Yesterday was the last day of our 40 day fast for certain foods. Today is my last day of fasting from Facebook. It’s been a little challenging not staying in touch with any of the people I pray for, try to encourage and try to be a peacemaker to.
One huge thing I’ve missed is the arguments. Well, I miss them like a miss a headache when it’s gone. But God has shown me much of my own faults in this fast. I will go back tomorrow but my goal will be to be different from who I have been.
See, I try to bring people together who are on different sides. I try to help people be more loving. I try to help people see God has better for them. But I’m not always taken the right way.
It’s not my fault. Ouch, we hear that daily don’t we? Ok, let me instead say this. It’s not my job. It’s not who I am supposed to be if I am His.
I’m not here to push people into knowing Him or His ways. I’m not here to change people’s lives. I’m not here to push a Christian agenda. I’m not here to be a Social Warrior for God.
I’m here to daily refocus on Him, follow Him and allow others to see Him in me. That’s all.
I’m not supposed to try and change the world. I’m not supposed to make sure everyone has justice. Frankly it’s not my job to base justice on worldly values.
Like a phrase I shared a few years ago, I’m not supposed to be a lawyer for God. I’m to be His witness.
There are enough people working hard to make sure people align themselves with their views of justice, equality and people’s rights.
There are far too few seeking to show Jesus to a broken world.
My focus, my call is to get back to being who God needs me to be.
My prayer today is simply that He sends more peacemakers into our world and less social warriors and fixers.
Some of you will understand. Some won’t. He does and that’s what matters.
Be His.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
25 Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26 and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
I have mentioned being a peacemaker often lately, here and elsewhere. There is one thing that destroys those attempts. Making excuses for why someone doesn’t deserve to be lifted up in the way He desires us to lift them up.
It may be the excuse this person did this or that in their past, they did something that hits a personal cord in you or they just don’t deserve it. They are too far gone to be nice to, or too evil or so on and so on.
I see this in many political posts. And by Christians on both sides!
Folks. This verse makes very clear how you are to respond to anyone you are trying to instruct to a right path. Anyone.
The best example I can share with each of you is how would you like to be demeaned, hated, ostracized and ridiculed over something bad from your past?
Better yet, how many of you wouldn’t mind everything you have ever done posted on social media for the world to see?
Not a great many of you would be brave enough for that I would guess. So why do we stand as supreme judges ourselves then?
Jesus didn’t come to make us judge, jury and executioner. He came to give life. He expects no less from us.
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
This fast Dawn and I have been on is a few days away from being complete. God has opened my eyes and heart to several things as well as reaffirmed somethings to me. This verse and this memory spoke to me this morning. I know some of you have read it before. My prayer is it touches or reminds you that He still has plans and a use for us no matter what we may think.
Be His. It’s so much better when we are.
August 11, 2004
When I woke up this morning the story of Jesus washing the disciples’ feet was on my mind. It stayed there through breakfast. As we drove to our church it stayed in my head. I mentioned the story to Diane as we were riding and she understood. You see, our church has served so many. They have served all of us North Americans our translators and all those we meet. They are a great example of Christian servants. I had a vision in my head but was afraid I might startle or offend someone.
We arrived at our church and soon started passing out gifts to our translators, the nationals and to the pastor, his wife and family. We had fun for over an hour. There would be no going out today until after lunch and then only to do some shopping at a nearby town for some arts and crafts. I was amazed at how “my girls” kept coming up and giving me hugs and telling me how much they loved me. They were so pleased with each and every gift. I gave them several necklaces that Dawn had made and they couldn’t wait to put them on. Diane had been on my heart too and was wearing the one I had given her earlier. She is so wonderful to know. I wanted her to have something from Dawn and something to remember me by. We were having a blast and at one point Sara came up and gave me a page of Spiderman stickers from Venezuela. Hmm, I wonder how she knew I like Spidey. The most amazing thing was that she had drawn me a picture of Spidey!
It was so great sharing and talking and playing with everyone from the church. I went outside to the kitchen and gave all the ladies some utensils and towels that Dawn had bought for me to give them. They surely deserve much more for all they have done. I remember the smiles on their faces, and the hugs. They have been such sweet servants. In the mornings they are there making all the things we will need for lunch and the afternoons are filled with preparing for dinner and everything is made from scratch! Amazingly they always have a smile and tons of kindness for us. For some reason they even seem to enjoy laughing at me!
We had talked about having an informal service so each person could share some of what happened in his or her heart this week. When it was time we put the tables aside and pulled up chairs in a big circle. There were about thirty of us. The translators started sharing first. They all had praise for the church and for us. Some spoke of different encounters from the week, including our time at the lookout area. As I listened, teary eyed at some of the emotional testimonies, I kept getting a vision and voice in my head. “Go get a bowl of water and a towel”. But what if I embarrass someone? “Go get a bowl and a towel”. I struggled with it as the six translators shared. Then Aaron started speaking for the North Americans. I kept getting the voice and the vision. As he finished I knew I had to act.
I quietly got up and went outside to the kitchen and got the ladies to understand what I wanted only after grabbing a pot and towel and running some water myself. I went back inside and sat the bowl and towel on a table outside the circle.
Marian was just finishing her testimony. I felt bad I had missed it. She was crying very hard and I sat down and hugged her and she wept on my shoulder for a few moments. I am so going to miss her and her sister Sarah. Kelly then offered to speak and broke down while sharing. She too had felt God in this place and in the hearts of these people and applauded their servant hood. Sheesh, it was brought up again and not by me! Becca said she needed to go next to keep from crying too. It didn’t work. She has opened up so much this week. Sarah went after her. Then Diane looked at me and said she would go next. I think God was using her to prepare me.
Then there was one. And it was me. I stood up and told the group how much I loved them. I explained how on each trip God has taught me some particular lesson including obedience and trust and love. I explained that this trip I learned about servant hood. I told them I didn’t want to use words to show them how much I wanted to serve them so I asked them to take off their shoes and socks. They started to do so, some maybe just a little reluctantly. A few left their socks on. I went and got the bowl of water and towel and as I walked back into the circle I told them I wanted to wash their feet and say a prayer for each one as I did. I got on my knees and started my blessing with Mircoles. She is the wife of Francesco, who has driven us everywhere all week long. Mircoles has been one of those who has opened up so much, shared with me, served me food and worshiped with me. Tears were running down her face as I washed her foot. I can only describe what happened next in words that could never really do justice to the moment. I could feel the Holy Spirit in me. Running through me. All around me. I carefully took each foot and held it firmly but gently and washed and dried it. After I washed the second foot I said a silent prayer thanking God for her and asking Him to bless her. It seemed as if God knew my prayer before I thought it. I felt connected straight to God.
Diane started reading from John the whole story of how Jesus washed the disciples’ feet. Each person wept as I touched his or her feet. Many were smiling and crying and we shared so much when they looked at me. There was such a connection to me with each one through the Holy Spirit. I sobbed and shook and crawled from one to the next. When I held Marian’s foot she wept hard and I was shaking from the nearness of the Spirit. She kissed me on my forehead. Aaron was next. He had said he wouldn’t cry today, but I saw tears in his eyes and he whispered that he had never felt anything like this and thanked me.
Someone had started playing a guitar after Diane had finished reading and they were singing Spanish Christian songs. I wasn’t halfway yet. Geraldo, one of the translators, wept and shook as I washed his feet and kept saying “Oh my friend” over and over. I felt so much power and was shaking with it and sweating and sobbing. My legs had started to hurt and my knees were raw from the rough carpet. The pastor and his wife and son were all in a row and I felt God touching each of us and heard pastor praying with me.
Finally I came to Becca and she completely broke me. I finished her second foot and prayed. She reached down and hugged me telling me she loved me and how much it had meant to her to be part of my team this week. I shook hard and continued my tears. Then it was Kelly’s turn to break me as she hugged me and nurtured and encouraged me with her words. On and on I went, finally to Diane who also hugged me and blessed me. I was almost done. My knees were getting weak. I was sweating and still sobbing and shaking. I still felt the Holy Spirit working in me, through me, breaking my heart with the love of our God. After what must have been almost an hour I reached the last set of feet. A child’s feet. Mircoles daughter had come and sat next to her some time after I had started. All I could think of were the words of Jesus saying come to him like a child.
My legs were shaking as I weakly got up, spent physically and emotionally. I slowly went to my chair, my eyes full of tears. I sat the bowl and towel on the floor and collapsed. I had served my new family and shown them my love. I felt so full yet so humbled. Marian hugged me and suddenly pastor was in front of me with a bowl of water and a towel. I remember crying “Oh no, oh no” as he started taking my shoes off with his one hand. I sobbed harder than before. I felt like I could burst. I’d never felt God’s presence like this. My feet were washed and I have no idea how many were laying hands on me and praying for me. They were hugging and kissing me. I remember Sara and Marian and Aaron, but was blinded by tears. When he finished, the pastor prayed over me. He said he wanted to sprinkle me with the water, not a baptism but an anointment, a bonding of this special time. He did it not only for me but for each one of us. Putting the bowl down, he picked up the paperwork with all the one hundred and twenty-nine professions of faith from this week and sat them in a pile and kneeling with his head on them he prayed. We all knelt and prayed for him and those new children of Christ. There was so much power here. So much of God here. I was broken like I’ve never been broken before.
Thank you Lord. Thank you Lord.
Afterward we seemed so close, so much closer. I was so … filled. I felt so close to God. Words could never express the feeling, the connection, the knowing how it feels to do God’s will. I never want to lose this closeness.
16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
John 13:34-35
34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Romans 5:6-8
6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
You are special in God’s eyes. If you weren’t He wouldn’t have went to the cross for you. When you read John 3:16 you could actually put your name in place of the world and if he or she in place of whoever.
Yes you are special in His eyes. Not for what you have done or will do. Hmm, that may hurt a little to some huh?
In our world today pride is a very pushed commodity. Look around. People do everything they can to be successful and to make sure others know how successful they are. Even believers will say “I” can do all things thru Christ who strengthens “Me”.
And oh my gosh, people want to be, no have to be right and oh my gosh you need to know it as well as everyone on Facebook, Twitter and all the social media’s. Think about how much pride you have each time something you make the world aware of is liked…
You are special in God’s eyes. But because of His love for you. Guess what? He loves everyone enough to put their names in John 3:16 too. He thinks you are special. So much that He desires you to think they are special too.
Not for what they have done or will do. Just because He loves them.
18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless 19 (for the law made nothing perfect), and a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God.
“You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.”
20 And it was not without an oath! Others became priests without any oath, 21 but he became a priest with an oath when God said to him:
“The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘ You are a priest forever.’”
22 Because of this oath, Jesus has become the guarantor of a better covenant.
23 Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; 24 but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. 25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.
26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. 27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself. 28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever.
Jesus paid it all. I watched a video of a pastor trying to preach that each day we start out failures and need new grace day after day to have our Sanctification renewed. If his view is true then we all need a Savior each day we awake because we will sin since we aren’t perfect and thus need to be made holy again.
Sooo, Jesus, being made both our new High Priest and our Redeemer, because of what He did on the cross, fulfilled the law but He also, as the perfect High Priest, made salvation perfect too.
He saved us completely not partially, not temporary but completely. On the cross He said ” It is finished”. It was. It is.
See, when our Savior gives us the gift of salvation He makes us holy. Yeah we hold onto things that are baggage thus we need to go thru the process of Sanctification but we don’t lose our holiness. We just learn how to live holy. We become better followers and disciples. We grow.
Or at least that is His plan.
That’s the question today. Do you wonder about His plans? Well, now you know. It isn’t just will I find the right mate, will I get the right job, will I keep my health. It isn’t even will I get thru this trial.
7 For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, 8 nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. 9 We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. 10 For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”
Paul gave some instructions for believers as well as set the example for believers.
Now this is a touchy subject. I know when we were able to do foreign missions we often raised much of the money in different ways. We had yard sales, did odd jobs, used tax returns and had some who donated to us so we could go.
Many of them did so because they believed in us, knew our purpose and maybe because they couldn’t go. The thing for us though was the trip started as soon as we said yes we will go. We didn’t sit on our duffs and tell God we would go if He would just lead us to the right people who would give.
I love the last quote in verse 10. I think it is important as well as the fact in verse 8 they never wanted to be a burden. None of us should want to be a burden. Yes, I am so thankful for times we have had illness or surgeries and in our need others reached out to lighten our burdens. Yes, I feel blessed that at times we didn’t have enough funds that it was on other’s hearts to help us. But I feel even more blessed when it is us able to help someone else.
At times the blessing is seeing one who had struggles become one who can help.
We all need each other as we walk this earth. It’s how we show the lost the way we need as well as honor God. It’s also how we show each other we are part of His family.
We are His models on this earth and as such we need to show an example of who we are. That is by showing both our faith in Him as well as Him to them.
Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
Romans 12:2
Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.
Colossians 3:2
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.
James 4:4
You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Satan is the manager of the world. It belongs to God but Satan has much control over it. Sin is rampant and it is we who are His who need to not follow the temptations or allow them to lead is to his way over His ways. But we do.
How we handle things in the war against evil shows who we follow. Even when we can’t see it. It’s easy to decide “I know what’s best, I am doing this for God, I know God really means this is ok”, yet our actions align with the worldly way. Our actions excuse ourselves and even others from sin though our hearts think we are seeking justice, equality, fairness or more.
We forget His ways are different and His Words are true. Why?
Because we aren’t seeking Him. Sure it’s sounds harsh. Especially when we feel our goals and purpose are honorable and good. The answer?
Be His.
But that includes putting yourself aside. No matter who you are, what you feel you have been through, what the world has handed you or the injustices you may have faced. See, God has good meant for you. But His good and ours don’t always align. Unless we are aligned with Him.
For the director of music. According to gittith. A psalm of David.
1 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory in the heavens. 2 Through the praise of children and infants you have established a stronghold against your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger. 3 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, 4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? 5 You have made them a little lower than the angels and crowned them with glory and honor. 6 You made them rulers over the works of your hands; you put everything under their feet: 7 all flocks and herds, and the animals of the wild, 8 the birds in the sky, and the fish in the sea, all that swim the paths of the seas. 9 Lord, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth!
11 Whatever town or village you enter, search there for some worthy person and stay at their house until you leave. 12 As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13 If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14 If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, leave that home or town and shake the dust off your feet. 15 Truly I tell you, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town.
It’s not easy to get along with people. There are personalities we won’t mesh with. There are those who have different morals from us. There are those who just hate us.
Jesus sat with the sinners. But He didn’t sin. He came to save any of us who would accept His salvation. God, in His amazing love, would have all of us saved.
It takes a lot for me to turn totally away from people. Maybe it’s because I realize I have been many of them to others. I know I’ve done things that some may not forgive me for. I’ve been lost and I’ve made bad decisions even after I met Christ. I’m far from perfect. I own that.
But I’m saved. I need to be growing. I need to offer mercy and grace.
And yet, there are some people I just can’t be around. There are human limits to my ability to not let some people stay in my life.
These verses point to a godly reason to, kick the dust off your feet or in a more modern way of expressing it, wash your hands of them. The challenge is still showing mercy. We still need to pray for the lost. We still need to ask Godoy change them.
I don’t know who there is in your lives that you may feel you need to turn away from. I know of several in my life. But I won’t let my heart hate them. I won’t pray God destroys them. I won’t wish them ill.
He saved me when I didn’t deserve it. My prayer is He puts the person in their lives who will be able to show Him to them.
Maybe that’s just a different form of mercy and grace He offers us.
Hate produces hate. Love shared, even when unknown, produces miracles.
Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.
Luke 6:35
But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.
Philippians 2:3
Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
1 Peter 3:8
Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.
John 15:12-14
“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
2 Peter 1:5-7
For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love.
1 Thessalonians 5:15
See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.
Any questions?
Maybe more of us really need to take the “I” out of the equation more often. You know, like I must become less, He must become more?