Category Archives: Bible

ask. seek. knock.

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“All you got to do is ask…”

I often hear this phrase in the form of that oh-so-subtle ‘gentle whisper’. But I’m a worrier. I get anxious really easy. It’s hard for me to ask for help. I’d rather stress out and believe that the world is actually caving in. Why? I have no idea.

Right now I’m at a time in my life where all I can do is ask God what’s “next.” If I don’t start seeking I’m not going to find anything. I’m at a crossroad and not sure which way to go. And then I hear it: “All you got to do is ask…” Wait… There it is again. “God? Is that You?”

I’m sure everyone would love to receive a personal visit from God and listen intently while He reveals His grandiose plan for their life. I know I would. But somehow I don’t think that’s going to happen. What I can bank on though is that if I ask, I’ll receive — if I seek, I’ll find — and if I knock, the door will be opened. Agh, it sounds so easy, but what if I don’t get the answer I want? What if I don’t like what’s on the other side of the door? Hmmm… That could be a problem. I think the real question is Do I believe that the Father is good?

Yes.

So the answer I receive should be good. Right?

What I find will be good.

What lies on the other side of the door is good.

Even IF it’s not what I had in mind.

The bottom line is this: The Father is good and He gives good gifts to His children.

I am His child. So if I ask, he’ll give me something good.

All that’s required of me is to have faith that He’s the good Father He promises to be. And I do.

So I stand outside the door and knock, waiting for the surprise that awaits me. God, thank You for Your goodness. Thank You for Your promises. Help me to treat others with the same goodness You have shown me. I’m looking forward to the journey of what lies ahead — the joy, the suffering, the pain, the adventure. No matter what it looks like, I know that it will be completely and utterly rewarding, so long as You are at the CENTER. Amen!

What do you need to ask for? To seek after? What doors are waiting to be opened in your life?

Week 3 // 100 Days

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WEEK 3

Matthew 11 // Jesus fulfills the Messiah requirements of Isaiah 35:5-6, 61:1, healing the sick and preaching the good news. Jesus is the One, the Messiah, the Son of God, who is gentle and humble in hear, who gives us rest for our weary souls.

Matthew 12 // Jesus breaks the ‘rules’ but proclaims he is the ‘Lord of the sabbath’. He’s also accused of healing and driving out demons in the name of satan, yet a kingdom can’t be divided among itself. Either you’re good or bad. Good produces good.

Matthew 13 // Jesus speaks in parables about the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is like good soil, good seed, a mustard seed, yeast, treasure, a pearl, and a fishing net. A disciple hears, listens, and follows with obedience in the kingdom.

Matthew 14 // John the baptist is beheaded. Upon hearing this, Jesus wants to be alone, but has compassion on the crowds and miraculously feed them. Then he gets his solitude to pray. Peter walks on water. Jesus has compassion. Do I?

Matthew 15 // Jesus isn’t about tradition, but about serving God. It’s not what enters the body, but what comes from the heart that’s evil. Another story of a woman with great faith & Jesus continues to have compassion on people, healing & feeding multitudes.

WEEK 2 // 100 days

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WEEK 2

Matthew 6 // Don’t fake it and be an ‘actor’. Focus on today and don’t worry about earthly things. Follow Jesus’ model of prayer and seek first the Kingdom of God. Where is my treasure hidden?

Matthew 7 // Focus on dealing with your junk, not others’. Ask, seek, knock. Take the hard road and treat others how you want to be treated. True listening is obeying and putting it into action. Actions speak louder.

Matthew 8 // Jesus heals the sick and commends an ‘enemy’ [Roman Centurion] for his faith, while rebuking His own disciples for their lack of faith. What would Jesus say about my faith? Do I believe that He can still command the seas and calm my storms?

Matthew 9 // Faith is a key component in Jesus’ healings. Jesus spends a lot of time healing and hanging out with sinners and tax collectors. He has compassion on them because they are like sheep without a shepherd. He is the Good Shepherd.

Matthew 10 // The disciples are sent out and given authority to do awesome things. With this though, they are also warned that they will be persecuted. The life of a disciple is a hard road. The cost is loving God above all, taking up our cross and losing our life. Only then will we find it.

100 Day Bible Challenge

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My church is doing a 100 Day Bible reading plan through the Gospels and the book of Acts. It’s always so refreshing reading through the Gospels and re-focusing on the life of Christ. I so desperately need that in my life constantly. Here’s a link to the challenge in case you’re interested // http://www.centralaz.com/100DAYS

For my reading and SOAP Journaling I’m going to seek to have a “big idea” take-away from each day’s reading. I’ll post and share these each week. I’d love for you to share your thoughts as well.

WEEK 1

Matthew 1 // The amazing account of Jesus the Messiah, God’s King, Emmanuel ['God with us'], who saves His people from their sins.

Matthew 2 // Some came to worship and adore the King while others were threatened by Him. This cycle continues today. Is Jesus the King of your life or a threat to your kingdom of ‘self’?

Matthew 3 // The kingdom of heaven has come near! Turn towards God and follow His son with devotion and passion.

Matthew 4 // The Holy Spirit tests us, and God’s Word strengthens us. Jesus is stronger than any tactics of Satan. Jesus extends the invitation to come and follow — an invitation to love and serve people.

Matthew 5 // Discipleship training and the teaching of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus brings a new interpretation of TORAH / LAW — serve, love, make peace, forgive, be meek, righteous, and pure. Be perfect, because Yahweh is perfect.

We can know!

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I don’t know about you, but May 21st was definitely a significant day for me and it wasn’t because of the rapture (or lack thereof). It was a day I will never forget because it was the day that my family celebrated and honored the life of my Grandmother, Mary Lou Clements. Funerals are never fun, yet they present us with an opportunity to think and reflect deeply about this very brief gift we call life. The writer of the book of James comments, “What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes” (James 4:14). Unfortunately, it often takes losing someone close for us to remember this stark reality. However, this is not the only reminder we receive. As hard as it is to deal with the reality of death, we also have been given the amazing hope that death is not the end of the story. Can I get an amen?

What the “you can know” rapture believers got right was the who and what, although they were horribly off on the when detail. Indeed, revealing with 100% confidence the exact date of Christ’s return just makes everyone look bad. I can’t tell you how many jokes were flying around on May 22nd. It makes me want to shake my head in embarrassment because now the entire world will most likely associate all Christians with this incident.

The truth that hopefully doesn’t get lost in all this negative hype is the message that Jesus really lived, that He did die on a cross, that He did rise again, that He is the son of God, and that He will return in glory sometime in the future. This is the promise that we can know! Sadly, people have taken this promise further and have been predicting Jesus’ return since He left this earth. So far, every single one of them have been dead wrong. What’s funny to me is why people after people keep thinking/believing that they have it figured out, especially when scripture says, “No one knows” but the Father. Even Jesus doesn’t know! If Jesus doesn’t even know then what gives someone the arrogance to think that they could be in the know? Enough about that though…

The only thing that matters is that we can know that Jesus is Lord and that He will return and restore creation in His glory. That is the all-important hope that Christians are called to live out and share. That reality should change who we are and what we do – it should shape the way we love, care, and treat others. If it doesn’t then do we really believe in the message of Jesus?

As I was faced on May 21st with the reality of just how temporary this earthly life is, I was also reminded of how every moment counts. Do I make the most out of every opportunity? Am I living a life of purpose and following after the call of Jesus? Unfortunately, I think I speak for everyone, that this is easier said than done. But my hope and prayer is that we, as the body of believers, encourage each other to pursue this life. After all, we’ll never know when our time will come. Until it does, let us run the race with perseverance and strength, fixing our eyes on Jesus our Savior. And who knows…maybe He will come back tomorrow! If He does, oh what a glorious day it will be!!!