Pastor's Blog

“What’s Wrong with Double Standards”

When something happens where a double standard is applied, many cry, “Hey, that’s a double standard.” And then pontificate on the observation that the other person has a double standard. The sad irony is: the one with the double standard doesn’t care that they have a double standard. In fact, it is perfectly all right to have one.

So instead of merely identifying those with a double standard, don’t you think it is also necessary to present what is wrong with a double standard?

Let’s explore for a few moments what is wrong with a double standard. First of all, perhaps you would agree with me that a double standard will soon show itself to be an inadequate way of life. Trust evaporates and integrity goes the way of the dinosaurs. With a double standard, don’t you think even society itself will burn out? In my opinion, it will at some point be impossible to live as a society because once one double standard is replaced with another double standard, how do they know they will not turn on themselves? A house divided cannot stand, right? And isn’t a double standard really a house divided?

What about those who say, “No justice, No peace?” Can we agree that if there is a double standard, there is no justice, and thus no peace? But can we also agree that if a double standard is the very charge of the cry, and the response is to replace the alleged double standard with another, how is this justice? And how will it lead to peace?

It behooves us then to turn to Jesus, Who is the standard, and make sure we ourselves do not have a double standard. Have you observed that Jesus constantly called out the Pharisees for their duplicity—their hypocrisy? And when He did, He often noted it with severe warnings of the consequences of such a lifestyle or standard? Perhaps we should be doing the same thing, but first applying His standard—which is no double standard—to ourselves and then perhaps to others, wouldn’t you agree?

Main Text— Proverbs 11:3 (NIV84)— The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.—Matthew 7:5 (NIV84)

Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.—Matthew 23:15 (NIV84)

The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out.—Proverbs 10:9 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, remove any duplicity and hypocrisy far from me. Clean my heart and make me whole. Be my integrity as Your transforming of my soul on the inside becomes evident to all on the outside. In this You will be pleased and I will honor You with my Life. In Your Name, may it be so!

Pastor Mike

“Continue On”

Too often we may foreclose on the “Parable of the Sower.” “Oh, I know this already.” Or “I’ve heard this before.” But perhaps a “second” look with child-like wonderment will yield fresh insights for us. Sadly, though, still another foreclosure is our determination as to which soil our soul is. We often assume we are one or the other…you know, that Ol’ “Either/Or” mindset. But, if we look more closely with a Both/And understanding, we will discover that we can be the rocky soil in one instant and at that same instant good soil. (Yes, and this soil is being amended by the Spirit daily.)

Sadly, once I foreclose on the soil test, I seem to stop. I stop growing. Stop weeding. Stop searching. Stop maturing. Stop. And the numbness of stopping creeps into my soul. But if I stop and rethink the soil test; if I stop and re-listen to the Lord’s words; if I stop merely as a rest stop prior to continuing on, then maybe, just maybe I will see more clearly the produce—the victory—the good soil has for me.

Let the spurs of Charles Spurgeon dig deep into your flanks—and continue on:

“Whatever foes may be before the Christian, they are all overcome. There are lions, but their teeth are broken; there are serpents, but their fangs are extracted; there are rivers, but they are bridged or fordable; there are flames, but we wear that matchless garment which renders us invulnerable to fire. The sword that has been forged against us is already blunted; the instruments of war which the enemy is preparing have already lost their point. God has taken away in the person of Christ all the power that anything can have to hurt us. Well then, the army may safely march on, and you may go joyously along your journey, for all your enemies are conquered beforehand. What shall you do but march on to take the prey? They are beaten, they are vanquished; all you have to do is to divide the spoil. You shall, it is true, often engage in combat; but your fight shall be with a vanquished foe. His head is broken; he may attempt to injure you, but his strength shall not be sufficient for his malicious design. Your victory shall be easy, and your treasure shall be beyond all count.” [Source: Spurgeon, C. H. (2006). Morning and evening: Daily readings (Complete and unabridged; New modern edition.). Peabody, MA: Hendrickson Publishers.]

Main Text— Matthew 13:19–23 (NIV84)— ¹⁹ When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. ²⁰ The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. ²¹ But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. ²² The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. ²³ But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. You parents—if your children ask for a loaf of bread, do you give them a stone instead? Or if they ask for a fish, do you give them a snake? Of course not! So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask Him.—Matthew 7:7–11 (NLT)

For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.—2 Corinthians 4:17–18 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, I fix my eyes on You. Continue to remove the rocks, thorns and thistles from the soil of my soul as I continue to seek Your Face.

Pastor Mike

“Soul vs. Physical Rest”

For the sake of discussion and to develop a healthy Both/And understanding, I’d like to discuss which is more needful: Soul rest or Physical rest. It appears that Jesus offers both to us in the main text (below). Both words for “rest” in vv. 28 & 29 are the same Greek word, but the second adds: “for your souls.” One would understand that the first is physical rest. Jesus offers us physical rest. We no longer need to strive to earn His favor. By Grace through faith we already have it. So physical rest is promised.

But how important is to have “soul rest” as well? Wouldn’t you agree that if there is turmoil in our soul, there are also physical consequences? Maybe grinding teeth, or a stiff neck or tightness in the shoulders. So no matter how much physical rest we may try to get, soul rest seems to be connected.

But do you suppose that if I am not getting physical rest, it also follows that I am not taking the time to get soul rest either? What a conundrum.

And on top of this, I know how to get physical rest rather easily: Stop. Stop doing what I do physical. Take a break. Sit down. Smell the roses….

How do you suppose I get soul rest to anchor my physical rest? How do I stop and focus my soul on Jesus, the Rest Giver? What suggestions do you have?

Main Text— Matthew 11:28–30 (NIV84)— ³¹ “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.—John 14:27 (NIV84)

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will perish by following their example of disobedience.—Hebrews 4:11 (NIV84)

This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, ‘We will not walk in it.”— (Jeremiah 6:16 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, be both my soul rest as I seek Your Face.

Pastor Mike

“Avoiding People Pleasing”

This Sunday’s message is indirectly addressing people pleasers. I know I have constantly been tempted to be one. I want everyone to like me. Why? Oh, my expressed “reason” (read, “excuse”) is so that I will not dishonor the name of Jesus, but I think the deeper reason is so that I will have other’s approval and not be embarrassed and shamed. Pretty self-centered, huh? But I here’s what I discovered in our main text: Jesus doesn’t seem to care about this, or the crowd’s view of Him—even when they call Him some severe, shameful names: “glutton and drunkard”! He trusted His Heavenly Father to take care of His reputation and deal with any potential shame factor…. How? Our Lord was more concerned about pleasing His Father than pleasing the people. Something I really need to capture. How about you?

Below is a devotion for today found in Christians Secrets of a Holy Life by Hannah Whitall Smith. My heart has been profoundly touched by it, and I pray it touches yours, too.

July 20

“ Don’t be discouraged at any form of temptation which threatens you, but always look to Jesus, and ask Him to meet and overcome it by His own wisdom and power. I think I am learning more and more of what utter trust means. Having naturally some feeling of personal ability and good sense, it has always been a temptation for me to rely on these and to feel that I wouldn’t be likely to lose my balance whatever happened. But I have seen recently that even my natural abilities must be laid aside in this life of death to self, and that I must really and practically have all my resources in the Lord only.

“I do not know whether I am making myself clear, but in my experience this has been very real. It has cost me something to lay aside my old dependence upon my own judgment and good sense, and to let myself be a helpless in the Lord’s hands. But it is unspeakably sweet when it is done. And I believe it is to me the opening up of a life of conscious union with my Lord such as I have never know before. I seem to have sunk into unfathomed depths of littleness and nothingness, and to have found the Lord there in a more real and actual consciousness than ever before.

“Only, dear friend, ask the Lord to fulfil [sic] John 14:16, 21, 23 in you, and open up your whole being to receive His manifestations.”—To Friend, December 17, 1874.

[Source: Smith, H. W., & Dieter, M. E. (1997). The Christian’s secret of a holy life: the unpublished personal writings of Hannah Whitall Smith. Oak Harbor: Logos Research Systems, Inc.]

Main Text— Luke 7:31–35 (NIV84)— ³¹ “To what, then, can I compare the people of this generation? What are they like? ³² They are like children sitting in the marketplace and calling out to each other: “ ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.’ ³³ For John the Baptist came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, ‘He has a demon.’ ³⁴ The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and you say, ‘Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and “sinners.” ’ ³⁵ But wisdom is proved right by all her children.”

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

The one who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do what pleases Him.—John 8:29 (NIV84)

So we make it our goal to please Him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it.—2 Corinthians 5:9 (NIV84)

We proclaim Him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. To this end I labor, struggling with all His energy, which so powerfully works in me.— Colossians 1:28–29 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, all that You do pleases Your Father; please the Father in me. In Your Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Be Different When Judging Others”

In the Sermon on the Mount the Lord Jesus is calling His followers to live His Words, not just hear them (see Matthew 7:24). But if we are honest with ourselves, we cannot live them. Thus, as we have noted in previous devotions, the Lord Jesus Christ must be our Righteousness in order for our righteousness to exceed that of the scribes and the Pharisees (see Matthew 5:20). When we do manifest the teachings of this wonderful sermon, we will find our lives to be markedly different. …

But what does it mean to be different? Our Master focuses on four areas in Chapter 7 in which we are to be markedly different. The first one is we are to be different when we judge others….

Sadly, some believe that Jesus is teaching never to judge. But this is not so. He is actually presenting us a procedure to follow when “judging” others. V. 1 cautions us to stop judging, especially in light of the areas He has just presented in His sermon. Indeed, having a critical spirit when judging does not produce the greater righteousness required….

In v. 2 our Lord says to avoid crooked measuring sticks or faulty measuring weights. Having these creates a double-standard, which does not produce the greater righteousness required.

He then offers a proper approach to “judging” in vv. 3-5: First do a self-evaluation using the higher standard Jesus offers in this sermon, and then assist your sister or brother in removing the little splinter. In this self-evaluation, don’t you find it humorous when Jesus says you and I will discover we have a huge plank blinding us from seeing the little splinter? I call this mirror theology: When we criticize other’s behavior or attitude, it is only a reflection of our own behavior or attitude.

Would you agree that the Lord is saying, we are to humble ourselves first by accepting (and confessing) our huge faults and shortcomings so that if and when we do approach a brother or sister, we will do so in humility rather than in superiority?

To me, this is what it means to be different: Humbly dealing with our own issues first; then humbly offer to help others deal with theirs. Recently I was painfully reminded that unsolicited advice is unheeded. Many do not want to remove the splinter from their eye; and they definitely do not want someone to help them. But when they see a humble Jesus follower removing his/her huge plank, perhaps then they may ask for a mirror? What do you think?

Main Text— Matthew 7:1–6 (NIV84)— ¹ “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. ² For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. ³“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? ⁴ How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? ⁵You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. ⁶ “Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and then turn and tear you to pieces.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.—John 7:24 (NIV84)

Brothers, if someone is caught in a sin, you who are spiritual should restore him gently. But watch yourself, or you also may be tempted.—Galatians 6:1 (NIV84)

Or do you presume on the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?— Roman 2:4 (ESV)

Lord Jesus Christ, I humbly yield to Your Holy Presence within me. Continue to make me more like You. In Your Holy Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“Dealing with Issues of the Heart”

How do you deal with issues of the heart? What issues? Oh, the ones Our Lord mentions in the Sermon on the Mount: Anger, lust, unfaithfulness, dishonesty, retaliation, and a closed heart. I don’t think He would have mentioned them if they weren’t common to the human condition. We all engage such issues, true. But do we entertain them?

I have found the best way to deal with these issues is to first confess my yearning to sin. “Yes, Lord Jesus Christ, You know I enjoy this _____. But I know it displeases You. Through Your Power I confess I want nothing more to do with _______.” (The blanks are filled with the specific sin.)

Now the next step is crucial. It times past I used to resolve never to do this sin again. I determined in my soul not to entertain the anger, lust, unfaithfulness, etc. And guess what? Oh, you know, too, don’t you? I would fail again. So I soon (like almost 15 years) realized that this simply just doesn’t work. But what does “work” is yielding to the Lord Jesus Christ—something like this:

“Lord Jesus Christ, be that part of my life that has been disobedient to You. I release myself into Your hands.”

This is no magic formula or some easy peasy 1-2-3, A-B-C, for this prayer is also a matter of the heart. Once the heart (and the will) is (are) yielded to the Lord Jesus Christ, during the temptation a pause presents itself offering us a moment to choose: Yield to the sin; or yield the Lord Jesus as my Righteousness.

For example, when it comes to lust, if my glance turns into a gaze, then I have yielded to sin. But if my glance turns my eyes away (and my mind), then I have yielded to Righteousness—and all this by the power of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Holy Spirit.

So in dealing with the issues of the heart, I must allow the Heart-Transformer to do His work. I am, indeed, a co-laborer, but my part is much like the farmer’s: I merely prepare the soil; the Lord Jesus produces the increase. Have you found this to be so, too?

Main Text— Matthew 5:21-22, 27–28 (ESV)— ²¹ “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; … ²⁷ “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.—Luke 8:15 (NIV84)

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.—Romans 6:12–14 (ESV)

You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love.— Galatians 5:13 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, I yield to Your Holy Presence within me. Please Your Father in me that I may be a pleasing child of His. In Your Holy Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“I Think I Can”

Many of us grew up with the “Little Engine that Could” story, and then we’ve passed it on to our children and to their children. It is a great moral: Don’t give up; Give it your all and you can do it. And for much of life I would agree with this….

…but when it comes to living the Moral Kingdom Code presented by our Master in the Sermon on the Mount, I have a different feeling RE the “little engine that could.”

Perhaps you are morally stronger than I, but I have not been able to keep my heart from burping out, “You fool”—either to the one who just cut me off or to my self for doing something utterly stupid…. Oops, I’m in “liable to the hell of fire” (v. 22 below).

Or how about the rest of the “You have heard that it was said to those of old…, But I say to you’s”? I know our Master is giving us the ideal Kingdom Living Code, but I also think He is noting something far more profound right along with it: “unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20 ESV). I think He is telling us that we cannot achieve this Code on our own, by our own efforts. Wouldn’t you agree?

Wouldn’t you agree that St. Paul echoes this very sentiment in his letter to the Galatians, “I do not misapply God’s grace, for if righteousness comes about by doing what the Law requires, then the Messiah died for nothing” (Gal. 2:21 ISV)?

I know I need Jesus in the beginning of my salvation and at the end, but I also know I need Him in the middle as well. With each step I take in His steps, I need His strength, His Power, to “perform” His Kingdom Code. How else would I make it? I know of no other way. Do you?

Main Text— Matthew 5:21-22 (ESV)— ²¹ You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. If you really knew Me, you would know My Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”—Jn 14:6–7 (NIV84 emphasis added)

For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not murder.” If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.—James 2:10–11 (NIV84)

What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in His death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead.— Philippians 3:8–11 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, when it comes to Your Kingdom Code, I am shaking like a leaf. I pray You are my Prince of Peace. Fulfill Your Holy Kingdom Code in my Life that I might be a pleasing child of Yours. In Your Holy Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“A Desire for Righteousness”

The statement made by Jesus captured in our main text this morning is indeed a shock and awe moment for us. If we are honest with ourselves, the first shock and awe is even if we have a desire to be righteousness. You know, do we desire to live the Life that is pleasing to our Master? Well, we may desire to want to get into heaven, but our culture has been the proverbial frog in the boiling pot to us, and we have dumbed down our passions and desires. We don’t want to stick out too much. Just be medium. Mediocre.

Is this so of you? I can feel the warmth of the water as the other frog legs entangle mine….

But what if I were to tell you “righteousness” is not a thing but a person? The Lord Jesus Himself. He is our Righteousness. Does this change anything? Do passions rise in you to please Him? Love Him more and more each day?

This is my prayer and desire for all of us: that we continue to press hard with a profound passion after our Lord Jesus. Let us spur one another on this Journey. It is only when the Lord Jesus is our Righteousness that indeed we have a superior Righteousness.

Main Text— Matthew 5:20 (NIV84)— ²⁰For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

“The days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land. In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness.”—Jeremiah 23:5–6 (NIV84)

This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.—Roman 3:22–24 (NIV84)

It is because of Him that you are in Christ Jesus, Who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”— 1 Corinthians 1:30–31 (NIV84)

Lord Jesus Christ, swell in me a passion and desire to follow you with a heart that is true. In Your Holy Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“A Badge too Heavy to Bear”

Yes, for years I put in a lot of hours working. And I got a lot done. A lot! I marked my progress by what was accomplished and by my productivity. “For every one hour I put in it’s worth 3 – 4 hours of the average person,” I would boast. Oh, then I’d tag it by noting how many hours I had put it….

This self-issued “Badge of Honor” became a badge too heavy to bear. I was rarely—if ever—home, I was constantly pumping adrenaline (since I don’t do caffeine), and I would have a constant string of maladies. Oh, I would even note that the Lord was trying to slow me down, but “I have a lot to accomplish for the kingdom.”

When I did slow down (some), I felt guilty and lazy. I’m not doing enough for the Lord—as if my production and productivity were His measures of my value.

It wasn’t until this most recent hip surgery I truly and seriously began to look at what the Lord was really showing me: I need to take care of myself with an honest-to-goodness Sabbath’s rest. Huh? Really? “But it’s an issue of stewardship,” I would retort, “isn’t it, Lord?”

Yes, I did preach Sabbath for years; even “practiced” it to some degree. But to actually take some time for my self to physically rest, emotionally discharge and spiritually recharge, well, I still had to move passed this idea of being lazy and stewardship. But in the Lord’s gentle way, He has be ‘nudging’ me to simply do nothing, but focus on His goodness and allow the Holy Spirit to emotionally discharge and spiritually recharge my “system”—along with this literal physical rest. I guess this is what it means when our Master says, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.”

So I’ve been practicing leaving tasks undone. And allowing myself the freedom to have an uncompleted check list. Tomorrow has enough to worry about anyway. How about you? How is your Sabbath’s rest coming?

Main Text— Mark 2:24–28 (NIV84)— ²⁴The Pharisees said to [Jesus], “Look, why are they doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath?” ²⁵ He answered, “Have you never read what David did when he and his companions were hungry and in need? ²⁶ In the days of Abiathar the high priest, he entered the house of God and ate the consecrated bread, which is lawful only for priests to eat. And he also gave some to his companions.” ²⁷ Then He said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. ²⁸ So the Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath.”

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, so that no one will fall by following their example of disobedience.—Hebrews 4:11 (NIV84)

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.—Matthew 11:28–29 (NIV84)

Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, [Jesus] said to them, “Come with Me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”— Mark 6:31 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, lead me to that quiet place in and with Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. Recharge my soul as I gaze upon the beauty of Your Holiness and Goodness. In Son’ s Holy Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike

“The Grace of Healing Wholeness”

Have you ever received the grace of Healing Wholeness from Jesus? You may not know it if you did, but chances are you are more than aware of this sense of wholeness in healing you have received.

It starts out with a quiet, gentle whisper in your soul: “Do you want to get well?” (The phrase “get well” literally means “made whole.”) At first you think it a strange question because who wouldn’t want to be made well? Then you think of someone you know who is always whining and complaining about their particular sickness or situation, and then you realize that there may be some who would indeed answer, “No”. Surprised as you may be at this though, you know deep in your soul you want to be made whole—put back together. All your fragmented pieces reassembled, as it were.

So you cautiously, but hopefully answer, “Yes!”

In this brief answer, you soon discover that the Healer of your soul is a gentlemen. He will not foist on you His plan, His desires for you. No, He wants you to be willing and available to accept this gift of grace. And grace it is….

So in the power of this healing grace of wholeness you attempt something you have been unable to do. A joy, an exhilaration surges through your whole being. Tears flood your eyes as hope fills your soul: You’ve been made whole.

What words of praise capture this moment for you? I have often found that none do…, but I praise Him anyway. How? By faithfully walking in the Grace of this healing wholeness.

Main Text— John 5:1–5 (ISV)— ¹Later on, there was another festival of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. ² Near the Sheep Gate in Jerusalem is a pool called Bethesda in Hebrew. It has five colonnades, ³and under these a large number of sick people were lying—blind, lame, or paralyzed—waiting for the movement of the water. ⁴ At certain times an angel of the Lord would go down into the pool and stir up the water, and whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was healed of whatever disease he had. ⁵ One particular man was there who had been ill for 38 years. ⁶ When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he had already been there a long time, he asked him, “Do you want to get well?”

Additional Scriptures to Renew Your Thoughts

And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.—1 Corinthians 6:11 (NIV84)

Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.—Romans 5:1–2 (NIV84)

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.— 1 Peter 1:8 (NIV84)

Heavenly Father, no words can capture the praise swelling up in my soul for this grace of healing wholeness. But I pray through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ’s Holy Spirit that my life may be a fragrant offering to You—an acceptable act of praise and adoration. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pastor Mike