Even Though He Knows

I want to point out something in my readings that I found very amazing...it won't take long, but I hope you find this encouraging.

Matthew 10:1-4
And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and every affliction. 2 The names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother; 3 Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4 Simon the Zealot, and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.

Oh boy, another list of names...let's just skip it...we get it.  Jesus calls disciples.  Sounds good!

Wait...what???  (REFER TO VERSE 4)

Judas Iscariot...who betrayed him....

Jesus calls a man, who is going to turn his back on Jesus...and Jesus knew it. 

If Jesus can call Judas as a disciple and consider him as close as a brother, and love him consistently...EVEN THOUGH he knew what Judas was going to do to him...how much will he love us and be consistently in love with us!  How much will he use us and call us to do great things! 

Psalm 139 says over and over again how much God knows us...He knows our deepest thoughts, most inner feelings...we can't hide anything from God.  This is amazing...yet so scary because every wicked thing that dwells in our hearts, God sees.  Every shameful sin, every idol we hold higher than God, God knows.

Judas would hold money higher than Jesus, but Jesus called him anyway.  Your past is no excuse to be used by God today.  Your future is no excuse.  Jesus calls your regardless.  He already knows...and he still wants you despite it.  How awesome is that?? 

I love you all.  May this bring you encouragement today. 

Laborers for the Harvest

Then he said to his disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.  And he called to him his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal every disease and ever affliction.”   

~Matt. 9:37-10:1~

Do you realize how many people around you are lost?  They may seem like they have it all together, but deep down to the core they are seeking something.  They are searching, finding answers to their existence.  Some find it, and walk the narrow path.  Others bounce around from path to path to find what truly satisfies them.  

Many keep bouncing, waiting for their answers. 

The world is full of these people, ready to hear the Gospel.  Knowing that something is out there, but they don’t know who, what, where, or how. 

That’s where you come in.

Early in Jesus ministry, he acknowledges that there aren’t enough people “working the fields.”  Now granted, he didn’t even call his disciples yet, or had just done so.  The workers were truly few….but how much more does this apply to us today! 

I am so encouraged to pray this prayer and see the workers being developed.  It is so neat to see what kind of workers there are in the world.  

Some yield the tool of mercy, showing the enormous amount of love toward those that have much less in life. 

Some yield the tool of service, giving their time and energy to be selfless and reach as many as they can through the outreach. 

Some yield the tool of teaching, spreading knowledge and insight on the Word.

Whatever your tool is, you are being used in the Lord’s harvest.  But like many tools, you don’t leave it stored in a shed during the most valuable part of the season.  You use it.  You don’t pray for workers and then wait to see what God does.  Let’s follow Jesus’ example:

He acknowledged the need for workers, and then he called his disciples and gave them authority in the ministry.  He sought out workers.  Jesus knew God would provide the workers, so he went looking for them.  He called them.  We are called to pray for workers, but then to seek them out and work in the harvest. 

Don’t sit idle.  Trust God by doing something about it today.  

Take Heart

It has been a while since I’ve been able to sit and write on this blog.  I am hoping to not wait as long for the next times.  

As I go through Matthew in my quiet times, I recently came across a familiar phrase that the ESV translation uses in Chapter 9: Take heart.

Many of you have heard me discuss this, and most of you have rolled your eyes and offered your input on the situation.  I had wanted to get a tattoo to represent this very thing.  It is inspired by John 16:33 when Jesus says “In this world you will have trouble, but take heart!  I have overcome the world.” 

This verse has spoken huge messages to me, and the words “take heart” has been my motto while I work at the nursing home, pray over hard issues in my life, and struggle to find the right words to say to a friend that is needing some guidance in my days.  

So, when reading in Matthew 9 where I see Jesus saying “take heart” my attention magnifies. 

Verse 2, in speaking to a paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.”

Verse 22, in speaking to the bleeding woman, “Take heart, daughter; your faith has made you well.”

Take heart…It signifies a turning point in our emotions.  We sit in a pile of doubt, or fears, or struggles and feel suffocated by the waves of reality.  Take heart…it’s time to get out of it.   Take heart, let me show you the light and hidden truths to hold on to in your moments of despair: 

Your child is sick, but take heart! I am the great physician.

Your loved one is dead, but take heart! I have been and am still there.

Your father is never a part of your life, but take heart!  You are my child forever.

Your life is full of consuming sins, but take heart!  I have overcome them all. 

Your reflection of your appearance does not satisfy you, but take heart!  I delight over you with singing. 

Take heart…where in your lives do you need to hear God say “Take heart?”   Many times these are hidden blessings within the muck of life.  It’s easy to sit and look at the surface of our world, but if you dig deep beneath the surface and see the treasure hidden under it all, sometimes it’s in the form of a “take heart.”  A change in heart.  An uplifting truth to bring us closer to God. 

Satan doesn’t want us to find these “take heart” moments.  He will try to keep us in those waves that distract us and tear us down, but it’s through the grace of God and power in the Holy Spirit that we stand a chance against those forces. 

A good friend of mine had quickly departed on a rigorous and physically draining trip for a few months, but before he left I texted him a verse that I felt led to share with him: 

Isaiah 40:28-29

“Have you not known?  Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.  He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.  He gives power to the faint, and to him who has not might he increases strength.  Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”  

His response to the verse I have kept on my phone because it is a great reminder for me, and I am sure he wouldn’t mind me sharing it with you all, “Thank you, for me the verse will be manifested physically.  For you spiritually, remember we are engaged in war at all times.”  

What wise truth.  We are constantly fighting, constantly wrestling with our flesh.  Some days we really have to push ourselves to love and praise God.  We really have a heavy load that keeps us from seeing the beauty of Christ.  But take heart…I have overcome the world. 

Our fighting is not in vain, and even though we appear to lose at times, God comes to wipe away the competition.  How awesome to have that on our side!  For those that love God, we have that hope.  We can look Satan in the face and remind him of his fate, because we are not part of that!  We are on the stomping side that will live in eternity with Jesus. 

So friends, take heart.  God is there.  Jesus has won, and the Holy Spirit as our guide will get us through it towards victory.  

As always, my brothers and sisters, I love you all. 

~Philippians 1:3-11~