Blog

“One of my neighbors,” Stan began, “is an absolute nut about baseball. He loves everything to do with baseball.”

“Does he have a favorite team?” I asked.

“I’m not sure about that,” Stan replied. “It just seems that he likes to watch whatever teams are playing. And he talks a lot about baseball! He even has a joke about how he once thought the Bible was a book that recorded great events about baseball?”

“How’s that go?” I asked.

“The very first verse in the Bible says, ‘In the beginning.’ My neighbor jokes that he thought it said, ‘In the Big Inning,’ meaning that some records must have been set in that inning!’”

I smiled, didn’t laugh, and said, “That sounds more like a strikeout!”

Stan ignored my comment and went on, saying, “My neighbor even has a good rendition of the comedy routine called ‘Who’s on First’?”

“The one performed by Abbott and Costello?” I replied. “I’ve seen that on the internet. It’s hilarious.”

“That’s the one,” Stan said. “My neighbor is good at it, and he also uses it to make a point about his own faith walk.”

“In what way?” I asked.

“He relates it to what the apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the church in Colossae, about how Jesus is to have first place in everything. Jesus is the One who is to be on first!”

“And second, and third,” he added. “The bases are to be loaded with Jesus!”

“Bases loaded with Jesus,” I repeated. “Putting Him first in everything sounds kind of like discipleship.”

“More than ‘kind of like,’ my friend,” Stan replied a bit seriously. “I would say it’s closer to ‘Just like’. If I’m going to be His disciple, I have to deny myself by getting off first base, as well as off all of the bases, putting Him there, and following Him wherever, whenever, and however He wants in the ‘bases’ He has for me to run.”

“All the way home,” I added.

___________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.  Colossians 1:18.

And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all. Ephesians 1:22-23.

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4:7.

Prayer:  Thank you, Father, for giving Jesus as the way to be with you for eternity when my time here is completed. Thank you, too, that you allow me to pursue the eternal life of knowing you and Jesus in an ever-deepening personal relationship before then. I confess that too often I do not place you first in the life you have given me to live. I do that because I choose to place me and other things before you. Please forgive me. And please help me in following every step of your lead so you are always in first place and never in any place other than first. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Can you look forward to spending eternity in God presence because you have placed Him first? If not, why? What’s in the way? If you have placed God first for eternal purposes, how are you doing with placing Him first in every aspect of your life on this side of eternity? If you sense changes are in order, how are those changes going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

“How’s that discipleship class over in Johnsonville going?” I asked Stan one morning while we waited for Ricky to bring our breakfast.

“I went to Johnsonville the other day to find out,” Stan replied. “Once I got there, the pastor had a great report of lives being changed and Christians becoming disciples.”

“Once you got there?” I responded. “Did something happen on the way?”

“Yeah,” Stan replied,  “I was supposed to meet the pastor at ten o’clock, but just before I got to the summit of the Weston Mountain Pass, he called and asked if I could make it at one o’clock instead because something had come up.”

“That’s three hours’ difference,” I commented. “What did you say to him?”

“I told him that would be just fine,” Stan said.

“And,” he continued, “as God is likely to do if I’m open to seeing, He had something to show me during the free time He had provided.”

“How so?” I asked.

“Right after I got over the summit,” Stan said, “I pulled off the road at a trail head parking lot. It was for the trail towards Johnson Creek. I hadn’t been on that trail for a long time, so I thought I would take a walk.”

Continuing, he added, “As I was walking along the trail, I came to another trail that headed toward Johnson Creek. There was a sign that said, ‘River access for fishing’.”

“Did you go that way?” I asked.

“No,” Stan replied, “I didn’t have a fishing pole and I’m not much of a fisherman anyway, but I did stop and contemplate that sign as God opened me to see a couple of different things about  river access.”

“River access?” I repeated. “What was that all about?”

“You familiar with the saying about ‘teaching a person to fish’?”

“Sure,” I replied. “Give a person a fish and you feed that person for a day, but teach people how to fish and they can feed themselves for a lifetime. What about it?”

“There’s another vital aspect to all of that,” Stan said. “People have to be given access to the river so they can fish.”

“Access, as in equal access? Is that what you mean?”

“That’s it,” Stan replied. “If people don’t have equal access to opportunity, any supposed opportunity is kind of like an empty promise or an empty gesture.”

“That sounds about right to me,” I said. “You mentioned that God showed you a couple of things about this. What was the other?”

“Access to Him,” Stan replied. “God sent His only Son so that all who believe can have access to God for eternal purposes. As well, there is the access of being able to know God the Father and Jesus the Son on this side of eternity. That access is available to all who are willing to pursue an ever-deepening personal relationship with God in Christ, and I’m forever thankful for those who pointed out the access that was available to me. I may have never found it on my own!”

“So,” I said, “we should do the same thing for others. Is that what you’re saying?”

“You got it, my friend,” Stan replied with a smile. “Point out the access.”

________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

For through Him we both have our access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18.

This was in accordance with the eternal purpose which He carried out in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and confident access through faith in Him. Ephesians 3:11-12.

I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father except through Me. John 16:6.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for the free and gracious access to you for all of eternity that is available to all who will accept your provision through the finished work of Christ on the cross.  Thank you, too, for providing access to you and Jesus in an ever-deepening relationship while you keep me on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I do not take advantage of the access you have made available because I choose to do something else. Please forgive that foolishness and please help me in following every step of your lead into the deepest possible personal relationship with you. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious provision of access to be with Him for eternity? If no, why? What’s in the way? If you do have the assurance of salvation, how are you doing with taking advantage of the access God provides to know Him and Jesus in an ever-deepening relationship? As well as you would like? As well as God would like? If you sense changes may be needed, how are those changes going to happen?

“The other day,” Stan began, “we talked about the donkey colt Jesus sent some of the disciples to get for Him to ride on when He was getting ready to enter Jerusalem on the way to the cross.”

“We did,” I replied. “About how God allows us to be involved in what He’s doing if we are open to seeing the opportunities He presents.”

“And taking advantage of those opportunities,” Stan added. [Note to reader: See the posting for October 12, 2021, “Being Allowed to be a Part of What God is Doing”].

Continuing, Stan said, ”As I remember it, you were wondering about the story of the donkey colt and how it could have happened as a practical matter.”

“That’s right,” I said, “it just didn’t seem like it is something that would have happened, but I think I see the point you were making about the story.”

“Good,” Stan replied. “Just a few verses away from the donkey story in Luke’s gospel, there’s a similar account about another person Jesus sent some of the disciples to find.”

“Who’s that?” I asked.

“Somebody carrying a pitcher of water,” Stan said.

“Somebody carrying a pitcher of water?” I repeated. “What was that about?”

“It was time to prepare the Passover dinner,” Stan responded, “and Jesus and the disciples needed some place to do that. So Jesus sent Peter and John to find a person who would lead them to the place where they were going to have the Passover dinner, commonly referred to as The Last Supper.”

“Was this person someone they knew?” I asked.

“Doesn’t seem so,” Stan replied. “Jesus just said that when they entered the city a man carrying a pitcher of water would meet them. They were to follow him into whatever house he entered and then say to the owner of the house that ‘The Teacher’ wants to know the location of the guest room where He and the disciples could eat the Passover dinner.”

“So,” I said, “another instance of someone being presented an opportunity to be involved in what God was doing, this time someone who could be described as ‘a person carrying water for Jesus’.”

“That, my friend,” Stan replied, “seems like a pretty good way to describe what was going on then, and a way to describe what we are to be doing here while we wait for the train.”

“Carrying water for Jesus?”

“Seems so,” Stan said. “Even though the expression of ‘carrying water for someone,’ is often taken as doing something that, although it may be unpleasant, is necessary to be done. I can’t imagine anything greater on this side of eternity than doing what Jesus has for me to do. Carrying water or whatever He has for me to carry.”

“That kind of sounds like the second step of discipleship,” I commented.

“Which is what?” Stan asked.

“Taking up what He has for me to take up, whatever, whenever, and however,” I replied.

“You got it, my friend,” Stan said with a smile. “That’s the second step that is to come after the first, and before the third.”

____________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. And He sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.” And they said to Him, “Where do you want us to prepare it?” And He said to them, “Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house that he enters. And you shall say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher says to you, “Where is the guest room in which I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ “And he will show you a large, furnished, upper room; prepare it there.” Luke 22:7-12.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you allow me to be involved in what you are doing. Thank you for your specific instructions as to whom to follow and what to do and say as I am being obedient to what you have for me. I confess that too often I am not involved with what you want because I choose to not listen or I chose to ignore what you say to me. Please forgive such foolishness, and please help me in following every step of your lead whenever, wherever, and however. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Will you be involved with God in eternity when your time here is done because you have accepted His free and gracious provision of life eternally with Him? If no, what is standing in the way? If you have accepted God’s provision of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with what He has for you to be involved with on this side of eternity? If you sense some changes should be made, how are those changes going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

“When I was growing up,” Stan commented one morning, “I had an older brother who delighted in scaring me.”

“In what way or ways did he scare you?” I asked.

“His favorite was to hide behind a door in the dark hallway that led to the bedroom,” Stan replied. “He would then jump out and just about scare me to death. I got so I didn’t even want to walk down that hallway.”

“Didn’t the hallway have any lights?” I asked.

“As a matter of fact, it did,” Stan replied.

“Excuse me for asking the obvious,” I said, “but why didn’t you turn on the lights so it wasn’t dark? Why didn’t you just flip the switch?”

“Good question,” Stan replied. “I don’t have a good answer for that, just like sometimes I don’t have a good answer today for when the Holy Spirit asks the same question.”

“I’m not sure I follow,” I said.

“The world we live in can be a dark place,” Stan replied. “The only known cure for darkness is light. Jesus said He is the light of the world. He also said we, as believers, are the light of the world. If those two things are true, which they are, the Holy Spirit rightfully asks me why do I not shine light into the darkness by just flipping the switch and dispelling the darkness.”

“And why do you think you sometimes don’t have a good answer to that question?”

“Oh,” Stan replied, “there are all sorts of answers to that question. Liking the darkness more than I like the light. Not being concerned enough about the lasting impact of darkness. Not wanting to interfere with what other people are doing. Fearing being seen as judgmental. As I said, all  sorts of answers.”

“But none of them is a very good answer,” I said. “Right?”

“Exactly right!” Stan replied. “Darkness only does what darkness does until someone shines the light. It only gets darker. And the only known cure for darkness is light!”

_________________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 8:12.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16.

The path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. Proverbs 4:18.

And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil. John 3:19.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for providing all of the light that is needed to end all darkness that is in my life and which is in the world. I confess that too often I do not shine your light into the darkness because that is what I choose to do. Please forgive those foolish choices. Please help me in following every step of your lead to dispel all of the darkness that can and will impact my relationship with you, as well as all of the darkness that is so impacting the world. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Jesus is the light of the world. Have you accepted that light so you have the assurance of spending eternity with God when it’s time? If no, why? It’s a free and gracious gift from God that only needs to be accepted. If you have the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with being the light you are intended to be? If you sense your light is not shining as brightly as you and God would like, what can be done? Are you willing to do that? Why or why not?

______________________________

The Book — Waiting for the Train — Biblical Food for Growing Before Going, a 100-day devotional by S. Tory Teller (Foreword by Josh McDowell). Available from amazon.com and from the publisher at www.s-toryteller.com

“My dad and my older brother, whose name was Larry, looked very much alike,” Stan commented one morning. “They had the same basic facial features.”

“In fact,” he continued, “I was once with my dad at a baseball game when someone came up to him and said something like, ‘You must be Larry’s father’.”

“As far as I know,” I replied, “I don’t look like anyone other than myself.”

“Well,” Stan said, “this whole notion of some people obviously looking like others came to mind this morning when I was reading the apostle John’s first letter.”

“He was talking about family resemblance?” I asked.

‘He sure was,” Stan replied.  “No so much facial characteristics, but he was certainly writing about similarities in what we look like by what we do.”

“What we look like by what we do,” I repeated. “How so?”

“John wrote about practicing righteousness and loving as being characteristics that obviously flow from family heritage, either as children of God or children of the devil.”

“Wow!” I responded.  “Children of the devil.  That’s pretty harsh, isn’t it?”

“It’s one or the other,” Stan replied.  “I’m either a child of God or I’m not.  And if I am, through my acceptance of God’s free and gracious gift of salvation, there is a certain family resemblance I am to display through how I live and how I love.”

“And,” he continued, “the best way I know for me to have a family resemblance to God is for me to be totally and continually surrendered to the indwelling Holy Spirit.  He is in me for that very purpose.”

“That sounds kind of like the first step of discipleship,” I responded. “Denying self in choosing who I’m going to look like.”

“And the second step,” Stan added, “of choosing to take up having the family resemblance of God.”

“Which should lead to the third step,” I commented, “that of following Him wherever, whenever, and however He wants. I suppose we could call this ‘The discipleship of family resemblance’.”

“More than a just a supposition, my friend,” Stan replied.

________________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious:  any one who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother.  1 John 3:10.

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name. John 1:12.

Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8.

Prayer:  Thank you, Father, for your provision of being yours through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Thank you for those who brought me to the truth so I could accept your free and gracious gift of salvation and be able to spend eternity with you when it’s time.  Thank you, too, for keeping me on this side of eternity for as long as you want so I can pursue knowing you and your Son.  Thank you that knowing you is to result in being and doing that is different from what it would be if I were not your child.  I confess that too often I do not display the righteousness and love that you intend for your children.  Please forgive me and please help me follow your lead so that there is a strong family resemblance between me and you in every aspect of this life you have given me to live. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Are you a child of God in the sense that you have accepted His free and gracious gift of salvation and redemption? If no, why? If you are a child of God, how are you doing with the family resemblance on this side of eternity, that of practicing the righteousness and love that God intends? If you sense the need for some changes in who you resemble, how are those changes going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

_____________________________

The book.  Waiting for the Train — Biblical Food for Growing before Going, by S. Tory Teller (Foreword by Josh McDowell) is available from amazon.com and from the publisher at www.s-toryteller.com — It’s time to order!

“We had our fellowship group last night,” Stan commented one morning while we waited for Ricky to bring our breakfast.

“How was that?” I asked.

“Great,” he replied. “It’s almost always great, but last night was particularly good.”

“How so?”

“We talked about prayer,’ Stan replied.

“You prayed or you talked about praying?” I asked.

“Both,” Stan said. “But before we spent time in prayer, the person who leads the group’s praying spent some time leading a discussion about why we pray.”

“Why you pray?” I responded. “Isn’t that pretty obvious?”

“What do you think?” Stan asked. “What’s obvious to you about it?”

“To tell God what’s going on in my life,” I said, “and ask Him to fix the things that may not be going the way I want. Maybe ask Him to give me what I want, things I don’t have. Is that what was talked about at your fellowship group?”

“We talked about those sorts of things,” Stan replied, “but what was really great is that the fellow leading the discussion led us into talking about what prayer is not.”

“What it’s not?” I said. “What’s that mean?

“With only one exception, prayer is not designed for us to tell God anything,” Stan replied. “God already knows everything about us, what’s on our hearts and minds. He doesn’t need for us to tell Him anything, but there is one thing He does want us to tell Him.”

“God doesn’t need, but He wants,” I said. “What’s the one thing He wants?”

“He wants us to come before Him and ask Him to show us what’s on His heart concerning His will for us.”

“What we talked about in our fellowship group, and how it seems to me,” Stan concluded, “is that the single point of praying is to find out what’s on God’s heart, to receive that, and to embrace it with total openness so that His will is truly done in and through me on earth just as it is in heaven!”

________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition, as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore do not be like them; for your Father knows what you need, before you ask Him. Pray, then in this way: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed by Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:7-10.

And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as Thou wilt. Matthew 26:39.

For I have come down from heaven, not to do My will, but the will of Him who sent Me. John 6:38.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for allowing me to come before you in prayer. I confess that too often my prayers consist of telling you things you already know about me and what I want. Please forgive those self-focused prayers. And please lead me so my prayer is to come before you totally open to finding out what’s on your heart, receiving that, and embracing it so that your will is done in and through me in every aspect of my being just as you want. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: In your mind, what is the purpose of prayer? Do you believe that God already knows everything about you and what is on your heart and mind? Why or why not? How are you doing in your prayers that focus only on finding out what is on God’s heart and mind regarding His will? If you sense changes may be appropriate for your prayers, how are those changes going to occur?

“We went to the Saturday Market out at the fair grounds last weekend,” Stan commented one morning.

“I’ve never been to that,” I replied. “What kind of things do they have?”

“All sorts of stuff,” Stan said. “Fresh produce, all kinds of food, arts and crafts.  You name it and you can probably find it there.”

“You find anything interesting?” I asked.

“We got some fresh peaches, a jar of blueberry jam, and some of the best goat cheese I’ve ever tasted.”

“But,” he continued, “the thing I liked absolutely best was this guy who was selling yard art, things that he had made from old stuff.”

“What kind of old stuff?” I asked.

“Mainly metal things that had been discarded,” Stan replied. “Old gears, chains, sheet metal, that sort of stuff.  This man was really talented in making new things by welding together stuff that had been discarded. I spent quite a bit of time talking with him.”

“Did you buy anything from him?” I asked.

“I didn’t,” Stan replied, “but I asked him about making something for me. I have an idea for a piece of yard art that I would like him to make. He’s going to come by later this week and see what I have in mind.”

“Well,” I said, “that’s certainly nice that he would make the effort to come by your place.”

“Oh, he’s a real nice guy,” Stan replied. “When I was talking with him we got on the subject of how he came to do what he’s doing. He related it to his faith walk in an interesting way.”

“How so?” I asked.

“He said that he sees what he does with making something new out of discarded stuff to be just like what God does with us when we are willing to let Him do it.”

“Oh,” I said, “like having the old be transformed into something new.”

“Exactly,” Stan replied. “The Bible is filled with examples of that sort of thing. The lump of clay being formed into something different. Jesus telling Nicodemus that he had to be born again. The apostle Paul writing about being made into something new and that he considered everything to be ‘rubbish’ compared to the surpassing value of knowing Jesus.”

“And,” I added, “I suppose you could even look at this sort of thing as being kind of like the discipleship that Jesus talked about. The part where He said that we must deny ourselves and take up what God has for us to take up as we are being transformed into disciples.”

“Being transformed Into disciples,” Stan repeated. “That’s a good supposition, my friend. It’s like being re-purposed, being called according to God’s purpose!”

________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ. Philippians 3:8.

Jesus answered and said to him (Nicodemus), “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:3.

And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2.

Therefore if any man is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old has passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your provision of a new life in and through Jesus and His finished work on the cross. Thank you for the new life that grants me the assurance of spending eternity in your presence when my time here is completed. Thank you, too, for the new life of knowing you and Jesus in an ever-deepening personal relationship on this side of eternity. I confess that too often I do not allow you to transform me in accordance with your will. I do that because I choose to walk away from your transformation. Please forgive that foolishness. Please help me in following every step of your lead so I am truly transformed into the new person you intend, being the disciple you have for me to be. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Are you on the path to being transformed into something new? If no, is that because you have not accepted what God has for you as His free and gracious gift of life eternally with Him when it’s time? If that’s the case, why? What’s in the way? If you do have the assurance of salvation, how are you doing with being transformed into what God intends for this side of eternity? If you sense changes may be in order for greater transformation, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

______________________________

The book. Waiting for the Train — Biblical Food for Growing before Going, by S. Tory Teller (Foreword by Josh McDowell) is available from amazon.com and from the publisher at http://www.s-toryteller.com. Great gift — for yourself and for all of your friends!

“I got a phone call from a friend back in our old town last night,” Stan commented one morning. “It was the first time I had ever talked with him on the phone.”

“First time ever?” I asked. “Even though he’s a friend?”

“That’s right,” Stan replied. “He was always bothered by a severe hearing loss that kept him from being able to make phone calls. He simply couldn’t understand what the other person was saying, so he gave up even trying to talk on the phone.”

“But you said he called you last night,” I commented. “What was that all about?”

“He recently had a cochlear implant that made a vast difference in his ability to hear and understand,” Stan said, “particularly on the telephone.”

“I don’t know much about cochlear implants,” I replied, “but I’ve read that they can really help certain people.”

“I don’t know much about them either,” Stan said, “but my friend described the implant as a ‘miracle of technology’ that has changed his life!”

“In fact,” Stan continued, “my friend is so excited about what has happened, he jokingly refers to himself as ‘Malchus’.”

“Malchus?” I said. “Why Malchus?”

“That’s the name of a person in the Bible,” Stan replied, “who had his own kind of miraculous ear fix.”

“Miraculous ear fix?” I repeated. “How so?”

“It was in the Garden of Gethesame the night Jesus was betrayed on His way to the Cross,” Stan said. “When Judas came into the garden with a bunch of soldiers and Jewish leaders, there was a fellow by the name of Malchus who there along with the high priest who was his boss.”

Continuing, he added, “When the disciples who were with Jesus realized what was going on, that Jesus was going to be arrested, one of the disciples pulled out a sword and hit Malchus, cutting off one of his ears.”

“Wow,” I said “Who did that?”

“Guess who?” Stan replied. “The one disciple and apostle who had a history of doing impetuous things. Peter.”

“That must have really hurt that Malchus fellow to have his ear cut off like that,” I said. “But where does the miracle come in that relates to your friend referring to himself as Malchus.”

“That came next,” Stan replied. “Jesus told Peter to ‘Stop,’ and then Jesus touched Malchus and healed him.”

“Healed Malchus and his ear by just touching him?” I asked.

“That’s what it says,” Stan said.

I thought about that for a few seconds and then commented, “I wonder if he was healed spiritually as well as physically.”

“I don’t know,” Stan replied. “It doesn’t say. But I have to imagine that Malchus walked out of the garden a changed man. How could he not be changed? He just had his ear cut off by a disciple of Jesus, the man they were to there to arrest. But Jesus showed Malchus His amazing compassion by touching and healing him.”

“Just as,” I added, “Jesus has healed for eternity every single person who is willing to accept by faith what He accomplished on the cross.”

“You got it, my friend.” Stan replied. “Malchus could have gone on with his life with only one ear, but I suspect he entered heaven with both ears when it was time because he encountered Jesus, became the miracle ear guy, and accepted all that God had available for him.”

___________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

And a certain one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear.  But Jesus answered and said, “Stop!  No more of this.” And He touched his ear and healed him.  Luke 22:50, 51.

Simon Peter therefore having a sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear; and the slave’s name was Malchus.  John 18:10.

Prayer:  Thank you, Father, for sending your Son into the world so I could encounter Him and have everything changed.  My eternal destination is to be with you forever when my time here is completed.  And my life on this side of eternity has been changed for all of the time I have remaining here.  All because you allowed me to encounter Jesus with a heart open to see Him and accept all He did for me.  I pray for each person to encounter Jesus in the same way, to truly see, accept, and embrace Him for who He is, your only begotten Son, Savior, and Lord.  Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in His name.  Amen.

Think on this:  An encounter with Jesus can change everything, including eternal destination and life on this side of eternity.  Have you had that sort of encounter?  If so, what was it like?  What happened because of that encounter?  If you have not encountered Jesus, would you like to do so?  Why or why not?  If you want to encounter Jesus, do you know how to do that? If you don’t know, do you know who to ask?

“I was reading in the apostle John’s first letter earlier this morning,” Stan began, “and I saw a real parallel in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus that is to be in me.”

“How’s that?” I asked.

“Jesus lived, died, and lived again,” Stan replied. “I was struck by the notion that the same thing is supposed to be a part of me and my faith walk.”

“What do you mean?” I responded.

“Jesus was born into the world, and so was I,” Stan replied.  “Jesus died, and I am to die to self. Jesus was then resurrected to a new life, and I am to have a new life that I live here while I want for the train, a new life that manifests the life of Christ.”

“Life, death, life,” I replied.  “Nice, neat package.”

“It is,” Stan said, ‘but the whole matter of choice for me is at the center of it.”

“Choice,” I said. “How so?”

“In the first instance,” he replied, “I didn’t choose to be born into this life.  That was not up to me.  But once I was here, there came a time when I had to choose to die to that old life by accepting God’s free and gracious gift of life eternally with Him when it’s time.”

“Okay,” I responded, “you had a life over which you had no choice; and then death to self which was a choice.  Then what?”

“It’s just like John wrote in his first letter.” Stan replied.  “It’s a matter of continual choice.  I have to continually choose the new life in Christ that is available.  It’s there for me to receive, but it won’t be forced on me.”

Continuing, he added, “John put it in terms that I ‘might’ live through Christ, not that I ‘will.’ It’s a matter of choice.”

“It doesn’t just happen?” I asked.

“You’ve got that right, my friend,” Stan replied.  “As much as I may want it to just happen, that’s not the way it works.  I have to choose continually to be surrendered to all that God has for me in and through the indwelling Holy Spirit so that the new life God has for me will be manifested in every aspect of my being.”

“If I choose to have it happen, it will,” he concluded.  “If I don’t, it won’t.”

______________________________________

Bible verses to consider:

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.  1 John 4:9.

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life. John 3:16.

And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3.

Work out your salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12-13.

Prayer:   Thank you, Father, for sending Jesus into the world so that I can have life on both sides of eternity through His life, death, and resurrection.  Thank you for not wanting me to stop with the assurance of spending eternity with you when it is time, but that you want me to live, truly live, the rest of the time I have on this side of eternity.  Live it through your Son by surrendering all of me to be molded, shaped, and transformed in exact accordance with your will.  I confess that too often I do not surrender to all you want.  Please forgive me.  Please help me in following your lead so that I truly live through Christ all of the life I have left to live. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in His name.  Amen.

Think on this: Have you accepted God’s free and gracious gift of life with Him in eternity when it’s time? If no, why? If you do have the assurance of salvation, how are you doing in living the life God has for you to live while you are waiting for the train? Are you growing before going the way you want? The way God wants? If you sense some changes may be appropriate in the way you are living this life, how are those changes going to occur? Is that what you want? Why or why not?

“With all the bad stuff that goes on in the world,” I asked Stan one morning, “do you ever wonder why a loving God would allow that?”

“I understand your question,” Stan replied, “but I think a better focus is to ask how does what’s going on fit into the expression of God’s love?”

“How so?” I asked.

“If I ask the question you were asking,” Stan said, “it seems to me it’s the same thing as questioning whether or not God really loves us. In my mind, that’s a given, so I need to ask how does what’s going on fit into what I believe about God’s love.”

“How’s that suppose to happen?”

“In the first place,” Stan replied, “I think it’s essential to know what the Bible says about God’s love, and that can happen only by making the effort to know. Secondly is the part about not just knowing God’s word, but knowing God the Father and Jesus the Son.”

“The part about how Jesus said that knowing them is eternal life?” I asked.

“That’s it,” Stan replied. “The eternal life of knowing them, as contrasted to life eternally with them when my time here is completed. And knowing them can, I believe, only happen from purposefully pursuing an ever-deepening personal relationship with them on this side of eternity.”

“Then,” he continued, “comes the part about how all of this fits under the umbrella of the three steps of being a disciple.”

“In what way?”

“Seems to me,” Stan replied, “that the part about denying self has to do with getting my self-focused question of “Why?” out of the way so I can ask, “How?”  And after I have asked ‘How?” then comes the part about taking up what God has for me to take up in living out the ‘How.’ To me, that’s the part about seeing the ‘Why’ of what’s going on and applying it to my life.”

“And what about the third step,” I asked, “the step of following?”

“That,” Stan replied, “is the part about knowing that God loves me regardless of what may or may not be going on and following Him in His expression of that love. Following Him wherever, whenever, and however His love leads.”

_____________________________________

Bible verses to consider: 

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? Romans 8:35.

For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:38-39.

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love Him, to those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28.

For God so loved the world . . . . John 3:16. And this is eternal life . . . . John 17:3.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:15.

Prayer: Thank you, Father, for your love in giving Jesus so that all who believe in Him can have life eternally with you when it’s time, along with the eternal life of knowing you and Jesus. Thank you, too, for the truth that your love does not change regardless of what may be going on in the world or in my life. I confess that too often I have been tempted to ask, “Why would a loving God allow such and such?” Please forgive me for the foolishness of that question. And please help me in following every step of your lead into the deepest possible relationship where I know, beyond a shadow of doubt, the depth of your love. Help me to live the life you intend based on that knowledge. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Think on this: Have you ever wondered or asked, “Why would a loving God allow such and such?” If so, what was that all about? Do you believe that God’s love is expressed in whatever may be going on in the world or in your life? Why or why not? What would it look like for you to live your life in total surrender to the fact of God’s love, regardless of what is going on? Would you like to live that kind of life? If so, how is it going to happen?