JERICHO from Rob McLellan on Vimeo.

So on to Rahab, the main character of the story.  It’s pretty amazing to see how God uses a person of ill repute, and calls them out as a great person of faith.  We see this a lot with our Lord.  He calls out the people that we would consider trash, or sinful, and creates a wonderful story of redemption, forgiveness and triumph.  From the bible, in 5 seconds, I can think, of the women at the well, Zacchaeus, Moses, and Paul, to name just a few.

That’s pretty good for us to know, on two accounts.  First, there is always hope for us.  God loves to offer forgiveness!  And Second, we should let God do the judging of people, and we should look for ways to lift all people up – no matter what we think about them.

We love, love love the first!  We like the second… on paper. But not as much in practice.  Today, think about that a little.  Think about how you are treating those around you and put the second idea into practice.  You may be amazed to see what a little bit of faith and action can do.

²⁴ You see that a person is considered righteous by what they do and not by faith alone. ²⁵ In the same way, was not even Rahab the prostitute considered righteous for what she did when she gave lodging to the spies and sent them off in a different direction? ²⁶As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead. James 2:24-26 New International Version (NIV)

It’s good to be right on top of a few days of away from the grind of work, but there’s still one more day at the ol’ mill before we can “let the good times roll”.

But what’s so great about having a day between us and the weekend is we have another day to choose to serve God.  You have another day to so the renewing gifts of the God you serve.

For example check out Ezekiel where he is telling the people of Israel that when they return to him he will restore their hearts.

²⁶ I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. ²⁷ And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.  Ezekiel 36:26-27 (New International Version)

What’s so cool is you can take part in that same gift.  Use today to take advantage of the promise of God.  Draw near to Him, and enjoy the renewing of you mind and spirit.

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹² Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³ You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. ¹⁴ I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, Jeremiah 29:11-14 (New International Version)

I have been frustrated lately by plans.  The ineffectiveness of my plans, the impact of other people’s plans on me and the seemingly lack of control that I might have in the goings on around me.  The toll of daily life can distract you from the fact that God does have a plan for you and he will use you.

Over this past weekend, while I continued to be in a stupor about my plans,  I received an email from a good friend from work.  I had been wondering why he was not on line Friday, as we had some items were where debating and I was searching for him via instant message.  Well, turns out he had had a heart attack on Thursday afternoon, and subsequently underwent major heart surgery on Monday. And then there’s Monday.  On Monday morning, I awoke to the news about a teenager who had a diving accident over the weekend and was potentially paralyzed.  A few hours later I would discover that I knew this family.

WOW, so as this week has continued, I thought about how immediately and urgently their plans had been changed.  Then there’s a third friend in her thirties who had a heart attack last month.  (Ok, it does seem that I am getting old – so and so is sick, so and so broke a hip, etc., I promise this blog will not turn into the gore report)

But seriously, these events were not in their plans – BELIEVE ME!  So how do we rationalize the verse in Jeremiah in fewer than 400 words?  Well, this week I have been trying to realize that God’s plan for us may not be as clear as “Go here and to this for 2 days and then go here and do that for 2 weeks, and then spend a year in this city”.  I think God’s plan for us is worked out in the mundane, normal, drama filled life.  God’s plan for the dude I mentioned yesterday is not nearly what he thought it might be.  God’s plan for the three individual’s above may be a little cloudy at the moment.  The same may go for you and me.  But the cool thing is there is a promise,  if you seek me, I will be found.

Today, let God work in your life, instead of working God into your life.  Give him your heart.

(That’s just less than 500 words, what do you think?)

My topic is one faith (Ephesians 4) and since the topic is so broad, I am not sure whether to talk about mustard seeds, martyrs, righteousness or forgiveness.  Should I demonstrate a trust fall, or blind fold one of them and have them listen as I walk them through a maze.  Should I talk about the assurance of things hoped for? Should I do an exegesis of Romans!  What do you think?  I would love some ideas!

It’s so difficult because its so complete and big and complex, but at the same time it is so simple and straightforward:

⁸But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.   ⁹Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  Romans 5:7-9

The interesting thing about that is that one of them was just not really excited about this at all and was quite nervous about the proposition.  It was the whole concept of a new endeavor that had him a little worried.  Turns out, or so it seems, he has had a very enjoyable experience. And it was the same for us, this is the first time we had left both boys and gone our own way for YEARS ( maybe FOREVER).

And so it is with our lives.  Ray even referred to it yesterday.  Sometimes, we feel so comfortable in our own place that its hard to leave that comfort zone and experience new things, or even to challenge our selves to grow.  But as Mary Poppins says “a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down” and as our Lord and Savior says ” a mustard seed of faith moves mountains”.

Step out there today.  Whether it is forcing yourself to speak to someone, sharing your faith, expressing your thoughts, experiencing something new, or even ordering something different from the menu!  Or Maybe you need to let go, as Amy and I did, but in a larger sense and put more of the handling of life’s events in the hands of the Lord.  Do it today, step out of your comfort zone and see where you get taken.

⁸Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. ⁹But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. ¹⁰That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.  2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (New International Version)

It has such an overwhelming tone to it.  Sometimes it seems just so hard to find the motivation to get up and get going, to go to work and live the day.  The monotony of it all can feel so extreme.  It’s here that I have found myself over the last few months.  Maybe you are too?  Pained by the everyday, the monotony, the seemingly meaningless nature of the activities of the day.  I find myself disappointed when the day is over, as I know that I have to get up in the morning to do it all again. ARGH.  Its sort of like Toby Mac says in his song Tonight.

We go back, we go forth,
We go back
I’m sick with vertigo
Weary of my ways, my days
My absent flow so
I wanna feel a new day

This has really been heavy on my heart lately and I think, it just should not be that way.  I have been trying to figure out how to combat this, by focusing on the people and the mercies and the little things that are so amazing that are around us everyday.  And I find comfort here in Lamentations:

²¹This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.

²²It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.

²³They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.

²⁴The LORD is my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him.

²⁵The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

²⁶It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:21-26, King James Version)

So, realizing that his mercies are new every morning, I am trying to change my approach to the mundane, and to see the amazing things the Lord is setting before me.  How about you?  Any ideas?

No, not the port-o-let version, the Johns – John, 1 2 and 3 John.  I actually remembered last nights conversation while I was reading a little bit of 1 John this morning looking for some motivation and realizing that I don’t have the same energy that I used to have.  Getting starting this morning after a “school night” concert is proving to be a little more to overcome than I anticipated.  But anyway, back to the John, well, back to 1 John.

⁵Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God. 1 John 5:5

I found this to be motivational today.  Realizing that the victory that overcomes the world is simply our faith! When its boiled down to that it becomes so simple, and yet so motivating.

So, I apologize for the bathroom humor today, I think I am still stuck on Man Day! However,  I hope you can look past that, and find motivation to tackle the day from the awareness of the victory that lies before you!  Also take a look at the whole of 1 John 4 and 5 and see where the leads you today!

⁵⁷But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 15:57

And since today is Daniel Boone Day, I think its even more appropriate.  Just think about Mr. Boone, heading off into the Transylvania wilderness (that is what he wanted to call Kentucky) way before the Interstate Highway System was even a sparkle in someone’s eye.  That took some faith!

So to honor ol’ Daniel,  lets get that good time pioneering feeling going today and step out there on faith.  Don’t be held back by the fear of the unknown, and the thought of what might happen.  But your faith in the creator of the universe to help you and get to it.

^1-2The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. (Hebrews 11:1-2, The Message)

^1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (Hebrews 12:1-2, The Message)

Its Monday in the week leading up to Easter.  Today was the day Jesus cleared out the temple and cursed a unproductive fig tree.  Some may think that he was a little crazy for doing that, and it seems a little odd, however this was a symbolic action tied directly to his acceptance in Jerusalem.  Anyway what is even more interesting is what he says when his followers stand in amazement of the withered tree. ( I mean really, when is the last time you saw someone tell a tree to wither and poof, it withers away?)

²¹Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, if you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, ‘Go, throw yourself into the sea,’ and it will be done. ²²If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.” Matthew 21:21-22 (New International Version)

Right, he says if you have faith and don’t doubt you can tell the mountain to jump into the sea?  Ok,talk about full moon fever.  He also says if you believe it will happen and if you forgive it will be forgiven.  This is a challenging set of statements all the way around.  I often wonder what it takes to have a faith that has no doubt.  I really wonder what that person looks like.  Do you think that we might find that person a little odd – someone with full moon fever?  I dunno, but I really wish I could be that type of person.  And I think that you get there one day at a time.

This was the second time Jesus told his followers about the power of a small amount of faith.  In Matthew 17, he tells them that all you need is faith like a itty bitty little mustand seed and nothing will be impossible for you.   So today I will think about how much he loves us and the events of the coming weekend and mustard seeds, and moving mountains and becoming a mountaineer, and catching full moon fever!  What do you think?

This weekend in my house there were several Mario Kart tournaments.  Andrew was schooling his grandparents in the finer arts of racing, while his grandmother was just figuring out how to turn the Wii Wheel. That didn’t seem to deter her however, as she hung in there, putting around the course in 12th at her own speed, undeterred by the constant heckles of “push 2″, “you need to go faster” and “here comes Andrew to lap you again”.

Then there was that Super Bowl.  Mr. Manning throws an “pick 6″, interception for a touchdown, to lose the game. Disappointing, to say the least. Do you think that makes him any less of a winner?Any less then of one of the greatest players ever to play.

Oh and then there were the commercials.  Disappointing.  But we know, the marketers will be back again next year with another brand of humor and attempts to keep us glued to the set.  (Also, here is the link to the Tebow Ad – what was the big deal?)

And then there is us.  We continue to battle and fight and race.  Sometimes we lose ( read sin), sometimes we throw an INT ( that’s interception for you non football fans out there, also read mistake), sometimes our words just don’t have the impact they are meant to have.  Does that make us a failure? Does that diminish who we are in God’s eyes?  Even though we think it does, it doesn’t.  He love is unfailing and our hope keeps us going:

Hebrews 10:23-24 (New International Version)

²³Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. ²⁴And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

And we keep on fighting.

Hebrews 10:39 (New International Version)

³⁹But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

Don’t shrink back, even in the the face of mistakes – keep on fighting.