A Journey Too Great

The angel of the LORD came again a second time and touched him and said, "Arise, eat, because the journey is too great for you. (I Kings 19:7)

It was tough to be a prophet in the Old Testament. Elijah is exhausted from doing battle with the prophets of Baal and just wants to lie down and sleep. The angel wakes him a previous time and feeds him, and then wakes him a second time to feed him again. The angel gives him the good news that he is about to embark on a journey that is too great for him. Elijah was faithful and ate the food and went on the strength of it for forty days and forty nights.

The interesting thing here is that the journey should have taken about six or seven days, not forty days and forty nights. Some theologians indicate that this was done to connect the experiences of Elijah with the experiences of Moses on a much smaller scale. Both experienced solitude with God prior to, and in preparation for a larger and more intense ministry. Both had a deeply personal encounter with God on a mountain – scholars also indicate that it was on the same mountain.

Christ also had one of those experiences, only it was Satan who came to him instead of his Father. He was tempted beyond anything that we can imagine and continued to walk humbly with his Father. Any difficult journey that I have had in life pales in comparison to the journey of Christ to the Cross. He did that for ALL humanity.

If your journey is difficult, remember that we have an advocate with the Father who constantly makes intercession for us. Faith is an ultimate trust in the reality of an unseen God who says – I got this…

Blessings, and may you experience the peace of Christ.

Forgiveness: The Art of Moving Forward

“Sometimes we don’t forgive people because they deserve it. We forgive them because we need it, and because we cannot move forward without it.” (Unknown)

It’s interesting that “unforgiveness” is not recognized by MS Word 2013. I had to add it to the dictionary. We have the ability to choose whether someone is forgiven, or unforgiven. If they offend us, it is up to us whether we choose to forgive them, or not. It is our choice whether we live in unforgiveness, or forgiveness.

I know that in my lifetime I have offended people; some more than others. I am very thankful that I have been forgiven, at least by the ones I know about. I hope that there are not too many who have not…

Like you, I have also felt the pain of being hurt by the actions and words of another person. Funny how we can remember what others have done to us and easily forget the offenses we have committed. I wish it were the other way around. Maybe then I would be slower to speak and quicker to forgive.

As an offense is a choice I make, so is forgiveness. It’s not easy, but it is necessary if I am going to move forward in Christ: And forgive us our debts (sins) as we also forgive our debtors (those that have sinned against us) – Matthew 6:12.

After all, isn't that what Christ did for us when we asked Him forgive us of our sins? Isn't that what He asked His Father to do for those who crucified Him: Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing – Luke 23:34.

The story of the prodigal son(s) is more about the graciousness of the father. So it is with God. I’m not sure which son you were like, but the Father’s grace should compel us to walk in a state of forgiveness. I know we are only human, but we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works – (Ephesians 2:10). What better work than to walk in forgiveness?

The Lord bless you and keep you; The Lord make His face shine upon you, and be kind to you; The Lord lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace – (Numbers 6:25-26)

Blessings my human friends. May we walk in forgiveness...

Significant Simplicity

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)

It was 1957 on a Sunday night at Evangel Temple in Miami, Fl. I was almost 5 years old and had to quote this famous little verse. There is a vague memory of stumbling through it with prompts from a kind little lady. Thus my debut in front of an audience…

Windows 8 is a program that you either love or hate. I happen to like it. While working on my laptop the other night, the Bible program was continuously scrolling through various verses from the book of John. As John 3:16 scrolled through, I paused and thought about its simplicity; God loved us in such a way that He was compelled to send His Son to die for us. I really needed to be reminded of this simple truth.

In all of His omnipotence, omniscience, and omnipresence, God IS love (I John 4:8). It is not that we love God, but that He loves us. And it is that love that sent Christ into the world to live as a man so that we may live through Him.

Speaking to His disciples, Jesus said:

This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. (John 15:12-14)

The significant simplicity of God’s love for humanity led to the obedience of the only One who was qualified for the mission. That same love should guide us through our daily routines and encounters so that we never forget OUR mission; to love humanity as Christ has loved us.

You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
(John 15:16)