Calling you

Over a century ago, an iconic image was created by a magazine illustrator named James Montgomery Flagg.  The recruiting poster, made for the U.S. Army, showed Uncle Sam pointing his finger over the caption – “I want you for the U.S. Army.” Thousands of young men responded to the call and became part of the war effort. Their patriotism cannot be questioned but the cause to which they gave themselves is now seen as a costly war, waged in folly, accomplishing little. The so-called “War To End All Wars,” set the stage for the bloodiest war of the 20^th century just three decades later.

To what are you giving your life, my friend? Whose call is guiding you?

Some are building wealth, called by the voice of riches to accumulate more. Some are chasing the ephemeral whispers of pleasure, looking for the next best experience. Some are responding to the call of pride, endlessly seeking recognition and applause.  There are hundreds of voices competing for our attention each one, in its own way, offering to provide meaning and purpose to life for us.  But, there is only One Voice that can actually give us both abundant life now and lead us to eternal life.  Jesus is calling you and me.

Matthew takes us to the rocky shores of a lake. Jesus is assembling the 12 who would be trusted to take the Message to the world.  "As Jesus was walking beside the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon called Peter and his brother Andrew. They were casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. “Come, follow me,” Jesus said, “and I will make you fishers of men.” At once they left their nets and followed him. Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John. They were in a boat with their father Zebedee, preparing their nets. Jesus called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed him." (Matthew 4:18-22, NIV)  These men, who lived simple lives, providing a staple of the diet to the region were offered an opportunity to bring others to know the living God.

Their response compels my attention. “At once they left their nets!”  There were no contracts, no exit clauses, no clarifying and extended discussion – just the compelling Call from Jesus. What did they know of Him? Why would they abandon everything they knew to follow Jesus?  We cannot know, but they did and the rest, as we say, is history. This Man that they had come to know called and they answered, “Yes!”

He is still calling, inviting men and women to become His disciples, making His work the priority of life, the defining reason for their existence. What will your answer be?

I answered His call twice, once as a child to be His disciple, again as a young adult to enter vocational ministry. A little girl asked me on Sunday, “Pastor Jerry, how long have you been a pastor?”  I heard my own voice answer her and for some reason saying it out loud was a bit shocking. “Honey, I have been doing this work for 45 years.”  Yes, a lifetime given to the One who called me a long time ago during a time of prayer in a tiny church, to Whom I said an unqualified “yes,” that night and to Whom I have been saying “yes” each day since; and there are no regrets.  Perhaps I could have accumulated wealth, gained fame, or found greater pleasures if I listened to those other invitations. But, this Call has allowed me to find life, hope, and love.

Will you say, “yes” to Jesus, my friend? That does not mean vocational ministry for all but it does mean making Him Lord of all. He desires to save us, to lead us out of hopelessness of that life dedicated to Self. He wants to restore us to our Father, give us the high and holy purpose of representing Him in the world in which we live, and then to be welcomed Home for eternity when the race is done. What’s your answer?

Here is the word from the Word. May the Spirit use it to speak to your heart, to call you into the service of the Eternal King. "Peter said, “We have left our homes and followed you.” “Yes,” Jesus replied, “and I assure you, everyone who has given up house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the Kingdom of God, will be repaid many times over in this life, as well as receiving eternal life in the world to come.”" (Luke 18:28-30, NLT)

___________

For The Sake Of The Call

Nobody stood and applauded them

So they knew from the start

This road would not lead to fame

All they really knew for sure

Was Jesus had called to them

He said come follow me

And they came

With reckless abandon they came

Empty nets lying there

At the water's edge

Told a story that few could believe

And none could explain

How some crazy fishermen

Agreed to go where Jesus led

With no thought

For what they would gain

For Jesus had called them by name

And they answered

We will abandon it all

For the sake of the call

No other reason at all

But the sake of the call

Wholly devoted to live and to die

For the sake of the call

Drawn like rivers

Are drawn to the sea

There's no turning back

For the water cannot help but flow

Once we hear the Savior's call

We'll follow wherever He leads

Because of the love He has shown

Because He has called us to go

We will answer

Not for the sake of a creed or a cause

Not for a dream or a promise

Simply because it is Jesus who calls

And if we believe we'll obey

Steven Curtis Chapman

© 1990 Universal Music - Brentwood Benson Songs (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

Shine Bright

Light, what a difference it makes. A bright sunny day tends to make for generally happier people, right? Those of us who live in northern climates where one gray day follows another in January and February can develop SAD – Seasonal Affective Disorder. Some people begin to feel depressed as the days shorten, losing interest in life, having lower energy levels, becoming more irritable, and in severe cases- thoughts of suicide. One of the more effective treatments is a simple thing – turn on the lights, bright lights! Getting outside into the light of day, or bringing light with higher intensity into the home can help.

With age, I find that little ‘flashlight’ function on my smartphone quite valuable. I can put light on a small area, quickly and easily, to read that fine print, to find that lost coin. Once again, light makes a difference.

Let’s turn to things spiritual. Are you living in the Light? The Scripture frequently uses ‘darkness’ as a metaphor for life lived apart from God’s Presence.  Those who reject God, even Christians who refuse the Spirit’s leading, become confused; often sad. Unable to see clearly, they are prey for the Evil One who specializes in deception.  Right and wrong become indistinguishable. The path to a whole life that knows the blessings of the Lord is hidden. As the darkness deepens, so too the likelihood of falling into all kinds of spiritually deadly situations.

God brought Light into this world. We just finished our celebration of the birth of the Savior, who in the words of Isaiah, quoted by Matthew, came to be the Great Light. "When Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, he returned to Galilee. Leaving Nazareth, he went and lived in Capernaum, which was by the lake in the area of Zebulun and Naphtali— to fulfill what was said through the prophet Isaiah: “Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way to the sea, along the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles— the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” From that time on Jesus began to preach, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”" (Matthew 4:12-17, NIV)

In that passage there is a choice that comes with the entry of the Light. When He comes to us, there is a revealing of who we are, what we have done, right down to the motives that drive us. That could be frightening enough to make us scurry to find the cover of darkness, IF we do not understand the grace and mercy that come with the Light. John reminds that He did not come to condemn the world but to save us from our sins. Do you know and believe that? Are you willing to let the Light shine, to come into the open light of day, and repent, letting go what once seemed so important in order to grasp that which is of eternal value? Later in his Gospel, Matthew quotes Jesus’ words about living as children of the day. “Your eyes are windows into your body. If you open your eyes wide in wonder and belief, your body fills up with light. If you live squinty-eyed in greed and distrust, your body is a dank cellar. If you pull the blinds on your windows, what a dark life you will have!" (Matthew 6:22-23, The Message)

If you have never invited Jesus to be Lord, Savior, your Light of Life – turn to face Him today. Let the Light shine in. Change will come. Truth will guide. There will be no more stumbling around in the dark.

Christian, invite the Light to shine to every corner of your life. With the entrance of His light, there will be growth. Joy will increase.

Here is the word from the Word. Meditate on it, respond to it. Live! "For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8, NIV)
_______

Shine, Jesus, Shine
(This is the prayer of my heart)

Lord the light of Your love is shining

In the midst of the darkness shining

Jesus Light of the world shine upon us

Set us free by the truth You now bring us

Shine on me shine on me

Shine Jesus shine

Fill this land

With the Father's glory

Blaze Spirit blaze

Set our hearts on fire

Flow river flow

Flood the nations

With grace and mercy

Send forth Your word Lord

And let there be light

Lord I come to Your awesome presence

From the shadows into Your radiance

By the blood I may enter Your brightness

Search me try me consume all my darkness

Shine on me shine on me

As we gaze on Your kingly brightness

So our faces display Your likeness

Ever changing from glory to glory

Mirrored here may our lives tell Your story

Shine on me shine on me

Graham Kendrick

© 1987 Make Way Music (Admin. by Music Services, Inc.)

CCLI License # 810055

Tested, found Strong

A metal railroad bridge in Western Pennsylvania that stood for over a century failed when a tornado swept through.  Engineers who worked to discover the reason for the collapse found that when the bridge was re-built decades ago, using steel in place of the iron, the original iron anchor bolts were left in place, considered too expensive to remove and replace. Steel accepts much higher loads than iron, allowing for flex before failure, where iron suddenly snaps. When 100 MPH winds created side stress, rather than weight pressing down, those older rusted iron anchors cracked and the bridge turned to ruin in a few moments time. (Bridge Fails)

One thing I know for certain – tests come to us all!  They arrive in many ways. Illness, disappointment, death, economic issues, depression, temptation … are just some of the ways we are tested.

How will we respond to those storms? Will the old anchor points of life snap and cause a collapse? Will we turn into a fearful, angry person? Will we abandon faith, turning on God? OR, will we stand, in courage, renewing our commitment to faith, leaning on the Word, even when to do so seems like folly?

In Matthew’s Gospel, we read of a miracle moment at the Jordan at the end of chapter 3. Jesus goes to John, the Baptist, and asks to be baptized, even though He is perfect, not needing the washing of repentance. The Holy Spirit descends and the voice of the Father thunders from above, announcing His delight in His Son. There is glory all around. If I had written the plan, Jesus would have gone straight that from that moment of blessing to Jerusalem to announce the Kingdom! We tend to think that way, believing that one season of blessing should always be followed by another, don't we?

Here is how God allowed the plan to unfold. "Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” 

Then the devil took him to the holy city and had him stand on the highest point of the temple. “If you are the Son of God,” he said, “throw yourself down. For it is written: ”‘He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone.’” Jesus answered him, “It is also written: ‘Do not put the Lord your God to the test.’” 

Again, the devil took him to a very high mountain and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendor. “All this I will give you,” he said, “if you will bow down and worship me.” Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’” Then the devil left him, and angels came and attended him." (Matthew 4:1-11, NIV)

He was ‘led by the Spirit’ to be tested. What a revelation. Jesus did not stumble into a bad time. He did not create His own problems with poor decision-making. The Father allowed Him to be tested! We could guess at a hundred reasons why, but the inspired author offers no explanation. He just tells us what happened. Jesus, left weak by an extended fast, is invited to misuse the power of God to satisfy His own appetite. He hears Satan telling Him that He should expect God to send angels to rescue Him if He put Himself into danger. He is offered a short-cut to ‘success’ in His mission, in only He will abandon His singular love of God. 

In each situation, Jesus does not rely on His own strength, nor does He engage in lengthy debate with the Devil.  He goes to the Hebrew text of Deuteronomy, inspired Word, that He, the Living Word, knew was the revealed will of God. He speaks God’s Word in the moment of testing and that anchor holds Him in the storm.

Tests in our lives bring temptation in many guises.  Why do they come? We sometimes make wrong choices that lead us into hard places. We sometimes choose to live in Self-will rather than God’s will and find ourselves in a mess! But, sometimes God, for purposes beyond our grasp, allows us to walk in deep valleys where the Light of His Presence is hidden. What then? Will our anchor bolts snap leading to a collapse, or will we lean hard on faith, even when it appears irrational?  Faith does not discard reason, but sometimes it goes beyond it, trusting God for that which can only been seen with vision informed by the Spirit.

Know God’s Word and commit that truth to memory. Grow beyond ‘folk religion’ that rests on slogans, mottos, and assumptions. Become a disciple, a true follower of Christ, who ‘works out’ the implications of His salvation in all aspects of life. And, when the tests come, you will stand!

Mediate today on this word from the Word. Make this the guiding Truth for life – for the glory days and the testing times.

“Do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord, no matter what happens. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.  “For in just a little while, the Coming One will come and not delay. And a righteous person will live by faith. But I will have no pleasure in anyone who turns away.” But we are not like those who turn their backs on God and seal their fate. We have faith that assures our salvation.”  - (Hebrews 10:34)  

"We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up." (Hebrews 12:2-3, NLT)

__________

Build My Life

(Will you build your life on Jesus?)

Worthy of ev’ry song we could ever sing

Worthy of all the praise we could ever bring

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

Jesus the name above ev’ry other name

Jesus the only one who could ever save

Worthy of ev’ry breath we could ever breathe

We live for You

We live for You

Holy there is no one like You

There is none besides You

Open up my eyes in wonder and show me who You are

And fill me with Your heart

And lead me in Your love to those around me

I will build my life upon Your love

It is a firm foundation

I will put my trust in You alone

And I will not be shaken

Brett Younker | Karl Martin | Kirby Elizabeth Kaple | Matt Redman | Pat Barrett

© 2016 Martin, Karl Andrew (Admin. by Arkyard Music Services Limited)

Kaple Music (Admin. by Bethel Music Publishing)

Bethel Music Publishing

CCLI License # 810055