Tap on the shoulder

This morning I did not have to be anywhere before 9 so I didn't set my alarm.  I woke up about 6:30 and decided to go back to sleep.  I was awakened at 6:40 with someone tapping on my shoulder.   I looked next to me and my wife was sound asleep.  I have been hearing a lot from God so I took this as a sign to get up right then.  Still not sure why this happened yet.  But maybe God wanted me to leave earlier and miss a bad accident or something.  I did read in Mark 6 about Jesus walking on the water.  It says he was about to pass them by.  I always thought that was for us to not let Jesus walk by us...in other words, always bee looking around.  But I discovered that term was used to mean that God was about to show His glory.  Pretty cool.

Just believe

My favorite secular band is Journey.  They wrote a song 40 years ago that is still popular today and played in many sporting venues called "Don't stop believing."  There are times when it is hard to believe.  A loved one is sick, dying or already has died.  Finances are so messed up it is impossible to see any hope.  In Mark 5 a Synagogue leader named Jairus came to Jesus and asked him to help.  Things had to be pretty bad for a Hebrew religious leader to come to Jesus.  He wanted Jesus to heal his daughter.  Jesus told him just to believe.  How often is the answer to my problem my own faith?   I don't think God gives us enough to handle.  I think He gives us more so we will depend on Him.  If we could handle things, why would we need God?  So I wonder how my own faith determines what God does?

God's Will

God's will is not something we seek.  It is something we do.  I don't know how many times I've been guilty of seeking God's will.  The reality is God has given us His will. It is to love God and love people.  It is is to pray without ceasing.  We don't find God's will we do what He asks us.

Faith

We hear about faith a lot.  But do we really know what faith is?  Do I really have faith?  I say I do but sometimes I wonder.  I was studying Mark 2 today and Jesus was speaking to some people and there were so many people that they couldn't get in the house or even outside.  I guess that was the first church with overflow.  I do notice that where ever Jesus went there were crowds.  So, those who think Megachurches are evil might want to read the Bible.

But what struck me today was how four men did whatever they could to get to Jesus.  Not for them, but for their friend who couldn't walk.  They wouldn't be stopped.  They couldn't get through the crowd so they went on top of the house and dug a hole in the roof.  I wonder what the homeowner thought?  How would you explain that to your insurance agent?  Jesus saw their faith and forgave the man of his sins.  Not his faith, their faith!  He then healed the man to show his authority.  So, I wonder how often my faith changes the lives of others? 

Authority

I was doing my Bible Study in Mark 1 this morning.  I noticed that as Jesus began His ministry that people were drawn to His preaching because He had authority.  Some people think they have authority because of a position.  But the reality is that our authority comes from God.  There is nothing special about me.  Yet, through the power of the Holy Spirit, I have authority.  Jesus healed people, cast out demons and did miracles.   If I have that same Holy Spirit, why am I not expecting the same?  Convicting. 

People would rather make up lies than believe the truth

As I was reading about the resurrection of Jesus in Matthew 28 I noticed that the Jewish religious leaders would do anything to discredit Jesus.  They mocked him and said they would believe him if he came down from the cross.  Well, anyone who is able to come back from the dead is more powerful than someone who is alive and can prevent death.  They didn't want to know the truth.  They were worried more about their positions rather than truth.  How often do I deceive myself into believing something rather than admitting the truth?

He gave no answer

I have a pretty quick mind and unfortunately mouth.  I can't tell you how many times I've stuck my foot in my mouth and said things I regretted.   I've gotten better as I have gotten older but because my mind thinks of witty things to say it comes out.  I have worked to have better self-control.   When I was reading in Matthew 27 as false accusations, insults and physical harm came to Jesus, He remained silent.  That is rather convicting in a social media world where everyone thinks they have been persecuted.  We don't know persecution in the US.  I pray that I will learn just to let things go and not always feel the need to defend myself or those whom I care about.