This is more than I can bear......!!!

I have heard every saying imaginable to men that folks use as a way or means of encouraging themselves whenever they have fallen upon difficult times. Think about what I just said for a minute, whenever times become difficult you can hear these old sayings just drift across the crevasse of your brain; it gets worst before it gets better; you have to go through in order to get to where God wants you to be. How about this one, by the way this is one that I hear most often, are you ready? Okay, here goes, anything worth having is worth fighting for.

I know for me personally understanding and knowing these clichés has proven to be very helpful at times…I think. However, a curious thing that I’ve noticed about these short sayings or clichés is that most of the time these sayings can be traced back to the pages of scripture. Kinda like the saying “This is more than I can bear.” I was visiting with a friend here recently we were sharing our hearts with one another. We were discussing how that the hardest thing to do or accomplish seems to bring about the greatest benefit or change. As we were discussing I thought about the cliché; anything worth having is worth fighting for. However, one of the sad things about these short phrases or cliché is that we use them so often and will not give much thought as to what they really mean or where the cliché itself originated from.

Let me hit you with a definition; a cliché is a phrase or word that has lost its original effectiveness or power from over use. So the saying “more than I can bear” has tied to its meaning, deep biblical truth. And I think this phrase is worth investigating. Let me put some biblical context with this cliché in particular that will help you see the images that pop into my head whenever I hear this commonly used phrase being quoted. Check this verse out Hebrews12:1-2“Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” So when I hear folks say, Pastor “This is more than I can bear.” I began to picture the words of this verse flashing in my minds eye. And when I do that, I get a vivid picture of Jesus our Savior enduring the suffering of Calvary’s Cross. Blood dripping from his brow from the crown of thorns pressed into his head. There is also blood spewing from his back and all over his body from the beating he endured from the leather strap, with the metal pieces on the end tip of the strap. I can also see sweat dripping off his body just from the shear weight of bearing this cross, this tree mind you. Dirt and mud was smeared all over his body, because he fell to the ground so many times. Again this cross was heavy even for a man who spent most of his life carving up these same trees finishing up projects assigened to him by his step father. Remember Jesus was raised and trained by his step father who was a carpenter. That tree he carried it with the strength of his back and legs. Remember Jesus was strong and also very physical he was raised on the country side where the belief was if a man didn't work he shouldn't eat. Ultimately this tree would be the tool used to crucify him with. Yet he kept marching up Golgotha’s hill step by step. And get this according to the verse above he did it with Joy……Wow that’s just so incredible to ponder. According to the text, Jesus was able to endure, bear such suffering because of the change his suffering would bring about for himself and also the World. You see his death and resurrection made him Lord of all, and it also made it possible for us to become God’s children. So the next time you find yours self using the cliché “This is more than I can bear.” I want you to ask yourself the following questions;

· Can God be Glorified as I endure THIS suffering: What is THIS for you. Are you suffering because a bad choice you made or a choice someone else made. At the end of the day more important than you and your suffering is God and his Glory. Hard to digest when you’re suffering but truth is often difficult to digest.

· Can other’s benefit from this suffering I am enduring: You see I find it curious that when suffering comes we are so quick to get angry or upset. But Jesus with all the strength in the universe in a single word could have said “Father make this all stop.” But he doesn’t. Why? Because he knew that you and I would benefit greatly because of his shame.

· What areas in my life are being strengthened because of my suffering: I know we are not Jesus. But we are in the process of being conformed into the image of Jesus. So, what is the best way to produce Christ image in us? Suffering.

· Is there a part of my suffering that will essentially lead to greater Joy: God created us as creatures who love to have and experience real joy? Ultimately the best way to get full joy is to put ourselves in positions where we can give without expecting anything in return. Let me give you an example of how this works out in real life. Jesus experienced Optimum Joy primarily because he offered his life as a sacrifice on Calvary’s Cross. You see Jesus was able to do for you and I what we could not do for ourselves. And this caused Jesus Joy level to shoot through the roof.

So the next time you find yourself uttering the phrase “This is more than I can bear...” Just focus your mind on JESUS. I think by doing this, you will have an entirely different point of view of the cliché “This is more than I can bear….”

Got...Jesus?

I consider myself to be a reasonable person. I don’t bungee cord jump off mountains, I don’t watch scary movies after six in the evening, and hmm lets see…..I don’t usually ride my Motor Bike without a helmet. I would say that I am a fairly sensible, logical and fairly practical in my thinking. Of course there are those who know me personally that would disagree.

However, as it relates to my belief in Jesus my logic and reason according to some folks takes a sabbatical. Have you ever stoped to think what we Christians say we believe?

We assert that God wrote the bible and that this bible is without error. Meaning every word and idea is Truth. The stories in this book the bible go far beyond any human logic. I mean to tell you, listen to this; men talk to bushes that are on fire but never burn completely. Seas separate and millions of folks walk through on dry land. These same people live in the dessert for 40 years and God feeds them with food from heaven. He keeps them warm with a fire at night, keeps them cool with a cloud in the day, they lived in a desert people!!!!!! Check this out, their cloths never get old and their shoes never ware out. I mean using the restroom had to be a nightmare.

Here’s one that always struck me as hard to believe a fish swallows a man and that man lived inside the fish for three days. No worries the fish puked him up onto dry-land after the third day and then the guy wised up and decided it was better to obey God. How about this one, bet you thought I forgot about this one didn’t you. God tells his nation of warriors to march around a huge wall for some days and then He instructs them that at the end of their marching just blow your trumpets and the walls surrounding this city are gonna fall down FLAT. Sure-nuff they do it, they obeyed and Lickity-Split, just like that those walls FELL FLAT.

Here’s the best one of all. The bible, the book teaches us that God impregnated a virgin who’s name was Mary. Mary gives birth to the God Man whose name was Jesus. Jesus taught the people of his day that he was sent from God and that he was also God’s Son. Jesus also taught that they, the people did not have to See God. Because when they saw him they were at the same time “Seeing God,” because he and God were one and the same person. This made the religious leaders of his day furious and they plotted and schemed and had Jesus murdered. No worries because according to the book after three Days He Walked Out of the Tomb alive and well. He eventually showed himself to hundreds of people and walked around on earth for 40 more days before he goes back to Heaven, promising to return at some point in the future.

Ok, what’s the point of all this I want you to listen clearly to the alternative. We were not created by God at all. No a thousands time no, In fact nothing was created by God at all. A billion or so years ago somewhere in the outer galaxies things got so heated that an explosion occurred. Well this explosion caused matter to float around in space. This matter floated and eventually a big ball formed because all the matter began to stick together once everything cooled-off. This gigantic ball eventually grew trees and vegetation and what-not. Then the unthinkable occurred a few random cells connected on this floating ball and formed amino acids. These amino acids formed the basis for all life on this ball that we now call Earth. Essentially after a few billion years these primitive cells grew to become what we know now as animals, ocean life, and yea go figure, Humans.

My friend my brain is not on sabbatical at all, anyone who believes that load of hot-air, not only are they not thinking. But it requires more faith to believe that nonsense than it does to simply trust in what God’s Word Says. Not a single one of us will walk up to an automobile and accept the notion that it just appeared. Nor should we accept the notion that we or the earth and everything in it, just appeared. God created us he gave us a book that gives to us the answer and also a road map on how we can have an abundant life. I want to leave you with a verse of scripture that sparked all of this pontificatin, its found in Colossians1:16-17 “For by Jesus were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether [they be] thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Jesus, and for Jesus: And Jesus is before all things, and by Jesus all things consist.” Jesus the God-Man is the explanation and the answer. If you have not made him your Lord and Savior do it today. Got……….Jesus?

I Love You

Do you love me? This is the same question that Jesus asked Peter. Peter and his boys were out fishing on the Banks of the Sea of Tiberias and Jesus shows up. Has anyone ever asked you that question, “Do you love me?” If someone was to ask that question of you then, it’s obvious that they have an expectation of you. Meaning they have a reason to believe that you do in fact love them. As in the case of Jesus and Peter, Jesus had reason to believe that Peter loved him.

I just finished the Sermon Series “the Gospel According to Jesus” and I really had a lot of fun teaching through the many different teachings of Jesus. This past Sunday we ended the series with the question that Jesus posed to the Apostle Peter. John21:15 “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, [son] of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs.” You see there in the verse Jesus is asking Peter point blank “Do you love me more than these.”

I’m not a psychologist, meaning I don’t profess to be an expert on the human thought process, but I believe that it’s true to say that what a person spends money, time and energy doing reveals what they truly love. In other words if I spend lots of money and time on myself or boating, training, working, leisure or fishing then I know based on simple observation what I truly love.

So, Ok Jesus appears for the third time after he has risen from the grave to his disciples and he finds his lead apprentice doing what he loved to do. He finds Peter on the fish bank, fishing for fish. This wouldn’t be a bad thing, but the fate of the entire world was left in the hands of this Apostle Peter. Jesus gave to the apostles, a message that had to be shared. And Jesus was leaving Peter as one of the primary person who would be responsible to ignite a fire that’s still burning till this very day.

Jesus had to be sure that Peter understood what he meant by asking him “do you love me.” I love the way Jesus just makes the difficult so clear. Jesus asked Peter three times do you love me more than these. And the third time the text tells us that Peter became grieved in his Spirit because Jesus asked that same question three times. And Jesus gave the same command each of the three times Peter said "yes, lord I love you. Jesus would say, "then feed my lambs." Now remember, to be grieved means that Peter became agitated and angry because Jesus asked this same question three times mind you. I believe that Peter became grieved because he knew that Jesus was really asking, why are you fishing for fish, because if you loved me like you say that you do, you would be fishing for men, feeding the lambs.

I just finished reading a book authored by a man that God used mightily while he lived. I want to give you a quote from his book “The Pursuit of Man”; I love the way AW Tozer makes the point of what it means to know and Love God. “The man who would know God must give time to Him, He must count no time wasted which is spent in the cultivation of His acquaintance. He must give himself to meditation and prayer hours on end. So did the saints of old, the glorious company of the apostles, the goodly fellowship of the prophets and the believing members of the holy Church in all generations. And so must we if we would follow in their train.”

Jesus ask this same question of every person who professes to name the name of Jesus Christ, lovest thou me more than these. Wait, hold on a minute, don’t answer the question just yet.

What do you spend time and money doing. Are you sharing Jesus with others? Do you spend time discovering the things that the bible teaches? Are you supporting the church financially, Are you actively involved in a healthy local church? Are you feeding his sheep, are you loving people? If you’re not actively doing these things and more of what the bible teaches, then do you really Love God more than these? I Love youJ

Greater works than who ………… Jesus?

I know that some of us are not avid readers and if your not that’s fine. But whether you are, are your not. There is not many folks that hadn't heard of the book written by Pastor Rick Warren titled The Purpose Driven Life. If you haven’t read the book its well worth your time.

Pastor Rick lets us know at the beginning of each chapter that he stole all of his material from the bible. Every Pastor if their honest would have to admit that their richest learning came from pouring through the pages of scripture with out exception.

Now with that being said I was reading this morning through John’s Gospel and I had what I often refer to as an “aha moment.” I’ve been really focusing on the comments and teachings of Christ which is why I am on purpose reading and rereading through the four Gospels. At one point Jesus told his disciples that what they saw him do; they would go on to-do even greater works.

Ok, stop the press, hang on wait a minute. Have mine eyes deceived me. I think I need to look at the Greek to verify if the translators got this right. All kidding aside check this out John14:11-12 “Believe me that I [am] in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. 12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater [works] than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”I often quote this passage of scripture but I never noticed that the “He” is capitalized in mid sentence of verse12. Your thinking what’s the big deal about that. Well it’s a big deal because the translators of the version that I am quoting from often capitalized words like him or he, when they were making reference to God as the direct subject of the personal pronoun they were using in place of the name of God.

So look at the sentence again and pay attention to the words that are capitalized in verse mentioned, “12He that believeth on me, ……….. because I go unto my Father.” It could be a coincidence or the translators could be trying to give us a clue here.

Let me tell you why I think "He" is capitalized. When we see “He” capitalized in verse 12, we should immediately get the idea that the translators are conveying to us that the “He” that is doing the mighty works is not “us at all.” It is actually God working through us to do the great works that Jesus did while he was here on earth. Now that I have that understanding, when I witness men/woman accomplishing mighty supernatural works, I should know that what I am witnessing according to John14 is not the work of man but God working through the man or woman that believes in Him.

So, then if it’s “He (God)” that works in “me” that does the greater works. Then In order for me to do the work that Christ did, my life cannot be about "me." I have to make my life all about Him (God). This is where I believe Pastor Rick Warren nailed it. The very first chapter of his book “Purpose Driven life” exact quote “It’s not about you. The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you were placed on the planet, you must begin with God.” Ok, then how does the person think that knows life is not about them? Because this is the mindset you must have if you will accomplish these mighty works that God put you here to do. Keys to accomplishing the supernatural work of Christ

· See Yourself as God Sees you: if God says you can you will

· Make Sure your Goals are God Sized: If God does not do it you won’t and can't get it done

· Make Sure that God is your Senior Partner: Ask yourself Is God directing my steps

· Have more Faith in God than your Resources: IF God truly ordered it He can pay for it

· Make sure that your Plans come from God: Even though you have faith a failure to plan is still lack of faith

· God Centered Goals will Never Grow Cold: A work for or with God is fueled by The Holy Spirit's mighty power

· God gives us assignments but we are still responsible for staying diligent: I am waiting on God should not be an excuse for not being diligent

If we approach life beginning today with the mindset we just discussed. According to Jesus you can and will accomplish greater works than even him. Now get to workJ

Is Jesus going to return…………….huh?

I have been a God follower for many years now. One of the things that have always gotten my attention is to hear folks talk about Jesus coming back to earth the second time. You may have heard it said this way, at least I have, “Jesus came as a Suffering Savior and he will return as Conquering king.” I have to be honest and say, that when I was a kid, the thought of Christ returning to earth brought fear to my heart and a lot of questions. I’ve never given much thought to why the thought of Jesus coming back brought fear to my heart, but as a young boy, growing up in the 70”s it really did scare me to think that Jesus was actually going to come back……to earth. I mean what was Jesus gonna do? What would Jesus change about the world as I knew it? I was 8 years old in 1976 when I trusted Jesus and became a God follower. And I can honestly say that I became a God follower because I didn’t want Jesus to “come again” and not be ready…….and believe me for an 8year old kid “not being ready” meant many things

Ok, so I’m reading through the gospel of Matthew and to my chagrin Jesus is having a conversation with his disciples about wouldn’t you know it; his definite return?

Toward the end of Jesus earthly ministry Jesus reminded his disciples that he was going to die and rise again and that he would go and be with God his father for a while but he would eventually return. Now the disciples were normal folk so they asked what you and I would’ve asked if Jesus had made the same remark to us note Matt24:3“And as Jesus sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what [shall be] the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?”

Now obviously from reading the verse the disciples wanted to know a lot more than just, Jesus returning to earth again, because if you read the verse clearly the disciples ask three questions.

· when shall these things be

· what [shall be] the sign of thy coming

· When will the world end

So then we know that what is read from verse 3 on is going to answer all three questions. I want you to notice how Christ answers the question “what will be the sign of his coming.” Because for me I find Jesus answer to that question in particular most troubling. Matt24:36-39 “But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.37 But as the days of Noe [were], so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.”

You ever get the sense that though so much truth about God and his Son Jesus is available on; Facebook, the world wide web, ipod, youtube, podcasting, volumes and volumes of books, local missionaries, gospel tracks, radio, television, churches abroad, local churches and the Bible itself and anything else you can think of that I have missed. And people are eating, drinking and giving in marriage. That is what I find so troubling. We indeed are living in the last days because the days are similar or like Noah’s days. Although so much information about Jesus is available many are not responding to the gospel or The Proclamation, “Christ is Coming Again.” As Noah preached we too must not grow tired of proclaiming the good news. That same old ancient message that got my attention in 1976 before the days of internet and cell phones has not changed. Jesus is coming again to receive his own. Are you ready for Jesus the King of Kings Return J?