Month: November 2009 (Page 2 of 3)

Devotions from Jan Johnson’s book, “Invitation to the Jesus Life”
Jesus asks us to do the reverse of what society urges of us… to stop thinking about self and taste the self-giving love of God.

Jesus didn’t focus his life on getting his needs met and didn’t push himself forward or look for glory. Emptying of self was Jesus’ way.

We tend to live in a state of self-absorption, we want what we want when we want it. It’s all about power and possessions.

Instead we need to release the desire to have things our way and be open  to how God wants to lead us and give to us.

“If we die to self-absorption, the best in us will emerge.”  Death to self leads to real life.

Not focusing on self gives us time and strength to pay attention to what’s really important.
More on this tomorrow on what death to self looks like.

Devotions from Jan Johnson’s book, Invitation to the Jesus Life

Jesus was not one to toot his own horn, sing his own praises or work at making an impression. He was not boastful, proud or self –seeking.  At times he spoke of the kingdom of God as small and hidden. Unlike power in the world, God’s kingdom power is not locked up in important positions or roles.( Like so many who try to look super good  on a resume.)

  The hidden Jesus still shows up today and we may be surprised. We must be alert or we will miss Him. C.S. Lewis said that “the world is crowded with God. He walks everywhere incognito.” Working in hiddenness, God’s power shows up in people and places we consider insignificant. 
“God receives greater glory through quiet displays of divine power than through superficial showmanship.”

God’s hiddenness invites us to decide if we want God for God’s own self-or if we simply want a secure future in eternity and abundant life now.

He is available for all who really want Him.   Part of the way we seek God with all our heart is to arrange our life in such a way that we are connecting with God as many minutes of the day as possible. May we learn to watch for God’s hiddeness in this day.
Have a great day and may you be surprised by the Lord.

Devotions from Jan Johnson’s book, Invitation to the Jesus Life

We are all teachers. If anyone has ever learned anything from us, then we are a teacher.

Jesus delivered content, but He spent even more time teaching by interacting with people in every day situations. He gave them plenty of latitude, asked questions that made them think and presented truth in creative ways that woke them up.  He taught with authority and authenticity.
“Teaching involves delivering content, but it also means letting people watch how you live and ask you question about why you do what you do.

Jesus trained his followers as they ate together, traveled together, and in everything they did.

He interacted with individuals according to their needs enlarging their faith in the precise way they needed rather than using a canned, one-size-fits-al approach.
He gave the breathing room to make mistakes.

Jesus purpose in asking questions was not to outsmart others but to help them follow truth logically and clearly. He wanted them to gain insight and understanding and to enlarge their faith.

Truth is more meaningful and easily remembered when we discover it ourselves.
The question for us is: “Am I willing to let Jesus be my teacher?” 

We might also ask who have been our teachers about life?  Did they do this relationally or in the classroom? How well did they resemble Jesus?

Devotions from Jan Johnson’s book, Invitation to the Jesus Life

Do you know what the most frequent command in the Bible is?  Fear Not! Don’t be afraid!
Don’t be afraid speaks to our anxiety that drives much of our waywardness. When we’re afraid, we often use anger to protect ourselves. In fear we may try to manage others.  We may deceive others to get our needs met because we don’t trust God to meet our needs.
Part of what Jesus did routinely was to help people move from a place of fear to trust.  This a journey each of us takes every day. Will I trust Jesus today with this task that’s too big for me?
As we grow in Christlikeness, we let go of fear and learn to trust Him.

Jesus never refused anyone’s invitation of hospitality, even when it meant going to the house of his enemy. He was not intimidated but peaceful.

He can overpower our fear and chaos and quiet us with His peace, like HE quieted the storm.

We can offer the prayer of Eph 3:16-21 in which we ask him (1) to strengthen us with power through the Spirit in our inner being; (2). To give us power to grasp His love and (3) to help us acknowledge that because God’s power works in us, God is able to do more than we can ask or imagine.

I memorized Ps. 27 some time ago and it is a great one for facing our fears.  Example “though_____encamp against me, my heart will not fear; though_____rise up against me, yet I will be confident”

Devotions from Jan Johnson’s book, “Invitation  to the Jesus Life”
 When Jesus got up every morning, He knew why He was here…to reveal God, to demonstrate how to live interactively with God, and to pass on this love to others. He didn’t concern himself with being accepted or applauded in speaking.  He was secure in his identity.

When we examine our intentionality or lack of it, we might ask ourselves the question, “What is it you want?”  When James and John and their mother came to Jesus and asked for places of honor, that is the question Jesus asked them. (Matt. 20:20-28)  He also asked them , “Can you drink the cup I am going to drink?”

Without realizing it, our soul, which is almost totally beyond conscious awareness, is running our life according to our true wants.  This shows up in our behaviors on which we spend most of our time and effort every day; the thoughts to which our minds drift; the things on which we spend our money etc.

It is a good thing to ask God to reveal to us in prayer what our real wants are. Then we have a place to start because we know what truly governs our life. What do we hope to accomplish and how can I further God’s purposes. What do we want people to remember most about us? 

Can we drink the cup ( of sacrifice) that Jesus drank. To do so would mean giving up normal self-focused desires–reputation, having my way, being entertained.
We may need to set aside even good things so that we can know God better and follow Jesus.
Solitude is important so we don’t get sidetracked by peoples’ demands.  Practice reflection so we can hear our real thoughts and know what we really want.

He wants our hearts and to join Him in the circle of love, joy and peace.

Devotions from Jan Johnson’s book, Invitation to the Jesus Life

Luke 6:45  “For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.” Are we often surprised at what comes out of our mouth that seems to have bubbled up from nowhere?  But the mouth can respond only according to what has been cultivated in our hearts…the thoughts, feelings and intentions. Spur of the moment anger comes from the reservoir within us of contempt. Contempt is studied anger that shows itself in sarcasm, name-calling, forceful speech, cynicism, playing the victim etc. You get the picture. Though we may not speak it, it shows through our facial expressions, gestures and tone.

Contempt was not in Jesus because He trusted God and lived within that life of God. He spoke the truth in love without contempt.

Speaking the truth without love does more harm than good because people tune us out.

To speak the truth without contempt means that I show respect for people.  Contempt-free truth is spoken without moral superiority or exaggerated opinions about ourselves, without boasting or presuming to know the entire situation.

God’s truth can be spoken with discernment but never in condemnation. That takes thought, prayer and practice.

“Cultivating a heart that trusts God with people we might otherwise have contempt for transforms the soul.

Devotions from Jan Johnson’s book, “Invitation to the Jesus Life”

Was Jesus ever angry?  Jesus style of anger was not mean, but drenched with compassion.  His’ way involved loving people by focusing what was best for them. He wanted to restore their souls.

Even when he was scolding the Pharisees, he was after their pride in wanting to be applauded, their willingness to show off with religious duties, and their hypocrisy but missing the big picture of who God is: justice, mercy, and faithfulness.  He mourned the harm that their anger did to their own souls.
Our way of being angry with people does not usually involve having a heart that focuses on loving them. Many people bury their anger, or pretend it’s not there or vent their anger on others. . But we need to process our anger in God’s presence and see what He says to us. We can ask Him to give us a focused heart-wanting what is best for the person we are angry with. We can ask Him for a clean heart-one that refuses to be bitter or mean or defensive. We can ask God for a compassionate heart-mourning the harm this person is doing to self.

As we process our anger in God’ company, the central issue is usually needing to trust God more. Anger seems necessary only when we’re not sure God will help us.

Devotions from Jan Johnson’s book, “Invitation to the Jesus Life”

We read so often that Jesus was moved with compassion and even His miracles flowed from His love and compassion.  He was never harsh, hardhearted, remote, cold, distant, calloused, or without pity. He was attentive to the hardships of others and was often interrupted by other’s needs.  He was a person of both prayer and action, who could be continually mindful of God and yet be fully present with people as an attentive empathetic healer.

May we avoid slipping into complacency and have that same blend as we pray for others, to be moved also into action.   He wants to teach us to respond to each nudge of compassion with merciful action.

“Being present and attentive to those in crisis is part of how we colabor with God as a light in the darkness.”

We can love only because He first loves us. So as we connect with God and receive His compassion, we will hear the cries of others needing His love and be guided into prayer and action.