faith

Matthew 17

14 At the foot of the mountain, a large crowd was waiting for them.

A man came and knelt before Jesus and said,

     15 "Lord, have mercy on my son.

     He has seizures and suffers terribly.

     He often falls into the fire or into the water.

16 So I brought him to your disciples, but they couldn't heal him."
 

17 Jesus said, "You faithless and corrupt people! How long must I be with you? How long must I put up with you? Bring the boy here to me."

18 Then Jesus rebuked the demon in the boy, and it left him. From that moment the boy was well.


  19 Afterward the disciples asked Jesus privately, "Why couldn't we cast out that demon?"


  20 "You don't have enough faith,"

Jesus told them. "I tell you the truth, 

     if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it would move.

     Nothing would be impossible."


So, does this mean whatever we ask we'll be given?

I don't think so.

God is not a vending machine.

So what does it mean?

Could it be that Jesus was talking more about how little faith we have in Him, how we don't REALLY believe all this seemingly hocus pocus stuff about Jesus & believing in God?

I know one thing- we underestimate God all the time - maybe that's what Jesus was talking about here?

You tell me what you think...

if we could

Then Jesus said to his disciples...


If any of you wants to be my follower

     you must put aside your selfish ambition,

     shoulder your cross,

     & follow Me.


If you try to keep your life for yourself,

     you will lose it.

But if you give up your life for Me,

     you will find it.


And how do you benefit if you gain the whole world

     but you lose your own soul in the process?

Is anything worth more than your soul?

Matthew 16:24-26



I wonder what Robin Williams would say to us about those 3 verses, if he could speak to us today?

     Or maybe Steve Jobs?

     Or Phillip Seymour Hoffman?

     How about Joan Rivers?

     Maya Angelou?

     Jan Hooks?

     Oscar de la Renta?



I wonder what they would tell us about what is really important in life,

     & what's just "dust in the wind"?



I wonder what they would tell us they would have pursued during their lives if they knew then what they know now?



And I wonder how they would advise, counsel, and encourage each of us, individually?



If you are around my age (64) what 3 questions would you ask them?

If you're young - teens & 20's - what 3 things would you like to know?

And if you're middle aged (whatever that is now!), what are 3 things you'd like input on?

If you'd like, share those in the comments belong.



Jesus said that real life was found is letting go of our lives & trusting Him with them.

Do you know someone who has done that?

Ask them what it's like.

Just a thought....

the scandal of grace

Grace is scandalous.

We get forgiven.

We get another, undeserved chance.

We get off the hook.

We get set free.

And we get imbued with the very powerful essence of God.

When you're as big a rot-gut sinner as I am, that's pretty scandalous.

Paul writes to Titus, a co-laborer in the spreading of the Gospel, & lays it all out for us, expresses something of the inexpressible called the grace of God


Titus 3

3 Once we, too, were foolish and disobedient.

We were misled and became slaves to many lusts and pleasures.

Our lives were full of evil and envy,

     and we hated each other.


  4 But - "When God our Savior revealed his kindness and love,

        5 he saved us,

        not because of the righteous things we had done,

        but because of his mercy.

He washed away our sins,

     giving us a new birth

     and new life through the Holy Spirit.

6 He generously poured out the Spirit upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.

7 Because of His grace He declared us righteous

     and gave us confidence that we will inherit eternal life."

8 This is a trustworthy saying,

     and I want you to insist on these teachings

     so that all who trust in God will devote themselves to doing good.

These teachings are good and beneficial for everyone.


yeah... scandalous...

so...

No matter what happens, always be thankful; for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

holding on

Even in old age (the godly) will produce fruit;

      they will remain vital & green.

Psalm 92:14



Holding on to this, no matter what happens, even though sometimes it doesn't seem like it...

just read it

I need to read this psalm every day.

Maybe you do too?

Psalm 91
1 Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.


2 This I declare about the LORD:

He alone is my refuge, my place of safety;

    he is my God, and I trust him.


3 For he will rescue you from every trap

    and protect you from deadly disease.


4 He will cover you with his feathers.

  He will shelter you with his wings.

  His faithful promises are your armor and protection.


5 Do not be afraid of the terrors of the night,

    nor the arrow that flies in the day.


6 Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,

    nor the disaster that strikes at midday.


7 Though a thousand fall at your side,

     though ten thousand are dying around you,

  these evils will not touch you.


8 Just open your eyes,

  and see how the wicked are punished.


9 If you make the LORD your refuge,

     if you make the Most High your shelter,


10 no evil will conquer you;

  no plague will come near your home.


11 For he will order his angels to protect you wherever you go.


12 They will hold you up with their hands so you won't even hurt your foot on a stone.


13 You will trample upon lions and cobras;

  you will crush fierce lions and serpents under your feet!


14 The LORD says, "I will rescue those who love me.

  I will protect those who trust in my name.


15 When they call on me, I will answer;

  I will be with them in trouble.

  I will rescue and honor them.


16 I will reward them with a long life

  and give them my salvation."

3 words

This is Jesus speaking here...


Matthew 11:

28 Then Jesus said,

     "Come to me,

         all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens,

     and I will give you rest.

29 Take my yoke upon you.

Let me teach you,

     because I am humble and gentle at heart,

     and you will find rest for your souls.

30 For my yoke is easy to bear,

        and the burden I give you is light."  (NLT)

********

“Are you tired?

     Worn out?

     Burned out on religion?

Come to me.

     Get away with me and you’ll recover your life.

     I’ll show you how to take a real rest.

Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it.

     Learn the unforced rhythms of grace.

I won’t lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you.

Keep company with me and you’ll learn to live freely and lightly.” (The Message)

********

²⁸ “Come to me all of you who are tired from the heavy burden you have been forced to carry.

I will give you rest.

²⁹ Accept my teaching.

Learn from me.

I am gentle and humble in spirit.

     And you will be able to get some rest.

³⁰ Yes, the teaching that I ask you to accept is easy.

The load I give you to carry is light.” (ERV)


********

²⁸ Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy-laden and overburdened,

     and I will cause you to rest.

     [I will ease and relieve and refresh your souls.]

²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me,

        for I am gentle (meek) and humble (lowly) in heart,

        and you will find rest (relief and ease and refreshment and recreation and blessed quiet) for your souls.

³⁰ For My yoke is wholesome (useful, good—not harsh, hard, sharp, or pressing, but comfortable, gracious, and pleasant),

     and My burden is light and easy to be borne. (Amplified)




Ya know, I checked a lot of other translations at Biblegateway.com.

They all translated or paraphrased different parts in different ways.

But there was one part they all handled in the same way.

Each one had Jesus say the same words...


Come to Me.


Maybe that's the most important here...

that Jesus is saying to each of us the same thing - "Come to Me"