From Blessing to Rebuke

"And He began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again. And He was stating the matter plainly. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. But turning around and seeing His disciples, He rebuked Peter and said, 'Get behind Me, Satan; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." Mark 8:31-33

Soon we will mark the anniversary of the events Jesus was revealing in this portion of scripture. The trial, torment, crucifixion, separation and Resurrection Victory of the work Jesus came to this earth to do. What we call "Holy Week," beginning with Palm Sunday, the day the lambs were brought into Jerusalem in preparation for the Passover Sacrifice later in the week.

Imagine yourself in Peter's sandals. You have been walking with perfect love for approximately three years. You've given up your livelihood to follow Jesus. In fact, you've staked all your hopes and dreams on Him because you believe He is the Son of God, the Messiah. Peter has just expressed that act of faith in the preceding verses.

"But who do you say that I am?' Peter answered and said to Him, 'You are the Christ.'
Mark 8:29

Historians and commentators alike, believe Mark's gospel is Peter's account of Jesus' life. So, we are reading scripture from Peter's point of view here. He leaves out the rest of Jesus' comments, as told by Matthew:

Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it."  Matthew 16:17

Peter goes from blessed to rebuked in a couple of verses. In one verse he is blessed because he stated a 'Holy-Spirit-inspired, faith-proving fact.' But, when Jesus began to tell him and the disciples that the outcome of His presence with them was not what they were expecting, Peter had the audacity to rebuke Him. Just like that his spiritual vision transferred from the heavenly perspective to his own thoughts and dreams.

How many times do we do that? We are human. We have hopes for ourselves and for our families. We have an idea of what our lives should be like. We hope God concurs with our goals.

Then He shows us He has something else in store for us. A trial shows up. Where is our focus riveted? On His power? Peter had been witnessing the miraculous power of God almost daily. He'd even experienced it in His life.

God has a plan. When the mob, led by Judas Iscariot, confronted Jesus in Gethsemane they fell backward when he said the powerful name of God, "I AM." Matthew's gospel records Jesus' telling Peter He could "appeal to His Father who would at once put at His disposal more than twelve legions of angels." 

Jesus suffered persecution from a place of power. He allowed Himself to endure the shame of the Cross because He is The Way. We can't come to the Father except through His perfect sacrifice. His love for us (the world) caused Him to give His life for us.

When we face trials, loss of our dreams, persecution - where is our focus? Is it on God's interests - what He plans to accomplish in us and through our testimony? Or is it on what is happening to us - our disappointment in our expectations of what God is doing?

Take heart, my Sister. At your weakest you have power. God did not leave Jesus' body to decay in the grave. He did not leave Peter to beat himself up over his denial of Christ to save his own skin. Jesus made special effort to restore him.

GOD IS FAITHFUL. His aim is to bring forth the pure nature of Jesus in us. Our trials are God-allowed or God-designed, meant for our flesh, our sin nature, to die...little by little. He won't give you or me more than we can bear so that we may come through victorious.

"No temptation (trial, testing) has overtaken you but such as is common to man' and GOD IS FAITHFUL, who will not allow you to be tempted (tested) beyond what you are able, but with the temptation (test) will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it."
1 Corinthians 10:13

Heavenly Father,
There are so many reasons for us to be grateful and they are all summed up in one Name. Thank you for Jesus, through whom we have all blessing. Thank you that there is purpose in the testing of Your children, that You give us the power to endure the test and the power to come through in victory. You are our strength and confident hope that we will hear, in this life and in the life to come, Well done, My good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your LORD.

by Marilyn Allison

The Lord Is My Shepherd

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing..." Psalm 23:1

Time after time, the Lord speaks to me in observing sheep (and their shepherds). Some "reflective" thoughts as I look at this:

A "good" shepherd cares for his sheep much greater than a hireling does. 
He marks his sheep (ear tags or colored paint on their backsides).
He feeds and waters them well.
He stays with them in the storm.
I've seen shepherds gently carrying injured sheep. 
I've seen other shepherds rest on their staffs, keeping watch while their sheep feed in an abundantly green and still meadow.

Each Spring, our family still enjoys seeing all the new little lambs that frolic around. We look with anticipation for them as we see the flocks in fields when we drive about.

Romanian skies are some of the most beautiful I have ever seen. God speaks loudly as I drive and watch sunrises, sunsets, streaks of clouds and light. Yesterday He gave blue skies and white puffy clouds, as a family member was laid to rest.

Thank You God for bringing me to this place, this beautiful Romania, and speaking through my very surroundings. Help me to remember to enter into your rest and allow you to bring me into it.

Psalm 23
"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing.
He makes me lie down in green pastures,
He leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
for his name’s sake.
Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
forever."

by Coleen Jejeran, CCEA Missionary to Romania

 

Glorify the LORD With Me

"Glorify the LORD with me; let us exalt His name together. 
I sought the LORD and He answered me;
And delivered me from all my fears.
They looked to Him and were radiant,
And their faces will never be ashamed."
Psalm 34:3-5

His face was radiant, his eyes wet, “Not only did God forgive me, but then He said, ‘Rise and walk’.

Her face was radiant, her eyes wide, “I didn’t think God could use me, but He is”.

His face was radiant, his eyes full of wonder, “He has taken all my sin, and just wiped me clean”.

Oh, how our small group exalted the name of the LORD together that night. Stories of deliverance; lives lived in forgiveness. All His children, turning their faces upward in unison.

We were sitting in a tight circle and I thought, I will stand next to these people in heaven someday. We will stand, side by side, and exalt His name together, forever.

FOREVER...
Shoulder to shoulder, our faces never covered with shame.
Shoulder to shoulder, our faces radiant in the light of his glory.
Shoulder to shoulder, delivered from all fears, crying out,  “Holy, Holy, Holy”.
Together, we will taste and see that the LORD is good!

Until that day, I stand next to them on earth, in this church, in this room, in this small, holy circle.
We  glorify the LORD.
We exalt His name together.
We turn our shameless, radiant faces upward and steep in this sweet foretaste of heaven.

TOGETHER.
We exalt His Name FOREVER.

by Jenna Masters

But God Meant It For Good

"Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you." Matthew 5:11-12

When we think on the promises of God, do we think about the promise that we will experience persecution? That we will suffer? If you are anything like me, that's the last promise we want to think about. It's the one blessing we want to avoid. But all the prior blessings in the Beatitudes lead up to this one.

When God accomplishes an attitude change in us where we have left self-desires behind and focus only on the matters of God, we are strong enough to face the suffering of persecution. I would offer an observation here. If we are not suffering persecution of some kind - if we are 'flying under the radar' so unbelieving family, friends, neighbors, and work colleagues do not notice us - perhaps there is an element of self-interest or self-preservation still at work in us.

"Indeed, all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted."
2 Timothy 3:12

Live a godly life. Isn't that what the BE-attitudes are all about? Live a life that glorifies God. Why does that bring persecution on our heads? 

"And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise. But as at the time he who was born according to the flesh persecuted him who was born according to the Spirit, so it is now also," Galatians 4:28-29

From the moment Adam sinned persecution arose from the spirit of the world against the Spirit of God. Once God made His covenant with Abraham that the world would be blessed through his son, the child of the flesh became the adversary of the child of promise though neither child had yet been conceived. 

Ishmael was thirteen when Isaac was born. Traditionally, women weaned their babies when they were about three years old, so when Ishmael was sixteen Abraham threw a great party.

"The child grew and was weaned, and Abraham made a great feast on the day that Isaac was weaned. Now Sarah saw the son of Hagar the Egyptian, whom she had born to Abraham, mocking" Genesis 21:8-9

Isaac was insulted - mocked - before he'd had much chance to deserve it. The prophets, too, were examples to us of persecution for righteousness sake. Consider just a few:

Joseph: betrayed with intent to murder. Sold into slavery by his brothers because of jealousy. They meant it for evil, but Joseph later told them God meant it for good.

Moses: slandered by the people he came to help. They disagreed with him, questioned his motives, challenged his authority, and wanted to return to Egypt thereby giving up on God's promise. But God meant it for good.

David: fled for his life from the murderous attempts by the unrighteous King Saul. Though God had chosen him as king, David had to wait for God to vindicate him and set him on the throne. He was a flawed man, yet the promise of the Messiah came through him. But God meant it for good.

Daniel: torn from his family in childhood, was taken to serve in a cruel idolatrous government. Lived his life in godly integrity and survived several attempts to destroy him, the last one being in his 80's when he bore the sentence of execution in the lion's den. Divine intervention saved him. During his life he was the recipient of awesome prophecies regarding the future succession of world powers, the first and second comings of Jesus, and the final end times conflict. He was also a highly trusted advisor to King Cyrus when the order was given for the Jewish people to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their temple after the seventy years in exile. But God meant it for good.

Jesus: condemned to die by his own people - men who feared losing their power privilege and position. He was mocked, tortured and scourged before crucifixion and endured continued insults while he was dying on the cross. But God meant it for good.

Paul, Peter, the disciples and the early followers of The Way: persecution took the Gospel message beyond Jerusalem to the known world. Their persecution strengthened their souls, and brought comfort and salvation to others. But God meant it for good.

The force of persecution toward believers in Jesus Christ is becoming more obvious today throughout the world. Back in the first century A.D. Peter wrote,

"Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though some strange thing were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that also at the revelation of His glory you may rejoice with exultation. If you are reviled for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you." 1 Peter 4:12-14

I would be remiss if I failed to bring to mind Peter's admonition in the next two verses:

"Make sure that none of you suffers as a murderer, or thief, or evildoer, or a troublesome meddler; but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name." 1 Peter 4:15-16

The spirit of this world hates the Holy Spirit of God and has ever tried to destroy Him - from the Garden of Eden to the Garden of Gethsemane to the Garden of believer's souls. The seal of the Holy Spirit upon us makes us a target in the world's eyes. 

Do you love God? Then you have the promise that Almighty God, the Creator of the universe, will bring good out of your circumstances of persecution.

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose." Romans 8:28

Knowing these things, how then should we live?

"The end of all things is near; therefore, be of sound judgment and sober spirit for the purpose of prayer. Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. Be hospitable to one another without complaint. As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever. Amen." 1 Peter 4:7-11

by Marilyn Allison

Blind Journey

"Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, 'Do you see anything?' And he looked up and said, 'I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around.' Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly." Mark 8:23-25 (NASB)

I love how God takes a small portion of scripture and brings something new to light. How many times I've read this story and missed this small statement. "He brought him out of the village." The KJV reads, "He took the blind man by the hand, and led him out of the town."

Jesus could have touched the blind man right there in Bethsaida. The man's friends had brought him to Jesus for that very thing.

"And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and implored Him to touch him." Mark 8:22

Jesus chose to take the man's hand and lead him outside of the town before healing him. The story relates an instance of progressive healing. He could have healed his blindness with the spoken word. He could have touched him. But He chose to give him a little vision at first.

Jesus spit on the man's eyes, then lay His hands upon him. Pretty unorthodox. I like to think the DNA of Jesus was put upon (or into) the man at this point.

Now the man could see, but not clearly. Then Jesus touched his eyes, the point where he needed healing, and told him to look up. And the man was restored.

In reading this scripture, please don't miss what the blind man did. First, he came to Jesus. Next he allowed Jesus to take him somewhere he couldn't see. He trusted Jesus to keep him from stumbling over unseen obstacles. 

He submitted to being spit in the eye. The man and his friends had come to Jesus because of his reputation (aka testimony). They believed He had the power to supernaturally meet their desires, restoration of sight to the blind, They were desperate for this impossible need to be met. So, the act that would be seen by men as a curse, became the avenue of the man's healing.

The blind man stayed with Jesus until he was completely healed. He didn't settle for partial vision and be content with that. Then Jesus put His hands directly on the man's eyes and told him to look up. The man obeyed Jesus and his full vision was restored.

Oh, the blessing of walking with Jesus, of trusting Him to lead us safely "out of town," of submitting to the plan he has, even if it involves humbling ourselves. When we "trust and obey" the door to full restoration is wide open for us.

Heavenly Father,
Thank You for Jesus and the encouragement we receive from His examples in Scripture. Thank You, Jesus, for leading us out of the world, for revealing Yourself to us and restoring us. Oh, LORD, may we not settle for partial sight. May we cling to You through all the experiences in our lives until that day when full vision is restored and we see You face to face. Amen

by Marilyn Allison