The Pivot Point
(The concept is totally unrelated but this is a Light Seesaw – check it out here!)
Wow, a breather day! That is a rare but much-appreciated blessing, Father. A Monday after a long weekend makes the upcoming week much easier to head into!
Acts 1:1-11 (<<click here to read the passage)
It’s sort of weird to think about but as we have now completed the Gospels, winding everything up with the end of John’s writings, we now will enter the writings that Dr. Luke has given us in the Book of Acts.
The Book of Acts is transitional. In a lot of ways, it is a pivot point. One thing that I have come to understand is that time sits in the middle of eternity. God and everything associated with Him, has always existed. He has never not existed.
There are many passages of Scripture that speak of this. Isaiah 40:28 for example states,
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth
Does not become tired or grow weary
There is no searching of His understanding. AMP
In Revelation 1:8 the Lord God proclaims,
“I am the Alpha and the Omega [the Beginning and the End… “Who is [existing forever] and Who was [continually existing in the past] and Who is to come, the Almighty [the Omnipotent, the Ruler of all].” AMP
And we can’t forget what the Apostle Paul had to say, under the Holy Spirit’s inspiration, in Ephesians 1:4,
Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. NLT
Before time began, God set into motion our salvation. So, from day one – literally – everything was moving to the point of our redemption – and that is what Christ accomplished with His death on the cross and with His resurrection! At this point, the world experienced the end of the beginning – from “In the beginning…” (Genesis 1:1) to “It is finished!” (John 19:30)
And now with Jesus’ return to glory to sit at His Father’s right hand – the pivot point! – we entered the beginning of the end!
It’s not the end of everything mind you, but only the end of time. Time began at Creation, and it will end with Christ’s Second Advent, that is, His second coming! When we all stand before God at the Great Judgement, time will be no more. And when time has ended, so will our opportunity to choose, as we spoke of in yesterday’s post, Each of Us Is the Juror. Our choice will have been made and there will be no undoing it!
We may not want to think about it but, ready or not, the end will come. (If you’d be interested, click on this link to listen to my sermon for the First Sunday in Advent, SLOWING DOWN FOR REFLECTION. It will flesh out the concept of being ready a bit more.)
Lord Jesus, help us to be prepared. All the world has been headed toward the end since You stepped back into Your Father’s presence. May we ready ourselves and be diligent in pointing others to You, so that they may be ready, as well! Amen.
Nov 29th, 2021, Mon, 5:41 pm
Each of Us Is the Juror
A full day, Father, and a full heart as well. So many going through so much. I pray that they would find solace in You and that Your people would be Your hands as You bring them comfort. Amen.
John 21:24-25 (<<click here to read the passage)
One thing that I have always wanted to do is to serve on a jury. I’ve received numerous notifications, but never once have I been selected. I suppose being a pastor may factor in, but I can’t do much about that. Personally, I would find the whole operation very interesting…maybe someday!
The author of this Gospel, the Apostle John, wrote of himself,
This is the same disciple who is testifying to these things and has recorded them; and we know [without any doubt] that his testimony is true.
And there are also many other things which Jesus did, which if they were recorded one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. AMP
John, like an astute attorney, set out to plead his case efficiently and thoroughly. He clearly stated, as is recorded in chapter 20, verses 30-31,
There are also many other signs (attesting miracles) that Jesus performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe [with a deep, abiding trust] that Jesus is the Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed), the Son of God; and that by believing [and trusting in and relying on Him] you may have life in His name. AMP
He wanted to prove, beyond any doubt that Jesus was the Son of God. Jesus said it, and John clearly and systematically presented the evidence for Jesus’ claims.
And in this case, each one of us is the juror. We must thoroughly examine the evidence presented and we are compelled to make a judgment…is Jesus the Son of God, or isn’t he? *
Interestingly enough, we are also the defendant in that our own decision will find us receiving the death penalty for our sin or pardon in full.
The Apostle Paul in Romans 6:23 clearly states,
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God [that is, His remarkable, overwhelming gift of grace to believers] is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. AMP
When we stand before God on that great day of judgment our decision on this matter will be the deciding factor on where we will spend eternity. No one else can be blamed if our own choice did not relieve us of our guilt. It will not be an eternal party with all of our “friends” of like mind, but eternal torment. We will be forever separated from God who did absolutely everything within His power to redeem us.
Lord Jesus, may we take our responsibility seriously to determine who You are. It is an eternal life or death decision that we must make. Open our eyes and our hearts to the reality of who You are. Amen.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Nov 28th, 2021, Sun, 7:18 pm
Reminders of Gratitude
A day of much-deserved gratitude on our parts, Father. We are blessed in so many ways and do not express it to You nearly often enough! Thank You, Father!
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It has been a long but enjoyable day, spent with family. A day to be cherished for they are too few and far between and much too soon these days will pass as time marches ever onward.
I am weary, so this will be short, but I want to take the opportunity to encourage us all to embrace and hold our loved ones close. Appreciate the blessings we have been given. Lay aside petty hurts. Forgive as our Heavenly Father has forgiven us.
Also, may we be attentive to credit God for all the good things we experience – and those things are many. Many things we take for granted but every day – not just one day a year! – we should gratefully praise God for the gifts from His bounteous hand.
Remember, too, that this multitude of things and by no means material things alone, things that we can hold in our pockets. But may we recall the many things we can feel and experience but cannot keep for later, except in the recesses of our hearts. Things such as love, and peace, joy and kindness. May we cherish these things as well. And as we cherish them may we be generous in casting them abroad as well. Too many of those around us are shortchanged in life and God’s stores are plenteous!
Lord Jesus, may we remember to give You praise for it is surely due. Enable us to share the multitude of blessings with which You have endowed us! Amen.
Nov 25th, 2021, Thurs, 9:04 pm
It’s None of Your Bee’s Wax!
We are on the verge of a much-needed break, Father. Help us to be refreshed and rejuvenated, all within Your will and direction. Amen.
John 21:18-25 (<<click here to read the passage)
At my age, it’s a little less pressing but it still comes to mind. I mean I chose to be where I am at and to do what I do. But I look at other pastors my age and occasionally I wonder, “What if?”
What if after my last stint in full-time ministry – almost 20 years ago – I had continued to pursue that direction? I was offered a position as a pastor of a very good-sized congregation. But honestly felt, for a multitude of reasons, that it was not what God wanted for me. How would I have done? Would I have succeeded? …or failed? Where would I be now? Would I still be pastoring? Would it have impacted my immediate family differently? …all kinds of questions.
But what-ifs get us nowhere. That is not the path I chose. And God has faithfully led me down the path that I followed. I know that I differ from “normal” pastors, but I also know, without doubt, that I have impacted lives with whom those “normal” pastors may never have come in contact. I have loved, and continue to love, those who were not within easy reach of the church. As a bi-vocational pastor, by choice, I have kept my finger on the pulse of humanity.
We tend to compare our lives to others, whether to rationalize our own level of devotion to Christ or to question God’s justice.*
After getting a hint as to what his future held for him, Peter turned around and seeing John behind him asked Jesus, “What about him, Lord?” v21 NLT
“You hinted about how my life will go, what about him?”
Jesus replied in verse 22,
“If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? As for you, follow me.” NLT
We often become fixated on the goings and comings of others, but Jesus responds to us as he did to Peter: “What is that to you? As for you, follow me.*
As a youth when my nose got too far into someone else’s business I was often told by my mother, “It’s none of your bee’s wax!” It was none of my affair. I was to take care of myself and they would take care of themselves.
Lord Jesus, there is nothing to be gained by comparing ourselves to others. Each of us has unique experiences with life and You use all of those to shape and mold us into who we are today. We are each distinctive in what we bring to the table in service to You. We are all ministers in Your more than capable hands. May we yield and find ourselves fruitful, not for our own selfish desires, but for Your Kingdom and eternity. Amen.
*Life Application Study Bible New Living Translation
Nov 23rd, 2021, Tues, 8:20 pm
Are You Even My Friend?
Father, You know my heart. You know my thoughts. I place both in the gentle hands of Your love. May I be immersed in You. Amen.
John 21:15-19 (<<click here to read the passage)
It may seem a strange mentality to have but there are probably people in our lives whom we love but do not especially like. When I say “love” what comes to mind is Jesus calling us to “love our neighbor as ourselves.” Matthew 22:39 NLT
It’s sort of a detached love. We love strangers because we are supposed to. We love acquaintances because we are supposed to – those we go to school with, maybe some of the fringy people we work with (“Yeah, I might know their name…but that’s about it!”), neighbors, and people we regularly interact with at businesses, or people whose kids interact with our kids.
But what about those who are somewhat close to us. This week, and in the weeks ahead, there is a possibility we will be interacting with family members who we see maybe two or three times a year – in some families more frequently. Yeah, we love them…they’re family. But the question is, do we like them?
It may seem like a weird question but there are people in all of our lives that we just don’t gel with. They think in different ways. They throw people of so many different traits into the same pot…a pot of their disapproval. They may be nicey-nice to their face but rarely have anything good to say about them behind their backs.
But I’ll tell you what really stings…sometimes even we feel that way about people ourselves. “Yeah, I love them and all, but their attitude towards me and others have just caused too much pain, and really? …I don’t like them very much.”
Peter had proclaimed his love and devotion toward Jesus time and again. But as was spoken of yesterday, when it really mattered he denied even knowing Jesus. For him to set things aright, Jesus ran him through the wringer. As the notes in my Life Application Bible put it, Jesus doesn’t settle for quick, superficial answers. He has a way of getting to the heart of the matter.
Altogether Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved him.
The first two times Jesus used the Greek word agape which is defined as a volitional, self-sacrificial love. But the last time he asked, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” v17 (Remember that’s what he was called before Jesus started calling him Peter) that Greek word for love is phileo which signifies affection, affinity, or brotherly love. In effect, Jesus was nailing Peter down with the question, “Are you even my friend?”
It put Peter, if you’ll forgive the pun, between a rock and a hard place (Peter means “rock”). He had to do something that many struggle with, he had to face his true feelings and motives.
Peter came out on the good side of things (as Jesus knew he would) but it didn’t make it any easier.
So…now each of us needs to answer Jesus’ questions. How would we respond? Jesus asks us as well, “Do you love me? Do you really love me? Are you even my friend?”
It’s a tough spot to be put in but to move forward in our relationship with the Lord, we need to do it. Thank You, Jesus, for Your patience, understanding, and most of all Your tough love!
Oh, and while we’re at it, Lord Jesus, help us to love more deeply those around us, so that we may be more and more like You. May our lack of “like” be transformed! Amen!
Nov 22nd, 2021, Mon, 7:38 pm