simply focus on Jesus

Matthew 17:1-13

 ⁵While [Peter] was going on like this, babbling, a light-radiant cloud enveloped them, and sounding from deep in the cloud a voice: "This is my Son, marked by my love, focus of my delight. Listen to him."

 ^6-8When the disciples heard it, they fell flat on their faces, scared to death. But Jesus came over and touched them. "Don't be afraid." When they opened their eyes and looked around all they saw was Jesus, only Jesus.

This is one of my favorite encounters of the Disciples with Jesus.  It is easy for us to get distracted and pay too much attention to other stuff going on around us, but at then end of the day, we simply need to focus our attention on Jesus. 

Heavenly Father, thank you for your Son, Jesus.  Thank you for His life, death, and resurrection.  Thank you for giving us the Bible to know Him.  Lord Jesus, thank you for your love and patience.  Holy Spirit, please turn the attention of my mind, heart, and soul to Jesus.  I want to love you and follow you.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

good run

Matthew 16:21-28

²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If any of you wants to be my follower, you must turn from your selfish ways, take up your cross, and follow me. ²⁵ If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it.

I went for a run with Sam this evening after our home group.  It was incredible!  The farthest I have run recently is about a mile and a half, but I ran about three miles this evening with Sam!  Sam is a proficient endurance/distance runner, and he gave me some tips as we got started.  One of his most helpful points was that the first four or five minutes are anaerobic, which feels terrible, but after that, your body engages aerobic, and you can actually keep going if you just push past the gross part at the beginning.  We had a great conversation, and I am so encouraged by this experience. 

I realize that such a large part of the progress is due to the accountability and friendship.  We need each other in this process.  We can't follow Jesus alone.  No such thing.  Just like Sam was patient with me and helped me run farther than I thought I could, we need each other spiritually to run the distance.

Heavenly Father, thank you for friends like Sam who you use to help push me out of passivity and complacency into proactivity and intentionality.  Jesus, thank you for a group of Brothers and Sisters to help me follow you.  I love you, Lord, and I want to turn from my selfish ways, take up my cross, and follow you.  I give you my life for your sake.  Please use my life to help others experience your life.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

yeast of the pharisees

Matthew 16:1-20

⁶ "Watch out!" Jesus warned them. "Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." ... ¹² Then at last they understood that he wasn't speaking about the yeast in bread, but about the deceptive teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

I am amazed at how easy it is to operate in empty religion instead of abundant life.  Religion can be so comfortable and reassuring at first, but then it is constricting like a giant snake cutting off life.  We grow up naturally thinking that the experiences we have had (especially those religious experiences) are normal.  And we naturally think that we should keep doing things the way we have always done them.  And we think that everyone else should do everything the way we are accustom to doing things.  And we end up missing the whole point of loving God, loving people, "following Jesus into strange places."

Heavenly Father, please let me see how religious I am.  Please help me recover from religion and live the abundant life of following Jesus that He promised. Lord, please deliver me from the stress and anxiety of work.  Please help me see you and your Kingdom.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

fatherhood

Matthew 15:21-39

Yesterday was a special day.  My parents were able to join us for a baby dedication service at Paseo where we committed to raise Jude to love God and walk with Him.  Greg gave a challenge from Deuteronomy 6:

 ⁴ "Listen, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD alone. ⁵ And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength. ⁶ And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. ⁷ Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up. ⁸ Tie them to your hands and wear them on your forehead as reminders. ⁹ Write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

Last night, we watched the movie "Courageous" (http://www.courageousthemovie.com/), which follows the lives of several police officers and their challenges to be good husbands and fathers.  It was very encouraging and challenging for me to be more intentional as a father.  I don't want to just get by as an average dad; I want to follow the Biblical expectations of fatherhood and communicate the character of God the Father to my family.  Of course, I can't actually do that; I need God's grace to give me courage and faith to obey His calling.

Heavenly Father, thank you for your grace and mercy.  Lord, you know that I have not been the best father that I could be; please forgive me and help me do better.  I love you, Lord.  I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.

weakness

Matthew 14:1-21

On Tuesday evening, I had to pack my bag for my trip to a research conference in Las Vegas.  I told Beau, "Well, I guess I need to go upstairs and pack my bag."  Beau started climbing the stairs saying, "Pack my bag?  Pack my bag?"  I felt like I was the worst dad in the world.

Yesterday morning, as I was getting ready to attend the conference, I was so nervous and anxious.  I was presenting in a session with three well-known, well-established researchers in my field.  I was nervous about how my presentation would compare to theirs.  I sang the praise song, "You are my all in all" as I got ready.  The line, "You are my strength when I am weak," was very encouraging to me.  I confessed how weak I am, and I prayed that the Lord would give me peace.

This morning, as I was getting dressed, I was not anxious or worried at all, and I was excited about a potential research collaboration that was discussed at over dinner last night.  I realized how weak I am that my feelings are so fickle.  The line, "You are my strength when I am weak," takes on a slightly deeper meaning.

Heavenly Father, I am so weak.  Please help me be a good husband, father, and professional.  Please help me base my security on your love, which is eternal and constant.  I love you, Lord.  I am nothing without you.  Please help me stay connected to the vine.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

planting

Matthew 13:1-35

 ^3-8"What do you make of this? A farmer planted seed. As he scattered the seed, some of it fell on the road, and birds ate it. Some fell in the gravel; it sprouted quickly but didn't put down roots, so when the sun came up it withered just as quickly. Some fell in the weeds; as it came up, it was strangled by the weeds. Some fell on good earth, and produced a harvest beyond his wildest dreams.

Yesterday morning, one of the leaders of one of the Christian student organizations that I advise stopped by my office to talk about school and ministry.  He has had some challenges with a few of the engineering courses, and he wanted to get some advice.  I encouraged him to persevere and study diligently this semester, and I encouraged him to pray and seek God about the future direction of his life.  I am excited about how God might use his engineering skills to advance the Kingdom.

Yesterday afternoon, one of the new professors in engineering was walking by my office, and we struck up a conversation.  He gave me a quick tour of his research lab, and I showed him my lab, and we brainstormed some potential ideas for research collaboration.  When we got back to my office, he noticed the Chinese print of Hebrews 11:1 hanging on my wall.  He told me that the first character means, "believe".  As I was flipping to Hebrews 11:1 in my Bible, he told me that he didn't practice religion.  I read the verse and explained how this verse is important for me because sometimes you can't see, but you have to believe.  You have to trust God.  This is faith.

Heavenly Father, thank you for these opportunities to minister on campus.  Please help me be open and aware of how I can be available to share your light, love, and life in a non-religious way.  I love you, Lord.  Please flow through me.  I ask in the name of Jesus Christ.

religion

Matthew 12:15-50

¹⁵ But Jesus knew what they were planning. So he left that area, and many people followed him. He healed all the sick among them, ¹⁶ but he warned them not to reveal who he was. ¹⁷ This fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah concerning him:  ¹⁸ "Look at my Servant, whom I have chosen.
      He is my Beloved, who pleases me.
   I will put my Spirit upon him,
      and he will proclaim justice to the nations.
 ¹⁹ He will not fight or shout
      or raise his voice in public.
 ²⁰ He will not crush the weakest reed
      or put out a flickering candle.
      Finally he will cause justice to be victorious.
 ²¹ And his name will be the hope
      of all the world."

I feel so religious recently.  I want to love God with all of my heart, mind, soul, and strength.  I want to love my neighbor as myself.  I want to love in response to His love.  But I feel like I'm just going through the motions a lot.  I'm tired.  I need rest.  But I don't know how to rest.  Brandi needs rest, too.  But she's a 24-7 mom, and the boys use up most of that 24.  I realize that the magnitude of my problems is pretty small compared to most people in the world, but it says here that he won't crush the weakest reed.  But what about healing the reed?   What about restoring the reed?  His name is the hope of all the world.  I know that this is eternally true, but I want to feel it.  I want to have joy and peace when I think about His name being the hope of all the world.  I want to experience it for myself, day after day after day.  I want to experience His hope.

Heavenly Father, I love you.  Please help me.  Help me keep running the race with perseverance.  Please help me be an encouragement and help to my wife.  Please help me be a good leader for my sons.  I love you, Lord, and I pray in the name of Jesus Christ.