Jesus' Blended Family - A message that reminds us about our commitment to the spiritual family

What comes to your mind when you think of a spiritual family? Your thoughts could be anything from simple words like good, love, or hate, or your thoughts could go to "I don't believe in a 'spiritual' family," "They are a bunch of hypocrites," "We are not close, we are not any kind of a family," or some other elaborated answer.

If you were to define what family, in this sense means, it would probably come from this definition, "a group of people united by certain convictions or a common affiliation." One's spiritual family would be connected by their belief in certain religious convictions. They may not be the exact same, but most would agree the "core" of the beliefs are similar.

Jesus was told that His family was wanting to visit with Him in Matthew 12:46-50. He then replies with a question that can be summed up with this question, "Who is my family?" When it comes to the type of family Jesus answers with, He is basically describing a blended family of different genders, races, cultures, and beliefs. That all together makes up Jesus' family! Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

• Understanding ~ When Jesus answers this question, in the text, He uses the word "whoever." This world will be an umbrella term for everyone. For some, that may have really strong biases or prejudices, this word may challenge your thinking. To think about someone who has a lower education, children out of wedlock, drinks too much, cusses like a sailor, dresses different than you deem "normal," likes the same gender, has a different color skin, wears a turban, and the list could continue, that any of these could be welcome to receive the grace that Jesus offers and have their sins forgiven may seem preposterous. Some of these are lifestyle sins and some of these are simply differences. The ones that are lifestyle would need to change their lifestyle in order to continue to enjoy that grace. For the ones that are simply "differences" then we may need to just "accept" and not judge them. Let us be understand of who the "whoever" is when it comes to Jesus' invitation.
• Just at Your Church? ~ As I mentioned a definition of family, think about how that applies to you spiritually. I am focusing on those who have a religious affiliation. Are you seeing those who are "within" your church building's walls as they only "Christians?" Are they the only one's you foresee joining up with you in heaven some day? What do you think would be your reaction if you were wrong in your thinking and there was someone else...maybe me...there as well? I think it would be surprising to some to find out who is going to be there. I have to say that I may be surprised as well. May we try to find the main point of our beliefs and be open to others who may share in that same set of beliefs.
• Love Less ~ Remember that whether we are talking about our own biological family or our spiritual family, we are still to love Jesus more. However, because Christ is the head of the spiritual body, would we say we should love our spiritual family moreso than our biological family? I think they may rank a bit higher. When they are one-in-the-same, then that is a totally different variable. Let us love Him most!a group of people united by certain convictions or a common

Though we may be able to trace our family trees so far back and find out exactly who is on our tree, one thing we will never know is how many we have in our spiritual family until we make it to heaven. As you go through your week, ask God to open doors to lead you to people that need to hear about Jesus. They may be related!

Now it's your turn...what is it that you like best and least about having a spiritual familie?

Calling All Concerned

Global warming, flooding, tsunamis, HIV, cancer, hunger, or clean water – which is a concern of yours?  Maybe it is one, two, or more.  Maybe it is none.  It may depend whether or not you’ve been impacted by one of them, either directly or indirectly.

What we choose to be concerned about will have various factors.  Mostly it will depend on our interest in the area of concern. The question is, when it comes to the text that we talked about (Matthew 4:18-22), how concerned are you?  Are you pursuing or coming after Christ to help you increase an area of concern for others?

Sunday, we discussed that Jesus is calling all concerned to follow Him.  More specifically, to come after Him.  Even more specifically, to pursue Him.  We should be thinking about how we should be pursuing Him on a regular basis.  Here are some applications to choose from to use this week…

1. Grasp for More ~ One of the fun things about watching things in 3D is that sometimes it seems like you can simply reach out and grab an object.  Even if logic says you can’t.  As you go on with your everyday life, the concept of getting more Jesus should be that “it’s-just-right-there-but-I-can’t-grab-it” kind of thing.  You will probably not be the one to stop all cancers, but you are willing to put in the effort to make a difference. Use that drive to make a difference with Christ.
2. Make a Choice ~ Similar to what Joshua said to the people in Joshua 24, where he challenged the people to decide who they would serve, that is our everyday choice question.  We must decide who we are going to “come after”.  We’ve all probably rearranged our schedules for things concerning school activities, doctor appointments, vacations, etc.  However, do we do the same thing for faith-based activities?  Do we take off or work overtime so that we have that time free to do something with the church?  Think about the choices you make and how they determine how concerned you are about them versus your faith activities.

When an area impacts you, you will be more inclined to help out or pursue it.  The call of Christ asks us to pursue Him and what He has to offer.  We’re constantly learning, so the pursuit of Him should mimic that…a learning process.

He’s calling all concerned…are you one of them?

Creating Our Future

Each step we take, each breath we take, and each word we speak all help pave the future.  You can stay still, move backward, or move forward and the future will come.  It doesn't matter what you do or don't do, the future is going to happen.

You've probably heard the phrase "Lead, follow, or get out of the way".  That is a pretty true statement when it comes to how your future is going to be.  You have a lot of choices of what and how you are going to do something, but ultimately, it is your decision.

That brings us to this week's quote...

The future is not some place we are going to but one we are creating. The paths to it are not found but made.  ~ John Schaar

You are carving out the future as you read this and as you go about your day.  The choices you make today will have an affect on the tomorrows that come.  If you decide to buy something - food or a car - that choice will affect your future.

Have you been able to see, from your past, how your choices carved out the future?  How they made a positive or negative effect on the future?  I can from my life, both good and bad.


Make the most of every opportunity so that your choices will have a good affect on your future.  That way the path you make will be a good one!

Feeling Bored?

I don’t know how many times I said the words “I’m bored” as a youth. I can remember going to visit my relatives, where I didn’t have any cousins my age, and being very bored. I remember being at home in the summer and not having much to do, resulting in boredom. I can remember several church assemblies that I sat through with that same feeling.

For the most part, boredom is a choice. It may be as a result of a lack of things to do, but did you look around and try to take advantage of what was in your environment or expect your environment to come to you? The idea of boredom brings us to this week’s quote…

Are you bored with life? [or work, church, spouse, family, etc.] Then
throw yourself into some work you believe in with all your heart, live for it,
die for it, and you will find happiness that you had thought could never be
yours. ~ Dale Carnegie

I added the other words in the quote because we may not focus on them if they were not mentioned. I am going to focus on the area of church, though it could be applied to most, if not all, the rest.

I mentioned that I have sat through several church assemblies with the feeling of boredom. This continued into young adult, and even continued into my first years as a minister. I wasn’t bored with God, just with the assembly. Why? Mostly because I didn’t appreciate it like I needed to.

I started looking at it from a new perspective. I was looking for God in those times, not expecting God to come looking for me. In other words, I, now, anxiously await what God is going to do in each gathering. How are people going to change? How am I going to be affected? How is He going to surprise me?

When I threw myself into looking for the surprises in my daily walk with God, then I found the happiness that I thought could never be mine! It is an awesome concept that has changed my perspective on so many areas.

If you’re bored…dive right in to things! For example, do you think your community has nothing to offer? Look for ways you can be involved in a committee to try to change it.

I am so thrilled to get to team up with God to see how we are going to do something each day!

Enjoying being on His team!…

Monday Mentionings: What an Embarrassment - Genesis 38:12-26

What was your most embarrassing moment? Sometime during our life we do something, in a setting where others are around, that is embarrassing. Unfortunately, for some, their “moment” may have been a result of bad judgment. If such was the case, it wasn’t a “moment” but rather a chapter in their life. Maybe that was the case for you. Yesterday, we looked at Genesis 38 and the story of two people, Judah and Tamar, each making poor choices that resulted in being, what some my consider, an embarrassment to the family name. However, through their incest relationship God brings about an amazing outcome…our Savior! Here are a few applications from yesterday’s lesson…

1. Sometimes a poor judgment can result in feeling like your world is crashing in on you. Your judgment may be clouded which results in wanting to do something “crazy”. Jesus calls us to give our burdens to Him in Matthew 11:28-30 when He says, “if you are weary and heavy burdened, come to me and I will give you rest.” Whenever you don't know what to do, may you give your "craziness" to Him!
2. If we took your life and filmed it, then showed it to your church or co-workers, how many things from your week do you think you would be cringing when it was shown? I am sure we all would want to cringe sometime during the "reveal". However, let us learn to give grace to others when they make mistakes by understanding that we all have times which we have “logs” in our own eyes (Matthew 7:1-5).
3. Have you ever done something that you had a difficult time thinking that God could/would forgive? Be encouraged and Praise God that there is no sin that God can’t forgive when we decide to commit to follow Him! God’s grace is amazing…a grace that “will pardon and cleanse within.”

Be encouraged and strengthen as you keep fighting the good fight of faith!

Don't let a clouded past deny you from having a fresh faith!

How has God been working through you lately? Leave a comment...

A forgiven embarrassment ~