Trust

This week at Home Team we looked at Luke 4-5 where Jesus calls Peter as a disciple. I really loved these verses since Matthew and Mark have the "Cliff Notes" version of the story...

One day as Jesus was walking along the shore of the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew throwing a net into the water, for they fished for a living. 17 Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 18 And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Luke, on the other hand, gives us the more detailed story which revealed some interesting facts.

1. Jesus knew Peter (Simon) prior to calling him as a disciple. In fact, Jesus healed Peter's mother-in-law when He was invited to Peter's house.
2. Peter had a mother-in-law which means Peter had a wife!
3. Jesus used Peter's boat to preach from and Peter sat there and listened. He was familiar with Jesus' teaching.
4. When Jesus asked Peter to go and fish, it wasn't a simple request. Peter had been fishing all night. He was probably exhausted. Not only that, he was an expert on his trade. Going to fish during the day was just stupid. It made no logical sense.
5. Peter trusted Jesus anyway and went out to fish.
6. Not only was Peter's boat filled with fish, but also James and John (Peter's fishing partners) got in on the deal and their boat was filled to almost sinking.
7. What does tons and tons of fish mean? Money and provision for Peter, James and John's families.
8. Peter's first response was to recognize he was a sinner and that Jesus was holy.
9. Jesus reassures Peter and calls him to do something amazing.
10. Peter's response? He left everything in God's hands and followed Jesus.

Last week, I simply could not get this story out of my head. I thought about it constantly. Here were some of my reflections on the passage.

• Do you really trust God? When it came down to it, if God asked you to do something seemingly illogical would I still do it?
• Recognize that we're sinners saved by a Holy Savior. We can't do this on our own.
• When God calls you to do something, He provides for your needs. Peter wouldn't have left his family had he not known in a HUGE way that Jesus was providing for their everyday needs.
• What do you have to leave behind in order to completely follow Jesus?

The "Real Church" and trials

Got to hear Pastor Lyle preach again at Mission Valley Christian Fellowship and he just cracks me up. He preached through Acts on "What is a real church?"
Mission Valley Christian Fellowship(MVCF) is a set-up/teardown church like Palm Valley and often Pastor Leo or Pastor Lyle is told, "Well, when you get a building, then we'll come back."
So Pastor Lyle's sermon was on "Is MVCF a real church?" I think these truths apply to any church:
A real church has:

• Teaching
• Fellowship
• Sharing of meals
• Prayer
• People who are filled with awe
• Miraculous signs
• Focus on pleasing God first, people second

I also had a chance to hear MVCF's Pastor of Security, known as "Sarge", preach. He was supposed to preach last October, but the day he was supposed to preach, his mother died suddenly in his own home. His sermon title was "Facing Trials and Tribulations". What a powerful testimony! He was so vulnerable and preached powerfully out of the book of James. Here are some notes that have stuck with me:

• James introduced himself as a slave to Christ, not Jesus' half brother. He knew who His Savior was.
• James 1:4 Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
• Perseverance is only developed through trials.
• How do you count it all joy when really bad things happen? For Sarge, it was remembering the day he got a chance to preach randomly to a group of people and baptized 8 of them, one of which was his mother.
• James 1:6--ask in faith with no conditions.
• Are you seeking biblical counsel? Or the world's counsel?

Going home...

Two weekends ago I did something I've always wanted to do: surprise my mom for her birthday. I had Spring Break that week for school so I told my mom her present would be coming on Saturday.
Saturday morning I woke up early, drove the 5+ hours home and called my mom from our front lawn. I asked if she had checked for her present and she said, "Yes, I just looked." Getting out of the car, I walked up to the front porch and said, "Look again."
Mom opened the door and just screamed! It was wonderful! I also had the chance to surprise my dad and pick him up from work.

I think the nicest thing about going home is that I'm able to truly relax. With my parents, I can be myself and we have a good enough relationship we can talk about almost anything. We were very honest with each other this time though, and I think it was really good. All three of us are growing in God's Word and really seeking His voice for direction.

Mark 12 rocks my world!

So this was a comment I left on the Route 66 site, but I liked enough I'm reposting it here as well:
18 Then Jesus was approached by some Sadducees—religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: 19 “Teacher, Moses gave us a law that if a man dies, leaving a wife without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name. 20 Well, suppose there were seven brothers. The oldest one married and then died without children. 21 So the second brother married the widow, but he also died without children. Then the third brother married her. 22 This continued with all seven of them, and still there were no children. Last of all, the woman also died. 23 So tell us, whose wife will she be in the resurrection? For all seven were married to her.”
24 Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God.

What struck me about this verse and what's haunted me all day is the phrase "You don't know the power of God." How often do we really acknowledge the power of God? More often we tend to limit God's power just like the Sadducees, deciding what God can and cannot do even when He's standing right in front of them!
As a culture we've lost most of our sense of awe or wonder. I recently heard a secular comedian bemoan the fact that we ascribe the word "awesome" to things as mundane as socks and hot dogs. Our God is awe-inspiring. We're talking about the Lord of Heaven's Armies (notice it's "armies" not "army")!!! He runs the universe. The only reason you have your next breath (yes, that one you just took) is because He orchestrated it. Yet, just like the disciples, we forget this fact. Even though we have witnessed miracles in our own lives and in the life of others, when it comes to tough times, we still wonder, "Gee, will God show up?". Why? We don't know the power of God. It reminds me of a hymn I grew up singing that goes...
Oh what peace we often forfeit
Oh what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer.

Lord, let me remember everyday that you are a powerful God, One that can do far more than my finite mind can comprehend. Help me to have faith that You can accomplish anything for Your glory. Lord, let me experience Your power every day as I entrust my soul, my body and my mind to You. God, You are an awesome God, not "awesome" like socks, but truly, overwhelmingly awe-inspiring. To You be all glory and praise forever!!!