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Will I Serve?

REFERENCE
John 15:15 [ESV] 15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.

John 15:15 [Message] I’m no longer calling you servants because servants don’t understand what their master is thinking and planning. No, I’ve named you friends because I’ve let you in on everything I’ve heard from the Father.

EXPLORATION
When I read this verse, I suppose like most everyone that my first response is a warm fuzzy - Jesus is calling me “friend” - that’s a win on any day.
But upon farther meditation I’m struck by the beginning of the verse; “I’m no longer calling you servants.”
So was there a time when Jesus thought of me as servant? Was I in fact created to do his bidding?
How easy it is to forget that God is God.
How easy to forget that in fact; we are “created” beings, created for his glory and honor.
How marvelous it is to think that He loves me so much that He rather I serve Him because I want to rather than because I have to.

APPLICATION
As “friend” will I choose to serve Him?
The answer won’t be in a verbal response, “YES!”
The answer will be played out in my actions.
The answer will be played out in my reactions.

PRAYER
Father,
This is what Jesus has made known, GOD is Love!
As a friend may I serve you, as I become love to the people you place in my life.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME?

REFERENCE
Genesis 32:26,29 [ESV] Then he said, Let me go, for the day has broken. But Jacob said, I will not let you go unless you bless me. 29 Then Jacob asked him, Please tell me your name. But he said, Why is it that you ask my name? And there he blessed him.

Genesis 32:26,29 [Message] The man said, “Let me go; it’s daybreak.” Jacob said, “I’m not letting you go ’til you bless me.” Jacob asked, “And what’s your name?” The man said, “Why do you want to know my name?” And then, right then and there, he blessed him.

EXPLORATION
This passage of Scripture leaves me with a lot more questions than answers. The questions can be a great distraction, I’m not sure that many of them have answers this side of heaven.
Why did Jacob get up in the middle of the night and move his family.
Why didn’t he go with them?
Who was it that he wrestled with?
If it was God, if it was Jesus, why couldn’t God get the best of him?
Who was Jacob to demand a blessing?
Why did he ask the man his name?
Why did the man bless him?

APPLICATION
Questions I can answer.
When was the last time I got alone with God?
When was the last time I wrestle with God’s word for an extended period of time?
When was the last time I asked for a blessing?
When was the last time I got one?

PRAYER
Father,
Forgive me, for some reason in our culture when it comes to you we have a sense of entitlement that just isn’t ours.
Teach me to spend more time in your Word.
Encourage me to seek my Warrior King and to delight in being challenged by him.
Jacob’s question, “What is your name?” Should always be on my lips and my heart.
May I always seek to know you better and better.

TRUSTING

REFERENCE
Numbers 21:17 [ESV] Then Israel sang this song: Spring up, O well!--Sing to it!--
Numbers 21:17 [Message] That’s where Israel sang this song: Erupt, Well! Sing the Song of the Well

EXPLORATION
The people of Israel had a very fickle faith. One minute cursing God, the next crying to him. I remember a story of an orphanage in Mexico where a lady of great faith and strong persuasion was building a school for the children. She had acquired the land, had buildings built and had a well dug. On the day of the grand opening of the school when lots of people that had invested in the school or hopefully would invest in the school were to come visit the well ran dry. Pastors and missionaries, locals and laborers all stood around it, wondering what to do and praying that God would intervene. There was no way to get a drill rig in there and re-drill in time for the grand opening. This lady that had made this orphanage her life work had been busy making lunch and was unaware of the problem until lunchtime came and very few people were around to eat it. She was informed about the problem and left the kitchen and headed to the well where people where gathered looking at this dried up well and praying that God would intervene. When she got to the well she looked down into the hole and then she looked to heaven. She pointed a finger to heaven, and yelled pointing her finger to the well. “DO YOU SEE THIS? DO YOU SEE THIS?” and then turned to everyone standing around and said, “come and have lunch.”
Before people arrived for the grand opening, water arrived at the well.

APPLICATION
We can curse Him or call upon Him.
What are you going to do today?

PRAYER
Father,
Give me that faith, a faith that trust you for what I can not accomplish.
I faith that can walk away from a problem and leave it to you.
I faith that let’s God be God all the time.

ENDURING

REFERENCE
2 Tim 2:10 [ESV] Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
2 Tim 2:10 [Message] That’s why I stick it out here—so that everyone God calls will get in on the salvation of Christ in all its glory.
2 Tim 2:10 [NLT] So I am willing to endure anything if it will bring salvation and eternal glory in Christ Jesus to those God has chosen.

EXPLORATION
In this chapter of 2 Timothy, Paul exhorts Timothy to be a “good solider”. He exhorts him to follow his example, and to endure everything, to endure anything, that will in return lead God’s chosen to God.
This Memorial Day we stop to remember those who gave their all for their country.
This Memorial Day may God challenge each of us to make a renewed commitment to give our all for Christ

APPLICATION
There is still a fight to fight.
There is still battles to be won.
Who would Christ call us to fight with?
What would Christ call us to fight for?
Where would Christ call us to fight?
When would Christ call us to fight?
How would Christ call us to fight?
What are we willing to endure for the sake of the gospel?

PRAYER
Father,
Thank you for for those that have gone before us.
Show me who you have called to join me; to endure anything, to endure everything - that those you have chosen would come to know you.
Bring salvation, to us.
Bring salvation, through us.
Bring salvation, for your eternal glory.
Be praise.
Be honored.
Be gloried.
As this day we remember Him who gave His all, for all.
Amen.

GOD'S TIMING

REFERENCE
Genesis 21:2 [ESV] And Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age at the time of which God had spoken to him.
Genesis 21:2 [Message] Sarah became pregnant and gave Abraham a son in his old age, and at the very time God had set.

EXPLORATION
This verse represents the beginning of a kept promise. The promise was that through Abraham God would raise up a nation. The thought to grasp, the action to take hold of; is that the promise is being kept in God’s timing.

APPLICATION
It’s Sunday morning and it’s the beginning of the third day that I’ve spent with men from KCC on a retreat. It’s the beginning of a new chapter in the life of men’s ministry at KCC. Perhaps it’s the beginning of a new chapter in the lives of some of the men. But the greater significance is that it is God’s timing.

PRAYER
Father,
As you bore to Abraham & Sarah their son Isaac, who’s very name means “he laughs” in your timing - may you also in your timing give to each of us - Isaac’s Itch - a longing that just has to be met - in your timing.

TESTING

REFERENCE
Ps. 107:19,28 [Message] Then you called out to God in your desperate condition; he got you out in the nick of time.
Ps. 107:19,28 [ESV] Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and he delivered them from their distress.
Ps. 107:19,28 [NASB] Then they cried out to the Lord in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses.

EXPLORATION
Sometimes we hear a greater lesson from what the Bible doesn’t say, than we do from what it says. The Bible doesn’t say, “then they cried out from their trouble and He delivered them from their trouble. They still had their trouble, or the consequences of their trouble, they just weren’t distressed about it.

APPLICATION
“WHEN” / “THEN” - “When the trouble comes - “then” - call / cry to the Lord.
James 1:2-4 [ESV] Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
STEADFASTNESS is the lack of stress, not the lack of a test.

PRAYER
Father,
This morning I awoke on a porch deck at a cabin high in the Sierra’s where men from our church have gathered for a retreat. This morning the “when” seems distant to me, although perhaps not for all of us. But my prayer is “when” my troubles come - my testing - “then” - SHOW UP! and make me perfect and complete.