Joy in your Salvation!

Restore to me the joy of your salvation
and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. (Psalm 51:12 NIV)

Lord Jesus, I pray continually you help my heart hold on to the joy of your salvation. For in you and your salvation is my hope and my life. I pray that this would be the mark of my life
- the joy of your salvation
because of what you have done and will do Christ.

I often lose sight and the feeling of this joy as I let myself get busy or i let myself get down when things are hard.
But your promise is not dependent on anything I can do or anything in this world. When ministry struggles you do not fail or become weak God. You are sovereign. For in Christ you are victorious over sin and death and you will make all things new.

Lord grant and build a willing spirit within me to live by day to day and moment to moment in the joy of your salvation. I pray you would do this for you glory and that I might be a light for you.
Amen

1 Timothy: The Greeting from Paul

To Timothy my true son in the faith: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
(1 Timothy 1:2 NIV)

I am excited to start this study through 1 Timothy with my good friend Jonathan. Even just hear in this second verse there is so much to learn and seek to apply to transform my life.

The partnership in the gospel of Paul and Timothy is a great example of the depth of relationship and partnership we can have as Christians united in Christ to follow him in our life and his mission. Paul calls Timothy his true son in the faith. That is really significant. I just am trying to imagine what it would look like in my church and InterVarsity to have such discipleship of older and younger believers that they would consider themselves son and father in the faith all under our Heavenly Father.

Also I have been thinking for a while of a good way to close emails and letters in a way that is a blessing from God upon the people I communicate with. Though this is part of a greeting I like the idea of a closing blessing like this:

Grace and Peace
From Christ and the Father
Daniel

I am excited to see what more God has for us in our study. I pray it would be fruitful in my life, my doctrine and leadership! I pray Lord you convict me if sin and call me to walk in your righteousness.
Amen

God's provision for Elijah

The story of Elijah's first recorded step in ministry is one of great boldness and dependence on God. Elijah challenges the King of Israel who is leading the whole nation in sin. As a result Elijah faces persecution and God guides him to a place of utter dependence on God and his provision.


Now Elijah the Tishbite, of Tishbe[a] in Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord, the God of Israel, lives, before whom I stand, there shall be neither dew nor rain these years, except by my word.” 2 And the word of the Lord came to him:3 “Depart from here and turn eastward and hide yourself by the brook Cherith, which is east of the Jordan. 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord. He went and lived by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening, and he drank from the brook.
1 Kings 17: 1-6


God you have called me into this ministry with InterVarsity. As you have called you will provide even if it is in unexpected ways like from ravens. Lord I want to trust in you to provide and take bold steps of faith in my fundraising as I work to invite people into partnership in my ministry. God help me to be faithful and make bold asks inviting others to partner in your work.
Amen

Ecclesiastes: what about pleasure and work?

I said to myself, "Come now, I will test you with pleasure to find out what is good." But that also proved to be meaningless. (Ecclesiastes 2:1 NIV)

The world chases after pleasure thinking there is meaning or hope in it. But is there anything real and significant that comes from chasing pleasure?

I amassed silver and gold for myself, and the treasure of kings and provinces. I acquired male and female singers, and a harem as well—the delights of a man's heart. I denied myself nothing my eyes desired;
I refused my heart no pleasure.
My heart took delight in all my labor,
and this was the reward for all my toil. Yet when I surveyed all that my hands had done
and what I had toiled to achieve,
everything was meaningless, a chasing after the wind;
nothing was gained under the sun. (Ecclesiastes 2:8, 10, 11 NIV)

Solomon had it all and yet he knew it would not last and that in the end it was not worth living for. It is good that our hope is not in wealth and pleasure because billions do not have even basic necessities.

Pleasure is fleeting.
Work is fulfilling for a time but it does not last.

So what next?

Ecclesiastes: Everything is meaningless?

The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in Jerusalem: "Meaningless! Meaningless!"
says the Teacher.
"Utterly meaningless!
Everything is meaningless." (Ecclesiastes 1:1, 2 NIV)

This is an interesting book digging into what our purpose is and whether life has any meaning. Above is the classic verse repeated again and again in this book- everything is meaningless.

Why does the author claim that everything is meaningless?

What has been will be again,
what has been done will be done again;
there is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say,
"Look! This is something new"?
It was here already, long ago;
it was here before our time. No one remembers the former generations,
and even those yet to come
will not be remembered
by those who follow them. (Ecclesiastes 1:1, 2, 9-11 NIV)

What is crooked cannot be straightened;
what is lacking cannot be counted.
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow;
the more knowledge, the more grief. (Ecclesiastes 1:15, 18 NIV)

All of this points to the need of a savior of Christ who is God, who redeems the broken and crooked, who makes abundance out of need, who gives hope now and eternally. Jesus has come and will come again and make all things new! Ecclesiastes makes a good point that this world is fleeting and will pass away. But their is a future hope of something new an eternal home and hope!

Thank you God for your Son!
Thank you Christ for being our savior!
Amen

A Biblical View on Fundraising for Ministry

I felt called to look at a biblical view of fundraising and share this with you.

What is Fundraising and what does the bible have to say about it in regards to ministry for the gospel?

We also call it Ministry Partner Development because we believe this is a partnership of giving and receiving that advances the gospel. When I ask for supporters to give financially I am not begging or asking anyone to be an ATM. This type of partnership in financial giving is biblical and a blessing for those who give and those who receive.

Both Jesus and Paul are excellent examples of ministries that relied on partnership of others in both giving and receiving.

Jesus: In Luke chapter 8 we read how Jesus’ ministry was supported by a group of women.

“Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. . . Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.” Luke 8:1-3

Jesus sends us as he sent the 72 in Luke 10 to advance the Kingdom of God by proclaiming the gospel of Jesus and calling all to repent and believe. As Jesus sends them he tells them to take nothing but to depend on the generosity of others for the worker is worth his wages. (Luke 10:1,7) As staff for InterVarsity my full time work is the gospel and the advancement of the kingdom.

Paul:  Paul’s ministry was supported by the people in the church of Philippi and Paul writes this to the Philippians in chapter 4 of his letter as part of prayer letter of thanks. As Paul did before me I send out my regular prayer newsletter to my partners in the gospel to encourage, update and ask for continued prayer.

"And you Philippians yourselves know that in the beginning of the gospel, when I left Macedonia, no church entered into partnership with me in giving and receiving, except you only." (Philippians 4:15)

Remember that this is a partnership of giving and receiving. As I receive your gifts of prayer and fincancial giving I am equipped to work full time on the college campus. Through my ministry I also hope to give back to you in stories, fruit in the kingdom, encouragement and prayer.

We are all called into partnership in ministry of the gospel to advance the kingdom. But we each have different callings, gifts and resources. Some are called to preach and some are called to encourage and support but all are important. God has called me to this work as a minister of his gospel to college students through my work with InterVarsity to college students at CU Boulder. That is why I have and will continue to invite you and others into partnership with me in giving and receiving for my InterVarsity ministry.
See more about my ministry through InterVarsity on my other blog ivmission.blogspot.com

I trust God will provide for me and my ministry as he also provides for you. For God is the only provider and we are all dependent on him whether we work as engineers, moms, or ministers of the gospel. 

Thank you and as Paul said to the Philippians (ch 4) "May God supply every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus. To our God and Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen."

-Daniel

Real discipleship -the way of the Cross

Then he called the crowd to him along with his disciples and said: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it. What good is it for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul? Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul? If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his Father's glory with the holy angels."
(Mark 8:34-38 NIV)

God has been bringing up the gospel recorder by Mark all around me, my parents and I have studied it for months over beer and pizza, I studied it on my own, I led a camp through mark 1-8 for InterVarsity, mark came up at church and we just started a series on mark at my young adults group. I think God is saying something haha.

This is real discipleship, this is what it really means to follow Jesus - to deny ourselves and take up our cross to follow Jesus daily.

How? Lets go back to Mark 1.

After John was put in prison, Jesus went into Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God. "The time has come," he said. "The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!" (Mark 1:14, 15 NIV)

Repentance is the way of the cross and is a continual lifestyle we are called to. Yet it starts by repenting of being in control and letting Jesus be king in our life believing he is good and real and sovereign.

So many of us come to Jesus wanting both our eternal soul to be saved and yet to also gain the things of this world. We want both. Yet Jesus' invitation is to leave everything and follow him. The first disciples leave their nets and their families. I have left some things like my career yet I often hold on chasing after other things of this world such as relationships and identity in success.

God I pray for understanding of what it means to deny myself daily. God convict me by your Holy Spirit of sin and idols in my life. I thank you for the ways you smashed many of the idols in my life, yet I am afraid some are still hiding in my heart looking innocent. Yet when trouble comes I want to lean on you Lord not for things but for your hope and comfort.

Let my life be all and only for you and the gospel Lord!
Amen

We face troubles yet The Lord delivers

The righteous person may have many troubles,
but the Lord delivers him from them all; (Psalm 34:19 NIV)

God I pray for your Spirit's wisdom to understand this seeming paradox that we face trouble and yet you deliver us Lord. I take this not to refer to people who are righteous by their works but rather those who are righteous in Christ by faith.

Lord you say some of us will go to death and many have died for your name. So what then does it mean to be delivered from all our troubles? I can only think that the thing that really matters is our faith and our refining to be like Christ. On this line then God does let us experience troubles some small and great. The best example I can think of is to lose someone even a close family member. In the gospels this happens and here is what happens:

While Jesus was still speaking, some people came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue leader. "Your daughter is dead," they said. "Why bother the teacher anymore?" Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "Don't be afraid; just believe."
He went in and said to them, "Why all this commotion and wailing? The child is not dead but asleep." He took her by the hand and said to her, "Talitha koum!" (which means "Little girl, I say to you, get up!"). Immediately the girl stood up and began to walk around (she was twelve years old). At this they were completely astonished.
(Mark 5:35, 36, 39, 41, 42 NIV)

God I pray you guide me by your truth and not by my understanding. But what I understand is this man literally experienced this greatest of sorrow. And in fact it is exactly as we perceive our troubles. For Jesus could have gone faster and healed the girl or healed her from a distance. But instead Jesus stops on the way to not just heal but listen to the whole story of this woman:

When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering. But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering."
(Mark 5:27-29, 32-34 NIV)

Jesus allowed Jairus this man to suffer and face the great trouble of is daughter dying when he didn't have to. Jesus healed this woman taking time to show how important she is to him.

Yet Jesus is not troubled to learn of Jairus daughters death. Jesus hassle plan and says do not be afraid only believe. Believe that there is life after death, heaven eternity with God. Believe that this is possible through faith and believing in Jesus. Yet not all with faith or Christian families are raised from the dead and live to a long age. So what do we do?

I believe God can and does still raise people from the dead, but he doesn't always choose to. I take this to generally relate also to our eternal life in heaven. Though our family may not rise from the dead in this life, by faith they can be saved and live again in eternity.

That leaves the question of Gods plan and if he really loves those who don't believe and die without faith especially if they are young. But I'll leave that for another time.

God I pray that I would not fear but only believe through Jesus. I pray I would trust you for myself and others that in all my troubles you deliver in ways that save me and bring about my eternal deliverance which is of far exceedingly greater worth!
Amen

The Lord is faithful 1 kings 8:56

"Blessed be the Lord who has given rest to his people Israel, according to all that he promised. Not one word has failed of all his good promise, which he spoke by Moses his servant.
(1 Kings 8:56 ESV)

This is a good reminder to me that God will give us rest and fulfill all his promise. I think particularly of the promise of heaven. Right now I feel weary and torn and I need that hope of God's rest and promises. I want to remember that God has been and is faithful.

Lord Jesus I ask for a taste of that rest now to sustain me. Lord as you were faithful to Israel you have been faithful to me. Help me hold on to the hope of you rest and promises.
Amen

Mark 3: Eternal sin Satan vs Holy Spirit

And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, "He is possessed by Beelzebul," and "by the prince of demons he casts out the demons." And he called them to him and said to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. "Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"— for they were saying, "He has an unclean spirit." (Mark 3:22-30 ESV)

It is interesting how the scribes of the Pharisees respond to seeing miracles never before seen with fear and accusation instead of faith. Certainly it is good to test that spirits are good and of God. But that seems quite clear in the cases of people who Jesus sets free from demons.

The scribes are not concerned with the people they are concerned with their own power. Jesus is setting people free spiritually. Yet the scribes are concerned with their own power and influence. I understand how this can be hard. When I lead people in InterVarsity and they begin to leave the group it is hard. Sometimes I get mad or frustrated at the things that draw them away. But if they are becoming committed to a good Christian community then I can rejoice and

Hope in Christ therefore purify ourself

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure.
(1 John 3:1-3 ESV)

What God spoke to me in this is how we should set our hearts and our minds on our eternal bodies and eternal destiny. We are children of God destined for heaven with a spiritual eternal body like Christ's resurrected body. Out of this mindset comes a desire to prepare ourselves and purify ourselves to be like Christ, to become more and more like him. Not in order to earn heaven but rather to follow Christ as did his disciples pursuing God and his will more and more in this life as a step towards heaven and an eternity glorifying God.

God set my hope in Christ and being with you Father, Son, and Holy Spirit! God I pray that I would purify myself and you would do that work in me by the renewal of my mind and the conviction of sin by your Holy Spirit. I pray I would become more and more like Christ.
Amen

The Lord's timing for repentance

The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
(2 Peter 3:9 NIV)

This is something I have struggled with understanding. Why do so few people truly repent and believe the gospel? I get discouraged and frustrated at how closed off and distracted many people are to the gospel. But understanding this verse helps me understand God is patient hoping that all would repent giving them every chance. God give me wisdom in how to reach those that don't know or have rejected the gospel. Use InterVarsity, make us a people of prayer and evangelism that many would come to know you.

Lord I pray for many to repent. I pray you use me and my story to bring others to repentance. I pray I would also be living daily in repentance also.
Amen

Love with spiritual fervor!

Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord. Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.
(Romans 12:9-12 NIV)

This is the bible verse of the day from my app.

At first I was not very excited about it or anything really. But as I focused on God and paused for a minute God just opened my heart to want that spiritual fervor that doesn't lack. Often I get weary and lose my fervor for The Lord and for his work.

Even just as I was writing this I stopped and talked to a friend who lives in a shelter in Boulder, I always try to say hi and ask how I can pray for him. Today he asked for prayer for health and spirit. So I am praying for the Spirit of The Lord to be upon him and continually calling him to repentance bs faith!

Lord I pray you would keep me in your Spirit with fervor daily!
Amen

Isaiah 53: The punishment on Christ for our sins

Surely he took up our pain
and bore our suffering,
yet we considered him punished by God,
stricken by him, and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our transgressions,
he was crushed for our iniquities;
the punishment that brought us peace was on him,
and by his wounds we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,
each of us has turned to our own way;
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:4-6 NIV)

I am trying to spend time in the daily verse my YouVersion bible app has. I am amazed how encouraging a short verse can be to start off my day.

Remembering the work and pain of Christ on the cross is something I have been trying to do everyday. I want to remember the amazing grace and love of Christ. I want to focus my heart on gratitude for Christ bearing our suffering and punishment. From there I hope I will be more humble and loving of others. I pray I would lay down my plans and demands as Christ did in order to be a light for Christ!

After talking to my mom about why God allows so much suffering my only answer is Jesus and the gospel. The gospel says God is not far off and he is not an angry God. He is not a little kid with a magnifying glass making us suffer. Jesus is the ultimate expression of God being close and intimate. Jesus walks with us in the pain and loss. Jesus bore our suffering.

The significance of Christ being fully God and fully man and what that means for us is summarized well in Hebrews:

Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. Let us then approach God's throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
(Hebrews 4:14-16 NIV)

That is my prayer God for myself and my mom and the world. I pray we would not respond to suffering in fear and anger at you God. I pray instead we would approach your throne of grace with humility and confidence to ask for help. For our high priest knows our pain and our temptations. He feels the sorrow with us. Yet I also pray we would trust in our provider God not in the provision. Set our hopes on you God and your kingdom not on anything in this world.
Amen

Encourage one another daily Hebrews 3:13

See to it, brothers, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. 13 But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness. 14 We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.
Hebrews 3:13 (NIV)

I was thinking tonight about what Gods will is for my friendships. I am especially blessed in my churches young adults group to have many friendships. But it is easy to have superficial conversations, which is not bad. But I also want in appropriate ways to be a light and receiver encouragement from other believers. I believe we are called to speak truth and also to challenge each other in our faith.

I just think what this verse says is crucial: we are easily tricked and hardened by sins deceitful was but we also have the power to encourage one another every day. No moment is too late. There is urgency in this call to not wait until tomorrow. This verse is a good reminder to not be complacent but to hold firm and trust not in our past conversion but to trust in and seek Christ more.

Lord help me to encourage others and be encouraged by other brothers and sisters in Christ. Help me to be a light in all ways whether it is a gracious welcome or a good conversation or a verse from your holy word or a prayer. Also Lord I need and ask for encouragement daily from you and other believers.
Amen

Mark 3 Jesus' call

Jesus went up on a mountainside and called to him those he wanted, and they came to him. He appointed twelve that they might be with him and that he might send them out to preach and to have authority to drive out demons. These are the twelve he appointed: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter), James son of Zebedee and his brother John (to them he gave the name Boanerges, which means "sons of thunder"), Andrew, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Thomas, James son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
(Mark 3:13-19 NIV)

I find the calling for the 12 interesting. The first part of their calling is to simply be with Jesus. That is a good reminder for me as a missionary to the college campus, I believe the first part of my calling is also to simply be with Jesus. In the Word, in prayer in repenting and believing the gospel the good news of Jesus that the kingdom of god is near. That is my first calling.

Only in being close to Jesus were the apostles sent out to preach and to cast out demons.

I find it interesting how the gospels give away the end whenever they mention Judas Iscariot. They don't wait but make it clear from the beginning Judas was a traitor and will go on later in the gospel to betray Jesus. I think maybe it is because Jesus knew that he would be betrayed and he knew who would betray him from the very beginning. Jesus was not surprised. Jesus called Judas in knowing what would come. It is amazing to me how Jesus could love and be close to Judas calling him a friend for three years knowing what was to come. It reminds me of the parable of the wedding banquet when the man who did not put on the wedding clothes is addressed by the host God as friend even as he is ordering him to be cast out.

This does set an interesting example and gives of ministry. It is good to remember even if something goes seemingly wrong in ministry or people leave our group or even leaders betray their leadership that God is sovereign and good and is not surprised. God help me to remember you are in control and help me not to worry but to simply be faithful and dependent on you. And in the hard times and unexpected challenges I ask for the heart to pray in weakness and dependence and not demanding bitter or anger. God help me to call others and myself into leadership and faithfulness!
Amen

Mark 3 Gentiles and Jews follow Jesus

Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the lake, and a large crowd from Galilee followed. When they heard about all he was doing, many people came to him from Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, and the regions across the Jordan and around Tyre and Sidon. Because of the crowd he told his disciples to have a small boat ready for him, to keep the people from crowding him. For he had healed many, so that those with diseases were pushing forward to touch him. Whenever the impure spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, "You are the Son of God." But he gave them strict orders not to tell others about him. (Mark 3:7-12 NIV)

Now crowds from both Jewish and Gentile (Tyre and Sidon are Gentile lands close to the sea of Galilee) people's begin to come together to follow Jesus. They had heard about all Jesus had been doing - the healings and casting out demons. But I wonder did they come just for the miracles or did they come for Jesus himself to follow him?

The gospel of Mark is so interesting as again and again it speaks of the crowds and how Jesus spoke to them but Mark doesn't seem to think the content of the sermons is as important as what he did. I love the action and pace of Mark that is urgently moving us through Jesus ministry.

I find it interesting that the demons all knew Jesus was the Son of God and yet nobody had even suspected who Jesus really was at this point. Weren't these people at least the Jews looking for their Messiah? Yet Jesus also is keeping the secret of who he is and even silencing any talk of who he is. This is another theme in Marks recording of the gospel - secrecy around Jesus identity. Yet Jesus also talks about setting a light on a stand but not until its proper time. I believe Jesus did not want people to believe he was the Son of God and Messiah based on words but based on his actions and the signs that demonstrate with proof who he is.

For Jesus of Nazareth is the one and only Christ the Son of the living God!
Amen

Mark 3 the hardness of our hearts

Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. And they watched Jesus, to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. And he said to the man with the withered hand, "Come here." And he said to them, "Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?" But they were silent. And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, "Stretch out your hand." He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
(Mark 3:1-6 ESV)

This is one of only 2 instances I can think of where Jesus is angry at people who aren't only religious leaders. The other is at the temple where people are making Gods temple into a market.

It is interesting that what makes him mad isn't sin in the traditional sense. It seems like he is mad that they won't really think and seek to understand God's will in the law in this case around the sabbath and showing mercy. It reminds me of this verse in the Old Testament:

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice,
and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings.
(Hosea 6:6 NIV)

In Matthew 12 these stories of healing and the sabbath are directly connected.

I don't really know why God put this on my heart or if it connects but in talking to my mom the issue of suffering and why God allows it came up. I guess maybe it is the fact that this man suffered greatly for a long time probably. Why did God the father allow this suffering? Yet Jesus heals him,-why then?

I wanted to think and pray into the issue of suffering so that I can speak love, hope and wisdom into people's lives who have suffering and my own. The only thing worth sharing I thought this morning is that God is not far off and making us suffer. Jesus is everything intimate and together with us in the pain and suffering of this life.

This makes me wonder in my life, church and INTERVARSITY what rules or laws or traditions we follow that get in the way of radical powerful love that Jesus places at much higher importance. One example is at church during the sermon I noticed a person crying but didn't know how to really communicate and pray over them while the structures planned 1 hr and 15 min schedule proceeded. God I pray you would guide me and my ministry to be planned but leave room for the Spirit with your discernment and not my understanding Lord. God I pray students ready to confess and repent of sin or ready to give their lives to you Christ would never wait, but would become center stage of our large groups and bible studies. That is the most important work you could be doing God and far more powerful than our plans.

God I am sorry for our hardness of hearts and I confess my hardness of heart and how I hold to rules and plans often over your work and the mercy you would have me give. I pray you would soften and change our hearts to give mercy and know your timing!
Amen
Amen

Mark 2: Understanding the law

One Sabbath he was going through the grainfields, and as they made their way, his disciples began to pluck heads of grain. And the Pharisees were saying to him, "Look, why are they doing what is not lawful on the Sabbath?" And he said to them, "Have you never read what David did, when he was in need and was hungry, he and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God, in the time of Abiathar the high priest, and ate the bread of the Presence, which it is not lawful for any but the priests to eat, and also gave it to those who were with him?" And he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."
(Mark 2:23-28 ESV)

I was having trouble understanding the point Jesus is making about David breaking the law and how that relates to what is right on the sabbath. My friend Tom was pointing out that Jesus is as usual pointing to the heart of the law and giving us a new understanding which is in line with the way we were created from the very beginning. For example the sabbath was made for man not to keep him from eating but to help man devote himself to The Lord. The same story from Matthew helped me understand a little more:

Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, 'I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the guiltless. (Matthew 12:5-7 ESV)

I don't really know where this idea came from but I was thinking of the way Jesus redefined our work when he came bringing the kingdom of God. Before Jesus the people of God were to work to bring in food and be fruitful in descendants by blood. But Jesus says our new work and food is to do the will of God to make disciples of all nations sharing the gospel expanding the kingdom not by blood but by the gospel. God is becoming a father to many sons and daughters through adoption by the Spirit!

The disciples and Jesus are bringing in the kingdom and so their work is spiritual 7 days of the week not just one day as the sabbath used to be. David also was bringing in the kingdom and facing persecution from the world so God provided food for him even if it was not lawful.

My understanding of this could be totally wrong and if so God I pray you guide me by your Spirit to the truth and not my understanding.
Amen

Mark 2: Fasting and a new theology

Now John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. And people came and said to him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples do not fast?" And Jesus said to them, "Can the wedding guests fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they cannot fast. The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast in that day. No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the patch tears away from it, the new from the old, and a worse tear is made. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins—and the wine is destroyed, and so are the skins. But new wine is for fresh wineskins."
(Mark 2:18-22 ESV)

I have heard a talk on fasting before and it really encouraged me to try fasting which is something I had never done. It really strikes me how Jesus says here that now that he is gone we will fast. It is not option or guidance. Jesus states it as a reality a discipline that we would do. God I pray you give me new vision and motivation to fast. I want to do it to humble myself and focus on you in the discipline of fasting.

Jesus you also just break apart the old understanding of religion and I love how you guide us to the true way to follow God through the law and faith.
I pray you continue to break any false theology or understanding I have of you God! Instead teach me by the grace and truth of Christ as revealed by your word and the Spirit.

Thank you Jesus for new understanding!
Amen

Mark 2 Matthew-Lost become heroes

He went out again beside the sea, and all the crowd was coming to him, and he was teaching them. And as he passed by, he saw Levi the son of Alphaeus sitting at the tax booth, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he rose and followed him. And as he reclined at table in his house, many tax collectors and sinners were reclining with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many who followed him. And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?" And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners."
(Mark 2:13-17 ESV)

This is a comforting passage as a reminder that Jesus is the one who redeems the lost and turns their lives around. Jesus transforms sinners into heroes of faith. Here Levi a tax collector interacts with Jesus and begins to follow him in a journey that led to Levi or Matthew becoming the author of one of the gospels recording for us as believers centuries later the teaching and actions of Jesus that we might believe the gospel and repent.

Praise God for how he redeems. By the way of the world and my fear it seems sin and mistakes have the final say at least for most people. I feel like I haven't been the minister of God or the bachelor or Christian I ought to be.

Really the last line of this passage Jesus says his kingdom is for those who are willing to admit and deal with the reality they are sick- sinful and need help. Jesus came to heal and help us become well, that we might live a real life a spiritual and eternal life.

Maybe I am being melodramatic and it is just late at night but I feel sick. Even if my sins aren't that obvious or harmful to others as some they are just as destructive. My selfishness, my insecurities, my lust, my arrogance, my pride, my laziness are all sins that lead to destruction. To be honest I feel lost. I feel uncertain about it all - what it means to follow Jesus, my career in ministry, my relationships, my church, my gifts, my time. I feel lost and confused. I thought I was doing all the right things, but I just don't feel it some days.

But I have a God who is beyond my feelings. Our God is alive and active even when I have doubts. Our God has plans even when I make mistakes and when things seem so uncertain.

And so all I know to do is keep on trying, living a lifestyle of repentance and then truly forgiving myself instead of living in uncertainty and guilt. Lord Jesus I want to seek first your kingdom and I want to admit myself a sinner just like all who enter your kingdom. Yet I want to be holy and righteous as you purified us to be Christ.

Jesus I confess my sin and my feelings of lostness. Please guide me on the narrow path to you. I want to feel hope and purpose again. I want to feel excited to follow you and to lead others to follow you. I want to be faithful but know you are in control and trust you to be faithful in all things.
Amen

Matthew 6:33 Seek first his kingdom

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.
(Matthew 6:33 NIV)

As I was meeting with a good friend today and we shared prayer requests it hit me how selfish I have been in some ways recently and even in my prayers. I have been praying and focusing a lot on desiring relationships which isn't evil unless it becomes an idol.

Really it is simple like Jesus said: all I need to do is seek first his kingdom! God I am sorry for the ways I seek other things first. I ask for forgiveness and your Spirit to redirect my heart and my life to seek first your kingdom!

Relationships are a beautiful thing and a beautiful place to live out the gospel but God I want what you have and I trust you know better than me.

Thank you Lord for speaking this to me! I praise you for the ways you are patient and gracious and yet intimately guiding us!
Amen