Category: Thoughts and Meditations

“Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, ‘O you of little faith, why did you doubt?’” – Matthew 14:31

When Jesus invites you to do something beyond your ability, He never abandons you to it. He doesn’t leave to take a break or spend time with someone else. He’s always right there as you accept His invitation and follow His commands into the extraordinary. When Jesus commanded Peter to walk to Him on the water (at Peter’s request, to be clear), He first gave Peter the ability to do what He commanded. Peter was empowered to walk on top of the water by Jesus. As long as Peter kept his eyes on Jesus, he successfully did the impossible, walking toward Jesus on the water.

When Peter lost his focus and began to focus on the impossibility of what he was actually doing, he began to sink and cried for help. Guess what? Jesus was right there. He “immediately” reached out and told hold of Peter. Jesus hadn’t walked away and told Peter, “Good luck with the water walking”. Jesus was immediately at hand, ready to act the moment attention wandered and faith faltered. When Jesus calls His people to a hard task, He never leaves us alone as we do it.

The larger story of the storm that night makes clear that while Jesus often doesn’t calm the storms of life, He will calm us. We don’t need to be afraid of storms because He’s there. Likewise, when He calls us to the extraordinary amidst those storms, we don’t need to fear, because He’s right there. Jesus is present, empowering, supportive, and always ready to grab hold when we start sinking. Don’t be afraid to walk on water if that’s what Jesus tells you to do – He’s right there! #FollowJesus

“Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the end of the age. The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers” – Matthew 13:40-41

Long ago, Jesus answered one of the questions that people of faith continue to struggle with. Why does an all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing God permit evil-doers to live amongst His people? Why are they allowed to harm the children of God? Why doesn’t He just zap them on the spot???

Sometimes this question is used by the enemies of God to cast doubt upon His existence, faithfulness, or power. However, there’s no mystery about the answer – Jesus already told us why. While immediate justice would satisfy our human sense of right and wrong, Jesus used the parable of the wheat and the weeds to explain why our thirst for immediate retribution is seldom satisfied. The parable explains that it’s the devil who plants wickedness in the hearts of people who live near and amongst those made new by the Gospel. Jesus explained that like good wheat and destructive weeds that have grown together, prematurely removing the unrighteous from among the righteous would cause great harm to the righteous. Just as the roots of the wheat and the weeds become entangled and tearing one out tears out the other, believers lives are often entangled with the lives of those far from God.

It is for the greater good of God’s people that He isn’t constantly zapping unbelievers in their midst. The answer Jesus gives to this painful and challenging cry for justice is that justice WILL come. However, we must look for God’s justice in His perfect timing rather than our flawed timing. The eternal justice our hearts long for in the midst of persecution and abuse will come after Jesus returns. After weeds have had every opportunity to repent and be transformed into wheat. Once their removal will no longer bring sorrow and hurt to those who are in Christ.

The day is coming when God’s perfect justice will be done. Those who are in sin, living lives in defiance of King Jesus and hurting His followers will be gathered and judged. Until that day, God’s people are to be comforted by the presence of Jesus in and with them while sharing the Gospel with those who are currently weeds. #FollowJesus

“So I sent for you at once, and you have been kind enough to come. Now therefore we are all here in the presence of God to hear all that you have been commanded by the Lord.” – Acts 10:33

God carefully arranged the meeting between the Apostle Peter and the Roman officer Cornelius. This meeting had far-reaching implications because it opened the outreach of the early church to people from every background all over the world. The odds are, if you’re a Christian today, it’s because of the global outreach that began at this meeting.

Take careful note of just how eager Cornelius was to hear the word of the Lord. He knew a man named Peter was coming to tell him something from God. Cornelius was so excited about it that he gathered all his family, friends, and personal staff. They waited in great anticipation to hear what turned out to be the best good news in the world. Peace with God was available to them through faith in Jesus Christ! They anticipated, they heard, and they believed and were saved.

Do you have a similar eagerness to encounter the word of the Lord? Are you excited to read or hear God’s Word? Are you delighted to hear it taught or preached? Are you hungry to know and understand it better? Are you burdened to more fully apply and obey it in your life? Cornelius had no idea what he was going to hear but he was prepared and excited to hear it. You, on the other hand, know there’s good news in God’s Word. Are you excited about it like Cornelius? If not, it’s time to ask God to give you a renewed hunger for His Word because it’s for you! #FollowJesus

“And the Lord said to him, ‘Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying.’” – Acts 9:11

And once again, would you go??? Saul of Tarsus had been a terror to the early followers of Jesus. A persecutor. Searching, interrogating, arresting, imprisoning, condemning, and killing those who loved the Lord. Now God told one Christian in Damascus to seek Saul out. To go to this sworn enemy and bless him because Jesus had transformed him into a friend and brother in Christ. How difficult it must have been for Ananias to go to Saul. But he went!

Ananias went, prayed for Saul, and helped him begin his world-changing ministry as a devoted servant of Jesus. Would you have the courage to go to such an enemy if God told you to? To approach someone with open arms who’d caused so much fear, pain, and even death to people you cared about? How difficult would it be for you? Could you do it? Would you do it?

God uses our obedience in the midst of fear for His Kingdom and glory. When we move forward in obedience to His direction despite our fear (not in its absence), He is glorified, we are changed, and His Kingdom advances. What is God calling you to do this year despite your fear or anxiety? Will you go??? #FollowJesus

“And the Spirit said to Philip, ‘Go over and join this chariot.’” – Acts 8:29

Once again, would you go??? An angel told Philip to walk away from a thriving ministry in Samaria and head out to the desert. Upon reaching the lonely road to which he had been directed, Philip saw the chariot and entourage of a wealthy and powerful official from Ethiopia. It was then that the Holy Spirit prompted Philip to step right up to the chariot and Philip ran to it.

God’s Spirit still guides and prompts His people. Are you listening? Will you obey? Would you go? As you draw near to God in prayer, worship, meditation, and fellowship, He will speak to you. Verses will stand out. Ideas from God will fill your mind. When you still the many voices competing for access to your mind (TV, social media, entertainment, etc.) and clear out any sin that may be hindering you from hearing, God’s still small voice will begin to give you guidance about where to go, what to do, and even who to talk to. But are you listening? Do you actually go when He says go and talk to those He points you toward?

If God’s Spirit speaks to you but you don’t listen and obey, His voice will typically become harder and harder to hear. You will have “quenched the Spirit” as Paul warned against. On the other hand, as you begin to follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit you will experience delight and wonder. You will discover just how intimately involved in your life your Father in Heaven really is. You’ll discover just how concerned for His Kingdom and glory Jesus is and how He’s regularly inviting you to be part of that. There is such joy to be had in obeying the Spirit’s nudging and discovering that God really is with you, guiding you to accomplish His purpose. Will you go? #FollowJesus