A journal entry about being secret with our service:
“When I was in the novitiate, in my early twenties, I decided to do one small act of kindness each day that was completely unknown to anyone. So I would keep my eyes peeled for something helpful I could do that no one would see. I wanted to be absolutely sure that I was doing it for no one but God, whom I loved with a kind of simple and quite passionate fervor. I made beds, or turned them down. I folded clothes, I tidied. At least one a day, and no one knew. That very infinitesimal act each day gave me enormous joy. It gave me a kind of inner excitement to do this only for God: a secret between me and God. It kept me alert to the small needs of others; maybe it provided spontaneity and creativity in an otherwise highly regimented situation.”
Elaine Prevallet
Blessings,
Jason
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
What sorrow ...
Hear the word of God:
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi.'*
"Don't let anyone call you 'Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don't address anyone here on earth as 'Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. And don't let anyone call you 'Teacher,' for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces. You won't go in yourselves, and you don't let others enter either.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!
"Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear 'by God's Temple,' but that it is binding to swear 'by the gold in the Temple.' Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? And you say that to swear 'by the altar' is not binding, but to swear 'by the gifts on the altar' is binding. How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? When you swear 'by the altar,' you are swearing by it and by everything on it. And when you swear 'by the Temple,' you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. And when you swear 'by heaven,' you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,* but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won't accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Matthew 23:1-28
Woe! I wanted to throw this passage of scripture in to give us all a wakeup call as we strive to serve and be more like Jesus, it is very easy for our service or our daily life to actually hurt us. I say this because there have been times when I have done service for someone else and I have looked around to see what applause I will be getting from someone. I look around to see if there will be a blessing just around the corner, for me the “Godly” servant. It can become very easy to get caught up in service and forget why you are doing it. That goes the same for all of the disciplines. Just wanted to keep us all on our toes, and help us all to check our motives and our heart daily.
Jason
Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses. So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. They crush people with unbearable religious demands and never lift a finger to ease the burden.
"Everything they do is for show. On their arms they wear extra wide prayer boxes with Scripture verses inside, and they wear robes with extra long tassels. And they love to sit at the head table at banquets and in the seats of honor in the synagogues. They love to receive respectful greetings as they walk in the marketplaces, and to be called 'Rabbi.'*
"Don't let anyone call you 'Rabbi,' for you have only one teacher, and all of you are equal as brothers and sisters. And don't address anyone here on earth as 'Father,' for only God in heaven is your spiritual Father. And don't let anyone call you 'Teacher,' for you have only one teacher, the Messiah. The greatest among you must be a servant. But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in people's faces. You won't go in yourselves, and you don't let others enter either.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you cross land and sea to make one convert, and then you turn that person into twice the child of hell you yourselves are!
"Blind guides! What sorrow awaits you! For you say that it means nothing to swear 'by God's Temple,' but that it is binding to swear 'by the gold in the Temple.' Blind fools! Which is more important—the gold or the Temple that makes the gold sacred? And you say that to swear 'by the altar' is not binding, but to swear 'by the gifts on the altar' is binding. How blind! For which is more important—the gift on the altar or the altar that makes the gift sacred? When you swear 'by the altar,' you are swearing by it and by everything on it. And when you swear 'by the Temple,' you are swearing by it and by God, who lives in it. And when you swear 'by heaven,' you are swearing by the throne of God and by God, who sits on the throne.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are careful to tithe even the tiniest income from your herb gardens,* but you ignore the more important aspects of the law—justice, mercy, and faith. You should tithe, yes, but do not neglect the more important things. Blind guides! You strain your water so you won't accidentally swallow a gnat, but you swallow a camel!
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are so careful to clean the outside of the cup and the dish, but inside you are filthy—full of greed and self-indulgence! You blind Pharisee! First wash the inside of the cup and the dish, and then the outside will become clean, too.
"What sorrow awaits you teachers of religious law and you Pharisees. Hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs—beautiful on the outside but filled on the inside with dead people's bones and all sorts of impurity. Outwardly you look like righteous people, but inwardly your hearts are filled with hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Matthew 23:1-28
Woe! I wanted to throw this passage of scripture in to give us all a wakeup call as we strive to serve and be more like Jesus, it is very easy for our service or our daily life to actually hurt us. I say this because there have been times when I have done service for someone else and I have looked around to see what applause I will be getting from someone. I look around to see if there will be a blessing just around the corner, for me the “Godly” servant. It can become very easy to get caught up in service and forget why you are doing it. That goes the same for all of the disciplines. Just wanted to keep us all on our toes, and help us all to check our motives and our heart daily.
Jason
Thursday, March 26, 2009
The full extent of his love ...
“It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love. The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”
John 13:1-5
If you were there at the meal, in the room with Jesus, the Messiah, the miracle worker, the Master, think about how you would feel if you saw…
Jesus is getting up from the meal…Should we get up too, does he need help with something, where is he about to go?
Jesus is now taking off his outer clothing…
Jesus just wrapped a towel around his waist…Is he about to clean something? Can I do it before he gets to it? Where is the problem? The master shouldn’t be doing this type of work.
Jesus just poured water into a basin…What’s going on? Isn’t that the basin that they use to wash guests feet when they come into the house? Why is Jesus filling up the basin?
Jesus is washing John’s feet! He is coming for me next…What is he doing? That is a servant’s job. Why are we all sitting here letting him do it? I don’t deserve to let Jesus even touch my filthy feet.
How did you feel as you read each of these happenings? I put in some of the things I would be thinking in that moment. The next thing that Jesus did was to dry their feet with the towel wrapped around him. He lowered himself to the position of a servant. Was that really it? I know that it was more than that. Jesus was practicing service to those he loved. When we serve, what goes through our minds? What goes through our hearts? Service should be an outpouring of our love for God. It is just something that comes so naturally to us, because we have been served by the Master ourselves. He daily washes our feet by forgiving us our sins.
Today, maybe even right now, I want you to grab a towel and just sit there and hold it. Pull it in and out of your fingers and pray to God that he helps you think of ways you can selflessly serve someone in your life today. Think of your wife, husband, children, one of the boys in your care, our office staff, our minister, the principal, and just find a way to serve in secret. Bless their life, by symbolically washing their feet today. I know that for many of us, our job is in itself a life of service. But what would happen if you did something that one of the boys never expected as a way of serving them? What would happen if you husbands did the job in the house that your wife gets so sick of, and you did it secretly? Jesus showed his disciples what the towel was for and challenged them to use it as well. He set that same challenge to us. Happy serving!
Jason
John 13:1-5
If you were there at the meal, in the room with Jesus, the Messiah, the miracle worker, the Master, think about how you would feel if you saw…
Jesus is getting up from the meal…Should we get up too, does he need help with something, where is he about to go?
Jesus is now taking off his outer clothing…
Jesus just wrapped a towel around his waist…Is he about to clean something? Can I do it before he gets to it? Where is the problem? The master shouldn’t be doing this type of work.
Jesus just poured water into a basin…What’s going on? Isn’t that the basin that they use to wash guests feet when they come into the house? Why is Jesus filling up the basin?
Jesus is washing John’s feet! He is coming for me next…What is he doing? That is a servant’s job. Why are we all sitting here letting him do it? I don’t deserve to let Jesus even touch my filthy feet.
How did you feel as you read each of these happenings? I put in some of the things I would be thinking in that moment. The next thing that Jesus did was to dry their feet with the towel wrapped around him. He lowered himself to the position of a servant. Was that really it? I know that it was more than that. Jesus was practicing service to those he loved. When we serve, what goes through our minds? What goes through our hearts? Service should be an outpouring of our love for God. It is just something that comes so naturally to us, because we have been served by the Master ourselves. He daily washes our feet by forgiving us our sins.
Today, maybe even right now, I want you to grab a towel and just sit there and hold it. Pull it in and out of your fingers and pray to God that he helps you think of ways you can selflessly serve someone in your life today. Think of your wife, husband, children, one of the boys in your care, our office staff, our minister, the principal, and just find a way to serve in secret. Bless their life, by symbolically washing their feet today. I know that for many of us, our job is in itself a life of service. But what would happen if you did something that one of the boys never expected as a way of serving them? What would happen if you husbands did the job in the house that your wife gets so sick of, and you did it secretly? Jesus showed his disciples what the towel was for and challenged them to use it as well. He set that same challenge to us. Happy serving!
Jason
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
You will find rest ...
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30
This passage has been quoted, spoken on, taught, and meditated on so many times and in so many ways over the years. The question I want us to focus on right now is; have we taken it to heart yet? We read the bible stories and we see characters that we want to be like. We want to be like David, like Moses, like Elijah, like Daniel, like Peter, and more importantly, like Jesus. We read the “Sermon on the Mount” and we try to follow those wise words, and we get to this passage in Matthew 11 and we long for that rest. I have been weary and burdened more times than I can count. I know that you feel the same, especially you house parents out there. You feel the drag of the day. You feel that weary feeling every time you are asked the same question for the 50th time by every boy in your care. So the offer of rest is so appealing and we want to jump at it.
Over the past two months as we have taken part in some of these spiritual disciplines, I have read through some of your journals and seen where your thoughts have gone. I have seen how some of you have such a hard time quieting down your life and one of you were even honest with me and said that calming our thoughts and hearts down in this devotional time felt so pointless. So what is the point? Why are we doing this? The answer to that lies in the yoke. We want to follow Jesus and follow his commandments, but disciplining ourselves to actually sit still and meditate on scripture and silence and prayer time seems so hard. Dallas Willard in The Spirit of Disciplines, had this to say about this difficult way of living: “The secret of the easy yoke is simple, actually. It is the intelligent, informed, unyielding resolve to live as Jesus lived in all aspects of his life, not just in the moment of specific choice or action.”
If you have taken these disciplines to heart so far, I applaud you and I plead with you to begin sharing your thoughts and your feelings with someone. Find that opportunity. Jesus longs for you to learn how to walk as he did, pray as he did, sit and be as he did, worship as he did, serve as he did, and do so many other things that he did. It is in these set aside times with God that we learn these things. We learn by practicing. As we come to the last couple of weeks of this disciplines study, I am going to be hitting on a few other disciplines through our daily devotionals. I hope that you already have the yoke around your neck and you are allowing Jesus to guide you. Let him help you find that rest. I am looking forward to continuing the journey with you myself.
Your brother on this search for rest,
Jason
This passage has been quoted, spoken on, taught, and meditated on so many times and in so many ways over the years. The question I want us to focus on right now is; have we taken it to heart yet? We read the bible stories and we see characters that we want to be like. We want to be like David, like Moses, like Elijah, like Daniel, like Peter, and more importantly, like Jesus. We read the “Sermon on the Mount” and we try to follow those wise words, and we get to this passage in Matthew 11 and we long for that rest. I have been weary and burdened more times than I can count. I know that you feel the same, especially you house parents out there. You feel the drag of the day. You feel that weary feeling every time you are asked the same question for the 50th time by every boy in your care. So the offer of rest is so appealing and we want to jump at it.
Over the past two months as we have taken part in some of these spiritual disciplines, I have read through some of your journals and seen where your thoughts have gone. I have seen how some of you have such a hard time quieting down your life and one of you were even honest with me and said that calming our thoughts and hearts down in this devotional time felt so pointless. So what is the point? Why are we doing this? The answer to that lies in the yoke. We want to follow Jesus and follow his commandments, but disciplining ourselves to actually sit still and meditate on scripture and silence and prayer time seems so hard. Dallas Willard in The Spirit of Disciplines, had this to say about this difficult way of living: “The secret of the easy yoke is simple, actually. It is the intelligent, informed, unyielding resolve to live as Jesus lived in all aspects of his life, not just in the moment of specific choice or action.”
If you have taken these disciplines to heart so far, I applaud you and I plead with you to begin sharing your thoughts and your feelings with someone. Find that opportunity. Jesus longs for you to learn how to walk as he did, pray as he did, sit and be as he did, worship as he did, serve as he did, and do so many other things that he did. It is in these set aside times with God that we learn these things. We learn by practicing. As we come to the last couple of weeks of this disciplines study, I am going to be hitting on a few other disciplines through our daily devotionals. I hope that you already have the yoke around your neck and you are allowing Jesus to guide you. Let him help you find that rest. I am looking forward to continuing the journey with you myself.
Your brother on this search for rest,
Jason
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Because of what you told us ...
Hear the word of God:
“Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!" When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world."
John 4:39-42
This story is such an amazing story of faith-sharing and personal spiritual growth. We have looked at a woman who was living a sinful life. Which one of us does not have this as a part of our resume? We have the meeting of Jesus and the woman, where he totally convicts her of her wrong lifestyle. This is also something that many of us have gone through. We have the woman trying to change the subject because she doesn’t want things to be that personal in her life. Am I hitting a nerve in your life yet? We are the woman. We are the person who has been stuck in the rut for so many years. We feel like we can never be more than what we have always been. Jesus comes along and challenges us to be so much more.
The story becomes even cooler. The woman was so convicted that she couldn’t help but go out and tell everyone she knew. The apostles stand around, clueless as to what is going on as the woman brings back so many from the village. They believed because of what the woman said, but after Jesus had spent some time with them, it says, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves.” They had the faith of the woman in the beginning, but after spending some time with Jesus, they have acquired ownership of their own faith. They spent so much time with Jesus that they couldn’t help but fall in love with him. But it all started with the woman.
As we have gone through this passage, I want you to realize that the story begins with you. We have people that we come in contact with every day who are hurting and need our Savior to come into their lives and make them whole. It begins with you though. I can’t say that enough. What are you doing to grow in your faith? Are your sharing these growth spurts with anyone else? The woman did and look what happened.
Jason
“Many Samaritans from the village believed in Jesus because the woman had said, "He told me everything I ever did!" When they came out to see him, they begged him to stay in their village. So he stayed for two days, long enough for many more to hear his message and believe. Then they said to the woman, "Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves. Now we know that he is indeed the Savior of the world."
John 4:39-42
This story is such an amazing story of faith-sharing and personal spiritual growth. We have looked at a woman who was living a sinful life. Which one of us does not have this as a part of our resume? We have the meeting of Jesus and the woman, where he totally convicts her of her wrong lifestyle. This is also something that many of us have gone through. We have the woman trying to change the subject because she doesn’t want things to be that personal in her life. Am I hitting a nerve in your life yet? We are the woman. We are the person who has been stuck in the rut for so many years. We feel like we can never be more than what we have always been. Jesus comes along and challenges us to be so much more.
The story becomes even cooler. The woman was so convicted that she couldn’t help but go out and tell everyone she knew. The apostles stand around, clueless as to what is going on as the woman brings back so many from the village. They believed because of what the woman said, but after Jesus had spent some time with them, it says, “Now we believe, not just because of what you told us, but because we have heard him ourselves.” They had the faith of the woman in the beginning, but after spending some time with Jesus, they have acquired ownership of their own faith. They spent so much time with Jesus that they couldn’t help but fall in love with him. But it all started with the woman.
As we have gone through this passage, I want you to realize that the story begins with you. We have people that we come in contact with every day who are hurting and need our Savior to come into their lives and make them whole. It begins with you though. I can’t say that enough. What are you doing to grow in your faith? Are your sharing these growth spurts with anyone else? The woman did and look what happened.
Jason
Monday, March 23, 2009
You will get to gather ...
Hear the word of God:
Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something."
But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about."
"Did someone bring him food while we were gone?" the disciples asked each other.
Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, 'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe* for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, 'One plants and another harvests.' And it's true. I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest."
John 4:31-38
I remember it well. I was flying to Guyana for the first time, and actually for the first time, period. I was 19 years old and had never left the state of Arkansas by myself before. We were going on a medical mission trip. When we reached our destination, I was to be one of the teachers. We were to sit down and study with the people as they waited in line to see the doctor. I remember having so many feelings. I thought that my heart was going to explode out of my chest. We had spent close to 3 months studying different things, and going through the gospels and the book of Acts as a mission team. We studied the culture of Guyana, we studied each other, and how we would work together. We did all the preparation for this moment.
I learned so many things, but one of the most important was to make sure I had some nice quiet time to be with God. Our leader would tell us that we needed to go off by ourselves and prepare for the day. I stepped away from the group and just sat down beside three goats that were tied up behind the school we were using. I prayed a very honest prayer. "God help me, I don't know what I am doing. Give me the words to say, please!"
When I came back to the line, they had already started studying. They brought over the first person. Her name was Daphne. She was 20 years old and a practicing Hindu. We studied about sin and about salvation. We talked about her faith, we talked about mine, and why I would even want to come down to Guyana. We talked about Jesus and how much he loves us. After around an hour and a half, she finally said that she believed. She wanted to give her life to Jesus.
I was shocked. The first person I studied with wanted to become a Christian. We prayed and she and I both spoke with our team leader. He then led us around to the front where they had a giant rain barrel set up filled with water. Daphne climbed in and I took her confession and then they told me just to have her hold her nose and push her straight down into the rain barrel. I did and when she came up, she was crying and so excited. I hugged her and totally felt AWESOME! God had used me, but I felt so insignificant. How did this happen?
That next day, she brought her entire family to study and to see the doctor. They all became Christians by the end of the week. We had a wonderful week filled with baptisms and amazing experiences. I was a changed person because of that trip. A year later, I received a letter from Daphne. She and her new husband were moving to be a part of a minister's training school. He is now the minister at a local church there in Guyana, and she is a loving and servant-hearted wife.
The harvest is ready in so many hearts. I felt so much joy that first day with that first baptism. I have been blessed in being a part of sharing my faith with so many others along the way, but I will never forget Daphne. We all have stories similar to this. We all have, and will, take part in many other stories of bringing lost souls to Jesus. The apostles were able to take part in that with Jesus right there; we can take part in it every day of our lives. If you feel as I did, that you are so insignificant and that you can't do it, then do what I was taught and what we have all studied about. Take a break and be by yourself with God. He wants to prepare you for the harvest that is about to come about all around you. Wake up and look around, the fields are ripe! What are you going to do?
Jason
Meanwhile, the disciples were urging Jesus, "Rabbi, eat something."
But Jesus replied, "I have a kind of food you know nothing about."
"Did someone bring him food while we were gone?" the disciples asked each other.
Then Jesus explained: "My nourishment comes from doing the will of God, who sent me, and from finishing his work. You know the saying, 'Four months between planting and harvest.' But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe* for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike! You know the saying, 'One plants and another harvests.' And it's true. I sent you to harvest where you didn't plant; others had already done the work, and now you will get to gather the harvest."
John 4:31-38
I remember it well. I was flying to Guyana for the first time, and actually for the first time, period. I was 19 years old and had never left the state of Arkansas by myself before. We were going on a medical mission trip. When we reached our destination, I was to be one of the teachers. We were to sit down and study with the people as they waited in line to see the doctor. I remember having so many feelings. I thought that my heart was going to explode out of my chest. We had spent close to 3 months studying different things, and going through the gospels and the book of Acts as a mission team. We studied the culture of Guyana, we studied each other, and how we would work together. We did all the preparation for this moment.
I learned so many things, but one of the most important was to make sure I had some nice quiet time to be with God. Our leader would tell us that we needed to go off by ourselves and prepare for the day. I stepped away from the group and just sat down beside three goats that were tied up behind the school we were using. I prayed a very honest prayer. "God help me, I don't know what I am doing. Give me the words to say, please!"
When I came back to the line, they had already started studying. They brought over the first person. Her name was Daphne. She was 20 years old and a practicing Hindu. We studied about sin and about salvation. We talked about her faith, we talked about mine, and why I would even want to come down to Guyana. We talked about Jesus and how much he loves us. After around an hour and a half, she finally said that she believed. She wanted to give her life to Jesus.
I was shocked. The first person I studied with wanted to become a Christian. We prayed and she and I both spoke with our team leader. He then led us around to the front where they had a giant rain barrel set up filled with water. Daphne climbed in and I took her confession and then they told me just to have her hold her nose and push her straight down into the rain barrel. I did and when she came up, she was crying and so excited. I hugged her and totally felt AWESOME! God had used me, but I felt so insignificant. How did this happen?
That next day, she brought her entire family to study and to see the doctor. They all became Christians by the end of the week. We had a wonderful week filled with baptisms and amazing experiences. I was a changed person because of that trip. A year later, I received a letter from Daphne. She and her new husband were moving to be a part of a minister's training school. He is now the minister at a local church there in Guyana, and she is a loving and servant-hearted wife.
The harvest is ready in so many hearts. I felt so much joy that first day with that first baptism. I have been blessed in being a part of sharing my faith with so many others along the way, but I will never forget Daphne. We all have stories similar to this. We all have, and will, take part in many other stories of bringing lost souls to Jesus. The apostles were able to take part in that with Jesus right there; we can take part in it every day of our lives. If you feel as I did, that you are so insignificant and that you can't do it, then do what I was taught and what we have all studied about. Take a break and be by yourself with God. He wants to prepare you for the harvest that is about to come about all around you. Wake up and look around, the fields are ripe! What are you going to do?
Jason
Sunday, March 22, 2009
The forgotten jar ...
Hear the word of God:
Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, "What do you want with her?" or "Why are you talking to her?" The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
John 4:27-30
Every day, year after year, the woman came to fetch water. She knew the walk to and from the well. She probably even took the same water jar day after day. She knew exactly how much water she was able to carry in that trusted jar. After she had heard those words, "I Am The Messiah!" She took off running. Not only that, she left the water jar. She didn't even realize that she had forgotten it, because her everyday life was now in the past.
She realized at that moment beside the well, that she could have a fresh start. She realized that she could have that living water. She met the man! She ran and told everyone along the way. "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" She was so convincing that people came streaming from the village to see him!
They probably could sense the urgency in her voice, the changed appearance on her face. What could stir this woman out of her monotony?
What stirs you out of yours? Have you had that urgency in your voice and eyes? Have you had that skip in your step? Being with Jesus brings that to you. People can't help but stand up and take notice. Those that we work with and for cannot help but look at you and say, “Man, I want what they have.”
Conversations don't have to be forced. They flow out of the overflow of your life. Those streams of living water are coming out of you, because you took your time and made it all about Jesus! The woman had people lining up to come and see Jesus. She left her jar! I don't know if there is a huge significance there, but for me that means she put her past behind her and the so called important things in life and sought after Jesus Christ. What is your jar? What are you forced to leave behind because it is not as important anymore?
When you leave that jar, through being with Jesus, amazing things happen, both to you and those around you! As you worship today as a family, think of your jar, and leave it at the feet of Jesus!
Jason
Just then his disciples came back. They were shocked to find him talking to a woman, but none of them had the nerve to ask, "What do you want with her?" or "Why are you talking to her?" The woman left her water jar beside the well and ran back to the village, telling everyone, "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" So the people came streaming from the village to see him.
John 4:27-30
Every day, year after year, the woman came to fetch water. She knew the walk to and from the well. She probably even took the same water jar day after day. She knew exactly how much water she was able to carry in that trusted jar. After she had heard those words, "I Am The Messiah!" She took off running. Not only that, she left the water jar. She didn't even realize that she had forgotten it, because her everyday life was now in the past.
She realized at that moment beside the well, that she could have a fresh start. She realized that she could have that living water. She met the man! She ran and told everyone along the way. "Come and see a man who told me everything I ever did! Could he possibly be the Messiah?" She was so convincing that people came streaming from the village to see him!
They probably could sense the urgency in her voice, the changed appearance on her face. What could stir this woman out of her monotony?
What stirs you out of yours? Have you had that urgency in your voice and eyes? Have you had that skip in your step? Being with Jesus brings that to you. People can't help but stand up and take notice. Those that we work with and for cannot help but look at you and say, “Man, I want what they have.”
Conversations don't have to be forced. They flow out of the overflow of your life. Those streams of living water are coming out of you, because you took your time and made it all about Jesus! The woman had people lining up to come and see Jesus. She left her jar! I don't know if there is a huge significance there, but for me that means she put her past behind her and the so called important things in life and sought after Jesus Christ. What is your jar? What are you forced to leave behind because it is not as important anymore?
When you leave that jar, through being with Jesus, amazing things happen, both to you and those around you! As you worship today as a family, think of your jar, and leave it at the feet of Jesus!
Jason
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