THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 14

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Day 14:  The Remarkable Faith of a Centurion (Luke 7: 1-10)

The heart of the centurion was breaking.  How faithfully his slave had served him.  Never once had his servant disrespected him.  If the truth were known, the centurion loved him like a son.  Truly, he would never again have a servant as lovingly obedient as this one, and now his life was in grave danger.  His body lay motionless, and he was tormented by his paralysis.  “Oh, please spare him,” the centurion cried out as his tears fell silently to the floor.

Not many days later, the centurion, a Roman military man, heard about Jesus.  No one seemed to know how He healed people, only that He had some supernatural authority over diseases and even death.  So he sent some Jewish elders to find this Jesus, the ones he had befriended when he built them a synagogue.  He stayed behind to care for his servant.  Besides, he couldn’t bring ­­this Jewish man to Jesus because he was a Gentile.  He felt completely unworthy to come to Him.

The Jewish elders who had great respect for the centurion sought to find Jesus.  When they found Him, they pleaded with Him earnestly to come with them to heal their friend’s slave.

Jesus obliged and started out with them, but when they were very close to his house, they were stopped by some other friends of the centurion.

Jesus was surprised, and He marveled at the message sent by the centurion.   This man was completely humbled in his words, even though he was a man with great authority.  This kind of humility was refreshing to Jesus!  This Gentile centurion seemed to know that only a word spoken by Jesus would have the same authority to heal his servant as Jesus coming in person.  Amazing!  These comments revealed not only his great wisdom, but his great faith as well.  As a result of such faith, the centurion’s servant was completely healed in that very moment.

Do you believe that Jesus has been given all authority over heaven and earth?  If you do, does He have all authority over you?  Can you call Him your LORD if He doesn’t?  Does His Word have power over you and your life?  Do you obey His commands found in the Word?

THE RESURRECTED LIFE -- Day 3

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Day 3 -- Abraham's Test of Obedience

Life is full of tests.  Tests are what lie between the beginning of our faith journey and the day we receive our glorified bodies in heaven.  They are not intended to squash us.  On the contrary, they are to move us toward a greater dependence on God.  Our faith is revealed to God and others by the degree to which we obey, worship and love God.  These three Christian principles of faith are mentioned together for the first time in the Bible in Genesis 22 when Abraham is tested by God.

Abraham already had righteousness credited to his spiritual account (Gen. 15:6).  God told him that One would come from him who would be his heir and would give him many descendants.  Through this Heir, ALL the nations would be blessed (Gen. 12:1-3).  Abraham knew of the Messiah to come and believed God.  Through his child of the promise (Isaac), Jesus would come.

But God tested Abraham’s faith by asking him to take his beloved Isaac and offer him as a burnt sacrifice.  How could Abraham obey that command?  He could obey because he believed the promises that God made to him!  If God allowed Isaac to die, Messiah could not come through that line.  Abraham trusted God to do what He said He would do.  This is how he was able to tell the men with him, “I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you.” 

Again Abraham demonstrated and acted on faith when his son asked him a difficult question.  “Where is the lamb for the burnt offering?”   Abraham replied, “God will provide for Himself the lamb.”  Abraham passed God’s test when he followed through on everything God commanded him, binding up the one he loved most, laying him on the altar, and raising the knife to slay him.  Because of such faith, Abraham is a picture to us of true worship.  His actions reveal to us an obedient heart.  No wonder Abraham was called a friend of God!  (James 2:23)

Though he was a man from the Old Testament days, Abraham’s heart was transformed by his love for a Savior who had not yet come.  We have the promises in the Word; we say we believe them.  But do we live a sacrificial life that is proven by our obedience to God’s commands?

Stop Hiding--Gen. 44

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For twenty years, ten brothers hid a secret deep inside their hearts.  They had followed a devilish plan to get rid of their favored, tunic-ed, arrogant, little brother.  They lied to their father, causing him grief beyond words, their explanation calloused and unfeeling.  They went on with their lives as if nothing sinful had happened.  They could do that because they were now avenged, delighted that their brother would not be around any more.  Yes, they thought the trouble was over.  But it was only the beginning of the trouble they would feel in their hearts for the next two decades.

Little did they know that their sin was being woven into My perfect will for the entire nation of Israel.  Their extreme jealousy set into motion My plan to move all of Israel to Egypt, to a land where the natives would have NOTHING to do with foreigners.  My Israel, My precious nation, would dwell 430 years in a country in which they would never be allowed to integrate.  Israel would not be polluted by Egypt.  A pure and holy Israel was My desire.  But something must draw them to Egypt.  Enter a severe famine in all the land, and one man, Joseph, the favored brother, who would keep My Israel alive and unpolluted.   Evil used for good?  In My economy, I can use everything to bring about good.  And I chose to use the ugly sin of ten brothers to accomplish My good purposes.

I can also use your evil for good, but too often you are hiding, not from Me, but from the reality of the sin you have committed.  The ten brothers did, telling themselves many lies that they soon believed.  You, My precious one, do the same.  You cover your eyes as if to say to Me, "If I cannot see it, then maybe, just maybe, You won't see it as well."  So many times you ignore your sin instead of confessing it.  That is what happens when you cover your eyes to it.  When you cover your eyes, you have no ability to look into Mine.

Come to me, and remove your fingers slowly.  I know that it is painful for you to look at Me.  But look straight into My eyes.  In doing so you might still feel pain, but it will be much less severe than the pain you feel as you carry around in your heart the reality of who you are without Me. Dare to strategically move just one finger so that you can see Me.  My eyes are full of love and forgiveness.  My eyes will enfold you into Me.  Come, see, be set free . . . in Me.

Feelings Vs. Commitment

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Active Commitment

Naomi had lost nearly everything.  In moving to Moab in the middle of a drought and famine in Bethlehem, she and her husband and two sons had walked away from both their God, Jehovah-Jireh (Provider), and their beloved homeland. During her ten years in Moab, her husband and sons died, leaving her only two daughters-in-law who were not of her faith.  Naomi's bruised heart and battered faith beckoned her to move home!  Home. . . the place where family and friends might surround her with love and protection.  Home. . . returning to her God and her trust in Him.   How she surely longed for everything that "home" meant.

The three were not far down the road, close enough to still return to Moab, when Naomi tried  to strongly suggest they let her go to Bethlehem alone.  Though both "daughters" desired to go with her, Naomi found every reason to insist that they stay in their own homeland.  But she was unsuccessful in convincing them.  It is in her "daughters" responses that we gain our wisdom today.  It is in their individual actions that we can see the stark difference between "what we feel" and "what we are wholly committed to do."

Surely both young ladies had  deep feelings for Naomi, or they never would have left with her.  Both of them loved their mother-in-law, and likely had concerns for her welfare.  However, though both had the same feeling for Naomi, they did not choose the same route.

Orpah gave Naomi a loving kiss and then departed from them and returned to Moab.  No one could blame her.  That is where her family was.  That was her homeland.  That was the place where she was comfortable.  That is where her gods were.  Moab was her life.  Her feelings ran deep for her mother-in-law and sister-in-law, but Moab was home to her.  So she turned around and went home.

But Ruth could not leave Naomi.  Her loving feelings spilled over into a bold and courageous action.  Ruth clung to Naomi, like a child who does not want to be left behind.  Her love for Naomi would be shown by her lifelong commitment to her mother-in-law.  Her actions overpowered her feelings.  As a result, her friendship had grown into loyalty, and her loyalty revealed her great love.  Orpah felt strongly; Ruth acted strongly.

Here are Ruth's words spoken to Naomi:  "Do not urge me to leave you or turn back from following you; for where you go, I will go, and where you lodge, I will lodge.  Your people shall be my people, and your God, my God.  Where you die, I will die, and there I will be buried."  (Ruth 1: 16-17a)  Ruth's feelings are not what are important in what she is saying.  It is her commitment to Naomi that shouts to us today!

In your relationship with God are you a believer who has really strong feelings about God, your ministry, study, fellowship, and worship, but your life reveals that you are more comfortable with your gods?  Does your old and familiar lifestyle draw you, or are you drawn by the unknown and uncomfortable way of the journey that the Holy Spirit wants to take you on?  Do you hold the reins or are you surrendered to going where God wants you to go?  Do you turn from God or do you cling to Him?  Do you see the danger in living in your feelings?  Do you see security in leaving where you are to go to the place God desires you to be? 

I couldn't help but think of the lyrics of one of Chris Tomlin's newest songs.  I am pretty sure that he had Ruth's words in mind!

I Will Follow

Where You go, I'll go; where You stay, I'll stay;

When You move, I'll move; I will follow You

Who You love, I'll love; how You serve, I'll serve

In this life I lose, I will follow You, I will follow You!

All Your ways are good, all Your ways are sure, I will trust in You alone.

Higher than my side, high above my life, I will trust in You alone. 

Light unto the world, light unto my life, I will live for You alone.

You're the One I seek, knowing I will find, all I need is You alone, is You alone.

In You there's life everlasting, in You there's freedom for my soul.

In You there is joy, unending joy, and I will follow!

Do you have strong feelings about the words of that song?  Or do you live and do them?  Will you live in Moab, feeling strongly about God and the things of God, or are you packing for the journey to Bethlehem?  Which is your home?