Save Me!

Save Me!

Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea.
And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, "It is a ghost!" And they cried out for fear. But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Be of good cheer! It is I; do not be afraid." Matthew 14:25-27

Imagine you were one of the disciples on the boat in rough seas in the night and you see someone walking on the water. What would you think? Would you be afraid? They were rough waters this evening and it was the first time they’d seen someone walking on them. Jesus though speaks to them and says, “Don’t be afraid. Take courage.” Jesus’ words were so comforting that Peter stood up and said to the Lord, “If it is You, command me to come to You on the water."

Peter really lives up to his reputation as the one who talks before he thinks, but I think sometimes God likes this because we put ourselves in situations where we have to trust Him. “Jesus, tell me to come,” says Peter. “Come,” Jesus replies.

As believers we hear God’s word preached and it reveals that Jesus is near. We then begin to see Him and hear Him speak. This buoys our confidence and desire to walk in the places where Jesus walks, and to do the things Jesus does. So we pray to Him and ask to be called to a life of faith. Jesus then calls back to us and says, “Come.” Then we experience the joy of walking by faith. There is such freedom in trusting Jesus for our lives, for our families and our future. After walking toward that life we at times start to see the turmoil in the world around us. Then fear sets in and we sink into despair because without realizing it we have taken our eyes off of Jesus and placed them on the problems that confront us. “But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, "Lord, save me!” (Matthew 14:30)


Christians sometimes think that they have a lot to fear because their choices in life are often very different than what some may have wanted. Perhaps they chose the life of a missionary, or a worker in a church. Maybe they gave up what seemed to be a promising career to follow Jesus to a place that not many people go. Then comes the phone call from a friend or well-intentioned family member asking what they are doing with their life. Then they ask the same question, “What am I doing?” This is where fear comes in and people wonder about the future. I have looked at successful friends and thought, “They have it made,” only to find out that down the road things were no so rosy after all. We imagine that others have no fear, when in fact they have more fears than we could imagine. Fear of failure, future, security, health concerns and other things weigh heavy on people’s minds. The problem is that most don’t know or believe that they can be free from these fears.

Though Peter forgot to keep looking at Jesus, he didn’t forget to call on Him when he was in need. “And beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!” And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him.”

I’m so glad that even when I fail, all I have to do is call on Jesus to save me and He will.
In Isaiah 43:5 God says, “Fear not for I am with you.” He is with you today if you have trusted Him. Now call on him in your need and He will save you and lead you.

What Evil

But they shouted, saying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!"
Then he said to them the third time, "Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him.” Luke 23:21-22

Pilate asks the question that no one else is willing to ask on this day of days when Jesus is crucified. “What evil has He done?”

When Jesus came into the world the Apostle John states that He came for one main reason. The reason was that God loved the people of the world. The problem was that these people had sinned and were condemned to Hell for eternity because sin and God don’t mix. Humans will never really understand the meaning of holiness and perfection until we see Jesus face to face, but there must be something so great about it, so outstanding, and so glorious that anything less than holy could not stand in the presence of God.

We look at sin so casually as if it were a little scratch on our finger, or maybe as serious as a sprained ankle. Obviously we miscalculate, since the remedy for sin is nothing less than the Creator being tortured and put to death by His creation.

“What evil has He done?” He was bold enough to identify with His creation. His evil was that He came to “seek and to save that which was lost.” The reason He was to be crucified was that He dared to lay every right that He had aside to love the ones who shouted for Him to die. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.” Jesus deserved to be crucified because He dared stand in the place of a guilty sinner like you and me. He became sin for us, so that we could obtain God’s righteousness (2 Corinthians 5:21), that was the “evil” He did. "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends.
How will you look at sin today? Is it just a minor annoyance, something that you can say you are sorry for after you’ve enjoyed its pleasure? Or will you see sin as the thing that crucified the Lord of Glory?

Let Him In

And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
"Hosanna to the Son of David!
'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'
Hosanna in the highest!"
And when He had come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" Matthew 21:8-10

Jesus came to the city of Jerusalem at the beginning of the Passion Week to an eager crowd who were ready to make Him King of Israel. They were so excited that they cut down branches and laid down their clothes so that the Lord’s donkey would not touch the ground as he walked. This is in some ways a very strange scene.

Why do I say that? It is because later in the week most if not all of these people would forsake the very King that they had so warmly welcomed into Jerusalem. The one they had welcomed in they now cast out because He would change the status quo and replace the systems that people had become very comfortable with. The religious leaders who had the most to loose stirred up the people against Jesus because they did not want to cede control of what they had to another.

We must be careful not to cast Jesus out of our lives for this same reason. We become accustomed to the way things have always been and we like it. Then we ask Jesus into our lives, sometimes with great fanfare. A short time later we realize that things are changing and we can’t do all that we used to do and we don’t like it and we don’t accept it. We want Jesus to be a part of our lives, but not our whole life. There are some things that we pronounce “off limits” to the Lord.

One of the ways that God causes a Christian to grow in their faith is by showing them that there are some things in their life that must change. He wants us to open the gates of our heart to him and let Jesus be the King in areas that remain under the control of our old life before we were believers. This thing we give Him can be a habit, a relationship, a lifestyle or any such thing that keeps us from allowing Him to reign in areas of our lives. It is like the Children of Israel who during the conquest of Canaan never got full control of the land because they did not drive out all the inhabitants. They didn’t obey what god had commanded them so they never had total peace in their country. Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of God rule in your hearts.” To have peace with God and with ourselves it is imperative to let him control all aspects of our lives.

Ask God today if you are shutting Him out of areas in your life. If He shows you that you are, open up the gate of that area and let Him enter triumphantly to make the changes that will allow you to be free from self and fulfilled with all that He has to give you.

What Are We Seeking?

Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him. Luke 23:8

King Herod had long desired to meet Jesus of Nazareth because he had heard so much about Him. Herod was not alone in seeking to meet Jesus. The religious Pharisees wanted to meet Him. The people who had heard about Jesus feeding the 5000 sought Him.

Some sought Jesus out of a pure heart because they wanted to know if He truly was the Messiah. The crowd in John chapter 6 was seeking bread. The priests were seeking to trap Jesus into saying something against the Law of Moses. Herod and others like him sought Jesus so he could do miracles in front of them as if he were a magician, only to be disappointed when the Lord would not perform for them.

People are no different today than they were 2000 years ago when it comes to seeking Jesus. Some seek Him for a while but then say, “Jesus is not real” because He didn’t heal someone, or because He allows suffering in the world. Many chase after the Lord because they want something. Their relationship with Him depends on what they get from Him. If things are good then God is good. If things are not then they are doubtful.

The question is, “What am I seeking Jesus for? Is it for satisfaction? Is it to be part of something bigger than myself? Am I following the Lord for what I can get from Him? If so, what do I do if I don’t get what I want?”

The Apostle Paul was a man who sought something from Jesus. Paul had a great story. He was someone who most would love to have in their church, he was a studious man, one of many experiences both good and bad. He had a lot to bring to the table. But with all that he had, all the history and the suffering and the work he did for God, he states, “Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.” (Philippians 3:8) Paul sought Jesus for one thing, “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death.” (Philippians 3:10)
“Knowing God” is not a popular reason for seeking Jesus today. In fairness people who are seeking Jesus don’t know what they are seeking for. They simply know they have a need and hope that Jesus can fill it. Indeed He can.
Let us seek to know Jesus as Paul did, and be ready to lead others to the one who can fill their needs forever.

Snowy Rooftops

On a very recent trip to visit our church in Romania we woke up the second day to a 6 inch layer of snow. My son, myself and a few friends then went to the city of Brasov to ascend the mountain that overlooks the city.
When we got to the top of the mountain and looked out across the city I was impressed with all the white roofs I was seeing. It made me think of this verse,

“Though your sins be as scarlet they shall be white as snow.” (Isaiah 1:18)

Thank God that we have exchanged our guilt for forgiveness and grace.

I think when God looks down at the snowy roofs He too is reminded of the sacrifice of Jesus, and is pleased that he can’t see the sins of His children.

Remember, no matter what, God loves you so much. His love is unfailing and everlasting. Build yourself up in that truth. You are white as a fresh snowfall. Go out and play in the snow of your purity and enjoy the fellowship of His love.

Being A Friend

Then Jonathan said to David, "Go in peace, since we have both sworn in the name of the LORD, saying, 'May the LORD be between you and me, and between your descendants and my descendants, forever.'" So he arose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city. 1Sa 20:42

David made a vow to a friend Jonathan many years previous to his elevation to the throne of Israel. In a time when Jonathan’s father, King Saul, was seeking to kill David, Jonathan pledged friendship forever and David pledged the same to him. Interestingly, that proved to be the last recorded time that David and Jonathan would meet. After their friendship was made it would be tested because of Saul’s hatred for David.
I imagine that David had a lot of bitterness toward the family of Saul in that they were made to be rivals because of God’s displeasure with Saul. Saul of course had an army and David only had his band of misfits who mostly tried to stay out of Saul’s reach. Of course Jonathan was part of the army of his father Saul so it would have been easy for David to wonder how good of a friend he really was. David never did break his vow to Jonathan. His friendship even extended to King Saul. Though the King was trying to kill David, he refused to take revenge on Saul, even when he twice had the chance to.

When David had taken control of all Israel many years after the deaths of Jonathan and Saul, the first thing he wanted to do was to make good on his pledge to his friend Jonathan. The promise they made to each other extended beyond their lives to the lives of their descendants. David sought out any family that Saul might have just so he could bless them for the sake of his friend. “NOW David said, "Is there still anyone who is left of the house of Saul, that I may show him kindness for Jonathan's sake?” 2 Samuel 9:1

Acts 13:22 says that David was a man after God’s own heart. What is God’s heart? It is the heart of friendship. “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.” John 15:15
To be a friend if God is to want what God wants, to obey what God says and to love what God loves. This kind of obedience doesn’t come easily. It is achieved through commitment to a promise. First of all the promise came from God. It is a promise of friendship, a promise of commitment, a promise of forgiveness and a promise of faithfulness.

Our part is to believe and then to let God love us to the point of change. His love can do nothing but change us into His image. David often displayed the image of God in His actions towards others. There are other times where he personified a man who had strayed very far from his friendship with God, but found his way back by recognizing that though he was unfaithful, God could not be.
2Ti 2:13 If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.
What a Friend we have in Jesus, all our sins and griefs to bear!

That's Just Wrong

Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’? Genesis 3:1



Genesis chapter 3 records the first question posed in the Bible. The interesting thing about this question is that it was both a question and accusation in one. The premise of the serpent was that God is a liar. The extension of that thought creates another question. “If He lied about this, what else is He lying about?”



We know the rest of the story. Eve listens to the serpent and both she and Adam eat the fruit and are expelled from the garden to a place where the earth is cursed and they must earn a living by toil and sweat.



When we look at this narrative it seems at first very sad and an incredibly severe punishment by God upon His creation. Certainly Eve did nothing so evil as to merit death. All she did was eat some fruit and then pass it on to her husband to eat. Is God so petty that he would use the slightest miscue against us and sentence us to a life of misery? Doesn't this whole scene cast a poor light on the God of the Bible? As we read on we see other evidences of God losing His temper. People like Uzzah, were trying to help God. What did he get for his efforts? “And when they came to Nachon's threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the LORD was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God.” (2 Samuel 6:6-7) Newsflash to God – Uzzah was trying to HELP and You struck him down. How could a loving God hurt His servants who are just trying to do the right thing?



What questions might God ask of those who accuse Him of being unfair and petty? Perhaps He would ask, “Why did Eve disobey my direct command? And If I were as evil as my adversary says, why did I not just kill Eve and Adam right away? Why also would I make them a promise that Eve’s descendant would defeat the one who deceived her?”



Well OK God what about poor Uzzah? “You want talk about Uzzah who had already violated the Holiness of my presence by looking at the Ark long before He touched it. The question you should be asking is, ‘Why did I not kill everybody including King David who took part in this misuse of the Ark?’”



What do you mean God? “I mean that because of my extreme patience with Israel and the fact that they desired to honor Me, I let them get away with violating the laws concerning the Ark when I could have justly struck down thousands for not following the commands I gave to Moses. But I didn’t. The basis for all that I do and all the laws that I made are so that people can come to me by faith and receive forgiveness for the wrongs they have committed. Because of my Holiness I can’t stand in the presence of sin or sinful man. Because of my love for sinful man I have exercised patience and waited till the last possible moment for people to turn from their sin and avoid the penalty of death, just as I did for Eve.”

God was more than fair in providing warning to Adam and Eve, to Uzzah and all those who fell short of God’s righteous standard. He also proves He is love by providing for us a way of escape. So instead of saying as we like to these days, "That's just wrong!", and blaming God for the few times he has had to exercise discipline upon his people, let's praise Him for all the times when we deserved to be spanked but instead got grace and mercy.