Why did Jesus pick Peter? Why did Jesus pick any of His disciples? For that matter, why does God pick any of us?
Imagine Peter as a fisherman, as a business partner, father, husband or friend.
He must have been a good fisherman because that is what he did to make a living. It seems like if that is what you're doing to support your family you must be at least ok at it. He would have been interesting to hang out in the boat, or mend nets, with all the time. His partners had to spend lots of time with this guy who had an opinion about everything and was not afraid to tell it. Here was a guy who spoke before he thought and worried little about what others felt until it was already on the table. Did he ever stop talking? Did any of the rest of the men ever say anything when Peter was around?
Was he a good dad? Did he have kids? If so, he may have been the kind of guy who was a good provider but was more concerned with work than with what was happening at home. He spoke to the kids before he thought about what they were going to feel and he expected them to be at the front of the class as leaders. As a husband he was loving in his own way. Extremely loyal to his wife, good provider but there was no question who was the boss. He was a Jewish man who took his place seriously.
He took Provers 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend... to a whole new level. As a friend, there were many wounded around him. He was going to tell you what he thought whether you liked it, or him, or not. He saw "clearly" what the issue was and he wanted to make sure you knew he saw it. You really wanted Peter on your side, but there were certainly times when that cost you some skin and you wondered if you had friends like this do you really need enemies.
Peter was a man of amazing faith and yet Jesus only told him personally that his faith was little- ironically right after he jumped out of the boat. His faith moved from the highest of highs to the lowest of lows within seconds or feet- however you want to measure it.
Peter was a man of immense courage and no courage. He rebuked Jesus and even chopped off the servant of the high priest's ear, in front of the guards. He wasn't afraid of anyone, except a small girl.
How could Jesus pick Peter? How could the Son of God, the One Who knows exactly what He's getting when He picks someone- how could HE pick Peter? He knew Peter was all over the map. He, if anyone, knew Peter was never in balance, not often quiet and was going to give Him a lot of things to fix. Peter walked and talked and left a wake of wounded behind Him that Jesus would have to heal. But Peter was in Jesus' "fav 12". In fact, Peter was in Jesus' "Fav 3".
Should Jesus have picked someone who was more balanced- more stable? Well, someday you can ask Jesus that yourself if you end up in Heaven. But Jesus knew exactly what He was doing when He picked Peter- He knew exactly what He was getting into- exactly what He was picking.
Most of the negative things are in me. How can I be useful to Christ with all those things? How can I be a business man, with no college education, not status, no credentials and lots of quirky character traits and still be useful to Christ? How can I have lots of faith one minute and have it dashed on the rocks the next and be useful? How can I be the one who talks before he thinks and be useful for Christ? Peter wanted, more than anything, to be useful for Christ. He wanted to set the pace for the others to follow and he didn't really care if others took issue with him, just follow. If that meant death then so be it- but follow.
Peter was rebuked harder than anyone except the Pharisees. Peter was in a category by himself and that was not necessarily the category he wanted to be in. But Peter loved his Master. Peter wanted more than anything to please His Master. He was a very close and loyal friend to Jesus. Peter lived where Jesus lived and saw what Jesus saw and he liked it so much that he wanted to build Jesus a house so they could all live together, even if they were up on the mountain- that didn't matter as long as he could be close to Jesus.
I want to live with Jesus. I want to follow close to Jesus. I know if Jesus can use a "normal" guy like Peter maybe He can use someone like me too. Maybe. Hopefully. Should I change who I am? Did Peter change? Peter grew in grace and the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and God used Peter to change the world. I want to be a clay pot like Peter- not special but certainly very useful to the Master. Peter was one of Jesus' favorite pots to use and He used that beat up pot a lot.
I am thankful that He picked someone like Peter because most all of those "negative" things in Peter are in me and probably in some of you, and that gives me hope- hope of usefulness.
Monday, December 7, 2009
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Waiting
This morning SKH talked about Noah's time in the ark- around 1 year. Can you imagine being in the ark for an entire year? Thoughts of our dark, dreary winter days and night; and we have lights and windows and there are days of sunshine.
After the ark came to rest there were months of waiting for God to give the word to emerge to the world outside of who knows what. Noah had to wait and then wait some more. God didn't tell him what was coming and He didn't give him any promises to tell him what was coming either.
I so often want the answers of what might be coming. I think I want to know what might be coming- how bad or good it will be- but I really probably can't handle knowing anyway. Life around the flood, before and after, was hard, much harder than I have it and Noah still persevered.
I want so much to be a man who waits on the Lord, but my flesh is SOO weak. Building faith takes time and the process is painful but this is what I am supposed to be waiting on. May He change me into His image and give me the grace to continue to trust His work. He never gives more than we can handle though often I feel like I must be very close to the limit. I must not look at the load but look at the One who is able to carry it.
After the ark came to rest there were months of waiting for God to give the word to emerge to the world outside of who knows what. Noah had to wait and then wait some more. God didn't tell him what was coming and He didn't give him any promises to tell him what was coming either.
I so often want the answers of what might be coming. I think I want to know what might be coming- how bad or good it will be- but I really probably can't handle knowing anyway. Life around the flood, before and after, was hard, much harder than I have it and Noah still persevered.
I want so much to be a man who waits on the Lord, but my flesh is SOO weak. Building faith takes time and the process is painful but this is what I am supposed to be waiting on. May He change me into His image and give me the grace to continue to trust His work. He never gives more than we can handle though often I feel like I must be very close to the limit. I must not look at the load but look at the One who is able to carry it.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
God Will Provide
"For us, it was a continued exercise of faith that we would have the right drugs and supplies at the right time. We recall how much we counted on our X-ray machine, something we take for granted [at home]. We even had the opportunity to get an extra one when a friend of ours, a doctor with the U.S. Embassy, asked if we could use a portable X-ray machine. . . . But then as the months dragged out, we knew it must be lost at sea. Then one day our big X-ray machine stopped working. We found it was a major problem which would take several months to fix. . . . But that very afternoon, the ELWA truck pulled up to the hospital with a huge crate from port. You guessed it—it was the portable X-ray machine! We plugged it in, and it worked! We didn't lose a day for X-rays." Dr. Robert Schindler and his wife, Marian, founded a mission hospital associated with radio station ELWA in Monrovia, Liberia. From their book Mission Possible.
Wild Week
Life is full of crazy twists and turns but I hope the path I am on is straight and narrow.
This week has been no exception from what seems to be my "norm", with many people at the house, work going along, meetings and many uncontrollable things happening around me. I say "uncontrollable" because they are uncontrollable to me, not Him.
I have been petitioning with the Father in quite a few arenas lately and He always answers our prayers, just not always in the way or the time that I think it should be done. I did change pronouns because I wanted to be inclusive of all OUR prayers and didn't want to necessarily want to place all of you into my basket of small faith. If you think you should be in it then jump in with me.
The significant areas of wrestling with God are sales for PG and an agency for the kids in Ethiopia. I'll start with the kids since that is may be closer to finished and happened first chronologically.
Without an agency to work with, the orphanage can't place kids and those kids are not provided for, if some are not being placed. That is the real short way of saying this. Through a series of "uncontrollable" circumstances the previous agency went away and so the founder of the orphanage thought that they may have to shut it down. Why would God bring all those kids together and put them in, not only the lives of their caregivers in Ethiopia but in our hearts after seeing them there, to then be left orphans again? That was my question to God; Why? Are You not going to take care if them? Are you going to live them after bringing them in?
The answer seems like it can always be "For MY Glory". I want God to answer quickly and exactly how I want Him to. That's not how He works and His answer is always better. This week the orphanage got not just one agency but 2, which will make it easier to get more kids placed because there is more people to help spread out the work load. Praise Him for His excellent work. He is the Father to the fatherless- Jehovah Jireh- The Lord Who Provides.
Sales at PG. It has been a pretty busy week with people coming in and it seems there are many projects in the works. Leads, projects, appointments and the likes do not pay salaries, light bill and mortgages. The bank takes cash not promises. Waiting on God takes faith.
Last night I came home pretty discouraged at our ability to get people from the point of looking to making a decision. Many seem like they are interested in us working with them but are non committal. I came home and sat in this chair and started to read my Hudson Taylor book. His life is a big encouragement to me. I have been reading my Bible a lot and praying more than is par for me, but what is God trying to teach me and will I learn it before it is too late for PG?
Teresa had picked up a movie called "Flywheel" and she said that the people at the rental store told her it was made cheaply but it was really good. I wanted to read. She tenderly got me to go watch the movie, though reluctantly. Good movie and the critics were right- cheap but good message, especially for me right now.
A Christian movie with a message about my own life literally right now. How does God do those kinds of things? When I came down from watching the movie I had received a package and it had some encouraging words that I needed to read. How does God do that? When I finished reading those I checked my email and a project that I have spent a fair amount of time on emailed me back and said they are on and "Do you take Visa?" How does God do that?
We are far from "out of the woods" in either of these forests but both of these things are really out of my control and so I just need to trust and wait on Him. That is so hard for me to do. I don't want to be the person that God has to continue to teach the same lesson to over and over again. I want to get it the first or second time- do I really know what He is trying to teach me right now? Could it be as simple as "give it to me"?
May I be teachable and willing to learn.
Ps. 130:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts- or anxieties!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
This is where I want to live.
This week has been no exception from what seems to be my "norm", with many people at the house, work going along, meetings and many uncontrollable things happening around me. I say "uncontrollable" because they are uncontrollable to me, not Him.
I have been petitioning with the Father in quite a few arenas lately and He always answers our prayers, just not always in the way or the time that I think it should be done. I did change pronouns because I wanted to be inclusive of all OUR prayers and didn't want to necessarily want to place all of you into my basket of small faith. If you think you should be in it then jump in with me.
The significant areas of wrestling with God are sales for PG and an agency for the kids in Ethiopia. I'll start with the kids since that is may be closer to finished and happened first chronologically.
Without an agency to work with, the orphanage can't place kids and those kids are not provided for, if some are not being placed. That is the real short way of saying this. Through a series of "uncontrollable" circumstances the previous agency went away and so the founder of the orphanage thought that they may have to shut it down. Why would God bring all those kids together and put them in, not only the lives of their caregivers in Ethiopia but in our hearts after seeing them there, to then be left orphans again? That was my question to God; Why? Are You not going to take care if them? Are you going to live them after bringing them in?
The answer seems like it can always be "For MY Glory". I want God to answer quickly and exactly how I want Him to. That's not how He works and His answer is always better. This week the orphanage got not just one agency but 2, which will make it easier to get more kids placed because there is more people to help spread out the work load. Praise Him for His excellent work. He is the Father to the fatherless- Jehovah Jireh- The Lord Who Provides.
Sales at PG. It has been a pretty busy week with people coming in and it seems there are many projects in the works. Leads, projects, appointments and the likes do not pay salaries, light bill and mortgages. The bank takes cash not promises. Waiting on God takes faith.
Last night I came home pretty discouraged at our ability to get people from the point of looking to making a decision. Many seem like they are interested in us working with them but are non committal. I came home and sat in this chair and started to read my Hudson Taylor book. His life is a big encouragement to me. I have been reading my Bible a lot and praying more than is par for me, but what is God trying to teach me and will I learn it before it is too late for PG?
Teresa had picked up a movie called "Flywheel" and she said that the people at the rental store told her it was made cheaply but it was really good. I wanted to read. She tenderly got me to go watch the movie, though reluctantly. Good movie and the critics were right- cheap but good message, especially for me right now.
A Christian movie with a message about my own life literally right now. How does God do those kinds of things? When I came down from watching the movie I had received a package and it had some encouraging words that I needed to read. How does God do that? When I finished reading those I checked my email and a project that I have spent a fair amount of time on emailed me back and said they are on and "Do you take Visa?" How does God do that?
We are far from "out of the woods" in either of these forests but both of these things are really out of my control and so I just need to trust and wait on Him. That is so hard for me to do. I don't want to be the person that God has to continue to teach the same lesson to over and over again. I want to get it the first or second time- do I really know what He is trying to teach me right now? Could it be as simple as "give it to me"?
May I be teachable and willing to learn.
Ps. 130:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart!
Try me and know my thoughts- or anxieties!
24 And see if there be any grievous way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting!
This is where I want to live.
Thursday, December 3, 2009
What about the Kids?
This is from my friend Doug Nichols Blog and I think it is worth the read and is a good reminder to those in ministry not to over look the young people.
"So, why focus on ministry to kids?"
"As we consider how to reach the 4.4 billion people on our planet who do not know Jesus (yet), it is essential that we consider ministry to kids, not just adults. Let’s review the reasons:
Kids are everywhere! There are 2.2 billion children under 18 (33% of our world). In many of the developing countries, where we find the greatest population of unreached people, kids are at least 50% of the population. Although they do not fit the exact definition of a “people group,” because they belong to so many different cultural backgrounds, together their numbers make them the largest unreached group on our planet.
Kids are Reachable: They have the time to listen, the availability, and the interest. They are not afraid to respond when they feel the Holy Spirit drawing them to Christ. In several Campus Crusade trainings I’ve been part of, we learned that 25% of people will likely respond to receive the gospel when it is presented personally, fully. In my over 20 years of evangelism experience, I find that nearly 50% of kids are likely to respond. Not a small thing. In some ways, kids are like the guests in the parable of the banquet in Luke 14. They are invited last to the celebration, yet are the most available to attend and to respond to the generous gifts of the King.
The powers of this world know kids are reachable, too. In the Muslim world, strong emphasis is placed on teaching the way of Islam to children before the age of five. We’ve heard stories of eight-year-old children so committed to their faith they were willing and ready to become suicide bombers.
Alternately, media and marketing gurus know that they need to capture the hearts of children early with brand names…then keep them for life. Kids are targeted around the world.
The harvest is ripe; children are ready for the gospel.
Kids are needy and poor: The UN estimates that nearly half of the world’s population of children live in poverty. With other risk factors added in, nearly 2/3 of our planet’s children love in “at risk” situations. Again, most of these children are unreached. Considering the work of Christ outlined in Isaiah 61, to “preach good news to the poor,” to “bind up the brokenhearted,” to “free the captive,” etc., we easily see that this entire passage could be a call to ministry to children. God’s heart is to rescue children, the most vulnerable group of people on our planet.
Kids are teachable: Unlike adults, kids have much less to “unlearn” when they come to Christ. They are eager to understand what it means to follow Jesus, and to obey. People who come to Christ as children are most likely to follow Jesus for a lifetime. Kids are ready and waiting.
In addition, kids are the key to transformation. When we pour the love of Christ into their lives, teaching them to follow Christ wholeheartedly, they will not only change personally, but they will impact their families, their communities, and their nations.
Kids are connected to families: As children come to Christ, they often open doors for the gospel to be shared with their families. In Muslim areas, this opportunity must be handled with great prayer and respect. But kids often bring their entire families to Christ shortly after believing in him.
Kids have great potential – to reach more kids – and others! Children can also learn to share the gospel with their friends. Their friends are also reachable, teachable and connected to families. Kids can be part of reaching future generations for Christ if we get with the program. Kids have amazing potential to not only be tomorrow’s church, but the church of today.
Mission leaders are beginning to catch the vision. Dan Brewster of Compassion International and Patrick McDonald of VIVA Network in their booklet, Children—The Great Omission?, say, 'We believe that children and young people should be the single greatest priority for Christian work in the coming decade.' [Brewster and McDonald, Great Omission, 3.] [Pages 32-34]" Doug Nichols
"So, why focus on ministry to kids?"
"As we consider how to reach the 4.4 billion people on our planet who do not know Jesus (yet), it is essential that we consider ministry to kids, not just adults. Let’s review the reasons:
Kids are everywhere! There are 2.2 billion children under 18 (33% of our world). In many of the developing countries, where we find the greatest population of unreached people, kids are at least 50% of the population. Although they do not fit the exact definition of a “people group,” because they belong to so many different cultural backgrounds, together their numbers make them the largest unreached group on our planet.
Kids are Reachable: They have the time to listen, the availability, and the interest. They are not afraid to respond when they feel the Holy Spirit drawing them to Christ. In several Campus Crusade trainings I’ve been part of, we learned that 25% of people will likely respond to receive the gospel when it is presented personally, fully. In my over 20 years of evangelism experience, I find that nearly 50% of kids are likely to respond. Not a small thing. In some ways, kids are like the guests in the parable of the banquet in Luke 14. They are invited last to the celebration, yet are the most available to attend and to respond to the generous gifts of the King.
The powers of this world know kids are reachable, too. In the Muslim world, strong emphasis is placed on teaching the way of Islam to children before the age of five. We’ve heard stories of eight-year-old children so committed to their faith they were willing and ready to become suicide bombers.
Alternately, media and marketing gurus know that they need to capture the hearts of children early with brand names…then keep them for life. Kids are targeted around the world.
The harvest is ripe; children are ready for the gospel.
Kids are needy and poor: The UN estimates that nearly half of the world’s population of children live in poverty. With other risk factors added in, nearly 2/3 of our planet’s children love in “at risk” situations. Again, most of these children are unreached. Considering the work of Christ outlined in Isaiah 61, to “preach good news to the poor,” to “bind up the brokenhearted,” to “free the captive,” etc., we easily see that this entire passage could be a call to ministry to children. God’s heart is to rescue children, the most vulnerable group of people on our planet.
Kids are teachable: Unlike adults, kids have much less to “unlearn” when they come to Christ. They are eager to understand what it means to follow Jesus, and to obey. People who come to Christ as children are most likely to follow Jesus for a lifetime. Kids are ready and waiting.
In addition, kids are the key to transformation. When we pour the love of Christ into their lives, teaching them to follow Christ wholeheartedly, they will not only change personally, but they will impact their families, their communities, and their nations.
Kids are connected to families: As children come to Christ, they often open doors for the gospel to be shared with their families. In Muslim areas, this opportunity must be handled with great prayer and respect. But kids often bring their entire families to Christ shortly after believing in him.
Kids have great potential – to reach more kids – and others! Children can also learn to share the gospel with their friends. Their friends are also reachable, teachable and connected to families. Kids can be part of reaching future generations for Christ if we get with the program. Kids have amazing potential to not only be tomorrow’s church, but the church of today.
Mission leaders are beginning to catch the vision. Dan Brewster of Compassion International and Patrick McDonald of VIVA Network in their booklet, Children—The Great Omission?, say, 'We believe that children and young people should be the single greatest priority for Christian work in the coming decade.' [Brewster and McDonald, Great Omission, 3.] [Pages 32-34]" Doug Nichols
Wool Socks
I woke up this morning and it feels a little cold in the house. When I say "a little" I actually mean it is maybe a degree or 2 colder than normal, but it is by no means actually cold. It is not nearly as cold in my house as it is outside, since the thermometer says "26".
I heard someone say the other day that because of an experience they had they are going to give wool socks to homeless people. That got me thinking.
I try to keep a couple of energy bar kinds of things in my truck all the time- sometimes I eat them and sometimes I give them to people standing on the corners with signs. You know those people. They are often the people I don't really want to look at directly. They are the people that we say, "They are probably not homeless at all, they're just too lazy to work". Maybe. Maybe there are those who will spend their money on booze, but maybe they are actually really needy.
Suggestion: do you have an extra coat that you don't wear often or ever? Do you have extra socks that are just making your drawer too hard to open? Do you have a third pair of gloves that you haven't worn since 2002? How about hats? You get the idea. What if in our vehicles we had a bag of those kinds of things that we could give to those who were standing on the corner? Is there a way we could do that and incorporate the Gospel?
Help me put feet to this. Give me some ideas of ways that each one of us can make a temporal and an eternal difference at the same time.
I heard someone say the other day that because of an experience they had they are going to give wool socks to homeless people. That got me thinking.
I try to keep a couple of energy bar kinds of things in my truck all the time- sometimes I eat them and sometimes I give them to people standing on the corners with signs. You know those people. They are often the people I don't really want to look at directly. They are the people that we say, "They are probably not homeless at all, they're just too lazy to work". Maybe. Maybe there are those who will spend their money on booze, but maybe they are actually really needy.
Suggestion: do you have an extra coat that you don't wear often or ever? Do you have extra socks that are just making your drawer too hard to open? Do you have a third pair of gloves that you haven't worn since 2002? How about hats? You get the idea. What if in our vehicles we had a bag of those kinds of things that we could give to those who were standing on the corner? Is there a way we could do that and incorporate the Gospel?
Help me put feet to this. Give me some ideas of ways that each one of us can make a temporal and an eternal difference at the same time.
Is today your last?
Yesterday i had the opportunity to talk to someone about their eternal destiny. I would not even say that it was hard for me to get started and that has to be God working. I was just thinking about a couple of things they had said and the way they had been acting and decided this was the time to ask some questions.
I have no idea what will happen in their heart and that is not up to me- my only responsibility is to walk when God opens the door- and He graciously made that much easier than I thought it would be.
In the conversation I said "You have no guarantee that today was your last day here and if that is the case then what is tomorrow going to look like for you". While that question was pointed at the person I was talking to I have been thinking about that part for me in a slightly different way. If today is MY last day have I maximized all the opportunities that God has given me before I am done here?
I am so ready to be finished, but that doesn't mean that God is ready for me to be finished and He is the One Who brings these opportunities in our path and He expects us to take them and run with them. The person who is in our path today might not get another opportunity to hear the Gospel and we might not get another person to share with.
Maybe this thought is what the Psalmist was thinking when he said that we should "Number our days". If we knew that today was the last number would we share differently than we currently are sharing? That is a huge rebuke to me. God has given me the treasure to carry about in this "jar" and He has given me all that I need to share it with the people I should be sharing it with- now what is the hold up? Am I too busy living my life to talk to someone who God puts in my way?
May we be so excited about the treasure entrusted to us that we overflow with joy in wanting others to have that same treasure. They are looking for something to fill the hole in their heart and we have it- maybe right now is the time to share it.
I have no idea what will happen in their heart and that is not up to me- my only responsibility is to walk when God opens the door- and He graciously made that much easier than I thought it would be.
In the conversation I said "You have no guarantee that today was your last day here and if that is the case then what is tomorrow going to look like for you". While that question was pointed at the person I was talking to I have been thinking about that part for me in a slightly different way. If today is MY last day have I maximized all the opportunities that God has given me before I am done here?
I am so ready to be finished, but that doesn't mean that God is ready for me to be finished and He is the One Who brings these opportunities in our path and He expects us to take them and run with them. The person who is in our path today might not get another opportunity to hear the Gospel and we might not get another person to share with.
Maybe this thought is what the Psalmist was thinking when he said that we should "Number our days". If we knew that today was the last number would we share differently than we currently are sharing? That is a huge rebuke to me. God has given me the treasure to carry about in this "jar" and He has given me all that I need to share it with the people I should be sharing it with- now what is the hold up? Am I too busy living my life to talk to someone who God puts in my way?
May we be so excited about the treasure entrusted to us that we overflow with joy in wanting others to have that same treasure. They are looking for something to fill the hole in their heart and we have it- maybe right now is the time to share it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
