Various Articles
"The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit" John 3:8.
Although it cannot be seen, it is real. The Spirit realm is as real as the invisible wind. The reality of the wind is evidenced in its effects - rustling leaves, dust, and the sound of its moving….
My dad had polio. Polio is an illness caused by a virus. It can sometimes lead to paralysis. Polio reached pandemic levels throughout the world in the first half of the 20th century.
My dad was diagnosed as a teenager in the early 1940’s, and he spent weeks and weeks in St Anthony Hospital in Rockford, IL. I don’t know much more about that challenging time in his life, because he did not talk about it to my brother and me…
When I was a young pastor’s wife in my 20’s and 30’s, I had many older role models in our congregations. These special saints had been faithful through the years despite the challenges and sorrows of our present world. They trusted God’s direction and His goodness, and they were still devotedly serving Him at church and in their everyday lives.
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In Mark 1 Jesus calls his first disciples. He calls four people. Now these four are all fisherman with jobs and lives. But they leave those lives and jobs to follow Jesus. Take a second to really think about how much they’re giving up there. They’re losing their job, their lifestyle and leaving their own homes. All to follow someone after he says just one thing to them. Now it doesn’t say that they stopped ,thought about it, and followed Jesus, but that “At once they left their nets and followed him” (Mark 1:18 NIV) and “Without delay he called them, and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men and follow him” (Mark 1:20 NIV). They left immediately to follow Jesus; they were willing to give up their own lives which they had plans for. They gave that all up to follow Jesus. They did it quickly and without hesitation. Now they could have had insight like in Matthew 16:17, “Jesus replied, ‘Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood, but by my Father in heaven’”. I would think that they did but we can still learn from their example here.
Another thing to notice here is that Jesus is not calling scribes or priests who might know the old testament the best and who are the most well educated. There is plenty of reasons for this. He is calling fishermen as his first. The first time something is done it’s setting a precedent. Everything Jesus did set a precedent for us to follow. But he’s showing us here that you don’t need to be the most educated, or the smartest to follow and serve him. That is the precedent he is setting for us. The precedent that continues even to this day. And he took these fishermen and made them into the vessels he would use to spread the gospel even after he was gone, when they were no longer fishermen, but fishers of men.
Now we can apply this to our own lives as well. We’ve all been called to follow Jesus just as the first disciples were. Yet so many times we hesitate, because we don’t want to give up things, or we’re too scared. Take a page from these disciples, they left their lives and their homes to follow. We should be willing to do what is asked of us as well. Most of the time what we are called to give up isn’t even as much as they gave up. Not only that, but when we are called to do something, we should be doing it right away. They didn’t have the full picture of who he was and were willing to follow, we should be able to as well. Let me qualify all that by saying we should give thought and prayer if we’re going to do something, and if we are called to do something that doesn’t mean you have to give up everything you know like the disciples, they were after all in a different situation than most of us.
And if you’re stuck thinking that “I’m not qualified” or “Someone else better can do it because I’m not good enough” you should forget those thoughts. Because Jesus set the precedent that we all, no matter how skilled or unskilled, can serve. Just like the disciples he equips us for what we are called to do. You don’t need to be the best to serve. Moses who is famous for leading the Israelites out of Egypt was a flawed person. And if you’re saying “I’m not ready yet because I’m too young, not good enough, etc yet” then when do you become ready. Setting a random age where you say that you know enough now? We are called to serve, not called to serve in 20 years.
Don’t be afraid to serve in what way you are called and do it without delay when you are called.
©Philip Kirkpatrick, 2023
The Minnesota Church of God General Conference has campgrounds located on a peninsula. It’s the setting for various church events throughout the year including baptisms and conferences. One of those has been a summer camp. I have fond memories of that camp, and since it’s on a lake there’s always some swimming involved. If you end up touching the bottom of the lake while swimming, you’ll find it’s very muddy. Once it grabs on it doesn’t want to let go.
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"Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you, for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal" John 6:27.
For most people, the majority of adult years are spent employed in the workforce. It may see like an absurd question but, what are you working for? …
"On exactly the fifteenth day of the seventh month, when you have gathered in the crops of the land, you shall celebrate the feast of the LORD for seven days, with a rest on the first day and a rest on the eighth day. Now on the first day you shall take for yourselves the foliage of beautiful trees, palm branches and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. You shall thus celebrate it as a feast to the LORD for seven days in the year. It shall be a perpetual statute throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month" Leviticus 23:39-41.
It was to be an annual, seven-day party. Everyone ceased normal activities, camped in tents, and feasted sumptuously. It was a celebration to end all celebrations, and for good reason. It was a type of Thanksgiving celebration…
"I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, 'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You. 'Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, And the very ends of the earth as Your possession. 'You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware'" Psalm 2:7-9.
These verses contain a very simple and important summary of our Father’s great plan. Its importance is qualified in that it contains the “decree of the LORD.” Kings issue decrees, so we immediately sense that what follows carries great authority.
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"There will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth dismay among nations, in perplexity at the roaring of the sea and the waves, men fainting from fear and the expectation of the things which are coming upon the world; for the powers of the heavens will be shaken" Luke 21:25-26.
Jesus’ words have an increasing sense of realism as modern-day events unfold. One crisis and disaster seems to blend with the next; so much so that we lose sight of what previously was a disaster that would take months and even years to recover from. All too often we hear the word, “unprecedented,” to describe a current disaster.
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"The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest" Luke 10:2.
Picture this scene in your mind: there is a large field of wheat, perfectly ripe and ready for harvest. The wheat crop would be beneficial to so many people in so many ways; it is literally ripe with possibilities.
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"Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught" Luke 1:1-4.
Purpose gives perspective. The 'what' makes sense when we know the 'why.' The purpose of Luke's Gospel is clearly stated at the beginning. It is a detailed, consecutive account of the life of Christ as reported by eyewitnesses, "servants of the word."
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"They shall know that I am the LORD their God who brought them out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them; I am the LORD their God" Exodus 29:46.
He is the God who relentlessly pursues. Unwavering in His conventional commitment to His people, all that He does is designed for the purpose that “they shall know that I am Yahweh.”
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"But Peter said to Him, ‘Even though all may fall away, yet I will not.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Truly I say to you, that this very night, before a rooster crows twice, you yourself will deny Me three times.’ But Peter kept saying insistently, ‘Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!’ And they all were saying the same thing also" Mark 14:29-31.
You have likely heard that promises are made to be broken. Often promises are hastily made in the moment, without any thought as to the challenge of keeping that promise.
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"Now Joseph said to Pharaoh, ‘Pharaoh's dreams are one and the same; God has told to Pharaoh what He is about to do. ‘The seven good cows are seven years; and the seven good ears are seven years; the dreams are one and the same. ‘The seven lean and ugly cows that came up after them are seven years, and the seven thin ears scorched by the east wind will be seven years of famine. ‘It is as I have spoken to Pharaoh: God has shown to Pharaoh what He is about to do’" Genesis 41:25-28.
Pharaoh, the great ruler of ancient Egypt, in the time of Joseph, was given a dream by God, which revealed the future, and the needed preparations. Joseph was divinely inspired to interpret this important dream.
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"Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Simon Peter answered, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.’ And Jesus said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it’” Matthew 16:13-18.
The way others perceive Jesus may be interesting, but what truly matters is the conclusion you personally reach about Him. Just as Jesus posed searching questions to those around Him, He also confronts each of us with the vital question: "Who do you say that I am?"
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"But Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” Matthew 20:25-28.
The way of Jesus and the kingdom of God is the way of the upside down pyramid. In the system of the world, the power is at the top, for which many people devote their best time and energy to try and climb to. But notice that Jesus sternly warned His disciples, “It must not be like that among you.”
"Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless’" Genesis 17:1.
The capitalization is easily ignored, but quite important. Bible translators, out of respect for His personal name, substitute “LORD” for the name, “Yahweh.” That name is closely associated with “I Am,” the self-existing One who has no beginning or end. Notice too that He calls Himself, “God Almighty” - El Shaddai in the Hebrew language. By this title He indicates that He, Yahweh, is the God above all gods; the mightiest of all so-called gods.
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