Service 1

• Luke 19:10 – Jesus came to seek and save the lost
• the central theme of scriptures was in the pursuit of Love
• After Eden [the fall of man] the message of God’s love became the mission of God’s love– i.e. Jesus
• What do Costco, Sam’s and BJ’s have in common? They are stores that give away free samples for food in hopes of showing you that their product is good. Same thing with faith…Christians live as an example [a sample] to the faith in Christ.
• “lost” means: strayed, missing, not won or likely to be won, lacking clear direction
• “save” means: rescue from danger, to preserve
• We tend to hold tightly to thing that don’t matter and let go of things that do matter
• Jesus seeks those that are lost and desires to save them

Whether you feel lost or alone, Jesus seeks you out. He wants you. He can guide you and give clarity. He loves you, deeply.

• most days, you won’t feel overly qualified
• John 6…the boy with a “sack lunch [5 loaves/2 fish] probably did not think he’d be a part of a miracle feeding of 5,000
• “Crisis of Believe”- the moment when you wrestle with what you believe God has asked you to do
• the Word of God [Bible] is living and active, not a trend
• if you won’t get engaged in God’s mission of Love, he will use someone else and you will miss out
• God provides ministry opportunities in the everyday  conversation
• if you’re a Christian…welcome to the ministry
• figure out the dreams God has for you, don’t just rely on someone else’s dream
• Faith not fear it the glove that catches your dream’s potential
• Living according to the Bible and like Jesus will not always be easy. Dream BIG with Christ. Live life by faith.
• The cross is offensive! So not everyone will like you!
• Jesus always saw past the stuff and saw the potential

You have purpose. Jesus can use you no matter what you’ve done or haven’t done. He loves you. He died for you so that you might truly live. You have a choice to serve him and live big dreams for him. You have potential, so stop doubting that or listening to others. Listen God. He wants to do great things through you. His love compels us to want to do more for him and others.

How would you feel always being in the shadow of your much younger sibling? James was just that. He was the older brother to one of the better known disciples. However, James is almost always listed as the second disciple behind Peter before either of their brothers. James came from a very prominent family- the family of Zebedee with a great reputation. James and John were great friends with the other brother pair Peter and Andrew. They were all fishermen together in Galilee. But the main difference between them was that James and John were from a prominent family while Peter and Andrew were less than their status. However, all four of them were closest to Jesus, with Andrew being the least closest.

James, along with his brother, were nicknamed “Sons of Thunder”…which by all accounts in history, this was not exactly the kind of nickname one would hope to acquire. James was passionate but also abrasive. He was zealous, fervent, ambitious, but also bloodthirsty. You could probably assume that James was going down the road to self-destruction and possibly even family dishonor when he met Jesus. He was so overflowing with passion that it was rarely a good quality for him. But then he met Jesus. The way Peter must have felt when referred to as Simon, is probably the same way James (and John) must have felt when called the “Sons of Thunder”.

James was very opposite to Andrew. His focus was not the individual like Andrew. In fact, he rarely cared about others period. He was outspoken, intense, and overly impatient with any sinner. He was so quick to forget that he had just been someone like who he was condemning. The zeal he had was not good. It was apart from knowledge which, in turn, was damning and far from righteous. It was a dangerous zeal lacking wisdom. He was insensitive to the needs of others. His zeal was selfishly driven.

At one point in the ministry of Jesus’ and the disciples, a village did not want to turn to Jesus’ teaching. Samaria- the very people any good Jew should hate- was exactly where Jesus wanted to preach. He wanted to give hope. Selfishly and burning with contempt, James and his brother John asked Jesus- out of their arrogance probably one of the most insensitive and misguided things anyone could ask Jesus. They asked, “Lord do you want us to command fire to come down from Heaven and consume them?”

Who was James to think he had the right to do something like that? Who was James thinking he could lead his younger brother and ask such a ridiculous question? They were asking Jesus- the Lord who came from Heaven to let them have the power to incinerate a village. They expected Jesus to give them such a power, asking Jesus to enable them to do what they knew he would not do. Jesus stood on the grounds of grace and love, giving time for repentance when all James wanted to do was condemn.

How quick we are to condemn…to call fire down. How quick we are to forget where we came from.

There was another ridiculous moment in James’ life under Jesus’ discipleship that just makes me laugh. James and John, I am positive, were momma’s boys. They were rich kids from a good family among 10 others [the 12 disciples] that were probably all from lesser families. At one point, James and John asked their mom to talk to Jesus for them. Her request, of course came from their mouths, most likely James’. She went to Jesus asking him to allow for her sons to sit on each side of him on thrones in Heaven. Those were seats of honor they felt they deserved, for some odd reason.

Jesus’ response was profound, though at the time they didn’t quite get it. “Are you able to  drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I have?” Jesus was referring to his own death, the crucifixion. However, James and John said they were able, thinking purely in the literal. It wasn’t until 14 years after Jesus’ death and resurrection that James fully understood the significance of that question and he lack of wisdom in his answer. During those 14 years, James learned to turn his thunderous spirit into something good. He helped change the world. He was bold and unashamed of how Jesus changed his life.  He was condemned to death for preaching the message of Christ. It is recorded that in his death, which was to be by the sword (beheading), a Roman official also gave their life to Christ and died right there with him. So it was at the end of those 14 years that his final breath would be, not as a Son of Thunder, but as an apostle of Jesus Christ, the true Messiah.

I cannot help but smile. God is beyond amazing. Yes, life happens. Circumstances happen. Sometimes they are good and sometimes they are less than desirable. But regardless, I try to smile. I try to look up, with my head held high. Jesus takes care of me. This past month has been extremely challenging to me in more ways than one- spiritually, physically, emotionally, and even mentally. Finishing up a masters degree is taking every bit of strength out of me. It is mentally draining. Physically, I am getting surgery on my foot that has basically been the thorn in my side the past 7 months. I am at a new job in a position that not all people support. But I know I am supposed to be here. Spiritually and emotionally the transition of so much is colliding with my heart and reality. Granted, right now I love where I am at. Life is just a roller coaster. But with all of this I can’t help but smile because I can see the beauty through clouds. Like gazing at a starry night, with some clouds, the beauty still remains- you just have to wait for the clouds to pass and clear. The things that are unclear right now force me to just simply wait. I have to wait and see what God is going to do. The desires of my heart ache and long for that which is deep within. Wait. Don’t push. Just wait. That is all I can do. This beautiful collision of my heart and God’s will is worth waiting for if it means I get to see the life God intends for me. Oh, this unexpected beauty makes me smile. No matter what. I am at a place- finally- where I can just rest and be at peace. And wait, because I know My God will not forget me or lead me somewhere without his guidance. In Christ alone I trust. Nothing else matters.

“Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don’t try to figure everything out on your own. Listen for God’s voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he’s the one who will keep you on track. Don’t assume you know it all! Run to God…”

In Christ alone, my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My comforter, my all-in-all
Here in the love of Christ I stand

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious day
Up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

I love this song. Last week I rediscovered the beauty that comes from these lyrics, especially when the song is sung with passion and love for Christ. I listened to this song {by Adam Young of Owl City} and kept it on repeat for hours. I don’t remember the last time I have a listened to just one song on repeat. I weep. I lay prostrate on the floor when hearing this words. I sing. I smile. It is not about this song, by the meaning behind it. Christ chose to love me, a perfectly imperfect girl who is less than faithful to him. And yet he loves me anyway. He beckons me to go deeper. He cleansed my life from my shame and guilt. He is my all…and I trust him alone. I would not be who I am right now if it weren’t for the love of Jesus Christ. So as I listen to this song, I can’t help but be anything but thankful. I’m never going back to who I was. Jesus changed my life. End of story.

[I recommend listening to this song. Look it up. Read the words. If you don’t know Jesus the way this song describes, seek him out. Let him change you. You will not regret it.]

Andrew was the brother of (Simon) Peter and everyone knew it. Andrew and Peter grew up with James and John- all four became disciples of Jesus. Prior to being Jesus’ disciples, they were all fishermen in Galilee. They all understood that their Messiah was coming- John the Baptist constantly announced that the One was coming. They were so excited and desperate to know this Messiah- the true Rabbi- that they left fishing to follow John the Baptist. They became his disciples while they waited for the Messiah. Andrew and John were with John the Baptist at the Jordan River for baptisms when one day something changed. The Baptist announced a man, Jesus, as the Lamb of God, a very title signifying he was the one they had all been waiting for. He was with them, there, in that moment. Talk about being overjoyed. Andrew and John left The Baptist to follow Jesus…they spent the entire afternoon with him just listening. They were with their Messiah! Immediately after they left Jesus’ presence, Andrew- overjoyed with that experience- ran and got his brother Peter. Eventually the brother pairs Peter & Andrew and James & John became the first disciples of Jesus.

Andrew’s name means “manly”. As a fisherman, there was no doubt that he looked manly, however his character revealed the same. He was bold, driven by passion, decisive, deliberate, zealous, and eager. He was willing to put himself in situations of hardship and obscurity if it meant finding the Truth. He was humble. But he lived in the spotlight of Peter, who was in Jesus’ inner of circle with James and John. However, not once is there a sign of resentment or bitterness. He was supportive in their ministry, even if it meant being in background.

Andrew knew the importance of the individual soul. Immediately after being with Jesus, he ran and got Peter- leading him to Christ. There are other Biblical examples where Andrew would bring different to meet Jesus because he knew Jesus would want to meet anyone wanting to meet Him. Andrew never spoke to the crowd. He was not a preacher. Peter became one of the greatest preachers of the disciples, but everything Peter did- all of his ministry- is directly linked to Andrew. It was Andrew that led him to Christ. Peter just was more publicly vocal.

Nothing is said in Scripture about Andrew after the Day of Pentecost- the day Peter brought 3,000 people to Christ. Historians say Andrew was eventually crucified in Greece. Apparently he lead the wife of the Roman governor to Christ. When she refused to recant this new faith, pushing aside the gods of Rome, Andrew was killed. He was lashed to the cross not in the T shape but in a X shape, where his arms were tied down with rope in a X. It took two days for him to die, however painfully. During those two days of slow death, Andrew brought passers-by to Christ.

Don’t think your life does not have an impact. You may be the very person that changes the life of the person that changes the world. Andrew, who lived in the shadow of Peter- the most influential and known disciple- was just as significant to history. Never doubt your potential or value of investing in the individual, not always the crowd.

Don’t be a afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called you by name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down…I paid a huge price for you…So don’t be afraid. I’m with you…you’re my handpicked servant…Forget about what’s happened; don’t keep going over old history. Be alert- be present. I’m about to do something brand-new. Its bursting out! Don’t you see it? There it is! I’m making a road through the desert. Rivers in the badlands.

scattered verses in Isaiah 43 {The Message}

Recently I have noticed a dynamic change. This change encompasses the Church altogether. As I stated in another writing, the Church- the Body of Christ- must have an expectancy for a movement of God’s Spirit. Without that expectancy for greater things, change cannot take place. But even with expectancy, that is not enough. Recently I read something about the Church and the apparent Body of Christ- each person individually. And my heart breaks deeply. It breaks for those in the Church, and the Church itself, because I fear we are greatly missing something.

“We say that our churches are blessed by the presence of the Holy Spirit. But what if, when people come, there is no sign of His presence, no joy, little love, and no manifestation of the grace and power of Christ?…Some Pentecostal people have, at one time, had an experience with God, but the work of the Spirit has diminished in their lives. It has not continued to affect how they live.”

These few sentences gripped me in my heart as I read from an article in my church’s foyer. I sat there and I was almost overcome by many emotions. Thoughts ran through my mind as if in a marathon. Today, when I read this article, it just happened to be “Pentecost Sunday”- the day to use a reminder [and refilling] of the Spirit of God in our lives. That is where it hit me. We tend to use this one day to refill ourselves spiritually. What about the rest of the year? I fear we use it as an excuse to renew our walk with God and wait again until the next big service. We seek the presence of God yet there is no fruit. I fear that too many rely on this one day [or special services, crusades, or revivals] to reestablish themselves in faith and in the Spirit of God. If we are called Pentecostals then that entails allowing the Holy Spirit to continue to work, daily, in our lives. Our churches would be radically different if each person claiming to be a Pentecostal [or even just a Christian] would allow for that Spirit to encounter them at their core. Conviction would occur. I do not mean deciding not to lie, only, but the multitude of sin that we pretend doesn’t affect us. Gossip is disease in our churches. Crude joking is at the altar, in the sanctuary, and in the fellowship. Arrogance and pride is gangrene spreading throughout, especially in leadership. The stage has become a pedestal. Alcohol is pretty poison disguised in one beer, one glass of wine, and one night forgotten. Pornography and sex are secrets hidden in shame. And we wonder why even when we expect great things, we see no wonders. No miracles. When we seek the presence of God we must be willing to let go and allow for His Spirit to see those areas in our lives that need change. Without that change, our expectancy is in vain. From within the walls of every church, it is our choice as believers of Christ the Messiah to want God more than the lives that we live. Our lives, if truly seeking the Spirit of God, will be full of love and life, owning up to our mistakes in our humanity, but still recognizing the power of God in spite of it all. It is not enough to experience God and His Spirit alone, but to daily seek a new experience with Him, never being satisfied. Complacency must be left. From within the walls…change is possible.

“Without expectancy…you’ll never give birth to anything.”