Following Jesus

Jesus said, “Follow Me.” – (Matthew 4.18-19; John 21.18-22)

When you're a kid, you're what an old friend of mine referred to as “wet cement”. Impressions, well, when you’re a youngster they get written on you so easily and so deeply. And then that kid grows older and becomes an adult, and those impressions are hardened into beliefs, or, in many cases, disbeliefs or “un-beliefs.”

Apparently, the late Steve Jobs was no exception – Apple's communications genius and revolutionary has been described as "intriguing, yet inscrutable"[i] But as he battled cancer, he opened some windows into his mind and soul to the author who was writing his life story. According to the recent biography that bears his name, Steve Jobs studied Zen Buddhism for years. And he was a self-identified Buddhist (Fortune described him as a “Buddhist and a vegetarian”[ii]). Well, that was not always the case. An article in USA Today said, "He never went back to church after he saw a photo of starving children on the cover of Life and asked his Sunday school pastor if God knew what would happen to them. He was 13 at the time."[iii]

Now, in a separate article, USA Today included this near-the-end spiritual observation from Steve Jobs' biography: “The juice goes out of Christianity when it becomes too based on faith rather than on living like Jesus or seeing the world as Jesus saw it. I think different religions are different doors to the same house. Sometimes, I think the house exists, and sometimes, I don't. It's the great mystery."[iv]

None of us knows exactly where Steve Jobs finally landed in his spiritual journey. We do know that there are not many ways with different doors to the same house but, in fact, that Jesus is the only way to God, eternal life and heaven (John 14.1-6; Acts 4.11-12; Hebrews 9.11-15, 10.19-23; 1 Timothy 2.5-6; et al.)  But in Jobs’ own words about Jesus there's a faint glimmer of the bedrock truth that answers so many spiritual questions: it's really, simply, only all about Jesus.

Christianity, the religion, has never been the issue, although many have been unable or unwilling to separate Jesus from the religion that's all about Him. But Jesus made it all about Him, and Him alone, in that simple two-word invitation found in our key Scripture text that He extended over and over again, "Follow Me" – (cf., Matthew 4.19; 8.22; 9.9; 10.38; 16.24; 19.21; Mark 1.17; 2.14; 8.34; 10.21; Luke 5.27; 9.23; 9.59; 14.27; 18.22; John 1.43; 10.27; 12.26; 21.19, 22).

As a matter of priority, Jesus never said to first, "Follow My religion" or "Follow My followers." He didn't say, "Follow My rules." He didn't say, "Follow My leaders." You see, Christianity, in a nutshell, first and foremost, begins and ends with these two words of Jesus – “Follow Me!” As a friend of mine says, “The main thing is to keep the main thing the main thing!” Jesus, and Jesus alone, is the main thing – as the writer of Hebrews puts it — He’s the author, founder, initiator, source, leader, perfecter, completer, finisher, and goal of our faith – (Hebrews 12.2). He is the Alpha and the Omega – the beginning and the end – (Revelation 1.8; 21.6; 22.13). He’s the chief cornerstone upon which Christ-followers build their lives and the foundation of Christianity rests (Psalm 118.22; Isaiah 28.16; Zechariah 10.4; Ephesians 2.19-21; 1 Peter 2.4-8). And so the only reason to turn away from Jesus is if you've got a problem with Jesus Himself.

As for "seeing the world as Jesus saw it," Jesus saw it broken because people – particularly religious people – walk past the wounded, all absorbed with themselves and their religion, as in the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10.25-37). He saw the world as cold, and lonely, and twisted, because every man has chosen to ignore the Manufacturer's instructions and we become our own god for our own life. And that has brought us a world of broken and bleeding families, greedy hoarding that produces global hunger, and an endless drama of people being used, abused, walked on, discarded and disposed of. He looked on the crowds and had compassion because He saw that they were like sheep without a shepherd (Matthew 9.36; Mark 6.34).

Then what of all those starving children? Jesus said when we reach for them to help them, "whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of Mine, you did for Me." Jesus tells us that, "whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for Me" – (Matthew 25.40) Jesus is so personally identified with the hurting people of our world that He takes our treatment of them as our treatment of Him, with eternal consequences.

This Jesus that Christianity is all about, came here, in the Bible's words, as "a man of sorrows, familiar with suffering...pierced for our transgressions...crushed for our iniquities" – (Isaiah 53.3, 5). This is the God who leaves the throne to die on the cross (Philippians 2.5-8). He's a God you can believe in. He's a God who stands alone above all the wannabe gods of earth's spiritual pantheon. And ultimately, we find in Jesus the only man of the billions who've lived who has come back from the grave and who promised eternal life to all those who would obey His invitation to “Follow Me."

And the question is, “On this side of eternity, while you still can decide, have you ever listened to this Jesus and turned your will and your life over to Him as Lord and Savior?” Can you imagine Him calling your name today as He says, “Follow Me”? He died for you. He's risen from the dead to prove that He can give you eternal life. Now He waits for you to reach out and say, "Jesus, I will follow You, I’m all Yours’… I’m all in – from here to eternity!”

Behind all the fog of all those “sophisticated” spiritualities and the dueling religions of our world stands one real God, one real Savior. He's the God who hung on a cross and He’s the living God Who’s calling you today, cutting through all the commotion, chaos, confusion, and counterfeit messiahs with just two simple, totally life changing words – “Follow Me.” He’s got so much in store for you that He wants to share with you if you are willing to follow after Him.

I'd love to help you begin that relationship with Him – would you send me an email, call me, tweet me, text me, connect with me on my blog – today? Life’s too short and eternity is forever – so please don’t wait another day… don’t waste another minute.

Jesus says, “I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one can come to the Father except through Me.” – (John 14.6, NLT)

The apostle Paul wrote, “Pattern yourselves after me [follow my example], as I imitate and follow Christ (the Messiah).” – (1 Corinthians 11.1, AMP) It’s all about Jesus and following Him. I pray you will decide now to follow Jesus!

In a nutshell – in two words – in Him,

Web Shepherd

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[i] http://www.usatoday.com/MONEY/usaedition/2011-10-25-Steve-Jobs-biography_CV_U.htm

[ii] http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/02/news/companies/elkind_jobs.fortune/index.htm

[iii] http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Jobs-questioned-authority-all-apf-1873950574.html

[iv] http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/story/2011-10-24/steve-jobs-biography/50893652/1

Offering King-Sized Prayers

Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. – Ephesians 3.20-21

I recently read of a story that reportedly happened when a world-famous professional golfer was playing in Saudi Arabia. Apparently, the Saudi king was so impressed with this man's playing that he said to him, "I'd like to give you a gift of appreciation." Now this renowned golfer told the king that no gift was necessary; he just appreciated the opportunity to play in his country. But the king was insistent, not only that the golfer receive a gift, but that he could name any gift he wished.

Well, after just a brief moment to think about it, he just said, "A golf club." You see the golf pro collected golf clubs and thought maybe the king would give him one that had some gold or maybe even a jewel in it. Well, a few days later, a representative of the king came to the hotel where the golfer was staying to present the king's gift – an object that was only about a foot long, carried inside a leather pouch. Now, apparently this was going to be a fairly small golf club. Then the golfer opened the pouch only to discover inside a deed – a deed that made him the owner of a golf club, as in the hundreds of acres that made up the beautiful golf club he had been given!

Now this famous golfer had one observation to make after this overwhelming response to his request. He said, "In the presence of a great king, you do not ask for small gifts!" How right he is!

Read these words from Scripture about the King who made all the other kings! "This is what the Lord says, He who made the earth, the Lord who formed it and established it – the Lord is His name” – (Jeremiah 33.2-3) Those are our King's awesome credentials. Now, based on who He is, God says, "Call to Me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."

I'm reminded of a companion promise in the New Testament, found in our key Scripture text, Ephesians 3.20-21. These two verses, which are the conclusion of a prayer, identify our Lord as "Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to His power that is at work within us." Now I hate to say it, but in light of the kind of King we have and the kind of promises He's made to us, most of our prayers are pretty lame. We come into the Throne Room from which the universe is governed with our little "Dear God" ditties: "Dear God, thank You for this day, thank You for Your many blessings, forgive us of our many sins, help us with our many problems, and bless the missionaries, whoever they may be. Amen."

Our praying is often just so predictable, so routine, and that is an insult to the God who's invited us to come to Him for "no small gifts." When's the last time you really believed God for some things that are so big that only God could do them? Or have you been praying you-centered “you-sized” prayers, man-sized prayers, earth-sized prayers? We’re talking to the King of the universe – that’s way big (and He created it all too, remember?!). So, why don’t we come to Almighty God offering King-sized (that’s King of kings sized) prayers?!

Now, there is another matter here – are there ever occasions when we feel as if you can impress the Lord with all you are trying to do for Him and His church? Do we seriously believe that God has yet to be impressed with even the most grandiose human aspiration or agenda?… “When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained, What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of man that You visit him?” – (Psalms 8.3-4,NKJV)

We can never set a goal so big or attempt a task so significant that God does not have something far greater that He could do in and through our lives… He is able to do “superabundantly, far over and above all that we [dare] ask or think [infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, hopes, or dreams]”[1], “infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope”[2], “exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think.”[3] Wow! Furthermore, as the prayer continues, “according to His power that is at work within us!” Let’s not rush over that truth – “according to His power that is at work within us” – what does this mean?

It means God can do far greater things in and through us than we can do ourselves – He promises! Jesus said, “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father” – (John 14.12, NLT)

So, are our prayers man-sized or King-sized? Are we praying too small? Are we thinking too small of God or maybe too big of ourselves? As Jeremiah prayed, "Ah, Sovereign LORD, you have made the heavens and the earth by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” – (Jeremiah 32.17) Nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible with God. And that’s why Paul declares in his prayer that  Almighty “God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams… by working within us, His Spirit deeply and gently within us” – (Ephesians 3.21, MSG).

This prayer in Ephesians comes from the same man, Saul of Tarsus, later transformed by Christ into apostle Paul, who earlier in his life had worked harder than anyone else to impress God with his efforts, only to discover that his greatest achievements were but rubbish compared to God's will for his life… “If anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless. But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ” – (Philippians 3.4b-8).

Our challenge is that we become too easily enamored with our own plans. If we are attempting to do noble or difficult things, we assume that we must be experiencing the maximum potential for our lives and that God must, therefore, be pleased with us – and He will therefore bless our plans and our efforts. Until we have received direction from God, we cannot even imagine all that our lives could become and all that Almighty God could accomplish through us…

“Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths.” – Proverbs 3.5-6 (The Amplified Bible)

In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps… Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. – Proverbs 16.9; 19.21

We need to remind ourselves that the Father sees the "big picture," that His sovereign and infinite power far exceeds our limited human abilities and imagination.

We must set aside our own agenda, however lofty. We must never become satisfied with our own dreams, for they are finite at best. When we follow God's direction we will witness things happening in our lives that can only be explained by His powerful divine presence. How could we be satisfied with anything less?

And so let’s not be guilty of really underpraying and undertrusting! When you pray, take a little time to focus on the awesomeness of the God Whose presence dwells in you by His Spirit – the very One who controls 125 billion plus galaxies! Do you pray like that? Let yourself be amazed, awed, overwhelmed...not by your own plans, problems or your questions, but by the size of your Lord! Then pray in ways that are worthy of the great God you're with!

The hymn writer had it right, "Thou art coming to a king, large petitions with thee bring; for His grace and power are such, none could ever ask too much!"[4] Remember, when you pray, you are in the presence of the King of all kings. Don't ask for small gifts!

In a nutshell – in Him,

Web Shepherd

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[1] The Amplified Bible © Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

[2] Holy Bible. New Living Translation copyright © 1996 by Tyndale Charitable Trust. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers.

[3] New King James Version (NKJV) © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc.

[4] John Newton, “Come, Thy Soul, Thy Suit Prepare”, 1780.

Living (or Dying) as Consequences

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. – (Galatians 6.7-8)

A few years back, while my family was together during one of the holidays, we started reminiscing about “back in the day” when we were all a lot younger. The subject quickly turned to funny stories (some of them might actually be true, LOL) of various times (so many that it would fill volumes of books, were it all to be recorded) that our parents disciplined us. We went as far back as our memories allowed: “Remember the time you...” “Oh, yeah, that was hysterical!” “Geez, I don’t remember that! When did that happen?” “So, where was I when this was going on?” “Holy cow, did you really do that?!” “I still can’t believe you….” “How about that time we all got in trouble for…?!” (Names and details are not being mentioned here mainly to protect me and the other guilty parties).

My mom then explained how she and dad had always tried to discipline with consistency, fairness, and appropriate consequences – you know the drill – “the punishment should fit the crime.” And so, if you did something wrong with your mouth, the correction would probably have to do with the mouth. Maybe you had to have some time out and be quiet for a while or, in some cases when warranted, have your mouth washed out with soap. If you did something wrong with your hands, you were given some extra chores  involving your hands, or you were restricted from doing something that you wanted to do that involved your hands. Or, one of our very favorites, you had to use those hands to write something over and over and over again until you thought your fingers were going to fall off.

Well, at some point, one of my siblings blurted out something like, “But if you were trying to correct us with the punishment fitting the crime – why did I get spanked so much on the backside since I never did anything wrong with my bottom?!”  In fact, that is where a lot of the disciplining took place in our home. My parents believed strongly in getting straightaway to the bottom of the problem – if you know what I mean? We still like to remind my mom about all the broken wooden kitchen spoons that resulted from being used as paddles – corporal punishment was often swift, sure, and sore. We all learned in our home growing up that consequences were guaranteed.

Back in the day that was one of the lessons we learned in school as well. Students in the classroom, on the playground or on the school bus who got out of line with the rules got “the board of education” applied to “the seat of the problem” – by the teacher, then possibly by the school principal. Then it was followed up at home (my mom was a school teacher and active in the PTA, so we never got away with anything), first by our mother then “and when your father gets home”… so consequences, for my family, were taught at home, at school and further reinforced by Bible teaching of the church.

Now, that launched a discussion of epic spankings we had experienced, including the ones that we said didn't really even hurt (in those cases, it probably did hurt my parents more than it did us). Of course we didn't dare tell our parents or (in some cases, the teacher) that at the time of the disciplining. Oh, listen, this whole reminiscing thing went a long time. It was crazy! I mean, we had some good laughs, and it was a reminder of what might be a parent's biggest challenge – teaching your children to learn with and from consequences.

The wise man Solomon writes repeatedly in Proverbs about how important discipline is in teaching consequences – it can even be a matter of life and death… “Discipline your son, for in that there is hope. Do not be a willing party to his death”… “The evil deeds of a wicked man ensnare him; the cords of his sin hold him fast. He will die for lack of discipline, led astray by his own great folly”… “For these commands are a lamp, this teaching is a light, and the corrections of discipline are the way to life”… “Do not withhold discipline from a child; if you punish him with the rod, he will not die” – (Proverbs 19.18; 5.22-23; 6.23; 23.13). These, among many others, are pretty sobering verses! They talk about hope for your child, about death for your child, the way to life, and it's saying that the hope for your child's future is your discipline of him or her. Well, why?

Well, in our world there is a law of the universe that people, and not just kids, don't seem to believe. You can't change this law of the universe, but you can live like you don’t believe it – and many of us do. You see it's fundamental to the way things operate, the way God operates - it always has been (see, for example: Exodus 20.4-6; 34.6-8; Numbers 14.18; Deuteronomy 5.8-10). It’s the main point of our key Scripture text found in Galatians 6.7-8 – “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life." I don't know that a lot of kids of any age really believe that there are real and serious consequences for what they do.

First of all, they feel like you can avoid a lot of consequences. You can cover up what you've done, you can take precautions. Parents, other family members and friends will often shield or even rescue their loved ones from the consequences of their actions thinking that they are helping them when, instead, we are actually insulating them from the lessons that might actually save their lives and likely enabling in progressively destructive behavior – “He who spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is careful to discipline him” – (Proverbs 13.24)

The other reason that it's tough to get our children, others, and even ourselves, to believe that what is sown is reaped – is that often there's a delay between the wrong thing you do and the results (harvest) you receive (reap). Every farmer knows that you sow and reap, but he also knows there's a time lapse in between. During that period we may think we're not going to have to pay the bill. But the law is still true: you can't avoid the most serious consequences of all – Holy God's judgment, lost innocence, lost reputation, lost trust, lost self-respect, lost time, lost quality of life, lost life. Our key Scripture text warns us not to be deceived – God will not be mocked. There may be a gap in time between sowing the wild oats and the reaping… and, oh, you can postpone it, but you cannot cancel it – God promises – we have His word on it!

The apostle Paul also writes of this law in his letter to the church in Rome: “When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life” – (Romans 6.20-22, NIV84) Quite a contrast in consequences, wouldn’t you say?! Here “slaves to sin” is the same as “sowing to the sinful nature” from our key Scripture text – “reaping destruction resulting in death”… and “slaves to God” is the same as “sowing to the Spirit – reaping from the Spirit eternal life.” The consequences of what you do can ultimately be a matter of life and death – here in this life and hereafter – it’s our choice.

Again, the book of Proverbs frequently addresses the topic of this law of God taught through the application of discipline – words like “blessing, knowledge, prudence, peace, understanding, love, honor, hope, delight and life” are associated with sowing and applying discipline versus “poverty, shame, folly, stupidity, foolishness, lost, resentment, hate, and death” are the results of a lack of correction. The term discipline in the Old and New Testament Scriptures is derived from various Hebrew and Greek words which can mean to “teach, train, instruct, educate, correct, warn, chastise or admonish, and chasten – which means to purify or make pure.”

Now, my job as a parent, friend, boss, neighbor and fellow follower of Jesus, is to get one simple message across, “What we do really matters. The choices we make have consequences. When you do wrong, something bad happens.” And you know how you get that message? There has to be consistent consequences – discipline to build belief in sowing and reaping. If we don't, we're going to make heart-breaking choices later on. It's good to try to discipline, as I mentioned earlier, with appropriate consequences –– so that if you've done something wrong in a particular area of your life, it's in that area that you get restricted or punished. And to the best of your ability, be sure that the punishment fits the crime and that you discipline, not when you're angry, but after you've prayed and thought about the consequence that would teach the most; not what would just unload your anger and provoke an unhealthy reaction from you and response from them. Discipline is meant to be constructive not destructive – so any form of abuse has no place in godly correction. “Fathers, don’t over-correct your children or make it difficult for them to obey the commandment. Bring them up with Christian teaching in Christian discipline” – (Ephesians 6.4, JBP)

• Disciplining someone isn’t necessarily pleasant, but it is too critical to avoid – keep your focus on the goal – their ultimate growth and well-being.
• Respond immediately, not waiting a long time for the discipline. When a lot of time has passed, the lesson loses its impact and relevance or may even be forgotten.
• Explain the discipline; explain what was wrong and why it's right and necessary to discipline.
• Be consistent, especially in the early stages of trying to establish boundaries.
• Whatever you do, don't fail in this life-giving responsibility.
• Be sure you are teaching from your discipline that whatever a man sows, he will reap.

A life pleasing to God requires discipline and true discipline involves true love – sometimes tough love – just like God when He blesses and demonstrates love to His children through discipline (Job 5.17; Psalm 94.12; Proverbs 3.11-12; 1 Corinthians 11.32). There's some old expression that talks about “the grim reaper.” Well, actually, what will be grim for someone is if he or she hasn’t been shown the way to reap eternal life but instead reaps everlasting destruction. In other words, Thank God for those wooden spoons and for the hands that held them – they may have saved my life!

“In this all-out match against sin, others have suffered far worse than you, to say nothing of what Jesus went through—all that bloodshed! So don't feel sorry for yourselves. Or have you forgotten how good parents treat children, and that God regards you as His children? ‘My dear child, don't shrug off God's discipline, but don't be crushed by it either. It's the child He loves that He disciplines; the child He embraces, He also corrects.’ God is educating you; that's why you must never drop out. He's treating you as dear children. This trouble you're in isn't punishment; it's training, the normal experience of children. Only irresponsible parents leave children to fend for themselves. Would you prefer an irresponsible God? We respect our own parents for training and not spoiling us, so why not embrace God's training so we can truly live? While we were children, our parents did what seemed best to them. But God is doing what is best for us, training us to live God's holy best. At the time, discipline isn't much fun. It always feels like it's going against the grain. Later, of course, it pays off handsomely, for it's the well-trained who find themselves mature in their relationship with God.” – (Hebrews 12.4-11, MSG)

In a nutshell – in Him,

Web Shepherd

Leaving A Lasting Legacy

“I tell you the truth, wherever the gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” – (Mark 14.9)

The other day I was reminiscing about some of the many outdoor experiences I had as a youngster, growing up in north central Pennsylvania. One of the places I remember frequenting was referred to by locals as the “power dam”, a man-made lake on Middle Creek near the Susquehanna River. We spent many mornings, evenings and Sunday afternoon’s fishing for blue gill, sunfish, bass, once in a while snagging a catfish or turtle, and on rare occasions, a very large carp.

Now the coolest memory for me was the rides across the “power dam” on my Uncle Jack’s airboat – a fast-moving, flat-bottomed vessel thrust along by an aircraft type propeller. I can still see in my mind’s eye the waves radiating out from behind the boat as it skimmed over the water. And while the rides seemed all too short, the waves that were created kept on rolling out long after the boat had disappeared from the scene.

If you've ever spent much time around water where there are moving boats, it's something you've experienced for yourself. Long after the craft has passed, the waves it creates are still making an impact. Our lives are like that. Long after we've passed on, the waves our choices and deeds have made are still impacting many other lives. It’s like the words of General Maximus Decimus Meridus in the move Gladiator, when he tells his men as they prepare for battle – “What we do in life echoes in eternity!” I love this quote because it resonates with a profound Biblical point: Life is short, eternity is forever, and our lives matter in the hereafter. But in our “now is all that matters” and “live for the moment” culture, it's easy to forget how much our lives really do matter and how long their affects last. It's about so much more than this moment. You see, there’s a world of difference between “living for the moment” versus “living in the moment”… living with eternity in mind… approaching life with an eternal perspective.

God gives us a powerful values-clarifier in Psalm 102.18. He says, “Let this be written for a future generation, that a people not yet created may praise the Lord.” Wow! That hits me hard! God focuses our eyes on the big picture reason for doing the right thing, because what you do now will affect lives that have not even been born yet – generations you will never see here on earth! Think about it. You and I are continuing to be affected and influenced by the choices previous generations have made, and to pay for choices previous generations have made. They've passed by, but not the waves they created. They are still moving and rocking our lives.

Now, we may assume that our actions and expressions are small and insignificant – that they make little difference or impact. Our key Scripture text declares otherwise – through God’s eyes. For instance, what we might consider small and insignificant expressions of devotion to God can hold great meaning and enduring influence in our wake. You see our love and dedication to Christ may make a memory or even create memorials to God for future generations.

The woman in our key Scripture passage (read Mark 14.1-9) performed a profound act of love for Jesus. She did not do it to impress His disciples or to garner public attention or to gain praise from Jesus. She had no idea that her story would be recorded in God’s Book for all time and, in Jesus’ own words, “wherever the good news is told all over the world, people will remember what she has done. And they will tell others” – (CEV). She simply sought to express her love for Jesus. She did nothing spectacular; she performed no miracles; she preached no sermons, she may not have even spoken a word! Yet Jesus was so moved by her selfless loyalty that He deemed it worthy of remembrance throughout the remainder of history. Her legacy has continued for over two thousand years, just as Jesus said it would – offering a blessed influence even through this Footnotes… she could not have known the rippling affect her single deed done for Jesus would create in her wake!

And like the woman in our key Scripture passage, we do not know all that God finds most pleasing, nor do we know what acts of our love He may choose to honor through our children and future generations. Abraham could not have known that the day he demonstrated his willingness to sacrifice his only son would be memorialized and would bless many generations who heard of his obedience. David could not have known that his walk with God would please Him so much that David's example would bless generations who followed him.

God can take your faithfulness and begin a spiritual legacy, making it a blessing to others for generations to come. You will never know until eternity all who received a blessing because of your righteous life. That is why it is so important that you daily express your love and devotion to Jesus. Psalm 102 goes on to point out the long-lasting affects of making God's choices your choices: “The children of Your servants will live in Your presence; their descendants will be established before You” – (vs. 28) Again, multiple generations whose destiny will be shaped by what we do now. Pretty exciting or sobering, isn't it?

So, think about it – the choices you and I make, righteous or unrighteous, godly or ungodly, will affect others, often times for generations. What kind of lasting legacy do you want to leave in your wake… what kind of waves are you making right now that are impacting your children, grandchildren, friends, co-workers, neighbors, etc.? What about that compromise you're making or about to make – is it worth it, in light of its long-range consequences? Is that taste of sin really worth the road it may take you down and the legacy that it may leave? Is that fling really worth what it may do to you, to people you love, to generations you may never see? How about that divorce or drink or drug? It leaves a mark for a long, long time.

Maybe you're tempted to return to the old you, but stop and think about generations that could feel the impact of that choice. Who you're dating, who you sleep with, who you marry, even who your friends are – don’t think those are just decisions that affect only you or only a few years of your life. Again, we are all still feeling the affects of those same choices made by people who went before us, righteous and/or unrighteous – when we were “the people not created” yet.

There's so much more at stake in the choices we make and the way we live than we could ever imagine. Things are being passed from us to others, especially our children, who will in turn pass it on to those they influence, who will in turn just keep it alive across the generations. I recently read a brief biography of a woman whose name you would probably not recognize and her story which most of would not be familiar with. She was a devoted and dedicated Sunday School teacher who, over decades of faithful service, taught thousands of children, more than a few who would become prominent influential world leaders. While she has been gone from this earth for almost 50 years, the impact of the gospel through her life is still making powerful waves around the world in the lives of men and women who have been influenced by those she taught – ripples, echoes, waves.

Before you go speeding into what you may be considering, would you think about it and consider the waves that your life is making? Make the choices that will cause those who follow you to bless your memory (like the woman in our key Scripture verse) and the God that you helped them find across those years.

Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who've gone before us, let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives

After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we've left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey

Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful. – Steve Green

“He decreed statutes for Jacob and established the law in Israel, which He commanded our forefathers to teach their children, so the next generation would know them, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would put their trust in God and would not forget His deeds but would keep His commands” – (Psalm 78.5-7)

“All the rich of the earth will feast and worship; all who go down to the dust will kneel before Him—those who cannot keep themselves alive. Posterity will serve Him; future generations will be told about the Lord. They will proclaim His righteousness to a people yet unborn — for He has done it.” – (Psalm 22.29-31)

“You then, my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.” – (2 Timothy 2.1-2)

In a nutshell – in Him,

Web Shepherd

Accepting Ever-lasting Love

Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. – (1 John 4.8-10)

I was just recalling a week long business trip to New York City and though it has been over 11 years, I still can’t get used to the fact that the twin towers of the World Trade Center are forever gone. It seems like yesterday that I was on “Top of the World” looking out over the sea of tall buildings and the rivers and bridges and cars and masses of people that could be observed from the roof of the South Tower. For thirty years those twin towers dominated the New York City skyline – and now they’re gone.

But so much more than buildings collapsed that awful day when airliners became missiles and America itself became the target of terrorism. Thousands of lives came crashing down that day, too… the airline passengers, the World Trade Center and Pentagon workers, the rescuers who died trying to rescue – so many, gone in one awful violent day. And the countless loved ones, in some cases not knowing what happened to those they love, in all cases agonizing over the horrific circumstances of their death... and the lifelong scars on those heroic rescuers, recovery workers, and medical personnel who will always be haunted with the memories of what they have seen and experienced.

But the carnage and shock of September 11, 2001 has touched every American. Do you still remember how we were glued to our news channels, repeatedly horrified by the endless replays and unfolding details of unthinkable, indescribable scenes in places we thought indestructible and invulnerable? And just like the radio and TV commentators, we tried to put our feelings in words, but no words could really say it.

I remember vividly the first attack on the World Trade Center in 1993 – we thought that was unimaginable and the people living and working in New York City described themselves as feeling "Vulnerable” and “Violated”.

And that’s the feeling people were left with in the aftermath of 9/11 – violated and vulnerable. Our symbols of financial and military security as Americans had been attacked – and one is gone, the other was heavily damaged. We watched everyday people like us, doing things we do – passengers on a jetliner, folks at their jobs – suddenly wiped out en masse. We saw the lists of fatalities – including CEOs, Chief Operating Officers, high-profile lawyers and entertainment executives – and we realized that, like those who died on the Titanic, success and position mean nothing when death strikes suddenly, unexpectedly. We see our children trying to understand horrors a child cannot understand – let alone us parents who are trying to explain those horrors.

In situations like we experienced on 9/11 we do feel vulnerable. It's as if some of our sense of personal security and safety came crashing down with those majestic towers. The banner headline of a local newspaper screamed, "Forever changed", and they were right. One woman said, "I'm scared"... one man said, "It feels like things are out of control."

If you are like me and so many others I know, the events of September 11 softened my heart and caused me to do some soul-searching – and re-evaluating.  While the events were horrific, the questions we were asking – and ought to be asking right now – could, indeed, leave us "forever changed" – for the better. Questions like, "What are the things that really matter and the things that really don't – and which ones have I been living for?"... "What have I got that will really last – no matter what tragedy comes crashing into my life?"... "Am I ready for eternity, no matter how suddenly my time comes?"

When events like 9/11 occur, we see how suddenly our towers can come crashing down, how quickly what I've built and who I've loved can all be gone – in a moment. And our hearts are hungry for something we can anchor to... for something to sustain us when the bad news is more than we can bear... for something that will make us really safe.

When our President addressed the nation on this generation's "day of infamy," he alluded to the one Source of comfort and hope in moments like these. He quoted from that treasured 23rd Psalm found in the best-selling book of all times, the Bible – “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for You are with me." – (Psalm 23.4)

Life has many "vulnerable" moments – when you lose your job, when you lose someone you love, when your marriage or your parents' marriage collapses, when the medical report is unsettling. Maybe you are going through one of those times right now. And maybe you are going through that "valley of the shadow of death" – that is, by far, life's most vulnerable moment. Yet the Bible, the word of God, holds out to you and me a security that can keep you safe even in that valley – and no matter what else comes crashing down in your life.

That security is a Relationship, a Person – “You are with me, Lord."  You see, all our lives we have been hungry for one thing… enduring love… steadfast love… ever-lasting love… "unloseable" love, just as King Solomon wrote centuries ago, “What a man desires is unfailing love” – (Proverbs 19.11) Deep down inside that is what we all want… what we all yearn for… what we all need. And there really only is One. It's the love of the One who made you... the One who you will meet on the other side of your last heartbeat... the One whose love caused Him to literally lay down His life for you (John 15.12-13; Romans 5.8; Galatians 2.20). This is the greatest truth in all of Scripture and the point of our key Scripture text: God is love. Understanding this in its full dimensions will set you free to enjoy all that is yours as a child of God, no matter what kind of vulnerable moments are happening in and around your life. But – you must believe, know and accept that God loves you.

If you grew up experiencing unconditional love in your family, this may not be a difficult concept for you. However, if your early years were void of love, you may find this truth hard to accept. God loves you, not because you deserve His love, not because of anything you have done or ever will do, but because His nature is love. And please understand this – the only way He will ever relate to you is in love. His love for you gives you an inherent worth that nothing can change or diminish. You didn’t make you that way – He did!

Now if you cannot accept the truth that God loves you, you will be limited in how you can relate to Him. When He disciplines you, for instance, you will not take it as an expression of His love. Rather, you may dread Him or resent Him. When God says “no” to a request that is less than His best for you, you will conclude that He doesn't care about you. Without a clear understanding and acceptance of God's love for you, you will be disoriented to Him and to what He wants to do in your life. If you will accept God's love, however, you will be able to return love to God – as well as to others (1 John 4.19).

You see the safety our heart longs for is found in the arms of Jesus Christ. In God's own words, “Nothing will ever separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” – (Romans 8.39) But in your vulnerable moments, your moments that are more than you can handle alone – those moments when you've gone seeking God – maybe you've realized that there is something that is separating you from Him. The Bible confirms that all the wrong things we've ever done have actually "separated you from your God." – (Isaiah 59.2) This “sin” – our hijacking of a life that God was supposed to run – cuts us off from the very God whose love is our only safe place.

But that's why Jesus came. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.” – (John 3.16-17) Now all Jesus is waiting for is for you to grab His outreached hand like a person trapped in the wreckage would grab the hand of a rescuer – and trust Him with your very life – forever. You can do that now, this very day.

You see Jesus liked to use the word "everlasting" to describe the kind of life and love He wants to give you. We have been reminded so powerfully by the crashing down of those two World Trade Center towers that nothing earth has to offer is ever-lasting. Now is the time your heart should be turning to the only One who is – so you can know that you have a love you can never lose... a security that can never be shaken... and that you're ready for eternity, whenever it comes.  No religion can even offer that kind of security or everlasting life and love, it is only found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.

Are you experiencing the profound sense of joy and security that comes from knowing you are dearly loved by God – with an ever-lasting love? Being assured of God's love for you sets you free to enjoy the numerous expressions of love He showers upon you each and every day. You're vulnerable no more when you run to the safest place in all the world – “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and they are safe." – (Proverbs 18.10) If you want to know more about how to begin a relationship with Jesus Christ, please just contact me today – His love is ever-lasting!

For You granted Him authority over all people that He might give eternal life to all those You have given Him. Now this is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, Whom You have sent. – (John 17.2-3)

"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.” – (Jeremiah 31.3)

In a nutshell – in Him,

Web Shepherd

Having Resurrection Assurance

And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life. – (1 John 5.11-13, NIV84)

It's been almost a century (April 15, 1912) since the unsinkable ship sank and over 1,500 passengers died in one of the deadliest peacetime maritime disasters in history. The Titanic was the largest ship afloat at the time of her maiden voyage and one of three Olympic class ocean liners operated by the White Star Line. It took several years to build her (1909-1911) by the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast. The Titanic carried 2,224 people.

The 100 year anniversary of this tragic event has been garnering a lot of attention recently. There is a 3-D release out now in the theaters of James Cameron’s award-winning Hollywood version. Many prominent publications are running feature stories and there’s a host of television specials all about the Titanic disaster.

Now it really hit home with me as I read the article in this month’s National Geographic Journal and looked at the photo images of the Titanic wreckage remains over 2.5 miles deep down on the bottom of the icy cold North Atlantic Ocean. It just got real when I saw old black and white pictures of the Titanic before her launch and also of some her passengers – real people with real lives. I had read somewhere else about this large wall that had two lists that they posted after the tragedy in the White Star Line's Liverpool, England offices. Here are these anxious relatives waiting to hear the fate of a passenger they loved, and a company representative who comes in occasionally and adds a name to one of two lists: "Known to be Saved" and "Known to be Lost."

The haunting images of that mighty ship going down are just engraved in my mind. But then so are those two lists of souls. Because everyone I know—everyone reading this Footnotes—everyone you know, including you—is  also on one of two lists: "Known to be Saved" "Known to be Lost." Not "rich" or "poor"...not "liberal" or "conservative"...not “young” or “old”… not “good” or “bad” nor “naughty” or “nice”… not even "Religion X" or "Religion Y"—just "saved" or "lost."

God makes it so plain in our key Scripture text found in 1 John 5.11-13… "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life (saved); he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (lost)." Now, if you have Jesus, you are rescued from the death penalty for your sins and you've got the blessed assurance of heaven. And God says if you don't have Jesus, you don't have heaven but an eternity of hell because that rescuing or "saving" came at a very high price that only the Son of God could pay. So, if you don’t have Jesus, you’re outside the lifeboat and you’re lost.

Now you don’t have to remain among those who are lost. Jesus, who had no sin, came to rescue us. He did all the dying for all my sinning and all your sinning. Going through our hell so I, and so you, could go to His heaven. So, if you ever feel that you are so insignificant that God does not care about you or that you’re so bad that He does not want to listen to your prayers, you should be encouraged by what He has done to save us from sin, death and hell and to secure for us forgiveness, life and heaven. “And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him Who died for them and was raised again… God made Him Who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” – (2 Corinthians 5.15, 21, NIV84)

“So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing Himself to the worst by sending His own Son, is there anything else He wouldn't gladly and freely do for us?” – (Romans 8.31-32, MSG)

You see here we are assured that our heavenly Father loves us unconditionally, that there was nothing so precious to Him that He would not give it up in order to provide for our rescue and salvation. When the Father gave His precious Son to save us, He proved once for all that His grace is boundless and His love is infinite.

The apostle Paul concluded that if God would not hold back even His own Son in order to provide for our rescue, how would He not willingly and freely give anything else at His disposal in order to save us? Since He sacrificed His very best to give us eternal life, we can rest secure in the knowledge that He also wants to give us abundant life (John 10.10). So, realizing what God did for us at the cross, why should we not approach the throne of grace with boldness, assurance, confidence? Isn’t it awesome to know for sure that God loves us that much?! We can live with confidence and anticipation knowing that almighty God is willing not only to give us eternal life, but also to help us experience it fully!

Well, the great news of Good Friday, the great news of Resurrection Sunday, is that you can change lists! In Jesus' words, "Whoever hears My word and believes Him Who has sent me has eternal life; he has crossed over from death to life" – (John 5.24). I love the definite sounds of those words, “has crossed over from death to life”… "has eternal life." Not “may have” or “might have.” Not “wishes to have” or “hopes to have”—but has! It’s a done deal! We can know for sure, right now, that if we died today, we would go to heaven—eternal life insurance. No fear, or no if, and, but, or maybe about it! That’s what God says in our key Scripture text – “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life… you may know that you have eternal life.”

Maybe you know some folks who are still outside the lifeboat and they are facing a dark, chilling, tragic future. You have nothing more urgent to do than in the Bible's words, "rescue those who are being led away to death" – (Proverbs 24.11).

Now if you're not sure, though, about yourself – that you've ever offered yourself, heart and soul, to Jesus, you have nothing more urgent to do than in the words of the Bible, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit… believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved… the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on Him, for, ‘Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’... ‘In the time of My favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.’ I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation” – (Acts 2.38; 16.31; Romans 10.12b-13; 2 Corinthians 6.2). That transaction between you and Him could take place this very day. Why not get this done? Why not get this settled? Why not get in the only lifeboat that can save you?

You see, when you give your life to Jesus… receive Him as the Lord and Savior, you go from one who is "known to be lost" to one who is "known to be saved." Jesus assures us, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die” – (John 11.25-26) I’ll tell you it’s absolutely awful to be lost – there’s nothing worse, but it’s totally amazing to be saved – there’s nothing better!

“And if the Spirit of Him Who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He Who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit, Who lives in you” – (Romans 8.11)

In a nutshell – in the risen Christ,

Web Shepherd