Monday, April 16, 2012

What Are You Missing? (Leaving Jesus Behind)

(A bible study based on the message preached by James Kordon, Camelback Community Church 4/15/12)

What Am I Missing? (Leaving Jesus Behind)

Remember the old movie Home Alone? Little Kevin’s family wakes up late on the morning they are to leave for vacation. In all the chaos to make it to the airport on time, they forget just one thing – Kevin. Remember that moment on the plane when Kevin’s mother realizes that she’s left her child behind?
Every mother knows the horror and panic that strikes when they realize they’ve lost their child.

  • Have you ever lost your child in a crowd? How did it feel?

Read Luke 2:41-44
41 Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. 42 When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. 43 After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. 44 Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends.

Even Jesus’ parents, Mary and Joseph experienced the panic of losing track of their child and leaving him behind. Can you imagine losing the Son of God?

They left Jesus behind. They didn’t mean to. They probably thought he was somewhere in the crowd that was traveling back to their home from Jerusalem. They may have been tired or distracted while visiting with others who traveled with them, but unintentionally, with each step, they were walking away from Jesus.
Your first step away from God is usually a small one.

  • Have you ever been distracted and suddenly realized that you had left Jesus behind?
  • If so, what were the small steps that led you away?
  • What was your “moment of realization”?

Read Luke 2:45-47

45 When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. 46 After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. 47 Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers.

When Mary and Joseph realized that they had left Jesus behind, they turned around and went back to Jerusalem to look for Him.

  • If you suddenly realized that you had “left Jesus behind” in your everyday walk with Him, what would “turning around” look like?

Read Luke 2:48

48 When his parents saw him, they were astonished. His mother said to him, “Son, why have you treated us like this? Your father and I have been anxiously searching for you.”
Isn’t it funny that Mary and Joseph blamed Jesus for being left behind? Even if He chose to stay behind, He was just 12 years old. It’s a parent’s responsibility to be sure they know where their children are.

Where you are in life is not God’s fault!

  • Have you ever found yourself in a bad situation and realized that at that moment God seemed far away and then you blamed Him for the whole thing?
  • Was it God who moved away from you or you who moved away from God?
Are we Christ followers or do we go about our lives,
doing our own thing and expecting Him to follow us?

Read Luke 2:49-51
49 “Why were you searching for me?” he asked. “Didn’t you know I had to be in my Father’s house?” 50 But they did not understand what he was saying to them. 51 Then he went down to Nazareth with them and was obedient to them. But his mother treasured all these things in her heart. 52 And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.
Notice that when Mary and Joseph turned back and reconnected with Jesus, their relationship was restored. He went back to Nazareth with them and resumed the normal child/parent relationship.

  • Do you sometimes fear that if you turn back to God after having walked away, that He will reject you?

Mary “treasured all these things in her heart.” She pondered them, remembered them and stored it all in her heart.

ACTION STEP

If you feel that you have been taking small steps away from Jesus and that right now He seems far from you. Think about what we have just studied, turn back, repent and renew your relationship with Christ. He will not rebuke you, but will restore your fellowship with Him. Then, treasure these things in your hear. Remembering them will keep you from straying away from Him again.

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(Copyright© 2012 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Monday, October 24, 2011

When you can't see with the eye...

"The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." Romans 16:20

Photo courtest,  Mcnamara, rgbstock.com
As I read these words this morning, my heart leapt for joy. Have you ever prayed for something for a long time, knowing that God is able to resolve a situation and even knowing that He is willing to answer prayer, but still not see much happening?

It's those times when you must hold tight to your faith, pushing away doubts as they try to creep in...and they will try to creep in. When they do, stand firm. Proclaim that you serve a God who answers prayers, a God who is concerned with the affairs of man, a God who invites you to come to Him with every care of your heart.

Remind yourself of the times God has answered prayer in the past. Read and recite the promises that are written in His word. Thank Him in advance for the things that He is already doing that can not be seen with the eye, but are at work in the spiritual realm.

And then wait...patiently, for in due time...when the time is just right, the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet. Until then, let the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Remember, He is a God of peace. Rest in that peace until you see the answer manifest.

He is a God who answers prayer!
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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Warning - Snake Alert

"Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour." 1 Peter 5:8

Dan Evans, a missionary friend of mine, who ministers to an indigenous tribe in the Philippines sent an email update on his ministry this morning, which included, among other things, a report of finding two snakes in their compound. Here's his account of the event...

Below is a photo record of today’s encounter with a snake in our compound. The man who helps me around the farm, yelled for help in the tractor shed. He had found a very large poisonous snake trying to devour a small Python. When he appeared, they broke up and retreated to separate corners of the shed. He was able to bag the Python (so his family can eat it tonight). I used my pellet rifle to chase the larger snake into an open area where I was then able to kill it with a shotgun. This is the largest snake we’ve yet encountered, measuring about eight feet in length. It’s body was as large as my arm, and it’s head nearly the size of my clenched fist. I’m just glad I didn’t stumble on to this nasty critter in the dark (it was found between our generator and truck). A local villager was bitten by one of these last year and died within 20 minutes.




Oh, man...snakes just creep me out! I can't imagine living where I have to think about them all the time. Hmmmm...that makes me think - Satan took the form of a snake in the Garden of Eden.  No surprise there - snakes often lurk just out of sight, waiting for their prey to carelessly stumble into their territory so that they can strike and devour.

Sounds oddly close to the scriptures that tell us that Satan is always on the watch for someone that he can devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

Perhaps we would do well to live as you live, ever mindful of the dangers that could be lurking in the shadows, just waiting to strike. After all, 1 Peter 5:8 does say that we are to be alert!


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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

What I think...

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." Matthew 3:8 (NIV)
 
Yesterday I posted the verse above and asked what you thought about it. I received several well thought out responses.  I love it when people share their take on a particular scripture because I think you get a well rounded picture that way.

Now, I'll share what I think about when I read this verse.

Have you ever told your children not to do something only to have them do exactly what you told them not to do? When you confront them, they shrug and say, "Sorry, I forgot."  They might even seem genuinely sorry, but before too long, they're doing the same thing again.

Or may you've told them to do a certain thing only to check later and find that they didn't do it. You might receive the very same response when you ask them about it..."Sorry, I forgot."

How many times does this happen before you begin to doubt their sincerity?

The verse above reminds me of this very situation. God doesn't want us to keep saying we're sorry, only to continue in our disobedience.  If we are truly sorry - if we are truly repentant, our behavior will change.  We will begin doing the things He asks us to do on a consistent basis and we will refrain from doing those things He tells us not to do - again, on a consistent basis.

That's what it means to bear fruit in keeping with repentance.  We need to let our behavior reflect our belief. I've said it before and I'll say it again...God's word means nothing if we do not allow it to change our behavior.

What are some good ways we can apply this verse to our daily lives?  How will you apply it?


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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Monday, August 29, 2011

What do you think?

"Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." Matthew 3:8 (NIV)

While reading my Bible this morning, the verse above popped out at me.  Several thought concerning it's meaning and how I could apply it to my life jumped into my head, but as I was organizing my thoughts to write today's devotional, based on this verse, another thought came to mind.

Now, whether it was the Lord or me, I do not know, but the thought was...instead of always telling others what you think, why don't you ask them what they think?''

So, that's just what I'm doing today. I'm asking you to leave a comment and tell me what you think about this verse. What does it mean to you?  Will reading this verse change you in any way? If so, how?

I'm excited about reading your comments. I think God is going to use you to teach me something today!

Jan
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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

It's all temporary - or is it?


"Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal." 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 (NIV)

When life gets hard, when I'm struggling, I remind myself that everything in this life is temporary. When dealing with long-term health issues starts to get me down, I shrug my shoulders and say, "It's all temporary," because in Heaven, I won't be sick.

When financial hardships threaten to pull us under, I remind myself, it's all temporary, because in Heaven, there will be no bills.

When getting older makes me think I will never achieve my dreams, I remind myself that any measure of "success" I can achieve here on earth is all temporary and will mean nothing once I'm in Heaven.

It's all tempor......

Photo courtesy  melodi2, rgbstock.com
Oh wait!  There is one thing here on earth that ISN'T temporary - our relationships with others. The way we treat one another has long-term, even eternal affect.. If we are kind and caring, showing the love of Jesus to those around us, it could lead them to seek God, and in so doing, lead them to salvation through Jesus Christ.  Conversely, if we treat people poorly, if we are uncaring when they are struggling, unavailable when they need us most, if we don't show them the way to Jesus, that has eternal effects, too.  They may think that Christianity is a farce, because of the ill manners of the believers they've encountered. They may turn away from God because of the way He was misrepresented by Christians.

So, I guess the best thing to do is to invest whatever time we have left on earth in PEOPLE, for they are the only things that are NOT temporary.  Everyone is immortal. Everyone will live forever...in one place or another.

As for me, I want to influence as many people as possible to take that next step toward a relationship with God.

Prayer;
Father, I know that my behavior toward others has an eternal and permanent affect on their spiritual lives. I pray that I will always treat others with love and that I will always represent You in such a way that they are drawn into a relationship with your Son. Grant that my life will increase the population of Heaven and decrease the population of Hell.


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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)

Friday, August 5, 2011

Our Faithful Provider

"And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus." Philippians4:19 (NIV)


"And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others." 2 Corinthians 9:8 (NLT)



Today is payday! 

That used to be the day when we thought about how much fun we could have with the extra money left over after paying the bills. Now? Not so much!

Now, I wonder how we are going to pay the left over bills after the money is gone.  Notice, I said wonder, not worry, because I've learned that God does indeed supply all our needs.  We live rather frugally, being careful not to waste money on things we don't need and not to run up bills we can't pay, but in this economy, our basic expenses have continued to rise, while our income has not.  It makes for a very interesting experiment in dollar stretching, but no matter how far we stretch the dollars we have, when we write it all out in black and white, we don't make enough to pay the bills...still, the bills get paid.  Isn't that amazing?

I believe that we live under the blessings of God because we have always been faithful in obedience with our giving. God says to bring him the tithe (10%) and offerings (anything above the 10%) and then promises that He will meet our needs...and He does!

It's always a joy to see that we can trust God to provide food for the table, gas for our cars, a roof over our head and clothes on our back.

Do we have lots of extras? No, but - our God supplies all of our needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus!

Prayer:
Thank you, Father, that your Word is true and they we need not worry about our needs, knowing that you are faithful to keep your Word. Help us to be a blessing to others as you bless us. Amen

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(Copyright© 2011 Jan Christiansen. All rights reserved.)