The Simple Life

So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. Psalms 90:12 (ESV)   It’s the close of another year--the end of a cycle. God, in His graciousness, allows us to have moments in time where we can easily and naturally evaluate our lives. Each day, there is a beginning and end to start with goals and assess how we have done as the sunsets.   Each year, we can look back and see our failures, make life adjustments, and rejoice in the victories. Each day/year that passes, we are reminded that our time is finite, that aging is something we cannot stop, and as the seasons change, our lives change, so we must adapt appropriately or be miserable failures.   Often there are year-end parties that celebrate something. Sometimes they are just excuses to party, sometimes, there is a party to demonstrate thankfulness, and sometimes it is a time to gather and reflect on what God has done and look to what He might do in the year to come. The most important purpose for a pa...

He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. Philip answered him, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread would not be enough for each of them to get a little." One of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, said to him, "There is a boy here who has five barley loaves and two fish, but what are they for so many?" John 6:6-9 (ESV)   Once again, Simon Peter's brother, Andrew, was looking for a solution while Philip was stammering. Andrew seemed to always be in the position of bringing problems to Jesus. He may not have known how Jesus was going to solve this problem, but he knew that he needed to get Him what they had.   God uses what we have. He will never ask us to give what we don't have. He will never require us to answer for something we have no control over. Andrew recognized the problem, found, and presented what was available to Christ, and trusted He would take care of the rest. And--He did. This is how someone who knows and t...

He said this to test him, for he himself knew what he would do. John 6:6 (ESV)   God is not waiting on our actions to make His decisions. He knows what He is going to do and will do it regardless of my participation. The "crisis" of food was not a crisis because Jesus had a plan to care for the needs of all who were seeking Him. We may not see or understand the plan, but we should never doubt there is one.   Hard times allow us to trust what we know over what we feel. The real tragedy is not knowing God and, therefore, not being able to trust. Time spent with God is always a wise investment and for now, the choice is ours. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

Jesus went up on the mountain, and there he sat down with his disciples. Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews, was at hand. Lifting up his eyes, then, and seeing that a large crowd was coming toward him, Jesus said to Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, so that these people may eat?" John 6:3-5 (ESV)   Jesus saw the need to escape and renew relationships with the disciples and His Father. He saw the disciples and knew they were stretched. He saw the crowd and knew that they were hungry. He knew He could do something about their hunger, both physically and spiritually.   When Jesus looks, He sees a harvest waiting to be gathered. He sees an opportunity to love and teach those He loves. When Jesus looks at people, He sees opportunity. When we look at people, we often see problems, inconvenience, and pain.   Jesus was, once again, setting the disciples up to learn something. He specifically asked Philip about a solution. He knew the question would elicit a struggle, even ...

Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple. John 8:56-59 (ESV) Abraham was able to rejoice because God is not the God of the dead but the living. So likewise, when Jesus was born, the entire universe witnessed a miracle. Those who knew what was happening rejoiced. Those who had no clue continued with their mundane, purposeless lives because they missed the significance of the moment.  Abraham was and is not dead; he is very much alive and in the very presence of God, as are all those who died in Christ. Jesus spoke of things as they are, not as they might be.  Christ's birth caused those who knew God to rejoice and those who opposed Him to shudder. His death caused darkness in the universe f...

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7 And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. Luke 2:1-8 (ESV)   In those days, there was a decree, and the people had to respond. In those days, the shepherds watched over their sheep, as they did every day. People rejected a young woman from the comfortable housing t...

After this Jesus went away to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, which is the Sea of Tiberias. And a large crowd was following him, because they saw the signs that he was doing on the sick. John 6:1-2 (ESV)   Jesus attracted crowds. Many were curious, wondering how He was able to perform miracles. Curiosity is natural and can be used to trap us or free us. Curiosity as to who God is and how or why He created life is a good thing. Curiosity for the sake of amusement can be trendy and a waste of time. Curiosity arises out of seeing or hearing about the unusual, and Jesus could not be considered usual.   Today, we seem to desire to blend, accommodate, and "relate" to the Godless world. In doing so, we eliminate curiosity and then wonder why people are not interested in examining Christianity. Those who know God, love God, and live holy, or unique, lives that will automatically stir a curious soul. Being like Christ will cause outsiders to be curious about our life and give us...

I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? John 5:41-44 (ESV)   We enjoy the praises of people. Yet, these praises come with a price that includes many hidden costs. The immediate satisfaction from admiration can be addicting, creating a lifestyle of performances that elicit our peers' cheers. In time, we become focused on the praise of mankind, and the thought of walking with, enjoying, and obeying God becomes subject to what the crowd finds admirable.   We need to be careful as social media fuels our political nature and robs us of the simple obedient lifestyle we were created to enjoy.   If we make our lives about God, our love for Him, and obedience to Him, what He thinks will be what ma...

There is no life without the sun. Since June 21, we have been seeing less daylight, and now, on December 21, we experience the darkest day of the year. Plants are dormant, bears hibernate, and the cold, thick air presses down a blanket of snow, hiding all the grounds imperfections.  The cold darkness tests the resiliencies of all living creatures. Some prepare, some flee to warmer climates, yet all must prepare or be destroyed.   Those who thrive during this time have prepared for the inevitable conditions. They do not enjoy being cold but have learned how to stay warm in the cold. They have stored goods to sustain them throughout the dark, cold days have altered their schedule to survive, even thrive.  The "secret" of the successful is their preparation for the change. They realize that they cannot alter these events, so they prepare well in advance for whatever may come. We cannot be sure about the severity of the winter months, but we can be sure they will come, so we ...

And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. John 5:37-40 (ESV)   Eternal life is in Christ alone. Therefore, the Scriptures point to Jesus. We do not worship the words on the page; we worship the one the words are about. Religious people are confused people, and confusion is not from God.   If our time in God's Word does not bring us to the end of ourselves and to Christ, then we do not understand what the Scriptures are saying. The goal is oneness with God, not knowledge of the Scriptures, so we study the Scriptures to know God, rather for some religious exercise.   Fulfilling lives enjoy God, and in doing so, enjoy people. Th...

There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. John 5:32-35 (ESV)   John the Baptist is commended because he pointed to Christ. This is job #1 for all believers. How would God say we are doing on this? https://www.podbean.com/relate365

"I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. John 5:30-31 (ESV)   Healthy people realize they can do nothing on their own. Without Christ, we are nothing. Without the body of Christ, we are nothing. Without God, we have no context, and without context, we have no hope.   Without hope, we become anxious about the meaningless present circumstances, and attempt to create meaning that invents creative ways to indulge ourselves.  Eventually, I think I am the only one I should please, and I live in a way that points to my comfort and plans, and puts me in control of my destiny.   The only problem is reality. There is a God who gives life context and my life meaning. There is a future and hope for those in Christ, and this life is not about my comfort and plans. I have no control over the future, and my destiny is in Hi...

"Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment. John 5:25-29 (ESV)   There is a life after death. There is a judgment. Some did right, and those who did wrong. All will be held accountable.   There are only two groups. Those who do not know God cannot do right or good will be judged according to their works apart from Christ's finished work. For them, eternity begins disastrously and never gets better. Never.   Those in Christ will also be judged according to their faithfulness t...

Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. John 5:24 (ESV)   Since the Bible is translated from another language, we often miss minor details that would help us grasp the whole meaning of various concepts. For example, Wuest, in his expanded translation, says this: "Most assuredly, I am saying to you, He who habitually hears my word and is believing the One who sent me has life eternal, and into judgment he does not come, but has been permanently transferred out from the sphere of death into the life."   Our salvation is from Christ alone. Our security from Christ alone, for we are permanently transferred into God's family. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. John  5:20-23  (ESV)   When you go against Jesus, you go against God. When you go against one who is following Jesus, you go against God. Therefore, those who go against God will lose.   As God's children, we have the opportunity to know and obey Him. If we follow Him, regardless of public opinion, we will be victorious. Those who choose to follow, who choose to wait upon the Lord will not be disappointed. https://www.podbean.com/relate365

So Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. John 5:19 (ESV)   If you heard Jesus talk, you listened to what God was saying. If you watched Jesus respond, you saw precisely how God would respond. Jesus glorified God.   My purpose in life is to glorify God. Sin causes me to fall short of this goal of glorifying God. I need to see evil for what it is and hate it for what it does.   Relationally, we can be so close to someone that we think and act like them. This is why we are warned to guard our hearts, be careful what we meditate on, and stay away from those who continually portray lies as truth.   Jesus is constantly in God's presence, so He responded as God does. All who are constantly in God's presence will respond as God does. Today we are so distracted and seem to spend more hours indulged in social media or what other...

On this account, therefore, the Jews kept on seeking the more to kill Him off, because not only was He continually breaking the sabbath but also because He was saying that God was His privately owned, unique Father, a Father in a way in which no one else had Him for a Father, making himself equal with the deity. John 5:18 (Wuest)   The truth will either destroy the lies you believe, or you will try to destroy whoever reveals the truth, thinking that, in doing so, you have restored civility. The problem with this is that might can never make right. A majority can never decide the truth. The suppression of opposing thoughts does not negate those ideas. Pretending that an idea goes away after killing the person who expresses the idea demonstrates profound ignorance and develops a culture of fear fueled by ignorance.   We have the freedom to disagree with one another and to discuss or remain silent on the issue. However, whatever we choose to do will not affect the validity of the...

And on account of this the Jews went to persecuting Jesus, because these things He was doing on the sabbath. But He answered them, My Father keeps on working until now, and as for myself, I also am continually working. John  5:16-17  (Wuest)   Jesus was persecuted because He took care of the needy on the Sabbath. Throughout history, caring for the needs of livestock and people was something that needed doing every day. We do not stop feeding and changing a baby because it is the Sabbath. Everyone who decides to "not work" on the sabbath must determine what "work" means. Perhaps the Sabbath was meant for us to cease our "normal" activities and concentrate on our relationships with God and each other. The healing of the sick would classify as aiding the relationships with others.   Jesus also reminded the religious crowd that God is always at work and, since He is God, He, too, is always at work. God, being the creator and sustainer of life, is sustaining ev...

So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed." But he answered them, "The man who healed me, that man said to me, 'Take up your bed, and walk.'" They asked him, "Who is the man who said to you, 'Take up your bed and walk'?" Now the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. John  5:10-13  (ESV)   Hard hearts are devastating to long-term health. The religious people had no place for Jesus in their theology. Their ignorance of God, His evident work, and the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophesy built an impenetrable wall around their soul. Hard hearts destroy any hope that comes with seeing and responding to truth, and all are capable of establishing and maintaining this status.   Regular time in God's Word while asking Him to search my heart and reveal what needs to change is a habit that will hel...

And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. So the Jews said to the man who had been healed, "It is the Sabbath, and it is not lawful for you to take up your bed." John 5:9-10 (ESV)   Criticizing Christ for healing someone on the Sabbath is ludicrous. God is about relationships, not rules. Therefore, the purpose of the Sabbath is to slow down and spend time with God. Rejoicing in what God is and has done is proper for that day.  The accusing Jews would have benefitted from worshiping Jesus on this day rather than criticizing Him.   Often, the rules we put in place become more important than the effect we establish. We must set goals and be intentional and disciplined, yet the method is not the goal. The goal is the goal. Intentionality is vital, yet a boatload of intentions without effective action is more of a burden than a blessing.   Our religious habits could be hindering our relationships with God and each oth...

The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." John 5:7-8 (ESV)   Sometimes we get lost in thinking that we do not have enough faith for God to act on our behalf. Yet, there are examples of people who doubted or were confused who Jesus healed.   We like to make everything about us, our proficiencies, gifts, and talents. Then, if something good happens, we begin to talk about our prayers, methods, or our part in the progression and achievement of the goal. We seem to glean importance from elevating our role, and as good Christians, we acknowledge God in the end.   However,  The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." John 5:...

One man was there who had been an invalid for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he said to him, "Do you want to be healed?" The sick man answered him, "Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, and while I am going another steps down before me." Jesus said to him, "Get up, take up your bed, and walk." And at once the man was healed, and he took up his bed and walked. Now that day was the Sabbath. John 5:5-9 (ESV)   It seems strange that Jesus would ask someone if they wanted healing. Day after day for years this man was dependent on those who would care for him. He could not help but wonder what life would be like if he were "normal." Yet Jesus asks him this simple question: "Do you want to be healed?"   If he was healed, he would have to change his lifestyle and friends and take personal responsibility for his provisions. Those who are ...

Jesus said to him, "Go; your son will live." The man believed the word that Jesus spoke to him and went on his way. John 4:50 (ESV)   God alone gives and takes life. Those who try to live without God are not living, they are existing, and without God, they would not even exist.   Arrogant people believe they are responsible for anything good, and others are responsible for anything they consider harmful. The arrogant need a dose of reality to cure their deranged thinking. We have little to do with some of the most influential things in our lives. We did not choose our parents. We did not choose our siblings or lack of siblings. We did not determine what country we were born in, what gender we are, the color of our skin, or any of our physical characteristics. We did not choose to be introverted or extroverted, our athletic ability, or the size of our feet.   Yet, somehow, we think we are responsible for anything good that has happened to us. God, alone, is the one who con...