Inspired by the Word of God

Healed for a Purpose

Scripture Reading: John 5:1-15

"The man who healed me, told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" John 5:11

I’ll never forget our trip to Haiti.  One afternoon as we entered a dark, abandoned building, the feeling of sickness was palpable.  Lame, diseased, and sick people were all around us lying in filth.  The stench was powerful and so was the feeling of hopelessness.  In the middle of this overwhelming scene something happened that would change me deeply.  My cousin Lisa quickly moved toward a woman who was lying in a fetal position, covered in filth and looked close to death.  Before I knew what was happening, Lisa was on the floor right next to her.  Without fear of disease, and full of the love of Christ, Lisa curled up right next to the woman, and pressed herself close.  As she calmly laid there next to the woman and embraced her, tears filled my eyes.  They still do today as I remember that moment.  I was blown away by her simple act of selfless love.  I thought I knew what ministry was, but in that moment I witnessed a ministry of profound magnitude. No words or medicine would give that sick woman more hope than Lisa’s fearless, pure, loving embrace. 

Jesus gives us the example for this kind of ministry.  When he went to Jerusalem, he didn’t first seek out places of comfort.  He went to the pool of Bethesda where he knew he would find the sick and diseased.  Jesus moved toward the needy, toward the brokenhearted, toward the suffering.  It is not in our nature to move toward sickness and suffering, in fact we usually do everything we can to avoid it.  We stay away from people who bring us down or might put us in danger.   But Jesus Christ seeks out those in need (Luke 19:10). Jesus cares about our suffering.

Some of us can relate to the man Jesus healed at the pool of Bethesda.  Before our lives were forever changed by Jesus Christ, before he ever told us to ‘pick up our mat and walk’, we were unable to help ourselves to get better.  We had become spiritually paralyzed and emotionally indifferent thinking that things would probably never change.  After 38 years, this man must have felt hopeless, with hardly any faith left, and numb to feelings of pain or sorrow.  In a strange way, he had become comfortable with his misery.  In his mind, there was only one solution, get into the water when it’s stirred, but that wasn’t happening.  Like him, we didn’t know the power of Jesus!  We didn’t know there was someone so compassionate he would intentionally seek us out. We didn’t know there was someone so powerful he could heal us instantly!

When Jesus heals us, he heals us for a purpose.  It’s not just so we can get relief from pain and our desperate condition, He calls us to do something with our lives.  He told the man to, “Stand, pick up your mat and walk” (v8).  When God heals you, it’s time to pick up the pieces of your life and start moving forward.  Second, when we are healed, Jesus calls us to holiness.  He told the man in verse 14 to ‘stop sinning’.  Jesus not only wants us to do something with our lives, he wants us to be a different person on the inside.  (Romans 6:19)  Our healing, whether it’s physical, emotional, or spiritual is seldom the way we imagine it.  For some, their healing is in heaven.  One thing is for sure, we are healed to serve others who also need healing, and in doing so, will bring glory to Jesus Christ.

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© 2009 David Soper, Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture from New Living Translation

Real Worship

Scripture Reading: John 4:16-30

“God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4:24

The Samaritan woman asked Jesus a simple, but loaded question.  Where is the true place to worship God?  Everyone there was probably expecting the predictable answer that any Jewish teacher would give, Jerusalem.  Instead, Jesus shocked both her and the disciples with a radical new teaching.  Real worship will no longer be about a particular location, formula, style, or ritual.  The temple of God will be the heart of the believer and true worshippers will worship God anywhere at anytime.  All that God requires is that we worship Him “in spirit and in truth”.   So, what does it mean for us to worship in spirit and in truth?

To worship in spirit means that we worship from deep inside us, from our spirit to the Holy Spirit.  It is much more than a mental acknowledgment that God is great and worthy of praise.  No matter where we are physically, we can literally be in the presence of God.  We don’t need to be in a special place to worship God.  To worship God in Spirit is to make a connection between our heart and the heart of the Father.  When we worship in Spirit, we communicate a personal message to God’s Spirit.  That’s why singing is such a powerful vehicle for worship to our God.  When we sing worship to God, it comes from deep within us and becomes a prayer of praise and thanksgiving (Psalm 86:12-13) directly from our spirit to the Spirit of God. 

True worshippers also worship God in truth.  To worship in truth is to be honest with who we are and who God is.  To worship in truth begins with the realization that He is God and we are not.  When we worship in truth, we readily admit our failings and our sins.  We readily acknowledge God’s blessings in our life, even when we don’t feel blessed.  To worship in truth is also to worship according to the truth.  This is why Bible based, Christ centered preaching is part of our worship.  When we say Amen to the truth of God’s word, it is worship.  In fact, anything in our life can be an act of worship.  Whenever we focus our hearts and minds on the greatness, holiness, goodness, and supremacy of God, it is worship. 

Recently, I visited a church that is well known for creating worship music that is sung by Christians all over the world.  It was an amazing experience and I was led into the presence of God in a very real and powerful way.  What made it great worship?  Was it the beauty of the music and the strength of lyrics?  Was it the excellence of the musicians and the quality of the production?  Those are all good things, and they help point us to God and create an environment for worship.  However, we can experience the greatest worship service ever and not actually worship God.  Real worship comes from within us, it flows from our hearts.

The Samaritan women was hung up on where to worship, but we have other hang ups that keep us from real worship.  The music is too loud, the songs are too fast, the preaching isn’t deep enough, whatever… you fill in the blank.  Real worship looks beyond those things.  Real worship changes us.  When we enter into the presence of a Holy God, our hang-ups disappear in the glory of God.  God is looking for true worshippers, people who will worship Him in spirit and in truth!

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© 2009 David Soper, Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture from New Living Translation

Living Faith

Scripture Reading: John 4:43-54

Then Jesus told him, Go back home.  Your son will live!"  And the man believed what Jesus said and started home. John 4:50

This man is no different than most of us.  When we have pain in our lives, we want God to fix it.  Lord, I’m sick, please heal me, I’m lonely, please bring me a friend, I’m out of work, please give me a job, I’m lost, please give me direction.  We even know how God should fix it, so we make sure to tell him.  This man figured that if Jesus would only come to see his dying son, he might have a chance to live.  Instead, Jesus replied by asking him to take a step of faith and return home with only the promise that his son would live.  The man had pleaded for Jesus to come to Capernaum, but God doesn’t always answer our prayers exactly the way we think He should.

This father couldn’t see it initially, but from Jesus’ point of view there was more going on here than just the healing of his son, there was the salvation of the entire family. When we are in a desperate situation, we are usually so consumed with relieving the pain, that we can’t see anything else.  But God may have something more in mind, something actually much more important in the big picture.  The question is, are we open to having God change us, and those around us, as part of the solution to the pain?  We may have faith that Jesus is powerful enough to fix our immediate problem, but do we trust Him enough to take a step of courageous obedience as part of the process?  Do we have faith that goes beyond just believing that Jesus can fix our problems?  Do we have a faith deep enough to let go and actually do what Jesus says before we see our prayer answered?

We think it will be easy to trust God at His word, but we struggle with it.  It must have been tough for that man to go back home without Jesus.  Even when we know what we’re supposed to do, it’s hard to take that step.  In fact, it may the most difficult thing you’ve ever done, but God will not let you down if you obey Him!  It seems like whenever we’re about to have a breakthrough, Satan will throw all kinds of things in our path.  Fears and doubts will try to conspire against you.  Even friends and family may tell you it doesn’t make sense.  You may have to deal with sin in your own life, possibly things that have been a stronghold for years.  We want God to make everything better, but He also wants us to grow through it.  It won’t be easy to do what He asks, but it will be worth it.

Living faith is just as much about doing as is it about believing.  This man believed AND went back home.  When we ask God for help, He may answer by testing our faith first.  Not to make us jump through hoops, but to allow us a chance to see Him work in ways that are far beyond this present painful situation and to deepen our trust and love for Him.  If we will take a step of obedient faith, it will not only change our lives but also those around us.  There is something special that happens when we trust God at His word and act on it.  His grace to us is a gift, we can’t work for it, but our faith filled obedience is a catalyst that creates an ideal environment for God to work.  God wants to do more than just answer our needy prayers, because we don’t even know all we need.  He wants to stretch and grow our faith to the point that we will trust and obey Him with everything.

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© 2009 David Soper, Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture from New Living Translation

Harvest of Souls

Scripture Reading: John 4:31-42

“You know the saying, ‘Four months between planting and harvest.’ But I say, wake up and look around. The fields are already ripe for harvest.” John 4:35

The harvest is ready, and like the disciples, we just need to wake up and look around us.  Recently, my wife bought me a golf ball retriever and it has turned me into a golf ball retrieving maniac.  I can’t look at any pond on the golf course without thinking about all the balls down there just waiting for me to scoop out.  There’s one particular pond that collects a lot of balls, but I can never see them because the light isn’t right or there are ripples on the pond.  Then one morning I went by the pond, there was no wind, the sun was just right, and there they were in plain sight, golf balls galore!  With gusto, I harvested golf balls to my hearts content.  They were there all along, ready to be picked, but I couldn’t see them until the light revealed to me exactly where they were.

There are people all around us who are ready for God.  Not just strangers, but people we know, people in our lives and our sphere of influence.  They are there, but we don’t see the harvest because we are so wrapped up in our own life’s responsibilities that it distorts our spiritual vision.  That’s why Jesus said to the disciples, “Wake up, and look around you!”   Jesus was leading an entire village into the kingdom of heaven, and the disciples were worried about what to have for dinner!  They were going about their lives, taking care of menial tasks, and the harvest was right in front of their eyes, but they just couldn’t see it.

For a farmer, the harvest brings a sense of urgency.  Everything else must wait when it’s time to bring in the crops.  However, we don’t always feel a sense of urgency for men’s souls.  We get lulled into the rhythm of life and have this feeling that if don’t take care of it today, there’s always tomorrow.  All kinds of things will delay us from sharing the gospel and the love of God with people in our lives who are looking for God.  When God arranges a divine appointment for us and lays it on our heart to speak into a person’s life, we must respond in quick obedience.  The bible says to always be ready to share the hope we have in Christ (1 Peter 3:15).  This isn’t a duty, this is a privilege!  God will draw men to Himself with or without us, but He allows us to participate in the process of their salvation.  We can do it with joy because the fruit of our labor is the harvest of souls, people brought to eternal life.  God gives us supernatural wisdom, courage and energy for this.  Like Jesus said, “my nourishment comes from doing the will of God”.  There is nothing more energizing than leading someone to faith in Jesus Christ.

God is calling us to bring in the harvest.  Jesus said, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.” (Matthew 9:37)  He’s not just referring to missionaries and pastors.   This is for all of us.  You may say, “but I’m not an evangelist, I’ve never led anyone to Christ”.  God doesn’t need you to be an evangelist.  He just wants you to listen to His promptings, be sensitive to the opportunities that come your way and be willing to be used.  It may as simple as telling someone that God loves them.  God is orchestrating their salvation, not you.  Your simple action may very well be the catalyst that will ultimately lead them to the Savior, Jesus Christ.

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© 2009 David Soper, Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture from New Living Translation

Serving with Contentment

Scripture Reading: John 3:22-36

“No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven". John 3:27

This verse is one of the most liberating truths in the Christian life and ministry.  We don’t ever have to force ministry.  We can be completely content and satisfied with the way God has wired us and passionate for the assignment that God has given us, because we know that true gifts and calling come from God.  God has uniquely gifted each of us, and positioned each of us in the church and ministry according to His pleasure and for His glory.  When we embrace this, it frees us to serve God in our sweet spot, without the pressure and distraction of all the other things we could be doing.  It helps us to let go of coveting spiritual gifts or positions that others have, because God has blessed each of us in a way that is pleasing to Him.  If we could just get a hold of this truth, we would have much less stress and much more peace and effectiveness in the church.

John’s disciples needed to hear this word, and so do we.  They were jealous and confused when people started going to Jesus for baptism instead of coming to them.  Jesus was in their ministry turf and they didn’t know what to do.  But John, with Godly wisdom, taught his disciples that the only ministry worth having is one that is given by God himself.  God had ordained their ministry, but it was only for a season and a specific purpose.  John was completely content to serve in the role that God had for him and did not try to hang on to the ministry when it’s time was over.

Serving with contentment does not imply lack of boldness, lack of vision, lack of hard work, or lack of passion. Don’t confuse contentment with apathy or laziness.  Godly contentment is a sign of spiritual maturity.  God wants us to work hard and pursue our passions in ministry, but if it becomes clear that it’s not from God, or it’s time is through, or that God is going to use someone else, then we should humbly and gladly accept that it’s over.  God is probably preparing you for something new (Ephesians 3:20).  Contentment gives us a spiritual sensitivity that helps us to realize if we are pushing too hard for certain things to happen that we may think are important, but may not be part of God’s plan at all.

Contentment allows us to be genuinely happy for people when God uses them in ministry  (Romans 12:10).  We don’t need to compare our circumstances or ministry to theirs.  We are simply happy for them and happy that God’s work is getting done.  John said about Jesus, “I am filled with joy at his success. (John 3:29)

There isn’t one of us who hasn’t had to deal with lack of contentment or hard feelings about the success of others in ministry, but jealousy and selfish ambition have no place in the church (James 3:15-16).  It doesn’t matter if you are a nursery attendant or a ministry leader, everyone is susceptible to the trap of jealousy and we are all prone to get ahead of God with our own agenda.   Serving with contentment is a deep trust that God knows what he’s doing and we can wait on him with complete confidence.  It doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t work hard and try new ideas, it simply means that when we do, we must put it in completely in God’s hands.  As John said, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less”. (John 3:30)

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© 2009 David Soper, Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture from New Living Translation

True Believer

Scripture Reading: John 3:1-21

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

I was only 6 years old, but I remember kneeling at my bedside in Ann Arbor, Michigan like it was yesterday and telling Jesus that I believed in Him and asking Him to forgive my sins and be my Savior. All these years later, I still believe. The seed of belief that was planted is still with me and growing stronger. I look back at that and think, even though I was sincere, how could a 6 year old truly believe?

What does it mean to believe in Jesus? This may seem very basic to most Christians, but it is a profoundly important question to answer. Everything is at stake. Jesus is the only way to God and belief in Him is the gateway to eternal life in heaven (John 3:15-16). Belief in Him is the basis for a purpose filled and satisfying life on this earth (John 6:35). Belief in Him is the means by which we are born again to a new life, a spiritual life. Belief in Jesus is the way in which we are saved from sin and hell (John 5:24, Acts 16:31). We can’t get this wrong. Imagine the horror of someone who spends their entire life thinking they are a Christian only to hear Jesus say, “I never knew you” (Matthew 7:21-23).

To believe in Jesus is to accept what the bible says about Him as true, genuine, and real. However, this is just the start. To believe in Jesus is more than believing facts about Jesus. We can go to church all our lives, believe in the historical Jesus, believe that Jesus is God’s Son, believe that he performed miraculous signs, even believe that he rose from the dead and still not believe IN Him. “You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror.” (James 2:19) To believe in Jesus is to trust Him as Friend, Savior, and Lord. If we say we believe in someone, we affirm our confidence in that persons character, in their reliability, in their authenticity, and their integrity. To believe in Jesus is to affirm our confidence in Him, to affirm that everything He has said is true, to believe that He will help us, to believe He will bring healing, to believe that what He wants for our lives is what is best for us.

No one, except you and God, knows for sure if you truly believe. You may have even prayed the “Sinners Prayer” to receive Christ at some point in your life, but unless you really believe, they are at best empty words, and at worst false hope. It is possible to honor God with your words even when your heart is far from Him. (Matthew 15:7-9) Belief in Jesus is a matter of the heart and we must examine our hearts and test ourselves to see if our faith is genuine (2 Corinthians 13:5). Even for a true believer there will be times of doubt. It is then we simply cry out, “I do believe, but help me overcome my unbelief!” (Mark 9:23-24).

Christians are called believers for a reason. Belief in Jesus is what makes us a Christian. Belief in Jesus is what leads us to repentance and confession. Belief in Jesus is the condition of our heart that makes a welcome home for the Holy Spirit to live and produce fruit through our lives. Belief pleases Him (Hebrews 11:6). Belief in Jesus is not just the start of the spiritual life, it is the entire journey!

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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God by David Soper. All rights reserved. Scripture from New Living Translation

Consuming Passion

Scripture Reading: John 2:13-25

“Passion for God’s house will consume me.” John 2:17

I’ll never forget a business trip to Wisconsin which happened to fall on the same evening as a Monday Night football game in Green Bay. I was planning to watch the game from the hotel, but as the plane approached the airport, I made the crazy, last minute decision to try somehow to get into the game. As you may know, Packer games are always sold out. When we landed, I became a man on a mission. I ran to the rental car counter, raced to Lambeau Field, bought a scalper’s ticket out the car window (while still moving down the street), immediately found an unlikely, but expensive parking spot at a barber shop directly across the street from the stadium, and then bolted to my seat just in time for the kickoff. The time from the plane landing to landing in my seat was an amazing 15 minutes! Now that’s passion! Anything that brings out that much focus, commitment and energy must be a passion.

Over zealous enthusiasm for our favorite sports team is one thing, but passion for God is on a whole different level. Passion for God flows from the heart of a person that is thankful. Passion for God produces fruit that lasts for eternity. Passion for God demands excellence in everything we do, not because we are trying to impress man, but because we love God. Passion for God gives us joy in our work, even if we don’t enjoy the work itself. Passion for God is the natural expression of someone who has genuinely experienced the grace of God.

Jesus had a consuming passion for the house of God. We think we are passionate for God’s house, but are we? Are we really guardians of the house of God? Passion is so much more than a deep feeling, it is conviction with action. You can’t say you are passionate about the church unless it drives you to do something. (Romans 12:11) Good intentions don’t cut it. Look at all the action verbs in today’s scripture reading. Jesus went, Jesus made, Jesus chased, Jesus drove, Jesus scattered, Jesus turned over, Jesus told. If we truly had passion for the church, we would act like owners instead of hired hands. Our spiritual senses would be on high alert for anything or anyone who would exploit the church or create an opening for the enemy to get in. Passion for the house of God is the heart of Jesus. Jesus said to the church in Laodicea, “… since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” (Revelation 3:15-16)

Passion is not about busyness. (Proverbs 19:2) Busyness in the church is a disease which leads to burnout and resentment. Anyone can fill their time with ministry. Godly passion is passion for the right things. (Romans 10:2) Godly passion is actually the antidote for burnout. It begins when we care deeply about the things which are deeply important to God. The word passion comes from the Latin word which means “to suffer”. When Jesus saw the merchants and money changers at the temple, he was literally suffering inside. How about you? Does your heart suffer with passion for God’s house? Maybe you love God, you know the church is the bride of Christ, but the fire isn’t there. You just don’t feel it, so what do you do? You can’t manufacture passion. Pray. Desperately seek the heart of God through prayer and His Word! Pray for God to light the fire in your heart and He will!

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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God - David Soper. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation

A Sign From God

Scripture Reading: John 2:1-12

This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him. John 2:11

Why did Jesus miraculously transform 150 gallons of water into wine? Was it to teach some deep spiritual truth on the power of transformation? Was it to keep the wedding celebration going? Was it to protect the host from being embarrassed? Maybe, to some degree, but verse 11 says the main point of this miraculous sign was to reveal Jesus’ glory to his disciples so they would believe in Him. It was an unmistakable sign from God. There are people desperately looking for a sign from God. In the movie “Henry Poole is Here”, there is a ongoing dialog between Henry and his neighbors who think a mysterious stain on Henry's house is a miraculous sign from God. Whether or not we agree with the theology of this movie, the “sign” has an amazing impact in their lives. Even people with strong faith need God to show up in their lives. We need a glimpse of God from time to time to shake us up and reinforce our faith.

Years ago, Connie and I attended a play on the story of Genesis, in the theater district of Chicago. Not long into the play, the words “GO TO THE LAND I WILL SHOW YOU” jumped out at me and hung right in front of my eyes as if displayed in neon lights. It really jolted me. Later in the play it happened again when the actor, speaking about Lot’s wife, said “DON’T TURN AND LOOK BACK”. It happened a third time when Abraham said, “THE LORD WILL PROVIDE”. There was no outward miracle for others to see, but for me those words seemed to be a sign from God. I wasn’t sure what it meant, but it was very real, and in fact, it is what opened my heart for God to lead us to where we are today. I wasn’t expecting a sign at the time, but I gladly received it. God knew that I would need divine intervention to prepare me and Connie for all the changes that were about to come into our lives.

What about you? Maybe you are a Christian who rejects the supernatural work of God in your daily life. You rarely ask God to reveal Himself, and discount the times God does show up as mere coincidence or easily explained away. I imagine there were some at the wedding in Cana who never believed a miracle had happened and even wracked their brains trying to figure out how Jesus snuck that wine in there! On the other hand, perhaps you are a Christian who is always looking for a special sign from God. You are so focused on experiencing signs and wonders that you miss the Almighty God Himself! Are you seeking after God or seeking after signs? Don’t forget, one of the greatest signs you’ll ever see is all around you, lives transformed by Christ and the power of God’s Word. Let God be God. He will reveal His glory, in His timing, for His purposes, and in the manner He chooses.

If you are waiting for a sign, don’t wait to do your part. The miracle happened after they obeyed Christ’s command to fill the jars with water. Jesus Christ, who created the entire universe, could have easily commanded the empty jugs to be filled directly with wine. Why did he have people fill the jugs with water first? Perhaps it’s simply the fact that God wants us to take a step of obedience. He wants to see if we are willing to do the simple thing before he will do the miraculous thing.

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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation 2ndEd

Encounter with Jesus

Scripture Reading: John 1:35-51

"Come and see," he said.  John 1:39

Every major step in the Christian journey, especially our first step, begins with the invitation to "come and see". God wants to do something in our life, but doubts, fears, anxiety, questions, and assumptions conspire to keep us from taking that simple step. There's no arm twisting or manipulation, just the straight forward invitation to check things out and see if this is for real. We all have individual personalities, tendencies, and life experiences that shape how we make decisions, even those influenced by the Holy Spirit. That is why God invites you to come and see for yourself. He relates to each of us in a slightly different way, in a way that will connect with us deeply, in a way which is individually tailored by God for each person. This shouldn't be a surprise, He created you, He loves you, and He knows you better than anyone else.

Andrew and John came and saw Jesus as relational. Verse 39 says they remained with him for the rest of the day. In other words, they hung out. They experienced the hospitality and transparency of Jesus. They knew that Jesus was the Lamb of God, the Messiah, but they wanted more than knowledge of who Jesus was, they wanted a relationship with him. They wanted to spend time with him and Jesus offered that.

Simon came and saw Jesus having authority. Simon was a fiery type and a bit of a loose cannon that could run over people. Jesus knew that and wasted no time in demonstrating his divine authority. Jesus looked him intently in the eye and said, "You will be called Peter". I can just hear Peter saying, "uhhhhh,.. Ok". This approach wouldn't work with everyone, but for Peter it not only worked, it became a prophetic word for the church (Matthew 16:18)

Next was Philip. He came and saw Jesus as a leader. Verse 43 says that Jesus found Philip and said, "Follow me". Notice that Jesus found Philip, not the other way around. Jesus had a different approach with Philip and took the initiative to seek him out. Very little is written about Philip in the gospels, so it's easy to imagine him as the strong, silent type. Philip didn't make waves. Perhaps Philip lacked the confidence and initiative to assert himself in following Christ. He needed Christ to initiate, and Philip accepted Christ's invitation.

Nathanael, also known as Bartholomew, came and saw Jesus as the Son of God. Initially, he was not open to the good news about Jesus. He uttered the famously cynical line to Philip, "Can anything good come from Nazareth?" Then Philip, just like Jesus did with Andrew and John, simply said "come and see for yourself". Jesus wasted no time in revealing his divine power to Nathanael, who quickly became a believer. (John 1:48-49)

These first disciples all accepted the invitation to "come and see", yet they were each touched in different ways. Nothing will capture a person's heart like an encounter with Jesus. No amount of philosophical or theological wrangling is going to answer our deepest questions. We are not called to follow an ideology, but to follow Jesus Himself. If you are struggling to share your faith through convincing arguments, invite them to "come and see". If you are resisting your next step with endless rationalization, accept his loving invitation to come and see for yourself.

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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God - David Soper. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation

Recognizing Jesus

Scripture Reading: John 1:29-34

I didn't know He was the one... John 1:33

This morning I walked through the house looking for my wife, Connie. I called out her name and to my surprise, she answered from directly behind me! She had been right there all along, I just didn't know it. Sometimes the very thing we are looking for is right in front of our eyes. John was just a year older than Jesus and they had likely known each other since they were young boys. They were relatives and their mothers were close friends. (Luke 1) Even though John probably knew Jesus all his life, he didn't know He was the Messiah. John's primary calling in life was to reveal the Messiah to Israel. Imagine his shock and surprise when he witnessed the Holy Spirit descend like a dove and rest on Jesus - his own relative! It would seem that after so many years he'd know Jesus pretty well. However, John said, "I did not recognize Him as the Messiah" (v31), "I didn't know he was the one" (v33).

When the Holy Spirit showed John that Jesus was the Christ, John could have said, "Are you kidding me?! I know Jesus - he's a great guy, but... the Messiah?" Instead, when John saw the dove descend on Jesus, he instantly believed God. There was no hesitation or doubt. He looked past any assumptions or questions he had about Jesus, the son of a carpenter. He now recognized Jesus for who He really was, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. He announced, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (v29). Jesus had always been the "Chosen One of God" (v34), but now John knew it. I can almost see John shaking his head and saying to himself, "He was right there all along".

We've all have the same kind of experience. I have often failed to recognize the presence of God in things that are familiar or normal to me. It's so easy to overlook God in day to day life, even though He is always there. The irony is that's where God often wants to reveal himself to us. He cares about the common things in life. The stuff we are going to experience today. As I was getting coffee I watched two sparrows play outside our kitchen window. The Bible says there isn't a single sparrow that falls to the ground without God knowing it. (Matthew 10:29) If He pays attention to each sparrow, then how much more is He concerned about us and what we're doing? We can so get entangled in the daily challenges of work and home that we forget God is there. We focus on finishing tasks and solving problems without talking to God or appreciating the small blessings He gives us. Perhaps we don't recognize His presence in the little things because we think God only shows up for the big things, or the things we perceive as "spiritual".

We tend to look for God in something other than what we're doing now. We think that God will be there in the next job, or the next relationship, or the next ministry, or... you fill in the blank. God has you where you are now for a purpose! He has been right there with you all along, and He is waiting to show Himself and help you blossom where you are planted. In His timing, God may lead you to something or someplace different, but for now He wants you to be faithful and fulfilled with the thing He has already given you to do. He has not left you alone to struggle through it.  The same Jesus who was revealed to John is there for you!

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© 2009 Inspired by the Word of God David Soper. All rights reserved. Scripture New Living Translation