ACTS 2

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The disciples of Jesus waited in Jerusalem as they were directed to do. They were waiting for the Spirit to come upon them to give them power for bearing witness of Jesus throughout the world. Well, the Spirit showed up alright with an undeniable presence! He showed up with a loud, rushing wind and tongues of fire appeared to them and the disciples began speaking in other languages. It caused such a stir that a great crowd gathered to see what was going on. Then, they not only saw, but they heard the disciples speaking in the many languages of the people gathered there. You see, this was the first world-wide witnessing event, all set up by God to bear witness to the business "executives" of the world. From that event the message of Jesus spread naturally through these business leaders of the world.

When the disciples were accused of being drunk so early in the morning, Peter stood up and articulately presented the message of Jesus to the crowd. He said, 22"Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know" Peter points out the miracles Jesus performed that authenticated Him as from God and notes that his audience were eye- witnesses of these works.

23"this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. 24"But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power." He tells them, "You effectively put Jesus to death, BUT GOD RAISED HIM UP AGAIN, putting an end to the stress of death."

Peter then sums up his message with: 36"Therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ-this Jesus whom you crucified." 37Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brethren, what shall we do?" Their response was amazing. They were persuaded by Peter's explanation of the day's event and asked, "What shall we do?"

Now NOTE the results of this powerful event and Peter's message: 41So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls.

NOTE the 12 evidences of their faith in Jesus: 42They were continually devoting themselves to the (1) apostles' teaching and to (2) fellowship, to the (3) breaking of bread and to (4) prayer. 43Everyone kept (5) feeling a sense of awe (feeling the presence of God among them); and (6) many wonders and signs (there was evidence of things that only God could do among them and they noticed the "God-things" among them) were taking place through the apostles. 44And (7) all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45and they began selling their property and possessions and were sharing them with all, as anyone might have need (they were sensitive to the needs of one another and operated as a family, taking care of each other). 46 (8) Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple (they were doing life together, day-in and day-out), and (9)breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart (they enjoyed themselves thoroughly as they learned to hang out together for dinners and parties in their homes), 47 (10) praising God (they were careful to give God the credit for what was going on and were grateful to Him) and (11) having favor with all the people (this was a remarkable effect where the masses of people were attracted to the light and the love of the fellowship they observed) (12) and the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were being saved.

Now, NOTE that the Lord added others to their fellowship daily. But that's not the insight here. Here's the key. How were these people added to the fellowship daily?

FIRST-There was no evangelistic program within the fellowship with training sessions and a variety of witnessing tools.

SECOND-The only thing that was done by the believers was to practice being together, learning to love one another.

THIRD-It was the Lord Who added others to the fellowship and only the Lord is able to do so. Any other "addition" is filled with hype and is, at best, man-made.

Again, we are faced with the most basic truth of all. ONLY GOD CHANGES LIVES AND BRINGS PEOPLE INTO HIS FELLOWSHIP. This is why we must continue to hang out with Jesus and His people!

ACTS 1

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For the next 28 days (7 days a week) I want to move back through the book of Acts. I suggest that you read the full chapter from whatever version each day and I will comment on a paragraph that seems to stand out to me out of that chapter. PASS IT ON TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY.

Don't be distracted away from this dynamic book of Acts. In a very real sense it's the 5th Gospel, specifically a continuation of the Gospel of Luke. I've always heard of Acts being a transitional book, but I see it differently in this season of my life. You've probably heard Acts called the "Acts of the Apostles", but I find it helpful to refer to Acts as the "Acts of Jesus." You see, although Jesus ascended into heaven, He is still quite active in our lives individually and as we gather in fellowship with one another. We grossly miss the point of the experience of walking with Jesus, if we don't see it this way.

Today in ACTS 1 check out verses 6-8: 6So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, "Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?" 7He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

First NOTE their question. It's a little like "Jesus, are you going to unfold life and the world the way we've been taught and believed?" I've spent entirely too much time trying to figure out how God is going to unfold the world and bring it to some glorious conclusion. I've used the "signs of the times" to stir up people's interests and have been quite successful doing it. However, Jesus seems to relieve us of that knowledge or responsibility to know these things and points us to something far more important and strategic.

And He uses a big "BUT" to refocus our attention toward the most important things-the power of the Holy Spirit is to come upon Jesus' disciples and the disciples are to be Jesus' witnesses. FIRST, the power of the Spirit is to come upon Jesus' disciples. The way Jesus will remain active and powerful among His disciples is for the Spirit to do His work in us and among us. And, because the Spirit takes up permanent residence in those who believe, Jesus will have the opportunity to touch so many more lives than He could have. They were looking for political or organizational power. What Jesus wanted them to possess was a new kind of power-the transformational power of His Spirit for the spreading of the Gospel throughout the world. Jesus said that we would do greater works than He did and this is how it's done-with Spirit power!

SECOND, the disciples are to be witnesses of Jesus. We are not to be witnesses of a denomination or a cultural bent of Christianity. We are not told here to be witnesses of Bible doctrine or creeds or of the many teaching gurus. Literally Jesus says He wants His disciples to be "witnesses of Me" or My witnesses. The purpose for the power is to bear witness of Jesus, not Jesus plus anything, but JESUS PLUS NOTHING.

A question arises here. Why is it that we disciples are to bear witness of Jesus? It's because Jesus is all that is needed and nothing more. Jesus is the Good News in a bad news world. Jesus is the Gospel! The meaning of Jesus' name says it all. "God Saves!" Is there anything you can add to your witness to improve upon Him? No, there is nothing more to be said. It's all about Jesus!

Now NOTE the strategy for bearing witness of Jesus. We are to bear witness of Jesus to the remotest part of the earth. Also, NOTE that this witnessing has an order to it. You begin right where you live-IN JERUSALEM. Then be sure to witness of Jesus in your surrounding area. Now watch this--and in Samaria. Samaria is the place where you might not be invited, because they are not "your kind". in fact, the Jews believed the Samaritans were half-breeds and they didn't get along at all. Yet Jesus made it clear that this was a strategic part of the plan for bearing witness, even to the Samaritans. Then, Jesus' disciples are to bear witness of Him to the remotest part of the world. This begs the question, "Who or what is the object of your witness?" Is it Jesus or is it Jesus plus something else?

THE GOSPEL OF THE KINGDOM

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Matthew 24:14

14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of heaven are used interchangeably. Even though Jesus teaches so little on the church (mentions it twice), He spends lots of time teaching about the Kingdom. Today the Kingdom concept has escaped our notice, even though Jesus places so much emphasis on it.

It's not that the Kingdom has been rejected, but reduced. In general we reduce the Kingdom of God to our particular flavor of the faith we have embraced. There's a sense that what we have embraced is the right way and therefore we must carry our particular form of faith and system of beliefs to the rest of the world. The Kingdom is so much greater than the particular faith or system you have embraced. Jesus is referring to the Kingdom of God, not the kingdom of the Catholics or protestants or the Moslems or the Buddhists.

There are, at least, 5 specific ways that we tend to reduce the Kingdom. FIRST-It is reduced to the MYSTICAL. If it's mystical, then it is very difficult to explain and understand definitively. It's sort of other-worldly. SECOND-It is reduced to the HEAVENLY. This is a lot like the first. If the Kingdom is heavenly, then it has little, if any, application on earth. THIRD-It is reduced to the future-APOCALYPTIC. This means it isn't for today, but is relegated to a time in the future when Jesus will set up His Kingdom on earth. FOURTH-It is reduced by being EQUATED TO THE CHURCH. Many see the Kingdom as the local church and therefore it's limited to whether it's a good and healthy church or not. FIFTH-It is reduced to a SOCIAL CONCERN. To many feeding the poor and doing charitable deeds among the needy of our world is where the Kingdom is.

There is a little bit of each of these dimensions that is true, but the Kingdom cannot be defined by any one of them alone. The way Jesus teaches it, the Kingdom is greater than anything that has ever existed on earth. Jesus makes it clear that the Kingdom is near, here and among us right now, yet there seems to be a time in the future when the Kingdom will be fully experienced on earth.

Jesus and the Kingdom offer the only possible solution to transforming the culture. There are three things about Jesus that are most attractive and most effective in changing any society:

FIRST-CHARACTER. There is no one who ever lived who has ever surpassed the character standard that Jesus set. He set the bar so high that He is revered in every culture of the world. It was said of Ghandi, "He was the most Christlike who ever lived." Think of that. Ghandi, Hindu leader, had great character and was recognized by the Hindu people that his character was so outstanding that it was to be compared with Jesus. Jesus raises the highest bar ever on the planet with respect to character. No one surpasses Him!

SECOND-FULFILLMENT AND MEANING. If you follow the teachings and principles of Jesus, you will know fulfillment and meaning in your life. Who isn't able to gain something positive out of the principle of forgiveness or loving your enemies or giving rather than receiving? Religious and cultural leaders from all over the world continually use the principles of Jesus to write their books and teach their seminars. There is nothing that surpasses them!

THIRD-GOD. If God were to take on human flesh and live among us on this earth, He would most certainly say the things that Jesus said and do the things that Jesus did. If you follow the teachings and principles of Jesus, along the way you will find the God of the universe.

NOW, take these same three characteristics of Jesus and apply them to the Kingdom-where the King is.

FIRST-CHARACTER. The Kingdom is the only moral authority with any kind of power to change society. The Church is not capable of it. The Church changes from time to time. Sometimes it is effective and sometimes it's not. Leaders are morally good and leaders become morally flawed. So, at any given time, the Church will not be able to deliver a moral authority to the community. The Kingdom is constant. It's power and effectiveness depend upon its leader-Jesus. Therefore living in the Kingdom and inviting others to share in it is the only solution to transforming a broken culture.

SECOND-FULFILLMENT AND MEANING. Jesus is the ultimate standard and the Kingdom is the lifestyle of living this out in society. The lifestyle of Kingdom living is where ultimate fulfillment and meaning reside. They are the laws of the universe. You cannot break the laws of the Kingdom, but they can break you. For instance, one of the laws of the Kingdom is to forgive those who have hurt you. If you refuse to live out this Kingdom principle, you will pay dearly for it. You will be bound by your lack of forgiveness. You will be eaten up with this unforgiving heart. By breaking the principle, you are broken. When living within the Kingdom, you are safe and free and most fulfilled.

THIRD-GOD. Where better to discover a personal relationship with the God of gods than where He lives in His Kingdom.

FOLLOW THE KING AND YOU'LL DISCOVER THE KINGDOM; EMBRACE THE KINGDOM LIFESTYLE AND YOU'LL DISCOVER THE KING.

The Kingdom is the only thing Jesus calls the gospel-the gospel (good news) of the Kingdom. When you are more conversant with the Kingdom, you will come to know that this is not only the good news; it is the BEST NEWS ever!

THE THREE CLASHES THAT LEAVE JESUS OUT

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We now come to a second time Jesus predicts His upcoming death in Luke 9:43-50: While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered over to human hands." But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

This bad news Jesus is sharing with them was just too hard to take. It was still a mystery to them and they were afraid to ask anything further about it. However this isn't the most important issue in this passage. After all of these amazing supernatural experiences-being sent on a mission to heal people, participating with Jesus in feeding over 5000, seeing Jesus totally transfigured before their eyes, and healing a boy who was demonized, the disciples prove that they are missing the point of who Jesus is and what He came to do. They enter into 3 clashes.

FIRST CLASH--An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For whoever is least among you all is the greatest."

In this 1st clash the disciples argue between themselves about who will be the greatest among them. They are still thinking in terms of a political kingdom. They are missing the point that Jesus, the King, came to bring a spiritual kingdom then and there. And Jesus was the key to any sort of positioning, because the kingdom is wherever the king is.

SECOND CLASH--"Master," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us." "Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."

NOTE this 2nd clash. Here the disciples are upset with some other followers of Jesus who were casting out demons in the name of Jesus. Now what was it that was bothersome to them? Get this. They were upset because these followers of Jesus "were not one of us". It was driving them nuts that anyone outside of their little fellowship could be following Jesus. Does that sound familiar?

THIRD CLASH--As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The 1st clash was between the disciples, the 2nd clash was between the disciples and other followers of Jesus, and then this 3rd clash is between the disciples of Jesus and a group of people from another religious system.

All three clashes shared a few commonalities: 1. Each clash was motivated by the pride of being more "right" than another. This is sure all too common among those who claim to be followers of Jesus today. 2. Each clash was divisive from within the group of disciples to outside the Jesus fellowship. 3. Each clash was missing Jesus as the central figure of their lives and thinking.

You see, if you leave Jesus out of the equation of relationships within the kingdom, you will inevitably experience divisiveness. Here's the principle: JESUS UNITES WHILE EVERYTHING ELSE DIVIDES. And what is Christianity known for? It's divisiveness and exclusivity. So, who pushed Jesus out of Christianity?

THREE CLASHES THAT LEAVE JESUS OUT

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We now come to a second time Jesus predicts His upcoming death in Luke 9:43-50: While everyone was marveling at all that Jesus did, he said to his disciples, "Listen carefully to what I am about to tell you: The Son of Man is going to be delivered over to human hands." But they did not understand what this meant. It was hidden from them, so that they did not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask him about it.

This bad news Jesus is sharing with them was just too hard to take. It was still a mystery to them and they were afraid to ask anything further about it. However this isn't the most important issue in this passage. After all of these amazing supernatural experiences-being sent on a mission to heal people, participating with Jesus in feeding over 5000, seeing Jesus totally transfigured before their eyes, and healing a boy who was demonized, the disciples prove that they are missing the point of who Jesus is and what He came to do. They enter into 3 clashes.

FIRST CLASH--An argument started among the disciples as to which of them would be the greatest. Jesus, knowing their thoughts, took a little child and had him stand beside him. Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For whoever is least among you all is the greatest."

In this 1st clash the disciples argue between themselves about who will be the greatest among them. They are still thinking in terms of a political kingdom. They are missing the point that Jesus, the King, came to bring a spiritual kingdom then and there. And Jesus was the key to any sort of positioning, because the kingdom is wherever the king is.

SECOND CLASH--"Master," said John, "we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we tried to stop him, because he is not one of us." "Do not stop him," Jesus said, "for whoever is not against you is for you."

NOTE this 2nd clash. Here the disciples are upset with some other followers of Jesus who were casting out demons in the name of Jesus. Now what was it that was bothersome to them? Get this. They were upset because these followers of Jesus "were not one of us". It was driving them nuts that anyone outside of their little fellowship could be following Jesus. Does that sound familiar?

THIRD CLASH--As the time approached for him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem. And he sent messengers on ahead, who went into a Samaritan village to get things ready for him; but the people there did not welcome him, because he was heading for Jerusalem. When the disciples James and John saw this, they asked, "Lord, do you want us to call fire down from heaven to destroy them ?" But Jesus turned and rebuked them. Then he and his disciples went to another village.

The 1st clash was between the disciples, the 2nd clash was between the disciples and other followers of Jesus, and then this 3rd clash is between the disciples of Jesus and a group of people from another religious system.

All three clashes shared a few commonalities: 1. Each clash was motivated by the pride of being more "right" than another. This is sure all too common among those who claim to be followers of Jesus today. 2. Each clash was divisive from within the group of disciples to outside the Jesus fellowship. 3. Each clash was missing Jesus as the central figure of their lives and thinking.

You see, if you leave Jesus out of the equation of relationships within the kingdom, you will inevitably experience divisiveness. Here's the principle: JESUS UNITES WHILE EVERYTHING ELSE DIVIDES. And what is Christianity known for? It's divisiveness and exclusivity. So, who pushed Jesus out of Christianity?

A FAITH-LIFT--GOD'S PART & YOUR PART

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In order for a faith-lift to be effective, you need to understand who does what and when. A faith-lift includes God's part and yours.

We visited a study group this morning where the topic was atonement. Now that's a big word, but it actually is quite simple. It's the term that means reconciliation-especially between God and man. Through Jesus man can be reconciled with God. Through Jesus we can experience atonement-be at-one-ment with God. Every religious system has atonement as its ultimate goal.

The group discussion revolved around the grace of God-God's undeserved love toward everyone in the world. Grace is divided into two-common grace and specific grace. Common grace is what everyone on the planet enjoys-the sunshine, flowers, mountains, beaches, the love of another, the breath of life and the joy of children. Once you accept the reality of common grace that is extended to everyone, then you can either acknowledge God or not. When you acknowledge God and His grace, you then have the opportunity to receive it or reject it. In other words, if you want the love of God and all of its fulfillment and eternal satisfaction, you can have it. And if you don't want anything to do with the love of God, you will not be forced into it.

There are always two sides to every story and it is no different with mankind. There is God's side and your side-God's part and yours. His part is unconditional love and acceptance of you just as you are. Your part is to actually receive this love for yourself. This is easier said than done. You see, everything you hear and see in this world will communicate just the opposite to you. The most common communication about man's possible relationship with God is that man must do certain things to appease God-to do enough to earn the love and acceptance of God. This performance message is promoted by all kinds of religious groups as well. The result? You feel the stress of having to perform and the guilt of not performing well enough.

So, how do you counteract this constant flow of wrong information? You have to remind yourself of God's unconditional love and acceptance. That's the Good News of Jesus! In order to remind yourself of God's love and acceptance, you have to employ personal discipline-to transform your mind and heart with the Good News message. If you are able to do this, you will enjoy a sense of peace that will give you a faith-lift and get you through any situation you may face.

I've come to realize there are only two kinds of pain-discipline and regret. You choose which it will be. If you discipline yourself you will make progress toward what you want to accomplish. If you don't discipline yourself, you will sit in a pile of regret.

There are many things you might want to discipline in order to bring about a faith-lift. For instance, if you want a faith-lift, why not begin with exercising discipline in the area of peace. Peace is the direct result of the Good News of Jesus. There are two kinds of peace-peace with God and the peace of God.

When the heavenly host appeared with the angel announcing the birth of Jesus, they said: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to men." When the disciples were first sent out by Jesus they were to take the peace with them and give it away to those they found in the various villages who were leaning in. The first thing Jesus said to His disciples when He met them in a room after the resurrection was "Peace be with you."

I love the passage that says: "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus the Christ." (Romans 5:1) Or later in the letter to the followers of Jesus in Rome: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14:13) And, then to the followers of Jesus in Thessalonica: Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. (II Thessalonians 3:16)

Now if you discipline yourself to read and meditate on the many passages that speak of peace, this will make a great contribution to getting another faith-lift. However, there is one more passage that I like to use personally and share with others. Disciplining myself to do what this passage teaches has really served me and others well in giving us a lift.

Here it is. There are three things that require your discipline. FIRST-Do not be anxious about anything. Did you get that? In order to work on your faith-lift, you must discipline yourself to stop worrying about everything! Worry gets you absolutely nowhere. But it is so easy to get caught up in the swirl of worrying, as if you could do something to control the situation.

SECOND-but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Instead of worrying, discipline yourself to pray about everything! Note that you are to ask God while being grateful-with thanksgiving. Then, note you are to present your requests-desires-what you want-to God. Tell God what you want. Discipline yourself to take all of your requests or desires to God. Just by offering up your desires to God indicates a surrender of your control and giving the matter over to Him. Remember, God already knows your desires before you ask them. What He wants to know is whether or not you are willing to present them in surrender before Him.

After the first two disciplines-(1) do not worry about anything, instead (2) let your desires be made known to God, there is a major result: And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. You will experience the peace of God and it will be the kind of peace that is beyond belief. It will be incredible! Your part is to discipline yourself not to worry and to take your desires before God. Note that this peace that you are given will guard your heart and mind. Why is this so important? It's because your heart and mind is where your worry resides.

THIRD-The 3rd discipline is to fill your mind with the following: Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-think about such things. The discipline here is to fill your mind with all things, true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable excellent-all good things.

The result? The things you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you. "Practice these things" means to discipline yourself by thinking on these things. That's your part! Then, the peace of God will be with you. That's God's part!

Are you in need of a faith-lift? There are only two kinds of pain-discipline and regret. You choose! Discipline yourself in the things that produce the peace of God or you will find yourself in endless regret. In other words, you can live in peace or in pieces.

LOOKING FOR JESUS EVERY DAY

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OK, so Jesus says "Where two or three gather together in His name, He will be in their midst", but is there any other indicator about seeing Jesus at work in your life? I think there are a few helpful guidelines in finding Jesus at work around you.

FIRST-Jesus is focused on those in need, therefore look for Jesus as you are able to show concern for and offer help for the needy around you. This is where His heart is. He even says that when you feed, clothe and love those in need, you are actually ministering to Jesus, Himself.

SECOND-Jesus is focused on children, therefore look for Jesus to be hanging around them. Children do see things differently and say things innocently from the heart.

THIRD-Jesus doesn't make appointments; He will show up unexpectedly. If your day is interrupted, look for Jesus to show up in that interruption. Instead of being annoyed with your schedule being interrupted, look for Jesus there. In examining the life of Jesus you will see that He walked in and out of people's lives on His calendar. Although there are a few times Jesus initiates encounters with people, most of the time people seek Him out personally or on behalf of loved ones. In either case, when Jesus encounters a person in need, His touch is always healing and life-giving. None of these encounters were on anyone's appointment book. Each was an interruption to their daily routine.

If you are met with irritations or troubles, look for Jesus to show up through these. I have found that some of the most irritating people I know have been used by the Lord to teach me something I really needed. Look for Jesus to show up in the midst of your troubles, too. It's not that Jesus causes us these irritations or troubles; He is always present to use them for our benefit.

You see, the reason why you can find Jesus around you throughout your day is that Jesus is relentlessly searching for children and child-like faith, those who are in need and those who are caught up with irritations and troubles. And He uses all of these players and situations to grow us up spiritually.

In the fifteenth chapter of the Gospel of Luke Jesus offers three stories about His relentless search for those who are lost-the lost sheep, the lost coin and the lost child-the prodigal son. All of these illustrate the primary theme of Jesus' day every day. He is out to seek and to save or rescue those who have lost their way.

No matter what the touch of Jesus accomplishes in the life of a person, there is always the same result. Each and every person comes to the point of repentance. "Repentance" gets a bad rap. Most think of repentance as a highly emotional decision-a dramatic conversion experience. Now, repentance may include such emotion, but basically repentance means to change your mind about something or change your direction-turn around. It is usually referring to turning back to God-getting back on track. I like to think about it as simply coming to your senses.

There is an interesting encounter with Jesus that Jesus actually initiates. It's when Jesus met a tax-collector by the name of Zaccheus. Let's look in on what happened: Jesus entered Jericho and was passing through. A man was there by the name of Zacchaeus; he was a chief tax collector and was wealthy. He wanted to see who Jesus was, but because he was short he could not see over the crowd. So he ran ahead and climbed a sycamore-fig tree to see him, since Jesus was coming that way.

When Jesus reached the spot, he looked up and said to him, "Zacchaeus, come down immediately. I must stay at your house today." So he came down at once and welcomed him gladly. All the people saw this and began to mutter, "He has gone to be the guest of a sinner."

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."

NOTE that Jesus invites Himself to lunch at Zach's house. And even before they made it to his house for lunch, there is an immediate change in the heart of Zaccheus. It's amazing to me how quickly Zaccheus wants to rectify his wrongs against the people he had over-taxed. He repented. He came to his senses about what he was doing.

I see this all of the time with people. When they encounter Jesus, there is a dramatic coming to their senses about material things, about their family responsibilities, about their finances and about their sense of mission. This initial response to an encounter with Jesus indicates a genuine heart decision to follow Jesus.

Now note what Jesus' response was to the changes in Zaccheus. Jesus said to him, "Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost." (Luke 19:1-10)

When you're looking for Jesus everyday, you will find Him actively seeking those who have lost their way. What Jesus wants from you is to be aware of His activity, cooperate with Him in His many encounters with people around you and to do whatever you can do to advance the conversation of Jesus in the marketplace. You see, when you are looking for Jesus every day, you begin to partner with Him. To be a partner with Jesus is to participate in bringing people to their senses. By the way, your life will begin to make more sense, too.

So, seek for Jesus and you will find Him every day. He is setting up all kinds of random appointments every day. All He wants you to do is to show up!

GOD WITH US

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The Christmas story is so frequently rehearsed and yet still Jesus' name is strangely missing from many presentations-especially in the marketplace. People make the connection between Santa Claus and Christmas trees with Christianity and this mistaken connection spills over to Jesus. But the birth of Jesus is so not what Christmas has become. There are so many ways to approach the birth of Jesus, but I want to suggest four observations that have been resonating with me and a few friends lately.

FIRST-Jesus came to dwell among us-TO BE WITH US: "The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel" (which means "GOD WITH US"). (Matthew 1:23) GOD WITH US! Christmas is all about God wanting to come down here and make Himself at home with us.

SECOND-Jesus called a few TO BE WITH THEM: He appointed twelve that they might BE WITH HIM. (Mark 3:14-15) Jesus set out to accomplish the work God, the Father, had asked Him to do-to be with the few the Father brought to Him and to teach them about His name. Jesus said: "and I have made Your name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which You loved Me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:26) Imagine that! The love with which the Father loved Jesus can be in us and Jesus be in us at the same time!

THIRD-Jesus continues TO BE WITH US TODAY. Jesus shares with us the plan for continuing to dwell WITH US today: "If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever-the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

"Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home (our dwelling place) with them." (John 14)

Jesus also shares with us how He will show up and make Himself known among us. "Where two or three are gathered in my name, there I will show up in their midst." Jesus will show up as a few of us gather in His name. He still is inviting a few for Him TO BE WITH THEM today!

You see, Jesus through His Spirit is present WITH US right now and welcomes us. After seeing how the Gentiles (the non-Jews) readily believed Jesus enough to follow Him, Peter said: "I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality, but in every nation the man who fears Him and does what is right is welcome to Him." (Acts 10:34-35)

Paul speaks to this same thing, when he was speaking in the marketplace in Athens. He said: "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things; and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation, that they would seek God, if perhaps they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us; for in Him we live and move and exist, as even some of your own poets have said, 'For we also are His children.' (Acts 17:24-28)

Before Jesus ascended into heaven, Jesus gave His disciples one final command to make disciples of all nations and cultures. He envelopes this command with these words: "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations." Then he said: And surely I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, to the very end of the age." (MT 28:19-20) He doesn't say I will be with you again someday. He says "I am with you always-right now on into eternity!

This is the mystery that has been revealed through the coming of Jesus. It is "Christ in you, the hope of glory". Literally the mystery is Christ among y'all. This is just another rendition of "Where two or three are gathered together in my name".

Jesus came as Immanuel-TO BE WITH US and HE IS STILL HERE WITH US today, therefore: · We don't have to ask Him to be with us! He already is! · We don't have to ask Him to bless us! He already has! · We don't have to look for Him! He is invisible, but dynamically present! · We don't have to conjure Him up through powerful charismatic experiences! He is the one who has powerfully come to dwell WITH US! · We don't have to be anything other than we are! He wants to dwell with you just as you are!

A friend in Jesus recently said it this way: Jesus became like us so that we might become like Him and He came to live WITH US for a time so that we might live WITH HIM for eternity. And guess what? Eternity starts the moment you realize that Jesus is Immanuel and you decide to follow Him.

Now to me, this makes Christmas the merriest of holidays! GOD WITH US started 2000+ years ago and He continues to be WITH US today. This is why I talk to Him throughout the day. This is why I am in a constant conversation with Jesus asking a very simple question, "What do you have for me today, Jesus?" And when I ask, He shows up. And when I don't ask, I don't see Him or even think of Him. Since I know God is WITH US, I am so much more at ease about my day. GOD WITH US! Think it over!

THE BEST PART OF CHRISTMAS

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The space-time event in history of the birth of Jesus is filled with so many highlights. And everyone has his or her favorite thing to share about the Christmas story. Jesus was born on time and in the little town of Bethlehem according to the many ancient Prophets.

What fascinates me most about the birth of Jesus is how it all came about through a variety of unlikely players. The Jews very carefully kept track of their genealogies as they relate to the godly line of the Messiah. In Matthew the genealogical record is most likely that of Joseph's and the genealogical record in Luke seems to be that of his Mother Mary.

What is so amazing is that after all of the care to follow each step of the way of the Messiah's godly line, God purposefully inserts some very unlikely people. Let's call these skeletons in Jesus' closet. A skeleton in the closet usually has to do with the uglier side of our family line. Jesus had 7 skeletons in His closet that all have a potential ugly side. Let's look at each of them:

FIRST-Mary, His mother. Mary was a sinful woman just as any other woman on the planet. She was an admitted sinner and was surprised at the choice of the angel to create the Messiah through her. This is the least ugly of the 7 skeletons and yet was a definite application of the grace of God to choose her. She clearly recognized that she personally was in need of the Savior she was to birth.

SECOND-David. Although we know David is known as a man after God's own heart, he was guilty of horrific sins. He committed adultery with Bathsheba and then set in motion the plan to have her husband, Uriah, killed in order to cover up his sin.

THIRD-Abraham. Remember, Abraham was a Gentile and God chose him to be the father of a new nation altogether-the people of Israel. Abraham's life was not a clean one, even though he was to be the father of all who believe. Two different kings brought Abraham's wife, Sarah, into their harems, because out of fear Abraham lied to each of them, saying that Sarah was his sister. What a horrible and shameful way to treat Sarah.

Even though David and Abraham were miserable sinners, Jesus the Messiah is known to be the son of David, the son of Abraham and proud of it. Then, within the genealogy of Jesus in a culture where genealogies were mostly dominated by men, there are four women, probably all Gentiles, who are included in the godly line of Messiah Jesus.

FOURTH-The first woman is Tamar, the Canaanite daughter-in-law of Judah. She resorted to deception, prostitution and even incest when she was unable to have a child. She tricked Judah into having sexual relations with her and she had twin boys, Perez and Zerah. Tamar and her son, Perez, both are included in the godly line of Jesus-both part of His sacred family tree.

FIFTH-The next woman who was also a Gentile, Rahab. She made prostitution her livelihood. As we saw yesterday Rahab risked her own neck to hide the spies of Israel when she lived in the ancient city of Jericho. Because of her faith and action on God's behalf, He agreed to spare her life and the lives of all her family during the battle of Jericho. She became the wife of Salmon and the mother of a godly man named Boaz. Boaz was David's great-grandson. By this marriage Rahab was inserted into the Messianic godly line that would produce Jesus.

SIXTH-The next Gentile woman, a Moabite, was Ruth. Although she was a former pagan and a Moabite, having no right to marry an Israelite, God's grace brought Ruth into the family of Israel, and through Boaz into the royal line. She became the grandmother of Israel's greatest king-King David.

SEVENTH-The final Gentile woman who was surprisingly in the godly line of Messiah Jesus is Bathsheba. Now get this! She entered the godly Messianic line through adultery with David. Their first son died in infancy, yet their second son was the great King Solomon, who was successor to David's throne.

As you can see the story of Christmas has some amazing surprises in it. These undeserving, Gentiles not Jewish, people were inserted into the godly list solely and completely by the grace of God.

So, in the birth of Jesus the Messiah, the skeletons in the closet turn out to be all about grace-amazing grace! This is the story of Christmas: That God's Messiah has come to deliver whoever will come to Him. This is truly what the Good News is all about. Jesus accepts and loves anyone and everyone-no matter your origin, ethnicity or religious beliefs. Jesus proves His love and acceptance by including four sinful women in His family tree. By the way, this means Jesus accepts you and loves you unconditionally, too. So, this Christmas celebrate your brokenness, your ways of falling short, the many times you've missed the mark. Jesus simply overlooks all of your negative stuff and wants you to accept His light into your life that you might be whole. Now, that is a Merry Christmas!

ORDINARY PEOPLE--EXTRAORDINARY RESULTS

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We have been making our way through the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews. And in verses 32-40 the writer begins to make some general swipes over the history of faith. And what more shall I say? For time will fail me if I tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets, who by faith conquered kingdoms, performed acts of righteousness, obtained promises, shut the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, from weakness were made strong, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. (Hebrews 11:32-40) Wow! Who wouldn't want to have these experiences of faith? This list is amazing!

God specializes in using ordinary people and producing extraordinary results through them! Gideon (Judges 6:13-14) believed the promises, but was pretty shaken up as to how God does His work! Barak (Judges 4:5-6) believed, but wouldn't go into battle alone! Samson (Judges 13:24;16:28-31) believed but his strength became his weakness! Jephthah (Judges 11:9) was a son of a harlot, but was a valiant warrior! David (I Samuel 16-17) was a young lad whom God mightily used to stop the giants! All of these are illustrations of ordinary faith!

Now, let's go on in this list. The writer shifts gears at this point and continues with people who have the same kind of faith, but in each of the experiences now listed the results are all negative, filled with pain and heartache. This sort of result is rarely referenced. Listen to this: and others were tortured, not accepting their release, so that they might obtain a better resurrection; and others experienced mockings and scourgings, yes, also chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, they were tempted, they were put to death with the sword; they went about in sheepskins, in goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, ill-treated (men of whom the world was not worthy), wandering in deserts and mountains and caves and holes in the ground.

Then, in summary of these faithful people with the same faith as those he listed earlier, he says: And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect. So these people who walked by faith didn't receive the ultimate answers to their prayers that were to be culminated in the coming of the Messiah. But now that the Messiah has come, we who place our faith in Him are actually completing their faith. We are partners in this walk of faith.

This is spelled out more completely earlier in this same chapter in verses 13-16. All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.

In the next chapter we find out how ordinary faith is exercised. Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:1-2)

This faith-walk with God is all about being in a race-the race of life. You are already entered in this race. There is no way to back out. It's a win or lose kind of race. To be a winner you must exercise your faith and trust in God. 


There are four observations here I want to make: FIRST-There are already a lot of winners who stand as witnesses, all testifying that it is winnable and the victory is worth all the effort spent in the race.

SECOND-To win you must follow certain racing procedures. You must put off all encumbrances that might weigh you down in this race. Marathoners don't run in combat boots or heavy clothing. Also, you must put aside that sin-that weakness-that so easily entangles you.

THIRD-Fix your eyes on the best example ever in this race of life-Jesus. All that Jesus did and said can become your model for racing well in this life.

FOURTH-Count on God to turn the results of your faith-whether positive or negative-into something meaningful and extraordinary.

Your ordinary faith will allow God to produce extraordinary results with eternal value to your life. It's ordinary people living by faith, leaving the results completely in the hands of the God of gods that will make life extraordinary. You know what this faith-walk really comes down to? God doesn't want to change your circumstances until he changes you! So, God's work is all about you after all!

ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS

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As we make our way through this Hall of Faith I want to offer you several real-life examples of a faith-lift. In the eleventh chapter of Hebrews this is illustrated by many key characters-Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua. Now we come to a most surprising person who is listed as a Hall of Fame person of faith. This one is very different. This one is a woman, but not any woman. This person of faith in God is a prostitute by the name of Rahab. It says: By faith Rahab the harlot did not perish along with those who were disobedient, after she had welcomed the spies in peace.

Rahab was very instrumental in the destruction of Jericho and the siege of the land of Canaan. When Joshua sent spies into the land, it says: So they went and came into the house of a harlot whose name was Rahab, and lodged there.

Here's how the story unfolds: It was told the king of Jericho, saying, "Behold, men from the sons of Israel have come here tonight to search out the land." And the king of Jericho sent word to Rahab, saying, "Bring out the men who have come to you, who have entered your house, for they have come to search out all the land." But the woman had taken the two men and hidden them, and she said, "Yes, the men came to me, but I did not know where they were from. "It came about when it was time to shut the gate at dark that the men went out; I do not know where the men went. Pursue them quickly, for you will overtake them."

To sum up, Rahab hid the spies and lied to the king's men about it. So, she hid them on her rooftop until the king's men left the city and the city gate was shut. But before they went to sleep, she asked for a commitment that she and her family would not be harmed in the battle for Jericho. They agreed and told her to make certain to place a scarlet thread in the window.

Rahab confessed her faith in the Lord and said: "I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath."

The next morning she let them down out of the city through that window. After letting them down out of her window, Rahab tied the scarlet cord in her window and no one in her home was destroyed when the children of Israel took the city of Jericho.

James used Rahab to illustrate his major point of the balance of faith and works. He says: You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone. In the same way, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the messengers and sent them out by another way? For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. Her faith in the Lord was clear and her works that demonstrated her faith was when she risked her own life in order to hide the spies from the king's men.

Rahab was a harlot. She used to manage a place called Rahab's Rest Stop! HOWEVER. And this is the great HOWEVER of God. God used her for His great purpose. No matter what you have done in the past or are now doing in the present, God will accept your faith. Her works proved her faith conclusively.

Do you ever feel that your past or present lifestyle holds you back from being used by God? Rahab had a very colorful past, but when she was given an opportunity from God, she seized it. Note that she seized it by her faith in the God of Israel and the proof of her faith was clear through her works.

The pendulum swing is between faith on one side and works on the other. Many are into faith alone. Others are into works alone. But there must be a union of both faith and works. It's like a rowboat with two oars-one is faith and the other is works. If you insist on using only one of these oars, you'll just go in circles-you'll go nowhere.

So how does Rahab's story help you to demonstrate the balance of the two? FIRST-No matter your past or your present situation, God will honor your genuine faith.

SECOND-God will honor your genuine faith when He can see your faithful works.

THIRD-God will honor your genuine faith and faithful works by using them for His purposes.

FOURTH-God will reward your genuine faith and faithful works with personal protection for you and your family in the worst of times.

Rahab demonstrated the works of faith-the fact that faith and works are never alone. Martin Luther put it this way: "Faith alone saves, but the faith that saves is not alone." In other words, the work of faith is the only faith that works! All other expressions of faith without works are simply empty.

THE MAN AGAINST ALL ODDS

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As we make our way through this Hall of Faith I want to offer to you a faith-lift by illustrating how several ordinary people were able to live extraordinary lives. We saw the "work of faith" was in Abel-work that emerged from the heart! Next we saw the walk of faith illustrated by the only two men who were ever said to "walk with God"-Enoch and Noah! With Abraham we have the illustration of the "way of faith", because when God called him out of his comfort zone, he obeyed. Then in the life of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we discovered the "wealth of faith" through being blessed and blessing others.

We examined the incredible life of Joseph who had all kinds of things go against him. Joseph illustrates the "won't of faith", because he refused to compromise his walk with God no matter the circumstances. Yesterday we dealt with the life of Moses. Moses illustrates the "will of faith". Moses discovered that the will of faith in the midst of frustration is the way to maturity.

Today we come to the life of Joshua. Although the writer of the book of Hebrews doesn't mention Joshua's name here, he does identify one of the great events in the life of Joshua-the conquest of the city of Jericho. It says: By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they had been encircled for seven days. (Hebrews 11:30)

Joshua took over the leadership of the Jewish people after Moses and found himself against all odds. He was to lead God's people into the land of the Canaanites. The Canaanites were deeply into prostitution (both male and female) and child sacrifice. They were into all sorts of corruption. They were known as a brutal people. Battle after battle Joshua continually was against all odds. "And Joshua captured all these kings and their lands at one time, because the Lord, the God of Israel, fought for Israel" (10:42).

As the children of Israel came to the land of Canaan, twelve spies were sent on a mission into the land of Canaan. Upon their return only two of the spies had the faith to believe that the children of Israel could take the land, empowered by God. The other ten came back with a very negative report, not believing God had given the land into their hands. Because of their unbelief, the children of Israel had to wander in the wilderness until that generation of unbelief had died out.

When it came time to finally enter the land of Canaan, Joshua was the man placed to lead his people to first conquer the city of Jericho. Joshua was an experienced military leader, but nothing in all his military training could have prepared him for God's plan to take Jericho. It would require a lot of faith to complete his mission.

Jericho is considered the oldest known inhabited city in the world. Around 1400 B.C. Joshua laid siege to the fortress city. The armies of Israel surrounded it so that no one could enter or leave it. This was the plan: For six days the army was to march around the city once each day while the priests blew their ram's horns. The priests with trumpets went first, then the priests that carried the Ark of the Covenant, then the army. The only sound would be the sound of the horns; no one could speak a word. Then on the seventh day, they would encircle the city seven times in the same manner, and then when Joshua gave the signal, they would shout with a great shout. It was at that moment the walls would fall flat, so they could capture the city.

What a battle plan! I keep thinking how tough it must have been to pass along to his highly trained generals and officers just what the plan was to be. "Are you kidding me? What kind of plan is that?" Talk about a battle that was against all odds! Well the truth is that it is a battle plan that could only be accomplished by trusting in the power of their God. Joshua was successful because he followed God's battle plan to the very last detail. By building a wall of faith with his people, he was able to bring down the walls of Jericho.

To sum up Joshua's life listen to one of his most memorable challenges to the people: "Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; and put away the gods which your fathers served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the LORD. "If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24:14-15)

Frequently, you may find yourself against all odds. So what must you do? #1-RESPOND TO THE LORD. Fear (reverence, respect, bow in awe, etc.) the Lord. JUST DO IT!

#2-RISK SERVING HIM. Joshua was there at the Red Sea crossing. He saw that the waters didn't part until someone stepped into the water. God isn't going to do a thing until you put your foot in it. You have a mini Red Sea crossing of your own.

#3-REPENT. Clean up your act. God will not work as well without a clean heart-a heart that is bent toward Him. So change your mind about where you are and turn toward God.

#4-REMOVE THE GODS OF YOUR FATHERS. Put away all other gods-your personal, relational, material and religious gods.

#5-RECOMMIT TO CHOOSE HIM ABOVE ALL OTHERS. You make your choices.

When Joshua was against all odds at Jericho, he only had to do a few simple little things. They walked around the city a prescribed number of times, blew their horns, and shouted. His part was simple and God's part was the most complex. You do the little things and God will do the large things-you, the possible and God, the impossible. You do your part by faith that God will do His part.

When you are up against a wall of frustration or fear, turn it into a wall of faith! When you do, God will shatter the walls of frustration and fear and strengthen your walls of faith! Choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods of your society, the gods of your religiosity or the gods of your making; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD. How about you?

THE MAN WHO WOULD IF HE COULD

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As we make our way through this Hall of Faith I want to offer to you a faith-lift by illustrating how several ordinary people were able to live extraordinary lives. We saw the "work of faith" was in Abel-work that emerged from the heart! Next we saw the walk of faith illustrated by the only two men who were ever said to "walk with God"-Enoch and Noah! With Abraham we have the illustration of the "way of faith", because when God called him out of his comfort zone, he obeyed. Then in the life of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we discovered the "wealth of faith" through being blessed and blessing others. Yesterday we examined the incredible life of Joseph who had all kinds of things go against him. Joseph illustrates the "won't of faith", because he refused to compromise his walk with God no matter the circumstances.

Today we come to the amazing life of Moses: By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's edict. By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen. By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of the blood, so that he who destroyed the firstborn would not touch them. By faith they passed through the Red Sea as though they were passing through dry land; and the Egyptians, when they attempted it, were drowned.

The story of Moses is a phenomenal illustration of the process of maturity. By faith he was hidden as a baby. By faith he refused the lifestyle of Egypt to live with the Jews. By faith he led God's people out of Egypt. By faith he kept the Passover. By faith he crossed the Red Sea. Moses did these things by faith in His God.

The way to maturity is breaking through the impasses of life-the frustrations and blockages. A baby must breathe or die. He must eat, crawl, and walk. But each of these is a break-through. As a child learns to overcome frustration, he grows up. When a child is not given enough frustration or is baled out of it, he is spoiled-emotionally crippled.

Moses was prepared for a great and most memorable mission for God. Even to this day it is celebrated as the Passover. Moses was miraculously spared and placed in the palace of the Pharaoh for 40 years, where he was highly educated in the things of royalty. Then, after killing an Egyptian who was hassling one of his Jewish brothers, Moses fled to the desert, where he learned the principles of herding and caring for sheep and the ways of survival in the wilderness. Then at 80 years of age he was ready-prepared by God-to fulfill his mission to lead the Jewish people out of Egypt and into the Promised Land.

Moses illustrates the "will of faith". Moses discovered that the will of faith in the midst of frustration is the way to maturity. The will to do what is necessary in order to do the things you've been called to do, can be found in the life of Moses. There are four observations here that lead to practical application of the will of faith.

#1-FOCUS ON YOUR BURNING BUSH. Moses' burning bush experience is when God spoke to him to give him direction. God is continually speaking to you through His "burning bush" today-His living and written word. Jesus is the living word and He is also the living expression of the written word. "Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the spoken word of God"-the life and teachings of Jesus. The written word speaks of Jesus and Jesus speaks to you, when you seek Him with all your heart and listen for His direction. Focus on it by listening and learning and living it! The action step is to REPROGRAM YOUR MIND around Jesus!

#2-FACE YOUR BLOCKAGES. When God spoke to Moses and called him through the burning bush, he responded with several excuses-"I can't speak very well!" or "The people of Israel will not follow!" or "What will make the Pharaoh acknowledge what I have to say?" So when God speaks to you and calls you to a certain calling, what's your excuse? What are your blockages? The action step here is to REMOVE THEM the best you can!

#3-FIND YOUR BOOSTERS. Moses' best booster was Aaron. Without his support Moses couldn't have accomplished all that he did or matured to one of the most significant leaders ever. You need your friends and family as your own personal boosters-your support team. They become your inner security system. The action step here is to REACH OUT TO YOUR BOOSTERS!

#4-FOLLOW THE BASICS. Moses followed the Lord simply and basically, step by step, one day at a time. He stayed with the basics. On your way to maturity you must follow the basics. The action step here is to REMIND YOURSELF TO KEEP DOING THE BASICS!

Follow the life of Moses and you will find the will of faith. The will of faith is the willingness to be content with God's preparation in your life no matter how long it takes and then a willingness to do what He calls you to do no matter how impossible it seems. God wants to do great things in this world and He has chosen to do great things through those who have the will of faith to participate.

Are you willing to do great things with God as your partner? God has great things for us. Unfortunately, much of the time we're like the caterpillar that watches a butterfly fly by and says to himself, "You'll never get me up in one of those things", when God had exactly that in mind all along! The will of faith. Think it over!

THE MAN WHO WOULDN'T

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As we make our way through this Hall of Faith I want to offer to you a faith-lift by illustrating how several ordinary people were able to live extraordinary lives. We saw the "work of faith" was in Abel-work that emerged from the heart! Next we saw the walk of faith illustrated by the only two men who were ever said to "walk with God"-Enoch and Noah! With Abraham we have the illustration of the "way of faith", because when God called him out of his comfort zone, he obeyed. Then in the life of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob we discovered the "wealth of faith" through being blessed and blessing others.

Today, we come to a short verse that sums up a long and faithful life in the character of Joseph. By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the exodus of the sons of Israel, and gave orders concerning his bones. Although Joseph's life is not rehearsed here, he lived a life of faith that was nearly without equal.

Joseph was a most incredible man. His life is impeccable! He just didn't seem to blow it at all, but was a faithful follower. This exemplary life was primarily due to his strength in saying "I WON'T!" So, I call his life the "won't of faith".

The first dramatic scene in the life of Joseph was when his jealous brothers left him for dead. When his brothers turned against him and threw him in the pit to die, Joseph said, "I WON'T GIVE UP!" Although very few would criticize him for wanting revenge, Joseph refused this natural urge.

The second dramatic scene in the life of Joseph was after he was able to secure a most powerful job in a wealthy man's estate. He was the COO of Potaphar's house. Note what is said about him: Now Joseph had been taken down to Egypt; and Potiphar, an Egyptian officer of Pharaoh, the captain of the bodyguard, bought him from the Ishmaelites, who had taken him down there. The LORD was with Joseph, so he became a successful man. And he was in the house of his master, the Egyptian. Now his master saw that the LORD was with him and how the LORD caused all that he did to prosper in his hand. So Joseph found favor in his sight and became his personal servant; and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he owned he put in his charge.

When his boss's wife tempted him with her body, Joseph said, "I WON'T GIVE IN!" Very few men would have been able to turn down her repeated and intense advances, but Joseph resisted this natural urge. Although he successfully resisted her advances, she accused him of molesting her. This sets up the third dramatic scene in the life of Joseph.

Potaphar believed his wife's claims and had Joseph put in prison. When he was persecuted for doing right in refusing the temptress, Joseph said, "I WON'T GIVE OUT!" Who could blame him for giving out at this point? He was the focal point of gross injustice.

God was with Joseph in the prison in a special way: But the LORD was with Joseph and extended kindness to him, and gave him favor in the sight of the chief jailer. The chief jailer committed to Joseph's charge all the prisoners who were in the jail; so that whatever was done there, he was responsible for it. The chief jailer did not supervise anything under Joseph's charge because the LORD was with him; and whatever he did, the LORD made to prosper. Again, Joseph was promoted to the top position in the prison.

The fourth dramatic scene in the life of Joseph was that he was able to interpret the dreams of the Pharaoh's cupbearer and baker while they were inmates with him in prison. And for doing this Joseph said: "Only keep me in mind when it goes well with you, and please do me a kindness by mentioning me to Pharaoh and get me out of this house.

Well, the dreams came true, but the chief cupbearer forgot to say a word to the Pharaoh when he was released from prison. He restored the chief cupbearer to his office, and he put the cup into Pharaoh's hand; but he hanged the chief baker, just as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet the chief cupbearer did not remember Joseph, but forgot him.

Later, when the Pharaoh was being troubled by dreams, the cupbearer referred the Pharaoh to Joseph. Joseph interpreted his dreams and the Pharaoh decided to reward Joseph in a big way: So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "Since God has informed you of all this, there is no one so discerning and wise as you are. "You shall be over my house, and according to your command all my people shall do homage; only in the throne I will be greater than you." Pharaoh said to Joseph, "See, I have set you over all the land of Egypt." Then Pharaoh took off his signet ring from his hand and put it on Joseph's hand, and clothed him in garments of fine linen and put the gold necklace around his neck. He had him ride in his second chariot; and they proclaimed before him, "Bow the knee!" And he set him over all the land of Egypt.

In all of these amazing scenes Joseph's example is the "won't of faith"! When your family and friends turn against you, when temptation strikes to trip you up and pull you away, when you find yourself persecuted for doing right, there is a "won't of faith"-a refusal to compromise your walk and relationship with the Lord.

Well, it turns out that God just kept rewarding and elevating Joseph to higher positions and responsibilities, because God had a bigger mission for him to do. Joseph was positioned in Egypt by God to preserve his family and the godly line in the nation of Israel during a most devastating famine.

When his brothers, who had left him for dead in a pit, came to Egypt for grain, they had to face their brother, Joseph, in order to save their lives. When they found out that their brother was alive, they were so ashamed. Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, "Behold, we are your servants." But Joseph said to them, "Do not be afraid, for am I in God's place? "As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive.

When you're in the midst of a great refusal for God's sake, He is setting you up for a strategic mission and you will enjoy His blessings! When you are in the place God has established for you, you are now ready to serve Him best. When you find yourself in a predicament that has brought you so low that you can only look up, remember God is up to something really good just for you.

PASSING THE BUCKS OR THE BLESSING

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As we make our way through this Hall of Faith I want to offer to you a faith-lift by illustrating how several ordinary people were able to live extraordinary lives. We saw the "work of faith" was in Abel-work that emerged from the heart! Next we saw the walk of faith illustrated by the only two men who were ever said to "walk with God"-Enoch and Noah! Then with Abraham we have the illustration of the "way of faith".

Today we come to the next characters of faith in the eleventh chapter of the book of Hebrews-Isaac, Jacob and Esau. There is a profound experience throughout the generations that we need to embrace today. It's the experience of passing on the blessing from one generation to the next.

Abraham obviously blessed his miracle son of promise-Isaac. And now it is time for Isaac and his son, Jacob, to pass on that same blessing: By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau in regard to their future. By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of Joseph's sons and worshiped as he leaned on the top of his staff.

As the blessing is passed on from generation to generation, it came to be the greatest wealth that could be inherited. This blessing was passed on by faith and received by faith with the understanding that one was to carry on the name of the family. Note what was said when Jacob blessed Joseph: He blessed Joseph, and said,
 "The God before whom my fathers Abraham and Isaac walked, the God who has been my shepherd all my life to this day, the angel who has redeemed me from all evil,
 Bless the lads; and may my name live on in them,
 and the names of my fathers Abraham and Isaac;
 and may they grow into a multitude in the midst of the earth." (Genesis 48:15-16)

Passing along a blessing is not just an ancient tradition, but is also for us today. I've come to realize that being blessed and blessing others may be the greatest wealth you can give or receive. This is what I call the "wealth of faith".

Note there are two dimensions to this blessing concept. First-Being blessed. A blessing is when you feel special. It's when you feel honored by others, when people are grateful for you, when someone is praying for God's favor to fall upon you and when you are empowered by others who really care who you are and who you are becoming. It's knowing and feeling that you are loved for being you.

The act of blessing involves meaningful touch! A very common vehicle for giving a blessing is the "laying on of hands." Another dimension of giving a blessing is words. A blessing is communicated with our words whether by mouth or in writing. The communication of a blessing has a message declaring high value of the person being blessed. The expression of appreciation or affirmation of another is a way of giving a blessing. Also, included in giving a blessing is a sense of destiny and purpose for your life. When you point out another's uniqueness or move them toward a special future, you are giving a blessing.

The ultimate blessing you could ever receive is the stamp of approval that you are special and you are OK. Only your Creator can give you a stamp of approval, because he made you. However, there are others God has empowered to uniquely place this stamp of approval on people-parents. God has charged parents to the task of stamping each child: APPROVED and SPECIAL!

Although the most natural place for you to receive the blessing is from your parents, unfortunately very little blessing is passed on from generation to generation. All families have a certain degree of dysfunction about them and therefore are unable to give the blessing their children need.

If you didn't receive the blessing you needed from your parents, you are not at a total loss. You can find a blessing in a personal relationship with Jesus. God's blessing of approval and acceptance can be found in the unconditional and sacrificial love of Jesus for you. You can also get your blessing through your relationship with the community of Jesus-through the dynamic relationship of gathering together in the name of Jesus. Remember, it's when two or three gather together in the name of Jesus that Jesus will show up there in their midst. I've experienced so much healing by the touch of Jesus through walking with others. That is truly the wealthy experience of being blessed.

Once you experience being blessed, then the second dimension of blessing can become a reality-Being a blessing. Now, if you can receive a blessing through others from God, then you can also be a channel to release God's blessing to others! Blessing others is not so much you giving your riches to others, but being able to reveal their riches to them-showing them acceptance and unconditional love. It's being a friend who speaks well of them and asks God's favor to fall upon them.

You see, the real wealth of faith is the blessing of God that flows two ways-being blessed and being a blessing. There are two ways you can make this a reality in your life. First-receive the love and acceptance of Jesus for you right now by faith. Count on it! Second-release the love and acceptance of Jesus into the lives of others. The wealth of blessing occurs in exactly this way and in this order. God is blessing you in order for you to bless others. We are told: The God of all comfort comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. So, seek after your blessing from the Lord Jesus and then seek to be a blessing to all He brings your way. Now, that is true wealth!