One Master, One Father, One Teacher

 "you have only one Master...you have one Father, and he is in heaven. ...you have one Teacher, the Christ." Matthew 23: 8,9,10 NIV

It is in our human nature to want to have someone to look up to, someone who will tell us what to do. Jesus is clear in this passage that we are to look to God and Jesus' teachings for guidance.  It is good to go to church and listen to a pastor's sermon.  God inspires his leaders to give us messages that we need to hear, but we always need to compare what any man says against what the Word of God says. We should never get so emotionally involved with our teachers and preachers that we follow them without question. Sometimes we feel God is far away or that his Word is hard to understand. It can feel easier to put all our trust in a person that is right before our eyes. We need to heed the words of Jesus and only let God have control of our hearts and minds.

Dear Father, thank you for being our loving Master and Father. Thank you for sending your son, Jesus to teach us, and for the Holy Spirit that points us to the teachings of Jesus. Help me to rest in your eternal arms and recognize that even the best human leader, pastor, teacher is still fallible. Only you are all truth.

Living Bread

"Then Jesus declared, 'I am the bread of life.' " John 6: 35 NIV 

In the Jewish culture of Jesus earthly ministry, bread was considered an essential part of the diet. In this verse, Jesus is declaring that he is essential to life. The symbolism of bread is easy for everyone to understand. Every day the people are eating bread, sharing it with family and friends. Bread is filling, satisfying, and nourishing. It sustains life.  It is also portable so wherever people go, they can take their bread with them. Jesus is saying that we need his spiritual bread to live a real spiritual life. He is promising to feed us with his spirit so that we can grow in our understanding and love of God. Whenever we eat bread, we are reminded of Jesus' gift to us. His sacrifice of love transforms our every day activities. He is totally enmeshed in our lives.

Dear Jesus, thank you for being the bread of life for us. Remind me to be thankful for all the ways you nourish and feed me. Thank you for calling us to live in community, breaking bread together, sharing Jesus love with those around us.

Witnesses

"you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem...and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8 NIV

Jesus is speaking to his disciples before his ascension, after his resurrection. He doesn't say that maybe they will be witnesses to him.  He says they "will" be witnesses. Some people will be preachers, some teachers, some will express their faith through music and art, some will be caregivers, some will show hospitality. A smile, a conversation, a gift, a touch will leave imprints on others.  The Holy Spirit which is given to Christians is an expression of the love of Christ. The work of the Spirit is powerful in all its ways, prominent or quiet. It is the light of the world. The world may hate the light but it will not be able to dismiss the light or ignore it.

Father, let us not be discouraged when we see darkness. Remind us that your light is always shining, witnessing to your majesty and love. Light always dispels darkness. Thank you that you give us your spirit that witnesses to us about you and uses us as witnesses to the world.

Soul and Body

 "be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell." Matthew 10:26 NIV

Jesus is talking to his disciples who he is sending out to teach about the Kingdom of God.  He tells them that they may be arrested or otherwise harmed, but he reassures them that even if their bodies are killed that God will preserve them after death. He adjures them to keep their focus on God realizing that only God has the ability to destroy their souls. God is the creator and only He has control over someone's soul. No human can destroy a single soul. Even those, who decide they don't want to live anymore, are only able to kill the body. It is an important truth to realize that even after a body dies, the soul lives on in some way. And only God decides if there is a second death.

Father, thank you for your promise of eternal life with you. Keep me mindful of your ways. Teach me not to fear violence, either verbal or physical, that other people might inflict on me. I pray that I will rest in the assurance of your love.

Understanding Scripture

 "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he (Jesus) explained to them what was said in all the scriptures concerning himself." Luke 24:27  "Then he (Jesus) opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures." Luke 24:45 NIV

The Bible is not just any book. It is the inspired word of God. If someone reads the Bible as a sort of self-help book, they will never understand the true meaning of its message. The Bible is not about mankind. It is about God and his saviour Jesus. Beginning in Genesis and going all the way through to the Book of Revelation, the Bible is the history of God, first creating the world and then his involvement in his creation. To understand the Bible, we need the Holy Spirit of Jesus to explain it to us. When we approach the Bible in reverence  understanding that it is God speaking to us, then our minds will be opened to its incredible message. However, if we read it like a regular book, choosing to agree or disagree with various passages then we will be frustrated by its difficulty and probably will leave it behind.

Dear Father, thank you for giving us your sacred word. I pray that you will warm my heart and give me a humble attitude so that I can understand even more  about you. Thank you for giving us the testimony of your love for us.

True Conviction Leads to Worship

" she wiped (his feet) with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them." Luke 7:38 NIV

At a dinner provided for Jesus by a Pharisee , a sinful woman came in and wiped Jesus feet with her hair, kissed his feet and poured perfume on them.  The Pharisee was horrified that Jesus would let a woman of her reputation touch him. Jesus on the other hand knew that the woman had experienced true conviction about her sins and that had led her to worshipping him.  A heart touched by the Holy Spirit mourns their sin and immediately draws close to God for forgiveness, but also is moved to rightfully worship Jesus as Lord.  Feeling guilty about doing something wrong but only coming away with a feeling of shame is not conviction. The Holy Spirit shows us our sin so that we will run to God, not so we will wallow in self-deprecation. The woman's lavish display of worship is a true example of a heart convicted and reborn.

Father, Lord, we only see our sin because of you. Convict my heart, break my prideful spirit, and let your Holy Spirit flow through me in worship to you.  I pray that I will remember the woman's rightful response to Jesus.  Thank you Lord for forgiving us and giving us new hearts.

Fear of Government

 "So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God."  Isaiah 41:10 NIV

Governments exert a lot of power over regular citizens.  Sometimes the governments are doing a good job; sometimes they are not. We may fear that our economy will decline because of poor policies.  We may fear being sent to prison for having a certain viewpoint.  We may fear that crime will become rampant because our governors are not keeping control of it. These are not irrational fears.  They are based on real events.  However, God reminds us that above and beyond our governments is God, the supreme ruler of the universe.  "Do not be dismayed" because your souls are safe in God's hands.  Your life is not just this physical life. It is also the spiritual life that you have in Jesus who promises that we will be with him forever, either on earth or in heaven. Worldly governments can ruin our physical lives but they cannot touch our eternal souls.

Dear Lord, thank you for the promise of your everlasting love and care.  Remind me that in the light of eternity, our earthly troubles are fleeting. You understand our concerns but encourage us to  remember your sovereignty over the world which you created.