Category: finding peace

Light to See
“It’s a good thing to have all the props pulled out from under us occasionally.
It gives us some sense of what is rock under our feet, and what is sand.”
— Madeleine L’Engle

Read About It
Then [the Jewish leaders cursed the man who had been healed of his blindness] and said, “You are [Jesus’] disciple, but we are disciples of Moses! We know God spoke to Moses, but we don’t even know where this man comes from.”
— John 9:28-29 NLT

Look It Up
John 1:16-18
John 5:39-46
John 17:25

Think About It
Sadly, about the only truthful thing the Jewish authorities said about Jesus in the whole episode was that they knew nothing about him. But, if they really knew Moses, as they said they did, they would have known Jesus. If they really knew God, they would have known Jesus. So many people reject Jesus because they don’t really know him – church experiences, church people, or chosen lifestyles get in their way of knowing Jesus. As we seek to reach the lost, we must remember that the core, the essence, the truth we share is centered in Christ Jesus. Rather than getting lost in a lot of church jargon, let’s share Jesus with them. Let’s help them see the Savior.

Pray About It
Then Dear heavenly Father, thank you for sending Jesus. I know that he is your greatest message. Forgive me for the times that I have gotten lost in religious arguments and forgotten to share Jesus with those who need him. Bless my efforts to share Jesus with those who do not recognize him as their Lord and Savior. It’s in Jesus’ precious and mighty name that I pray. Amen.

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Light to See
“Satan, the Hinderer, may build a barrier about us,
but he can never roof us in, so that we cannot look up.”
— J. Hudson Taylor 

Read About It
Then [the people questioning the man who had been healed of his blindness took him] to the Pharisees, because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. The Pharisees asked the man all about it.
So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away, I could see!” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could
an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a
deep division of opinion among them. Then the Pharisees
again questioned the man who had been blind and demanded,
“What’s your opinion about this man who healed you?”
The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”
— John 9:13-17 NLT

Look It Up
1 John 5:8-10
Matthew 23:13-15
Matthew 12:9-14

Think About It
While many parents are conscientious and dedicated to raising their children in the Lord, unfortunately, there are also some parents who view their children only as mere biological products. Their tie to their children is simply genetic, neither spiritual nor emotional. That’s the kind of parents the healed man had. They were more concerned about their place in the synagogue than with their son’s healing and spiritual development. They left their son on his own to defend himself and to fend for himself. As God’s people, we must remember his heart for the orphaned and abandoned, and we must defend and care for them as God’s people. We must care for our own families as well as those people who are abandoned and alone.
(1 Timothy 5:8; Matthew 25:34-36, 40)

Pray About It
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times that I have wrongly used your word to hurt other people. Empty me of my theological and doctrinal arrogance that could blind me to your work in the people around me. May I always love and respect people as you do. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

Light to See
“The greatest battles are fought in the mind.”
— Casey Treat

Read About It
Then [the people questioning the man who had been healed of his blindness took him] to the Pharisees, because it was on the Sabbath that Jesus had made the mud and healed him. The Pharisees asked the man all about it.
So he told them, “He put the mud over my eyes, and when I washed it away,
I could see!”  Some of the Pharisees said, “This man Jesus is not from God, for he is working on the Sabbath.” Others said, “But how could an ordinary sinner do such miraculous signs?” So there was a deep division of opinion among them. Then the Pharisees again questioned the man who had
been blind and demanded, “What’s your opinion about this man
who healed you?” The man replied, “I think he must be a prophet.”
— John 9:13-17 NLT

Look It Up
1 John 5:8-10
Matthew 23:13-15
Matthew 12:9-14

Think About It
Isn’t it interesting how we can “bend” reality to make it fit faulty theology? This man was healed. He was healed on the Sabbath. But, in the theological wrangling of the Pharisees, that “work” of healing was a violation of the Sabbath. So either Jesus was bad, or the man hadn’t really been healed. Some disagreements on obscure or much-debated minor theological points are inconsequential. However, when we use disagreements to wall out and condemn people, or when we use them to make God’s good work appear
to be something bad, then those theological positions become evil. Theological principles can be misused, but that misuse doesn’t mean
we water down the plain teaching of Scripture on morality and all
other aspects of our lives as disciples or on the nature of Jesus;
it does mean that we should be a lot more humble and generous
when it comes to the value of people.

Pray About It
Dear Heavenly Father, please forgive me for the times that I have wrongly used your word to hurt other people. Empty me of my theological and doctrinal arrogance that could blind me to your work in the people around me. May I always love and respect people as you do. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

 

Light to See
“Christ is with those of humble mind,
not with those who exalt themselves over his flock.”
— Clement of Rome

Read About It
His neighbors and others who knew [the man whose sight was restored by Jesus] as a blind beggar asked each other, “Isn’t this the man who used to sit and beg?” Some said he was, and others said, “No, he just looks like him!”
But the beggar kept saying, “Yes, I am the same one!”
They asked, “Who healed you? What happened?” He told them,
“The man they call Jesus made mud and spread it over my eyes and told me, ‘Go to the pool of Siloam and wash yourself.’ So I went and washed, and now I can see!” “Where is he now?” they asked. “I don’t know,” he replied.
— John 9:8-12 NLT

Look It Up
1 John 3:16-17
James 2:12-13
Luke 10:2 1 John 3:16-17

Think About It
How often have you judged someone simply based on his or her appearance? The folks who were supposed to be the neighbors of this man Jesus healed knew him only as a label. That label was based on his physical blindness and his need to beg. They never spent enough time to move beyond the label to the man. They didn’t know him, only his label. They didn’t bother to befriend him because he was a blind beggar. Before we become self-righteous, let’s ask how different we are! We all need to ask ourselves: Do I make unfair assumptions about people based on external appearances? Do I use labels to push people away so that I do not have to deal with them in everyday life? As Jesus’ disciples, we need to overcome any of these tendencies we might have and show Jesus’ love to everyone.

Pray About It
Father, please forgive me. I confess that many times I do not view people as you do. I find myself dismissing them based on external appearances, so I don’t have to involve myself in their lives. Father, I don’t want to use my time with folks who won’t change. However, dear Father, I also don’t want to neglect to bless anyone that you send my way, including anyone that has not yet experienced your grace. Please give me the wisdom to know how to respond appropriately so that I do what you would have me do in the life of anyone I meet. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

“Somebody is waiting on the other side of your obedience.”
— Tim Storey

Read About It
[Talking about the man who had been born blind, Jesus continued,]
“But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world.”
Then he spit on the ground, made mud with the saliva, and spread the mud over the blind man’s eyes. He told him, “Go wash yourself in the pool of Siloam”
(Siloam means “sent”). So the man went and washed and came back seeing!
— John 9:5-7 NLT

Look It Up
John 13:12-17, Matthew 7:21-23, James 1:21-25

Think About It
Jesus longs to bring us his blessings. A blessing that we desperately need is the sight to see things as they are and to be able to discern Jesus’ will and follow it. So often we view obedience as a burden rather than a blessing. However, Jesus wants to bless us through our obedience just as he blessed the blind man. Obeying Jesus, doing what he sends us to do, brings a much greater blessing than any perceived burden it might entail.

Pray About It
O gracious and generous Father, please make my heart pliable and open to your truth. Help me not only understand your will but also obey it with joy and expectation. Forgive me for being reluctant to obey when I do not fully understand why you want me to do something. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

“The reason that most major goals are not achieved
is that we spend our time doing second things first.”
— Robert J. McKain

Read About It
[To his disciples, Jesus continued,] “We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the one who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work.”
— John 9:4 NLT

Look It Up
John 13:21-30, James 4:13-16, John 11:9-10

Think About It
Jesus recognizes that his time on earth is short. He feels a sense of urgency to get the work of God completed. He also shares the importance of getting that work done with his disciples. Many of us have all sorts of distractions crowding into our lives. Some of these distractions seem important to us. Others, we recognize as insignificant intrusions. The real question, however, is this: How well are we doing with placing God’s priorities first in our lives regardless of the apparent importance of possible distractions?
Do we feel a sense of urgency to get God’s work done?
Is God’s work our focus or just another item to check off our
“to do” list crowding into our busy lives?

Pray About It
Holy God, help me better know how to order my priorities.
Please help me be more confident of the things you want most for me to do. Father, I gladly submit my will to be led by your Spirit and commit to live my life for your glory.  Please guide my way. In Jesus’ name, I ask it. Amen.

“To the world, you may be one person, but to one person, you may be the world.”
— Author Unknown

Read About It

“As I began to speak [to Cornelius, along with his family and friends],” Peter continued, “the Holy Spirit fell on them, just as he fell on us at the beginning. Then I thought of the Lord’s words when he said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.'” 
Acts 11:15-16 NLT

Look It Up

1 Peter 3:15 and Matthew 3:11

Think About It

Jesus promised his disciples that the power of the Holy Spirit would help them become witnesses to people all over the world (Acts 1:8). Luke emphasized that Jesus kept this promise, and made clear his acceptance of new groups of people, through the coming of the Holy Spirit. At this God-designed intersection of grace and God-seeking Gentiles, once again Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit, this time on Cornelius, his relatives, and friends – all of whom were Gentiles. The Good News message included Jewish people from all over the world on Pentecost (Acts 2:5-12). Now, by showing his favor through sending the
Holy Spirit, Jesus was leading his disciples to include non-Jews.
One of the great functions of the Holy Spirit is to open new pathways
for Jesus’ disciples to reach people never reached.
But, are we praying and expecting the Spirit to do that today?

Pray About It

Lord Jesus, I ask that you pour out the Holy Spirit with power and guide us to the groups of people whose hearts are yearning to know the hope that is in Jesus. I pledge to you, O Lord, that I am waiting in expectation to do what I can to reach them with your love and grace. But, Lord, I believe that we need your help to awaken us to our opportunities and your promise to use us as witnesses. Amen.

“Somebody is waiting on the other side of your obedience.”
— Tim Storey

Read About It

[Peter related what Cornelius said to him:] “He told us how an angel had appeared to him in his home and had told him, ‘Send messengers to Joppa, and summon a man named Simon Peter. He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!'” 
Acts 11:13-14 NLT

Look It Up

Acts 1:8 and Daniel 12:3

Think About It

Luke emphasizes the theme of salvation in his gospel and in the book of Acts. We should not be surprised that he points explicitly to what hangs in the balance for Cornelius in Peter’s visit: “He will tell you how you and everyone in your household can be saved!” The salvation of non-Jews is the issue. Do Gentiles first have to become proselytes (converts to Judaism) to be considered Christians? No! They need to believe in Jesus, turn from their life of sin to live for God (repent), receive the Holy Spirit, and be baptized.
If they do those four things – the same four things that happen on the day
of Pentecost with Jewish believers (Acts 2:36-41) – then they are disciples
of Jesus and saved! They don’t need to become converts to Judaism
to be faithful followers of Jesus!

Pray About It

Dear Father, I ask that you not only forgive us for the many ways we sometimes erect barriers to people becoming followers of Jesus but that you also change us. Please use the Holy Spirit to open our eyes to these unnecessary barriers so that we can remove them and invite others to believe in Jesus as Lord, be baptized, and receive the Holy Spirit. Use us to make new disciples and then love them into full fellowship in our families, groups, and congregations.
I ask this in Jesus’ name. Amen.