Day 89
Matthew 10:24-26 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household! Therefore do not fear them. For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known."
So, how does one get such a strong Kingdom mind-set that they are able to realize with great comfort that everything in this life truly is contradictory to who we are in Christ? Surely, this must be the seed of the greatest struggle we as mankind experience here on this earth. After all, if we could get a handle on that fact, I believe that almost every aspect of our being would be changed, and our daily existence and priorities would be transformed.
Think about it like this: if every decision I made or action I took for the next 24 hours was one-hundred percent based upon eternal thinking, what would be different? Maybe an easier way to understand the impact would be to examine the actions of our prior 24 hours and determine how that would have been affected. If I am walking with the conviction that my teacher is Christ and that I am in no way above Him, how does that change where and who I am today? Am I taking the things He has taught me and applying them to my own life–things like unconditional love, grace, mercy, self-sacrifice unto death, patience, and a drive to share this message–to people who may hate me and definitely, in most cases, ridicule me? If I am honest with myself, the answer is no, but I'm trying. Am I living my life and making decisions as though my master is the God who created the universe, the one who created not just the universe I see and the world I inhabit, but rather all universes and all worlds, for all time? Do I respond to every aspect of life as one who respects, admires, and is submitted to His commands, His desires, and His will for me? Again, if I answer honestly with myself and with you, the answer is no, but I'm trying. The beauty of our God and our Savior is that to be trying, really trying is all He requires of us. All He asks is that we be a people who desire to please and fellowship with Him. How amazing is that?
Daily Prayer: I love you Lord, and I thank You that You would accept me for who I am and allow me to work toward who you desire me to be. Teach me, be patient with me, and accept my humble praise, for you are worthy Oh God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Live every day as if it were eternal."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Day 88 "He doesn't need me to speak so much as I need to speak for Him."
Day 88
Matthew 10:21-23 "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."
Now would be a good time to be reminded that Jesus is speaking to the disciples whom He is sending out to minister to the Jews, not the Gentiles. The Jewish people, even to this day, are very steadfast and even ritualistic in their beliefs; therefore, to speak of Jesus as the Messiah was very divisive, even to the point of murder. We know this is not a new concept, and yes, we all know that they murdered Christ on a cross; however, it would do us all well to remember the cost of the gospel for the Gentiles.
People have and are continuing to bear the burden of sharing the gospel, even though we often don't see it. Here in the "Land of the Free," to stand on a street corner is completely acceptable, (at least legally); to speak to another person of our great hope, while uncomfortable, is also acceptable. Oh yes, we may receive odd looks or be called crazy; however, no one is killing us; our children are not turning us over to the authorities for punishment. The only cost for us in this land is emotional or financial! In China, you can be jailed or worse for simply telling someone about Jesus. In most Muslim-controlled countries, speaking the gospel is punishable by death. In Pakistan, you and your family will be persecuted, shamed, and utterly destroyed or killed if you speak of Jesus. Yet, all too often in our own free land, people fear to speak of Him simply because someone may be offended. Let us not forget that they may die. Which is worse, for you to be ostracized or for them to spend eternity separated from God?
In 2005, Marty and I went to the National Association of Fairs and Exhibitions show in Las Vegas, Nevada, where we had an Outreach America booth. The purpose of this booth was to expose fairs to the possibility of holding a Christian Music and Ministry Night at their event. We purposed in our hearts to do everything we could to show who we were in Christ and that everyone who came near would be convinced of one thing: this was a ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our booth was located in the far corner of the hall, and yet many called ours the busiest booth in the event (with exception to the free beer booth). Amazing as it may seem, not all of the people who came were believers; many had no clue about the gospel, and yes, even some of them booked us for a crusade. Were we laughed at, made fun of, or even ostracized? I can honestly say I really don't know. I was too busy helping people interested in what we had to offer than to concern myself with the others. At the end of the show, a couple who had a booth near us came to me and asked for their forgiveness. They had been doing this all of their life and were afraid to show their faith; after all, who would want to book a Christian act? They had very few people come by and felt that they, in their fear, had not trusted God, yet we, in our boldness of faith, were blessed by Him. You see, we run scenarios in our minds of what people would think or what they will do if we say something, yet all we are doing is making it about us. What about them? After all, Jesus died for all mankind, and this is not an exclusive club–this is Life and life more abundantly!
Daily Prayer: Father, forgive me for fearing to share the faith. Forgive me, Lord, for making it all about me and forgetting it's all about Jesus. Give me the strength, I pray, to speak boldly for the sake of the gospel. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"He doesn't need me to speak so much as I need to speak for Him."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 10:21-23 "Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for My name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."
Now would be a good time to be reminded that Jesus is speaking to the disciples whom He is sending out to minister to the Jews, not the Gentiles. The Jewish people, even to this day, are very steadfast and even ritualistic in their beliefs; therefore, to speak of Jesus as the Messiah was very divisive, even to the point of murder. We know this is not a new concept, and yes, we all know that they murdered Christ on a cross; however, it would do us all well to remember the cost of the gospel for the Gentiles.
People have and are continuing to bear the burden of sharing the gospel, even though we often don't see it. Here in the "Land of the Free," to stand on a street corner is completely acceptable, (at least legally); to speak to another person of our great hope, while uncomfortable, is also acceptable. Oh yes, we may receive odd looks or be called crazy; however, no one is killing us; our children are not turning us over to the authorities for punishment. The only cost for us in this land is emotional or financial! In China, you can be jailed or worse for simply telling someone about Jesus. In most Muslim-controlled countries, speaking the gospel is punishable by death. In Pakistan, you and your family will be persecuted, shamed, and utterly destroyed or killed if you speak of Jesus. Yet, all too often in our own free land, people fear to speak of Him simply because someone may be offended. Let us not forget that they may die. Which is worse, for you to be ostracized or for them to spend eternity separated from God?
In 2005, Marty and I went to the National Association of Fairs and Exhibitions show in Las Vegas, Nevada, where we had an Outreach America booth. The purpose of this booth was to expose fairs to the possibility of holding a Christian Music and Ministry Night at their event. We purposed in our hearts to do everything we could to show who we were in Christ and that everyone who came near would be convinced of one thing: this was a ministry of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Our booth was located in the far corner of the hall, and yet many called ours the busiest booth in the event (with exception to the free beer booth). Amazing as it may seem, not all of the people who came were believers; many had no clue about the gospel, and yes, even some of them booked us for a crusade. Were we laughed at, made fun of, or even ostracized? I can honestly say I really don't know. I was too busy helping people interested in what we had to offer than to concern myself with the others. At the end of the show, a couple who had a booth near us came to me and asked for their forgiveness. They had been doing this all of their life and were afraid to show their faith; after all, who would want to book a Christian act? They had very few people come by and felt that they, in their fear, had not trusted God, yet we, in our boldness of faith, were blessed by Him. You see, we run scenarios in our minds of what people would think or what they will do if we say something, yet all we are doing is making it about us. What about them? After all, Jesus died for all mankind, and this is not an exclusive club–this is Life and life more abundantly!
Daily Prayer: Father, forgive me for fearing to share the faith. Forgive me, Lord, for making it all about me and forgetting it's all about Jesus. Give me the strength, I pray, to speak boldly for the sake of the gospel. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"He doesn't need me to speak so much as I need to speak for Him."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Monday, November 28, 2011
Day 87 "He who waits upon the Lord speaks the words of a Holy God."
Day 87
Matthew 10:18-20 "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."
Today, I felt convicted for the times I have accused satan for attacking me, when in reality, I should be praising the Lord for using me. All too often we get hung up on blaming the devil for causing trials and hardships in our lives when, in reality, God is allowing challenges to either bring us to a greater understanding or to be a witness to and for Him.
Think about it, was Stephen stoned because satan was attacking him, or was he stoned because God was preparing Saul's heart for the transformation to come? As I think about the events of the past few days and the things I shared yesterday about our trip, I realize even more how God was using the close calls to remind me of both the spiritual battle and of His sovereignty. The amazing promises in this passage should be of great comfort to each of us–the promise of being persecuted for His sake, as well as the promise of His hand upon us and His spirit within us. God does not make promises He doesn't keep; therefore, we can be assured that if we step out to testify of His glory, we will be brought before people, we will be persecuted, and we will be challenged to defend that which we believe. However, we are also assured that this same God of all creation says to us that He will lead us, He will tell us what to speak, and His Spirit will inhabit and guide us. Wow! I mean, how cool is that? God allows us to speak on His behalf, and we really don't need to worry about what we say because He will tell us what to say when we need to say it!
Now, we all know that this does come with the condition of being in communion with God; however, I would always advise that you never openly testify and witness unless you are in communion with God and covered by the blood of Jesus. Those who testify of Christ without being in communion with Him are committing spiritual suicide; they are, in fact, fighting a battle they cannot win, against an enemy they don't understand, and in an arena which they cannot see. Anyhow, back to the point at hand, the fear of the unknown, feelings of inadequacy, or fear of consequences should never keep a believer from testifying to the glory and greatness of our God, for He will be our all in all.
Daily Prayer: Father, I look forward to the times when I am challenged to defend or testify of Your glory, and thank You for the promise of Your Spirit guiding me in that day. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"He who waits upon the Lord speaks the words of a Holy God."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 10:18-20 "You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles. But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you."
Today, I felt convicted for the times I have accused satan for attacking me, when in reality, I should be praising the Lord for using me. All too often we get hung up on blaming the devil for causing trials and hardships in our lives when, in reality, God is allowing challenges to either bring us to a greater understanding or to be a witness to and for Him.
Think about it, was Stephen stoned because satan was attacking him, or was he stoned because God was preparing Saul's heart for the transformation to come? As I think about the events of the past few days and the things I shared yesterday about our trip, I realize even more how God was using the close calls to remind me of both the spiritual battle and of His sovereignty. The amazing promises in this passage should be of great comfort to each of us–the promise of being persecuted for His sake, as well as the promise of His hand upon us and His spirit within us. God does not make promises He doesn't keep; therefore, we can be assured that if we step out to testify of His glory, we will be brought before people, we will be persecuted, and we will be challenged to defend that which we believe. However, we are also assured that this same God of all creation says to us that He will lead us, He will tell us what to speak, and His Spirit will inhabit and guide us. Wow! I mean, how cool is that? God allows us to speak on His behalf, and we really don't need to worry about what we say because He will tell us what to say when we need to say it!
Now, we all know that this does come with the condition of being in communion with God; however, I would always advise that you never openly testify and witness unless you are in communion with God and covered by the blood of Jesus. Those who testify of Christ without being in communion with Him are committing spiritual suicide; they are, in fact, fighting a battle they cannot win, against an enemy they don't understand, and in an arena which they cannot see. Anyhow, back to the point at hand, the fear of the unknown, feelings of inadequacy, or fear of consequences should never keep a believer from testifying to the glory and greatness of our God, for He will be our all in all.
Daily Prayer: Father, I look forward to the times when I am challenged to defend or testify of Your glory, and thank You for the promise of Your Spirit guiding me in that day. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"He who waits upon the Lord speaks the words of a Holy God."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Day 86 "Satan's plans are often God’s opportunities."
Day 86
Matthew 10:16-17 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.”
"Sheep in the midst of wolves," or better known as food for the hungry or defenseless people in the midst of a ravenous enemy who seeks to destroy. We are a people with no hope on our own, yet protected by one who knows no fear. Our earthly bodies have no method of battling in the spirit: we see in the flesh, move in the flesh, feel in the flesh, and respond in the flesh, yet the spirit realm feels no consequence from fleshly actions, say one, complete surrender. To be wise in this battle, we must first realize all of that to be true, that though we respond in the flesh, it is a war which we cannot see that rages on about us. Therefore, to be wise is to respond accordingly, in the spirit. To be harmless as a dove is to avoid reacting in the flesh to those who seek to destroy the flesh, but rather we react in the spirit, by prayer and complete surrender to the will of God. The amazing thing is, when we do surrender, we see Him answering those prayers by being victorious on our behalf in the most amazing ways.
A while back, our son-in-law was struck with appendicitis while leading a Junior High camp in Santa Cruz, California, some 275-plus miles south of where we were living. Well, of course we pack up our oldest daughter (his wife) and my youngest daughter, leave the toddler and our middle daughter with grandma, and head for Santa Cruz at 7 p.m. First of all, we need to get to the hospital and check up on Nick, and then I need to get to the camp and help get these kids and leaders back to Redding the next day. We arrived at the hospital around midnight to find Nick in recovery doing very well, and around 1 a.m. we found a room, the last one available. This is Saturday night and spring break, but of course God was watching over us even there since this room was equipped with two double beds and was a non-smoking room. (See? He even takes care of the smallest details.) Six a.m. we’re up showering, head back to the hospital, and then on to camp where I'll be helping the team get home. Leaving Nick and my daughter Katie behind to await discharge from the hospital, we began our caravan home with five vehicles full of kids, one of which was towing a trailer full of equipment. Of course, I was and had been praying for safety; you see, the Lord had told me Nick would not be coming home a few days earlier, so I was prepared, for what I didn't know. Prayer was all I had.
Following are the major events of the ride home: A car is in the southbound lane (we are northbound) and spinning wildly toward us doing 360-degree turns–God revealed it, and I was able to avoid a collision. A vehicle towing a travel trailer immediately in front of us loses control after the driver falls asleep–God revealed it, and we were able to avoid a collision. Our own trailer immediately in front of us had a blow out, ripping the fender off and sending it like a giant knife past our window–God revealed it, and again we were able to avoid a collision. Add this to a long list of cutoffs and close calls, and I can honestly say the entire trip was one of the most harrowing six-hour drives of my life. God gave me the ability to see the plans of the enemy while they were yet afar off, and nothing I could do would save anyone without His help and direction. I believe the enemy wanted to destroy this team; he was out for blood, yet we were covered by the blood, thus his plans failed. Trusting God means surrendering to Him, believing in what we can't see, and trusting that He, alone, can win our battles.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to trust You, surrender to You, and to follow You. Give us the ability to see the enemies plan afar off and react with wisdom. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"Satan's plans are often God’s opportunities."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 10:16-17 "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.”
"Sheep in the midst of wolves," or better known as food for the hungry or defenseless people in the midst of a ravenous enemy who seeks to destroy. We are a people with no hope on our own, yet protected by one who knows no fear. Our earthly bodies have no method of battling in the spirit: we see in the flesh, move in the flesh, feel in the flesh, and respond in the flesh, yet the spirit realm feels no consequence from fleshly actions, say one, complete surrender. To be wise in this battle, we must first realize all of that to be true, that though we respond in the flesh, it is a war which we cannot see that rages on about us. Therefore, to be wise is to respond accordingly, in the spirit. To be harmless as a dove is to avoid reacting in the flesh to those who seek to destroy the flesh, but rather we react in the spirit, by prayer and complete surrender to the will of God. The amazing thing is, when we do surrender, we see Him answering those prayers by being victorious on our behalf in the most amazing ways.
A while back, our son-in-law was struck with appendicitis while leading a Junior High camp in Santa Cruz, California, some 275-plus miles south of where we were living. Well, of course we pack up our oldest daughter (his wife) and my youngest daughter, leave the toddler and our middle daughter with grandma, and head for Santa Cruz at 7 p.m. First of all, we need to get to the hospital and check up on Nick, and then I need to get to the camp and help get these kids and leaders back to Redding the next day. We arrived at the hospital around midnight to find Nick in recovery doing very well, and around 1 a.m. we found a room, the last one available. This is Saturday night and spring break, but of course God was watching over us even there since this room was equipped with two double beds and was a non-smoking room. (See? He even takes care of the smallest details.) Six a.m. we’re up showering, head back to the hospital, and then on to camp where I'll be helping the team get home. Leaving Nick and my daughter Katie behind to await discharge from the hospital, we began our caravan home with five vehicles full of kids, one of which was towing a trailer full of equipment. Of course, I was and had been praying for safety; you see, the Lord had told me Nick would not be coming home a few days earlier, so I was prepared, for what I didn't know. Prayer was all I had.
Following are the major events of the ride home: A car is in the southbound lane (we are northbound) and spinning wildly toward us doing 360-degree turns–God revealed it, and I was able to avoid a collision. A vehicle towing a travel trailer immediately in front of us loses control after the driver falls asleep–God revealed it, and we were able to avoid a collision. Our own trailer immediately in front of us had a blow out, ripping the fender off and sending it like a giant knife past our window–God revealed it, and again we were able to avoid a collision. Add this to a long list of cutoffs and close calls, and I can honestly say the entire trip was one of the most harrowing six-hour drives of my life. God gave me the ability to see the plans of the enemy while they were yet afar off, and nothing I could do would save anyone without His help and direction. I believe the enemy wanted to destroy this team; he was out for blood, yet we were covered by the blood, thus his plans failed. Trusting God means surrendering to Him, believing in what we can't see, and trusting that He, alone, can win our battles.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to trust You, surrender to You, and to follow You. Give us the ability to see the enemies plan afar off and react with wisdom. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"Satan's plans are often God’s opportunities."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Saturday, November 26, 2011
Day 85 "The message is all we called give; the rest is up to them."
Day 85
Matthew 10:11-15 "Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you or hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
Now would be a good time for us to remember that Jesus had explicitly instructed the disciples to not minister to anyone on this journey except the Jews. Why, and what bearing does it have on this passage, you ask? The focus upon this time was to give the Jewish people a chance to accept the Truth that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God for their redemption, and truly this was their last chance. Upon His denial and crucifixion, all people, no matter what race, gender, or ethnic background, would then be able to receive the gift of eternal life. Therefore, those who denied the message of the apostles are the Jews, and just as the Jews would do when they left a Gentile city, the apostles would shake the dust off as a symbolism of not taking anything unclean with them from that place. This is a practice that had never been done before in a Jewish community. Until now, it had been reserved for Gentiles and Samaritans: a powerful and open statement was being made! Can you imagine the turmoil that would arise when a Jewish religious leader who had denied the message was suddenly being openly identified as someone who ‘not even the dust of’ was worthy to be upon you? Jesus was setting the stage, making another play, and showing all of Israel that He was not afraid of their tradition, piety, or other arrogances. He was about to establish a new covenant and they needed to get on board.
Do you know of someone who you have been sharing with, someone who, no matter what they see or hear, is refusing to even consider the possibility of the power of Jesus? Maybe a coworker or a loved one or someone who has openly mocked your faith and made it clear that they will not believe? These are the people of whom Jesus speaks. Maybe it's time to shake off the dust, stop fussing and worrying over them, and leave them at the feet of Jesus. I am not saying that there are people unworthy of salvation, that would be heresy, as all people are worthy of Christ’s payment for sin. The question is this: is it possible that all of your unwanted and unappreciated efforts could have actually been given to someone who would appreciate the message, someone who would actually believe? Yes, you still love them, yes, you desire to see them saved, and yes, you can still pray for them, but remember, Jesus is the one who will save them, not you or me. We are here to share the gospel message, and that we must do, but not all men will be saved and that is a harsh but true reality.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to know when it is time to walk away, to leave people at Your feet and in Your care. Take away the feelings of guilt when we do so, and remind us of your words we have read today, lest the enemy cause us to stumble. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"The message is all we called give; the rest is up to them."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 10:11-15 "Now whatever city or town you enter, inquire who in it is worthy, and stay there till you go out. And when you go into a household, greet it. If the household is worthy, let your peace come upon it. But if it is not worthy, let your peace return to you. And whoever will not receive you or hear your words, when you depart from that house or city, shake off the dust from your feet. Assuredly, I say to you, it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgment than for that city!”
Now would be a good time for us to remember that Jesus had explicitly instructed the disciples to not minister to anyone on this journey except the Jews. Why, and what bearing does it have on this passage, you ask? The focus upon this time was to give the Jewish people a chance to accept the Truth that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God for their redemption, and truly this was their last chance. Upon His denial and crucifixion, all people, no matter what race, gender, or ethnic background, would then be able to receive the gift of eternal life. Therefore, those who denied the message of the apostles are the Jews, and just as the Jews would do when they left a Gentile city, the apostles would shake the dust off as a symbolism of not taking anything unclean with them from that place. This is a practice that had never been done before in a Jewish community. Until now, it had been reserved for Gentiles and Samaritans: a powerful and open statement was being made! Can you imagine the turmoil that would arise when a Jewish religious leader who had denied the message was suddenly being openly identified as someone who ‘not even the dust of’ was worthy to be upon you? Jesus was setting the stage, making another play, and showing all of Israel that He was not afraid of their tradition, piety, or other arrogances. He was about to establish a new covenant and they needed to get on board.
Do you know of someone who you have been sharing with, someone who, no matter what they see or hear, is refusing to even consider the possibility of the power of Jesus? Maybe a coworker or a loved one or someone who has openly mocked your faith and made it clear that they will not believe? These are the people of whom Jesus speaks. Maybe it's time to shake off the dust, stop fussing and worrying over them, and leave them at the feet of Jesus. I am not saying that there are people unworthy of salvation, that would be heresy, as all people are worthy of Christ’s payment for sin. The question is this: is it possible that all of your unwanted and unappreciated efforts could have actually been given to someone who would appreciate the message, someone who would actually believe? Yes, you still love them, yes, you desire to see them saved, and yes, you can still pray for them, but remember, Jesus is the one who will save them, not you or me. We are here to share the gospel message, and that we must do, but not all men will be saved and that is a harsh but true reality.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to know when it is time to walk away, to leave people at Your feet and in Your care. Take away the feelings of guilt when we do so, and remind us of your words we have read today, lest the enemy cause us to stumble. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"The message is all we called give; the rest is up to them."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Friday, November 25, 2011
Day 84 "It's far better to fulfill ministry when in ministry than it is to fill a bank account."
Day 84
Matthew 10:9-10 "Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food."
As Jesus sent His apostles out, He seemed to make it very clear to them that their focus was not to be about themselves, their personal comfort, or their possessions, but rather upon the work which He had equipped them for. Remember, when Jesus sent them out, their assignment was to "heal all kinds of sickness and disease," therefore, that was their goal. By focusing solely upon the goal, they would be much more successful and able to impact far more people than if they were distracted by their daily physical needs.
It never ceases to amaze me how many ministries there are out there who bring on a director or pastor and, as their first responsibility, they are told to raise their support rather than to fulfill the goal of the ministry. In this chapter, Jesus has, in my opinion, laid out a perfect plan for all ministries to follow: focus on the goal and expect those who receive the blessing, as well as those in the community, to support the ministry. Where did we go wrong? How is it that so many ministries have so drastically changed their focus to support first, then the ministry? The truth is that Jesus never sends His apostles to establish a financial foundation for any of their ministry prior to doing the ministry, but rather He sends them out expecting them to focus on the ministry and for the people to respond with support.
While I will be the first to admit I have made more wrong calls than I care to admit in the finances of the ministry, I can honestly say that Outreach America nor Shasta Lake Church’s focus has never been the raising funds; it has always been to fulfill the call God has placed upon the ministry. As a result, Outreach America did not hold a fundraiser for over three years, and continued to operate in the black, with a small cushion in the bank. Many have asked how, some have said they wish they had that kind of faith, and others have simply shaken their head, but all of us can agree upon one thing–only God can receive the glory! I think I'm ok with that. You see, I used to have my focus on raising money, then God placed me in ministry, and despite the constant attempts by satan to make money the focus once again, I think I'll stick with what works and let God take that one on. After all, He really is better at making money than I am.
Daily Prayer: Father, would you help me to keep my focus upon the ministry rather than upon the money. When I have need, would you provide, and when I go astray, please put me back on course before I stray too far. In Jesus’ name I ask these things. Amen.
"It's far better to fulfill ministry when in ministry than it is to fill a bank account."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 10:9-10 "Provide neither gold nor silver nor copper in your money belts, nor bag for your journey, nor two tunics, nor sandals, nor staffs; for a worker is worthy of his food."
As Jesus sent His apostles out, He seemed to make it very clear to them that their focus was not to be about themselves, their personal comfort, or their possessions, but rather upon the work which He had equipped them for. Remember, when Jesus sent them out, their assignment was to "heal all kinds of sickness and disease," therefore, that was their goal. By focusing solely upon the goal, they would be much more successful and able to impact far more people than if they were distracted by their daily physical needs.
It never ceases to amaze me how many ministries there are out there who bring on a director or pastor and, as their first responsibility, they are told to raise their support rather than to fulfill the goal of the ministry. In this chapter, Jesus has, in my opinion, laid out a perfect plan for all ministries to follow: focus on the goal and expect those who receive the blessing, as well as those in the community, to support the ministry. Where did we go wrong? How is it that so many ministries have so drastically changed their focus to support first, then the ministry? The truth is that Jesus never sends His apostles to establish a financial foundation for any of their ministry prior to doing the ministry, but rather He sends them out expecting them to focus on the ministry and for the people to respond with support.
While I will be the first to admit I have made more wrong calls than I care to admit in the finances of the ministry, I can honestly say that Outreach America nor Shasta Lake Church’s focus has never been the raising funds; it has always been to fulfill the call God has placed upon the ministry. As a result, Outreach America did not hold a fundraiser for over three years, and continued to operate in the black, with a small cushion in the bank. Many have asked how, some have said they wish they had that kind of faith, and others have simply shaken their head, but all of us can agree upon one thing–only God can receive the glory! I think I'm ok with that. You see, I used to have my focus on raising money, then God placed me in ministry, and despite the constant attempts by satan to make money the focus once again, I think I'll stick with what works and let God take that one on. After all, He really is better at making money than I am.
Daily Prayer: Father, would you help me to keep my focus upon the ministry rather than upon the money. When I have need, would you provide, and when I go astray, please put me back on course before I stray too far. In Jesus’ name I ask these things. Amen.
"It's far better to fulfill ministry when in ministry than it is to fill a bank account."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Day 83 “Two ears, one mouth, therefore, listen, and learn twice as long as you speak.”
Day 83
Matthew 10:5-8 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
In the early '90s, there were a large number of evangelists, some well-known; others not so well-known, who received very similar visions from the Lord regarding the city of San Francisco in California. For each of us, the call was very simplistic and much like that as described in the preceding passage. We were told to go, do the bidding of the Lord, spread the gospel, preach, love, heal, and yes, even raise the dead, and so we did. In our case, however, we were not all aware that there were others who had received the same message, which only became apparent with time. It seemed at the time that no matter where I went, I was hearing people talk about the burden the Lord had placed upon their hearts for this area of the world.
For several years we, as a ministry, served faithfully, obeying the command of the Lord, and continually we received the same response. From the Churches in the city, the message was not received and, in essence, they felt that we were saying they weren’t doing their job rather than viewing us as a tool to assist them with their call. Therefore, the message, the blessing, and the fruit were largely left lying in the street rather than in the house of God. On the streets, the people, for the most part, spurned the message and the miracles; seeing, they did not believe and, therefore, they as well did not receive. After seven years, the Lord called us out of the city and has not released us to return, and He may never do so. In addition, most of the evangelists I knew of have done likewise, some before their time, but nevertheless, it is obvious that this city was given an opportunity which it, for the most part, has spurned.
The same can be said of the Jews at the time of this passage: they saw the miracles, they heard the message, and they chose not to receive the blessing of it, for whatever reason. No matter the reason for people spurning the gospel message, the outcome remains the same, and yet they do. My heart was broken for the people of San Francisco at one time, and now my heart is indifferent. I pray that our God’s heart has remained broken and that He will expand mercy to all of those who dwell there, and I am confident that this is true. However, I believe, because it is written, that those who have turned their back upon the gospel of Jesus Christ will not be protected from the wrath of God, and for them I pray repentance today.
Daily Prayer: Father for those who have heard Your words and spurned them I pray that You would give them ears to hear and eyes to see. Father that men would turn from the lies of this world and to the truth of You and Your salvation, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Two ears, one mouth, therefore, listen, and learn twice as long as you speak.”
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 10:5-8 These twelve Jesus sent out and commanded them, saying: “Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans. But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.”
In the early '90s, there were a large number of evangelists, some well-known; others not so well-known, who received very similar visions from the Lord regarding the city of San Francisco in California. For each of us, the call was very simplistic and much like that as described in the preceding passage. We were told to go, do the bidding of the Lord, spread the gospel, preach, love, heal, and yes, even raise the dead, and so we did. In our case, however, we were not all aware that there were others who had received the same message, which only became apparent with time. It seemed at the time that no matter where I went, I was hearing people talk about the burden the Lord had placed upon their hearts for this area of the world.
For several years we, as a ministry, served faithfully, obeying the command of the Lord, and continually we received the same response. From the Churches in the city, the message was not received and, in essence, they felt that we were saying they weren’t doing their job rather than viewing us as a tool to assist them with their call. Therefore, the message, the blessing, and the fruit were largely left lying in the street rather than in the house of God. On the streets, the people, for the most part, spurned the message and the miracles; seeing, they did not believe and, therefore, they as well did not receive. After seven years, the Lord called us out of the city and has not released us to return, and He may never do so. In addition, most of the evangelists I knew of have done likewise, some before their time, but nevertheless, it is obvious that this city was given an opportunity which it, for the most part, has spurned.
The same can be said of the Jews at the time of this passage: they saw the miracles, they heard the message, and they chose not to receive the blessing of it, for whatever reason. No matter the reason for people spurning the gospel message, the outcome remains the same, and yet they do. My heart was broken for the people of San Francisco at one time, and now my heart is indifferent. I pray that our God’s heart has remained broken and that He will expand mercy to all of those who dwell there, and I am confident that this is true. However, I believe, because it is written, that those who have turned their back upon the gospel of Jesus Christ will not be protected from the wrath of God, and for them I pray repentance today.
Daily Prayer: Father for those who have heard Your words and spurned them I pray that You would give them ears to hear and eyes to see. Father that men would turn from the lies of this world and to the truth of You and Your salvation, In Jesus’ name, Amen.
“Two ears, one mouth, therefore, listen, and learn twice as long as you speak.”
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
Day 81 "Crops left unharvested only rot and die; out of the seats and into the streets."
Day 81
Matthew 9:37-38 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
Jesus has been going from town to town spreading the gospel, healing the sick, delivering the captives, and yet what He sees are people without spiritual leaders to guide them. The religious leaders of the day have rejected His message and have purposed in their hearts to destroy Him. Their focus is no longer on the people, they have lost their compassion for them; it is all overshadowed by their deep hatred for this man Jesus. The religious leaders of the day had become so focused upon discounting the message of Jesus that they could no longer see the needs of the people or the miraculous works being done in their midst. They now have scales upon their eyes.
In recent years, the Lord has blessed me with many opportunities to minister all over California, and recently, doors have been opened all over the United States. Quite honestly, I am a little confounded by the incredible response to our message. The message the Lord has placed upon my heart is not original and lacks any technological flare, and it is so simple I often feel amazed at peoples’ response. You see, the message is the gospel! All we do is deliver the message of Christ and allow people to respond to what God is stirring in their hearts. A simple fact is that when God is present, the human body cannot help but have a response. Whether it be emotional as a result of guilt or unconfessed sin, or first-time recognition of sin, the human body will always respond to the presence of God in some way. Therefore, when people are prompted by the Spirit to respond, we simply allow them to do so and we pray with them. Then, we plug them into a local Church. The End.
Now, before your mind goes running off and you have visions of people jumping around and acting chaotic, swinging snakes, and freaking out as the result of God's presence, let me assure you–this is not the case. I'm talking about an emotionally overwhelming response that causes people to want to be purified and consecrated before a Holy God. They need a touch from Jesus, and all we are doing is offering them an opportunity. We are seeing people transformed, lives being changed, physical and mental healings, and so much more taking place as the result of an encounter with a Holy God. What is so unusual about that? The unusual part is that it has become so rare, and we are being looked at as people doing this new and wonderful thing when, in reality, there is nothing new about it. We are simply obeying the Word of the Lord and reacting to His leading by getting up and following Him. You see, "The harvest truly is plentiful but the laborers are few." The only thing needed for people to see Jesus, to receive His touch, to be transformed into His image, are people to show them what it means to be transformed, changed, healed, and delivered. We don't need a new revelation in Christ; we simply need to show all mankind the power of the revelation of Christ, the Son of the living God, and the power of His resurrection and blood. What the Lord needs are people without scales, people of compassion willing to be stretched and used for His glory. He'll do the work; He just needs you to be willing, are you?
Daily Prayer: Father, if I have scales over my eyes, I ask you to remove them. I ask you, Lord, to show me the need and give me the grace to do my part to harvest your crop. In Jesus’ name I ask these things, Amen.
"Crops left unharvested only rot and die; out of the seats and into the streets."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:37-38 Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest truly is plentiful but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest."
Jesus has been going from town to town spreading the gospel, healing the sick, delivering the captives, and yet what He sees are people without spiritual leaders to guide them. The religious leaders of the day have rejected His message and have purposed in their hearts to destroy Him. Their focus is no longer on the people, they have lost their compassion for them; it is all overshadowed by their deep hatred for this man Jesus. The religious leaders of the day had become so focused upon discounting the message of Jesus that they could no longer see the needs of the people or the miraculous works being done in their midst. They now have scales upon their eyes.
In recent years, the Lord has blessed me with many opportunities to minister all over California, and recently, doors have been opened all over the United States. Quite honestly, I am a little confounded by the incredible response to our message. The message the Lord has placed upon my heart is not original and lacks any technological flare, and it is so simple I often feel amazed at peoples’ response. You see, the message is the gospel! All we do is deliver the message of Christ and allow people to respond to what God is stirring in their hearts. A simple fact is that when God is present, the human body cannot help but have a response. Whether it be emotional as a result of guilt or unconfessed sin, or first-time recognition of sin, the human body will always respond to the presence of God in some way. Therefore, when people are prompted by the Spirit to respond, we simply allow them to do so and we pray with them. Then, we plug them into a local Church. The End.
Now, before your mind goes running off and you have visions of people jumping around and acting chaotic, swinging snakes, and freaking out as the result of God's presence, let me assure you–this is not the case. I'm talking about an emotionally overwhelming response that causes people to want to be purified and consecrated before a Holy God. They need a touch from Jesus, and all we are doing is offering them an opportunity. We are seeing people transformed, lives being changed, physical and mental healings, and so much more taking place as the result of an encounter with a Holy God. What is so unusual about that? The unusual part is that it has become so rare, and we are being looked at as people doing this new and wonderful thing when, in reality, there is nothing new about it. We are simply obeying the Word of the Lord and reacting to His leading by getting up and following Him. You see, "The harvest truly is plentiful but the laborers are few." The only thing needed for people to see Jesus, to receive His touch, to be transformed into His image, are people to show them what it means to be transformed, changed, healed, and delivered. We don't need a new revelation in Christ; we simply need to show all mankind the power of the revelation of Christ, the Son of the living God, and the power of His resurrection and blood. What the Lord needs are people without scales, people of compassion willing to be stretched and used for His glory. He'll do the work; He just needs you to be willing, are you?
Daily Prayer: Father, if I have scales over my eyes, I ask you to remove them. I ask you, Lord, to show me the need and give me the grace to do my part to harvest your crop. In Jesus’ name I ask these things, Amen.
"Crops left unharvested only rot and die; out of the seats and into the streets."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Day 80: "We will never understand the depth of His love on this earth, yet we should attempt to."
Day 80
Matthew 9:35-36 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
We sang a wonderful worship song recently in Church written by Chris Tomlin and Matt Redmond, and one of the lines went like this, "I am loved by the King and it makes my heart want to sing." To be loved by this King is an amazingly wonderful thing, a gift like no other, for among the many reasons for our gratefulness is the fact that He is a King of compassion. In Webster’s Dictionary, the word compassion is defined as “consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it." Our King is not just aware of our distress, but He also desires to alleviate it. Think about it, while He was here on earth and knowing what He faced, what was He doing? – relieving their distress.
You see, I believe that most people, if they knew they were facing a horrible, demeaning, and extremely painful death, such as Jesus suffered, would not be spending their time telling people about the blessing and promise that would result from that death. No, they would be trying to talk God out of it and spend much of their time looking for another way or another person to take their place. I believe the last thing they would be doing is telling people how great it would be for them. The remainder of their time would be spent looking for an ear to bend or a shoulder to cry on, whining about their great misfortune, milking the chosen path for all of the sympathy they could muster. No, we serve a God of compassion, a God of great love and action, and a God willing to do anything to restore His people to Himself.
I don't know about you, but I truly have a hard time wrapping my mind around God's ability to love so deeply. My late wife and I have three beautiful daughters and two grandkids, and I can honestly say that there is nothing I would not do for them–most of the time. Sometimes, when they take advantage of my love, I get frustrated with them; I want them to somehow pay for the hurt they caused me, my wife, or each other. You see, while my love is unconditional, my response to their needs or request is sometimes based upon condition. My response can be influenced by many factors, and even though I hate to admit it, those factors are all too often a result of pain in my flesh; therefore, my response is also fleshly. Yet in Jesus we have a Father whose response is never tainted by circumstances, moods, or any fleshly influence. His response is always and forever motivated by His intense love for us, even when we forget. His love for us is the guiding factor in every action He takes, every move He makes, and every circumstance He allows in our lives. That should truly bring every one of us great and everlasting comfort. Please try to remember that the next time things seem to be going the wrong way–I know it's hard; however, it is true.
Sometime ago, my dear friend and colleague’s 95-year-old mother-in-law was burned very badly when her gown caught on fire. His wife, seeing this unfold, grabbed her mother and rolled her to the ground, extinguishing the flames, and in the process was also badly burned. He, too, seeing this unfold began extinguishing the flames in her hair and was also burnt and required medical attention. The next day his mother-in-law went home to be with the Lord as a result of her injuries. We can and do feel many emotions at a time like this, with questions like why? and how? coming to mind. Yet the only true comfort for this family arrived in the form of knowing the great love that our Jesus has for them; knowing that mom, when she left this earthly pain-filled body behind, landed in the arms of her compassionate, loving Savior, and never again will she suffer. And I dare say that when standing in the presence of her Lord, I doubt she asked any of those questions as well. I choose rather to believe that she was rejoicing at the sight of Him in all His glory!
Daily Prayer: Father, we often forget how much you love us, how unconditional your love is, and how You are never influenced by the weaknesses of flesh. Thank you, Lord, for being compassionate and understanding when I fail, and may You continue to have patience with me, I pray. In Jesus’ name I ask these things, Amen.
"We will never understand the depth of His love on this earth, yet we should attempt to."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:35-36 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.
We sang a wonderful worship song recently in Church written by Chris Tomlin and Matt Redmond, and one of the lines went like this, "I am loved by the King and it makes my heart want to sing." To be loved by this King is an amazingly wonderful thing, a gift like no other, for among the many reasons for our gratefulness is the fact that He is a King of compassion. In Webster’s Dictionary, the word compassion is defined as “consciousness of others’ distress together with a desire to alleviate it." Our King is not just aware of our distress, but He also desires to alleviate it. Think about it, while He was here on earth and knowing what He faced, what was He doing? – relieving their distress.
You see, I believe that most people, if they knew they were facing a horrible, demeaning, and extremely painful death, such as Jesus suffered, would not be spending their time telling people about the blessing and promise that would result from that death. No, they would be trying to talk God out of it and spend much of their time looking for another way or another person to take their place. I believe the last thing they would be doing is telling people how great it would be for them. The remainder of their time would be spent looking for an ear to bend or a shoulder to cry on, whining about their great misfortune, milking the chosen path for all of the sympathy they could muster. No, we serve a God of compassion, a God of great love and action, and a God willing to do anything to restore His people to Himself.
I don't know about you, but I truly have a hard time wrapping my mind around God's ability to love so deeply. My late wife and I have three beautiful daughters and two grandkids, and I can honestly say that there is nothing I would not do for them–most of the time. Sometimes, when they take advantage of my love, I get frustrated with them; I want them to somehow pay for the hurt they caused me, my wife, or each other. You see, while my love is unconditional, my response to their needs or request is sometimes based upon condition. My response can be influenced by many factors, and even though I hate to admit it, those factors are all too often a result of pain in my flesh; therefore, my response is also fleshly. Yet in Jesus we have a Father whose response is never tainted by circumstances, moods, or any fleshly influence. His response is always and forever motivated by His intense love for us, even when we forget. His love for us is the guiding factor in every action He takes, every move He makes, and every circumstance He allows in our lives. That should truly bring every one of us great and everlasting comfort. Please try to remember that the next time things seem to be going the wrong way–I know it's hard; however, it is true.
Sometime ago, my dear friend and colleague’s 95-year-old mother-in-law was burned very badly when her gown caught on fire. His wife, seeing this unfold, grabbed her mother and rolled her to the ground, extinguishing the flames, and in the process was also badly burned. He, too, seeing this unfold began extinguishing the flames in her hair and was also burnt and required medical attention. The next day his mother-in-law went home to be with the Lord as a result of her injuries. We can and do feel many emotions at a time like this, with questions like why? and how? coming to mind. Yet the only true comfort for this family arrived in the form of knowing the great love that our Jesus has for them; knowing that mom, when she left this earthly pain-filled body behind, landed in the arms of her compassionate, loving Savior, and never again will she suffer. And I dare say that when standing in the presence of her Lord, I doubt she asked any of those questions as well. I choose rather to believe that she was rejoicing at the sight of Him in all His glory!
Daily Prayer: Father, we often forget how much you love us, how unconditional your love is, and how You are never influenced by the weaknesses of flesh. Thank you, Lord, for being compassionate and understanding when I fail, and may You continue to have patience with me, I pray. In Jesus’ name I ask these things, Amen.
"We will never understand the depth of His love on this earth, yet we should attempt to."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Monday, November 21, 2011
Day 79: "Avoid the path of discouragement; it is filled with potholes and ends in death."
Day 79
Matthew 9:32-34 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the ruler of demons."
I say black, you say white. I say good, you say bad. I say the sun is shining, you say look at the clouds. Does anyone come to mind as you read this? You know, that person who is always looking at the negative side of things. Why is it that, every time something good is taking place, there is always someone waiting in the wings to point to the negative, even when they would benefit more from the positive? In this case, Jesus is completely transforming and making new the life of another human being. No longer is this man trapped and unable to do anything without permission of the enemy, but rather he is suddenly free to be all that God has made him to be! He can now express the great joy of freedom in Christ, and having received the greatest of all gifts, he is now faced with people who would steal all of his joy, hope, and victory, and for what?
For over a decade, my first wife (now deceased), and I would put on camps for fourth- through sixth-grade children. And while every camp had its own flavor and personality, they all had two very distinct things in common. One was that the youth, in almost every case, experienced closeness with God and an awareness of who they were in Christ; they would open up like a flower in the spring, ever ready to receive all that God would have for them. Some would arrive at camp open and ready, and for others it would take sometimes days for them to be open to receive from the Lord. But by and large most of them would eventually open up to see and feel, many for the first time, the power of God in their lives, and the transformation was ever so obvious. The second common occurrence was the reuniting with their parents or guardians and the result of this meeting. For a few, as they shared the excitement of camp, the parents/guardians would take the time to listen and encourage them, and for them, the experience of camp and the encounter with God lived on. For others, their parents/guardians were so determined to get the kids back to town and on to the next occurrence in life that they never even paid attention to the child. Their response was more like that of the Pharisees; yes; uh-huh; oh, that's nice honey; or, here's a great one: oh honey, God doesn't really do that, what were they teaching you? Quite often, for these children, the experience has immediately lost all credibility, and suddenly, God has become a figment of their imagination, nothing to ever be taken seriously. You could watch them close back up.
You see, when God is blessing people, no matter how little we may be blessed by it, we must recognize that they are. We need to encourage, not discourage. We need to bless, not burden. We need to guard our tongue and take a chill pill. You see, there is a lot at stake here; people are waiting for someone to encourage them, yet expecting people to discourage them. Try proving them wrong and watch what God can do–the biggest change will come from within.
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to be a positive influence on the people around me. Protect me from taking the road of discouragement and negativity; after all, it is not the road you travel. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Avoid the path of discouragement; it is filled with potholes and ends in death."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:32-34 As they went out, behold, they brought to Him a man, mute and demon-possessed. And when the demon was cast out, the mute spoke. And the multitudes marveled, saying, "It was never seen like this in Israel." But the Pharisees said, "He casts out demons by the ruler of demons."
I say black, you say white. I say good, you say bad. I say the sun is shining, you say look at the clouds. Does anyone come to mind as you read this? You know, that person who is always looking at the negative side of things. Why is it that, every time something good is taking place, there is always someone waiting in the wings to point to the negative, even when they would benefit more from the positive? In this case, Jesus is completely transforming and making new the life of another human being. No longer is this man trapped and unable to do anything without permission of the enemy, but rather he is suddenly free to be all that God has made him to be! He can now express the great joy of freedom in Christ, and having received the greatest of all gifts, he is now faced with people who would steal all of his joy, hope, and victory, and for what?
For over a decade, my first wife (now deceased), and I would put on camps for fourth- through sixth-grade children. And while every camp had its own flavor and personality, they all had two very distinct things in common. One was that the youth, in almost every case, experienced closeness with God and an awareness of who they were in Christ; they would open up like a flower in the spring, ever ready to receive all that God would have for them. Some would arrive at camp open and ready, and for others it would take sometimes days for them to be open to receive from the Lord. But by and large most of them would eventually open up to see and feel, many for the first time, the power of God in their lives, and the transformation was ever so obvious. The second common occurrence was the reuniting with their parents or guardians and the result of this meeting. For a few, as they shared the excitement of camp, the parents/guardians would take the time to listen and encourage them, and for them, the experience of camp and the encounter with God lived on. For others, their parents/guardians were so determined to get the kids back to town and on to the next occurrence in life that they never even paid attention to the child. Their response was more like that of the Pharisees; yes; uh-huh; oh, that's nice honey; or, here's a great one: oh honey, God doesn't really do that, what were they teaching you? Quite often, for these children, the experience has immediately lost all credibility, and suddenly, God has become a figment of their imagination, nothing to ever be taken seriously. You could watch them close back up.
You see, when God is blessing people, no matter how little we may be blessed by it, we must recognize that they are. We need to encourage, not discourage. We need to bless, not burden. We need to guard our tongue and take a chill pill. You see, there is a lot at stake here; people are waiting for someone to encourage them, yet expecting people to discourage them. Try proving them wrong and watch what God can do–the biggest change will come from within.
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to be a positive influence on the people around me. Protect me from taking the road of discouragement and negativity; after all, it is not the road you travel. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Avoid the path of discouragement; it is filled with potholes and ends in death."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Day 78 "Busyness is not next to Godliness."
Day 78
Matthew 9:27-31 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See that no one knows it." But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in that country.
The most accepted school of thought for Jesus not wanting the blind men to tell others of their healing was that Jesus desired and needed time for prayer and rest. He genuinely needed to be refueled. Some would say, “But He is God, he doesn't get tired or need to take a break.” But to them I would say, “You need to read Genesis 2:2 where God, upon completion of His work, rested or Exodus 20:8 where God instructs us as a commandment to rest and spend time with Him.”
I feel the greatest danger facing believers today is the lack of rest and refreshment in Christ. We go and go, doing more and more "for the Lord;" saying things like, "The time is short" or "Someone has to get it done," and so on, all supposedly because God has told us to. However, God is not a liar, He does not go against His Word, and He has instructed us to take a break on a regular basis. Jesus knew that there were people in the region who needed His help. More than anyone, He knew His time was short, yet even He knew the need for rest.
Believers, in general, have always wanted the pastors at their beck and call, after all, who pays their salary? Shouldn't they be there when we need them? The answer, by the way, is “No.” Sorry to shock some of you, but blessed to educate–God is always there! He has promised to never leave nor forsake you and the pastors and leaders of the Church He has sent to train and equip the body. The burdens of the Church, or the body–those belong to God. Leaders who carry the load without rest are leaders who are operating in the flesh, and while the body may think they are receiving deep spiritual counsel, they are all too often receiving a shallow fleshly response. In Acts 6:2, the disciples made a very strong and accurate statement regarding leadership in the Church: "It is not desirable that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables." And later, in verse 4, they go on to say, "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word." The true purpose of the pastor is to lead the Church in the study of the Word and in prayer; there are others who are to perform the business of the ministry, which, by the way, includes caring for the body and its members.
Without the study of the Word and prayer, we as leaders are not fulfilling the role that God has called us to, yet all too often we find ourselves doing the exact opposite, present company included. If you are a leader, learn to lead by example by following the best example, which is those of Christ and God our creator; take the time to rest; and remember to focus on your part of the ministry. If you are a member of the body, pray for your pastors and encourage others as you yourself learn to seek first the Lord, partake in rest, and don't have unrealistic or nonbiblical expectations of your pastor(s). If God needs a break, then surely we, as beings of flesh, need more than He.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to remember to take the time to rest in You, and Father, may we also allow our leaders to do the same. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Busyness is not next to Godliness."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:27-31 When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him. And Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to Him, "Yes, Lord." Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it be to you." And their eyes were opened. And Jesus sternly warned them, saying, "See that no one knows it." But when they had departed, they spread the news about Him in that country.
The most accepted school of thought for Jesus not wanting the blind men to tell others of their healing was that Jesus desired and needed time for prayer and rest. He genuinely needed to be refueled. Some would say, “But He is God, he doesn't get tired or need to take a break.” But to them I would say, “You need to read Genesis 2:2 where God, upon completion of His work, rested or Exodus 20:8 where God instructs us as a commandment to rest and spend time with Him.”
I feel the greatest danger facing believers today is the lack of rest and refreshment in Christ. We go and go, doing more and more "for the Lord;" saying things like, "The time is short" or "Someone has to get it done," and so on, all supposedly because God has told us to. However, God is not a liar, He does not go against His Word, and He has instructed us to take a break on a regular basis. Jesus knew that there were people in the region who needed His help. More than anyone, He knew His time was short, yet even He knew the need for rest.
Believers, in general, have always wanted the pastors at their beck and call, after all, who pays their salary? Shouldn't they be there when we need them? The answer, by the way, is “No.” Sorry to shock some of you, but blessed to educate–God is always there! He has promised to never leave nor forsake you and the pastors and leaders of the Church He has sent to train and equip the body. The burdens of the Church, or the body–those belong to God. Leaders who carry the load without rest are leaders who are operating in the flesh, and while the body may think they are receiving deep spiritual counsel, they are all too often receiving a shallow fleshly response. In Acts 6:2, the disciples made a very strong and accurate statement regarding leadership in the Church: "It is not desirable that we should leave the Word of God and serve tables." And later, in verse 4, they go on to say, "But we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the Word." The true purpose of the pastor is to lead the Church in the study of the Word and in prayer; there are others who are to perform the business of the ministry, which, by the way, includes caring for the body and its members.
Without the study of the Word and prayer, we as leaders are not fulfilling the role that God has called us to, yet all too often we find ourselves doing the exact opposite, present company included. If you are a leader, learn to lead by example by following the best example, which is those of Christ and God our creator; take the time to rest; and remember to focus on your part of the ministry. If you are a member of the body, pray for your pastors and encourage others as you yourself learn to seek first the Lord, partake in rest, and don't have unrealistic or nonbiblical expectations of your pastor(s). If God needs a break, then surely we, as beings of flesh, need more than He.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to remember to take the time to rest in You, and Father, may we also allow our leaders to do the same. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Busyness is not next to Godliness."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Saturday, November 19, 2011
Day 77 "It's better to obey God than to fear man."
Day 77
Matthew 9:23-26 When Jesus came to the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead; but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.
"And they ridiculed Him." Even though there were scoffers, Jesus did what Jesus wanted to do. He didn't let nonbelievers, scoffers, or any tools of the enemy stop Him from fulfilling His goal. He didn't come to this house to convert sinners; He came to answer the cry of a faithful man.
A little over 29 years ago, a young man whom I had spent many years with as a dear and close friend and his wife were at the hospital awaiting the fate of their first child. I remember it very well, because two days earlier my wife had gone home with our first daughter, Katie. You see, our children were born within three days of each other, yet their child remained in the hospital with health issues, and the prognosis was not good. My wife and I had two years earlier rededicated our lives to the Lord, while my friend and his wife would have nothing to do with our beliefs. After five days in the hospital, my friend asked me if I would pray for his child; the doctors were at the end of their rope, and there seemed to be no other hope. I truly felt the leading of the Holy Spirit to go and lay hands on the baby, and in my heart I believed that God was going to heal him; however, I did not mention this to his parents. Arriving at the hospital, I found the mom holding her child who was very yellow, frail, and obviously very ill, and with their permission, I laid hands on the child and began to quietly ask the Lord for His will in this child's life to be fulfilled. In the midst of my prayer we were suddenly interrupted with extremely vile profanity and expletives demanding that this religious fanatic gets out of the room and away from this baby. Unbeknownst to me, the mother-in-law had come into the room, saw me praying, had gone completely ballistic, and was now out of control. At the parents’ request, I immediately left the room and consequently the hospital. Later that evening, the mother and her child were released to go home. Apparently there had been a miraculous, unexplainable change in the child's health, and his organs were now functioning properly. Unfortunately, it was shortly after this time that our relationship with this couple came to an end; they simply no longer enjoyed our company. Apparently our religious views were somewhat different.
Now, while I would never in any way compare myself to our Lord, I do believe that when we act in faith as He did, we will be ridiculed as He was. This family, to my knowledge, has never acknowledged the Lord's hand in healing this child; however, the fact still remains that God miraculously healed him! Why would God heal someone who didn't believe or bless people who turn their back on Him, you ask? I believe that miracles like these are the result of faithful people who have sought the Lord on behalf of others, just like the ruler in this passage. Even though there are scoffers and nonbelievers around, don't stop seeking the Lord on behalf of those you love. God is faithful to His children, and sometimes they don't even know it.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to have the faith to believe that our loved ones who are lost are on your list, that you hear our prayers for them, and that you will be faithful to love them. Bless them, and give them opportunity to glorify You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"It's better to obey God than to fear man."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:23-26 When Jesus came to the ruler’s house, and saw the flute players and the noisy crowd wailing, He said to them, "Make room, for the girl is not dead; but sleeping." And they ridiculed Him. But when the crowd was put outside, He went in and took her by the hand, and the girl arose. And the report of this went out into all that land.
"And they ridiculed Him." Even though there were scoffers, Jesus did what Jesus wanted to do. He didn't let nonbelievers, scoffers, or any tools of the enemy stop Him from fulfilling His goal. He didn't come to this house to convert sinners; He came to answer the cry of a faithful man.
A little over 29 years ago, a young man whom I had spent many years with as a dear and close friend and his wife were at the hospital awaiting the fate of their first child. I remember it very well, because two days earlier my wife had gone home with our first daughter, Katie. You see, our children were born within three days of each other, yet their child remained in the hospital with health issues, and the prognosis was not good. My wife and I had two years earlier rededicated our lives to the Lord, while my friend and his wife would have nothing to do with our beliefs. After five days in the hospital, my friend asked me if I would pray for his child; the doctors were at the end of their rope, and there seemed to be no other hope. I truly felt the leading of the Holy Spirit to go and lay hands on the baby, and in my heart I believed that God was going to heal him; however, I did not mention this to his parents. Arriving at the hospital, I found the mom holding her child who was very yellow, frail, and obviously very ill, and with their permission, I laid hands on the child and began to quietly ask the Lord for His will in this child's life to be fulfilled. In the midst of my prayer we were suddenly interrupted with extremely vile profanity and expletives demanding that this religious fanatic gets out of the room and away from this baby. Unbeknownst to me, the mother-in-law had come into the room, saw me praying, had gone completely ballistic, and was now out of control. At the parents’ request, I immediately left the room and consequently the hospital. Later that evening, the mother and her child were released to go home. Apparently there had been a miraculous, unexplainable change in the child's health, and his organs were now functioning properly. Unfortunately, it was shortly after this time that our relationship with this couple came to an end; they simply no longer enjoyed our company. Apparently our religious views were somewhat different.
Now, while I would never in any way compare myself to our Lord, I do believe that when we act in faith as He did, we will be ridiculed as He was. This family, to my knowledge, has never acknowledged the Lord's hand in healing this child; however, the fact still remains that God miraculously healed him! Why would God heal someone who didn't believe or bless people who turn their back on Him, you ask? I believe that miracles like these are the result of faithful people who have sought the Lord on behalf of others, just like the ruler in this passage. Even though there are scoffers and nonbelievers around, don't stop seeking the Lord on behalf of those you love. God is faithful to His children, and sometimes they don't even know it.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to have the faith to believe that our loved ones who are lost are on your list, that you hear our prayers for them, and that you will be faithful to love them. Bless them, and give them opportunity to glorify You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"It's better to obey God than to fear man."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Friday, November 18, 2011
Day 76 "A step toward God will never result in pain, yet it will always lead to restoration."
Day 76
Matthew 9:20-22 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.
Again, we see the power of the touch of Jesus–how He, with just a touch, can heal us of all infirmities, afflictions, addictions and, yes, even possession by demonic forces. There are a couple of interesting points that I feel bear mentioning today regarding both the miraculous things of Jesus and the commonly thought of as not so miraculous. For one, when it comes to the healings and miracles that people received, the very common thread is that they were seeking Him, and in most cases they were asking for the miracle. If the Word of God is careful to mention that people sought out Jesus for the miraculous, can we then assume that we, too, can seek God for the miraculous in our lives? Generally speaking, either the people needing the miraculous or those who were caring for them sought out the Messiah; they didn't wait at home holding a pity party because Jesus had neglected to stop by. They or someone close to them took the step of seeking out the one who could rescue them from their affliction. In this case, an unclean woman with the issue of blood went against everything that society would say to her and literally took her life in her hands just to touch Him–all because she knew she had no other hope than Jesus. She didn't even feel worthy to ask Him to heal her; after all, again, she was unclean.
When we are desperate for a touch from the King, we, too, need to reach out, seek out, and do whatever it takes to receive a touch from our Savior, whether we feel worthy or not; after all, none of us is worthy except by Him and His blood. I believe that the enemy has succeeded in a number of ways of keeping us from receiving the miraculous things of God, and it's high time we start partaking in what is, by His will, ours to receive. You see, when Jesus went to people, it was to instruct, rebuke, or call to service, but when believing people sought out Jesus, it was for the miraculous. For many, the thought of asking Jesus or God for anything seems appalling. After all, He's God, and who am I to assume that I have the right to ask for anything? That would be lie number one. I have yet to read in the Word where anyone who believed in Christ, sought Him out, asked by His will, and was willing to obey was turned away empty handed. Lie number two: "He doesn't do miracles today." The greatest of all miracles by our standards is the raising of the dead, so are they saying that after Jesus went to the cross no one else could be saved? That would be an out-and-out lie and an affront to the truth of the Word of God; it would, in every way, negate the purpose of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. In addition, I would defy anyone to tell me, or anyone else who has experienced a miraculous healing from God, that He no longer does the miraculous. Someone did it, and whom would they have us give glory to? Lie number three: "Only the pastor or priest can pray for you." If that is the case, why weren't the Pharisees the ones performing miracles? Why then did Jesus say that His blood shed for us was the new covenant in Luke 22:20? Why did He say in Luke 14:6 that "No one comes to the father except through me"? Am I saying that Jesus is waiting at our beck and call to do our bidding like a puppet on a string? Of course not! But, what I am saying is read Matthew 7 again–ask, seek, and knock–our God wants to bless us with a loving open and intimate relationship, and the one standing in the way of preventing it is not Him. Our answer is not in the pastor, the priest, or our mentor: our answer is in Christ. The others are simply people whom God has placed in our lives for direction and accountability. Seek Him first!
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to respect you, fear you, love you, and serve you, and Father, teach us how to ask by your will and to receive by Your will those things that You desire to bless us with. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"A step toward God will never result in pain, yet it will always lead to restoration."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:20-22 And suddenly, a woman who had a flow of blood for twelve years came from behind and touched the hem of His garment. For she said to herself, "If only I may touch His garment, I shall be made well." But Jesus turned around, and when He saw her He said, "Be of good cheer, daughter; your faith has made you well." And the woman was made well from that hour.
Again, we see the power of the touch of Jesus–how He, with just a touch, can heal us of all infirmities, afflictions, addictions and, yes, even possession by demonic forces. There are a couple of interesting points that I feel bear mentioning today regarding both the miraculous things of Jesus and the commonly thought of as not so miraculous. For one, when it comes to the healings and miracles that people received, the very common thread is that they were seeking Him, and in most cases they were asking for the miracle. If the Word of God is careful to mention that people sought out Jesus for the miraculous, can we then assume that we, too, can seek God for the miraculous in our lives? Generally speaking, either the people needing the miraculous or those who were caring for them sought out the Messiah; they didn't wait at home holding a pity party because Jesus had neglected to stop by. They or someone close to them took the step of seeking out the one who could rescue them from their affliction. In this case, an unclean woman with the issue of blood went against everything that society would say to her and literally took her life in her hands just to touch Him–all because she knew she had no other hope than Jesus. She didn't even feel worthy to ask Him to heal her; after all, again, she was unclean.
When we are desperate for a touch from the King, we, too, need to reach out, seek out, and do whatever it takes to receive a touch from our Savior, whether we feel worthy or not; after all, none of us is worthy except by Him and His blood. I believe that the enemy has succeeded in a number of ways of keeping us from receiving the miraculous things of God, and it's high time we start partaking in what is, by His will, ours to receive. You see, when Jesus went to people, it was to instruct, rebuke, or call to service, but when believing people sought out Jesus, it was for the miraculous. For many, the thought of asking Jesus or God for anything seems appalling. After all, He's God, and who am I to assume that I have the right to ask for anything? That would be lie number one. I have yet to read in the Word where anyone who believed in Christ, sought Him out, asked by His will, and was willing to obey was turned away empty handed. Lie number two: "He doesn't do miracles today." The greatest of all miracles by our standards is the raising of the dead, so are they saying that after Jesus went to the cross no one else could be saved? That would be an out-and-out lie and an affront to the truth of the Word of God; it would, in every way, negate the purpose of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. In addition, I would defy anyone to tell me, or anyone else who has experienced a miraculous healing from God, that He no longer does the miraculous. Someone did it, and whom would they have us give glory to? Lie number three: "Only the pastor or priest can pray for you." If that is the case, why weren't the Pharisees the ones performing miracles? Why then did Jesus say that His blood shed for us was the new covenant in Luke 22:20? Why did He say in Luke 14:6 that "No one comes to the father except through me"? Am I saying that Jesus is waiting at our beck and call to do our bidding like a puppet on a string? Of course not! But, what I am saying is read Matthew 7 again–ask, seek, and knock–our God wants to bless us with a loving open and intimate relationship, and the one standing in the way of preventing it is not Him. Our answer is not in the pastor, the priest, or our mentor: our answer is in Christ. The others are simply people whom God has placed in our lives for direction and accountability. Seek Him first!
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to respect you, fear you, love you, and serve you, and Father, teach us how to ask by your will and to receive by Your will those things that You desire to bless us with. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"A step toward God will never result in pain, yet it will always lead to restoration."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Thursday, November 17, 2011
Day 75 "His blood is far more valuable than my sin and shame."
Day 75
Matthew 9:18-19 While he spoke these things to them, behold a ruler came and worshipped Him saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hands on her and she will live." So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.
Oh, for just a touch from Jesus! The touch that brings life to the dead, healing to the sick, sight to the blind, deliverance for those in bondage, freedom for the captive, strength to the weak, joy to the downtrodden. Oh, for a touch from Jesus!
If you are suffering from any infirmity, all you need is a touch from Jesus. Why squalor in your misery, when all you need is a touch from Jesus? Why are you fearful, reluctant, anxious, insecure, and angry, when all you need is a touch from Jesus? Reach out and touch Him now! Is He not the one who said, "I will never leave nor forsake you"? For what cause do we hang on to our afflictions; to whom do they bring glory? For what reason do we seek the attention of others with our downcast looks, self-abusive comments, and insecure thoughts? Are we not bought and paid for, purchased by the blood of the Lamb? There is nothing ever created, ever dreamed of or wished for more valuable than the very blood that has paid the price for you and me. How dare we or anyone else cheapen the value of His blood by thinking, speaking, or acting like we are not worthy of such payment; to do so is to doubt the judgment of God. It is to say to Him that He is not able to create us in His image; that we are the one mistake He has made. Does it not say that He is incapable of being God, for we know better? How dare us!
I dare say that I, for one, would never desire to knowingly place myself in such a place, but I confess to you today that I unknowingly have, and for that I ask your forgiveness. Yes, I too have doubted His sovereignty, His ability to provide, to guide, to control, to heal, to deliver, and so much more. I have fallen into the trap of self-pity at times, but not today. Today, I reached for Him and found Him there, and so can you. Our God is an amazing God. He knows our fears, desires, weaknesses, and wants, and yet He still loves us. He never beats us with our sin or cloaks us with shame. Rather than hide in our sin, He asks that we run to Him so He can take it away–all He asks is that we reach for Him, that we touch Him. How do we touch Jesus, you ask? How do we let Him be our all in all? How do we receive? We believe. Yes, we simply believe. We believe that what He says is true, we believe His Word, we trust Him to be faithful, and we surrender it all and lay it at His feet. I no longer wonder why God had me start my devotional writing in Matthew, for now, above all else, I believe that for every one of us who call Him Lord, there is no greater thing we can do than to know who He is. To know Christ, His character, His attributes–this is to know God. And to know God is to know how to live, how to survive, how to fight, and how to win; how to overcome the world and reach the goal of eternal life with Him. Isn't that enough?
If your past is overwhelming you, may I make a suggestion? Take some time and ask God to reveal to you every sin or issue that is keeping you from being completely healed, delivered, and free to receive His love, and write it down on a sheet of paper (or in my case, a tablet). Once you have written down everything you can remember (which may take days), burn it, and ask the Lord to remove it all from your mind and accept your repentance. You will be amazed at how much this will help. As for your ongoing healing and daily strength, reach out and touch Him. Somehow, some way, spend time with Jesus. Remember, He is the Word!
Daily Prayer: Father, give me the strength to lay my weaknesses at Your feet that You might strengthen me to be of greater service to You and walk in the fullness of forgiveness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"His blood is far more valuable than my sin and shame."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:18-19 While he spoke these things to them, behold a ruler came and worshipped Him saying, "My daughter has just died, but come and lay Your hands on her and she will live." So Jesus arose and followed him, and so did His disciples.
Oh, for just a touch from Jesus! The touch that brings life to the dead, healing to the sick, sight to the blind, deliverance for those in bondage, freedom for the captive, strength to the weak, joy to the downtrodden. Oh, for a touch from Jesus!
If you are suffering from any infirmity, all you need is a touch from Jesus. Why squalor in your misery, when all you need is a touch from Jesus? Why are you fearful, reluctant, anxious, insecure, and angry, when all you need is a touch from Jesus? Reach out and touch Him now! Is He not the one who said, "I will never leave nor forsake you"? For what cause do we hang on to our afflictions; to whom do they bring glory? For what reason do we seek the attention of others with our downcast looks, self-abusive comments, and insecure thoughts? Are we not bought and paid for, purchased by the blood of the Lamb? There is nothing ever created, ever dreamed of or wished for more valuable than the very blood that has paid the price for you and me. How dare we or anyone else cheapen the value of His blood by thinking, speaking, or acting like we are not worthy of such payment; to do so is to doubt the judgment of God. It is to say to Him that He is not able to create us in His image; that we are the one mistake He has made. Does it not say that He is incapable of being God, for we know better? How dare us!
I dare say that I, for one, would never desire to knowingly place myself in such a place, but I confess to you today that I unknowingly have, and for that I ask your forgiveness. Yes, I too have doubted His sovereignty, His ability to provide, to guide, to control, to heal, to deliver, and so much more. I have fallen into the trap of self-pity at times, but not today. Today, I reached for Him and found Him there, and so can you. Our God is an amazing God. He knows our fears, desires, weaknesses, and wants, and yet He still loves us. He never beats us with our sin or cloaks us with shame. Rather than hide in our sin, He asks that we run to Him so He can take it away–all He asks is that we reach for Him, that we touch Him. How do we touch Jesus, you ask? How do we let Him be our all in all? How do we receive? We believe. Yes, we simply believe. We believe that what He says is true, we believe His Word, we trust Him to be faithful, and we surrender it all and lay it at His feet. I no longer wonder why God had me start my devotional writing in Matthew, for now, above all else, I believe that for every one of us who call Him Lord, there is no greater thing we can do than to know who He is. To know Christ, His character, His attributes–this is to know God. And to know God is to know how to live, how to survive, how to fight, and how to win; how to overcome the world and reach the goal of eternal life with Him. Isn't that enough?
If your past is overwhelming you, may I make a suggestion? Take some time and ask God to reveal to you every sin or issue that is keeping you from being completely healed, delivered, and free to receive His love, and write it down on a sheet of paper (or in my case, a tablet). Once you have written down everything you can remember (which may take days), burn it, and ask the Lord to remove it all from your mind and accept your repentance. You will be amazed at how much this will help. As for your ongoing healing and daily strength, reach out and touch Him. Somehow, some way, spend time with Jesus. Remember, He is the Word!
Daily Prayer: Father, give me the strength to lay my weaknesses at Your feet that You might strengthen me to be of greater service to You and walk in the fullness of forgiveness. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"His blood is far more valuable than my sin and shame."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Day 74 "What you see as truth is often just your imagination."
Day 74
Matthew 9:14-17 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins will break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."
Jesus is the new covenant. His goal was to show the people the new way to salvation, a new way of living, to open the doors for all men to receive Him as savior; not just the Jews. John, however, was here to prepare the way for the new message by speaking to the keepers of the law, or the former covenant; therefore, their ways were completely different. John had a very distinct purpose, one very different from that of Jesus, even though the disciples of each were obviously confused. You see, the two leaders knew their purpose for it had been revealed to them. The helpers or disciples, however, only knew a part of the plan. It appears that the answer from Jesus was enough to satisfy the curiosity of John's followers, and they asked of this no more. This speaks well of them.
However, all too often in ministry this is not the case, and for whatever reason followers get confused, frustrated, and sometimes fail to follow well, causing the purpose of the ministry to be left unfulfilled. We leaders must lead with respect and use all of the tools at our disposal to communicate clearly the vision and direction we believe God has given us. By our very nature we are more apt to lead by action or example because we are doers, and doers can be difficult to follow, even though non-doers have no reason to be followed. For the disciples or followers and servants in a ministry, they must know that God has called them to follow and serve in this particular realm, and they must know that based upon what God has told them, not man. Men will fail in many ways; after all, we are people before we are leaders, fleshly beings prone to the same temptations, trials, and insecurities as other men. And even though we are held to a higher call and judgment, the attack upon us is generally more intense than it is on the disciples or followers. After all, if you take out the leader, you can take more with you.
In my office I have a red, white, and blue basketball, and each color is separated by a black line. On one side of the ball I have added a green stripe, which I keep hidden and pointed only at me. When people begin to question the leadership of others, I ask them to look at the ball and tell me how many colors there are on the ball. I have never had anyone get up and look at my side. Everyone assumes that they see all of the colors and that both sides of the ball are exactly alike. However, they are not. No matter how much we see or think we know, chances are we don’t have a clue to everything that is going on, no matter how convincing our argument. You see, leaders must see the entire picture; they must know what is on the back side of the ball, and followers and co-laborers must trust their leadership. If you are unable to trust your leaders, ask yourself why. Meet with them and have them explain their style and answer your questions. If, after doing so, you still feel insecure or unable to submit, then perhaps you now need to seek a leader you can respect.
Daily Prayer: Father, I ask that you would give me the ability to serve based upon your call and not upon the circumstances. Help me to know when to ask questions and when to be silent. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"What you see as truth is often just your imagination."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:14-17 Then the disciples of John came to Him, saying, "Why do we and the Pharisees fast often, but Your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the friends of the bridegroom mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one puts a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and the tear is made worse. Nor do they put new wine into old wineskins, or else the wineskins will break, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But they put new wine into new wineskins, and both are preserved."
Jesus is the new covenant. His goal was to show the people the new way to salvation, a new way of living, to open the doors for all men to receive Him as savior; not just the Jews. John, however, was here to prepare the way for the new message by speaking to the keepers of the law, or the former covenant; therefore, their ways were completely different. John had a very distinct purpose, one very different from that of Jesus, even though the disciples of each were obviously confused. You see, the two leaders knew their purpose for it had been revealed to them. The helpers or disciples, however, only knew a part of the plan. It appears that the answer from Jesus was enough to satisfy the curiosity of John's followers, and they asked of this no more. This speaks well of them.
However, all too often in ministry this is not the case, and for whatever reason followers get confused, frustrated, and sometimes fail to follow well, causing the purpose of the ministry to be left unfulfilled. We leaders must lead with respect and use all of the tools at our disposal to communicate clearly the vision and direction we believe God has given us. By our very nature we are more apt to lead by action or example because we are doers, and doers can be difficult to follow, even though non-doers have no reason to be followed. For the disciples or followers and servants in a ministry, they must know that God has called them to follow and serve in this particular realm, and they must know that based upon what God has told them, not man. Men will fail in many ways; after all, we are people before we are leaders, fleshly beings prone to the same temptations, trials, and insecurities as other men. And even though we are held to a higher call and judgment, the attack upon us is generally more intense than it is on the disciples or followers. After all, if you take out the leader, you can take more with you.
In my office I have a red, white, and blue basketball, and each color is separated by a black line. On one side of the ball I have added a green stripe, which I keep hidden and pointed only at me. When people begin to question the leadership of others, I ask them to look at the ball and tell me how many colors there are on the ball. I have never had anyone get up and look at my side. Everyone assumes that they see all of the colors and that both sides of the ball are exactly alike. However, they are not. No matter how much we see or think we know, chances are we don’t have a clue to everything that is going on, no matter how convincing our argument. You see, leaders must see the entire picture; they must know what is on the back side of the ball, and followers and co-laborers must trust their leadership. If you are unable to trust your leaders, ask yourself why. Meet with them and have them explain their style and answer your questions. If, after doing so, you still feel insecure or unable to submit, then perhaps you now need to seek a leader you can respect.
Daily Prayer: Father, I ask that you would give me the ability to serve based upon your call and not upon the circumstances. Help me to know when to ask questions and when to be silent. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"What you see as truth is often just your imagination."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Day 73 "Loving sinners doesn't mean you love what they do; it means you care."
Day 73
Matthew 9:10-13 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
Jesus placed a great deal of emphasis upon this quote in verse 13, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' – so much so that He instructed the Pharisees to "go learn what this means." That would indicate to me that no harm would be done in our doing likewise; are you with me? Mercy is described as "compassion and forbearance for an offender" or "compassionate treatment of those in distress," and lastly, "to issue one a penalty less than they deserve." The word sacrifice here is very easily translated to "the act of killing." Hosea 6:6 says this: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice. And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." How is it that we Christians throughout the world have so easily fallen into the trap of requiring sacrifice before issuing mercy? All too often, I hear statements like this: "You don't deserve anything but death" or "God wants you to suffer." I'm sorry, but these are half truths and very dangerous ones at that. If Jesus is saying to the religious leaders of His time that they need to understand the meaning of mercy more than the meaning of sacrifice, could it be that we, too, may want to learn that same message and apply it in our lives?
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that being a Christian is easy or that it doesn't mean we will need to sacrifice some of our fleshly desires; however, I am agreeing that "mercy is better than sacrifice." All too often we seek for others to make the sacrifice in order to receive the mercy. How about issuing the mercy and letting God deal with the sacrifice? If we point out to people that our God is a God of mercy and that He will issue compassion upon those who are wounded, sick, and sinful, they will be drawn to that very compassionate and merciful God. Once they have received mercy, then they, by their own choice and guilt, will choose to sacrifice the things in their life which need to die. In this age, we must seek to send a message of compassion by our words as well as our deeds: people are seeking compassionate, non-judgmental relationships with others more and more.
Look at it this way, which group of people is Jesus talking to in this passage, and which group of people is Jesus ministering to in this passage? He's warning the religious and loving on the sinners. Wow, what a concept!
Daily Prayer: Father, teach me to be a compassionate and merciful person, willing to love the unlovely, that they may come to know You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Loving sinners doesn't mean you love what they do; it means you care."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:10-13 Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that behold, many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick But go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance."
Jesus placed a great deal of emphasis upon this quote in verse 13, 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' – so much so that He instructed the Pharisees to "go learn what this means." That would indicate to me that no harm would be done in our doing likewise; are you with me? Mercy is described as "compassion and forbearance for an offender" or "compassionate treatment of those in distress," and lastly, "to issue one a penalty less than they deserve." The word sacrifice here is very easily translated to "the act of killing." Hosea 6:6 says this: "I desire mercy and not sacrifice. And the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings." How is it that we Christians throughout the world have so easily fallen into the trap of requiring sacrifice before issuing mercy? All too often, I hear statements like this: "You don't deserve anything but death" or "God wants you to suffer." I'm sorry, but these are half truths and very dangerous ones at that. If Jesus is saying to the religious leaders of His time that they need to understand the meaning of mercy more than the meaning of sacrifice, could it be that we, too, may want to learn that same message and apply it in our lives?
Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that being a Christian is easy or that it doesn't mean we will need to sacrifice some of our fleshly desires; however, I am agreeing that "mercy is better than sacrifice." All too often we seek for others to make the sacrifice in order to receive the mercy. How about issuing the mercy and letting God deal with the sacrifice? If we point out to people that our God is a God of mercy and that He will issue compassion upon those who are wounded, sick, and sinful, they will be drawn to that very compassionate and merciful God. Once they have received mercy, then they, by their own choice and guilt, will choose to sacrifice the things in their life which need to die. In this age, we must seek to send a message of compassion by our words as well as our deeds: people are seeking compassionate, non-judgmental relationships with others more and more.
Look at it this way, which group of people is Jesus talking to in this passage, and which group of people is Jesus ministering to in this passage? He's warning the religious and loving on the sinners. Wow, what a concept!
Daily Prayer: Father, teach me to be a compassionate and merciful person, willing to love the unlovely, that they may come to know You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Loving sinners doesn't mean you love what they do; it means you care."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Monday, November 14, 2011
Day 72 "The prescription for life is to follow Him and no one else."
Day 72
Matthew 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.
Some people would say that surely Jesus must have said more than "Follow Me." Who would run off and follow a doomed prophet because of those words? Obviously Matthew would, he wrote this after all. Could it be that all Jesus said was "Follow Me"? Could it be that the only thing Jesus is commanding any of us to do is to follow Him? We get all caught up in what Christians should look like, how we should act, when we should go to Church, and where. Churches all over the world are built upon notions that were never mentioned at all by Jesus Himself; all He said was "Follow Me" or follow my lead.
I know, let's start our own religion based upon this passage. We can all walk away from our homes and families and wear traditional Jewish clothing from the Biblical era. We can live off the land and roam from city to city preaching a message of love and forgiveness and start a new movement. After all, in the literal sense, that is what Jesus is saying to us in the Gospels, is it not? Actually, as always, there is more to it than that. He said He would send His Helper, we would be persecuted, soon life would be harder, and the world would hate us. However, far too often the Word of God is taken out of context and used for personal control or gain. People excel at making their world small with laws, rules, and false beliefs. Why, you ask? So they can control it! We can't really control the things of God but rather can only submit to them. When Jesus said "Follow Me," could it be that all He was saying was "Follow Me," do as I do, live as I lived? Life can be oh so simple if we will but follow Him.
Let's learn to shake off the added burdens, unachievable goals, restricted lives, and weighted down messages of life and learn to walk in the simplicity of Christ. Everyone seems to be in search of the secret pill: you know, the one that makes everything in life blissful and perfect–the pill that allows me to just be me and never have any trials. I'm sorry my friends, such a pill does not exist. However, there is a prescription for all mankind that will lead to such a life, a prescription written by the only one who can fill it, Jesus Christ. And here it is from His own mouth, "Follow Me."
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to follow you. Show me Your ways, Oh Lord, and guide me in Your paths. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"The prescription for life is to follow Him and no one else."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me." So he arose and followed Him.
Some people would say that surely Jesus must have said more than "Follow Me." Who would run off and follow a doomed prophet because of those words? Obviously Matthew would, he wrote this after all. Could it be that all Jesus said was "Follow Me"? Could it be that the only thing Jesus is commanding any of us to do is to follow Him? We get all caught up in what Christians should look like, how we should act, when we should go to Church, and where. Churches all over the world are built upon notions that were never mentioned at all by Jesus Himself; all He said was "Follow Me" or follow my lead.
I know, let's start our own religion based upon this passage. We can all walk away from our homes and families and wear traditional Jewish clothing from the Biblical era. We can live off the land and roam from city to city preaching a message of love and forgiveness and start a new movement. After all, in the literal sense, that is what Jesus is saying to us in the Gospels, is it not? Actually, as always, there is more to it than that. He said He would send His Helper, we would be persecuted, soon life would be harder, and the world would hate us. However, far too often the Word of God is taken out of context and used for personal control or gain. People excel at making their world small with laws, rules, and false beliefs. Why, you ask? So they can control it! We can't really control the things of God but rather can only submit to them. When Jesus said "Follow Me," could it be that all He was saying was "Follow Me," do as I do, live as I lived? Life can be oh so simple if we will but follow Him.
Let's learn to shake off the added burdens, unachievable goals, restricted lives, and weighted down messages of life and learn to walk in the simplicity of Christ. Everyone seems to be in search of the secret pill: you know, the one that makes everything in life blissful and perfect–the pill that allows me to just be me and never have any trials. I'm sorry my friends, such a pill does not exist. However, there is a prescription for all mankind that will lead to such a life, a prescription written by the only one who can fill it, Jesus Christ. And here it is from His own mouth, "Follow Me."
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to follow you. Show me Your ways, Oh Lord, and guide me in Your paths. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"The prescription for life is to follow Him and no one else."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Sunday, November 13, 2011
"Some will run from the light only to perish in the darkness."
Day 69
Matthew 8:30-34 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him, saying, "If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine." And He said to them, "Go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. Then those who kept them fled; and they went away to the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
On my only trip to Israel, the first morning at breakfast there were many in our party searching the buffet for the bacon or ham, and imagine their surprise and frustration when there was none to be found! They had forgotten that the Jews still do not eat unclean animals, and not only that, they won't touch them, butcher them, or serve them. I'm reminded of that this morning as I read this often-commented upon passage, and, again, I marvel at the message of Jesus. Let's face it; none of us really know why the demons wanted to go into the pigs no more than we know why the pigs then jumped into the sea. But one thing we do know is that these people rejected Jesus! He came to their land, established His dominion, released the people from demonic torment, and yet they asked Him to leave. You see, not everyone wants to hear the truth, be convicted, and accept Jesus; some folks just want to stay in their slop, much like the pigs. They would rather lay around in their sin, be comfortable, unchallenged, satisfied in the flesh, until the day they die, with no regard or concern for their eternity. And, should you come and share the truth, you may find yourself like Jesus was, asked to leave.
One of the hardest truths that I have had to accept as an evangelist is that not everyone wants to know the truth, and many who do will not accept it. I had a young man who worked for me for over 10 years as a supervisor, and seemingly, every day I was able to show him how God was blessing our business, quite often in miraculous ways. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, he would not accept the truth. Oh, he would acknowledge it and be shocked by it, but he never accepted it. Try as we might, sometimes we are simply "casting our pearls before swine," and that is a waste of time. You see, Jesus didn't argue with these people, He didn't try to make His point. They had seen His power, promptly rejected it, and said ‘no thanks;’ so He left. We, too, need to learn and follow this pattern of sharing the faith–we pray, we share, we lead them to the truth, and then they must decide. Remember, we don't save people, we just show them the truth.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to persevere in sharing the truth, and help us Lord not to carry the burden of those who will never accept it for themselves. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
"Some will run from the light only to perish in the darkness."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 8:30-34 Now a good way off from them there was a herd of many swine feeding. So the demons begged Him, saying, "If you cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine." And He said to them, "Go." So when they had come out, they went into the herd of swine. And suddenly the whole herd of swine ran violently down the steep place into the sea, and perished in the water. Then those who kept them fled; and they went away to the city and told everything, including what had happened to the demon-possessed men. And behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus. And when they saw Him, they begged Him to depart from their region.
On my only trip to Israel, the first morning at breakfast there were many in our party searching the buffet for the bacon or ham, and imagine their surprise and frustration when there was none to be found! They had forgotten that the Jews still do not eat unclean animals, and not only that, they won't touch them, butcher them, or serve them. I'm reminded of that this morning as I read this often-commented upon passage, and, again, I marvel at the message of Jesus. Let's face it; none of us really know why the demons wanted to go into the pigs no more than we know why the pigs then jumped into the sea. But one thing we do know is that these people rejected Jesus! He came to their land, established His dominion, released the people from demonic torment, and yet they asked Him to leave. You see, not everyone wants to hear the truth, be convicted, and accept Jesus; some folks just want to stay in their slop, much like the pigs. They would rather lay around in their sin, be comfortable, unchallenged, satisfied in the flesh, until the day they die, with no regard or concern for their eternity. And, should you come and share the truth, you may find yourself like Jesus was, asked to leave.
One of the hardest truths that I have had to accept as an evangelist is that not everyone wants to know the truth, and many who do will not accept it. I had a young man who worked for me for over 10 years as a supervisor, and seemingly, every day I was able to show him how God was blessing our business, quite often in miraculous ways. Yet, no matter how hard I tried, he would not accept the truth. Oh, he would acknowledge it and be shocked by it, but he never accepted it. Try as we might, sometimes we are simply "casting our pearls before swine," and that is a waste of time. You see, Jesus didn't argue with these people, He didn't try to make His point. They had seen His power, promptly rejected it, and said ‘no thanks;’ so He left. We, too, need to learn and follow this pattern of sharing the faith–we pray, we share, we lead them to the truth, and then they must decide. Remember, we don't save people, we just show them the truth.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to persevere in sharing the truth, and help us Lord not to carry the burden of those who will never accept it for themselves. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
"Some will run from the light only to perish in the darkness."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Saturday, November 12, 2011
Day 71 "He's either God or He's not; I like the odds that He is."
Day 71
Matthew 9:3-8 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This man blasphemes!" But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, 'Arise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" - then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and it glorified God, who had given such power to men.
Ever notice how, with almost any situation, you have the commentators and you have the participants? With the commentators, you have the people who relish in being heard and perceived as being correct, or wise. They are always willing to give an opinion, and no matter how far off they may be in their analysis, they will generally defend it to the end. After all, a commentator only remains effective as long as those listening or observing believe him. The truth really can be rather irrelevant; it really is about who can present the best argument. Commentators often go through life living somewhat of a fantasy, always correct (in their own eyes), confident, arrogant, and often secretly mocked by those around them who know the truth. As my grandpappy would say, "They’re right in their own eyes, whether it's true or not. Never knew a greater fool than a commentator." Then you have the participants, those willing to get in, roll up their sleeves, and get muddy. They know the truth because they live it; you can never convince them that they are wrong because, after all, they were there! Now, let me ask you, "Who would you believe?"
People who believe that the gifts of the Spirit are not for today often remind me of the commentators. Since they have not personally experienced a miracle from God, they explain away every one they hear of. Why? With Outreach America, we are constantly seeing God's provision in miraculous ways–we don't do fundraisers or ask for funding–all we do is pray, and God always answers according to His will. Recently, when I was sharing with someone about a rather large and timely gift, he proceeded to discount the miracle of it all. His argument was that this person always gives us money and that I can't really count it as a miracle for that reason. To that I say, Bah, Humbug! I have never asked an individual or a business for funding; generally, when I pray, no one knows the amount I am praying for but myself, and yet we generally receive checks for exactly the amount that I have felt led to pray for.
You see, I have the blessing of participating in the joy of the Lord, the praise of the Lord, and the gifts of the Lord. Why, you ask? Because I refuse to be the commentator, the negative Nelly, or Eeyore of Winnie the Pooh. After all, you will experience exactly what you believe, and if you believe it will never work, then it probably won't. However, if you walk by Faith, you will live by Faith, and "without Faith it is impossible to please God." Are you a commentator? Please say no!
Daily Prayer: Father God, help me to stretch my boundaries of faith and to grow in my relationship with you to the point of truly believing you will do exactly what you have said you would. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"He's either God or He's not; I like the odds that He is."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:3-8 And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This man blasphemes!" But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven you,’ or to say, 'Arise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" - then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." And he arose and departed to his house. Now when the multitudes saw it, they marveled and it glorified God, who had given such power to men.
Ever notice how, with almost any situation, you have the commentators and you have the participants? With the commentators, you have the people who relish in being heard and perceived as being correct, or wise. They are always willing to give an opinion, and no matter how far off they may be in their analysis, they will generally defend it to the end. After all, a commentator only remains effective as long as those listening or observing believe him. The truth really can be rather irrelevant; it really is about who can present the best argument. Commentators often go through life living somewhat of a fantasy, always correct (in their own eyes), confident, arrogant, and often secretly mocked by those around them who know the truth. As my grandpappy would say, "They’re right in their own eyes, whether it's true or not. Never knew a greater fool than a commentator." Then you have the participants, those willing to get in, roll up their sleeves, and get muddy. They know the truth because they live it; you can never convince them that they are wrong because, after all, they were there! Now, let me ask you, "Who would you believe?"
People who believe that the gifts of the Spirit are not for today often remind me of the commentators. Since they have not personally experienced a miracle from God, they explain away every one they hear of. Why? With Outreach America, we are constantly seeing God's provision in miraculous ways–we don't do fundraisers or ask for funding–all we do is pray, and God always answers according to His will. Recently, when I was sharing with someone about a rather large and timely gift, he proceeded to discount the miracle of it all. His argument was that this person always gives us money and that I can't really count it as a miracle for that reason. To that I say, Bah, Humbug! I have never asked an individual or a business for funding; generally, when I pray, no one knows the amount I am praying for but myself, and yet we generally receive checks for exactly the amount that I have felt led to pray for.
You see, I have the blessing of participating in the joy of the Lord, the praise of the Lord, and the gifts of the Lord. Why, you ask? Because I refuse to be the commentator, the negative Nelly, or Eeyore of Winnie the Pooh. After all, you will experience exactly what you believe, and if you believe it will never work, then it probably won't. However, if you walk by Faith, you will live by Faith, and "without Faith it is impossible to please God." Are you a commentator? Please say no!
Daily Prayer: Father God, help me to stretch my boundaries of faith and to grow in my relationship with you to the point of truly believing you will do exactly what you have said you would. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"He's either God or He's not; I like the odds that He is."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Friday, November 11, 2011
Day 70 "Paralyzed by sin or freed by the blood of Jesus: we can decide."
Day 70
Matthew 9:1-2 So He got in a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
So, if I may, let me ask you a question. Do you think their faith was that Jesus could heal this man, or was their faith that He could forgive this man’s sins? After all, they brought a paralyzed man to be healed; however, Jesus says to him, "your sins are forgiven you." What do the two have in common? You see, the obvious problem to mankind was that this man was physically paralyzed, that he needed to be healed. Yet Jesus sees that this man needs forgiveness, that without a spiritual healing he will not enter the kingdom of heaven, and He responds accordingly. Could it be that the two are directly correlated, that in some, if not many cases the afflictions of the physical body are directly correlated to the effects of sin? This man was paralyzed, unable to move, dependent upon others, a burden to many, a testimony as to the cruelty of this world. Yet now upon forgiveness, he is suddenly able to move, to be productive, able to bear a burden, no longer a hindrance, but now a help and a testimony to the power of God and His redemption. Is that cool or what?
A few years ago, at the first of two nights of worship, a couple came who were obviously in physical and spiritual bondage. The woman could hardly walk due to hip problems; her head was down, her face a sign of the obvious torment in her life. Her husband, likewise, was unkempt, disheveled looking, and very caught up in legalism and religious bondage. He would never pray for his family, as he felt unworthy and that a pastor must be the one praying for them and their needs. During the ministry time, the Lord prompted me to have this man lay hands on his wife and pray for a healing. (Unbeknown to them, the Lord had assured me He would heal her if her husband obeyed). After much prompting, the husband obeyed and prayed for his deliverance and his wife's healing. The woman left her cane at the altar and danced back and forth through the Church, obviously healed of her affliction. Over a year later, I ran into this couple and hardly recognized them: they were dressed very nicely, they were very happy, and generally a completely transformed couple, more in love with Jesus and each other than ever before. These people are now a testimony to the goodness of God as opposed to a testimony to the harshness of the world; all because they are no longer paralyzed, in their case, by legalism.
How about you or someone you know? Are you so paralyzed by sin or tradition that you're unable to truly serve God and be a testimony of His faithfulness? Shake off the fear! Let God cleanse you of your guilt, and let God set you free to be all you can be for the kingdom and for those who love you, including yourself.
Daily Prayer: Father, if I am paralyzed by sin in any way, I pray now and ask you God to set me free. Release me of this bondage, and may you be glorified by the life I live for You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Paralyzed by sin or freed by the blood of Jesus: we can decide."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 9:1-2 So He got in a boat, crossed over, and came to His own city. Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you."
So, if I may, let me ask you a question. Do you think their faith was that Jesus could heal this man, or was their faith that He could forgive this man’s sins? After all, they brought a paralyzed man to be healed; however, Jesus says to him, "your sins are forgiven you." What do the two have in common? You see, the obvious problem to mankind was that this man was physically paralyzed, that he needed to be healed. Yet Jesus sees that this man needs forgiveness, that without a spiritual healing he will not enter the kingdom of heaven, and He responds accordingly. Could it be that the two are directly correlated, that in some, if not many cases the afflictions of the physical body are directly correlated to the effects of sin? This man was paralyzed, unable to move, dependent upon others, a burden to many, a testimony as to the cruelty of this world. Yet now upon forgiveness, he is suddenly able to move, to be productive, able to bear a burden, no longer a hindrance, but now a help and a testimony to the power of God and His redemption. Is that cool or what?
A few years ago, at the first of two nights of worship, a couple came who were obviously in physical and spiritual bondage. The woman could hardly walk due to hip problems; her head was down, her face a sign of the obvious torment in her life. Her husband, likewise, was unkempt, disheveled looking, and very caught up in legalism and religious bondage. He would never pray for his family, as he felt unworthy and that a pastor must be the one praying for them and their needs. During the ministry time, the Lord prompted me to have this man lay hands on his wife and pray for a healing. (Unbeknown to them, the Lord had assured me He would heal her if her husband obeyed). After much prompting, the husband obeyed and prayed for his deliverance and his wife's healing. The woman left her cane at the altar and danced back and forth through the Church, obviously healed of her affliction. Over a year later, I ran into this couple and hardly recognized them: they were dressed very nicely, they were very happy, and generally a completely transformed couple, more in love with Jesus and each other than ever before. These people are now a testimony to the goodness of God as opposed to a testimony to the harshness of the world; all because they are no longer paralyzed, in their case, by legalism.
How about you or someone you know? Are you so paralyzed by sin or tradition that you're unable to truly serve God and be a testimony of His faithfulness? Shake off the fear! Let God cleanse you of your guilt, and let God set you free to be all you can be for the kingdom and for those who love you, including yourself.
Daily Prayer: Father, if I am paralyzed by sin in any way, I pray now and ask you God to set me free. Release me of this bondage, and may you be glorified by the life I live for You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Paralyzed by sin or freed by the blood of Jesus: we can decide."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Thursday, November 10, 2011
Day 68 "Possession, like a mirror, is a reflection."
Day 68
Matthew 8:28-29 When He had come to the other side, the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"
Three possessed men meet in a graveyard; two are violent, one is peaceful; two instill fear, one instills hope. The two let no one pass, the one lets everyone pass. Two positions could never be more diametrically opposed to one another. The word possessed means to be controlled by, under the influence of, or under the dominion of; in other words, to be completely submitted and controlled by something.
Have you ever thought about the fact that you, as a believer, are as well possessed? So often, when we Christians use the word possessed, our natural tendency is to tie it in with evil, when such is not always the case. If the word means to be controlled by, or under the influence and dominion of another, then I am proud to say that I, too, am possessed! I am under the dominion, influence, and power of one much greater than I–for it is He, the living God, who controls, influences, and directs me.
Let me step out on a limb here and say that I believe there is much we can learn from those who are demonically possessed. If I may, let me explain what I mean. When I have come across those who are under demonic influence, there are certain consistencies in their behavior such as, number one, they are uneasy around believers because they are so in tune with the spiritual realm. Number two, they are more comfortable hidden rather than exposed; they do not want to be noticed (in most cases). Number three, they are even controlled in the physical sense, and every action they take is truly out of their control. Number four, they know the truth, and when confronted with it, they respond. They never desire to stay in a place of spiritual conflict.
So, what can we, as believers, learn from this you ask? Number one, are you uneasy around unbelievers or do you just accept things as they are, look the other way, or even, at times, participate in their behavior, after all, we would not want to offend them, right? Number two, are you more comfortable hiding who you are, and is it uneasy for you to be exposed as a believer? Number three, who is in control of your physical and mental actions, is all you do influenced by God? Number four, if you know the truth (and you should), are you comfortable being in a place where that truth is tested? Are you able and willing to defend and share that truth? See, I told you we could learn a lot from them, and I only shared a few traits of possession. We, as believers, will only be effective for the Kingdom when we adopt a lifestyle without compromise, filled with commitment and conviction, and are willing and able to defend that lifestyle with the Truth.
I can't tell you how many people I have counseled who are in a messy situation because they were afraid of offending someone or hurting other people's feelings because of their own beliefs. Why, I ask? If I am a child of the King, am I not possessed? Oh, by the way, did I mention that possession comes by invitation and surrender; have you truly done that? If not, you may want to take the step. I'm not talking about salvation by the way; I'm talking complete surrender to absolute possession by the Living God, the I Am!
Daily Prayer: Father, please accept my absolute and complete surrender to you; fill me, possess me, guide me, influence me, and make me 100 percent yours Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Possession, like a mirror, is a reflection."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 8:28-29 When He had come to the other side, the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out saying, "What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?"
Three possessed men meet in a graveyard; two are violent, one is peaceful; two instill fear, one instills hope. The two let no one pass, the one lets everyone pass. Two positions could never be more diametrically opposed to one another. The word possessed means to be controlled by, under the influence of, or under the dominion of; in other words, to be completely submitted and controlled by something.
Have you ever thought about the fact that you, as a believer, are as well possessed? So often, when we Christians use the word possessed, our natural tendency is to tie it in with evil, when such is not always the case. If the word means to be controlled by, or under the influence and dominion of another, then I am proud to say that I, too, am possessed! I am under the dominion, influence, and power of one much greater than I–for it is He, the living God, who controls, influences, and directs me.
Let me step out on a limb here and say that I believe there is much we can learn from those who are demonically possessed. If I may, let me explain what I mean. When I have come across those who are under demonic influence, there are certain consistencies in their behavior such as, number one, they are uneasy around believers because they are so in tune with the spiritual realm. Number two, they are more comfortable hidden rather than exposed; they do not want to be noticed (in most cases). Number three, they are even controlled in the physical sense, and every action they take is truly out of their control. Number four, they know the truth, and when confronted with it, they respond. They never desire to stay in a place of spiritual conflict.
So, what can we, as believers, learn from this you ask? Number one, are you uneasy around unbelievers or do you just accept things as they are, look the other way, or even, at times, participate in their behavior, after all, we would not want to offend them, right? Number two, are you more comfortable hiding who you are, and is it uneasy for you to be exposed as a believer? Number three, who is in control of your physical and mental actions, is all you do influenced by God? Number four, if you know the truth (and you should), are you comfortable being in a place where that truth is tested? Are you able and willing to defend and share that truth? See, I told you we could learn a lot from them, and I only shared a few traits of possession. We, as believers, will only be effective for the Kingdom when we adopt a lifestyle without compromise, filled with commitment and conviction, and are willing and able to defend that lifestyle with the Truth.
I can't tell you how many people I have counseled who are in a messy situation because they were afraid of offending someone or hurting other people's feelings because of their own beliefs. Why, I ask? If I am a child of the King, am I not possessed? Oh, by the way, did I mention that possession comes by invitation and surrender; have you truly done that? If not, you may want to take the step. I'm not talking about salvation by the way; I'm talking complete surrender to absolute possession by the Living God, the I Am!
Daily Prayer: Father, please accept my absolute and complete surrender to you; fill me, possess me, guide me, influence me, and make me 100 percent yours Lord. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Possession, like a mirror, is a reflection."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Day 67 "God does not send us out to watch us fail; He sends us out that we might see Him succeed."
Day 67
Matthew 8:23-27 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
I truly believe that God placed this scripture in the Bible to encourage each and every one of us. After all, if these guys who saw all Jesus did firsthand were scared, then it's probably normal for us to be afraid at times as well. For all of their lives, these men had experienced firsthand the dangers of being on the Sea of Galilee, and they no doubt had seen others die or injured during such storms. As fishermen, they had been trained since childhood what to watch for and how to react when certain conditions existed upon the waters. Their instincts were telling them that they were in trouble; they were, after all, relying on what they knew to be true. However, the things they had seen Jesus do to this point were limited to people and spirits, and deep down those things could be reasoned away as coincidences or some other form of manipulation, but to control the wind and the waves now, that was unexplainable! That was miraculous; it went against everything they had ever known!
If you get sick, you take an herb; if someone is possessed, they’re just simpleminded, but when the sea is angry, you run–there is nothing else you can do! And yet, He calmed the sea, commanded the winds, saved their lives, and rebuked them for not having faith, all as if there were nothing going on at all. This should encourage us as well. If they can fail a faith test and receive a simple rebuke followed by rescue, well then, we should expect no less, right? I don't know about you, but generally when a storm arises in my life, my tendency is to panic and want to run or try to fix it. It usually takes a while before I remember to pray. Yet we all know that the first thing we should do is pray, give it to God, and trust that He is in control. You see, when we are fellowshipping with the Lord, communing with our God, and storms arise, we must have the faith to believe that He has allowed this storm for a particular reason; thus, in the end, all will be well. The greatest fear comes when we are not communing with, or are not particularly close to God when the storm comes, or when it is the result of missing the mark–sin. That's when the panic strikes. We wonder: “Have I finally made God mad enough to abandon me?” “Have I committed that last sin that allows forgiveness?” “Have I met my quota?” These are all questions that may run through our minds. However, even then, God is with us and forgives us; there is no cap on His grace, no limit to His mercy. If we repent and seek Him, He is just to forgive us. However, there is always consequence for sin, and while He will rescue us from the boat, our clothes will still be wet. God does not send us out to watch us fail; He sends us out so that we can see Him succeed!
Daily Prayer: Father, give us the faith to trust you in every aspect of our lives, to know You are there even when we can't see you, and when everything we know to be true keeps us from faith, help us to let go and grab hold of you. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"God does not send us out to watch us fail; He sends us out that we might see Him succeed."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 8:23-27 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered by the waves. But He was asleep. Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, "Lord, save us! We are perishing!" But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. So the men marveled, saying, "Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?"
I truly believe that God placed this scripture in the Bible to encourage each and every one of us. After all, if these guys who saw all Jesus did firsthand were scared, then it's probably normal for us to be afraid at times as well. For all of their lives, these men had experienced firsthand the dangers of being on the Sea of Galilee, and they no doubt had seen others die or injured during such storms. As fishermen, they had been trained since childhood what to watch for and how to react when certain conditions existed upon the waters. Their instincts were telling them that they were in trouble; they were, after all, relying on what they knew to be true. However, the things they had seen Jesus do to this point were limited to people and spirits, and deep down those things could be reasoned away as coincidences or some other form of manipulation, but to control the wind and the waves now, that was unexplainable! That was miraculous; it went against everything they had ever known!
If you get sick, you take an herb; if someone is possessed, they’re just simpleminded, but when the sea is angry, you run–there is nothing else you can do! And yet, He calmed the sea, commanded the winds, saved their lives, and rebuked them for not having faith, all as if there were nothing going on at all. This should encourage us as well. If they can fail a faith test and receive a simple rebuke followed by rescue, well then, we should expect no less, right? I don't know about you, but generally when a storm arises in my life, my tendency is to panic and want to run or try to fix it. It usually takes a while before I remember to pray. Yet we all know that the first thing we should do is pray, give it to God, and trust that He is in control. You see, when we are fellowshipping with the Lord, communing with our God, and storms arise, we must have the faith to believe that He has allowed this storm for a particular reason; thus, in the end, all will be well. The greatest fear comes when we are not communing with, or are not particularly close to God when the storm comes, or when it is the result of missing the mark–sin. That's when the panic strikes. We wonder: “Have I finally made God mad enough to abandon me?” “Have I committed that last sin that allows forgiveness?” “Have I met my quota?” These are all questions that may run through our minds. However, even then, God is with us and forgives us; there is no cap on His grace, no limit to His mercy. If we repent and seek Him, He is just to forgive us. However, there is always consequence for sin, and while He will rescue us from the boat, our clothes will still be wet. God does not send us out to watch us fail; He sends us out so that we can see Him succeed!
Daily Prayer: Father, give us the faith to trust you in every aspect of our lives, to know You are there even when we can't see you, and when everything we know to be true keeps us from faith, help us to let go and grab hold of you. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"God does not send us out to watch us fail; He sends us out that we might see Him succeed."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
Day 66 "Don't let the pain of today overcome the joy of tomorrow."
Day 66
Matthew 8:18-22 And when Jesus saw the great multitude around Him, he gave the command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
I cannot count on my hands and feet the number of people who have come to me and made statements similar to this: "I'm going to be a pastor. God has called me to full-time ministry." Yet I can count on one hand the number of people I have known in the last 20 years of ministry who have made that statement and actually followed through. You see, it's easy to get caught up in the emotion of ministry when you hear God's voice for the first time or when you first experience the emotion of understanding God's heart for His people. And then there are those times where you get so caught up in the worship that you genuinely feel as though you have visited the very throne room of God. But, at the end of the day, reality has a way of rearing its ugly and painful head, stealing our joy, and making short work of our emotional high. The reality of bills to be paid, loved ones to be cared for, and the reminder of responsibilities and commitments we have made all seem to draw us back into a state of being overwhelmed by the things of the world.
Not everyone can follow Jesus into ministry on His terms, and that is quite OK, not everyone is called to follow Jesus as an apostle. Some are called to support ministry through finances, others through prayers, encouragement, teaching and caring for the children, or greeting folks at the door, cooking a meal, folding clothes, doing laundry, or even gathering food for the less fortunate. Yes, I believe we are all called to use our talents and gifts for the Lord (Matthew 25); however, there is a big difference between using your talents and gifts for God as a disciple of Christ, defined in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary as "one who accepts and assists in the spreading of the doctrines of another," as opposed to being an apostle of Christ, defined again in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary as "one who is sent out to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Yes, a disciple must make a commitment and sacrifice to complete the task at hand; however, an apostle is sent with very specific instruction from the Lord and limited to obeying and fulfilling that command very much with the help of disciples. You see, for us who are called as apostles and sent to do a specific work, we need the support and help of the disciples, for without their dedication to Christ and assistance in fulfilling the call, we will, more often than not, fail in our mission.
Jesus is saying to the people around Him that this is a hard road; one you must choose to go down, and it may not always make sense. Yes, you may miss out on an inheritance or not be there when family members pass on, and you may even sleep on the floor of a Church or in a hut, but ask yourselves, “Does it really matter in the long run?” When I was in pain recovering from knee replacement surgery, every day I had to remind myself that soon I would be out of pain and able to do and see more for the Kingdom. When I lose focus on tomorrow, the pain of today becomes overwhelming and distracts me from where I know God wants me to be. Don't lose focus; purpose to be a disciple or an apostle. Whatever God has called you to be, keep your eye on the prize and know this, “We all need each other and what each has to offer in order to accomplish God's plan for His Kingdom on earth.”
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to stay focused on what you have called us to do, to deny our flesh, feed our spirit, and fulfill your will in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"Don't let the pain of today overcome the joy of tomorrow."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 8:18-22 And when Jesus saw the great multitude around Him, he gave the command to depart to the other side. Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, "Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go." And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Then another of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, let me first go bury my father." But Jesus said to him, "Follow Me, and let the dead bury their own dead."
I cannot count on my hands and feet the number of people who have come to me and made statements similar to this: "I'm going to be a pastor. God has called me to full-time ministry." Yet I can count on one hand the number of people I have known in the last 20 years of ministry who have made that statement and actually followed through. You see, it's easy to get caught up in the emotion of ministry when you hear God's voice for the first time or when you first experience the emotion of understanding God's heart for His people. And then there are those times where you get so caught up in the worship that you genuinely feel as though you have visited the very throne room of God. But, at the end of the day, reality has a way of rearing its ugly and painful head, stealing our joy, and making short work of our emotional high. The reality of bills to be paid, loved ones to be cared for, and the reminder of responsibilities and commitments we have made all seem to draw us back into a state of being overwhelmed by the things of the world.
Not everyone can follow Jesus into ministry on His terms, and that is quite OK, not everyone is called to follow Jesus as an apostle. Some are called to support ministry through finances, others through prayers, encouragement, teaching and caring for the children, or greeting folks at the door, cooking a meal, folding clothes, doing laundry, or even gathering food for the less fortunate. Yes, I believe we are all called to use our talents and gifts for the Lord (Matthew 25); however, there is a big difference between using your talents and gifts for God as a disciple of Christ, defined in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary as "one who accepts and assists in the spreading of the doctrines of another," as opposed to being an apostle of Christ, defined again in Webster's Collegiate Dictionary as "one who is sent out to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ." Yes, a disciple must make a commitment and sacrifice to complete the task at hand; however, an apostle is sent with very specific instruction from the Lord and limited to obeying and fulfilling that command very much with the help of disciples. You see, for us who are called as apostles and sent to do a specific work, we need the support and help of the disciples, for without their dedication to Christ and assistance in fulfilling the call, we will, more often than not, fail in our mission.
Jesus is saying to the people around Him that this is a hard road; one you must choose to go down, and it may not always make sense. Yes, you may miss out on an inheritance or not be there when family members pass on, and you may even sleep on the floor of a Church or in a hut, but ask yourselves, “Does it really matter in the long run?” When I was in pain recovering from knee replacement surgery, every day I had to remind myself that soon I would be out of pain and able to do and see more for the Kingdom. When I lose focus on tomorrow, the pain of today becomes overwhelming and distracts me from where I know God wants me to be. Don't lose focus; purpose to be a disciple or an apostle. Whatever God has called you to be, keep your eye on the prize and know this, “We all need each other and what each has to offer in order to accomplish God's plan for His Kingdom on earth.”
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to stay focused on what you have called us to do, to deny our flesh, feed our spirit, and fulfill your will in our lives. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"Don't let the pain of today overcome the joy of tomorrow."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Monday, November 7, 2011
Day 65 He is our God
Day 65
Matthew 8:16-17 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying: "He himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses."
"He cast out the spirits with a word...," wow, hallelujah, our God reigns! He is our God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, ruler of all that is, was, and ever will be! He is Elohim, who rules and reigns, and He is our God! He is our Father, our creator, our savior, our deliverer. He is our rear guard; He goes before us and smites our enemies. He is our daily bread, and He is our God! He has created each one of us in His image–we are the image of the living God. He sent His Son to suffer and die for us that we might commune with Him. He loves us beyond all measure, and He is our God! His face shines upon thee and He dances over us. He defends us, He tempers us, He tests us, He refreshes us, He builds us up, He hides us in His hand, He protects us from our enemies and delivers us from evil, and He is our God! He meets our every need. He looks for us in the morning, He longs to fellowship with us, He seeks to be our all in all, He warns us of coming trouble, He sends His angels to guard us and His spirit to guide us, He hears our cries, He wipes our tears, and He is our God! He forgives our sins, He sees beyond our failures, His grace is limitless, and His mercy abounds. He takes our guilt and covers our shame, He restores our soul, He makes us whole, and He is our God!
We run and hide, we disobey, we’re busy beyond all measure, we go to and fro, we make promises we can't keep, we break rules without fear, we satisfy ourselves in every way, we seek our own, we give in to temptation and live in frustration, and He is our God! We amass worldly goods, we seek out our toys, we avoid the weak, defend the strong, pacify the poor, keep our hope to ourselves, and yet He is our God! We are selfish, jealous, and spiteful and hard; we deny our sin and go back for more; we seek to be accepted by those who would use us, while turning our backs on the one who loves us; we live for today as if we have tomorrow, and still He is our God! We strive for our own; hang on to our sin; we wallow in shame; we are bound by guilt; we can't believe He loves us, yet hope that He does; we want to believe, yet the enemy deceives; we’re tired and weak, frustrated and lost; we’re wounded, we’re hurt, and yet He is still our God!
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to remember your love, to trust your salvation, to leave my guilt at your altar, and to seek you daily. Sometimes I don't know how to keep going, and at other times I feel like I've outrun you. Help me to remember that You are my God and that you will never leave nor forsake me, for without you I have no hope. Help me, Lord, to live in victory, to walk in humility, to be confident of my salvation, victorious over sin, compassionate to my fellow man, and to be in fellowship with you. Help me, Lord, to walk as one who knows that You are my God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Since your walk is your talk, what are you saying?"
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 8:16-17 When evening had come, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed. And He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were sick, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet saying: "He himself took our infirmities and bore our sicknesses."
"He cast out the spirits with a word...," wow, hallelujah, our God reigns! He is our God, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, ruler of all that is, was, and ever will be! He is Elohim, who rules and reigns, and He is our God! He is our Father, our creator, our savior, our deliverer. He is our rear guard; He goes before us and smites our enemies. He is our daily bread, and He is our God! He has created each one of us in His image–we are the image of the living God. He sent His Son to suffer and die for us that we might commune with Him. He loves us beyond all measure, and He is our God! His face shines upon thee and He dances over us. He defends us, He tempers us, He tests us, He refreshes us, He builds us up, He hides us in His hand, He protects us from our enemies and delivers us from evil, and He is our God! He meets our every need. He looks for us in the morning, He longs to fellowship with us, He seeks to be our all in all, He warns us of coming trouble, He sends His angels to guard us and His spirit to guide us, He hears our cries, He wipes our tears, and He is our God! He forgives our sins, He sees beyond our failures, His grace is limitless, and His mercy abounds. He takes our guilt and covers our shame, He restores our soul, He makes us whole, and He is our God!
We run and hide, we disobey, we’re busy beyond all measure, we go to and fro, we make promises we can't keep, we break rules without fear, we satisfy ourselves in every way, we seek our own, we give in to temptation and live in frustration, and He is our God! We amass worldly goods, we seek out our toys, we avoid the weak, defend the strong, pacify the poor, keep our hope to ourselves, and yet He is our God! We are selfish, jealous, and spiteful and hard; we deny our sin and go back for more; we seek to be accepted by those who would use us, while turning our backs on the one who loves us; we live for today as if we have tomorrow, and still He is our God! We strive for our own; hang on to our sin; we wallow in shame; we are bound by guilt; we can't believe He loves us, yet hope that He does; we want to believe, yet the enemy deceives; we’re tired and weak, frustrated and lost; we’re wounded, we’re hurt, and yet He is still our God!
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to remember your love, to trust your salvation, to leave my guilt at your altar, and to seek you daily. Sometimes I don't know how to keep going, and at other times I feel like I've outrun you. Help me to remember that You are my God and that you will never leave nor forsake me, for without you I have no hope. Help me, Lord, to live in victory, to walk in humility, to be confident of my salvation, victorious over sin, compassionate to my fellow man, and to be in fellowship with you. Help me, Lord, to walk as one who knows that You are my God. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Since your walk is your talk, what are you saying?"
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Sunday, November 6, 2011
Day 64 "While we tend to avoid the sick, we are drawn to those who serve."
Day 64
Matthew 8:14-15 Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.
I am convinced that there are no passages in the Bible that have not been placed where they are for a very particular reason, yes, even the begats; you know, David begat Solomon, Solomon begat, and so on. Therefore, when we see small snippets such as the one we just read, it is important to wait upon the Lord and seek His interpretation or clarification of the purpose of particular passages.
I must say this passage’s interpretation has truly ministered to me. While I can think of many reasons, let's skip the small talk and get right into the God stuff. Have you ever wondered why we exist? Are we here to unlock the secrets of the universe? invent the next great gadget? make life easier? Are we here to find the cure for the next disease to unload on mankind? Think about it, if God already has all of the power needed to create, cure, and accomplish anything our minds can conjure up, why are we here? I believe our sole purpose is to serve God and to be an extension of His hands, to show the world what and who He is, to serve. If you think about all of the tools God gives us and the directions we have been left, the only common denominator for all these things is to serve. Peter's mother-in-law was in a place of not being able to serve–she was sick, incapacitated, disabled. At this point, she was being served, not serving, as well as the fact that she was infectious. Her sickness could spread and soon incapacitate others, spreading as it were this inability to be a blessing and replacing it with becoming a burden.
I must tell you that when I was at home recovering from a knee replacement, I felt a little like this woman, a burden, not a blessing. My haphazard style of living when I was younger caused me to become a hindrance to accomplishing not only my greatest task but, in addition, the tasks of those around me. Suddenly, because of my disobedience, others had to work harder, sacrifice more, and be burdened with my care, all the while being drawn away from their calling. And yes, it is infectious: others become weary, and weariness can lead to any number of difficulties and afflictions, both emotional and physical. Mind you, I'm not sitting here having a pity party or wallowing in despair–I am blessed beyond measure to be able to share the consequences of our actions and by doing so prayerfully helping others to avoid the same trials. You see, sick people can't minister very well, and people who are broken need to be fixed, whether emotional or physical. The goal is to be whole and of service.
Now, we all know those people who go from one trial to another–one sickness, either real or imagined, to another–in some sick pursuit of attention. By the way, here's some advice for helping that type: don't listen, console, or agree with them, don't feed their need for attention, don't feed the hunger, let it die. Instead, feed them the Word. Sometimes it's OK for things to die. While painful in the short haul, once the grieving is over, the healing begins, and wholeness is just around the corner. Whether you or someone you know has an emotional or physical illness, the goal must be to overcome, get well, and become of service again; otherwise, your purpose is not being fulfilled. You see, it is no one's God-given purpose to be a burden or a drain upon society (even though many are). It is, however, everyone's God-given calling to serve: first God and then their fellow man; then we become a blessing rather than a burden. When Peter's mother-in-law got up, did she seek attention for her pain and suffering? No, she just began to serve. How about you?
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to stay focused upon the bigger picture of life, the greater purpose, to serve you and others, to lay myself aside and make a difference today for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 64
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 8:14-15 Now when Jesus had come into Peter's house, He saw his wife's mother lying sick with a fever. So He touched her hand, and the fever left her. And she arose and served them.
I am convinced that there are no passages in the Bible that have not been placed where they are for a very particular reason, yes, even the begats; you know, David begat Solomon, Solomon begat, and so on. Therefore, when we see small snippets such as the one we just read, it is important to wait upon the Lord and seek His interpretation or clarification of the purpose of particular passages.
I must say this passage’s interpretation has truly ministered to me. While I can think of many reasons, let's skip the small talk and get right into the God stuff. Have you ever wondered why we exist? Are we here to unlock the secrets of the universe? invent the next great gadget? make life easier? Are we here to find the cure for the next disease to unload on mankind? Think about it, if God already has all of the power needed to create, cure, and accomplish anything our minds can conjure up, why are we here? I believe our sole purpose is to serve God and to be an extension of His hands, to show the world what and who He is, to serve. If you think about all of the tools God gives us and the directions we have been left, the only common denominator for all these things is to serve. Peter's mother-in-law was in a place of not being able to serve–she was sick, incapacitated, disabled. At this point, she was being served, not serving, as well as the fact that she was infectious. Her sickness could spread and soon incapacitate others, spreading as it were this inability to be a blessing and replacing it with becoming a burden.
I must tell you that when I was at home recovering from a knee replacement, I felt a little like this woman, a burden, not a blessing. My haphazard style of living when I was younger caused me to become a hindrance to accomplishing not only my greatest task but, in addition, the tasks of those around me. Suddenly, because of my disobedience, others had to work harder, sacrifice more, and be burdened with my care, all the while being drawn away from their calling. And yes, it is infectious: others become weary, and weariness can lead to any number of difficulties and afflictions, both emotional and physical. Mind you, I'm not sitting here having a pity party or wallowing in despair–I am blessed beyond measure to be able to share the consequences of our actions and by doing so prayerfully helping others to avoid the same trials. You see, sick people can't minister very well, and people who are broken need to be fixed, whether emotional or physical. The goal is to be whole and of service.
Now, we all know those people who go from one trial to another–one sickness, either real or imagined, to another–in some sick pursuit of attention. By the way, here's some advice for helping that type: don't listen, console, or agree with them, don't feed their need for attention, don't feed the hunger, let it die. Instead, feed them the Word. Sometimes it's OK for things to die. While painful in the short haul, once the grieving is over, the healing begins, and wholeness is just around the corner. Whether you or someone you know has an emotional or physical illness, the goal must be to overcome, get well, and become of service again; otherwise, your purpose is not being fulfilled. You see, it is no one's God-given purpose to be a burden or a drain upon society (even though many are). It is, however, everyone's God-given calling to serve: first God and then their fellow man; then we become a blessing rather than a burden. When Peter's mother-in-law got up, did she seek attention for her pain and suffering? No, she just began to serve. How about you?
Daily Prayer: Father, help me to stay focused upon the bigger picture of life, the greater purpose, to serve you and others, to lay myself aside and make a difference today for Your glory. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Day 64
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Saturday, November 5, 2011
day 63 "Religion and salvation are two different things; each with their own reward."
Day 63
Matthew 8:11-12 "And I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
In the midst of a scripture that shows "great faith," we find this small passage with great meaning and very prophetic in nature. Jesus has already addressed and reminded us of the importance of faith with the centurion as a shining example, and, in the midst of this dialog with the centurion, He throws in a very important warning. You see, "the sons of the kingdom" is referring to those who are religious: those who, by birth or study, have been exposed to the law of God. He is speaking directly to those people who have a religious spirit when He says, ‘here is a man of great faith,’ and for those without faith, there will be eternally painful consequence. Have you ever heard someone say something like this, "If God is a God of love, why does He send people to hell?" Many people have taken the stand that there cannot be a God of love who would create a place for people to die and spend eternity in suffering. However, what we, as the Church, have neglected to tell the world is that God did not create hell for mankind, He created it for the fallen angels: the demonic beings and all those who fell from heaven in direct and utter disobedience to God. However, by their own choice, many will join them there. God loves us enough to give us free will, and if we end up in hell, it is truly because we have chosen to be there, not because God wanted us to suffer.
Far too many for far too long have used the threat of hell to scare people into salvation, which in turn has led to far too many people seeking fire insurance as opposed to redemption. What's the difference, you ask? Fire insurance is not worth the paper it's written on: it requires no change in behavior, no obedience, and no ongoing relationship with our creator. Redemption, on the other hand, allows us to be reconciled to God, to hear His voice, to obey His commands, and when we fail, we are redeemed once again upon repentance. One is religion the other is relationship, and both carry a completely opposite reward, each lasting for eternity. For those who refuse to accept the gift of redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, no amount of good works or sanctification by others, such as priests, will bring them the reward of heaven. Let us not forget, as well, the reward of life on earth directed by the Holy Spirit for those who believe.
I had a friend at one time who was a Jehovah's Witness. I can remember, in one of our many discussions of Jesus, my friend asking me how I knew the voice I heard was not from satan, because the voice he heard told him he was believing rightly. The only answer I could give him was the truth as I knew it to be: the Word of God commanded my unconditional belief in Jesus for my salvation and that Jesus was the one who described the gift of the coming Helper; therefore, the voice he hears cannot be from one whom he does not believe in. Needless to say, the subject was changed, but the point remains: without Jesus Christ there is no salvation, and nothing else is needed.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to stay focused upon the truth, to avoid confusion, and to test all things by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"Religion and salvation are two different things; each with their own reward."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 8:11-12 "And I say to you that many will come from the east and the west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth."
In the midst of a scripture that shows "great faith," we find this small passage with great meaning and very prophetic in nature. Jesus has already addressed and reminded us of the importance of faith with the centurion as a shining example, and, in the midst of this dialog with the centurion, He throws in a very important warning. You see, "the sons of the kingdom" is referring to those who are religious: those who, by birth or study, have been exposed to the law of God. He is speaking directly to those people who have a religious spirit when He says, ‘here is a man of great faith,’ and for those without faith, there will be eternally painful consequence. Have you ever heard someone say something like this, "If God is a God of love, why does He send people to hell?" Many people have taken the stand that there cannot be a God of love who would create a place for people to die and spend eternity in suffering. However, what we, as the Church, have neglected to tell the world is that God did not create hell for mankind, He created it for the fallen angels: the demonic beings and all those who fell from heaven in direct and utter disobedience to God. However, by their own choice, many will join them there. God loves us enough to give us free will, and if we end up in hell, it is truly because we have chosen to be there, not because God wanted us to suffer.
Far too many for far too long have used the threat of hell to scare people into salvation, which in turn has led to far too many people seeking fire insurance as opposed to redemption. What's the difference, you ask? Fire insurance is not worth the paper it's written on: it requires no change in behavior, no obedience, and no ongoing relationship with our creator. Redemption, on the other hand, allows us to be reconciled to God, to hear His voice, to obey His commands, and when we fail, we are redeemed once again upon repentance. One is religion the other is relationship, and both carry a completely opposite reward, each lasting for eternity. For those who refuse to accept the gift of redemption through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, no amount of good works or sanctification by others, such as priests, will bring them the reward of heaven. Let us not forget, as well, the reward of life on earth directed by the Holy Spirit for those who believe.
I had a friend at one time who was a Jehovah's Witness. I can remember, in one of our many discussions of Jesus, my friend asking me how I knew the voice I heard was not from satan, because the voice he heard told him he was believing rightly. The only answer I could give him was the truth as I knew it to be: the Word of God commanded my unconditional belief in Jesus for my salvation and that Jesus was the one who described the gift of the coming Helper; therefore, the voice he hears cannot be from one whom he does not believe in. Needless to say, the subject was changed, but the point remains: without Jesus Christ there is no salvation, and nothing else is needed.
Daily Prayer: Father, help us to stay focused upon the truth, to avoid confusion, and to test all things by Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"Religion and salvation are two different things; each with their own reward."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Friday, November 4, 2011
Day 61 "To live for Him takes a plan and a purpose to do so; any fool can run through life."
Day 61
Matthew 8:1-4 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshipped Him, saying, "Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
As I read this passage, I find myself wanting to just breeze right over it as if it were an insignificant little introduction to the bigger story to follow. However, upon further review, I find myself rather intrigued by the power of this interchange with the leper. Why is it that Jesus did not want the leper to tell people about His power at this time? After all, He is the son of God and He's here for a short time, and shouldn't He take advantage of every opportunity to show His power? Not necessarily. Jesus was sending an amazing message by this action. You see, He knew that if He riled up the priesthood too soon, He would have no time to minister. If He offends them now, they go on the offensive. He still had much work to do, and knowing that He honored them, in order to maintain control, Jesus asked the leper to go to the priest, offer a sacrifice (one which the priests would gain from), and in essence bless them for the miracle done by the one they would someday crucify. How amazing is that?
Everything He did on this earth had a purpose: every move was thought out, every action for a particular reaction. How much could we learn from this? We tend to spend our lives in the reactive mode, or in the mode of the flesh. The flesh plans nothing but rather is moved by the desires, emotions, or feelings of the moment, yet the Spirit moves according to plan: one with a pure purpose, a purpose to arrive at a particular destination without being swayed by the flesh. This type of living causes blessings, peace, joy, honor, and grace; it affects the world and those around you to receive these blessings. It is a life to be emulated. However, a life that is lived and led by the flesh and reactionary is a life filled with confusion, anxiousness, frustration, chaos, and anger, thus affecting the world and those around you in a similar way. Which way do you live? Are you confused or purposeful, confident or complacent?
Daily Prayer: Father, may we impact our world by living our lives with a plan to follow your lead, fulfill your will, and glorify your Son Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"To live for Him takes a plan and a purpose to do so; any fool can run through life."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 8:1-4 When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshipped Him, saying, "Lord, if you are willing, You can make me clean." Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed. And Jesus said to him, "See that you tell no one; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, as a testimony to them."
As I read this passage, I find myself wanting to just breeze right over it as if it were an insignificant little introduction to the bigger story to follow. However, upon further review, I find myself rather intrigued by the power of this interchange with the leper. Why is it that Jesus did not want the leper to tell people about His power at this time? After all, He is the son of God and He's here for a short time, and shouldn't He take advantage of every opportunity to show His power? Not necessarily. Jesus was sending an amazing message by this action. You see, He knew that if He riled up the priesthood too soon, He would have no time to minister. If He offends them now, they go on the offensive. He still had much work to do, and knowing that He honored them, in order to maintain control, Jesus asked the leper to go to the priest, offer a sacrifice (one which the priests would gain from), and in essence bless them for the miracle done by the one they would someday crucify. How amazing is that?
Everything He did on this earth had a purpose: every move was thought out, every action for a particular reaction. How much could we learn from this? We tend to spend our lives in the reactive mode, or in the mode of the flesh. The flesh plans nothing but rather is moved by the desires, emotions, or feelings of the moment, yet the Spirit moves according to plan: one with a pure purpose, a purpose to arrive at a particular destination without being swayed by the flesh. This type of living causes blessings, peace, joy, honor, and grace; it affects the world and those around you to receive these blessings. It is a life to be emulated. However, a life that is lived and led by the flesh and reactionary is a life filled with confusion, anxiousness, frustration, chaos, and anger, thus affecting the world and those around you in a similar way. Which way do you live? Are you confused or purposeful, confident or complacent?
Daily Prayer: Father, may we impact our world by living our lives with a plan to follow your lead, fulfill your will, and glorify your Son Jesus. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
"To live for Him takes a plan and a purpose to do so; any fool can run through life."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Day 60 "Signs and wonders are often soon forgotten, yet truth never fails."
Day 60
Matthew 7:28-29 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
The word authority here has the following meaning (as taken from Logos Bible Software): "the source from which the citation or belief is drawn from." In other words, Jesus spoke to the people as the source of the truth, or as John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God." Many years ago, a pastor friend of mine was asked what it was that our Church believed about the Bible regarding its inspiration and translation. I very much enjoyed and immediately adopted his response, "God said it, I believe it, and that's all I really need." You see, no matter how hard we as a society attempt to dilute or nullify the Word of God, the truths of the Word remain strong: the anchors upon which our society and beliefs are built. So-called experts have attempted in every way to nullify the true reason for Jesus’ life; they have made him everything from a political rebel to just another charismatic man with great knowledge, yet no matter how hard they try, they cannot remove His authority.
I remember as a child living under the golden rule of our home, "children are to be seen and not heard." My Dad was the supreme authority in my home, and everyone knew it. We dare not question him (even jokingly): we simply acknowledged it and lived our lives accordingly, for the consequences of disobedience far outweighed the temporary joy. This authority controlled every aspect of our lives: what we ate, what we did in our free time, the classes we took, instruments we played, and yes, even our hobbies were selected for us. Needless to say, when we became old enough and Mom and Dad finally divorced, my sister, Mother, and I all rebelled against any form of authority, for once in our lives, we were free! However, our joy became short-lived, because, after all, we knew the truth and there was no denying it. While the type of control we had experienced in our lives was over the top, in that time we had all come to know Jesus. Jesus has a way of messing with you, exposing you to the truth, revealing the hidden things. He causes you to question everything and test your beliefs with the truth of the Word. As we finish chapter seven, I think we can all agree upon one thing: "Jesus is the supreme authority," the one upon whom we build our entire beliefs. He is our cornerstone.
As I see the return of Jesus growing closer every day, I am reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 24:24 ‘even the elect will be deceived;’ people will be deceived by the pursuit of signs and wonders, they will be deceived by the charisma of men, and they will be led away by earthly and fleshly desires, but they will never be deceived by the Word! Be wary of anything or anyone who dilutes in any way the power of the Word, the message of Jesus, or places more emphasis upon miracles or people. After all, there is only one authority in your life, isn't there? Remember, the manifestation of the power of God is not to be avoided, but rather the pursuit of it over the pursuit of Christ and His truths.
Daily Prayer: Father, protect us from deception I pray. Keep us, Lord, close to you, hearing the truth and avoiding the things that draw us away. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Signs and wonders are often soon forgotten, yet truth never fails."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
Matthew 7:28-29 And so it was, when Jesus had ended these sayings, that the people were astonished at His teaching, for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes.
The word authority here has the following meaning (as taken from Logos Bible Software): "the source from which the citation or belief is drawn from." In other words, Jesus spoke to the people as the source of the truth, or as John 1:1 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the word was with God, and the Word was God." Many years ago, a pastor friend of mine was asked what it was that our Church believed about the Bible regarding its inspiration and translation. I very much enjoyed and immediately adopted his response, "God said it, I believe it, and that's all I really need." You see, no matter how hard we as a society attempt to dilute or nullify the Word of God, the truths of the Word remain strong: the anchors upon which our society and beliefs are built. So-called experts have attempted in every way to nullify the true reason for Jesus’ life; they have made him everything from a political rebel to just another charismatic man with great knowledge, yet no matter how hard they try, they cannot remove His authority.
I remember as a child living under the golden rule of our home, "children are to be seen and not heard." My Dad was the supreme authority in my home, and everyone knew it. We dare not question him (even jokingly): we simply acknowledged it and lived our lives accordingly, for the consequences of disobedience far outweighed the temporary joy. This authority controlled every aspect of our lives: what we ate, what we did in our free time, the classes we took, instruments we played, and yes, even our hobbies were selected for us. Needless to say, when we became old enough and Mom and Dad finally divorced, my sister, Mother, and I all rebelled against any form of authority, for once in our lives, we were free! However, our joy became short-lived, because, after all, we knew the truth and there was no denying it. While the type of control we had experienced in our lives was over the top, in that time we had all come to know Jesus. Jesus has a way of messing with you, exposing you to the truth, revealing the hidden things. He causes you to question everything and test your beliefs with the truth of the Word. As we finish chapter seven, I think we can all agree upon one thing: "Jesus is the supreme authority," the one upon whom we build our entire beliefs. He is our cornerstone.
As I see the return of Jesus growing closer every day, I am reminded of what Jesus said in Matthew 24:24 ‘even the elect will be deceived;’ people will be deceived by the pursuit of signs and wonders, they will be deceived by the charisma of men, and they will be led away by earthly and fleshly desires, but they will never be deceived by the Word! Be wary of anything or anyone who dilutes in any way the power of the Word, the message of Jesus, or places more emphasis upon miracles or people. After all, there is only one authority in your life, isn't there? Remember, the manifestation of the power of God is not to be avoided, but rather the pursuit of it over the pursuit of Christ and His truths.
Daily Prayer: Father, protect us from deception I pray. Keep us, Lord, close to you, hearing the truth and avoiding the things that draw us away. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
"Signs and wonders are often soon forgotten, yet truth never fails."
Pastor Gene Burroughs
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