Ol' Crazy Mary

Mark 16:9-11
Now when Jesus was risen early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven devils. And she went and told them that had been with him, as they mourned and wept. And they, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen of her, believed not.

Scriptures in the other Gospels tell us that the women got up early on the resurrection morning and took off for the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus with spices. As they came to the tomb their biggest obstacle was figuring out how to move the stone from the entrance. As they approached that morning the Bible tells us that the stone was already rolled away.  Inside they heard an angel telling them that they should return and tell the disciples, and Peter, that Jesus will meet them in Galilee. So they left and told all that was spoken unto them. Mary Magdalene stayed at the tomb weeping. Revealing to us that she was the first to see Jesus in His resurrected body. She excitedly runs back and begins to tell the disciples that she had seen Jesus. Their response was disbelief.

I wonder if it were possible that those disciples are guilty of the same things we are today? I'm sure the answer would be yes. See we will listen and judge whether or not to believe people by things we know of their past. (Yes, you do). I wonder if these people listening to Mary, who once had seven demons in her, couldn't get past who she used to be? I wonder if they called her names before like, Crazy Mary? I wonder if they said, "Yeah, she still might have one of those old demons hanging around in her!"?

I see this kind of reaction all the time. When a person accepts Jesus and stumbles a bit trying to learn and walk. People come and say, "Yep, there's ol' Crazy Mary showing back up." Christians think they are actually talking about the person but in all truth you are talking about the saving, healing, forgiving and miraculous power of our almighty God. If Jesus has saved, healed and forgiven a person please know this... He didn't do it halfway! If there were seven demons in Mary when Christ found her and saved her, then seven demons scattered from His presence.

I sure am thankful of the saving and forgiving power of Jesus. If it were not for Him I would still be Crazy Taco till this day!

I Love It When A Plan Comes Together

2 Peter 3:9

The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us- ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

When I was young I used to love watching a television show called "The A-Team". These guys were always faced with problems and obstacles but somehow always made it through. A situation would arise, and they'd get their heads together with a plan. Every team member had a specific talent. Mr. T would create some of the most wildest and heavily armed vehicles for battle. Murdock would do his crazy thing. Faceman played his part but Hannibal, he was the one at the end of every show who had the greatest line. I can remember waiting for him to say it... "I love it when a plan comes together". 

Well do you know that God has a plan for you?  He has a plan for everyone!  His desire is that ALL would be saved. Once you're saved, He will lead you into following his plan. Just like these men in this crazy television show each had a role and purpose, you too in the plan and will of God have a specific role and purpose. Some preach, some teach, some cook, some clean,... Some are involved with youth, some with senior adults, but all serve a purpose of edifying the body. 

Do you know where I get my greatest joy from?  When I see people come to Jesus and surrender their lives to His plan. When they turn everything over to him and figure out what part they play in spreading the Gospel. I've often thought that if I love it, how much more does our Father in Heaven love it?  

Sometimes I look at these people and see how God has put every broken piece back together. How He has placed a purpose in their hearts and how they are following the path that our God has for them. And I say to myself, "I love it when a plan comes together". 

Which Way Are You Walking?

Micah 4:5

For all people will walk every one in the name of his god,

and we will walk in the name of the Lord our God for ever and ever.

Why do we always keep up with what others are doing or who they are serving rather than just walking in Christ? All people, Christians included, have such a hard time keeping their eyes forward while walking with God. Our concern for other's walk so many times distracts us with our very own walk. 

The world, those without Christ, will observe the walk of others and that is expected. Since they have no true purpose in their walk with their god, they will scrutinize the walk of all others. You can see that it is taught to them since their beginning. When a child gets caught in something wrong, they are very quick to examine the walk of others around them. "Steve did it... Patti was doing the same thing I was... At least I didn't do as old so-in-so..." So many times we compare our walk with others. 

The disciples themselves did this. They would ask Jesus questions concerning non-believers and even believers and their walk. Our nature is to look at others. It seems to be born into us and our fallen nature. 

We can become so consumed with the walk of others that our walk could be hindered. Don't take this wrong or non-compassionate, but people will walk away from the true Lord and walk after their own god. This will happen. Jesus told us it would happen. But what will you do?  I know what I will do... We, I, will walk in the name of the Lord our, my, God forever and ever.  

And Crowd Goes Wild!!

John 12:43
For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

The Pharisees in the days of Jesus were afraid to believe in Him because they would lose their seat in the synagogue. If the synagogue was the big football bowl game, these would have box seats with the finest spread of food. They had the upper seats, not those with the lower common people. They love to lead in prayer where all could hear them. They loved it in the market places to be called Rabbi and leader. You see they loved it when the crowd recognized them and brought attention to it.

Jesus told us that they receive their reward of men down here on earth. The crowd goes wild for them in their big seats with their big prayers. We are to set our affections on things above. We are to seek treasure and rewards from our Father above. Our praise should never point to us, but rather upon Jesus. For He is the Lamb of God that was slain for my sins and your sins.

Let me ask you something this morning. Why do you serve Jesus? What is the driving force for your service in the ministry? Do you want your name on signs and called out in great meetings? Do you serve best when the crowd goes wild? If so, you better soak it up now. Enjoy it because it will only be your reward on earth. If this is our path it is headed for ruin and discouragement. Our call to serve should be through nothing else but love. Love that we have for Jesus who first loved us. Some people are only happy if their name is called out. What will you do when the crowd is silent? When the praises stop? Are you going to still serve Him?

I don't know about you but I love the praise of God more than the praise of men. I would rather hear Him say He's pleased more than family, friends or foes.

Stop Picking At It

Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

"You're right" or "I'm sorry" are some of the most difficult phrases to say. Even now as you read that sentence you can't bring yourself to say, "You're right." Why is it so hard to say these things? Probably because they are usually spoken at times when our emotions are hot and high. Usually we are giving an apology after we have just blew our fuse or done something wrong. Most of the time we are telling someone they are right about a situation after we have struggled for two or three days of trying to be right about it ourselves.

Read the scripture again... "A soft answer turneth away wrath:..." Speaking in a normal tone or knowing when not to speak can sometimes be hard to come by. Our emotions will get the best, most likely the worst, of us at times. God tells us to be soft in answering while angry. He says that if we can remain calm about the situation and give a truthful and soft answer then we could turn away our anger and hopefully their anger. This scripture does not say be soft in truth and correction. It tells us to be soft in how we answer with truth and correction.

Look also at the "grievous words..." and what it does. When we use grievous words we are pulling the band aid off of a fresh wound. Don't you remember what your Mom used to tell you? If you keep picking at that it's never gonna get better! How many times have you known that you were right and they were wrong, so you just kept hammering it at them? That's grievous words to stir up anger.

Has someone hurt you or done you wrong? Answer them in forgiveness and stop picking at it. Have you hurt someone or done them wrong? (I know, not you right?) Then ask them to forgive you. Does that mean they will answer you softly and turn away anger? No it doesn't, but that's their own picking.

CHECKMATE!

1 Kings 19:4-6

But he himself went a day's journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a juniper tree: and he requested for himself that he might die; and said, It is enough; now, O Lord, take away my life; for I am not better than my fathers. And as he lay and slept under a juniper tree, behold, then an angel touched him, and said unto him, Arise and eat. And he looked, and, behold, there was a cake baken on the coals, and a cruse of water at his head. And he did eat and drink, and laid him down again.

I love the story of Elijah. Man, what a man of God! This guy prayed for it not to rain and it didn't for a little over three years. He built an altar to God, prayed for acceptance and God consumed the offering with fire. He then prayed for it to rain and it did.  All this was not done by Elijah, but Elijah's God. 

But now we find Elijah asking for God to just take is life from him because he can't do anything right. Look at what he says, "I'm not better than my fathers." You see it? Elijah set himself up for the oldest move on the chess board. Elijah had somehow thought he was doing so much better than others before him. He measured himself by the others around him. For some reason ever since the fall of Adam in the Garden we have thought we could do it better. Then the first mistake comes, the first sin, checkmate!  

Now he's left hanging his head in defeat. Just like Elijah, we do the same.  The Bible says that we have the same passions as Elijah. James 5:17 "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are,..." The scripture says if he could pray for rain, and it rained, then so could we. On the other side of that, if he could feel defeated so can we. 

The thing is... Elijah placed himself in this position. He tried to be better than others instead of trying to be like God. He tried to measure up to those before him instead of looking at God for who he needed to be. And then it happens...CHECKMATE!

Gonna Rest a Little Bit

Hebrews 4:8-10

For if Jesus had given them rest, then would he not afterward have spoken of another day. There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.

There is nothing like working a long day and then maybe enjoying a late afternoon or early evening nap is there? I can think back to the times my mom and dad would come home from working really hard all day and tell us to go out and play cause they were gonna take a nap. Some of those days it would be raining and there would be nothing to do outside. I would stare at the television and then look over at them...mouth gapping open and enjoying the rest. When I was young I always thought, "How in the world could you waste your time taking a nap?" They never really called it napping though. They always said, "Gonna rest for a minute." I knew everyday from 5:30-6:30 or so that they were gonna rest for a minute. 

Now that I am older I can clearly see what they were talking about. On a Monday afternoon after working so hard, I love to catch what my grandmother called a "power nap". Or on a Sunday afternoon after preaching with all of my energy, resting a little bit sounds so great. Sometimes I'll sit in the recliner and get that rest. Sometimes I'll climb into my wife's hammock we have inside of her sunroom. Sometimes I'll just flat out go get straight into the bed to find the rest I need. But every time I do this I know that I have to wake up in about thirty minutes to an hour. My wife at times will not even take a nap because she says she knows she has to wake up. (I don't know about you but that kinda helps me rest a little easier knowing I will wake back up, hahaha)

Someday I will find my eternal rest in Heaven. I am comfortable resting in Jesus now everyday, but someday it will be for eternity. The children of Israel looked for a rest on earth and never actually found it. Yes they napped so to say, but true rest comes in Heaven through Jesus Christ. Thank you Lord.