What Is This Among So Many?

The books of Matthew, Mark and John all describe in their writings a situation where a crowd of people found themselves faced with a life-threatening situation. They had been listening to Jesus teach as he passed through their town and (possibly inadvertently) followed him far away from their city to land which was considered desert. Matthew and John's telling of the story shares that the crowd followed Jesus specifically because of a particular miracle they had seen; namely, he healed their sick. Having also followed Jesus, the disciples became aware of an arising condition where there would not be enough food to feed all the people... not nearly enough.

According to the book of John, Jesus addressed the issue by asking his disciple Phillip,

"Where can we buy bread for all of these people?" John 6:5

Phillip's response was that, even if there were a place to buy the amount of bread they would need, it would take 6-months’ salary to buy enough for everyone in the crowd to get even a little bite (John 6:7).

The bible makes it clear that this situation caused somewhat of a panic among the disciples; as it would have fallen on their shoulders to figure out what to do. Meaning, this crowd was now their responsibility. However, no resources could be seen which might resolve the issue that was quickly developing.

At this point, Jesus' disciple Andrew joined the conversation with his discovery,

"There is a boy here who has five barley loaves, and two small fish: but what are they among so many?" John 6:9.

Many Christians, when faced with this situation, respond this way. We look into our hands and find that what we have is not enough... not nearly enough to do what we need to do. The word which describes this situation best is the word "lack"; we "lack" what we need. Seeing the insufficient amount, we often ask the same question that Andrew asked Jesus, "What is this among so many?"

What is $100 when the debt is thousands? What is an individual's effort when the job takes dozens? What is a handful of mission workers among a large city's population of non-believers? Your answer will be determined by your realization of what Jesus teaches in this bible story.

Christians claim to have faith in God but fail far too often in this situation. We've become so afraid of "lack" that we choose to limit our efforts or retreat from our mission altogether rather than face it. Our alternative is usually to scale-down the scope. Meaning, we send people away; which is what the disciples urged Jesus to do in this story,

"This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away, so they can go to the villages and buy themselves some food..."  Matthew 14:15

There are ministries today in every city that refuse to move forward in work which God has called them to do. Why? Because they saw a situation developing where they would not have enough resources to do what they had planned. And so there they sit; at a standstill. The ministry is stalled; the mission now on a back-burner because the person whose shoulders bear the responsibility for the vision is afraid of "lack".

Too many Christians are afraid to make a single move until ALL the resources are sufficient and ALL the support they will EVER need is securely in place. Instead of following their calling, they allow resources (or lack thereof) to dictate what they are willing and are not willing to try. Instead of drawing confidence from the Mighty God of Abraham, they're clearly looking to draw confidence from a large amount of money, a large number contributors or a lot of materials at their disposal.

Unfortunately, the only way that confidence in resources can be sustained is to have UNLIMITED resources. And it's been proven generation after generation all over the world to be a fact that no one on Earth has unlimited resources. This fact is the basic rule in the study of Economics; and individuals "wants" and desires are potentially unlimited but resources will always be limited. This has been taught from High School up to University campuses for decades.

Every living creature will face "lack". At some point in your life, there will not be enough of what you need to do what you want or need. The thing that should separate Christians from the rest of the world, however, is knowing how to respond to "lack".

The bible records that Jesus knew this situation would arise and was merely interested in his disciple's response before he revealed his own. Naturally, the disciples were judging the situation according to sight; it LOOKED like this crowd would starve so they immediately abandoned all hope. But here is how Jesus responded to "lack":

#1. He did not send any one away. Instead he instructed the disciples to bring him what they had.

#2. He offered what little they had to God.

"Jesus said, 'Have the people sit down'... (about five thousand men were there). Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and (miraculously) distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish" John 6:10-11

That is the correct response to the situation of "lack". If you look into your hands and what you see does not appear to be enough, you must offer God whatever He has given you, no matter how insufficient it appears to be. When you don't have enough, it is critically important that you offer God what you have with all your heart. Why? Because what's in your hand is not your harvest, it's your SEED!

The seed always comes before the harvest; but the harvest will always be larger and greater than the seed. So many people make the mistake of disposing of the seed because it is so small; but an entire forest can be birthed out of the smallest of seeds. Your job is to plant your seed into anointed ground in order to receive your harvest.

In this story, the disciples obeyed the instructions Jesus gave. They took the little bit of food they were provided and put it into the anointed hands of Jesus Christ. Suddenly their worries and fear was laid to rest as food miraculously appeared; enough to feed every man, woman and child which was estimated at more than 5,000 families. They ended up with more than they could have hoped for on that day.

We must learn how to recognize this situation and respond the way Jesus responded. If what you have is not enough, then offer that little bit to God. If you only have $100 but have debt in thousands, then that $100 is the seed from which your debt freedom will be birthed. If you only have 10 people to help you do a job which calls for two dozen, then you 10 are the seed from which the dozens will come to complete the work that the few of you have begun. If you have only five people, then the five of you are the seed. And if all you have is YOU, offer God YOU! By offering God a seed of faith, you've obligated Him to keep his word and multiply your seed into an abundant harvest of more than you could have asked for.

Learn to embrace the situation of "lack" as an opportunity to trust God and wait for Him to provide a blessing. Don't retreat ever again when you recognize that you won't have enough to go on; because God arranges those situations on purpose and has also already arranged a miracle to resolve the issue and lay your worries and fears to rest.

I'll admit... proceeding without resources is indeed frightening. You face the risk failure; you face the risk of embarrassment; you face the risk of letting down people who believe in the vision... But there is no other way that God can show Himself strong to you. There is no other way that He can prove His faithfulness to you and to the vision He gave. God IS faithful and His mercies WILL endure forever. Facing "lack" head-on is the only way you will build confidence in the Great and Almighty Jehovah God.


When there is not enough, offer God what you have and stand on His word that there will soon be more than enough! Defy the frightening situation "lack" and come out victorious and abundantly blessed with more than you could have hoped for today!

Cast Your Nets Again!

"Master, we have toiled all the night, and have taken nothing: nevertheless at thy word I will let down the net..." Luke 5:5

 

The book of Luke records an incident between Peter and Jesus that all of you visionaries out there must take special note of....as this will impact your life TODAY!  The situation was this:

Jesus was speaking to a crowd near the shore of the Sea of Galilee.  The crowd had grown to the point where Jesus could no longer be comprehended so he asked a local fishing crew led by Peter to offer their boat to him so he could use it as a pulpit and deliver his message to what had become a large multitude of people now standing on the seashore. After the sermon, Jesus gave the crew a simple instruction,

"... Go out into the deep water and let down your nets... “Luke 5:4-9.


Jesus told Peter, in essence, to go out and fish. Jesus guaranteed Peter there would be a large catch in "the deep" waiting for them. However, here's the issue: This crew had just returned from fishing all night in "the deep" with no results.

Our understanding is that Peter and his crew (James and John) were not amateur fisherman; they were professionals.  These men made their living in "the deep" fishing for profit and for sustenance. They knew how to fish, they knew when to fish and they knew where to fish.  Many of you know that any time you instruct someone on a subject which they do for a living, you'd better be sure about your Instructions; because you run the risk of insulting that person if you don't.

To put it in perspective, Jesus, a renowned, local teacher and son of a carpenter, was telling these professional fisherman who had just fished all night with no results to go back out there. This would be the same as the pastor of your church who has no expertise in your career field telling you how to do your job today.  Can you imagine giving a person who owns a painting company tips about painting trim?  Or telling a professional chef how to sauté an onion or make a flakier pie crust? No one wants to be instructed on something they do every day. "Tread Lightly" would be the proper term.  

The chapter records that, in response, Peter politely informed Jesus of an important detail which he thought perhaps Jesus didn't already know. He told Jesus the timing was not right for fishing (Luke 5:4). He knew this because his crew had worked the waters for at least 6-hours (hence, the term "all night") so they could say with confidence nothing was out there. Many of us are in this situation today. You've worked for months; perhaps for years on something but did not see the results you intended to see. Maybe it was a project where, after hours and even days of labor you did not accomplish what needed to be accomplished. Maybe it was your career; you worked the same job for years then come to find out you've been bypassed for a promotion... again; maybe even terminated. Perhaps it was with your health; you followed a fitness plan on doctor's strict orders to the best of your ability, but after months you see no progress on the meter or scale. Then here comes someone such as a mentor, a spouse or a friend trying to encourage you saying, 

"...Try again; this time you will be successful!"

But perhaps, after facing disappointment, like Peter, you've become reluctant.  It's tough to try again when you've failed at that job before. It's tough to try a new diet when so many other diets have failed you in the past.  It's tough to start a new business when your last one folded and left you in debt. It's tough to become "involved" at a new church when your last church ran you and your family away in tears.  Worse, when things don't work out for an extended period of time, we tend to begin to doubt that God even wants us to do what we are trying do. This is because, when an endeavor fails, you know better than to think that God has failed; so you instinctively consider that perhaps God didn't move. God could have brought increase... but He didn't.  God could have caused success... but He didn't.  God could have saved the project... but He didn't. God could have... God could have... God could have....  

And people around you notice the change in what you believe God "said". You once had so much confidence that God was with you in your work. You used to tell everyone "my latter will be greater" and all that jargon and you weren't bothered when people called you crazy....... However, now that you’re wrestling with defeat, you agree with them. Maybe you mis-heard God. Maybe what you thought God wanted you to do, He really doesn't want you to do.  Or perhaps you really ARE crazy. And so now you have just as much confidence that your endeavor won't work as you once had that it would. Now you are looking forward to the sleep and the rest you will get once you finally give-up instead of looking forward to the life of an overcomer that you once dreamed you would live.


To every dreamer, every visionary, every person standing on a promise from God, you must understand that sometimes you can go through all the motions and be fruitless; but you must always be willing to go out into the deep and CAST YOUR NETS AGAIN! There was nothing wrong with what Peter was fishing for. Nor was there anything wrong in the way those men were fishing....

Question: So what went wrong which cause the men to be fruitless? 

Answer: NOTHING!

You've got to understand that sometimes you will work all night, all month, all year, all decade for what seems like no result; and it's OK!...  Failure doesn't mean that God didn't move.  God is not "wishy-washy". He is not double-minded.  God does not change, God CAN NOT change.  There will never be a time when God suddenly does not want you to do something that He clearly asked you to do prior to a failure.  God doesn't ask for a particular work from you and then say, "I've changed my mind...” and make the whole thing collapse on your head.  If God has ever asked you to work... He's still asking!  If God has ever asked you to preach... He's still asking! If God has ever asked you to sing, play an instrument, write a poem, park a car, sweep a floor, guess what... He's still asking!  Whatever God wanted you to do last year; He still wants you to do this year and, whether you see yourself as successful or not, He will still want you to do it next year!  

You only needed to be obedient... which means CAT YOUR NETS AGAIN! Peter's answer to Jesus was,

"... At thy word I will let down the net... ".

Once he followed Jesus' instructions, these men received the biggest catch of their careers; clearly the biggest catch ever seen in that time period. Their nets caught so many fish that it almost destroyed their boat. According to ancient history, an average fishing boat which would have cruised the Sea of Galilee was easily between ten feet to nearly thirty feet long. Luke records there were so many fish that they had to flag down another ship to help relieve the pressure on the nets. And eventually, both ships started taking on water. I don't know exactly how many fish it would take to almost sink two nearly 30-foot vessels; but I know that was an astonishing amount of fish!


Ephesians 3:20 says,

"God is able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that we ask or think according to the power that works in us... "


This scripture simply means that God can do more than you ask by His power... and His power is at work on the inside of you RIGHT NOW!  This is what Peter and his crew discovered that day, and you will discover this too! In whatever you are praying for, just keep listening for instruction. Watch for a fresh Word involving what you have been doing. The instruction might be to become more honest in your dealings. It may be for you to work harder; or maybe don't work so hard that you lose your family because of your project. Perhaps the Word is for you to become a tither. Or maybe your Word is just to keep doing exactly what you are doing. Whatever it is, DO IT!

Remember, it is God who has given you ALL your instructions.  He is the one who told you “How to fish, "When to fish", "Where to fish" and in Peter's case, "What to fish for". And He will never change.   So don't you change.  Continue to be obedient and you will finally reach a harvest that you do not have room to receive; a harvest so large that you may need to call somebody to help you bring it in!

Isaiah 40: FLY HIGH!

The book of Isaiah 40 records these words from God,

"To whom will you compare me? Or who is my equal?" Isaiah 40:25

In other words, who or what can ever compare to the God of Abraham. The 40th chapter goes on to say,

"Lift your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one, and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing" Isaiah 40:26

This is the definition of "Holy"; to be uniquely set apart from anything else. "Holy" means, in effect, to be in a category "reserved" where nothing else can compare. Isaiah says lift your eyes and see the heavens above you. Look at the greatness of the sky, the moon and all the stars that hang above you night after night all named and numbered with none missing (and you wouldn't know if one were). Our Holy God made it with great power and mighty strength. You won't find someone who can create these things. Isaiah mentions in this chapter that steel encased in gold (idols) cannot compare to the actual God; meaning they are not "Holy". They can not be compared to God.

Later in the chapter, Isaiah asks this question,

"Why do you complain; why do you say "The Lord does not know the way for me; my issue is disregarded by my God"? Isaiah 40:27

Why would you say that? Why would you even think that a God this grandiose would somehow be oblivious to our needs or be lost as to what He should do to help us? Isaiah says in verse 28,

"Do you not know? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom." Isaiah 40:28

Isaiah asks, Haven't you heard? God is everlasting! He is LORD! He is the creator of the earth from one end to the other. He does not faint. He does not get weary. He does not grow tired. And God's level of understanding is far outside of any realm of understanding that our brain chemicals could ever comprehend.

The highlight of this chapter to me is verse 31. Isaiah says this great God of ours will increase the strength of those who have become weary. Isaiah's claim is that those who wait on God will receive renewed strength to soar above the earth's population of people who do not wait on God. Isaiah writes that God will strengthen us to become like one of God's most awesome winged creatures; the Eagle,

"Those who wait on the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint" Isaiah 40:31

Eagles are the epitome of the bird species. Adult eagles have a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet which is taller than the average adult male. Eagles fly up to 65 mph in normal flight and dive at speeds of over 150 mph. And eagles live very intelligently. For example, they stay near open water where there is a consistent food supply and they nest in the tallest of trees. As a result, eagles have no natural predators who can threaten them based solely on their lifestyle.

The most significant thing about the eagle species is that eagles FLY HIGH! Eagles habitually soar at altitudes of 8,000 to 10,000 feet and even more. Eagles don't hang around ground level like other creatures. They fly HIGH; which means they have a view of this world which is quite different than any other animal. And they only travel with other eagles who fly as HIGH as they do. The winds, the seasonal air currants and drafts don't trouble eagles; because they fly above the wind currants. In fact, they use the wind and thermal updrafts to lift them up above the troubled air tides. Eagles can soar effortlessly using the wind currants for hours at a time.

Isaiah says this is a portrait of a person who waits patiently on God. The person who trusts God will SOAR in this life. Your thoughts and ideas; or in other words, your "wingspan" will be "wider" than people around you. And you'll notice that somehow, you are able to travel faster toward your goals than normal. You'll also find that your lifestyle is very different from others in the "species". You will make better choices and have a better attitude about everyday situations because of your altitude. All because you trust in an Almighty God; thus you draw from a better source. You depend on God to lead you to "still waters" where you can be fed without the constant danger of predators.

And the winds and waves of life's different seasons which perplex everyone else won't disturb your flight pattern because you will live your life by faith; above the currants. In fact, you will use things that were meant to slow you down to grow your faith and lift you above the trouble. And you will only feel comfortable traveling with other Christians that FLY HIGH. You'll only associate with those who are positive about life and full of vision. You'll hang with leaders, visionaries, ministers and others who are both willing and able to soar as HIGH and HIGHER than you do.

One last thing to notice: Note the analogy Isaiah did not make in this chapter,

"... You will soar on wings as buzzards... "

Why not? Buzzards fly high too. They can fly as high as 3,000 feet in the right conditions... And buzzards have an impressive wingspan too; just like eagles. So why didn't Isaiah suggest that we "mount up" on wings like buzzards?

Because the behavior of an eagle is completely different from that of a buzzard. Buzzards can fly high... but they prefer to stay near the ground (when not migrating). They don't soar; they're scavengers. They're survival is based on dead things. If you're ever driving along a road and see a cluster of buzzards, its a guarantee there's a dead animal's corpse in the area. And when they can find it, they love fresh roadkill over a decayed animal carcass. Buzzards eat anything that's dead--possums, squirrels, rabbits, deer, domestic animals even skunks (but they'll leave the scent pouch).

Isaiah says those who wait on God will not just fly, but FLY HIGH LIKE EAGLES! You will avoid scavengers with all your might and instead soar at altitudes far above the heads of those congregating around dead things. You won't make a "nest" at ground level. Instead, you'll fly at the highest of heights and view this wonderful world that God made from a distance far enough to realize you are only "in" this world for a while; but you are not "of" this world at all.

In exchange for your patient waiting, God is offering renewed strength to carry you HIGHER, FASTER and FURTHER then you ever thought you could go! Some will run and fall... Others will walk, then grow tired and stop... But they that wait on the LORD will be renewed with strength to rise up like eagles and soar; strength to run without getting weary; strength to walk, and NOT FAINT!

Dealing With Lack

Lack: Absence of an item of necessity; to be short or deficient in; to experience an insufficiency in what you require. What do you lack in your life? What is it that you don't have enough of? Do you lack food? Do you lack clothing? Do you lack a car? Do you lack money?

Lack is an unnatural experience for a Christian because lack is the opposite of what was promised to us in scripture,

"Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power at work in us." Ephesians 3:20

This passage says that you WOULD be overcome by lack if not for the power working on the inside of you to do EXCEEDINGLY more than you could even think of. According to this, abundance should be a part of the Christian experience, not lack.

Understand that when you find yourself dealing with something that is the opposite of God's promise, you can conclude it is instituted by the adversary to destroy you and therefore is unacceptable. If you are suffering from lack in any area of your life, you must identify the cause to overcome that root-force plotted against you. Examine the thing that you lack in your life. Determine why you are deficient in an area where there should be abundance. Then look in the Word of God to give your life direction and help you cope with each and every situation. It is up to you to study your life and determine which of Satan's unacceptable behaviors your dealing with.

So, lets examine lack. Are you missing something that you once had plenty of but now is all gone? If so, what in the world happened to it? Where did it go? Can you remember a period of time when you did not lack this thing in your life? Why is it missing now? Did you give it away or was it stolen?

If you gave it away, most likely it was with good intentions. Maybe you gave it away out of the kindness of your heart. Maybe you invested into something or someone faithfully expecting a return on your investment.

The Word: Galatians 6:7 "Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap!"

This means what you lack will be returned to you.. so just be patient.

As long as God was a part of the decision to give it away before you did, you can fully expect God to return to you what you gave. When you give according to what God has instructed, you are planting seed into fertile ground. God will not allow Himself to be mocked or made a fool of. If God instructed you to give, then you are not lacking; you're planting. Your seed is in the ground; you will reap.

If it was stolen, who took it? Is someone in your life taking from you every chance they get? Is it someone you don't know, didn't see and haven't been able to catch that's taking from you? Or is it someone you're close to who's causing the deficit in your life? Do they know they are stealing from you? Are they taking advantage of your kindness (same as stealing). Some people have no idea of the hardship they are causing by requiring so much of you.

More importantly, is this person still in your life? Are they still subtracting from you?

The Word: Isaiah 61:7, "For their shame, my people shall receive a double portion, and instead of disgrace they will rejoice in their inheritance... they will inherit a double portion in their land... "

This passage speaks about an appointed time which Isaiah calls "the acceptable year" or "the Year of the Lord" when God will repay all that has been taken away. In Gods time, His favor toward us will be seen and He will repay what was stolen from us.

Isaiah says God will give us a crown of beauty instead of ashes. He'll give oil of gladness in exchange for our mourning over losses. And He'll give us a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. What ever was stolen, God has already prepared double to replace it. As one preacher put it, "God will give you double for your trouble!"

Bottom line...

Be passionate about Christ with or without the things you believe God has in line for your future. Love God with your whole heart despite what you feel you are lacking in your life. God is Love and He is in Love with you. But he wants you to be in love with Him; not with what He will provide. God is the rewarder. He is the one responsible for the "payday" in your Christian walk. He will choose the "exceptable year" for His favor to fall and He is bound by His Word.

Keep turning to the Word to help you through this season of lack and you will see God's blessings in ways that are above what you could ask or even think.

The Feet Of Jesus

"... One thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" Luke 10:42.

Church people instinctively spend a lot of time at church; not just per instruction, but more as if salvation were obtained solely by activities within the walls. We show up dressed to impress ready to do work spiritually and physically week after week beginning with the illustrious task of generously giving everyone a smile and a handshake. As long as we're inside church walls, our attitudes and behavior couldn't be better. Some Christians show up just for the socialization which our "Labor of Love" provides and for no other reason.

But, when you deal with us same "Super Saved" people outside church, you're shocked at the attitudes, the bad language, the impatience, the quick tempers, the bad habits and all the other sinful behaviors being harbored behind closed doors like fugitives hiding from the law. Church people lie; church people steal; church people gamble; church people drink liquor; church people smoke weed; church people do everything that "un-churched" people do including casually having sex with other church people. My question is, how can people who spend so much time at church act so ugly outside of church walls?

The popular answer is to say that many church people aren't really saved; which is true. But there is a deeper, more firmly embedded issue affecting a far larger portion of church patrons than does simple hypocrisy. If you've ever wondered why church people act differently outside of church than inside (even if you've wondered this about yourself) here is the answer...

It's because many church people spend a disproportionate amount of time "tasking" at church. We work on usher boards; we work in choirs; we work in the pulpit; we work in children's ministries; we work in young adult ministries; we work in "Seasoned Saints" ministries; we work in the social hall; we work in the vestibule; we work in the parking lot... Even members who aren't attached to an auxiliary have to work, "Raise Your Hands... ", "Say Amen... ", "Touch Your Neighbor... ", "Touch Your Neighbor Again... ", "Everybody On Your Feet... ", "Be seated... ", "Everybody Rise... ", "Be seated... ", "All Rise... ", "Remain Standing... ", "Now, follow the directions of the usher to your right... “That’s a lot of work!

I'm not saying it's wrong to work at church. In fact, most of the "tasks" that are done are necessary for the "flow of service". It's just that all of us fervent church workers don't always manage our time at church properly. Church service is meant to be a gathering of believers for the purpose of strengthening the saints and for the worship of our Sovereign God. But instead of being strengthened and worshipping, a lot of church people spend an awful lot of time disengaged, distracted and busy working. There is a difference between being at church to work and being at church to sit at the "Feet of Jesus".

To emphasize this point, let’s go to the Word...

In Luke chapter 10, we have a very popular story about busyness. This story applies to so many church people that even if you've just recently read this story, these four verses still warrant yet another thorough look today.

In context, we see Jesus traveling outside of Jerusalem conducting his normal behavior (healing the sick, giving sight to the blind, setting people free, etc...). Jesus kept to the outskirts of Jerusalem because it was not yet time for him to make His triumphal entrance into the city. Later, he would enter Jerusalem, be betrayed for a few coins, be arrested, scorned, assaulted and then murdered. But, on the third day after the murder, he would be spotted in Jerusalem again raised from the dead by our All Powerful God.

So, the story begins with Jesus arriving in a village called Bethany, about 2 miles from Jerusalem (John 11:18). There, he had friends; Martha and her sister Mary who were awaiting his arrival at their home. As the story goes, Martha was busy doing many things preparing for Jesus to arrive.

We can't really fault Martha for being so busy. Remember, Jesus was not traveling alone. Along with Jesus and his disciples was always a "multitude". Even a small crowd could easily have been upwards of 1,000 people. Imagine if your pastor was coming to your house this afternoon and bringing with him the entire church congregation. You'd probably want to straighten up a little too; maybe put out some chairs, cook some food, etc.

When Jesus arrived, apparently Martha shot into high-gear trying to finish the preparations. But Mary, on the other hand, immediately sat down at Jesus' feet to hear what he had to say. And that's when Martha quickly become irritated. The bible says Martha was "cumbered" or uncomfortable. We know Martha had even become angry by the tone of her question to Jesus. She asked,

"... Do you even care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her to come help me." Luke 10:40 NIV.

Martha's question was worded in such a way that Jesus was expected to give a command for Mary to get up and join Martha "in the kitchen" so to speak; otherwise, he didn't "care" about her strife. The dilemma was that there was much work left to be done, but the one they had been preparing for had arrived. They ultimately had to decide whether to complete the task at hand at all cost, or abandon their posts at the last minute for Jesus. Mary basically dropped her broom; but Martha decided to continue her noble work even though Jesus was in the room.

This is the problem with many church people today. The demands of a full schedule and a packed house make it difficult to stop serving and hear the Word; so many of us choose not to. We push ourselves to accomplish more and more "for Christ" even if it means missing bible study, missing the fellowship and being absent (even while in the room) during a sermon or two.

Whenever you move by your own driving force, there is rarely time to stop and hear the Word. There's not enough time to study, no time to pray and never time to worship the God of Creation. When you're driving yourself to complete tasks, you will easily become too busy.

How do you know when you've become too busy?

When you come to church early and stay late, but stay so far behind the scenes that no one knows whether you came at all, you’re too busy. When you're not studying the Word of God at all other than to post an occasional verse on Facebook, you're too busy. When you can't pray more than 2-minutes without worrying about how bad traffic must be getting while you’re there praying, you're too busy. When you can't remember the last time you sat through an entire sermon from YOUR pastor, you’re too busy.

Anyone who feels they must continue working while the Word of God is being delivered, is overly occupying themselves; too busy. Martha was overly occupied, too busy and distracted by her work. She was moving by her own driving force to accomplish everything she could possibly accomplish "for Jesus"; while ignoring Jesus. She let her work take precedence over the fact that Jesus, the Savior of Mankind, the Lover of her Soul, the Lamb of God, Jesus the Christ of Nazareth had arrived; and... He was speaking!

When the Living Word of God arrives, it is time to drop the broom and sit at the feet of Jesus to listen. There is nothing more important at church or anywhere else than every Word that proceeds from the mouth of our Lord. Work is necessary, but it must be prioritized. And sometimes priorities have to be shuffled at the last minute if suddenly there is a Word from the Lord.

Jesus said Martha was worried about many things. She had troubled herself with peripheral concerns, but there was only one thing of importance at that moment. Mary, however, acted correctly,

"... one thing is needful: and Mary has chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her" Luke 10:42.

Jesus calls his Word the "good part". The meal Martha prepared was nice, I'm sure; but her physical meal was only temporary. Mary's priorities were in order. She abandon the work and positioned herself to enjoy what would last her throughout her lifetime; the Word.

Many Christians show up at church to "put time in" as if there was a time-clock hanging on the double doors that you punch when you go in. And when they're done, they feel better for having "churched" for 2-hours, but leave in the same condition to pick up the same problems we left at the door 2-hours before. Unless there is a true encounter with the Word, everything will remain the same.

Just look at your church... When the Word is preached, how many church people are doing something unrelated to the sermon such as balancing their checkbook or surfing Facebook on their iPhone? How many are outside of the sanctuary in the back of the church, in the kitchen preparing food or in the parking lot on the phone? How many are out front talking to someone who didn't even come to church that day? And where in the world do musicians go whenever a pastor starts a sermon???

Bottom line: When a Word from God is in the building, the work must stop. It's time for every person to open their bible (or bible app) and get the highlighter ready. Get your water and go to the bathroom while the choir is singing; so that when the Word of God arrives, you'll be positioned to partake of the one thing that is needful. The church service cannot change your life, but Jesus Christ can. Jesus is the living Word; the needful thing; so don't allow him to be taken from you by distractions or by being too busy to listen.

The next time you attend church, please don't miss the "good part"! Once church folks start spending more time at the "Feet of Jesus", attitudes will change; habits will change; total behaviors will change. We will begin to see Christians acting just as pristine outside of church as they do inside. EVERYONE EVERYWHERE will get a handshake and a smile. EVERYONE EVERYWHERE will see Christians perform as the new creatures God wants us to be. And we'll be anxious to invite even more people to join us at the "Feet of Jesus" so that he can change their life the way he changed ours!

Resist or Be DEVOURED!

In the book of 1st Peter, Jesus' disciple says this about Satan,

"Be sober; be watchful: Your adversary, the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about seeking who he may devour... "1 Peter 5:7-9

This is reminiscent of what is written in the book of Job. In that story, the angels were in the process of "presenting themselves" to God; which, in the text seemed like more of a general occurrence than a one-time incident. In any case, one of the angels who "reported" was Satan, the enemy of God himself. According to our record, God began a conversation with His enemy by asking him a question. We know the question was significant because if it wasn't, it would not appear in the thousand year old text of the ancient scrolls which Peter referenced, nor would it still be around for us to study today. The question was this:

"Where have you been?" Job 1:7

According to scripture, Satan answered,

"I've been hunting... "

The King James verbiage uses the phrase "going to and fro... " as in pacing. The bible says Satan had come from prowling the Earth and "walking around" in it (which is an interesting study in and of itself). This action is the same behavior which Peter described; the activity of a lion looking for prey.

I want to focus for a moment on Satan's answer to God. The thing is, Satan had lied to mankind prior to this conversation. The devil had asked Adam and Eve a question, then he lied about the answer to his own question in an attempt to confuse them (Genesis 3:3). However, now he was being questioned by God and for once, the father of lies had to tell the truth. In my opinion, Satan was being forced to speak information which he'd preferred have never been recorded about him; as it gives us insight into his evil behavior. Because of this conversation, we know that the devil is "seeking".

Seeking is a verb; an action. Seeking means to go in search of something or someone. It means going on a quest; but in the case of the devil, there is evil intent directed towards what is found so the most appropriate verb is, as I said earlier, "hunting".

Satan is hunting for a victim. He's looking for someone to make his prey. In other words, Satan looks over thousands and even millions of people on Earth to find someone who would have woken in the morning with no intention of falling victim to the enemy of God; but if Satan has his way, that person will be devoured on that day.
The interesting thing this conversation revealed is not Satan's evil intentions to make someone his prey; it's the mere fact that Satan has to "seek". This passage tells us the devil must search for someone to devour; which means he can't devour just anyone.

You see, if Satan could devour anyone, his answer to God would have been different. If there were no limit to Satan's devouring, then when God asked "Where have you been... " Satan would not have said "I'm hunting... "; he would have responded "I'm devouring people". But he didn't say that, and he could not lie to the God who made him. Satan's use of a verb to answer the Almighty God's question was an admission that in his pursuit to devour, he must first investigate. He's got to actively search for a victim; he's got to probe and then probe again to find the person whom he "can" devour. He's looking for someone that is vulnerable to him.

This also means Satan cannot devour everyone he finds; only certain people. Meaning, in Satan's looking and investigating, there is something particular he is looking for. He has a criteria, a "checklist" so to speak. When Satan examines a person, something about that person will determine whether Satan "can" or whether he "cannot" devour.

So, knowing that Satan is a "seeker", the important thing for us to know is what he's seeking. In order to avoid being devoured, we've got to have a clear understanding of what makes a person vulnerable to him. Satan is hunting, but what is he hunting for? Once we understand his criteria, we can make certain we do not carry the traits he is in search of.

Here is where I believe the criteria for what Satan measures is found. In the book of James the 4th chapter, you'll find this profound statement,

"Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you... " James 4:7

Fleeing is another verb; another action. By definition, it literally means to run away quickly as from danger or a pursuer. In my understanding, fleeing is nearly the opposite of seeking. In seeking, you move towards what you search for; in fleeing you move urgently away fearing it may pursue you! James tells us if we resist the devil, he will move urgently away from us as if we were pursuing him. Which means individuals who resist Satan will cause him to do the opposite of what his intentions were when he approached. But the individuals who do not resist, Satan "can" devour.

So, according to scripture, Satan is stalking; going"to and fro" looking for someone who does not resist him; but those who resist him, he flees from. We believe this was true on the day Satan talked to God about it, and this is still true today. Satan is looking today for someone who does not know how to resist him; that's the one who he "can" devour.

Here's something else to point out in the conversation recorded in the book of Job. God asked Satan a second question which is just as significant as the first. God asked,

"Have you considered my servant Job?" Job 1:8

Here's the thing to take notice in Satan's response to the second question,

"... You have put a hedge around him and his household and everything he has... You have blessed the work of his hands... his flocks and herds are spread throughout the land... " Job 1:10

In response to the second question, Satan listed the reasons why he felt he had not been able to devour Job. The interesting thing is that, since Satan had this list on Job and knew all these details about Job's life, it meant that the answer to God's second question was,

"YES!"

YES, he had considered God's servant Job. YES, he had investigated him. YES, he had searched him. YES, he probed him. But he found that Job was not vulnerable.

Job was someone Satan knew for a fact he could not devour because Job had already made the decision to RESIST. And, according to what's written in the book of James, Satan would have had to fearfully run from Job; not the other way around. This is not an assumption; it specifically says this about Job in the first verse of the first chapter of the book,

"... This man (Job) was blameless and upright; he feared God and SHUNNED Evil... He was the greatest man of all the people of the east... " Job 1:1

"Shun" is yet another verb. This means to keep away from or to take great pains to avoid. This verb denotes choice. Job could have easily given in and become vulnerable to the devil (as his children were according to Job 1:4), but he chose not to. God considered Job "blameless and upright"; not because he never made a mistake (later in the book, Job's response to suffering is far from perfect), but because of the way he "shunned" evil. And for the same reason, Satan initially "shunned" Job.

The ability to resist the devil is in us all. Better proficiency at "shunning evil" is developed over time. But the total lack of resistance to evil is what makes one vulnerable. The bible calls evil "godlessness", "wickedness", "futile" and "foolish",

"The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people who suppress the truth by their wickedness... their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened... " Romans 1:19 - 21.

Those are precisely the qualities Satan is looking for; the godless; the wicked; those whose lives have become futile and whose foolish hearts are darkened. Every Earthly day, Satan is hunting individuals who have not chosen to "shun" him. His quest is to separate those souls from the God of Creation PERMANENTLY. But he's fleeing with all of his might from believers who have clearly developed their God-given ability to RESIST.

So now, my question is to you...

Knowing that Satan can only devour those who do not resist, tell me honestly... are you vulnerable? Are you someone Satan can easily devour and has often done so in the past? Does Satan "stalk" you; knock you around, disrupt your life, and your family's life, and all your friend's lives... and no matter how you run from him, you can't get away? Or do you make him sorry he engaged you in a tussle by resisting him so defiantly that he and all his demons end up having to cowardly flee from you as if YOU were a roaring lion?

Nobody is perfect, but my question to you is simply, have you made the decision to hold-out? Have you made the decision to abstain? Have you made the decision to RESIST? If you haven't, when will you? If there are cigarettes in your car right now, when are you going start to resist? If there's a condom in your wallet or purse, when are you going to start to resist? If you are involved in something dishonest or illegal, when are you going to start to resist?

If you know you've got some vulnerabilities (especially if you've got quite a few vulnerabilities), then start resisting today! Be sober so you can withstand! And when Satan makes his next approach to offset your life and devour your family and friends with violence, sex, money, drugs, adultery, prostitution, or any other type of evil...

RESIST... OR BE DEVOURED!

Finding Your Part

“My dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the WORK of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain…” I Corinthians 15:58

In order to prosper in this life; in order to flourish; in order to succeed, God is instructing that you WORK! You must do what God has given you to do. The successes you reach will depend on God’s plan for your life, but no success will come until you do the part assigned to you in that plan.

To proceed in this discussion, I want to focus a little on this question: "What is your part?"

You can only do the work you are supposed to do when you clearly understanding what that work is.  In order to see the results you are so anxious to see, you must know God's instructions; otherwise you will find yourself overly busy consumed by work which you will eventually realize actually serves no purpose.

Here’s the truth; contrary to what many preachers, prophets and bishops have been saying over the years, there is no person on this Earth whose job is exclusively to tell YOU what God wants YOU to do (and I’d be suspicious of anyone who says different). Preachers may have an inclination about you; some may even have a God-given prophecy concerning you. But the real revelation of who you are and what you are supposed to be doing is the responsibility of the Spirit of the Living God Himself.  The prophet Jeremiah quotes God saying this;

“’I know the plans I have for you’ declares the lord,…plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. THEN you will call on me and come and pray to me and I will listen to you…’”  Jeremiah 29: 11-12

God says I know the plans “I” have for you.  Revelation concerning your path is God’s responsibility; its literally between you and your creator. God can reveal His omnipotent will in a single moment of a single conversation, or a series of conversations, or within the years of a decade, or two decades. Or God can reveal just the beginnings of a massive plan to you that will span across your entire life, involve 2 or 3 generations and your children’s grandchildren will complete it. No one can rush God to reveal His plan to you, and by the same token, no one can stop God from revealing His plan to you.

However, to answer the question "What is Your Part?", you must understand that there are certain universal things in God’s plan which apply to us all.  1 Thessalonians says this,

“...You were instructed how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more...” I Thessalonians 4:1

This scripture is important in identifying our part in God’s plan universally.  I know you have an agenda. I know there are things you are working towards.  I have plans I’m working on too.  But sometimes we can get so focused on our own agenda that we forget our primary agenda is to find what's pleasing to God.  This passage is a reminder that we've learned how to please God for one specific reason: “…to do this more and more”! 

What pleases God?  The whole chapter of Thessalonians 4 lists what works are pleasing in the sight of the God of Abraham.  Honesty pleases God.  Love pleases God. Peaceful behavior pleases God. Diligence pleases God. 

Paul says later in this chapter that controlling our bodies and avoiding lustfulness are also pleasing to God.  Then, bringing lost souls to Christ and Kingdom Building are definitely pleasing to God. Our part in God’s plan is to do what is pleasing to Him.   If we want to see success in our agenda; we must focus more and more on this assignment.  This sentiment is repeated in 2 Corinthians,

“God is able to bless you abundantly SO THAT in all things, at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in EVERY GOOD WORK...” 2 Corinthians 9:8.  

When good works are securely in place in your life, 2 Corinthians says God can bring abundance to your life and you WILL abound in good works for Him. In other words, if you walk honestly and are diligent today, God can bless you abundantly and you will continue to walk honestly and be diligent tomorrow. If your heart is full of love and compassion today, God can bless you with abundance and you will still be just as full of love and compassion tomorrow. And if you act peacefully at every opportunity, God can bless you abundantly and you will continue to model peaceful behavior every time you get a chance.

Furthermore, having “abundance” in all things at all times means you lack nothing at any time.  God has made His part of the equation to make grace available; blessings available; favor available; the power of Christ and His anointing available; and every thing available in abundance.  But your part of the equation is to “abound” in EVERY GOOD WORK; thus, if good works are absent from your life, the underlying issue holding up your dream list of things you expect God to do may very well be YOU. 

So what GOOD WORK are you doing?  Are you honest? How much time do you set apart for God in an average week (outside of Sundays from 11 – 2p)?  Can you be described as peaceful? Diligent? Full of love?  Do you control your body or are you constantly submitting yourself to lustfulness and fornication? God will provide His grace and His Spirit on your behalf, but He’s not going to do the good works He's assigned to you on your behalf. Your part is to do what is pleasing to God.  

Again, I know you have made plans for yourself, but more important than your plans are God’s plans!  Yes… God has plans for YOU! His plans will prosper you; not just prosper your pocket; they will prosper your soul!  God’s plans are not to harm you, but to give you hope and a real future. And the bible says once you begin to work-out God’s plans in your life, “THEN” you will call Him and He will come. “THEN” you will pray to Him and He will listen to you. To see success in your agenda, you must take time out of your plan, lay down your agenda and work diligently on your assignment which is to do more and more GOOD WORK for Him!