New Year, New Life

Peter was ready to go back to his old life. The one he had before Jesus interrupted him on these shores, and out there on the sea. His grandfather had been a fisherman, his dad, and he was too. That's just who he was meant to be. His heritage, his identity, his destiny.

"I am going fishing," he said to the others. "Who's with me?"

"I'm in," Thomas said, needing to clear his head. He was still trying to figure out if he'd actually seen Jesus before they left Jerusalem. It had seemed so real, but--

"Me too," Nathanael sighed, not understanding why they were back here again--why Jesus had told them to return home to Galilee instead of remaining where all the excitement was. Sure they were scared, but at least the news was buzzing of Jesus being alive.

John was reluctant to follow the others. They had waited all day for Jesus to meet them here on the hillside like He said, but Jesus hadn't come and he was hungry. They had nothing left to eat.

"Come on, little brother," James said. "You heard the boss."

He went to get in the boat with the others who had all agreed with Peter, as usual. One of these days he was going to get up the gumption to not follow that know-it-all, but tonight he felt powerless, hopeless, and abandoned.

It had been a crazy two weeks. First Jesus had ridden through the streets of Jerusalem on a donkey with everyone calling Him the Blessed One sent from God, only to call for His death after the Passover feast. He'd never been so scared in his life or devastated, but Jesus was alive? He had risen from the dead like He said, and he had seen with his own eyes--twice? Could it really be?

Peter was beyond confusion. Beyond understanding God at all. Was He going to rescue them or not? First Jesus was dead, and now He was back? What the heck? He was done trying to figure that dude out. So he was back to fishing. Something predictable and worthwhile and...'Where are all the fish? We should be bringing in our first catch by now, but the net is still empty.'

By dawn everyone was ready to head home and get some breakfast. Nathanael knew it would be good to see the wife and kids. He wasn't sure what to tell them. Surely they'd heard the terrible news by now, but would they believe the good news? He sighed at the thought of having to tell another tall-tale, but what else could he do? He'd come this far with getting everyone to believe his latest Jacob's-ladder sighting; And only time would tell what the Messiah's resurrection meant. Jesus had told them it would happen, but He hadn't said what came next.

They were getting close to shore when he saw someone sitting beside a fire on the beach. Standing to His feet the man called out, "Do you have any fish?"

"No!"

“Cast the net on the right side of the boat, and you will find some.”

He heard John gasp. "It's Jesus!"

"No, it's not," Peter argued. "You're imagining things."

"No, I'm not! It's Him! Do what He said!"

Nathanael had never heard young John be so adamant with Peter. He could get riled up with his brother sometimes, but he had a respectful fear of others with strong personalities, until now. He didn't even take it from Thomas when he tried to agree with Peter.

"You finally saw Him for yourself! Do you still not believe?"

"I'm not rowing all the way back out there," Peter said in his matter-of-fact way, but John held his ground.

"He didn't say we have to go back. Just let the net down here! If it's Him, we'll know soon enough."

So they cast the net into the shallow water, and sure enough the fish practically jumped into the boat. When they tried to haul the net in, they couldn't without fear of breaking it.

"It is the Lord!" John said again, and they all knew he was right.

Even Peter didn't argue and jumped into the water, heading for the shore. Nathanael wanted to do the same but just smiled and helped the others with dragging the full net to the beach. He wasn't sure if he was ever going to get used to Jesus proving Himself over and over, but for the moment he had no doubt, and he knew there was no rush. Jesus would be waiting when he got there.

***

It's easy to think that once Jesus rose from the dead and they saw Him with their own eyes, His disciples never doubted Jesus' words again, but I'm sure they did--many, many times. It's just human nature to doubt, like Adam and Eve did in the Garden, like Abraham did in Canaan, like Moses did in the wilderness, like David...On and on we see God's people doubting His words, His presence, His promises, and we see ourselves in their stories.

But even though we doubt, our God is still faithful. He patiently guides us, helps us, teaches us--day after day, week after week, and year after year.

We celebrate Christmas to remember the birth of Jesus--God coming to be with us and become one of us; to become a sacrifice for our sins and provide salvation for all people.

And I think celebrating the New Year can be a time for us to remember that Jesus rose from the dead, ascended into Heaven to sit in the place of authority at the Father's right hand, and then sent His Spirit to be with us and bring new life to our often doubtful and troubled hearts. It's 2023 but He still has not abandoned us, just as He promised: I am with you always. (Matthew 28:20) 

I hope you step into the New Year with confidence. I hope you don't feel abandoned or powerless. I hope you are counting on Jesus to see you through the coming days, weeks, and months; whatever they hold. I hope you are expecting Jesus to fill up your net with abundant blessings and miraculous moments.

I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong...May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. (Eph. 3:16-19)

I wish you a joy-filled, hopeful New Year, full of grace and truth. 💜

Italicized scripture taken from John 21, Matthew 28, (ESV); and Ephesians 3 (NLT)

Truth Over Fear

 "Peace be with you."

John 20:26

 

Several months ago I wrote a blogpost titled, "Love Over Fear". We looked at how love leads to joy and joy leads to peace, as Paul indirectly points out when he wrote about the Fruit of the Spirit. I encouraged you to focus on loving God, loving others, and loving yourself. Having a heart of thankfulness, unselfishness, and trust in God's love for you can go a long way to help in overcoming fear.

Today I want to talk a little more specifically about how focusing on love can bring peace by looking at how truth plays a role in this. Truth is something that can bring on feelings of fear and also chase them away. Your fears may be for yourself or for those you care about, such as your spouse, your children or grandchildren, another family member, a friend, neighbor, or those you minister to. You know bad things happen in our world. This is a sad reality of life. Those you love, and you yourself, are vulnerable to physical, mental, or emotional trauma every day. Natural disasters, health problems, violence, crime, financial hardship, cruel words of others, just to name a few, are all very real and can threaten our well-being. But the truth also tells us that God will care for us, protect us, and bring good things out of bad circumstances.

The same is true regarding the condition of our hearts. We are sinful. We do the wrong things, make poor decisions, put our own needs above the needs of others. The reality of our sin can make us cower in shame, try to cover up our mistakes, and leave us feeling guilty and unworthy of anything good.

But God's mercy is also real. His love brings forgiveness and the courage to come into the light, admitting our failures and weaknesses and asking for help to overcome our clumsy, messy selves.

In 1 John 4:18 it says, There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

Believing in God's love is a key factor to overcoming fear in your life, whether it's fear of your mistakes being exposed, others hurting you or someone you love, or not having what you need. These are real fears with real consequences. But God's love is greater than anything we could ever face in this life.

In John 20:26, we read these words of Jesus: "Peace be with you." His followers were gathered together, still trying to process what had happened concerning His death and apparent resurrection. Not everyone there was convinced He had risen from the dead, and whether He had or hadn't, they were obviously fearful because they had locked the doors.

Then Jesus appears and says, "Peace be with you." He didn't want them to be afraid and wanted to assure them everything was going to be okay. And, if we are willing to hear Him, He can speak these same words to us today in the middle of our fears and uncertain circumstances.

I encourage you to make a list of your current fears--fears you have for yourself and for others. Write them down to get them out in the open, not merely swimming through your mind. When you've completed your list, go through them one by one. How can believing in God's love for you or those you care about erase these fears? Try to write one truth beside each current or potential crisis, such as: God is with me/them, God will protect me/them; God will provide for me/them; God will help me/them; God forgives; God loves unconditionally; God works all things together for good, or whatever truths can apply. Finding a specific Bible verse or recalling a certain Bible story may be particularly powerful. Write whatever comes to mind on the same line as your fear and then cross-out the fear you listed.

When you are finished, pray about the fears you crossed-out; Ask God to help you believe what you already know is true. Then ask Him to reveal truths that are greater than your fears that remain. You might need to search the Bible or ask someone to help you look for specific words God spoke and promises He has made that can bring you peace about these things.

If God didn't want us to have peace, He wouldn't have given us the Bible and His Spirit to teach us the truth and help us believe. But the truth is He did; and He can put our fears to rest and help the fruit of peace to flourish in our hearts and minds.

 

Be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil...having fastened the belt of truth...and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace.

Ephesians 6:10-11,14-15

 

 

Scripture quotations are from The ESV Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

When God Paints the Clouds

 

There is no one like my God. He rides across the heavens to help me, on the clouds of His majesty.

Deuteronomy 33:26

I love clouds. I love when they bring refreshing rain. I love them on sunny days when they appear like fluffy marshmallows in the sky. And I love when they turn beautiful colors of pink and orange at sunset.

 

 

But clouds aren't always welcome. Sometimes they bring too much rain and long, gloomy days. Sometimes they bring terrible storms that cause floods and great destruction. Sometimes they block the stars and the moon when I'd like to see a celestial event--I'm a bit of an astronomy nerd.

 

In the Bible, clouds are often used to remind us of God's presence. When Noah and his family emerged from the ark to a whole new world of shifted lands and climate change, God knew the rain and clouds might be a reminder of the terrible flood, so He made them a promise:

"I have set my rainbow in the clouds, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and the earth...Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life." (Gen. 9:13,15)

 

  

Many years later when Moses was blessing Israel, he said:

“There is no one like the God of Jeshurun (Israel), who rides across the heavens to help you and on the clouds in his majesty. The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." (Deut. 33:26-27)

 

David wrote a song that says:

 

Sing to God,

sing in praise of his name,

extol him who rides on the clouds.

(Ps. 68:4)

 

  

And in the Book of Revelation, John proclaimed: 

“Look, he is coming with the clouds." (Rev. 1:7)

 

  

When God paints the clouds with a beautiful sunrise or sunset, I believe He's reminding us of His constant presence in a beautiful, eye-catching way we can't miss. From morning until night and throughout the darkness, He is with us--always.

 

But when clouds come into our lives, they can make God's presence and truth seem--well, cloudy! And it can be discouraging, disheartening, and difficult to believe He's still with us. But He is! Clouds of gloom can become clouds of majesty.

 

 

When I was young, I went through a difficult time of being bullied. I didn't want to go to school, but my mom shared a verse in the Bible that says:

"Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid;

do not be discouraged,

for the LORD your God will

be with you wherever you go.”

(Joshua 1:9)

I asked God to help me not be afraid, and I trusted Him to take care of me, and He did. It was still hard at times, but He showed me His presence in many ways, and He was faithful to lead me into new friendships and activities I may not have chosen otherwise. I've lived a lot of life since then and I've been through a lot of trials, but I've always found God to be faithful to me.

 

I think this one looks like a heart 💙

 

I want to encourage you to trust God with whatever you're going through. Ask for His help. Ask Him to show you He is with you. If you did something wrong and need to confess your sin, confess it and believe in His forgiveness. And if you did nothing wrong but life is hard anyway, look for better days to come. Look for the rainbows. Look for God to paint your clouds, and He will, because He is always there.

 

 

Know that the LORD is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the LORD is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Psalm 100:3-5

 

 

 

Deut. 33:26: personal paraphrase mine

Jesus Is With You

 

The eyes of the Lord watch over you,

and He hears your prayers.

1 Peter 3:12

You are never alone. Jesus is always with you. Do you believe that?

Whether you have known Jesus for awhile, as far back as you can remember, or have recently started to follow Him, He walks beside you; He leads you; He protects you from behind and on all sides; He lives within you. You are never alone.

Even if you wander away from Him (which technically is not possible, but your thoughts and actions can make you feel distant from Him); He is always watching over you, and He is always listening.

What does that mean for you today?

Maybe you've been distant, not listening, doing your own thing--Is it time to "come back"? Is it time to ask for His help, His forgiveness, His guidance?

Maybe you've been trying to listen and follow and do the right things, but it seems too hard; Is it time to remember He loves you no matter what, to simply receive His love, rest in it, and rely on His strength, not your own? It's okay to just Be still and know that He is God--that He is your God, your Savior, your best friend; You can trust Him with your imperfect self.

Maybe you've been following Him closely and living in His presence daily, but everyone around you seems off-course, troubled, or lost. You feel burdened for them, but you don't know how to help. You feel at-odds with them, but anything you say or do just pushes them further away. You don't understand their behavior or attitude or can't relate to their pain. Do you need to just keep following and trusting, but the waiting or loneliness seems unbearable?

Sometimes Jesus has great things for us to do, new places to take us, ways to use us, things to show and teach us. But sometimes it's just about being with Him. Believing in His love. Believing in His faithfulness. Believing He sees your deeds and knows your heart and hears every prayer--even if it's just a whisper or desperate cry.

To just be known.

Seen.

Heard.

Loved.

He sees you. He knows. He listens.

He is with you. You are His.

Jesus is with you.

 

 

"I am with you always."

Matthew 28:20

 

 

Love Over Fear

If you have seen the Disney movie Monsters, Inc., you know that for many years this fictitious company believed scaring children was the way to power their monster world. They snuck into bedrooms at night to frighten children and get them to scream, filling up canisters with the valuable resource of Scare Energy. But when one of their not-scary employees, Mike Wazowski, decides he wants to be a Scarer too, like his friend Sulley, he isn't able to scare a child and gain energy from the human world that way. But he does make them laugh, producing much more energy than any scream ever could and completely changing the strategy of Monsters, Inc.  Scary monsters are out and funny monsters are in!

You're probably familiar with the phrase 'laughter is the best medicine', and you know from experience that it is much more pleasant to be happy than sad. But have you ever thought about joy outweighing the power of fear?

In Galatians 5:22-23, we read about the Fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  Notice how joy comes before peace, and love comes before joy?  I don't believe it's an accident they are in that order.  In Nehemiah 8:10, God tells the people, The joy of the LORD is your strength.  They were facing scary opposition from their enemies, but God said, 'Don't be afraid of them, just find joy in Me: that is your best weapon.'  He wanted them to have peace and be at peace with others, but first they needed to embrace joy.

'So how do I find joy?' you may ask.  'I'd much rather be happy than sad or afraid, but in these days, in these times, in my circumstances?  I don't think that's possible. I can maybe muster up enough faith to get through this crisis. (Faith over fear, as they say.) I can smile when others are around and cry when I'm alone and pretend to be happy. But to have real joy, real peace, and real faith?  That's like living in a fantasy world where monsters are funny and laughter saves our society--fine for a kids' movie, but in my complicated life?'

If you are lacking peace, you are likely also lacking joy, so let's take another look at which Fruit of the Spirit comes first... Love.

Can love lead to joy?  Can love triumph over fear?

In Nehemiah, where the people were sad because they realized they hadn't been following God, Nehemiah said, "Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks and share with people who have nothing."  This might sound like he was saying, 'Just forget about your problems and party!  Eat pizza and ice cream and drown your sorrow in food and laughter.'  But he wasn't talking about superficial or temporary joy; he was talking about real joy that comes from thankfulness for what you have (love for God) and sharing what you have (love for others).

In Matthew 22:37-39, we read these words of Jesus: "Love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: Love your neighbor as yourself."

There is a lot of hate and anger in this world. There is a lot of ungratefulness and selfishness. There is a lot of fear and loneliness and sadness. But love... Love brings joy, love brings peace, and love is a choice we can make every day.

Love God; Be thankful for what you have and trust God to always take care of you. The joy of the LORD is your strength.  Joyful gratitude and trust in an almighty God is powerful.

Love others; Give generously...whatever you have to share. Time, friendship, kindness, practical help. Don't be so consumed with your own problems that you forget others have needs too.

Love yourself; Believe in God's love for you. Believe you are special and unique, made for a purpose, the creation of His very hands.

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness... It's a great list of what can heal our world...of what can heal your world.

But it starts with Love.

 

May the God of hope

fill you with all joy and peace

as you trust in him. 

Romans 15:13

 

 

Secure In His Love

 "Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in Him, for He shields them all day long, and they rest between His shoulders."

Deuteronomy 33:12

 

There is a story that Jesus tells in Luke 15 about a flock of sheep. There are 100 sheep in this flock, and one of them is missing. Jesus asks those who are listening what they would do if this was their flock of sheep. Would they leave the ninety-nine to go look for the lost one?

 

Assuming their answer is yes, He speaks of the joy they will experience: "When he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home.  Then he calls his friends and neighbors and says, 'Rejoice with me! I have found my lost sheep.'"

It's not difficult to identify Jesus as the shepherd. He calls Himself the Good Shepherd in John 10.  "I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me...I lay down my life for the sheep."  The greater mystery in this story lies with this question: Who are the lost sheep?  Jesus identifies them as sinners who need to repent. But that can be difficult to define.

Or maybe I should say, that can be difficult to define accurately. I think we're all pretty good at pointing out "sinners who need to repent".  The Pharisees and teachers of the Law were good at this too and did it often. In fact, it was their disapproval when Jesus was welcoming and eating with sinners that prompted Jesus to tell several stories about "lost" things: sheep, coins, and sons. But what was it about these things that made them lost?

Simply put, they were not where they were supposed to be. It wasn't so much about behavior as it was about location. The sheep was alone—away from the shepherd. The coin was missing. It wasn't where coins were usually kept, so its value was in jeopardy.  And the sons?  One was away from home, away from his father and his whole family.  And the other?  He was there in body, but not in spirit. He was living in his father's household, doing what was expected of him, but he wasn't enjoying it.

We generally label those we call "sinners" by their behavior. But I don't see Jesus identifying them in that way. It's not about what they are doing or not doing; it's about where they are.  Is the sheep close to the shepherd or out of his sight? Is the coin in a treasured place, or is it missing? Is the younger son near his father or far away? And is the older son near his father in a physical sense but distant in his heart?

Jesus isn't really teaching about lost sheep or coins or sons. He's using them as illustrations to teach about something greater. And He wasn't teaching the "sinners", He was teaching those who saw themselves as "righteous".  If He would have spoken more bluntly, I think He would have said, "These people you call sinners are coming to me and listening.  I'm excited about them!  I'm welcoming them with open arms because that's why I'm here!  They understand what I'm saying about God's mercy and love.

But you? Not so much. I want to be excited about you too, but I can't. Not yet. Not until you understand My love. Not until you change your thinking (repent). Not until you get to where you need to be. Not until you let Me rescue you."

In Deuteronomy 33, God says, "My beloved ones rest secure in Me. They rest between My shoulders."  They are at rest.  They are at peace.  They are near Him and secure in His love.

They have nothing to prove. No where else they would rather be. And no fingers to point, because they have their eyes on their loving, merciful, and faithful God.  They are His, and they are loved, and that's enough.

 

 Photo courtesy of freeimages.com

The Worth of Losing Everything

 

 

I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.

 

Philippians 3:8

 

Giving up things is hard.

Whether it's forced or voluntary, sometimes we just have to let go: Bad habits we need to break; Interests and activities we don't have time for or are taken from us; Relationships; Jobs; Homes; Lifestyles; Freedoms--yes, even in America.

We don't like it. We avoid it wherever possible. We fight tooth and nail to keep what we have and cling to our comforts, our way of life, even our vices that aren't really good for us. We know it, but still...

One time when a great crowd of people was following Jesus, He spoke these words:

"Those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciple."

With a bit of word study, I learned the phrase "everything you have" can not only pertain to one's possessions, but also one's being. Jesus wasn't just talking about giving up riches or material goods, but also oneself: My way of being, existing, living.

We've all learned a lot about that during this pandemic, haven't we? Time with others. Time for ourselves. Jobs. Security. Rest. Personal freedoms.

Whether we put on a mask for the benefit of others or because it's mandated, it's uncomfortable. It itches, fogs up our glasses, feels claustrophobic, and hides the smile we try to put on, even in the midst of our own discomfort.

Our way of life has changed. And for the most part, the changes, and even the benefits of change, were not our choice. And while choosing to follow Jesus is entirely an act of free will, a personal choice I have made, the terms of that choice are not without cost. Following Jesus is all about surrender. Giving up my way of life and being, for His way. Giving up my agenda, for His. Letting go of what I want, for what He wants.

And yet, I did it, and I continue to do it. (Following Jesus is a daily choice, not a one-time decision.)

Why would I do that? Why would I give up my way for someone else's way?

Because God's way is better.

Not always easier or convenient or comfortable; but better. More beneficial; More satisfying; More rewarding; More productive; More purposeful.

In His words about the cost of following Him, Jesus warns these wanna-be disciples they may not be up for it, even insinuating they may fail: “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you...Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand?"

Thanks for the pep-talk, Jesus.

But hold on. Jesus finishes his message by declaring His words are for "whoever has ears to hear", a distinction Jesus gave to those who were really listening. Not only to His words but also the heart of God. He wasn't talking about failure or defeat coming to those who choose to follow Him and give up their own ways, but rather the cost of not following. Independence, self-sufficiency, pride, thinking I can make it on my own and fight my own battles and gain the whole world by giving up my soul? Foolishness!

But surrender to a mighty God? Giving up my ways for His ways? Love over selfishness? Peace over strife? Joy over despair? Faith over doubt?

Pure gold.

On another occasion when Jesus was with his closest disciples, He spoke these words:

"Everyone who has left their home or family or livelihood for My sake will receive a hundred times as much and will truly know Me and My Father. But many who cling to what they have will find they have nothing, and those who have let go and humbled themselves will lead."

If Jesus is telling you to let go of something, let it go. And if something has been taken from you--perhaps many things, it's okay. Jesus will always give you what you need, and even if you have to wait for awhile, the reward for your trust and patience and faith will be so great--you won't even believe what He does.

 

Photo courtesy of freeimages.com

Scripture taken from: 

Luke 14:28-35

Matthew 19:29-30; (paraphrase mine)