People Have Popularity Contests, Not God! People Care About Positions, Not God! People Care About Appearance, Not God! You Can Be The Most Minor Thing In The Back Looking After The Sheep, All Will Go On Pause Until Your Presence Has Arrived UpFront

 

Proverbs 30:24-28, “Four things are among the SMALLEST on earth, BUT they are extremely wise: Ants as creatures are not strong, BUT they store away their food in the summer. Badgers as creatures are not powerful, BUT they make their homes in the rocks. Locusts do not have a king, BUT they march together in ranks. You can catch lizards in your hand, BUT they are in kings’ palaces.” (CEB)

When my children were kids, my youngest son always loved cartoons! He loved “The Transformers,” and his favorite was Bumblebee! Bumblebee (one of the Transformers' main characters) was SMALL, BUT eager and brave! You see, Bumblebee acts as a messenger and a spy. And due to his small size, he dares to go where others cannot and won’t. He idolizes the more giant Autobots, especially Optimus Prime and Prowl, and strives to be accepted. He is the most energy-efficient and has the best vision of all the Autobots. He can go underwater for reconnaissance and salvage missions. Although physically the weakest Autobot, his stealth more than compensates for this inadequacy. This battle-tested robot was the first Autobot to ally with humans. He is a close ally to Spike Witwicky, often seen as an underdog and not the most giant bot. Yet, he has more courage than any soldier from Cybertron. As the most trusted lieutenant of Optimus Prime, he will do whatever it takes to protect the earth and its’ people.

Yes, he’s SMALL, and he looks for acceptance from his bigger bots; he is often seen as the underdog and has some inadequate moments. BUT he is one of the most effective because what others deem as his disadvantage works for him. Because he’s so SMALL, he can be the messenger who is always on a mission, with the sharpest vision, to go undetected in enemy territory, places where others cannot or won’t go! He’s SMALL, yes, BUT also brave, eager, and stealthy! I love the word “stealth,” it has various definitions, but the one I like most states, “intended not to attract attention.” Some of its synonyms are “behind-the-scenes; unexposed and undercover. Can you imagine if we had believers today who could complete their mission and assignment for God, “behind-the-scenes; privately; in a confidential, unexposed, unadvertised manner that doesn’t need to attract attention to itself?” But that’s Bumblebee; completing the mission is the main thing, not becoming the main thing!

This reminds us of our tiny friends in Proverbs 30:24-28: The first thing that is addressed is their size, “SMALLEST on earth.” And the word “small” is defined as “lacking in strength; minor in influence, power or rank; operating on a limited scale; little or close to zero in an objectively measurable aspect (as quantity); made up of few or little units; of little consequence; limited in degree; and reduced to a humiliating position.” How would you like to be defined and described in such a manner? The truth is, many of us are illustrated and described just like that, by varying people, for varying reasons, and many of those have nothing to do with our height, how people in their opinions view us. Listen to some of its synonyms, “dwarfish; half-pint; little; pint-size; shrimpy; subnormal; toylike; undersized; runtish; runty; stunted; inappreciable; little bitty; microscopic; mini; minuscule; teensy-weensy; meager; poor; scant; scarce; deficient inadequate; insufficient; lacking and wanting.” Well, aren’t we off to a fine start? Doesn’t this make your confidence shoot through the roof? Okay, so maybe not! But it does bring to mind, someone…David. Samuel is sent to anoint the next king, and he comes to Jesse’s boys. Take a listen, “When they arrived, Samuel took one look at Eliab and thought, ‘Here he is! God’s anointed! But God told Samuel, “Looks aren’t everything. Do not be impressed with his looks and stature. I have already eliminated him. God judges persons differently than humans do. People look at the face; God looks into the heart…Jesse presented his seven sons to Samuel. Samuel was blunt with Jesse, ‘God hasn’t chosen any of these.” Then he asked Jesse, ‘Is this it? Are there no more sons?’ ‘Well, yes, THERE’S THE RUNT. But he’s out tending the sheep.’ Samuel ordered Jesse, ‘Get him. We’re not moving from this spot until he’s here.’ Jesse sent for him. He was brought in, the very picture of health – bright-eyed, good-looking. God said, ‘Upon your feet! Anoint him! This is the one.” Samuel took his flask of oil and anointed him, with his brothers standing around watching. The Spirit of God entered David like a rush of wind, God vitally empowering him for the rest of his life…” (1 Samuel 16:6-13 MSG)

Well, there is that beautiful description again, “RUNT,” after all, who wouldn’t want to be defined in such a way? In fact, “Runt” is defined as “an animal tiny of its kind; the smallest of a litter of pigs; small in stature.” Yep, that sounds as attractive as they come! And yet, I love this story of David because the very ones that were the first choice among people were not even considered an option with God! He did not care what any of them looked like, nor their stature. It was His heart he was looking for, and He found it in the chest of a RUNT! David was not the people’s choice, but he was indeed God’s ONLY choice. And before you start beating up on yourself, or if you have already started, you will stop today! Stop worrying about what people think, say, or feel about you! Even if you had bald patches, acne, over or underweight, missing teeth, cross-eyes, big ears, small stature with long arms, a limp, and a stutter, if you dare to have a heart that beats for God, you are His ONLY Choice no matter how many options present themselves!

You may not be in the in-crowd, the inner circle, or the clique. You may live in a one-room, take the bus, and flip burgers, and still, I tell you, if you dare to have a heart that beats for God, you are still God’s ONLY Choice! And His Choice Without Any Comparison or Competition! People have popularity contests, Not God! People care about positions, Not God! People care about appearance, Not God! You can be the most minor thing in the back looking after the sheep, and all will go on pause until your presence has arrived upfront! So do not allow people’s opinions to make you think you are not God’s Best Option! “Opinion” is defined as “a general view, an appraisal formed in the mind of another about a particular matter, a feeling, a sentiment, perception, assumption, presumption, idea, thought, observation, guess hunch, theory, suggestion, angle, outlook, perspective, a point of view that’s not necessarily based on fact or knowledge; and an estimation of quality of worth.” Now, did you find anywhere in that thesis of opinion anything that states Fact or Truth? Not! Know why? Because people’s opinions are not Proof of what is Fact or Truth! It is nothing more than their estimated guess! Only What God Says, Thinks, and Feels Concerning You Matters and Counts as Proof of What is Fact and Truth!

So, today, you will stop viewing yourself through the distorted vision of people who cannot see your true worth and value! Think about it, if David had to base his worth and weight on the opinions of Samuel, his brothers, his daddy Jesse, his wife Michal, or even Goliath, he would have become a human groundhog and dug himself in a hole never to appear without permission! You are not bound by public opinion!

Now, back to our little friends…

“Four things are among the SMALLEST on earth, BUT they are extremely wise: Ants as creatures are not strong, BUT they store away their food in the summer. Badgers as creatures are not powerful, BUT they make their homes in the rocks. Locusts do not have a king, BUT they march together in ranks. You can catch lizards in your hand, BUT they are in kings’ palaces.” (CEB)

Now, grant it, our little friends are the “…SMALLEST on earth….” However, they are also “extremely wise….” So wise that the ants are not strong, the badgers are not powerful, the locust has no king, and the lizard is small enough to hold in your hand! Nothing about our little friends makes us feel that great! I mean, would you want to be described as not strong, not powerful, having no leader, and small enough to squish in someone’s hand?! And yet, even with characteristics such as these, the Bible says the ant is still wise enough to store his food in summer, knowing that winter is coming (he is not strong, but he is smart). The badgers are not powerful (and yet they have the wisdom to build their homes in rocks, so when they are under attack, if they cannot fight, they can hide well). The locust has no leader, king, or one to give them direction and order, yet they march together in ranks (we cannot even get preachers to work together in the pulpit, nor the saints in the pews). And then there are the lizards, small enough to be found in the palm of a hand, but instead, they are wise enough to make their way into king’s palaces. They may not sound like bears, lions, and tigers, oh my, but they will not be robbed of what they do possess! SMALL, yes, BUT still they build, they have structure and strategy, they can function without having any one ruler in charge, they are not slumming it in shacks, they are in palaces, they know how to work around changing seasons, and yet, we can’t get a group of 5 believers to function to this degree!

As God is not moved by public opinion, appearance, stature, or even low self-esteem, neither should you be! Listen to Saul, “Pardon me, sir,” Saul replied. “I’m from the tribe of Benjamin, the SMALLEST in Israel, and my family is the LEAST important of all the families of the tribe! You must have the wrong man!” (1 Samuel 9:21 TLB) Have you ever felt like that? I know I have…and sometimes I still have my moments. God, you do know you are talking to me, J.P. You want me to work on what? Be a part of what? With whom? You want me stand before Your people in a pulpit and preach a gospel about You!? God, you do know you are talking to me.

Luke 19:1-10, “Then Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a SHORT man and could not see over the crowd. So, he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came. When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus, hurry down. Today is my day to be a guest in your home.” Zacchaeus scrambled out of the tree, hardly believing his good luck, delighted to take Jesus home with him. Everyone who saw the incident was indignant and grumped, “What business does he have getting cozy with this crook?” Zacchaeus just stood there, a little stunned. He stammered apologetically, “Master, I give away half my income to the poor—and if I’m caught cheating, I pay four times the damages.” Jesus said, “Today is salvation day in this home! Here he is Zacchaeus, son of Abraham! For the Son of Man came to find and restore the lost.” (MSG)

This man wanted to see Jesus desperately; however, he was too SHORT and could not see over the crowd. So, he devises a plan to climb a tree, he is noticed by Jesus, Jesus is to be his guest in his home. And you would think all of this is phenomenal until public opinion starts talking out of turn again… “What business does He have getting cozy with this crook?” There will always be people that have distorted vision when it comes to you. They can see your past clear, your present is blurry, and when it comes to your future, they have a combination of cataracts and glaucoma in their natural and spiritual eyes! They can see nothing good, even in the fact that Jesus invited Himself to YOUR house! Now, if you think about it, Jesus had a lot of options; after all, there was a crowd present, and one so large that Zacchaeus had to climb in a tree to see Him! But Jesus CHOSE Zacchaeus over anyone else! He CHOSE a SHORT, rich, taxman, sitting in a tree, over “…EVERYONE WHO SAW THE INCIDENT….” God will Deliberately Choose Underqualified You, Over Someone Else’s Overqualified Ego! They may not like it, but Jesus deliberately chose Zacchaeus to receive salvation and restoration. And likewise, He is still picking the underdogs to overachieve! So do not assume He will pass you by because of public opinion. He may simply be waiting for you to distinguish yourself from the crowd! 

God cares about All of us, the Least, the Last, the Lonely, and the Left Out!). And He’s not in the least bit intimidated or concerned about our misfitted selves: Jacob was a cheater; Peter had a temper; David had an affair; Noah got drunk; Jonah ran from God; Paul was a murderer; Gideon was insecure; Miriam was a gossip; Martha was a worrier; Thomas was doubtful; Sarai was impatient; Elijah was moody; Moses stuttered; Zacchaeus was short; Abraham was old; Lazarus was dead; Rahab was a prostitute; Timothy had stomach troubles; Isaiah preached naked; Leah had weak eyes; Joseph was abused; Samson was a womanizer; Naomi loss two sons and a husband; Job went bankrupt; the Disciples fell asleep in prayer; Judas betrayed Jesus for some change; Saul was mentally unstable; the Samaritan woman had far too many men!

And still, God used every one of them! And with all your issues, He has yet to unsubscribe! He renews day by day! You are no exception. No matter where you come from, where you are, what you did, who you did it with, how many times you have repented, God still loves you! Even in those moments when you feel small, inadequate, insufficient, insignificant, or unimportant. God sees you when you see nothing good in yourself!

Genesis 16:13 says, “The Lord talked to Hagar. She began to use a new name for God. She said to Him, “You are ‘God Who Sees Me.’” She said this because she thought,’ “I see that even in this place, God sees me and cares for me!” (ERV)

Unbelievably, as SMALL as you think you are, God still sees you and cares about you! Hagar, now, was not in a good place, but even she was able to say, “…even in this place God sees me and cares for me”. No matter where you are in life at this moment in time, God sees you and cares for you. Others may overlook you, under-estimate you, devalue you, but to God, you mean much! And the next time you do not think so, remember the price His Son paid Just for You! Remember the Gifts in 1 Corinthians 12, where even the ones deemed the least, the lowly and the insignificant, were among the most prized and valued! And so are you! Like my son’s friend Bumblebee, you may lack in some areas. We ALL do, no matter how perfect we attempt to appear! Yet, God can still use you; God needs you; you are important and visible to God. Do not short-change yourself! You are still His disciple, His Son, His Daughter, His Temple, His Love, His Craftsmanship, His Workmanship. And above All, you were Worth Saving, Healing, Delivering, Redeeming, justified, and even Worth a Round-Trip Ticket For Jesus to Come Again, Just For You! It sounds like you are significant to me!

You have spent enough time talking down to yourself, talking yourself out of stuff, even the very things God desires you to do; you have looked in the mirror and picked yourself apart repeatedly. You may have spoken enough about not being good enough. You have taunted and provoked yourself to bitterness. Today, Enough is Enough! You are Valuable, Important, Significant, and Necessary! There is a place in the Kingdom that no one can take because it is yours! Own your worth! God still sees you. You never go unnoticed by Him! Every moment of your life, even before your life began, has been visible in the eyes of God and valuable to the heart of God.

Psalm 139, “God, investigate my life; get all the facts firsthand. I’m an open book to You; even from a distance, You know what I’m thinking. You know when I leave and when I get back; I’M NEVER OUT OF YOUR SIGHT. You know everything I am going to say before I start the first sentence. I look behind me, and YOU’RE THERE, then up ahead and YOU’RE THERE, TOO—Your reassuring presence, coming and going. This is too much, too wonderful—I cannot take it all in! Is there any place I can go to avoid Your Spirit? TO BE OUT OF YOUR SIGHT? If I climb to the sky, YOU’RE THERE! If I go underground, YOU’RE THERE! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, YOU’D FIND ME IN A MINUTE—You are already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “OH, HE EVEN SEES ME IN THE DARK!

At night I’m immersed in the light!” It is a fact: darkness isn’t dark to You; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to You. Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; You formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank You, High God—You are breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, and You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, YOU WATCHED ME grow from conception to birth; ALL THE STAGES OF MY LIFE were spread out before You, the days of my life all prepared BEFORE I’D EVEN LIVED ONE DAY. Your thoughts—how rare, how beautiful! God, I will never comprehend them! I could not even begin to count them—any more than I could count the sand of the sea. Oh, let me rise in the morning and always live with You!…” (MSG)

Little itty-bitty, you are so significant to God that He Always Sees You! He raises and lowers the sun, moon, and stars, rotates the earth, sets boundaries for waters, seas, and oceans, He keeps His breath in every being and His air filling the atmosphere always…and still…it’s YOU. So, remember that the next time you feel you are too small to be significant! He Keeps a Watchful Eye On You Always! Be Encouraged Today, You May Be a No-Name To Some People or You May Be Small In The Eyes Of Others…BUT…You Are Still Significant In The Eyes Of God!

 

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.com

When The Journey With Jesus Gets Hard. Jesus Has No Problems Visiting With Us Or Sitting With Us. The Only Problem Is Us Extending To Him An Invitation! If You Have A Problem God Has An Answer.

When The Journey With Jesus Gets Hard. Clearly, Jesus Has No Problems Visiting With Us, Sitting With Us, Breaking Bread With Us, Drawing Near to Us. So, what’s the problem? The only problem is us extending to Him an invitation! This is what we need to dine on when we feel hungry and empty…Jesus…the Bread of Life! Invite Jesus in, He wants to feed the hunger in your soul where frustration eats away at your faith! Life itself can test us at times, we get irritated easily, we have short circuit patience, at any given moment we are ready to blow a fuse. There are times when we just throw our hands up and say enough is enough, I can’t take anymore, my faith is gone, and I am exhausted. Don’t ask God why He’s allowing something to happen. Ask Him what He wants you to learn and do in the midst of it.

 Luke 24:13-19, “That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. In the middle of their talk and questions, Jesus came up and walked along with them. But they were not able to recognize who He was. He asked, “What’s this you’re discussing so intently as you walk along?” They just stood there, long faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, “Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn’t heard what’s happened during the last few days?” He said, “What has happened?” (MSG)

Now, you may not be on any military front lines, but truth be told, the battles you’ve been fighting lately are taking their toll on you! Making you feel as if you’ve been shot at, run down, blown up, I mean there simply hasn’t been much of a break in the action, and you’ve got some serious combat fatigue. You’ve been battling in marriage, on the job, in finances, in the ministry, in the family, in your health, in school. Every direction you’ve turned in has been an uphill battle! In fact, maybe it feels like you’re losing the battle right now. And if so, you know what you need? You need some personal time with your Commander-in-Chief. Not the President of the United States, because no human leader can hold a candle to your Real Commander-in-Chief! He is, after all, according to the Bible, the King of all kings! He is King Jesus!

Now, in Luke 24, beginning with verse 13, two of Jesus’ followers are battle-scarred and going down for the count (ever feel like that?) Well, in this instance, their Savior had been crucified, His body is now missing from the tomb. They’re on the road to Emmaus and here’s how our text reads: “And behold, that very day two of [the disciples] were going to a village called Emmaus, [which is] about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were talking with each other about all these things that had occurred. And while they were conversing and discussing together, Jesus Himself caught up with them and was already accompanying them. But their eyes were held, so that they did not recognize Him. And He said to them, what is this discussion that you are exchanging (throwing back and forth) between yourselves as you walk along? And they stood still, looking sad and downcast. Then one of them, name Cleopas, answered Him, do you alone dwell as a stranger in Jerusalem and not know the things that have occurred there in these days? And He said to them, What [kind of] things?” (AMPC)

First, can I be real with you? When I read, “And behold, that very day two of [the disciples] …”, I immediately thought, as a disciple of Christ, why should the road be so rough for us? I’m being honest now. These two disciples were walking away from a gruesome scene of cruelty, their hopes dashed, and they’re walking, talking, and trying to figure out what now and what next? And sometimes I think that’s what hurts us as believers, because we’re often taught that there’s this ‘bed-of-roses-faith’ that occurs once you receive Christ. As if all the bad things in the world that happen, will not happen to you. You are suddenly exempt from it all. It’s the ‘bad guys ‘that get the bad stuff, not us. We’re believers, children of the Highest God, rescued, ransomed, and redeemed. It is all well with our souls! But truth is, even as disciples we have to deal with some rough roads, and some harsh circumstances. Contrary to popular belief, we’re not exempt. We blame the devil for more than he needs to receive credit for, because we were warned by our Commander-in-Chief well in advance: John 16:33, “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have TRIBULATION and TRIALS and DISTRESS and FRUSTRATION; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you].” (AMPC)  

Yes, disciples of Christ, we too will have to deal with discouragement, distress, tribulation, trials, and frustration. Again, we are not exempt. But we are to be encouraged because there is absolutely nothing that can overwhelm us that hasn’t already been overcome by Him! So even when we feel something is “not fair”, bear in mind all His soldiers must fight in battle, and many of those wars will leave us with painful, bloody, battle-scars. However, it will not take our lives! So, what must we do? Keep fighting! 2 Timothy 2:3-5, “Take [with me] your share of the HARDSHIPS and SUFFERING [which you are called to endure] as a good (first-class) soldier of Christ Jesus. No soldier when in service gets entangled in the enterprises of [civilian] life; his aim is to satisfy and please the one who enlisted him. And if anyone enters competitive games, he is not crowned unless he competes lawfully (fairly, according to the rules laid down).” (AMPC)

We must take our fair share of the fight! Yes, life gets hard, and life is hard, but all that means is that we fight harder!

These two disciples were discouraged and downcast because of what they just experienced. And so, they’re walking and talking on the road to Emmaus with heavy hearts. Jesus appears and asks them, “What has happened?” and they begin to explain: “The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn’t find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn’t see Jesus.” (vss. 19-24 MSG) 

Can you hear the frustration in their voices? They’re DOWNCAST, CONFUSED, FRUSTRATED, their faith is being tested as their hopes began to seep away. Ever walked in those shoes? I know I have, and still do on many days. For example, my friend’s mom had some extreme health challenges over the last 5 years prior to her passing in 2017, and as her caregiver, it was extremely confusing, discouraging, frustrating, scary, worrisome, and yes, even her faith and hope has had to be resuscitated a time or two (or 200, if we’re really being honest!) You see, she would go for one test, they would get the diagnosis, then as soon as they would put her on medications and start treatment, something else would go haywire! Every time they treated one thing; it would trigger off something else. Every time it seemed as if one thing was finally under control, it caused something else to go out of control! It has been the worse see-saw experience of her life! As soon as our hope would go up, within moments we would watch it come crashing back down with one phone call from the doctor or doctor’s visit. And truth is, that’s hard for anyone. As they say, “the struggle is real!”

They would add meds, take away meds, switch up meds, and she would be fed up with all meds! It has been a journey, and a hard road to watch a loved one suffer so much pain, repetitively that you can do nothing about, a pain that will never fully go. It can get to a point where you just get so frustrated, angry, downcast, hurt, even bitter. You start to ask God (more like question God), ‘I thought you said, by Your stripes she’s healed. God, I’m honestly struggling here and need Your help because I heard what You said, but I can’t help but be concerned about what I see. What I see in the blood-work; what I see on the x-rays; what I see in more prescriptions being added; what I see in the doctor reports.” Unbelief kicks in and you must find some way to push yourself to say, “okay God, I’ll still believe your report, just Lord, Help Me!” Sometimes, life can throw you curve balls that you don’t even know how to swing at. So, some of you may say you can really identify with these two disciples. Like, what now…what next?!

Well, what’s next is, Jesus allows them to vent (just as He allows us to) and then He speaks: “Then he said to them, “So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don’t you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory?” Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him…” (vss. 25-27 MSG)

One of the things I love most about this text is Jesus’ response! First, I just told you I was frustrated and confused, then I explained why. My hopes are dwindling, and my faith is fading fast. I don’t know where my Jesus is, who took Him or why. I don’t know what these women are talking about. I have no idea what to do next. Can’t trust any of the leaders since they’re the ones who killed Him in the first place. And yet, Jesus bypasses all of this and calls them “thick-headed and slow-hearted…” Um, Jesus, that’s not very encouraging! LOL! But I love the way He simply addresses them because He most certainly pulled no punches! Let’s be real, if we went to one of our leaders in the church and shared all our struggles and all they said to us was “you thick-headed, slow-hearted numbskull”, we would have left that church that Sunday! But Jesus gets to the heart of the matter, in a nutshell, ‘why are you allowing the battle to beat up your belief’?

However, Jesus doesn’t leave off His words there, nope, He goes on to the very beginning of the Books of Moses and all the Prophets carefully pointing out to them everything that the Scriptures say about Him. Why is that so important? Because can you imagine the time and patience it took for Jesus to do this? He started at the beginning and worked His way all the way through all the prophets just to encourage, empower and inspire their faith. And believe it or not but He loves you enough to do the very same thing. Question is: Have you taken out time to walk and talk with Jesus? What might He share with you to rekindle the flame and fire of your faith, if only you took time to take your frustration to Him (instead of everybody else)? How might He enlighten you; encourage and empower you; inspire and impact you?

Let this be a challenge for you today, don’t take your next battle to people take it to Jesus! Tell Him all about it, and don’t mince your words. Speak from the heart like the Psalmist often did. Pour it all out to Him in honesty, not eloquence, and have a listening, attentive ear to what he may say that will strengthen your walk of faith as you journey through this life with Jesus.

Well, the story doesn’t stop there. Let’s see what’s next: “They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on, but they pressed him: “Stay and have supper with us. It’s nearly evening; the day is done.” So, he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared. Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us?” (vss. 28-32 MSG)

How personable is Jesus? Truth is, you can rarely find leaders today who are that personable. Not only had He walked and talked with them, but He sat down to bless and break bread with them. You know, I often hear people say when they’re going through that they feel distant from God. But in reading this text it makes me wonder how can that be? Jesus loves spending quality time with us, encouraging our faith, and even sitting at the dinner table. Though they didn’t recognize Him yet, they invited Him to dinner. We who do recognize Him, don’t. How can that make sense? Maybe the next battle you have to endure would be better if you invited Jesus into the midst. Note: He didn’t invite Himself, He was asked. When is the last time we asked Him to come and sit with us? After all, we’ll sit on the phone for hours, we’ll sit among our friends and family, we’ll sit at the altar, but when is the last time we sat with Him? Inviting Him into our personal, and even painful, space.

Revelation 3:20-21, “Look at me. I stand at the door. I knock. If you hear me call and open the door, I’ll come right in and sit down to supper with you. Conquerors will sit alongside me at the head table, just as I, having conquered, took the place of honor at the side of my Father. That’s my gift to the conquerors!” (MSG)
 

John 1:1, “In the beginning [before all-time] was the Word (Christ), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God Himself.” (AMPC)

John 1:14, “And the Word (Christ) became flesh (human, incarnate) and tabernacle (fixed His tent of flesh, lived awhile) AMONG US; and we [actually] saw His glory (His honor, His majesty), such glory as an only begotten son receives from his father, full of grace (favor, loving-kindness) and truth.” (AMPC)

He blessed and break bread and gave it to them. In essence, He was feeding them. Makes me wonder if when we feel hungry and empty if it’s because we haven’t invited Jesus to come and sit with us and feed us. Remember:

This is what we need to dine on when we feel hungry and empty…Jesus…the Bread of Life! John 6:35, “Jesus replied, I am the Bread of Life. He who comes to Me will never be hungry, and he who believes in and cleaves to and trusts in and relies on Me will never thirst anymore (at any time).” (AMPC)

With this as your option, how can you choose anything else?

Invite Jesus in, He wants to feed the hunger in your soul where frustration eats away at your faith!

And what happens next? “…At that moment, open-eyed, wide-eyed, they recognized him. And then he disappeared. Back and forth they talked. “Didn’t we feel on fire as he conversed with us on the road, as he opened up the Scriptures for us? They didn’t waste a minute. They were up and, on their way, back to Jerusalem. They found the Eleven and their friends gathered together, talking away: “It’s really happened! The Master has been raised up – Simon saw him!” Then the two went over everything that had happened on the road and how they recognized Him when He broke the bread.” (vss. 28-35 MSG)

The Bible goes on to say they returned to Jerusalem totally pumped! They started exhausted; they ended excited! They started on empty; they ended on full! What made the difference? The personal presence of their Commander-in-Chief. He’s the one who makes all the battles worth it. Experiencing the reality of His presence is what always makes the difference. That’s exactly what you need right now, and maybe what you’ve been missing. You’ve been running all over the place, but it’s too long since you just had a walk with Jesus; a time when you pour out your heart to Him and He pours some of His heart into you. Maybe you forgot Who it’s all for – the One who loved you enough to die for you. He’s the reason for fighting the battles. He’s the joy. He’s the reward, you’re in essence, suffering from a Jesus-deficit. You might be serving Him with everything you’ve got, but you’re missing Him still. Other things are looking bigger than they really are because you haven’t been with the One who’s bigger than all those battles combined! The bottom line is simple. It’s all about Jesus, and you’re missing Him during all your battles. But your King, the Commander-in-Chief, has come your way today, and He’s asking you to just take a walk with Him; to have a heart-to-heart talk with Him. Not just today, but every new day. There’s something very re-energizing about a personal visit with the person that you’re fighting for. Believe me, there is nothing to turn the tide in the battle that you’re fighting right now like the personal presence of your King of kings.

These two disciples were headed to Emmaus, and after a walk, talk and sit with Jesus they return to Jerusalem re-energized for whatever may come next. They also go back and tell the rest of the disciples what happened. And that’s exactly what you need to do with this devotional today. Allow it to encourage you to walk, talk and sit with Jesus in the midst of your battles. And once you’ve been refueled, take the message to the other empty disciples you know and encourage them by what happened to you!

Truth is that this journey with Jesus gets hard! And when it does, allow His word to soften your heart. Hear Him and Heed Him. Your Commander-in-Chief wants to spend some time with His best soldiers. So, are you going to let your battles keep you from Him, or lead you to Him?

Many of Us Have Faith, But This Is the Year of Faith Expansion! This Is the Year That Our Faith Is Going to Grow to The Point That We Simply Believe God No Matter the Situation or Circumstance. Our Faith Will Be Unwavering and Unmovable!

Remember You Have A History with God.

You have seen His faithfulness over and over down through the years. He will look out for you. When you put God first, even a Bad Month is a Blessed Month.

If you have a problem God has an answer. Do not take it to the phone, take it to the throne. God is Your Protector Not Man.

Today, Put Your Faith to Work, And Watch Your Faith Work for You! And all you must do is refuse to die in fear, and instead, live in faith!

Now, With All That Said, I Have a Question for You:

Does Your Faith Still Have a Pulse?

Faith Works If You Work It!

 

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.com

If This Is How God Feels About The Stench Of Sin, Why Does The Odor Not Bother The Body Of Christ Any Longer? Today, Determine To Be The Fragrance Of God, Which Abhors The Scent Of Sin! God Give Us Back Our Distinction.

 You Can’t Be the SAME And Make a DIFFERENCE”

2 Corinthians 6:17-18, “Don’t become partners with those who reject God. How can you make a partnership out of right and wrong? That’s not partnership; that’s war. Is light best friends with dark? Does Christ go strolling with the Devil? Do trust and mistrust hold hands? Who would think of setting up pagan idols in God’s holy Temple? But that is exactly what we are, each of us a temple in whom God lives. God himself put it this way: “I’ll live in them, move into them; I’ll be their God and they’ll be my people. So, leave the corruption and compromise; leave it for good,” says God. “Don’t link up with those who will pollute you. I want you all for myself. I’ll be a Father to you; you’ll be sons and daughters to me.” The Word of the Master, God.” (MSG)

Years ago, some friends who lived near a heavy industrial area where the mills filled the air with a shall we say very distinctive aroma; well smell would be a better word for it. It was sort of a sulfur-like, rotten eggs type of odor. When you first went there, you would sniff and you would go, “What is that?” And the people who lived there would say, “What’s what?” See, they had lived around the stink so long, it did not even register any more. Well, there are simply some smells you should never get used to!

Which brings us to Ezekiel 9:2-4. It’s where the prophet is receiving his instructions from the Lord in the form of a vision, and here’s what it says: “Six men appeared at his call, coming from the upper north gate, each one with his sword. One of them wore linen clothing and carried a writer’s case strapped to his side. They all went into the Temple and stood beside the bronze altar. And the glory of the God of Israel rose from between the Guardian Angels where it had rested and stood above the entrance to the Temple. And the Lord called to the man with the writer’s case and said to him, “Walk through the streets of Jerusalem and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who weep and sigh because of all the sins they see around them.”

God is saying here, “I’m looking for some people who don’t gloss over the sin around them; people who literally grieve over sin.” Well, they were hard to find then; and truth is, they are hard to find now. Those kinds of people were special then, and they are special now. People who do not get so used to being in the middle of sin that they do not notice the ‘smell’ anymore. Do you understand that it was so strange, odd, and unusual to find people who grieved over sin that God sent a vision to the prophet about sending out people to scout out the land and “mark” those who were indeed bothered by sin? Let us look at verse 4 in a few translations to see the type of people God was looking for:

“The Lord said to him, “Go through the midst of the city, throughout all of Jerusalem, and put a mark on the foreheads of the men who SIGH [IN DISTRESS] AND GRIEVE OVER ALL THE REPULSIVE ACTS WHICH ARE BEING COMMITTED IN IT” (AMP);

God was looking for those who were lamenting, crying, groaning, in anguish, troubled, disgusted, repulsed, upset…ABOUT THE SINS OF THE CITY! I wonder if He looked for people like that today, in His church, would He find anyone to mark?

Does the church lament, cry, groan, feel in anguish, troubled, disgusted, repulsed and upset about the sins of the city? Or have we sat amongst it so long that the scent of sin doesn’t even smell to us any longer? Does adultery still stink to us? Does lying still smell foul to us? Does backbiting still offend our nostrils? Does discord still smell foul in the sanctuary? Or have we learned to use religious behavior to act as Febreze and attempt to mask the smell? Do we spray church lingo over stuff that only needs one word “sin” to describe its scent? Are we bothered, are we disturbed, are we convicted, or have we become so tolerant that we’re no longer even moved by the odor? Do we have a heart for the lost?

I spoke with a friend of mine who so happens to be a sanitation worker. And I asked him, “how in the world do you do a job that smells like this every-day?” He gave me a two-fold response. For one he said, “for the amount of money they pay me, the scent isn’t all that bad”. And then he added something that brought about today’s word, he said “once you’ve been around the stench so much, and so often, and for so long, you literally learn to block out the smell.” Now, I cannot lie to you, I’m still perplexed, because anytime I’ve passed a sanitation truck, I for the life of me can never just block out the scent! However, I am only around such a stench every now and then, but sanitation workers are around it all the time. Which made me think of something my friend’s doctor said a few years ago. He said, “we have to change her medication because she’s been on it for so long that her body has built up an immune to it, and therefore it no longer works because its’ been in and apart of her make-up for so long now, that her body treats the medication as if it were just one of her vital organs functioning as it should as a part of the rest of her body.” I am afraid that the church has become just like that! We have built up an immune to sin that it no longer looks or smells wrong because we’ve been in it for so long that it doesn’t bother us in the least. Its’ become a part of our make-up. It functions in us as though it were one of the vital organs in the Body of Christ. But this should not be so!

Chances are that you come in daily contact with a lot of sinful garbage; lying that’s considered just to be smart business, an acceptance of adultery (or do we call it “an affair, weakness, or indiscretion”? you know we like to use a prettier sounding term, so it doesn’t seem so bad), or just a flippant attitude toward sexual purity.” See, that is casual about something God calls sacred. It’s a flippant “who cares” approach to a sacred act of love, created by God for a lifetime bond. When did we, the church, become so accepting and tolerant of ALL things? What happened to the church’s distinction?

Leviticus 10:8-11, “God instructed Aaron: “When you enter the Tent of Meeting, don’t drink wine or strong drink, neither you nor your sons, lest you die. This is a fixed rule down through the generations. Distinguish between the holy and the common, between the ritually clean and unclean. Teach the People of Israel all the decrees that God has spoken to them through Moses.” (MSG);

Leviticus 20:24-26, “I’ve told you, remember, that you will possess their land that I’m giving to you as an inheritance, a land flowing with milk and honey. I am God, your God, who has distinguished you from the nations. So, live like it: Distinguish between ritually clean and unclean animals and birds. Don’t pollute yourselves with any animal or bird or crawling thing which I have marked out as unclean for you. Live holy lives before me because I, God, am holy. I have distinguished you from the nations to be my very own.” (MSG)

From the priests to the people, God has always Distinguished His own! The word “distinguish” is defined as “to recognize, show, or treat as different; to have an identifying characteristic; to be dignified in appearance; to successfully command great respect.” Its Latin Origin “distinguere”, from “stinguere” literally means “to put out.” In other words, to stand out from anything else! Look at it like this: If you visit any jewelry store, you will see that the costume jewelry does not mix with the real jewelry! How it has made, how it’s crafted, how it’s priced and valued, and even where it’s placed at in the store lets you know the difference between the two. And likewise, should be said of the church! The world should be able to see that we do not mix, don’t match and distinction is why! However, as sad as it may be, you cannot seem to tell the difference anymore between the holy and unholy, the clean and unclean, the fragrant and the funky, because we’ve dwelt together so long in the same space that they all appear one in the same!

I remember buying a bag of mixed bagels. I had everything from plain, to poppy seed, to cinnamon raisin, to onion. But when I opened the bag, all I could smell on all of them was the onion. Because its scent was the most prominent and dominant among them all. Even the ones it didn’t physically touch, still carried its scent because of its closeness in proximity. Makes me wonder if that’s what’s happening with the church? Have we spent so much time marrying, dating, having children, going to church…? WITH THE WORLD…. that you can no longer tell the 2 worlds apart? Have we gotten so close and comfortable with the world, that you can no longer see the Kingdom in the Church?

What happened to obeying Scriptures like:

Romans 12:1-2, “So here’s what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.” (MSG)

With all that said, I must then ask, how did we go from Distinguished and Distinct to Compromise and Conformity? When did we lose our Sense of the Scent of Sin?

2 Corinthians 2:15-16, “In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.” (MSG)

I must then ask; how did we go from Distinguished and Distinct to Compromise and Conformity? Does the church lament, cry, groan, feel in anguish, troubled, disgusted, repulsed and upset about the sins of the city? Or have we sat amongst it so long that the scent of sin doesn’t even smell to us any longer? Does adultery still stink to us? Does lying still smell foul to us? Does backbiting still offend our nostrils? Does discord still smell foul in the sanctuary?

How did we go from the Exquisite Fragrance of Christ, the Sweet-Smelling Scent of God, an Aroma of Life, to smelling like the scent of sin? When did we lose our Sense of the Scent of Sin? What happened to obeying Scriptures like: Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You’ll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. We as the church need to regain our Distinction! We Cannot Continue to Walk With God & Hold Hands With The devil. Somebody is going to end up in trouble like Peter did, somebody is going to get hurt.

The word “distinct” is defined as “to be recognizably different or individual; to be able to be perceived clearly by the senses; a marked difference or contrast; outstanding excellence; special honor or recognition; expressly different from others of its kind” Its Latin Origin “distinctus”, from “distinguere” literally means “distinguish”. Church, we need to be recognizably different from the world! We need a Peter experience!

The Bible says, “And after a while came unto him, they that stood by, and said to Peter, surely thou also art one of them; FOR THY SPEECH BEWRAYETH THEE.” (Matthew 26:73) Listen to this verse in varying translations:

“…FOR EVEN YOUR [GALILEAN] ACCENT GIVES YOU AWAY.” (AMP);

“…FOR WE CAN TELL BY YOUR GALILEAN ACCENT.” (TLB);

Peter could not blend in because his distinction wouldn’t let him! Those who were not “with” him knew that something about him being here is simply out of place. They even went so far as to say, “We can tell; certainly; it’s obvious; of course; it’s clear; you’ve got to be and surely you are.” They had absolutely no doubt and no question about the fact that Peter was with Jesus. Therefore, him being there with them, was out place! They said “…surely you are one of those who followed Jesus. The way you talk shows it.” Peter’s distinctive speech betrayed him! He could not blend, could not hide, couldn’t join in, couldn’t go unnoticed, and all because who he really was couldn’t be camouflaged! Would people be able to see the evidence of your relationship to Jesus in your speech and conduct, despite where you are or who you’re around?

Warming Ourselves by the Enemy’s Fire

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Since that disciple was known to the high priest, he entered with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest, but Peter stood outside at the door. So, the other disciple, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the servant girl who kept watch at the door, and brought Peter in. The servant girl at the door said to Peter, “You also are not one of this man’s disciples, are you?” He said, “I am not.”  Now the servants and officers had made a charcoal fire because it was cold, and they were standing and warming themselves. Peter also was with them, standing and warming himself…. Now Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. So, they said to him, “You also are not one of his disciples, are you?” He denied it and said, “I am not.”  One of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, asked, “Did I not see you in the garden with him?”  Peter again denied it, and at once a rooster crowed. John 18: 15 -18; 25 – 27

As a leader, minister, Rev, evangelist, pastor I often hear different people ask, “Why does it seem that my life is going nowhere?” When I ask for clarity, they share that it seems like their spiritual lives are stagnate and stale. And as we dive deeper into discussion, it often becomes revealed that they are not near the Lord. They share that they were following the Lord and somehow noticed one day He was not anywhere to be found. What a sad discovery to come upon; especially when it is YOU who realizes this.

Do not lose heart dear friends, you are not the only ones this happens to many people; even those who were walking closely with the Lord. In this passage, we see two disciples: Peter and the other disciple (many scholars believe this to be John the Beloved; the one whom Jesus gave charge over His mother to at the crucifixion.) coming to be with Jesus during His last night on earth before His resurrection. John follows Jesus into the courtyard and Peter decided to warm himself by the fires of those who have just turned their backs on Jesus. These people followed the ways of earthly rulers and leaders because they did not see Jesus for who He is. Both Peter and John did see this, and John never wanted to leave the side of Christ. Peter decided to warm himself at the enemy’s fire.

While there, Peter is confronted by those around him that he (Peter) was with Jesus. It is not fair for me to say that Peter though this or that at that time, so I will not pretend to know. However, what I do know is that just hours before, Peter pledged to not only live for Jesus, but was willing to die for Him. Jesus, knowing all things, told Peter that he would deny even knowing Him. Peter, being the hard-headed person he was, argued with Jesus that it would never happen! As the story shares, it came to pass. In Luke’s passage (Luke 22:31 – 32), Jesus even shares how He prayed for Peter and testified that he (Peter) would be restored to fellowship with Him.

Peter’s mistake, I personally believe, was that he left the side of the Savior and warmed himself in the camp of the ones who were out to destroy Him and all those connected to Him. That same experience is happening today. There are those who follow Jesus even into the courtyards and the possibility of facing the same fate as Him and there are those (even “Christians”) who will be content separating themselves from Him to be warmed by the worldly fires. And like Peter, will deny even knowing Jesus. We warm ourselves by the fires of greed, fame, power, judgment, lust, gossip, worthlessness, anger, envy and then cry out, “Where are You, Jesus? Why did You leave me?” He never left our side; we left His side to warm ourselves by other things than His love. Jesus, unlike ourselves, can be in the world and not of it (meaning that He can be around those people who influence us to stray from God’s side and stand firm.)

I’m quite sure in our day many of us have spent our time by the enemy’s fire; warming ourselves by its light only to find that we were colder and more bitter than we were when we were with Jesus. I now try to be like the other disciple and to follow Him even unto the cross. I want to be the one who will go to the ends of the earth with Jesus. We do not want to blind ourselves though; there are some people who still have moments of what I call “Peter Syndrome”, meaning that they might try to warm themselves by the enemy’s fire. I hope that will never happen nor that they will develop a relapse of it.

Do you find yourself suddenly apart from the Lord? Wonder where you lost sight of Him? Are you warming yourselves by the fires of your soul’s enemy? Do not become lost in the crowd; keep fixated on the Lord. Stay by His side. Grab hold of Him if you need to. Whatever it takes, STAY BY HIS SIDE if you want to see miracles happen, healings take place, and if you want direction in your lives.

Father,

There is nothing more warming than to be by Your side. Please take my hand when I want to warm myself by anything else than by Your Love. I want to follow You like John and when I stray from Your side, let me have the heart of Peter and to weep bitterly for ever leaving your side. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

You cannot cover up distinction, its visible evidence! So much so, that even the senses can tell something is different!

See, the problem is, we are around sin so much sometimes it does not break our heart anymore, but it breaks God’s heart all the time, and He’s looking for people whose heart it can still break. We hear people treat God’s name, Jesus’ name, like dirt. Jesus, the name at which every knee will bow. There are attitudes that amount to nothing less than idol worship, and we’re no longer bothered by it: living for money, living for a guy or a girl, living for music, careers, and entitlements, living for the next party, living for a ring, robe, positions, and chairs. It’s time we prayed, “God, give me back my sense of spiritual smell. “

Isaiah 65:1-7, “I’ve made myself available to those who haven’t bothered to ask. I am here, ready to be found by those who haven’t bothered to look. I kept saying ‘I’m here, I’m right here’ to a nation that ignored me. I reached out day after day to a people who turned their backs on me, People who make wrong turns, who insist on doing things their own way. They get on my nerves, are rude to my face day after day, Make up their own kitchen religion, a potluck religious stew. They spend the night in tombs to get messages from the dead, Eat forbidden foods and drink a witch’s brew of potions and charms. They say, ‘Keep your distance. Do not touch me. I’m holier than thou.’ These people gag me. I CAN’T STAND THEIR STENCH. Look at this! Their sins are all written out— I have the list before me. I am not putting up with this any longer. I will pay them the wages. They have coming for their sins. And for the sins of their parents lumped in, a bonus.” God says so. “Because they’ve practiced their blasphemous worship, mocking me at their hillside shrines, I’ll let loose the consequences and pay them in full for their actions.” (MSG)

If This Is How God Feels About The Stench Of Sin, Why Does The Odor Not Bother The Body Of Christ Any Longer?

For you who are reading this, today is a good day to pray and ask God to deliver us and give us back our distinction. Because the truth is, we can’t be the same as the world and make a difference. They should feel free to come into our church services, but they should feel something that makes them know that they cannot stay the same way they came. We cannot blend, compromise, conform, tolerate, and certainly not water down the Gospel. We must stand up and stand out so that we might be able to bring them in. Today, Determine To Be The Fragrance Of God, Which Abhors The Scent Of Sin!

Blessings

J.P. Olson

www.thewordwithjpolson.com