Monday, January 26, 2009

The Real Jesus

After preaching Sunday on Jesus walking on the water-Matt. 14:22-33- it's interesting to see that the disciples, except for Peter, thought Jesus was a ghost or phantom. But when He got in the boat with them, the storm calmed down and they began to worship Him. It was when they discovered the real Jesus that they worshipped him.
The storms swirling around us are very real, the characters are real, the circumstance is real. But in those storms, is Jesus real to us or is He just a phantom? Can we truly and fully worship Him if He is not real to us? If He calls us out of the boat, do we have the faith to 'walk on water' or will we remain with the crowd where we think it is safe? To be real worshipper, discover the real Jesus.

Monday, January 19, 2009

Overcomers

Well, as us Raven fans lick our wounds from a brutal loss to the dastardly black and gold, I had to redirect my attitude to stay positive. I began to think about all of the things that the Ravens, and yes even the steelers, had to overcome to make it this far. For the Ravens, no one gave them a chance at the beginning of the season. The "experts" were saying a .500 club at best. The Ravens had to overcome incredible injuries throughout the year to key players. They had to go with a rookie QB that no one had heard of. They had to go with a rookie head coach. And on and on I could go.

My point is this. What kind of obstacles have you had to overcome to get where you are now? How did God overcome them for you? What obstacles may lie ahead of you this year? How can you keep your attitude on the positive side when faced with these obstacles? 1 John 5:4 reminds us 'for everyone born of God overcomes the world.' We may not always make it to the 'big show', but we can be overcomers.

Monday, January 5, 2009

Jan. Devo

Read Mark 5:21-34. When Jesus healed the woman who was bleeding for 12 years, He became the only one who could make the "unclean" clean.
Here is a woman considered an outcast of society that had both the courage and the faith to risk reaching for the garment of Jesus.
Jesus set this woman free from the captivity of suffering as he healed her.
Who is considered the "unclean" in your world? How do you treat the outcasts of your world? Perhaps you feel like you are the outcast? Perhaps Jesus wants to set you free from what holds you under captivity. Reach out to Him today. He will set you free.