Category: Rescue & Redemption

Re:Verse reading–John 3:1-21 (day one)

“The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”–v. 8

Must have been a delicious idea for Nicodemus.  A life of liberty and power!  Unexplainable but undeniable.

For the past two weeks, Holly and I have been with Madelyn Grey Guthrie.  She is 2 months old.  Our third grandchild.

A sweet, happy baby, Maddie looks (to her grandfather, at least) like Alex.  Shouldn’t surprise anyone.  We all (and always) give birth to some version of ourselves.  What we create is marked by our character.

People who are “born of the Spirit” share His life of liberty and power.  He moves!  He acts!  His children are like the Father in this way.

“Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty”–2 Corinthians 3:17  Are you born of the Spirit?

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day seven)

most of them said, “He is dead!” But Jesus took him by the hand and raised him; and he got up. Mark 9:26b-27

You may look down for the count to everyone else in this world, but Jesus Christ has the authority to raise you up.  Most often our mistake is to take another hand or listen to other voices when the only hand that can help is that of Jesus Christ.  I’m reminded of Peter walking on the water.  Everything was perfect as long as Peter’s eyes were fixed on Jesus Christ, but as soon as his eyes diverted Peter sank until the hand of Christ reached down and saved him.

But seeing the wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, “Lord, save me!”Immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and took hold of him, and said to him, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?”  When they got into the boat, the wind stopped.And those who were in the boat worshiped Him, saying, “You are certainly God’s Son!” Matthew 14:30-32

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day five) 

Billy Graham used to tell this story…  An Eskimo fisherman came to town every Saturday afternoon. He always brought his two dogs with him. One was white and the other was black. He had taught them to fight on command. Every Saturday afternoon in the town square the people would gather and these two dogs would fight and the fisherman would take bets. On one Saturday the black dog would win; another Saturday, the white dog would win but the fisherman always won! His friend began to ask him how he did it. He said, “I starve one and feed the other. The one I feed always wins because he is stronger.” 

The faith of the father and disciples was weakened because of doubt, struggles, criticism, and cynicism, and hopelessness. Those kinds of circumstances stand ready to attach and weaken our faith each and every day.

The solution for stronger faith??  Feed your faith. Jesus’ admonition to the disciples in this passage- feed/strengthen faith through prayer.  Do we see the need and power of prayer like Jesus?  Will we daily feed our faith through honest conversation and communication with our Heavenly Father?  Our faith depends on it.

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day four) 

Jesus was known as ‘Rabbi’…a teacher.  He would often sit before His followers and teach them.  He would not always be with them and they needed to know how to lead His church when He was gone.

The Transfiguration had been impressive to the disciples that accompanied Jesus.  They thought it was a good idea to prolong the experience.  Immediately on their return, they are confronted with a need bigger than them.  Jesus sought to teach them how to respond to the vast needs of the church.  When confronted with the demon-possessed boy, the disciples were baffled.  They tried to heal the boy themselves, but they did not have the power.  Jesus (in verse 29) gave them the lesson.  “This kind cannot come out by anything but prayer.”

Are there any ‘demon-possessed boys’ in your life…the seemingly impossible?  Have you tried to meet that need in your own power?  Have you tried in your self-sufficiency to come up with the answer?  Prayer works for us too!

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day three)

Jesus saw that a crowd was running to the scene.

From actual to virtual, from “Crucify him!” to lynch mobs to online bullying, people do not behave well in crowds.  Before a crowd could have time to form, Jesus did his necessary work with a community of tender, troubled people.  Crowds reinforce.  Communities relate.  Crowds criticize.  Communities confess.  Crowds excoriate.  Communities edify.  Perhaps smaller is better at first, so that community can take root and grow.  It’s no wonder that Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name…”  From that small community, the church will grow into a beautiful, worldwide representation of the eternal community of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day two)  Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” vs. 24

Sounds a bit confusing, doesn’t it? You either believe or you don’t. Right? Perhaps, but faith isn’t always that cut and dried. What this father recognizes early, the disciples took longer, and maybe didn’t get at all. To say that we believe does not mean that we understand or fully comprehend. This father is desperate to help his son, but doesn’t just say yes to Jesus for a quick fix. He acknowledges Jesus’ power, but then quickly acknowledges how little he truly understands. Rarely, if ever, will we be able to say that we completely understand the plans and methods of God. He doesn’t ask us to. Submit that he does have the power to save, and leave your trust and need for details there.

Re:Verse reading–Mark 9:14-29 (day one) “

O’Why could we not cast it (an evil spirit) out?’ He said to them, ‘This kind can come out only through prayer.’ “–Mark 9:28-29

“Ask of ME is the one condition God puts in the advance and triumph of His cause.”–E. M. Bounds.

“The story of every great Christian achievement is the history of answered prayer.”–E. M. Bounds.

A forgotten reality in an everyone-gets-a-trophy age.  Sincere belief does NOT guarantee  certain measures and expressions of His power will be present in every church or Christian.  Certain conditions apply.  The first and greatest is prayer.

Mark 9 is the reminder.  The struggle in heavenly realms is more real than we imagine. The power of darkness is deep and resilient.  Human strength and effort snaps like a twig against such a foe.

If breakthrough is needed (and it is) the power of God is required.  God’s condition for our access to liberating power is prayer.

Re:Verse reading–Hosea 1, 3, 14 (day seven)

Then the Lord said to me, “Go again, love a woman who is loved by her husband, yet an adulteress, even as the Lord loves the sons of Israel, though they turn to other gods and love raisin cakes.” Hosea 3:1

Hosea 3:1 is as damning as verses come.  Both Gomer and Israel have left their first loves for an illusion of affection that fades faster than it came.  This text reminds me of another, Revelation 2:4.

But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Revelation 2:4

Here in Revelation Jesus acknowledges seven churches, five of which he tells to prepare for the impending parousia by repenting (2:5, 2:16, 2:21, 3:3, 3:19).  It is no accident that in the first three chapters of Revelation Jesus calls the churches to repent 5 different times.  Sincere repentance is the only way to eternal salvation.

The first church Jesus speaks to is the church in Ephesus.  He charges them with losing their first love.  At one time they were near to God, learning and living His ancient ways, but recently they have faltered, chasing after the new and shiny. May we never falter chasing after the shiny new packaging of temptation remaining true to the ancient way of Jesus Christ.