what I learned today

With the flurry of the weekend celebration at Crossroads behind me, I'm back in my favorite spot on my deck, worshipping the Lord as I read the account of Jesus washing the disciples feet.

I've written before about a couple opportunities I've had with people who aspire to greatness wanting to be 'in charge' of something.  In both cases I've assured them that even if their gifting is leading - there's way more to leading especially in the church, than leading like a CEO.

This is NOT suggesting that I have it all figured out - I goof up weekly with leadership choices I make.

But, we must try to be humble.  You must be willing to do whatever it takes - even very behind the scenes junky jobs.  You must be willing to be the last man out of the church door.  If not, you'll lead but have no true following.

Beth Moore says, God grants greatness to those who lead with a lap full of feet, like Jesus demonstrated when he washed his disciples feet.  She guessed that if Jesus had asked for a volunteer to wash everyone's feet - none of them would have volunteered!

He talks over and over about being servants to others and very little in contrast about leadership.  He knew what we'd struggle with!


I find it terribly comforting just to see in scripture over and over such practical application for my life's struggles.  What a testimony to the fact that God knew we'd need a manual to live by, and what an amazing thing that He wrote it to apply to every single generation with no changes needed.

He created us and watched us walk away from Him in selfishness - He knew we'd sin and struggle - and still He gives us everything we could possibly ever need to live strongly, correctly, unselfishly, humbly and madly in love with Him when we realize this manual called the Bible can teach us how to live and how to avoid all the problem our dumb choices cause us.

This past year I've felt a couple times a deep tiredness in ministry like I've never known before and that reveals to me that I'm drifting off into my own strength again which certainly isn't what it used to be and it's time for a re-centering, a leaning deep back into Him and His Word. It doesn't take a scientist to know that our bodies are created to rest and that's why scripture talks so much about rest - even making it part of God's plan of Creation.  I'm praising Him this morning for His never ending teaching and patience with me!

He doesn't need my help with anything - I need His...

competitive

We all have within us a tendency toward competitiveness.

We are motivated to work hard to get good grades, awards, position, and financial gain.

We look at what one another have to see if we have more or less.

We compare. Attractiveness, cars, clothing, homes, children, talents and levels of education.

Why are we so competitive? Why do we care what others around us have, or how they look, or what they are doing? Our sinful nature.

Even the disciples were competitive about their positions with Jesus. That had to break Jesus' heart.

I am very competitive. I turn this over to the Lord over and over.

It doesn't matter what others have, it matters that we show our thankfulness by being content and satisfied. I have so much to be thankful for - and I will try to thank Him daily not only verbally but with my contentedness.

what I learned today

Reading in Acts today - it was obvious the disciples had some of the same struggles that we do. It is difficult to picture them as truly human at times, but their struggles were so much like mine!

The verses talked about the struggle the disciples had accepting Saul, at least at first. This was a guy who had been very publicly connected to the killing of Christians. And yes, he had a conversion and came to the Lord, but, wouldn't you be nervous and suspicious if you had to be with Paul knowing what kind of life he had very recently been living?

Beth Moore points out in her "John" book, that "John had recently lost his beloved brother James to martyrdom. " Not at the hands of Paul, but, if John's loss was still fresh and people 'like' Paul had taken his brothers life I would imagine he was very cautious to connect with Paul.

Isn't it weird to think about the disciples in this way. Human - suspicious about someone claiming to be different who came out of the worst, most evil background and now proclaimed the name of the Lord! Proclaimed it loudly! The disciples had many of the same weaknesses and sins in their lives as we do.

We need to forgive those who have wronged us or who have lead lifestyles that have hurt others we love. We also need to believe in the powerful redemptive power of Jesus to change lives, really change them!

I learned today that I need to accept people just as they are - even when I worry they may not truly be changed...after all who am I to judge? The Lord knows I don't want to be judged by others...

teachers training at Crossroads

I attending the teachers training today at Crossroads. If it's offered again, I would highly recommend that you all take it. If you lead anything, small groups, Crossroads University Classes, a volunteer team - anything, it's highly applicable.

The scripture they used as the text was Matthew 8: 23-27. We were asked to consider what we would want students to 'know' about this passage and then what they should 'do' as a result of knowing.

As we sat and discussed the text it puzzled me why the disciples would be scared, even with Jesus physically with them. They had already witnessed him healing and doing other miracles. Different times when I have studied over the years I have been somewhat critical toward the disciples wondering how they could possibly doubt this physical Jesus when they saw what He was capable of doing. They said in the passage, "What sort of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him?" As if they were totally surprised!

Then I remember all the times I get scared and try to do things in my own power and wonder if I would have believed it if I were in their shoes (or boat I should say). Probably not. I have been taught these truths over and over, and the the Holy Spirit convicts me over and over, and still I live as if I don't believe at times.

God works in mysterious ways and today as I went to learn better methods for teaching, I was a student who learned much more than I went in expecting to learn!

what I learned today

I was reading in Acts 1 today. Can you even imagine being witness to Christ's ascension? I have no idea how I would have responded. I think I would have laid on the ground and cried all day! Verse 12 says , "it was a Sabbath day's journey" for them to return to town, which equals about three-fourths of a mile - according to Beth Moore's writing on this topic.

So how did no one else see the ascension? Isn't that weird? Of course God can do anything He chooses, so he could have wrapped clouds around Jesus so only the disciples standing there could see him from the front. Or He could just cause every single person nearby to look the other way! Amazing!! I wonder if the men that saw Jesus ascend ever asked others as they returned to town if they had seen anything unusual?

It's also amazing that he used just a few men. This should give us great hope! A few men changed the world. I so want to be used like this in my town!

So what do you think? Can God use us to create the kind of impacting change that these men in Jesus' day were used for? I feel our greatest opportunities for Christ lay in the days ahead. People are desperate, they need to know our Savior more now then ever.

love even when hurt

It always surprises me when I read scripture that I've read before and something jumps out that I have never noticed. I was reading today in John 13 where Jesus talks about showing the disciples "the full extent of his love". I don't remember really noticing this before.

Jesus included even Judas in the Last Supper, although he knew he would betray him. As Jesus prepared to "show the full extent of his love", he knelt to wash the disciples feet, the same disciples that would soon betray him, turn their backs on him and walk away when he needed them most.

He told them to love others as He loves them. How could this be possible, as much as He loved them?? - that's a lot more than I could ever be capable of loving.

I have trouble loving people that hurt me. But, that's what Christ told us to do. He knew bitterness and unforgiveness would destroy me, so I must forgive to love like Jesus commanded.

This was the final portion of my study today: Jesus doesn't call us to cautious neutrality with those who've hurt us; he calls us to radically love those who've hurt us and those who'll hurt us in the future.

what I learned today

I am going to try something new. Although it is possibly more common to study the Word in the mornings, I'm going to try switching to the end of the day. We will see how it goes.

My thinking is this: It will require me to be more disciplined with my evenings (less tv and computer)! Also, I would love to begin working out in the mornings instead of afternoons - big 'would love to'! The final thing is, I hope it will make me go to bed earlier and go to bed pondering something God wants to teach me. We will see...

Tonight I studied the story of the disciples fishing, just a normal night. A frustrating work day producing - no fish! This is bad if your livelihood depends on fish. This was their routine, day in and day out, fishing. And then Christ walked into their routine day and it became anything but routine! It became amazing!

My study today challenged me to consider when the last time was that I was amazed by God? Typically for me amazement is easy anytime I am out in nature, no matter the weather. But due to the amount of time we have been inside this winter with extremely cold temperatures, I have not gotten my fix of nature for quite some time. Still, God has amazed me in other ways.

He has opened doors recently that I could have only dreamed of in the past. He has chosen this time to amaze us in new ways! When God walks into our routines, ordinary days become amazing!

When Jesus told the disciples to throw there nets on the other side of the boats in deep water after they had fished all night, they couldn't have know how utter amazement of this Christ was about to change everything! After obeying Him their nets were full, something they couldn't accomplish themselves. They knew at that moment they would follow Him anywhere!

Obedience allows God to reveal himself, even when we don't understand fully what He is asking us to do. He has made us all fishers of men, and that is why we follow God's call on our life, to be used of Him is all that matters. To be chosen and used of Him is amazing! That is what I learned today!