Do I come to God to chatter
To tell him what I did today
To reminisce about memories
No intention of changing my ways?
Do I come to God to tattle
To tell him what others did wrong
To complain about those around me
To point out how I am strong?
Or do I come to God in repentance
Telling him who I truly am
Pleading for his grace and mercy
Trusting in the great I Am?
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 27, 2010
Business is Business
Have you ever heard someone say, “Business is business”? The point is usually to excuse something that is unjust by setting business apart from everyday life. The same thing happened in Jesus’ time.
We saw yesterday how a community was terrorized by two violent men. The residents had not been able to use the graveyard for some time, but because of Jesus those men were no longer a threat. You would think the town’s people would be grateful. But they weren’t. Jesus had destroyed their livelihood by sending the demons into the herd of pigs so that they drowned. The citizens of the local town wanted Jesus to leave immediately (Mathew 8:28-34).
The fact that these Jews were raising pigs demonstrates the hardness of their hearts. Moses had forbidden the Jews to touch pigs, much less raise them. Pigs were unclean. So the men of the city were already in rebellion against God. They didn’t even pretend to be righteous.
Rebellion blinds the hearts and minds of people so they cannot recognize the works of God that are right in front of them (Hebrews 3:12-13).
We saw yesterday how a community was terrorized by two violent men. The residents had not been able to use the graveyard for some time, but because of Jesus those men were no longer a threat. You would think the town’s people would be grateful. But they weren’t. Jesus had destroyed their livelihood by sending the demons into the herd of pigs so that they drowned. The citizens of the local town wanted Jesus to leave immediately (Mathew 8:28-34).
The fact that these Jews were raising pigs demonstrates the hardness of their hearts. Moses had forbidden the Jews to touch pigs, much less raise them. Pigs were unclean. So the men of the city were already in rebellion against God. They didn’t even pretend to be righteous.
Rebellion blinds the hearts and minds of people so they cannot recognize the works of God that are right in front of them (Hebrews 3:12-13).
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Pigs go swimming
Jesus had just calmed a great storm on the sea and was immediately confronted with two violent demon possessed men. One of the men had been so violent that the leaders of the community had attempted to bind him in chains. This was to no avail. The man was so strong he broke the chains like slicing through butter.
The local residents were terrorized. Night and day the strongest of the two screamed, tearing off his clothes he ran naked, bleeding from self inflicted wounds. This was especially disturbing because these men lived in the local grave yard. Can you imagine not being able to visit the grave of your loved ones for fear of your life?
Everyone knew not to go near the place, but Jesus intentionally landed on that specific shore.
“What are you doing here?” The demonic spirits demanded. “Have you come to terrorize us?” This is the only place we see Jesus carrying on a conversation with demons. Jesus asks the man for his name. The demons responded, “Legion” because there were many demons.
Jesus does an interesting thing. He casts the demons out into a herd of pigs. They immediately drove the animals off the cliff into the sea so they drown. Both men returned to their right minds and sat down to talk with Jesus (Mt 8:28-32; Mk5:1-13; Lk 8:26-33).
What is the point of the story? Neither nature nor demonic forces can withstand the power of God.
The local residents were terrorized. Night and day the strongest of the two screamed, tearing off his clothes he ran naked, bleeding from self inflicted wounds. This was especially disturbing because these men lived in the local grave yard. Can you imagine not being able to visit the grave of your loved ones for fear of your life?
Everyone knew not to go near the place, but Jesus intentionally landed on that specific shore.
“What are you doing here?” The demonic spirits demanded. “Have you come to terrorize us?” This is the only place we see Jesus carrying on a conversation with demons. Jesus asks the man for his name. The demons responded, “Legion” because there were many demons.
Jesus does an interesting thing. He casts the demons out into a herd of pigs. They immediately drove the animals off the cliff into the sea so they drown. Both men returned to their right minds and sat down to talk with Jesus (Mt 8:28-32; Mk5:1-13; Lk 8:26-33).
What is the point of the story? Neither nature nor demonic forces can withstand the power of God.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Sudden Storms
Jesus and his disciples got into a ship to cross over the sea to a part of the country called the Gergesenes. Mark tells us there were other ships with them, the last one carrying Jesus. A sudden storm arose with great waves spilling over the sides soaking everyone on deck. Every ship was being tossed like so many toothpicks on the ocean. Every heart raced with the fear of death (Mathew 8:23-27; Mark 4:39; Luke 8:24).
Jesus, however, was perfectly at ease sleeping on a pillow at the rear of the boat. The disciples most likely thought he was exhausted from ministering had not wanted to wake him. But as the storm worsened they began to resent his sleeping. By the time they thought it was all over but the drowning, they were panicked and angry. Waking Jesus they demanded, “Don’t you care that we are about to die? Save us” (Mark 4:38; Mathew 8:25).
Jesus asks them, “Why are you fearful?”
If we were there we would probably respond, “Are you kidding? But Jesus does not wait for an answer. Instead he turns to the sea and calmly commands it to be still. Immediately the waves and winds obey his word. The sea becomes like glass and all the boats reach the shores safely (Mathew 8:23-28; Mark 4:36-41; Luke 8:22-25).
Do you have a sudden storm? Jesus’ question still rings clear. Why are you fearful?
Jesus, however, was perfectly at ease sleeping on a pillow at the rear of the boat. The disciples most likely thought he was exhausted from ministering had not wanted to wake him. But as the storm worsened they began to resent his sleeping. By the time they thought it was all over but the drowning, they were panicked and angry. Waking Jesus they demanded, “Don’t you care that we are about to die? Save us” (Mark 4:38; Mathew 8:25).
Jesus asks them, “Why are you fearful?”
If we were there we would probably respond, “Are you kidding? But Jesus does not wait for an answer. Instead he turns to the sea and calmly commands it to be still. Immediately the waves and winds obey his word. The sea becomes like glass and all the boats reach the shores safely (Mathew 8:23-28; Mark 4:36-41; Luke 8:22-25).
Do you have a sudden storm? Jesus’ question still rings clear. Why are you fearful?
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