HomeWord for 5/22/06 - Attempting the Impossible

Attempting the Impossible
This devotional was written by Jim Burns

During the fourth watch of the night Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. "It's a ghost," they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: "Take courage! It is I. Don't be afraid." "Lord, if it's you," Peter replied, "tell me to come to you on the water." "Come," he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat and walked on the water to Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, "Lord, save me!" Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, "Truly you are the Son of God." — Matthew 14:25-33

In this story Peter's lack of faith forced him to sink so that Jesus had to save him, but Peter is to be commended for stepping out of the boat and attempting to walk on the water. You'll notice the other disciples were not exactly fighting to join Peter! Living by faith sometimes means stepping out into the unknown and depending on God to carry us through.

I'm afraid that too many times I never step out of the boat, and in my comfortable lifestyle I miss out on the fullness of God. People who walk by faith aren't afraid to attempt the impossible. I hope you are a person who places your life in the hands of God and walks on the side of the impossible.

This statement by Dr. Carl Bates reminds me to keep away from the comfortable and attempt something greater than my ability:

There came a time in my life when I earnestly prayed, "God I want Your power!" Time wore on and the power did not come. One day the burden was more than I could bear. '"God, why haven't You answered that prayer?" God seemed to whisper back His simple reply, "With plans no bigger than yours, you don't need My power."*

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GOING DEEPER:
1. How does today’s Bible passage challenge you to step out in faith?

2. Are you willing to be included among those who step out in faith and depend on the power of God?

FURTHER READING:
Daniel 10:12

*Bill Glass, Expect to Win (Waco: Word, 1981), P. 52.

A Matter of Perspective

A Matter of Perspective

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits at God's right hand in the place of honor and power. Let heaven fill your thoughts. Do not think only about things down here on earth. For you died when Christ died, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God.

— Colossians 3:1-3 NLT

2006 marked the 117th consecutive year of the Oxford versus Cambridge golf match. The two teams met in Scotland to play a combined total of almost 720 holes of golf. After the first day, Oxford was down by a score of 4-1, a deficit that seemed near impossible to come back from. In the matches on day two, 7 out of 10 Oxford men would need to win their singles match in order to beat Cambridge.

At the end of day two, both teams exhausted, the competition came down to the last two matches. As the last putt sank, the Oxford team members rushed the green to congratulate their final player while the Cambridge team members made their way down to console their teammate. The final score was Cambridge 7½ to Oxford 7½. The weekend ended in a draw.
It was the same outcome for both teams, the same score. In the record books, it will show the match as a tie. But as the two teams walked away that day, you would have thought Oxford had won and Cambridge had lost. It was a matter of perspective. What Cambridge saw as a blown lead, Oxford saw as the greatest comeback in history.

The Christian’s home is with Christ. This gives a different perspective on our lives here on earth. This letter to the Colossians reminds them to think about the things of heaven. This means to look at things from God’s perspective. This means to looks at the same world, the same materialism, the same pleasures, the same cruelty, the same beauty, but to see it with different eyes. By seeing with God’s eyes, we can have the power to break free from the obsession with self-fulfillment and pleasure, and live a life that helps to serve and love others in a deeper, more meaningful way.

This means living life with a perspective that seeks to forgive, not cling to bitterness; seeks to serve, not gain from selfish living; seeks to give, not to have; seeks to love, not to ostracize. For you have died to this life. With God’s perspective and God’s power in your life, you can conquer the present-day worldly struggles and live a life knowing this world has nothing for you, compared to what lies ahead.

GOING DEEPER:

1. Have you adopted the world’s perspective or God’s perspective when you consider the world?

2. In what ways do you need to change the way you are looking at things in your life so that you can see them as God sees them?

FURTHER READING:John 14:2-3; Philippians 4:7; Colossians 3:15

This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden

"He must become greater; I must become less." John 3:30

On May 12 Wallace Mitchell shared a great devotional that really touched on how MBA's (and all of us really) should be living their lives.

The verses he shared were Matthew 11:28, John 3:30 & Esther 4:14. What struck me the most in our time together was the HUGE reminder that it is not about us. It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking the world revolves around us and how important we are. Take a look at the verse from Esther.

"For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father's family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to such a royal position for such a time as this?"

Our time together was a reminder for me that God doesn't need me, he wants me. He wants me to make the obedient choices in service to him, he wants me to let him work in me so that I can do more than I ever imagined with His power, he wants to use me...but he doesn't need to. What a gift we have in being used by the Lord for his work here on earth! And what a reminder Wally gave me (among others) to continually give credit where credit is due - to the Lord.

Posted by Kelly McFadden

What if God had a Myspace

A little humor in this 'online' world:

XTaurus » Blog Archive » What if God had a Myspace

Definitely worth a watch.

It Matters How You Worship On Earth

On May 5th Graeme Glover shared a very insightful and inspiring devotional. He shared verses from Psalm 121, 1 John 3:17-19 and Matthew 25:31-46.

These verses were extremely powerful in the way they remind us how important it is to worship God on earth. This was very apparent in the story from Matthew:

(V.34)"Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. (V.35) For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, (V.36) I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.' (Continue to read this chapter here)

I am reminded how important it is to be listening to the voice of God and be aware of the situations around us. If you continue to read this story you find out that those being honored did not serve the others in vain; rather they served the people in need with a pure heart.

Very inspiring.

In All Things ...

God in All Things
This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden


For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature – have been clearly seen being understood from what has been made so that men are without excuse. — Romans 1:20

The following is an excerpt from the journal of an 18 year old girl…

Remember
Sometimes when we leave what is real and live surrounded by manmade things
We forget –
We forget just how small we are
We forget who created this world
And we forget who gave us the power, courage, and creativity to create
But when we turn to what we can never make, but actually try to destroy – not only are we humbled, but
We remember
We remember just how awesome He is
And we remember who created and could only create the sunrise, the mountains, the fog rising off the marsh, the meadows, the trees, the snow, the gravel, the living creatures, the running water, the moss that grows on rocks…
And then I am humbled
And then I am sad because I forgot
And then I am glad for this morning, for this rock I sit on, and for the sunrise I am watching awake this world.
I am glad for all of the colors I see –
Pinks, blues, greens, grays, tans, browns, whites –
I see a picture so perfect it could never be captured in words or print
And now I am glad I remember
And glad to have a place to write this
So I won’t ever forget.

Has life become so busy that you have forgotten to appreciate how powerful and wonderful the Lord is? As I read through this journal entry that I wrote as an 18 year old, I am still convicted. So often in my life I get too busy to notice all that the Lord is and all the Lord has done. We have a God who loves us so much that He gave us a beautiful world to enjoy and explore. It says in Romans 1:20 that “men are without excuse.” You and I can see God in all he has created – even in each other - if only we look…no excuses.

It is said that our God is an invisible God. I am not so sure. Have you watched a sunrise lately?

GOING DEEPER:
1. As Romans 1:20 says, what are some of the “invisible qualities” you can see of God where you live?

2. Do you need to take some time in your busy life to slow down and remember how awesome our Lord is? Take some time to reflect on the great and awesome power of God.

FURTHER READING:
Psalm 8:1, 3-4; Psalm 19:1-6; Acts: 14:15-17

Labyrinth

This devotional was written by Kelly McFadden

Be still, and know that I am God! I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. — Psalm 46:10

Prayer labyrinths have long been utilized world wide. These mazes do not offer dead ends, wrong turns, or endless complications. In fact, prayer labyrinths are designed to help those walking through them focus their minds and reflect on their own lives.

The labyrinth at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco has three stages.

1. The first is purgation or releasing. As you enter the labyrinth the hope is that the details and distractions of life will be released and your heart and mind becomes open to God.
   
2. The second stage is illumination or receiving. The center of the labyrinth is a place for prayer and meditation, a chance to hear the Word of God.
   
3. The third and final stage is union, the act of returning to God with new empowerment and understanding.

The Psalmist in chapter 46 writes of the chaos and noise that surrounds him. This does not feel so far off from the world we live in today. It is so important to take time to release the pressures, chaos, fears and noise that can haunt and paralyze us. A part of being able to live in hope and confidence and hearing God’s voice is meditating on the power, greatness, and infinite wonders of God.

This world never shuts down. How can you take time to step out of the clutter and be still?

Further Readings:

Deuteronomy 10:12-22; Psalm 77:11-20; Matthew 17:5

Willing, yet weak

Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.

-Mark 14:38