Witness

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, “I am not the Messiah.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the prophet?” He answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said. Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Why then are you baptizing if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water. Among you stands one whom you do not know, the one who is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandal.” This took place in Bethany across the Jordan where John was baptizing. (John 1:6-8, 19-28, NRSV)

John was sent to testify to the Light. He was sent to witness to Christ!

We are also sent to witness to Christ.

We are the light of the earth and the salt to season the world with!

We are to shatter the darkness and bring His love to all.

We are to shine!

But we have to shine like John did, by not shining himself, but getting out-of-the-way and letting Jesus shine through him.

Don’t shine so others see you. Shine so that through your life and actions others see Christ and are drawn to Him!

Path

Hear, O LORD, when I cry aloud, be gracious to me and answer me! “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!” Your face, LORD, do I seek. Do not hide your face from me. Do not turn your servant away in anger, you who have been my help. Do not cast me off, do not forsake me, O God of my salvation! If my father and mother forsake me, the LORD will take me up. Teach me your way, O LORD, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD! (Psalm 27:7-14, NRSV)

Come to my rescue Lord!

When I go astray and wonder down paths that I should not be on, hear me and come to my rescue!

My heart tells me to seek after the Lord, but my flesh leads me to other places.

My desire to get everyone I love the best gift possibly regardless of what it does to my bank account, help me to not seek the admiration of others, but to seek you.

Lead me on your straight path, so my life can be filled with your joy!

PBPWMGINFWMY

I am grateful to Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because he judged me faithful and appointed me to his service, even though I was formerly a blasphemer, a perse141212cutor, and a man of violence. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is sure and worthy of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the foremost. But for that very reason I received mercy, so that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display the utmost patience, making me an example to those who would come to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:12-17, NRSV)

Have you ever just been annoyed by someone by the way they act?

And they just don’t get it do they?

Sometimes you just want to do unspeakable things to them…

Well step back for a moment and think about how God must look at your actions and wonder when you are ever going to get it.

Paul is atrributed with writting this letter to Timothy and here he calls himself the foremost sinner. And yet God still had mercy on him. God worked in him and brought him around.

And that my friends is good news, because God is always at work in all of us.

So as we encounter those who strain our nerves, we must remember how we strain the nerves of God. And as we are patient with others and ask others to be patient with us, we can all remember the thing I learned on internship, that we can all claim the name “PBPWMGINFWMY”.

Please
Be
Patient
With
Me
God
Is
Not
Finished
With
Me
Yet

Count

Lord, you have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God. You turn us back to dust, and say, “Turn back, you mortals.” For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past, or like a watch in the night. You sweep them away; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning; in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. For we are consumed by your anger; by your wrath we are overwhelmed. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your countenance. For all our days pass away under your wrath; our years come to an end like a sigh. The days of our life are seventy years, or perhaps eighty, if we are strong; even then their span is only toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger? Your wrath is as great as the fear that is due you. So teach us to count our days that we may gain a wise heart. (Psalm 90:1-12, NRSV)

We are dust and to dust we shall all return!

Our days are numbered. Iron Maiden spoke the one thing we can all rely on “Once you are born you are dying!” We will all die and there is nothing we can do to escape the physical death. Unless of course Jesus comes back before then and the Kingdom of God comes in its fulness.

We will all die.

But this prayer of Moses is one we can all pray. That we would have the wisdom to count each day and the gift that it is, and not worry about our future, for that is secured in Jesus Christ, but to focus our energy on today and make it count for God!

So make this day count. And live your life in service of the Lord!

messenger

In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years. Once when he was serving as priest before God and his section was on duty, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and offer incense. Now at the time of the incense offering, the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1:5-17, NRSV)

Zechariah was chosen by lot to go into the Holy of Holies to light incense at the altar. This was a high honor.

And as he was in there an angel, a messenger appeared to him and told him his prayers have been answered, you will have a son.

You will name him John and he will be filled withe the Holy Spirit.

Now what would you do if this happened?

How do people react to you when you are the messenger?

Yes that’s right, you are a messenger of God.

You take His word to the world. And when you speak of God to the world, do they look at you like you have six heads and 12 hands?

Maybe we should say to the world before we speak of God, what angels seem to say to all they deliver a message to in the Bible, “Do not be afraid…”

Why did the messengers of God say this before their messages?

Maybe because what they were going to say was a bit scary… Or maybe because their appearance was a little scary. In that they looked different, or in that they shouldn’t be where they are.

And as those who take His message to the world, we sometimes look different, and seem out-of-place.

But know as His messenger that He is always with you! So go and boldly share his love and mercy with all!