desert.

#3. Jesus was going to reveal His identity according to His Father’s timeline and would not be pushed around by Satan and his demon friends. I struggle with this one, because I find myself often rushing into things rather than truly waiting for His timeframe to be revealed to me. It is important to note that the demons referred to Sweet Jesus as the “Son of God”, which means, they knew he was Christ, the One and Only, the King of Kings. However, Sweet Jesus had more servant work to do, and He needed to reveal Himself as the Father’s Servant, who suffered and died, and then He would be revealed as the One and Only, the Savior, the King of Kings. Sweet Jesus had enough people talking about Him already and He probably didn’t want people talking about His identity as King, if they focused on that and that alone, think about all the teachings and miracles that would have just been written off as from “the Son of God”, rather than as a fulfillment of prophecy.

Read Luke 4:42-44 carefully, once again.

I love these few verses. These few verses show me that Jesus, my Sweet Jesus needed alone time. He needed to get up and get away from the craziness that came with His life on Earth. And yet, we come to learn that He too was interrupted. People followed Him, I am sure they started talking to Him before they even realized they had interrupted. And when He tried to leave, they kept Him from leaving, or tired to at least. But, we are told in verse 43 and 44, that He kept focused on what He was suppose to do at that time. He was suppose to teach, preach the good news to other towns, He was not suppose to stay and be the personal healer for one town. He was suppose to travel, preach, teach and eventually become the Healer of the World.

I love that our Sweet Jesus is our Healer and Teacher. So don’t be surprised if while He is healing you or a loved one, He is also teaching you a little something. Right now, while He heals my hubby from strep, He is teaching me the value and importance of a servants heart.

Comment for the day: What is He healing you from or teaching you?

Lord, Sweet Jesus, Savior, Healer and Teacher, You are good and Your Word is life giving. Help me learn the lessons You have set out to teach me. Help me embrace the freedom of Your timetable and not rush to get things done simply because I have my own dead line and task list. Bless me with moments with You all day long, not just while we are together in Your Word. Help me to hide Your Word in my heart so I may remember it all the days of my life. Amen.