But, it was so much fun, right?

Ever had a conversation with a Christian about the past, their “Before Christ” days, and sensed that they still had some leftover desires for those things?  When we are called to follow Him, He asks us to let go of this world to own Him and – let’s be honest – that can be difficult! The familiar, even though we know it is not God’s best, wraps around us like a comforter.  When things get stormy in life there is the temptation to return to old things, former paths.

The people of God, when they were called out of Egypt to journey to the “Promised Land” set out with great hope. The reality of living in the desert, even with God’s daily provisions, soon got to them and they longed for ‘home.’ (see closing song by Keith Green, “So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt.”)  "The people soon began to complain to the Lord about their hardships; …  the people of Israel also began to complain. “Oh, for some meat!” they exclaimed. “We remember all the fish we used to eat for free in Egypt. And we had all the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions, and garlic that we wanted. But now our appetites are gone, and day after day we have nothing to eat but this manna!” (Numbers 11:1-6, NLT) Their complaints brought suffering.

In Genesis, there is the story of Lot’s wife who became a pillar of salt on the plains of Sodom. God’s angels rescued Lot and his family from the city before its destruction, telling them to run for the hills and not to look back. She did and you know the story! The life she knew, though lived among corruption, held her affection and she turned back but her choice brought death.

One of the saddest lines of the New Testament is written by Paul about a ministry colleague named Demas.  The old apostle was on death row, writing his last letter to Timothy. Can you feel his emotion in these words? "Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and is departed unto Thessalonica." (2 Timothy 4:10, KJV)  We do not know the details but it is not too hard to imagine that Demas decided to go home concluding that if following Jesus was going to get you killed, like Paul, he wanted nothing more to do with the Way.  The Bible does not tell us if Demas ever found his way back to Jesus.

Are you feeling the tug of the sins of the past?

Has fatigue or disillusionment set in, making those old pleasures attractive once again?

Are you struggling to ‘let go’ of what you know to possess the Promise?

Take a lesson from those referenced passages. The past is a dead-end. You can’t really go back, and would you want to? Our word from the Word tells us how to stay the course.

"Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. … do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised." (Hebrews 10:32-36, NIV)  "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (Hebrews 12:2-3, NIV)

There is joy in the journey when faith inspires hope and we can see the promise that waits.
God, keep us from looking back and help us to keep looking to Jesus.
Amen

_________

So You Wanna Go Back to Egypt

(Enjoy this song, fun, but with a point!)

So you wanna go back to Egypt

Where it's warm and secure

Are sorry you bought the one way ticket

When you thought you were sure

You wanted to live in the land of promise

But now it's getting so hard

Are you sorry you're out here in the desert

Instead of your own back yard

Eating leaks and onions by the Nile

Ooh what breath for dining out in style

Ooh, my life's on the skids

Building the pyramids

Well there's nothing do but travel

And we sure travel a lot

'Cause it's hard to keep your feet from moving

When the sand gets so hot

And in the morning it's manna hotcakes

We snack on manna all day

And we sure had a winner last night for dinner

Flaming manna souffle

Well we once complained for something new to munch

The ground opened up and had some of us for lunch

Ooh, such fire and smoke

Can't God even take a joke? Huh? NO!

So you wanna to back to Egypt

Where your friends wait for you

You can throw a big party and tell the whole gang

Of what they said was all true

And this Moses acts like a big shot

Who does he think he is?

Well it's true that God works lots of miracles

But Moses thinks they're all his

Oh we're having so much trouble even now

Why'd he get so mad about that c-c-c-cow (that golded calf)

Moses seems rather idle

He just sits around, he just sits around and writes the Bible!

Oh, Moses, put down your pen!

What? Oh no, manna again?

Oh, manna waffles

Manna burgers

Manna bagels

Fillet of manna

Manna patty

BaManna bread!

Keith Green

Copyright 1978

Insiders, chosen

I generally loved school except for physical education class. Not being athletic, lacking the skills for most sports, I knew that when it was time to pick teams, I would be standing alone at the end of the process. The captains first selected their friends and then those with greater ability. Finally, when no one else was left, one of them would call my name – “Scott,” without enthusiasm. It was as sad as it sounds. The memory brings a wry smile today and a greater appreciation for the need to include everyone, to take notice of those that others devalue.

You need never feel left out, without value, or overlooked! Reflect on what Jesus said to His disciples. "I no longer call you servants, because a master doesn’t confide in his servants. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me. You didn’t choose me. I chose you. I appointed you to go and produce fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask for, using my name. I command you to love each other." (John 15:15-17, NLT)  

The Son of God does not value us just for our usefulness or function. He says that we are friends, not servants. Oh yes, we do serve Him but not because we are compelled to do so by fear. We are invited to KNOW Him, love Him, and be included in His plans. Pride has no place, He reminds us, because we did not earn this right, nor did we come to some realization because of superior intelligence or insight. He chose to make Himself know to us, coming to find us, ‘while we were still sinners.’  Beyond that, He says that He has given us real purpose, to do things that have eternal value, a participant in the work of God in this world.  It gets better!  And, He has given us the right to use His name in prayer, giving us access to the Presence of God when we pray.

It is not just children who can sing “Yes, Jesus loves me!”  He loves me and you. Each of us needs to know this, settling securely into the promise, so that in a world that demeans, devalues, uses, abuses, or ignores those who somehow miss out on “desirable” qualities, we will not become miserable and mean in response. When we know we are chosen, dearly beloved children of the Father, we will stop striving, pushing for the front of the line, trying desperately to carve out a place for ourselves. Instead, we can be exactly who God wants us to be, caring little for the approval and/or acceptable of others.

The enemy of God and good will conspire to cause you to feel ‘left out’ and unloved. Refuse his lie. Meditate in the Word, thank God for the amazing love of Christ Jesus, that is not just for the world in general, but for YOU specifically. Yes, the One who knows you best, loves you most.  You are beloved, desired, sought out – chosen to receive His love.

Here is a word from the Word. Here we learn of the responsibility that comes with being the Father’s beloved child.  May we who are loved, learn to love well.  "As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (Colossians 3:12-14, NIV)

________

Who You Say I Am

Who am I that the highest King

Would welcome me

I was lost but He brought me in

Oh His love for me

Oh His love for me

Who the Son sets free

Oh is free indeed

I'm a child of God

Yes I am

Free at last

He has ransomed me

His grace runs deep

While I was a slave to sin

Jesus died for me

Yes He died for me

In my Father's house

There's a place for me

I'm a child of God

Yes I am

I am chosen not forsaken

I am who You say I am

You are for me not against me

I am who You say I am

(Oh) (Yes) I am who You say I am

Ben Fielding | Reuben Morgan

© 2017 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)

CCLI License # 810055

Convicted!

 

Many times in my life I have felt the Spirit press conviction on me - “Jerry, you need to make a course correction in your life.”  He asks me to realign my life with the will of my Father. I can offer up a hundred excuses, rationalize my choices, or try to convince myself that it is not that much of an issue. The best response, I know, is to own my choices and to ask for His help to get my heart right. In surrender there is peace, joy, and the comfort of the Spirit. If you are alive to God, you have experienced the this too. It’s called ‘conviction.’  

Our loving Father desires the best for us, wants to keep us from wandering into quicksand of selfishness that will keep us from serving Him effectively. Is it pleasant or easy to fix an attitude, to forgive a hurt, to readjust our affections away from the things of this world? I think you know that answer! Paul urges us to ‘work out your salvation.’  This is not a call to detailed observance of religious rules. God, the Spirit, desires that we stir the Truth of His Word and obedience to His ways into every part of our lives. God’s plans replace our agendas. Our desire for the Spirit’s power takes the place of self-help and careful preservation of our image. Our life purpose shifts from Self to a whole-hearted pursuit of living in and for the Name of Christ Jesus.

God, the Spirit, reminds us that "the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power." (1 Corinthians 4:20, NIV)  All the “God-talk” in the world is worthless without God-living. Christianity just as an idea, something for discussion groups alone, has nothing to do with genuine discipleship.  Jude says that people who claim to know Jesus but who fail to integrate the Gospel into their lives are "like clouds blowing over dry land without giving rain, promising much but producing nothing. They are like trees without fruit at harvest time.” (Jude 12-13, NLT)

I love the promise that God gives to those who truly desire Him.  Jesus said "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6, NIV)  This is the kind of life that flows from knowing Jesus, a “new creation” through the Spirit. We cannot achieve it but we can receive it! In full faith we come to Him, our hearts completely open, our minds surrendered – and He creates new life by the Spirit in us so that from us there is a “flow of living water.”  (John 7)

In this word from the Word there is a promise of real blessing. Meditate in this, praying that the Spirit will make Himself known in you, through you.

"Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked
or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers.

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

He is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither.

Whatever he does prospers.

Not so the wicked! They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,

but the way of the wicked will perish." (Psalm 1, NIV)

_________

I Surrender All

All to Jesus I surrender

All to Him I freely give

I will ever love and trust Him

In His presence daily live

I surrender all

I surrender all

All to Thee my blessed Savior

I surrender all

All to Jesus I surrender

Make me Savior wholly Thine

Let me feel the Holy Spirit

Truly know that Thou art mine

All to Jesus I surrender

Lord I give myself to Thee

Fill me with Thy love and power

Let Thy blessing fall on me

Judson Wheeler Van DeVenter | Winfield Scott Weeden

© Words: Public Domain

Yes, you can!

I have a word for you this Monday morning – “YES!”  Sunday evening found me tired and in that weariness I was overwhelmed, thinking of a hundred reasons I could not do this, why I should not attempt to do that thing, dreading a new week. I went to bed allowing defeat to play it’s melancholy theme in my mind. But, sometime in the middle of the night the Spirit whispered His wisdom to my heart about the misplaced focus of my intentions and He reminded me that God’s “Yes,” should not be refused nor limited by my perception of abilities.

 

We could explore the reasons that “No” is so much more common than “Yes” but I think you would agree that the common human experience is one in which we are told – by our own mind, by others – about all the limits and barriers- that because we are too … old, young, small, poor … we should not think we can really do what we dream. I join with the Spirit of God to speak a word to you this morning – “Yes!”

 

You can serve God faithfully – Yes!
You can love that difficult person – Yes!You can overcome that habit – Yes!
You can make a real difference – Yes!
You are a person that matters to God – Yes!

Here is how Paul expressed this to the Corinthian church.  "For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." (2 Corinthians 1:20-22, NIV)

Some in that church had accused him of failing to follow through on his word, that he had made promises he did not keep. He explains that hardship and discernment caused him to change his plans, but that God’s promises are not subject to change.  When God says Yes to us, receiving us, giving us salvation, it is a yes that nothing in this world can change.

So, as you start a new week, if a melancholy song of doubt and/or defeat is the mood music of your day, hit the pause button and let God’s “Yes” inspire hope, renew life, and restore the color to your vision! Thank Him that He is greater than your failures, that He has resourced you with what you need to meet the challenges ahead, that He is present for you right where you are.

Meditate on this passage that is so rich with promise for each one of us who are ‘in Christ Jesus.’  It is our word from the Word today. "Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21, NIV)
Immeasurably more than all we ask – now that is a big “Yes!”
_________

Thrive (crank up the volume and let Casting Crowns lift you up)

Here in this worn and weary land
Where many a dream has died 
Like a tree planted by the water
We never will run dry 

So living water flowing through
God we thirst for more of You
Fill our hearts and flood our souls
With one desire
Just to know You and to make You known
We lift Your name on high 

Shine like the sun make darkness run and hide
We know we were made for so much more
Than ordinary lives
It's time for us to more than just survive
We were made to thrive

Into Your Word we're digging deep
To know our Father's heart
Into the world we're reaching out
To show them who You are

Joy unspeakable
Faith unsinkable
Love unstoppable
Anything is possible

We were made to thrive

Mark Hall | Matthew West © 2014 My Refuge Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)Be Essential Songs (Admin. by Essential Music Publishing LLC)
CCLI License # 810055