Who Does Jesus Want? Luke 5:27

After this Jesus went out and saw a tax collector by the name of Levi siting in his tax booth. "Follow me." Jesus said to him. and Levi got up left everything and followed him." Luke  5: 27.

Who did Jesus want? It seems he never recruited from the seminary, temple or synagogue but the market place, the well, the cemetery, the fishing dock, and the dinner table.

No matter who you are or your vocation Jesus calls you to follow him.


(c)Adron Dozat

To learn more about coming to Jesus see my other blog post.
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Adron




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Where Can I Find Peace From Suffering?

We suffer in many ways, some of us suffer deeply, even after years of trying to get relief.  Some of us even carry painful scars through our lives.  The Bible gives a story of a woman who had suffered deeply for years and what she did to find great peace.

"At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, 'Who touched my clothes?'"  Mark 5:30

"Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."Mark 5:34*.

This is from the story of the woman who had an incurable flow of blood. For twelve years, she spent her money on doctors who failed to heal her. Finding Jesus in the crowd she touches his cloak thinking just touching Jesus' garment will transfer healing to her.

Having a flow of blood made her culturally unclean, an outcast, and if she was open about her condition she might have been stoned by the crowd. Her touch according to their views transferred uncleanness to whatever she touched, and touching a teacher would be a very bad thing.

In response to her touch, she is immediately healed. Jesus perceives the healing and asked the crowd who it was that touched him. She comes forward and tells all about the miracle. Then Jesus said those wonderful words. "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

There are so many encouragements in this passage. Read the passage in your Bible, (see link below) and look for these encouragements:

1. Jesus is accessible. When she pressed through the crowd she was able to touch him. So don't give up, keep trying to come. He is there waiting for you.
2. Jesus knows. He knew the woman had been to him, he knew she touched him, he knew she was healed, and he knows your hurt.
3. Miracles are rarely secret and when they are it is only for a time. We are given blessings to qualify us to testify to the glory of God. He looked for her so she could testify.
4. Faith in Jesus brought her healing, and faith in him can bring healing to us.
5. Jesus wants to bring us peace. He blessed this woman with "Go in peace." He wants to say the same to us.
6. He wanted her to be free on all levels, He said, "be freed from your suffering." It is freedom not only of the physical illness, but the emotional pain, and psychological, and even socially, since a flow of blood made one "unclean." socially. 
7. Jesus' power is awesome. He could bring complete healing to one who had an illness for so long a time. No matter how long we have suffered he can bring peace and freedom.
8. Her faith had action. She had to take the risk of being discovered as an unclean woman in a crowd, and of touching a teacher. Though she was trying to "get away with it" when the call came she came before him and fell down and told all that happened. My faith has to have action.

We hear it all the time, and it is still true even if old; come to Jesus, bring him your hurt, pain, and suffering. He is waiting to say, "Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."

*To read the entire passage click here, Mark 5:27-34.

(c) Adron 6/3/13

What is God's Message For Me?

Does God have a message for us; is there something He is asking us to do?

"Come all you who are thirsty, come to the waters, and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come buy wine and milk, without money and without cost."Isaiah 55:1. NIV.

COME
God Says, "come." four times. God wants us to come to Him.
We may sense a need in our lives,
     * It may be a deep hunger for some meaning,
     * It may be a sense of loneliness.
     * It may be a lack of joy in life.
For these and any other longings, we must come. Our biggest need is the need of salvation, and God offers it with a word- come.

God wants "all" to come, He makes no restrictions.  No matter who we are, what we have done, or what sin we are guilty of, He still beckons us to come.  All we need to do is to bring our need, our thirst.

WATERS
It not just to a fountain or a spring, but to the "waters."  These "waters" are many, deep, and offers satisfaction that far exceeds our need, like an ocean stretching across the horizon. These waters are no less than God himself.

WITHOUT MONEY
No matter how broke we are we can buy without "money," We can come empty-handed, and still buy. What can we give to God that will match the riches of salvation and fellowship with the Almighty? Salvation and its blessings are priceless; no man can earn it or deserve it, therefore, if any were to obtain salvation it must be by a gift of God.

WINE AND MILK
When we read, "wine and milk," we think of the wine of joy and the milk that completely nourishes, this is a picture of joy and satisfaction.

Put it all together, we can buy and eat," we can come to the "waters," and get the "wine and milk," these pictures speak of all our needs fulfilled, physical, emotional, and spiritual.

COST
Why is it, "without money and without cost?" Because Jesus already purchased our salvation by His death on the cross, and with salvation, he gives us all we need for life and Godliness.

God invites us to come to him to be saved and we must not stop coming to him, but always seek him to fulfill our needs and to find blessings.

If you want to know more about coming to God follow this link: Click Here.

(c)Adron Dozat

 

Where Can You Go To Meet With God? Psalm 42:1-2

Where can you go to meet with God? If he is all-present then He should be here right now, but somehow we do not sense He is with us.

"As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. Where can I go and meet with God?" Psalm 42:1-2. NIV.

THIRST
We all have a thirst for something. We keep trying to satisfy our thirst for meaning in our lives; we try with material possessions, relationships status, or something else. It may be we are looking at the wrong thing.

PASSION
The word picture of the deer panting for the streams of water expresses passion and desire to the point of death since water is essential for life. The deer is a picture of desperation, and in the same way, we should be desperate for God. We need to seek God with longing and thirst.

• Do we have such passion?
• Do we thirst for God?
• Are we willing to know the living and true God?
• Do we desire to meet with God?

BARRIER
There is a barrier between us and God. It is an ugly barrier and it is known by an ugly word, sin. But God sent his son to break down the barrier and make it possible to encounter God. When Jesus died on the cross he paid the price for our sins and satisfied the judgment of holy God. The resurrection makes clear the judgment is complete and eternal life is available in Christ.

WHERE
God makes the way to us and invites us to come to him. The where is not a place but a person, Jesus said, "I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except by me." John 14:6. The Gospel of John says, "To as many as received him who believe on his name he gave the right to become the sons of God." John 1:12.

Jesus invites us to come to him; in him, we find the fulfillment of all our thirst.

To learn more about coming to God follow this link: click here.

(c)Adron Dozat 4/28/13

What Does Jesus Call Us To Do?

There is much confusion about what Jesus is asking of people. People say one thing and another, but few look at what Jesus himself said.

"Come to me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28, NIV.

COME
If Jesus had a catch-phrase it would be the word, "Come." Over and over he says to persons and groups, Come to me..." His life was an open invitation to all. This invitation is to come to a person, Jesus, not a series of rules and regulations.  We come to the Man of Galilee not a creed or system of philosophy. Many find this to be difficult, because it is a relationship and relationships take work, unlike a cold impersonal set of rules to live by.

ALL
Christ invites all to come, all who are weary and burdened. No matter who we are, what we have done, or have experienced, Jesus welcomes us. No one is too bad or too wicked; there is not exception clause, he says all may come.

REST
Jesus offers something no one else ever does, or can, and if they did it would be insane. He offers rest. He says, "I will give you rest," this is a strange use of the word rest.  We would say, "Take some rest or get some rest;" but Jesus is saying something new and different here- he is the source of rest.

Christ offers the end of the struggle with guilt, victory over pain, and the finish of shame. If we rest in a chair it is temporary but Jesus offers a new, unending, and fully complete rest because in his next sentence, recorded in verse 29, he defines it as rest for your souls, this has to be a deeper, more complete, and more fulfilling rest than any other we could ever find.

WHAT AN OFFER
If we are weary of the struggle of our pain and burden he invites us to bring it to him. If we are tired of trying to solve our problems, and if the burdens of our hearts are too heavy to bear then Jesus is calling each of us. No matter what guilt, or shame, or pain we carry he says, "Come."

(c)Adron Dozat

Who Can Come To God?

There are many things that keep us from God. Yet we need God and look for him. Much of the activity in our lives may be a subconscious cry for God.

"Open to me the gates of righteousness I will enter and give thanks to the Lord." Psalm 118:19, NIV.

OPEN...
We cannot of ourselves open up the way of righteousness. We need another to do it for us. We look for one who is able to make the way of righteousness open to us and we find it in the person and work of Jesus. Jesus opens the way of righteousness by living a holy and perfect life which he gives as an atoning sacrifice on our behalf to pay for our sins. The empty tomb is a testimony that the work of Jesus satisfies the requirement of justice and the need in our lives.  He makes it clear that this is his purpose when Jesus said, "I am the gate to the sheepfold." We cannot open the gate so Jesus became the opening for us.

GATES...
Gates are in walls and walls keep things either in or out. There is a wall between man and God, the sin of man cannot approach God and the holiness of God forbids sin's admission. The picture of a gate is a picture of hope since a gate is the place of admission. Jesus said, "strive to enter by the narrow gate." He offers one way of salvation.

I WILL ENTER...
Entry is not automatic, but entry is available to any who will come.  The death of Jesus paid for all sin and all sinners may come, but they must each decide to come. We must admit our need and call on his offer of salvation. We must decide, we each must say I will accept the gift of salvation. I will accept the gift of this new life of worship and service. God established that salvation comes through a personal act of faith and this makes it possible for any to come.

THANKS...
We who come have much to be thankful for. We have salvation, new life, sonship, fellowship blessings eternal life, and no fear of judgment. Giving thanks is the logical and moral responsibility for the gift of admittance into the blessings of God's promise, it is also a foundation of worship, service, and obedience.

TO THE LORD...
When we come to God we come to one who is Lord. We must understand he is not just Jesus the baby in a manger but he is the one St. John calls the beginning and the end. King of Kings and Lord of Lords. St. Paul said before him every knee will bow and every tongue confesses that he is Lord.

We give thanks to the Lord not as an exercise or ritual but as worship; as an act of praise and adoration to the one who is the King and Ruler Of All who pardons sin and give eternal life. But to call him Lord is also to call him one who we will obey and serve.


John 10:7
Luke 13:23,24
Revelation 19:16
Philippians 2:10

(c)Adron Dozat

What is the Greatest Love? John 15:13

Where can you find love that is true? 

We all want a love that is true, honest, devoted; a love that we can count on and that won't turn away as soon as things get tough.

"Greater love has no one that this, that he lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13, NIV.

Looking for the greatest love.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND
Jesus spoke these words to his disciples shortly before he was arrested and crucified.  He was fully aware of the coming events; betrayal by one of his own, desertion by his closest companions, false accusations by his community, torture, and death by tortures.  Yet with full knowledge, he proceeds on to that fate and this statement explains why- love.

GREATER
To say something is greater is to deem it above all else.  When you bring "greater" into the thought you have made all others as lesser.  This greater love is above all the others.

JESUS
When Jesus expresses love it is in actions, and he demonstrates the greatest love by doing the greatest act, laying down his life for us, thus Jesus became the definition of that greatest love.

LAY DOWN
He died willingly to pay for our sins.  This ultimate sacrifice leaves nothing out for there is nothing left to do.  Mankind had a need for a savior, one who would deliver us from our sins because our sins needed to be paid for, and the only payment accepted by the God Who Is All Holy is death and eternal punishment.  Jesus paid this price for all sins.

Jesus "lay down" his life, it wasn't taken from him by force.  He chose to lay it down and he had control over every aspect of his death.  He had the choice of free will in the matter, and he chose to die because he chose to love.

ULTIMATE LOVE
To lay down your life for a loved one is one thing, and many over history have died for their family, but to do so for a friend is something else.  Who Jesus died for makes his sacrificial death more astounding because he died for sinners who were his enemies. "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us." Romans 5:8.

FRIENDS
Jesus called his followers friends even though he knew they would fail him miserably in his hour of need.  This greatest of all love is a forgiving love, an understanding love, a compassionate love, and most importantly a sacrificing love.  It is not a distant love; Jesus offers this love to any who is willing to receive it.  He said, "Come unto me ye who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28.

(c) Adron 4/21/12

What Would Happen If You Met Jesus? Luke 5:11

What would it be like to meet Jesus? How would you react?

"When Simon Peter saw this he fell at Jesus' feet and said, 'Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man!' For he and all his companions were astonished at the catch of fish they had taken... Then Jesus said to Simon, 'Don't be afraid; from now on you will catch men.' So they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him." Luke 5:8-9,11, NIV.

THE SCENE

Simon encounters Jesus.  It was the miracle of the great catch of fish, big enough to almost sink both boats that make Simon aware of who Jesus is, and Simon confesses his own sinfulness.  Jesus welcomes him and Simon leaves everything.

RESPONSE

Simon had a deep reaction to meeting Jesus, he felt the shame of his sin, and he realized he was in the presence of the Lord.  His first response was to say, "Go away from me, I am a sinner."  Notice the "Me," and "I," he was seeing himself as he was and was contrite.  When we meet Jesus we can expect the same at some point.  Jesus said he did not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.* Without an awareness of our sinfulness and a sense of the need for repentance of our sins, our encounter with Jesus will only be academic, mere facts and history.  Simon's encounter with Jesus was not intellectual it was deep, personal, passionate and relational.

DECIDE

Simon made a decision, he left all.  "They pulled their boats up on the shore." Boats do not belong on the shore they belong in the water. This act illustrates the complete ending of one life and the commencement of another.

They left everything and followed Jesus

They left everything, not just a few things, or the lesser things, they brought nothing with them; there was no keeping this or that,  "just in case."

JESUS
Jesus had a plan for Simon, that he would "catch men."  He has a plan for each of us too, a unique purpose. Part of it is that we come to know him like Simon did, then part of it is to make him known.

WHERE HE WENT
Simon met Jesus and went from anonymous provincial fisherman to Apostle.  We can meet Jesus too. We meet him in the Bible, in prayer, and fellowship with those who are his followers.  To meet Jesus will force a decision to follow or not, those who follow must be willing to give up everything. Simon's boats, nets, and tackle are long gone to dust, but he today is enjoying rewards far more precious with his beloved Jesus in Heaven.

To learn more about having a personal encounter with Jesus follow this link: See my other blog.

* Luke 5:32
Thank you for visiting and reading my blog. I sincerely hope this post is helpful and encouraging.  For more like this see the most popular post in the left sidebar, or use the search box above. 

(c) Adron 4/5/12