The Right Place
Jesus had just fed 5,000 men
(the total crowd was probably close to 15,000
if women and children had been counted).
He told His disciples to go ahead and cross the sea because He
wanted some time alone with Father God to pray.
At evening, the disciples climbed inside their boat and began the
journey. But you know what happened, don’t you? A violent storm
came out of nowhere and water began filling their boat.
(See the full story in John 6.)
The disciples saw Jesus walking on top of the waves toward them.
He calmed the sea, the waves died down.
“Then they were eager to let him in the boat, and immediately they
arrived at their destination!” (John 6:21 NLT)
He climbed inside the boat,
and immediately
they were where they were supposed to be!
Just. Like. That.
Once Jesus is aboard, they’re where they are supposed to be.
They’re at the other side of the Sea of Galilee.
It’s a supernatural event.
Actually, there are LOTS of supernatural events in this chapter:
The multiplying of bread and fish . . .
Ceasing the storm . . .
Water that was sinking a boat, suddenly gone . . .
Immediately being on the other side of the sea
without having to row or paddle to get there . . .
Here’s what I’m learning from this story:
Wherever Jesus is, is where I want to be!
I know I’m safer with Him in the midst of a storm
than I am even in calm water by myself.
Do you ask Jesus to go where you go?
Or are you seeking to be wherever He is?
I want to be in His presence.
Walking with Him.
Sitting with Him.
Even in the midst of a storm with Him.
As long as He’s there, I want to be by His side.
What would happen if we quit asking Jesus
to tag along with us—
and instead began living where He is?
Thoughts?
Liar! (Conclusion of a seven-part series)
In John’s short five-chapter book of 1 John,
he describes six types of liars. We’ve already
looked at five. Let’s take a peek at the last one:
#6: People who deny Jesus is the Christ;
the Messiah;
God Incarnate.
“Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ.
Such a person is the antichrist—
denying the Father and the Son”
(1 John 2:22 NIV).
This is the biggest lie of all!
And it’s so prevalent today.
A good example is global religion.
You’ve heard this: “Let’s all believe the same.
We’re all serving the same God, right?
Allah, Buddah, the Light, Jesus.
Don’t all paths go to heaven?
And who goes to heaven?
In the end doesn’t everyone?”
This is false teaching.
It’s a perverted gospel.
There is one way to heaven and one way only:
“I am the way and the truth and the life.
No one comes to the Father except through me
(John 14:6 NIV).
Any other way to heaven actually leads to hell.
And yes, hell actually exists.
Satan doesn’t want you to believe that,
so he has worked overtime to make people think
hell isn’t what the Bible says it is.
We’ve looked at six types of liars the apostle John warns us about.
I don’t want to be a liar.
I don’t think you do, either.
I want to know the Truth, walk in the Truth and live Truth
in every area of my life.
Is that your heart’s desire?
I love this quote: “All the water in the world, no matter how hard
it tries, can never sink a ship unless it gets inside.
All the evil influence of the world, no matter how hard it tries,
can never sink a Christian’s soul unless it gets inside.”
The greatest battle we’ll ever fight is within.
In our mind and in our heart is where the battle is either won or lost:
“For as he thinks in his heart, so is he”
(Proverbs 23:7 NKJV).
You may have the lies of the world inside you.
Maybe you’re battling the world’s lies in your mind.
Or perhaps your heart has been struggling with lies.
Let’s commit to absolute Truth.
Let’s live—through the power of the Holy Spirit—as Jesus lived.
Would you commit to living a “no-lies” life?
Would you like to renew your heart to His Truth?
Let’s dedicate ourselves being Truthful warriors of God.
Will you join me in living the Truth?
There’s a really old hymn called “I Would Be True” that says this:
I would be true, for there are those who trust me;
I would be pure, for there are those who care;
I would be strong, for there is much to suffer;
I would be brave, for there is much to dare.
Thoughts?
I’ll be speaking in Torrance, CA this weekend.
Please pray for God to move in a powerful way.
Liar! (Part 6)
In John’s short five-chapter book of 1 John,
he describes six types of liars. We’ve already
looked at four. Let’s take a peek at the next one:
#5: People who say they love God but really love the world.
“Stop loving this evil world and all that it offers you,
for when you love these things you show that you
do not really love God”
(1 John 2:15 LB).
This means: Choose not to love this world—
or even the mindset of the world.
Don’t value what the world values.
It’s easy to watch celebrity shows and read
about their lives in magazines and start to
place value on the things they cherish: homes,
jewelry, affluence.
But God doesn’t want us to value the things
of the world. They’re only temporary.
Instead, He wants our focus on Him.
Let’s value the eternal.
There’s only room for one master in our lives.
“No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one
and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one
and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money”
(Matthew 6:24 NIV).
Let’s ask God to reveal to us anything that has become
more important than it should be. This is how we keep
our priorities in check.
There’s a difference in enjoying our home, our car, and
the things God has blessed us with—and in loving them
to the point that we cherish them more than we should.
If we claim to love God but actually love the things of the world,
the apostle John says we’re lying.
Thoughts?
I’m speaking in Paris, PA this weekend.
Please ask the Holy Spirit to anoint me
in a fresh and powerful way.