What Do You Want?

In Matthew chapter 20, beginning at verse 20, we see a mother with her two sons approaching Jesus, and as the mother kneels before Him, Jesus presents her with a question for the ages. He asks, "what do you want?" And with great boldness, she responds by telling (not asking) Jesus to make a couple of "Kingdom Reservations." Kingdom Reservations...the seats to the right and to the left of Jesus. One for John and the other for James.

I have been wrestling with Jesus' question for the past couple of weeks and have been wondering what my response would have been. What would yours be? And what would your response reveal about who you are?

I hope you wrestle with this question as well. "What do you Want?" To serve or to be served...

Charles Spurgeon once said, "In contemplating Christ, there is a balm for every wound; in musing on the Father, there is a quietus for every grief; and in the influence of the Holy Ghost, there is a balsam for every sore. Would you lose your sorrow? Would you drown your cares? Then go, plunge yourself in the Godhead's deepest sea; be lost in His immensity; and you shall come forth as from a couch of rest, refreshed and invigorated."

Wow, what a perspective from a 20 year old pastor! What about you? Can you claim the same or are your contemplations and musings fixed on your wounds and your sorrows?

Words of Wisdom

August 2 was the tenth anniversary of Andrea's (my late wife) death. And today, I was catching up a bit with her mother. This is what she said: "This path I would never have chosen. And 10 years of His grace experienced, I would never change." I praise God today for His abounding grace and infinite wisdom.

Overjoyed

There are many things in life that possess the ability to make me happy. There are, however, very few things that bring me joy. I just received information regarding a friend I haven't seen in a year and a half. He and his family are coming to visit for the weekend and it has me very much overjoyed. I am lost in anticipation for their arrival.

This is a picture of him. Don't be fooled by his appearance. He is normally very well groomed and his personality is quite inviting. He loves Jesus and his life is an obvious reflection of it.

So, I have a question for you. What is it that would have you overjoyed?

The Comeback

When a blogger goes a total of 7 months in between blogs, one begins to wonder how serious he really is about blogging. Well, if you would, please extend to me the grace that it will take to once again return to the ranks of the blogging community. And since there is no graceful way to return to blogging, I will just jump right in.

Everbless!

Way to go Metaphor!

Metaphor, the young adult ministry at Harvest Bible Chapel, West Olive, deserves a really big "WAY TO GO METAPHOR!" The group just finished working through the book Crazy Love, by Francis Chan, and the challenge was put before them to step outside of themselves and give generously...and the giving would go toward blessing families in need during this Christmas holiday. What did they do? They gave!...And they gave!...And they gave! I am ashamed to say that with a group of 25 I expected that we might get $200.00. After all, they are either college students or very early in their careers. To my great surprise and joy, they dug deep into their pockets, gave up on the half off appetizers, and raised well over $900.00! I am blessed to be a part of your ministry, Metaphor. I pray that God's blessing would shower upon you this Christmas! "I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now."

Cut Me To The Heart

Acts 2:36-38. ...Know this for certain that God made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?" And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you..."

Three thousand people were "cut to the heart" that day and experienced the spiritual death that comes as a result of accepting the Gospel Message...that Jesus is the Christ and He died because of you and for you.

Take a moment and put yourself back at Pentecost. What would your response have been if Peter would have pointed his finger at you and told you that you were responsible for the death of Jesus? Would you have been cut to the heart? Or would you have been like those in Acts 5:33 and 7:54 who responded with rage and grinding teeth?

Pause for a moment before you answer and consider the reality of the death that comes from being "cut to the heart" by the Truth of the Cross:

1. You have been looking for the Messiah, someone to save you, but not one riding on a colt to His death on a cross.
2. You are confronted with the reality that you must give up the life you are accustomed to in order to enter one that does not make sense.
3. All that you have learned from very gifted teachers is being shot full of holes.
4. You are surrounded by family/friends/mentors who will disown you...and worse.

Hey...those who responded with rage and grinding teeth were not willing to give up the life they were living. It meant too much to them.

So...look at your life today. Yes, you may have experienced the initial "cut to the heart" that led to your belief and acceptance of Jesus, but does the message of the Cross still have the same impact today? Does it still "cut you to the heart?"

One final thought. What is Jesus asking of you that makes you grind your teeth at Him...that thing or those things from your former life that serve as a steel plate of selfishness, keeping the Cross from cutting?