Luke 19: 1-10 1 Jesús entró en Jericó y pasaba. 2 un hombre estaba allí por el nombre de Zacchaeus; él era un recaudador de impuestos principal y era rico. 3 Él quiso ver a quién Jesús era, pero ser un hombre corto él no podría, debido a la muchedumbre. 4 Entonces él corrió delante y subió una higuera de sicómoro para verlo, ya que Jesús venía aquel camino. 5 Cuando Jesús alcanzó el punto, él alzó la vista y le dijo, "Zacchaeus, bajado inmediatamente. Debo quedarme en su casa hoy." 6 Entonces él bajó inmediatamente y dio la bienvenida a él de buena gana.
7 Todas las personas vieron este y comenzaron a refunfuñar, "Él ha ido para ser el invitado de 'un pecador.'"¡8 Pero Zacchaeus se levantó y dijo al Señor, "mire usted, Señor! Aquí y ahora doy la mitad de mis posesiones al pobre, y si he engañado a alguien de algo, devolveré cuatro veces la cantidad." 9 Jesús le dijo, "Hoy la salvación ha venido a esta casa, porque este hombre, también, es un hijo de Abraham. 10 Para el Hijo del Hombre vino para buscar y salvar lo que fue perdido."
Hoy en el servicio oímos el mensaje imponente sobre Zaccehaus ... y el Señor sólo habló a mi corazón.
Cuando el ministro comenzó a hablar hoy, ella indicó que Zaccheaus, era un muy hombre acaudalado. Pero algo en su vida fallaba. Sólo comencé a rezar... ¿"Dios, por qué hizo Zaccheaus realmente sube aquel viejo árbol para?" Quiero decir sí, sé que él era un pequeño hombre pequeñito y subió en el árbol para ver a quién Jesús era, pero por qué hizo él realmente sube en aquel árbol. Él podría acabar de presionar su camino por la muchedumbre.
El Zaccheaus era corto, sin duda sobre ello ... pero él era también rico. Pero algo fallaba en su vida. Algo que sólo puede ser realizado por una relación con Jesucristo nuestro salvador. La razón que él subió en aquel árbol era la misma razón subimos árboles (espiritualmente hablando) ... queremos ver y ser cerca de Dios vivo. Dios que vino a la tierra en la forma de una vida, respirando al hombre para amarnos, enseñarnos y darnos el perdón muy necesario.
Note lo que pasó, Jesús dijo a Zaccheaus, "Bajan inmediatamente..." En otras palabras, no vacile en verme ... vienen ahora ... vienen me ver ahora. Jesús también dice que "voy a su casa para la comida." Él llamó Zaccheaus por su nombre ... una cosa muy personal de hacer, y luego él dijo, "vengo a su casa..." Quiero venir vivo dentro de su corazón. El Zaccheaus no esperaba que Jesús lo vería o lo mencionaría ... pero Él hizo... Él tomó el modo muy impersonal de Zaccheaus de conseguir ver a Jesús, y lo convirtió en una experiencia personal por ir a pasar el tiempo con Zaccheaus.
Cada día, subimos árboles para ver sólo a Dios. Ver a qué él parece o ser más cercano a Él. Pero mientras somos allá arriba a menudo lo tratamos como algo ... impersonal y no deberíamos. Deberíamos tratar cada momento que gastamos con Dios como un convite... Jesús vino a nuestra "casa" para vivir ... y deberíamos tomar esto muy seriamente ... porque es que la relación con Jesús que nos purifica ... convierte nuestros errores y pecados en lecciones que podemos usar para Su gloria.
Hoy quiero animarle a llevar tiempo y buscar aquellos sitios en los cuales usted necesita a Dios para entrar y barrer. Invitación a Dios a venir a su casa ... para vivir con usted, llamarle por su nombre...
13 July 2008
Climbing Trees
Luke 19: 1-10 1 Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. 2 A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. 3 He wanted to see who Jesus was, but being a short man he could not, because of the crowd. 4 So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way. 5 When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." 6 So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly.
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Today in service we heard awesome message about Zaccehaus...and the Lord just spoke to my heart. As the minister started speaking today, she pointed out that Zaccheaus, was a very wealthy man. But something in his life was missing. I just started praying..."God, why did Zaccheaus really climb that old tree for?" I mean yeah, I know he was a wee little man and climbed into the tree to see who Jesus was, but why did he really climb into that tree. He could have just pressed his way through the crowd.
Zaccheaus was short, no doubt about it...but he was also rich. But something was missing in his life. Something that can only be fulfilled by a relationship with Jesus Christ our savior. The reason he climbed into that tree was the same reason we all climb trees (spiritually speaking)...we want to see and be close to the living God. The God that came to earth in the form of a living, breathing man to love us, to teach us and to give us much needed forgivness.
Notice what happened, Jesus told Zaccheaus, "Come down immediately..." In other words, don't hesitate to see me...come now...come see me now. Jesus also says "I am going to your house for dinner." He called Zaccheaus by his name...a very personal thing to do, and then he said, "I am coming to your house..." I want to come live within your heart. Zaccheaus wasn't expecting that Jesus would see him or mention him...but He did...He took Zaccheaus' very impersonal way of getting to see Jesus, and turned it into a personal experience by going to spend time with Zaccheaus.
Each day, we climb trees to just see God. To see what he looks like or to be closer to Him. But while we are up there we often treat it as something impersonal...and we shouldn't. We should treat each moment that we spend with God as a treat...Jesus came to our "house" to live...and we should take that very seriously...because it's that relationship with Jesus that purifies us...converts our mistakes and sins into lessons we can use for His glory.
Today I want to encourage you to take time and seek out those places that you need God to come into and sweep out. Invite God to come to your house...to live with you, to call you by your name...
7 All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a 'sinner.' "
8 But Zacchaeus stood up and said to the Lord, "Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to the poor, and if I have cheated anybody out of anything, I will pay back four times the amount."
9 Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost."
Today in service we heard awesome message about Zaccehaus...and the Lord just spoke to my heart. As the minister started speaking today, she pointed out that Zaccheaus, was a very wealthy man. But something in his life was missing. I just started praying..."God, why did Zaccheaus really climb that old tree for?" I mean yeah, I know he was a wee little man and climbed into the tree to see who Jesus was, but why did he really climb into that tree. He could have just pressed his way through the crowd.
Zaccheaus was short, no doubt about it...but he was also rich. But something was missing in his life. Something that can only be fulfilled by a relationship with Jesus Christ our savior. The reason he climbed into that tree was the same reason we all climb trees (spiritually speaking)...we want to see and be close to the living God. The God that came to earth in the form of a living, breathing man to love us, to teach us and to give us much needed forgivness.
Notice what happened, Jesus told Zaccheaus, "Come down immediately..." In other words, don't hesitate to see me...come now...come see me now. Jesus also says "I am going to your house for dinner." He called Zaccheaus by his name...a very personal thing to do, and then he said, "I am coming to your house..." I want to come live within your heart. Zaccheaus wasn't expecting that Jesus would see him or mention him...but He did...He took Zaccheaus' very impersonal way of getting to see Jesus, and turned it into a personal experience by going to spend time with Zaccheaus.
Each day, we climb trees to just see God. To see what he looks like or to be closer to Him. But while we are up there we often treat it as something impersonal...and we shouldn't. We should treat each moment that we spend with God as a treat...Jesus came to our "house" to live...and we should take that very seriously...because it's that relationship with Jesus that purifies us...converts our mistakes and sins into lessons we can use for His glory.
Today I want to encourage you to take time and seek out those places that you need God to come into and sweep out. Invite God to come to your house...to live with you, to call you by your name...
29 June 2008
A story of Forgiveness
My friend Ben passed away a year ago...maybe it was 2. Anyway, I had a lot of unfinished business because of stupid decisions in life. Well I had always wanted to tell Ben and his wife, I was sorry for my decisions...one night I laid in my bed praying, I was in a room with them and apologized...Ben just nodded...then after he passed away I was like "Okay, am I forgiven?" and I was praying and I heard Ben say "It's okay. No worries anymore."
Well still not being convinced though my therapist (a DEVOUT Christian woman) knew it was God's way of saying "You're forgiven...move on" I continued to question and want to know I was forgiven...So one night as I lay on my couch in tears I closed by eyes for what seemed like an hour (which was really mere seconds)...and I was surrounded in WHITE...the whitest white I have ever seen.
I saw three men standing in to my side, and as I turned toward them, I knew one was Ben, but I couldnt' realy make out the other two...except that one had a beard and a crown (a Prince's crown)...I ran straight way into Ben's arms and apologized profusely and Ben said "Stop worrying about this, you are forgiven." Then I looked at the man beside Ben and I knew immediately it was Jesus...I just started crying, standing in awe of him and he smiled at me. After he smiled I moved to the next man...
This man had the BLUEST eyes you'll ever see...they are so blue that they are clear...I knew immediately this was God the Father. I knew it because he could see into the very depths of my soul...and I driven to my knees...I woke up, tears streaming down my cheeks...and out loud, I said "My Savior smiled at me." My mom came into the room, you okay? I heard you crying...
yeah, mam, I am fine." I remember closing my eyes at 11:00 pm, when I opened them it was still 11:00 on my clock...what I thought had been an hour was only mere seconds...
Well still not being convinced though my therapist (a DEVOUT Christian woman) knew it was God's way of saying "You're forgiven...move on" I continued to question and want to know I was forgiven...So one night as I lay on my couch in tears I closed by eyes for what seemed like an hour (which was really mere seconds)...and I was surrounded in WHITE...the whitest white I have ever seen.
I saw three men standing in to my side, and as I turned toward them, I knew one was Ben, but I couldnt' realy make out the other two...except that one had a beard and a crown (a Prince's crown)...I ran straight way into Ben's arms and apologized profusely and Ben said "Stop worrying about this, you are forgiven." Then I looked at the man beside Ben and I knew immediately it was Jesus...I just started crying, standing in awe of him and he smiled at me. After he smiled I moved to the next man...
This man had the BLUEST eyes you'll ever see...they are so blue that they are clear...I knew immediately this was God the Father. I knew it because he could see into the very depths of my soul...and I driven to my knees...I woke up, tears streaming down my cheeks...and out loud, I said "My Savior smiled at me." My mom came into the room, you okay? I heard you crying...
yeah, mam, I am fine." I remember closing my eyes at 11:00 pm, when I opened them it was still 11:00 on my clock...what I thought had been an hour was only mere seconds...
26 June 2008
Wounding, but faithful
Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies kisses. Proverbs 27:6 (NIV)
A more modern version of the above scripture says "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy's kisses are deceitful." Both are painful to endure. Recently, today as a matter of fact, someone I consider a friend got married. I expected to receive an invitation at the very least because I had created a reality that wasn't reality. You see I thought the person getting married was a closer friend than she was. Am I mad at them? No. Why be? I am hurt though.However as the scripture says "Faitful are the wounds of a friend." I needed to know that I wasn't "close enough" to get an invitation to the wedding. It's not because I wasn't "good enough", or that I was dejected and rejected. More that I am an aquaintince and that is much more different than a friend. Though I am wounded as a person, I know that this person a dear sister in Christ hasn't done so intentionally...matter of fact, I am sure she has no idea that I am wounded. The enemy though is different. His/Her kisses, false pretenses of friendship only serve to shut you down. They are used to drive walls between you and God, you and your fellow Christians, you and whoever you have a relationship with.So how do we overcome the hurts and disappointments that come to us from friends and enemies. Prayer. Usually I will sit down, have a word or two with God...and leave it in His hands. With the wedding though, I have been trying to figure out if I should or how I can tell my sister I am hurt. Ultimately it's not going to make a difference if my sister knows...But with it in God's hands I can start the process of healing. And healing is the process we want to take more seriously than the petty pot-shots that Satan, our true advesary sends our way.
A more modern version of the above scripture says "Wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy's kisses are deceitful." Both are painful to endure. Recently, today as a matter of fact, someone I consider a friend got married. I expected to receive an invitation at the very least because I had created a reality that wasn't reality. You see I thought the person getting married was a closer friend than she was. Am I mad at them? No. Why be? I am hurt though.However as the scripture says "Faitful are the wounds of a friend." I needed to know that I wasn't "close enough" to get an invitation to the wedding. It's not because I wasn't "good enough", or that I was dejected and rejected. More that I am an aquaintince and that is much more different than a friend. Though I am wounded as a person, I know that this person a dear sister in Christ hasn't done so intentionally...matter of fact, I am sure she has no idea that I am wounded. The enemy though is different. His/Her kisses, false pretenses of friendship only serve to shut you down. They are used to drive walls between you and God, you and your fellow Christians, you and whoever you have a relationship with.So how do we overcome the hurts and disappointments that come to us from friends and enemies. Prayer. Usually I will sit down, have a word or two with God...and leave it in His hands. With the wedding though, I have been trying to figure out if I should or how I can tell my sister I am hurt. Ultimately it's not going to make a difference if my sister knows...But with it in God's hands I can start the process of healing. And healing is the process we want to take more seriously than the petty pot-shots that Satan, our true advesary sends our way.
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