Tag Archives: Relationship

2012 Day 53 – John 10

22 Wednesday Feb 2012

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I love reading John 10:10. It says, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.” This verse is part of a larger topic, but the reason I love this particular passage is because it tells me that Jesus did not come to make my life miserable. He came to allow me to live my life to fullest. Too many times people feel that the life of a believer is boring or sad, but the truth is that some of the happiest, most fulfilled people I know are believers. Why? Because they experience life the way it was intended; in a fulfilling relationship with their Creator and God!

2012 Day 44 – Luke 9:18-62

13 Monday Feb 2012

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The last verse in the chapter struck me today. Verse 62 says, “Jesus replied, “No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back is fit for service in the kingdom of God.”” This verse applies to both believer and non-believer. For the non-believer it says they must look away from their current existence and look to a relationship with God. For the believer it has significance because a lot of us, myself especially, have a tendency to look back at our past. We are either slowed by our baggage or we are drawn back into it in times of weakness. We must constantly look forward to where our relationship with God is taking us, not how we got there. The past is of little value for how we proceed in impacting the kingdom of God.

2012 Day 41 – Mark 7

10 Friday Feb 2012

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Once again, in this chapter, Jesus keeps His focus on what really matters in following Him. In verses 20-22 He says, “20 He went on: “What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ 21 For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22  greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly.” We as humans want to keep a lot of rules and regulations so that we can feel good about keeping score. Jesus makes it pretty simple by explaining how all the things we do for ourselves means nothing if it doesn’t result in purity that comes out. What we allow to come out of our bodies (namely our mouths) and how it affects others means everything. Our actions and reactions to others is a direct reflection of our relationship with God.

2012 Day 40 – Matthew 15

09 Thursday Feb 2012

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I know people often look at the Bible as an ancient book that may not apply to our modern society and/or current issues, but I am always amazed at the Bible’s timeliness to the issues we face today. In verses 8 and 9 Jesus is talking about the Pharisees of that day and says, “8 ” ‘These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. 9 They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.’”” When I read these verses I see Jesus talking to us as modern day believers and a modern day church. We are a society filled with people who like to interpret information to support their own selfish desires. This also applies to our church society where we selfishly interpret the Bible to fit doctrine or rules that make us feel better about ourselves. We need to spend less time worrying about what we think God is trying to tell us and spend more time building a relationship with Him to know what He really wants from us on a personal level.

2012 Day 37 – Mark 6

06 Monday Feb 2012

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Whenever I read verses that talk about Jesus’ compassion I am amazed. In verse 34 is says, “When Jesus landed and saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things.” We are very much like that crowd. Just like sheep, we are easily distracted and scattered. If it weren’t for the Shepherd in our lives we would be just as lost. I know that our relationship with Jesus is a two way street, but the reality is that Jesus draws me closer to Him and I do. If it weren’t for His constant calling on my life to come closer I would be far, far away from Him by now. I thank God daily for being the strong one in our relationship because the reality is I am too easily pulled in all the wrong directions.

2012 Day 31 – Luke 8

31 Tuesday Jan 2012

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In the beginning of verse 24 it sounds a lot like me when I’m in trouble. “The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Master, Master, we’re going to drown!”” In the beginning of verse 25 I’m sure Jesus says the same thing to me that He says to the disciples, “Where is your faith?”. Then in the final part of verse 25 where the disciples seem surprised and say “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.” It sounds a lot like me again where I seem surprised at His capabilities. I can be a real knucklehead sometimes (ok, often…). God may seem like he’s asleep a lot of times and that He really doesn’t care about what is going on in my life. The truth is God is very much an active participant; I just need to acknowledge His presence and be more expectant of Him.

2012 Day 29 – Luke 12

29 Sunday Jan 2012

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In verses 33-36 it says, “No one lights a lamp and puts it in a place where it will be hidden, or under a bowl. Instead he puts it on its stand, so that those who come in may see the light. Your eye is the lamp of your body. When your eyes are good, your whole body also is full of light. But when they are bad, your body also is full of darkness. See to it, then, that the light within you is not darkness. Therefore, if your whole body is full of light, and no part of it dark, it will be completely lighted, as when the light of a lamp shines on you.” The example of light is very good at explaining our ability to not only see Christ, but also to reflect His light. It is important to remember that my relationship with Him has a direct correlation with my ability to see Him. When I am close to God and have the ability to see Him in the right perspective, I can then accept His leading more easily.

2012 Day 28 – Matthew 12:22-50

28 Saturday Jan 2012

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We are finishing up Chapter 12 of Matthew, which you will recall we started on January 19th. Today, when I read verses 43-45, it really convicted me of the contrast in time I spend clearing my life of evil versus the amount of time I spend building an authentic relationship with God. The passage says,  “43 When an evil spirit comes out of a man, it goes through arid places seeking rest and does not find it. 44 Then it says, ‘I will return to the house I left.’ When it arrives, it finds the house unoccupied, swept clean and put in order.  45 Then it goes and takes with it seven other spirits more wicked than itself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first. That is how it will be with this wicked generation.” Jesus was addressing the religious leaders and saying it does them no good to live clean and pure lives without filling it with God. Likewise, the passage could easily be written directly to us. If we simply try to be good and follow all the rules and do not fill it with God in our lives, we are destined to fill it with something that is not of God. Instead, we must continuously seek to attain a fulfilling relationship with God.

2012 Day 27 – Matthew 11

27 Friday Jan 2012

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One of my favorite passages in the Bible comes straight from Jesus’ mouth in verses 28-30, “28 Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.29 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. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” The notes in my Bible are really good. They say that the “rest” that Jesus promises is love, healing, and peace with God. It doesn’t end work for us; we still need to work, but we can work with the peace and understanding that we are working for God’s glory and are a reflection and example of Him. A true relationship with God can turn meaningless and tiring work into a spiritual and productive purpose in this life. We need to accept this as an opportunity to bring glory to Him.

2012 Day 24 – Matthew 7

24 Tuesday Jan 2012

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Today we complete the Sermon on the Mount. This is such a powerful section of teaching coming directly out of the mouth of Jesus and shows a very clear blueprint for how we should live our lives in order to be truly Christ-like. There is nowhere in this teaching that says anything about following the law or specific rules, but it does talk a lot about our attitude and our willingness to serve and sacrifice for others. Specifically in today’s reading I love the way verses 7 and 8 paint a picture, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened.” Jesus is the key in what He teaches us. He is the missing piece that allows us to be all that He wants us to be. It is a guarantee that Jesus will be there if we just knock. He will answer us if we ask. He will never leave us alone no matter what. When I look back at all the times I’ve felt alone it is never because He left me, it’s because I turned from Him. But every time I’ve turned to Him, He was right there waiting for me and asked me, “where have you been??“.