Jesus said, "Don't follow me."

We have many accounts, in the Bible, of Jesus meeting a person and after just a short interaction with them, he invited them to follow him - to accompany him as he walked the dusty roads carrying the message of love and the Father's redemptive plan.

However, there's at least one incident where he did something quite different.

It was the story of the demon possesed man from whom Jesus had cast out many demons. (You can read the story here.)

This is what happened when it was time for Jesus to move on...

"As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you." So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed." Mark 5:18-20 (NIV)

The New Living Translation puts it like this...

"But Jesus said, “No, go home to your family, and tell them everything the Lord has done for you and how merciful he has been." Mark 5:19 (NLT)

The man begged to go with Jesus, but Jesus sent him back to his people, back to his family to tell his story.

We all have a sphere of influence - certain people with whom we have built a relationship, people who know us; family, co-workers, people in our church, etc.  These people have seen us through the ups and downs of life, but it's the down times - the trials of life that speak most clearly to them.

Why? Because they all go though rough times themselves.  They want to know that when times are hard, you can count on God. They want to know that He will give you the strength to stand strong and make it out on the other side of the trial victoriously.  So, Jesus sent the man who had been touched by God back to his family, his home town and he instructed the man to share with those who knew him best, what the Lord had done for him.

Let's remember this when God does something wonderful for us. Let's share it (in an attitude of love) with those we know. Those who seem open to it and those who don't, because they, too will soon face a challenge and your words will come back to them.

In doing that, we are actually following Jesus more than we even realize.

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

Dealing with Perfectionism

"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. " Matthew 5:48

Perfect?

Perfect like God?

You've got to be kidding me!

Do you struggle with trying to be perfect? Constantly measuring your behavior or performance against some impossible standard? For someone who has a tendency toward perfectionism, this can be a daunting command, for what more impossible standard to attain could there be than to be perfect just as our heavenly Father is perfect?

Fortunately, for us, there is hope. 

"For by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy". Hebrews 10:14

You see, as believers, we have already been made perfect in our hearts by the sacrifice Christ made for us on the cross but, we continue to be "being made holy" (perfect) as we grow in our relationship with Him.

Our hearts are perfect in God's sighs, but our behavior, our character, our attitudes need work. They are "being made holy" - not by us, but by God, Himself.

Philippians 1:6 assures us that God is working on us and that He will continue working on us until the day He takes us home to be with Christ Jesus...

"being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus." Philippians 1:6

That should be a comfort to those of us who judge ourselves so harshly, expecting perfection. 

So, if it's God's job to perfect us...what's our job?

Obedience.  As He points to things in our lives He wants to change, we must cooperate with Him through obedience and when we do, we have come one step closer to being perfect, just as He is perfect.

Just one step at a time.

Now, doesn't that take some of the pressure off?

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

Loopholes in the Bible?

W. C. Fields spent his last weeks in a hospital, where a friend stopped by for a visit and caught Fields reading the Bible. When asked why, Fields replied, "I'm checking for loopholes."^[1]


When I heard this on the radio today, it made me laugh, but the more I thought about it, the more I realized how tragic it was.

Fields, was "an avowed atheist [who] regarded all religions with the suspicion of a seasoned con man."^[2]   And yet, at the end of his life, he was drawn to the Word of God, possibly hoping that he might convince himself that God isn't real and that there is no heaven or hell...or at least if there is, that there might be some way for a man, who had denied the existance of God and squandered his life on sinful living to wiggle out of the sure consequences of such choices.

I doubt he found any loopholes. God's Word is very clear. There is a God, a Creator of the Universe, who loves each one of us so much that when we stood condemned by our sin, He sent His Son to pay the penalty for that sin, so that we might have a restored relationship with the Father and receive the promise of eternal life with Him after we leave this world.

That is the truth as found in the Bible. Whether we choose to believe it or to reject it does not change the truth, it only determines where we will spend our eternity.

As for me, I choose to believe it and if at the end of my life someone finds me reading my Bible, it won't be because I'm looking for loopholes. It will be because I am reading about my future!

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

Footnotes:
1 - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/W._C._Fields
2 - Jordan, S. C. (2008). Hollywood's original rat pack The bards of Bundy Drive. Lanham, Maryland [u.a.]: Scarecrow Press. p. 151. ISBN 0-8108-6032-5

This Little Light of Mine

"In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."  Matthew 5:16



Image courtesy, Chris, rgbstock.com

We all know that Christians are supposed to let our light shine. Why?  So that our Father in heaven may be glorified, but some times we unintentionally get hung up on the middle phrase of that verse...

"that they may see your good deeds"

I know, I know - none of us mean to do "good deeds" in order to garner praise for ourselves, but admit it...a pat on the back feels good, being recognized for what we do is encouraging. It adds to our self-worth...and that's the trap!

We are supposed to be shining the light so that others see God, not us.

The candle shines, not so that all eyes are drawn to it, but so that the room may be lighted for others.

A good way to stay on track is to remember Colossians 3:23...

" Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord..." (not for the approval or applause of others.)

On the flip-side of that coin, we, as Christians, should keep our eyes focused on God, not the lights (people) that He uses to lead us into a closer walk with Him.

Don't forget what happens to a bug when it is mesmerized by the flame?

So, while we respect and love our spiritual leaders, fixing our eyes on them as our source will only lead to dissappointment, while fixing our eyes on God will lead us into the light of His glorious love.

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

Do Not Be Weary in Doing Good

 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. " Galatians 6:9

Visitors to Refreshed by the Word in the past month.

I have a confession to make...

Last year when I started this blog, my intention was to write uplifting messages from the Word so that anyone who needed a "faith lift" could come Refreshed by the Word and be encouraged and strengthened in their spiritual walk.

At first I was really excited and posted almost every day. Then life got busy, I got stressed and even a little discouraged. I had been posting for months, but wasn't even sure anyone was reading the blog. I got "weary in doing good."  So, for the past several months I have only written one or two devotionals.

Without going into all the reasons why, this week has been particularly discouraging for me.  I mentioned it to one of our Pastor's yesterday and he immediately began to pray for me. This morning I received an email with a link to a really encouraging article, then this afternoon, I did something I haven't done for about six months...I checked the stats on this blog.

In the past month there have been 450 visits to Refreshed by the Word - and the big surprise is that more than half of them were folks from outside the United States - 193 from Russia alone! I had no idea that God had been using my little blog to encourage people on the other side of the world.

Sometimes when you write a blog and there are very few comments, you begin to believe that no one is reading it and that can be discouraging, but now I know that even if people don't take the time to comment...they are reading and God is blessing them through His Word.

So, for those of you who have been visiting...thank you and please, come back often, because I intend to be faithful in posting new devotionals to encourage and refresh you in the faith.

And for those of you who are in ministry - I hope this encourages you to keep doing what God has called you to do, even when it seems that your efforts are not making a difference. They are, because God says...

"As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish,  so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."  Isaiah 55:10-11


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

Dying to Self

I ran across this anonymous poem this evening and was challenged by it. Just had to share...

When you are forgotten, neglected, or purposely set at naught, and you don't sting or hurt with the oversight, but your heart is happy being counted worthy to suffer for Christ;

That is dying to self.

When your good is evil spoken of, when your wishes are crossed, your advice disregarded, your opinion ridiculed, and you refuse to let anger rise in your heart or even defend yourself, but take it all in patient, loving silence;

That is dying to self.

When you lovingly and patiently bear any disorder, any irregularity, any annoyance; when you can stand face to face with waste, folly, extravagance, spiritual insensibility, and endure it as Jesus did;

That is dying to self.

When you are content with any food, and offering, any raiment, any climate, any society, any solitude, any interruption by the will of God;

That is dying to self.

When you never care to refer to yourself in conversation or record your own good works or itch after commendation, when you can truly love to be unknown;

That is dying to self.

When you can see your brother prosper and have his needs met, and can honestly rejoice with him in spirit and feel no envy, nor question God, while your own needs are far greater and you are in desperate circumstances;

That is dying to self.

When you can receive correction and reproof from one of less stature than yourself and can humbly submit, inwardly as well as outwardly, finding no rebellion or resentment rising up within your heart;

That is dying to self.

I've got a long way to go, but at least I have a better idea of what to shoot for!

Jan

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

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.

--------------------------------------------------------

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