What to do before U Exit

Powerful!! Lets look at the verses in the Bible that relate to this video

John 13 2-17

 ²The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. ³Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

 ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

 ⁷Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

 ⁸“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
      Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

 ⁹“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

 ¹⁰Jesus answered, “A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” ¹¹For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

 ¹²When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. ¹³“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. ¹⁴Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. ¹⁶I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. ¹⁷Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.

Here itself is the Lesson Jesus taught, this was not just about foot washing, this was about the Savior a teacher and Lord over all, knelt and washed the disciples feet. This is the best example of Humility, but also love. You see in this time these folks pretty much walked everywhere. The feet is one of the dirtiest parts of our bodies, but here is Jesus, willing to wash them.

You see we all need to have this humility in our hearts, and also practice it. We need to remember We are not above God, if our Lord was willing to wash someones feet, then why would we not want to follow this example. We need to use this example, and ensure we treat others with Love, and willing to admit if we have committed a transgression against someone else and ask for forgiveness and work through it.

Keep this video in mind, as this is a prime exmaple of how we should be living.

Ok so now you have watched the video and I know you are thinking “What was the point?”  It is simple These guys were so focused on sharing the Gospel, what they forgot was that thier lives would speak louder. Jesus did his sharing by relationships..

There is a great story in the bible about an impact of a relationship, Let’s look at Luke 19:1-10

¹Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. ²A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. ³He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. ⁴So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.  ⁵When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today.” ⁶So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. ⁷All the people saw this and began to mutter, “He has gone to be the guest of a ‘sinner.’ “ ⁸But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, “Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount.” ⁹Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. ¹⁰For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost.”

This is such a great part of the book of Luke. Picture this, a guy who is short… dangling from a tree…. wanting to see Christ…. Here is Jesus looks at him and tells him. I am coming to your house. Now this is a guy who is a tax collector and has cheated people, but Jesus wanted to spend time with him and build a relationship. Jesus never condemned Zacchaeus but instead loved him right where he was in his life.  God moved in his life because someone took the time to build a relationship and love him.

These verses apply to us too. We need to follow this example and love people right where they are, and through that people will come to know God as the Holy spirit moves in them.

Another great part of scripture is John 4:34 – 38

³⁴“My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work. ³⁵Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest’? I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest. ³⁶Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together. ³⁷Thus the saying ‘One sows and another reaps’ is true. ³⁸I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor.”

Our job is to plant seeds, and sometimes our job will be to sow, but our job is not always to seed, water and sow all at the same time. We must build relationships and as we do this we will have opportunities to share the love and kindness of Christ.

This is such a great video. It really does point out some things. How many of us walk around with baggage from either our past, or the struggles we have. We all do! But like the checkin person said we can check it for free and leave it with them. God is the same way, But first in order to check our baggage we have to first admit the baggage exists.

In the Bible Romans Chaper 12:2

 ¹Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual^[a] act of worship. ²Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

WOW!! What a powerful message. If we submit our selves to God, we will be transformed.  We then can seek his perfect will for our lives. So what does this mean?

Here is what it means, First we all have some things to deal with. We must first confront the issues and seek God’s strength to deal with them, and then begin to deal with them. Many times we as people go to God and pray and ask for healing, or ask for wisdom. But we never take the steps that are needed to get things done. God wants to use our lives as testimonies. But in order for that to happen we must begin moving so God can move in his way.

Second We must be willing to leave the issues once dealt with behind us. God has brought you through it, and now it is time to give it to him and that’s it. Easier said than done… I know but it takes work to be able to do this..

I am not saying things will be all rosy and warm and fuzzy. You will have those moments.. and you will have moments of trials. But in all things we must keep our lives focused on him.

James Chapter 1: 2-6

²Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, ³because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. ⁴Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. ⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. ⁶But when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

You see God is with us and will help us through the trials and testing of our faith and he will provide help to you.

I love What James says further in this chapter ¹²Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.

We must carry on and deal with the issues so we can get rid of the baggage.

So today let’s check our baggage…. after all it is free…… let’s enjoy our flight with God.

This video above is pretty funny, but if we think about it for a moment, how many times in our lives have we shared the love of God with someone, only to have our actions ruin it.

One of the greatest examples we have, is Jesus. If we look at his ministry, Jesus did not beat things into peoples heads, Jesus lived his own teachings. Jesus used such great parables to explain to us what he wanted us to do.  Pounding the gospel into peoples heads actually will chase them away, not bring them close. In todays society we already have too many people standing on their soap box declaring God’s kingdom, and how awesome God is, but yet when they get off that soap box they become somone else.

Our lives are the greatest testimoney we could ever have. If you work to live a life according to God, believe me people will take notice and will begin to ask questions. Let’s live our Faith, and talk about it less.

As we view the video above, although funny, it is actually true. Many times we can give the appearance of being a christian, we have all the “Right things” we have a leather bound bible, King James Version, we have read all the latest christian books, and we listen to all he christian music and can recite all the lyrics by heart, but these things while wonderful do not make a person a Christ Follower. Many times people profess to be Christian, or that they believe in God but they do not even know what it means to be a Christ follower or even have an understanding of a relationship with God.

 If we look to the scriptures in Mark chapter 5 Jesus comes upon a demon possessed man, and here is what it says

 When he saw Jesus from a distance, he ran and fell on his knees in front of him.He shouted at the top of his voice, “What do you want with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? Swear to God that you won’t torture me!” For Jesus had said to him, “Come out of this man, you evil spirit!” Then Jesus asked him, “What is your name?”  ”My name is Legion,” he replied, “for we are many.” And he begged Jesus again and again not to send them out of the area.

 You see even here these demons identified who Jesus is, and they even called him “Son of the most High God” you see these demons believed in Jesus, but yet they are not Christ followers.

 So you ask, “What is a Christ follower?” Simple, it is a person who is spending time learning the examples Jesus gave in his own life, and is following them and working to implement them.  But don’t over complicate this, start simple, here is a good task to start the journey. Today spend 10 minutes reading the bible. Start in the book of Matthew. Every day spend 10 minutes and pick up where you left off. Do that for a week and we will talk in the next part of this series about the simple steps you take to becoming a Christ Follower.

This is another funny video, but I want you to think about something that was said, did you catch when the Christ follower said “It is all integrated” I want you to think about that statement for a moment. Because to be a Christ follower Christ must be integrated into your life. The steps you are taking with reading your bible 10 minutes every day is a critical part of getting him integrated into your life. Lets take a look at some scripture, Please look at Matthew 7:24-27 it says

 24″Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. 26But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

 Jesus was even telling us, that just hearing was not enough, we must work to practice the examples he gave us. If we don’t, then the ways of sin will rule us. this is not a healthy way to live in any sense. It is so important to follow the examples of Christ, so many times we can become consumed with what I like to call the junk.

 Having a Hard drive filled with christian stuff, bible software that is the latest and greatest, a car covered in Christian bumper-stickers, does not make a person a Christ follower. We may look great on the outside, but on the inside thats a whole different story, inside we feel lost, hurt, confused or even angry. But the only way to have Christ in us is to spend the time to know Christ.

 In the last posting I asked you to spend 10 minutes a day reading God’s word. I am very proud of you for committing yourself to doing this. Here is something new I want you to do, as you are reading I want you to write down anything that jumps out at you or sparks your interest. Many times while reading the Bible, God will speak to us in our hearts, and when this happens it helps to write them down. Keep reading and start jotting things down, because In the next lesson, I will explain why it is important to write these things down.

These are great videos, and so true as well. Many times people spend so much time on the illusion of a Christ follower, but on the inside they are hurting, angry, lost, confused. Having that outer appearence is important, but not if the inside does not have the same. Let’s take a look at some scripture Let’s look at Matthew 23:27 -

 27″Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men’s bones and everything unclean.

 Christs heart breaks because he wants to impact you not just on the inside but also on the outside. He wants to completley fill you with him. But take a moment to look at Pslams 19:7-9

 7-9 The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree.

 You see God wants to show you the way, and the directions are in his word.

 But in order to see the directions we have to be willing to do 2 things,

 1 We must spend time in the word of God. This critical

 2 We must be willing to submit ourselves to God.

 This is how simple it really is . Keep spending time in the Word you are doing GREAT!!!