June 19

Read John 19

 ^13-14When Pilate heard those words, he led Jesus outside. He sat down at the judgment seat in the area designated Stone Court (in Hebrew, Gabbatha). It was the preparation day for Passover. The hour was noon. Pilate said to the Jews, "Here is your king."

 ¹⁵They shouted back, "Kill him! Kill him! Crucify him!"

   Pilate said, "I am to crucify your king?"

   The high priests answered, "We have no king except Caesar."

 ^16-19Pilate caved in to their demand. He turned him over to be crucified. (The Message)

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think made Pilate do what the crowd wanted rather than what he thought was right?
• What do you think the high priests were really saying when they told Pilot, "We have no king except Caesar?"
• Is there a role for the "Caesars" of the world in our following of Jesus?
• How would your life be different if you were to day, "I have no king except Jesus?"

June 12

Read John 18

 ³⁶"My kingdom," said Jesus, "doesn't consist of what you see around you. If it did, my followers would fight so that I wouldn't be handed over to the Jews. But I'm not that kind of king, not the world's kind of king."

 ³⁷Then Pilate said, "So, are you a king or not?"

   Jesus answered, "You tell me. Because I am King, I was born and entered the world so that I could witness to the truth. Everyone who cares for truth, who has any feeling for the truth, recognizes my voice."

 ^38-39Pilate said, "What is truth?" (The Message)

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think Pilate was thinking when Jesus was brought before him?
• Do you think that Pilate really wanted to hear Jesus answer?
• What does truth mean to you?
• Is truth a set of facts or a way of life for you?

June 5

Read John 18

²⁶One of the Chief Priest's servants, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, "Didn't I see you in the garden with him?"

 ²⁷Again, Peter denied it. Just then a rooster crowed. (The Message)

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think Peter was thinking when we was recognized?
• Why do think Peter lied about being with Jesus?
• Do you think Peter was a "good man" when he was in this position?
• Have you ever been in a position like Peter? How did you feel?

May 29

Read John 18

 ¹⁰Just then Simon Peter, who was carrying a sword, pulled it from its sheath and struck the Chief Priest's servant, cutting off his right ear. Malchus was the servant's name.

 ¹¹Jesus ordered Peter, "Put back your sword. Do you think for a minute I'm not going to drink this cup the Father gave me?" (The Message)

  

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

·         What might it have been like to be there as one of the disciples when Jesus was arrested?

·         What stories of Peter’s actions alongside of Jesus do you remember?

·         Have you ever taken action for God? How did it turn out?

·         What does it feel like to want to “defend” Jesus?

May 8

Read John 16:12-15

"I still have many things to tell you, but you can't handle them now. But when the Friend comes, the Spirit of the Truth, he will take you by the hand and guide you into all the truth there is. He won't draw attention to himself, but will make sense out of what is about to happen and, indeed, out of all that I have done and said. He will honor me; he will take from me and deliver it to you. Everything the Father has is also mine. That is why I've said, 'He takes from me and delivers to you.' (The Message)

 Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

·         From what you know about the disciples following Pentecost in what ways do you think they were glad to have the Holy Spirit come to them?

·         Jesus says that the Holy Spirit won’t draw attention to himself, is this your experience?

·         What is your experience with the Holy Spirit?

·         How might the Holy Spirit help others see Jesus in you?

April 17

Read John 14:15-31
 ^23-24"Because a loveless world," said Jesus, "is a sightless world. If anyone loves me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him—we'll move right into the neighborhood! Not loving me means not keeping my words. The message you are hearing isn't mine. It's the message of the Father who sent me. (The Message)

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think love meant to the disciples?
• What moment did you find it easiest to love someone? The most difficult?
• What good is the Holy Spirit to you? To the church?
• If the world was filled with God's love how would it look different than it does today?

April 10

Read John 14:1-14
^11-14"Believe me: I am in my Father and my Father is in me. If you can't believe that, believe what you see—these works. The person who trusts me will not only do what I'm doing but even greater things, because I, on my way to the Father, am giving you the same work to do that I've been doing. You can count on it. From now on, whatever you request along the lines of who I am and what I am doing, I'll do it. That's how the Father will be seen for who he is in the Son. I mean it. Whatever you request in this way, I'll do.


Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Why do you think the disciples still are unsure about Jesus?
• When Jesus tells the disciples that they will do even greater things than he has done what do you think their responses might have been?
• When you request something of God why do you not receive it?
• How might you develop a deeper trust level in Jesus and begin to do great things for and with Jesus?

April 3

Read John 13: 31-38
 ^34-35"Let me give you a new command: Love one another. In the same way I loved you, you love one another. This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples—when they see the love you have for each other."

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What were the commandments that the disciples would have known came from God?
• In what ways might the disciples have assumed that they were already loving one another?
• What are some of the best and most visible ways the followers of Jesus love each other today?
• In what ways is Jesus inviting you to love others these days? In what ways might Jesus be inviting us to love others?

March 27

Read John 13:18-30
19-20 "I'm telling you all this ahead of time so that when it happens you will believe that I am who I say I am. Make sure you get this right: Receiving someone I send is the same as receiving me, just as receiving me is the same as receiving the One who sent me." (The Message)

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• How many different ways did  people receive Jesus?
• How well do you think Jesus was able to prepare the disciples for what was yet to come?
• What does hospitality look like to you?
• How might others experience divine hospitality from us?

March 20

Read John 13: 1-17
 ^3-6Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"

 ⁷Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."

 ⁸Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet—ever!"

   Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing."

 ⁹"Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!" (The Message)

Some questions to ponder and share with others:

• Why do you think Jesus and the disciples had not had their feet washed when they came into the house?
• Why do you think that Peter wanted Jesus to wash more than his feet when he finally gave in to Jesus?
• Who are the people that play the role of "washing feet" today?
• Why do you not want Jesus to wash your feet today?

March 13

Read John 12: 37-50
^36-40Jesus said all this, and then went into hiding. All these God-signs he had given them and they still didn't get it, still wouldn't trust him. This proved that the prophet Isaiah was right:

   God, who believed what we preached?

   Who recognized God's arm, outstretched and ready to act?
First they wouldn't believe, then they couldn't—again, just as Isaiah said:

   Their eyes are blinded,
      their hearts are hardened,
   So that they wouldn't see with their eyes
      and perceive with their hearts,
   And turn to me, God,
      so I could heal them.  (The Message)

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• When you think about stories of blindness in the Bible what comes to mind?
• Is blindness always permanent in the Bible? If not how does someone gain their sight?
• Can you think of a time when you couldn't see something that was clearly in front of you? Why did you not see it?
• What can you do to keep your eyes open to see the working of God more easily?

March 6

Read John 12: 20-36
 ^20-21There were some Greeks in town who had come up to worship at the Feast. They approached Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee: "Sir, we want to see Jesus. Can you help us?"

 ^22-23Philip went and told Andrew. Andrew and Philip together told Jesus. Jesus answered, "Time's up. The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. (The Message)

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think the Greeks were hoping to see when they came to Jesus?
• Do you think the Greeks were ever able to see Jesus?
• Have you ever had someone come to you and ask to see Jesus? What did you do or say?
• What might a life look like where people would regularly come to ask to see Jesus?

Feb. 27

Read John 12: 12-19

¹⁶The disciples didn't notice the fulfillment of many Scriptures at the time, but after Jesus was glorified, they remembered that what was written about him matched what was done to him.

 ^17-19The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, was there giving eyewitness accounts. It was because they had spread the word of this latest God-sign that the crowd swelled to a welcoming parade. The Pharisees took one look and threw up their hands: "It's out of control. The world's in a stampede after him."

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Why do you think it was difficult for the disciples to make the connection between what Jesus was doing and what was written in the scriptures that they knew so well?
• Why do you think the crowds wanted to make Jesus their political leader after he fed the crowds bread and fish and after he raised a dead man back to life?
• Are you more likely to see Jesus at work in your life when it is happening or much later after it has happened? Why do you think this is the case?
• What do you want most in a political leader? In a religious leader?

Feb. 20

Read John 12: 1-11 

^1-3Six days before Passover, Jesus entered Bethany where Lazarus, so recently raised from the dead, was living. Lazarus and his sisters invited Jesus to dinner at their home. Martha served. Lazarus was one of those sitting at the table with them. Mary came in with a jar of very expensive aromatic oils, anointed and massaged Jesus' feet, and then wiped them with her hair. The fragrance of the oils filled the house.

 ^4-6Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples, even then getting ready to betray him, said, "Why wasn't this oil sold and the money given to the poor? It would have easily brought three hundred silver pieces." He said this not because he cared two cents about the poor but because he was a thief. He was in charge of their common funds, but also embezzled them. (The Message)

 Some thought to ponder and share with others:

·         What do you think led Mary to bring the oil to Jesus?

·         Have you ever felt the desire to give as extravagantly as Mary did?

·         When you see someone giving extravagantly do you respond more like Judas or like Jesus?

·         What would it take for you to give as extravagantly as Mary?

Feb. 13

Read John 11: 38-57
^45-48That was a turnaround for many of the Jews who were with Mary. They saw what Jesus did, and believed in him. But some went back to the Pharisees and told on Jesus. The high priests and Pharisees called a meeting of the Jewish ruling body. "What do we do now?" they asked. "This man keeps on doing things, creating God-signs. If we let him go on, pretty soon everyone will be believing in him and the Romans will come and remove what little power and privilege we still have." (The Message)

Some thought to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think the Jewish leaders were most worried about now following this latest miracle from Jesus?
• Why do you think John includes this story in his gospel when none of the other writers of the gospels do?
• What was your turning point in believing in Jesus?
• What difference does Jesus power to raise people from the dead make in your life?

Feb. 6

Read John 11:17-37
^21-22Martha said, "Master, if you'd been here, my brother wouldn't have died. Even now, I know that whatever you ask God he will give you."

 ²³Jesus said, "Your brother will be raised up."

 ²⁴Martha replied, "I know that he will be raised up in the resurrection at the end of time."

 ^25-26"You don't have to wait for the End. I am, right now, Resurrection and Life. The one who believes in me, even though he or she dies, will live. And everyone who lives believing in me does not ultimately die at all. Do you believe this?" (The Message)

If you would have, can quickly become, why didn't you Jesus?
Sometimes it doesn't seem like enough to have Jesus with us we want him to fix things. Martha and Mary are caught between being glad to have their friend with them and wishing he would have showed up sooner so that maybe things would have turned out differently. They had seen Jesus do a number of very powerful miracles and they were wondering if he didn't have one for them as well. Could they still believe even when things didn't go the way they had wanted them to? It is a question that many of us are left dealing with in our own lives because even when miracles do a cure they aren't always all we want.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think were Martha's first thoughts when she saw Jesus?
• How do you think Martha's faith in Jesus might have been tested by the reality that she was experiencing?
• Have you ever wondered where your miracle was when you have seen the powerful work of God in other places?
• If you focus upon the story prior to Lazarus being raised from the dead what do you relate to in your own life story?

Jan. 30

Read John 11: 1-16

¹¹He said these things, and then announced, "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep. I'm going to wake him up."

 ^12-13The disciples said, "Master, if he's gone to sleep, he'll get a good rest and wake up feeling fine." Jesus was talking about death, while his disciples thought he was talking about taking a nap.

 ^14-15Then Jesus became explicit: "Lazarus died. And I am glad for your sakes that I wasn't there. You're about to be given new grounds for believing. Now let's go to him." (The Message)

The story of Lazarus marks a turn in the Gospel of John that makes the disciples, the crowds, and even us look at Jesus with new interest and respect. The story starts out as you might expect with Jesus leaving Judea under the threat of violence and staying away after he first hears about Lazarus being ill. But then everything changes as Jesus turns back and decides to go back. The disciples know that something is up and are even expecting that on their return that Jesus and they might die at the hands of the religious officials.
What starts out as a story of illness and death turns into a story about healing and power. It is a story that we want to hear but is not a story that we expect. It makes a lot more sense if we stay away from that which is uncomfortable and hard than it does if we go to those places where sickness and death reside. But Jesus doesn't shy away from the hard places because without sickness you can not find new health, without death you can't have new life, and without a willingness to go with Jesus and even risk death ourselves how will we ever know resurrection?

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• When the sisters sent word to Jesus that his friend was sick what do you think they expected?
• What do you think the disciples thought when Jesus first did not return upon hearing that Lazarus was sick? What did they think when he suddenly said they should go back to Judea?
• What do you think was going through the disciples minds as they went back to Judea knowing that Lazarus was dead?
• What has Jesus been doing lately around you to give you new grounds to strengthen your faith?

Jan. 25

Read 1 Timothy 6

^11-12But you, Timothy, man of God: Run for your life from all this. Pursue a righteous life—a life of wonder, faith, love, steadiness, courtesy. Run hard and fast in the faith. Seize the eternal life, the life you were called to, the life you so fervently embraced in the presence of so many witnesses. (The Message)

Paul doesn't let Timothy go meakly into the future. The language Paul uses is one of action. Run, pursue, seize, and embrace are words that expect a passionate response. The faith that Paul is encouraging Timothy in is a faith that is worth grabbing hold of and not letting go. It takes work but Paul knows that it is worth the effort. But the life that Paul says should be grabbed is not what we usually think of. It is not a life lived grabbing the gusto or accumulating stuff or experiences but rather of wonder, faith, perseverance, and courtesy. It goes completely against all of what we are told we should be grabbing hold of in life. But when you look around at the lives that have been ruined in the grasping for the things of this world maybe we should ask ourselves, "How well is this working for us?" Maybe it is time to grab hold of something completely different.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• When you read the phrase, "Seize the eternal life" what images come to mind for you?
• Do you know anyone who has seizes a life of radical faith? What are some of their characteristics?
• Would you say you are running after the things of this world or the things of faith?
• How might you increase your desire for the things of faith in the coming week?

Jan. 24

Read 1 Timothy 6

 ^6-8A devout life does bring wealth, but it's the rich simplicity of being yourself before God. Since we entered the world penniless and will leave it penniless, if we have bread on the table and shoes on our feet, that's enough.

 ^9-10But if it's only money these leaders are after, they'll self-destruct in no time. Lust for money brings trouble and nothing but trouble. Going down that path, some lose their footing in the faith completely and live to regret it bitterly ever after. (The Message)

What is enough? It is a question that we ask in many different ways and the answer often changes depending upon our circumstances. Our usual answer is, a little bit more, because we are never quite content with what we have. It could be that we think we will be happy with a little bigger home or a little more spending money or a few more toys. But each time we get these things we are faced with the question again. What is enough?
Paul's wisdom to Timothy confronts the issue of wealth and changes the context from money to personal fulfillment. Paul is encouraging Timothy to focus upon being completely whole before God as the way of knowing what is enough. If the focus is upon money we will never have enough if our focus is upon God what we have will be enough.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think would have been considered enough in Paul's day?
• What do you consider to be enough?
• What does being yourself before God look like to you?
• How might you focus more upon being complete in God and less upon the stuff in your life?

Jan. 23

Read John 10: 22-42
 ^25-30Jesus answered, "I told you, but you don't believe. Everything I have done has been authorized by my Father, actions that speak louder than words. You don't believe because you're not my sheep. My sheep recognize my voice. I know them, and they follow me. I give them real and eternal life. They are protected from the Destroyer for good. No one can steal them from out of my hand. The Father who put them under my care is so much greater than the Destroyer and Thief. No one could ever get them away from him. I and the Father are one heart and mind." (The Message)

John continues to show us bits and pieces of Jesus life and ministry as he tells the story. Here Jesus is confronted with people (the religious and political leaders of the day) who are questioning his authority. Jesus points to the miracles that have been done through him and asks why they still do not believe him. It is a place that many of us know very well. We have seen the miracles and yet we wonder where is God today? It is difficult at times to focus upon the voice of Jesus and to remember that we have been called and marked by him. One of the basic reasons that I ask people on a regular basis, "Where have you seen God at work lately?" is that we need to be reminded of whose we are. When ever we stop looking for what Jesus is doing it becomes more difficult to hear and recognize his voice. The more we see God at work the easier it will be to follow him where he leads us.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What has John told us about Jesus actions that should have shown the people that he was sent from God?
• When you think of the images of sheep and shepherd that you know from the Bible what comes to mind?
• Why is it difficult sometimes to follow the leading of Jesus?
• What would you need to know before you were willing to follow Jesus no matter what?

Jan. 22

Read 1 Timothy 5

 ^24-25The sins of some people are blatant and march them right into court. The sins of others don't show up until much later. The same with good deeds. Some you see right off, but none are hidden forever. (The Message)

What is seen is not always all that is there; both the good and the bad can remain hidden. A problem arises when we try to hide the bad and show off the good. It always leads to trouble because in time ones true nature will always rise to the surface. Paul's words of wisdom to Timothy and to us encourage us to look below the surface of people's actions and not assume that what we first see is all the reality that is present. But it isn't just other people's actions that we need to be aware of, it is also our own.
Looking at our own actions is not always comfortable. When we really stop and ask ourselves why we would rather have somethings remain hidden we should be ready for a rude awaking. We might find that our pride doesn't allow us to be honest about our lives. It could be that we will discover that we are continuing in the sin  that has been hidden and we really don't want to change. It could be a number of things that encourage us to keep our sins hidden but as long as they are hidden from those who hold us accountable they will always hold power over us. What I have found is that as I make my sins public in confession to those I'm accountable to the power of the sins begin to lose their hold on my life. What is hidden will become visible all in good time. It is simply a matter of how long you want them to keep you captive.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What sins and good works do you think Paul might have been referring to here?
• When you think about the way you present yourself to others do you think they are thinking of what they see or wondering about what they don't see?
• How do you deal with the things in your life that you are not proud of?
• How might your walk with God improve if you had someone that you could trust to hold you accountable for both the things that are seen and unseen in your life?

Jan. 21

Read 1 Timothy 5
 ^1-2Don't be harsh or impatient with an older man. Talk to him as you would your own father, and to the younger men as your brothers. Reverently honor an older woman as you would your mother, and the younger women as sisters. (The Message)

Respect seems like such an easy thing but yet it also seems to be in such short supply these days. Apparently there were days and places where respect was common and assumed, at least that is what I'm told by some. However if it was so common why is it that Paul needs to remind Timothy that this is the way that he should treat others? One way or another Paul finds it necessary to set before Timothy a standard to live by. The standard is that of a family who treats one another with kindness and respect. This isn't the Simpson's or any of a number of families that we witness on our TV's or in movies. This model of family love and respect is one that is not sappy or false but rather genuine and real. It is a family model where each of us could find a place and feel loved and cherished.
Maybe you don't have that kind of a family. Maybe you have never felt this kind of respect given to you or have never had anyone you felt like you could give the respect to in your life. What ever our past history and experience might be it is never to late to learn and begin practicing Christ's love given to others around us. It is not just in words but the words we speak are important. It is time that followers of Jesus began to set the example of respect given to any all of those we meet.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you know about the ways people of Paul and Timothy's day might have interacted across social and gender lines?
• Who do you know who treats others with the most consistent respect? What is significant about them?
• What have you had modeled for you in the way you should treat others?
• Who do you need to begin treating with more respect so as to honor Jesus more fully?

Jan. 20

Read 1 Timothy 4

^15-16Cultivate these things. Immerse yourself in them. The people will all see you mature right before their eyes! Keep a firm grasp on both your character and your teaching. Don't be diverted. Just keep at it. Both you and those who hear you will experience salvation. (The Message)

Most people don't grow up before our eyes. Maturity usually takes time and time does not allow for us to see the changes in front of us because they take so long. When we are away for some time and we see children who have grown up we comment upon it and are amazed by the changes but when we see them on a regular basis it is just something that just happens. But Paul knows of something that not only will bring maturity for Timothy, but that it will happen in front of people who he sees on a regular basis. Paul knows that when Timothy dives into the ways of Jesus it will bring changes, not gradual changes, but huge changes!
The good news is that those changes can still be seen in people today who throw there lives in with Jesus. when one prays, fasts, serves, worships, and so much more it brings a fundamental change to who one is and how they relate to the world around them. They grow up right in front of those who see them daily.
The question is do you want to grow up and who do you want to grow up to become?

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think might have been some of the difficulties that Timothy faced being a young leader?
• Have you ever had trouble being seen as a grown up by those who were around you the most when you were a child? What is that like?
• What part of your life needs to grow up or mature in Jesus?
• What might you do so that you are more likely to become mature in Christ?

Jan. 19

Read 1 Timothy 4
 ^6-10You've been raised on the Message of the faith and have followed sound teaching. Now pass on this counsel to the followers of Jesus there, and you'll be a good servant of Jesus. Stay clear of silly stories that get dressed up as religion. Exercise daily in God—no spiritual flabbiness, please! Workouts in the gymnasium are useful, but a disciplined life in God is far more so, making you fit both today and forever. You can count on this. Take it to heart. This is why we've thrown ourselves into this venture so totally. We're banking on the living God, Savior of all men and women, especially believers. (The Message)

How long does it take to develop a habit? It was a question recently raised by a friend on Facebook. Behavior experts say that it takes at least 28 days of doing something before it becomes ingrained enough to change your behavior. But I would argue that even 28 days is not enough. That amount of time might lead you to have a better chance of making something permanent but I have known plenty of people who have been diligent about exercise or diet for a long period of time only to one day give it up and go back to the old ways.  I think Paul has it right in that it isn't just doing something daily but it is throwing yourself completely into something. It is throwing out all of your bigger clothes out and saying you are never going back there. It is spending all of your savings on starting a new business so that there is no safety net to fall back upon. It is making the decision to rely each day upon the wisdom, strength, and grace of God and not your own. It is going "all in" so that you have no where else to go that leads you to change your behavior. It is risky, scary, and most people won't understand it because their fear will keep them from joining you. But for those who go
"all in" for God there is no other way.
From someone who has gone "all in" with God on a new adventure that has no guaranty of success I wish I could convince you to join me because I can't think of a better ride.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What habits do you think Paul's readers might have needed to give up?
• What keeps you from developing the habits that would strengthen your walk with God?
• What do you think keeps people from fully committing their lives to Jesus in all ways?
• What would your life look like if you went "all in" for Jesus?

Jan. 18

Read 1 Timothy 3

 ^8-13The same goes for those who want to be servants in the church: serious, not deceitful, not too free with the bottle, not in it for what they can get out of it. They must be reverent before the mystery of the faith, not using their position to try to run things. Let them prove themselves first. If they show they can do it, take them on. No exceptions are to be made for women—same qualifications: serious, dependable, not sharp-tongued, not overfond of wine. Servants in the church are to be committed to their spouses, attentive to their own children, and diligent in looking after their own affairs. Those who do this servant work will come to be highly respected, a real credit to this Jesus-faith. (The Message)

Yesterdays scripture and thoughts spent time focusing upon the role of leadership in the church and I know that many people hear those words and walk away thinking it is a good thing that they will never serve in a leadership position. In fact they avoid even the opportunity to serve as a leader and instead tell themselves that they will play the servant role because their lives do not live up to that necessary of a leader. But Paul doesn't let us off the hook. He makes it clear that those who serve are also called to a high standard. What he is really saying is that all followers of Jesus are called to live a consistent life. Both those who lead and those who follow should show the signs of Jesus presence in their lives in all that they do. The fact that it isn't optional seems to escape many of us. Maybe it is because we don't want to change or find it inconvenient to what we have grown used to. It could be that we really don't want to admit to ourselves or others that we have been selfish and self-centered and want to / need to change. So when we look at these characteristics of both leaders and those who serve it would be easy to simply give up hope and walk away from it all thinking that we will never qualify. But the reality is that to become the type of person Paul says is qualified for leadership and serving you have to begin serving others. The way to develop this type of life is by living it before you have meet its criteria. You have to practice serving before you will become a servant. You have to  do this with your family, in the church, in your community, and where ever else you might find yourself.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Do you think Timothy was surprised to hear that servants needed a similar set of characteristics as leaders in the church?
• When you seen people who are truly serving Jesus in all their lives what are some of their characteristics?
• What areas of your life might change if you focused upon serving others more than you serve yourself?
• Pick something this week that you can do for someone else that will bring you no other rewards than doing the work of Jesus. Once you have done this talk with a friend about the experience and what you learned.

Jan. 17

Read 1 Timothy 3
^1-7If anyone wants to provide leadership in the church, good! But there are preconditions: A leader must be well-thought-of, committed to his wife, cool and collected, accessible, and hospitable. He must know what he's talking about, not be overfond of wine, not pushy but gentle, not thin-skinned, not money-hungry. He must handle his own affairs well, attentive to his own children and having their respect. For if someone is unable to handle his own affairs, how can he take care of God's church? He must not be a new believer, lest the position go to his head and the Devil trip him up. Outsiders must think well of him, or else the Devil will figure out a way to lure him into his trap. (The Message)

Leadership in the church comes only with transparency. It isn't that people need to know all the details of a persons life, their history, and their thoughts but that leaders exhibit a consistency that is seen in everything that they do with their families, in their businesses, in their social interactions. When I am considering others for leadership positions as well as those I choose to give leadership roles to in my own life I spend only a part of my time looking at the results they have achieved. I also look at the way they treat others especially those who will never have an impact upon their goals. How they talk about people in their lives and what they have learned from others is important to me, both the good lessons and the bad. I have come to know that a good leader is made in the little things of life and that a good leader is the same when there are no crowds around them as they are in front of the crowds.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think about Paul's list of leadership qualifications? 
• What do you look for in a leader that might be different from Paul's list?
• When you know of someone in a leadership position that is having problems with one of these areas that Paul lists what is your response?
• What part of your life do you need to become more consistent that God might be able to use you in a position of leadership?

Jan. 16

Read John 10:1-21
^1-5 "Let me set this before you as plainly as I can. If a person climbs over or through the fence of a sheep pen instead of going through the gate, you know he's up to no good—a sheep rustler! The shepherd walks right up to the gate. The gatekeeper opens the gate to him and the sheep recognize his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he gets them all out, he leads them and they follow because they are familiar with his voice. They won't follow a stranger's voice but will scatter because they aren't used to the sound of it." (The Message)

Hearing voices when no one is there is considered a sign of mental illness and should be taken seriously by anyone who knows someone who experienced this. But what do you do when you experience it and believe that it is coming directly from Jesus? This is a question that puts religious people in a deep bind because we know that not all voices that are heard are from God. So over the years the church has established a number of check points to discern the authenticity of what is heard. Depending upon the religious body you associate with would determine how many check points could be necessary. Over the years I have gleaned a number of things that I consider whenever I try to discern if it is the Good Shepherd speaking.

• Is the voice speaking within the context of scripture? Is it consistent with what I and others know about the ways in which God has interacted with people over the ages.
• Is the voice speaking to me and my life or to me about other people's lives? I believe God works as close to the source as possible so I take it more seriously when it directly impacts my life.
• Is the voice confirmed by God in other ways? Do other people seem to randemly affirm what I have heard from God? As I pray about understanding God's leading do I continue to sense God's presence in the midst of what I have heard? When I share what I have heard with others I love and trust do they sense God in the midst of what I have heard?
• What are the possible outcomes of me following the leading of the voice that I have heard? Will it be for God's glory and the good of my neighbors?

These are just some of the many things that go into listening and following the voice of the Good Shepherd. I hope they are helpful to you.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What images do you think would have come to mind for those who heard Jesus tell this story? What comes to mind for you?
• Whose voices can you distinguish in a crowded room even if you are unable to see them?
• How do you know when Jesus is speaking to you?
• What can you do to tune your ears to better hear Jesus voice?

Jan. 15

Read 1 Timothy 2

^8-10Since prayer is at the bottom of all this, what I want mostly is for men to pray—not shaking angry fists at enemies but raising holy hands to God. And I want women to get in there with the men in humility before God, not primping before a mirror or chasing the latest fashions but doing something beautiful for God and becoming beautiful doing it. (The Message)

The way in which Paul emphasizes prayer to Timothy might lead you to believe that he thought it was important. When you stop to think about all that Paul did and how focused he was upon the sharing of Jesus as the Messiah the fact that he wants people to pray first and foremost seems a bit odd. But prayer is what he says is important not as a last resort but as the first thing that is done.
I have a lot to learn yet.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Which do you think Timothy would have rather heard this call to prayer or a call to action? Why?
• Who do you know that puts prayer first in their life? What are they like?
• How might you begin to place more of an emphasis on humble prayer in your daily life?
• What do you need to help you become more comfortable in praying?

Jan. 14

Read 1 Timothy 2
^1-3The first thing I want you to do is pray. Pray every way you know how, for everyone you know. Pray especially for rulers and their governments to rule well so we can be quietly about our business of living simply, in humble contemplation. This is the way our Savior God wants us to live. (The Message)

This letter to Timothy from Paul is a letter of encouragement and guidance. It is a word of wisdom from a mentor to a younger person that Paul sees as having great potential. So the words are written with love and concern for the future that Timothy is going to embrace. So when it comes to leadership what does Paul say is the most important thing? He starts with prayer, not just prayer for the present moment, not just prayer for those immediately surrounding Timothy, not just prayer for the health or wellbeing of those closest to Timothy. Paul says that Timothy should pray for those he knows personally as well as those he knows at a distance. The prayers should not be directed so that Timothy gets his own way but that those he prays for might do what is right and good so that Timothy might live a simple God honoring life. This kind of prayer is not broadcast with headlines or megaphones but done away from the limelight as Jesus directed. It is a reminder for all of us that we should be praying!

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• If you were Timothy and you wanted to hear the key to good leadership what would you have expected to hear from Paul?
• Who would have been the rulers and government officials that Paul was encouraging Timothy to pray for? Were these people and governments receptive to the ways of Jesus?
• If Paul asked us to pray for the rulers and government officials today who would they include?
• Pick one person in a leadership role that you have not agreed with philosophically and pray for their well being and positive leadership abilities in the coming week.

Jan. 13

Read 1 Timothy 1
^8-11It's true that moral guidance and counsel need to be given, but the way you say it and to whom you say it are as important as what you say. It's obvious, isn't it, that the law code isn't primarily for people who live responsibly, but for the irresponsible, who defy all authority, riding roughshod over God, life, sex, truth, whatever! They are contemptuous of this great Message I've been put in charge of by this great God. (The Message)

One way or another we all know people that won't listen to us and people that we choose not to listen to. But have you ever stopped to ask why you listen better to some people rather than others? Sometimes it is the tone of voice that people use or their way of speaking. I choose though to give special attention to those who I know have my best interest in mind. When someone corrects me or expresses their disappointment with me I will listen much closer if I know that they are speaking out of love and concern for me. The counsel and guidance I am most open to are those who have developed a relationship with me over time and shown me in many ways that I can trust them. It is never easy to be corrected but I wouldn't give those friends up for the world who are willing to do it when necessary.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• When you hear people say what they think you should and shouldn't do do you hear it as a list of rules or as an invitation to grow?
• Who in your life do you trust to give words of correction when necessary?
• How do you best receive correction?
• How might you learn to better share your concerns so that others might receive them in a better way?

Jan. 12

Read 1 Timothy 1
^5-7The whole point of what we're urging is simply love—love uncontaminated by self-interest and counterfeit faith, a life open to God. Those who fail to keep to this point soon wander off into cul-de-sacs of gossip. They set themselves up as experts on religious issues, but haven't the remotest idea of what they're holding forth with such imposing eloquence. (The Message)

Love is what it is all about! It sounds so simple and we make it so hard because the simple isn't really easy. Religion is much easier if we focus upon the details and not on the reality of what love looks like when it is lived out everyday. Loving God as a focus in life means that we love God's people as well. The Bible says that you can't love God and not love his people and it would be so much easier if His people were always easy to love!
Paul starts out his letter to Timothy by reminding him of what is important. It starts with love and he tries to make it clear that there is nothing more important than love. As Paul encourages Timothy he also encourages us to have the same focus.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• Have you ever met anyone who knows more about religion than they do about loving others? What were they like?
• What makes loving other people so difficult?
• In what ways does loving God make it easier to love other people?
• What can you do this week to focus more upon love in your daily life?

Jan. 11

Read Colossians 4
 ¹⁷ Tell Archippus: “See to it that you complete the ministry you have received in the Lord.” (The Message)

Archippus is mentioned twice in the New Testament with little help in explaining who he is, what ministry he has received, or what role he played in the early church. There is some tradition that he was an early bishop or one of the 72 disciples appointed by Jesus. But the truth is that we just don't know much if anything about him. What we can tell is that he was important in the moment that the letter was being written and that Paul wanted to make sure that he received a note of encouragement.
I wonder what difference it might make if I substituted my name or you substituted your name for Archippus? I know there are days that I get discouraged by the ministry that I'm called to be a part of. The truth is that there are times that I think it would have been easier if I would have ignored the call of Jesus and gone my own way instead. I need the encouragement of others when times are difficult and there seems to be no hope of anything really changing. Today I'm going to allow myself to hear Paul's words to Archippus as words directed toward me, will you allow them to be your words as well?

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• What do you think might have been the ministry of Archippus that was so important that Paul wanted to make sure it was seen to its completion?
• Have you ever received words of encouragement from someone that allowed you to finish a difficult task when you had thought of giving up? What were they?
• Who might you bring a word of encouragement to today so that they will know how important you believe their role is in God's kingdom?
• What do you need encouragement in today that will keep you doing the work of Jesus tomorrow?

Jan. 10

Read Colossians 3
² Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. ³ And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains. ⁴ Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should. ⁵ Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. ⁶ Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. (The Message)

Paul was an evangelist first and foremost. Where ever he traveled he did everything he could to share the message of Jesus with everyone he encountered. Because he traveled so much he knew that some people he met he would never have another chance to share the message with them again. In this passage Paul is encouraging his listeners to be as aware of their encounters with others as he is. Paul's encouragement to make the most of every opportunity is not an encouragement to grab the gusto but rather an invitation to make sure that each person they encounter might be drawn closer to God by their actions rather than pushed away. Paul's way of approaching people was a way of life not just an evangelism tool. He seems to have truly cared about each person he met and was intent on knowing them for who they were in that moment. You can see his attention to the details of peoples lives in parts of his letters when he names specific people and their life circumstances.
I wonder how our relationships might be different if we made the most of each opportunity to be fully present with the people we interact with?

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• With what you know about Paul what would you say he did to make the most of his opportunities as he interacted with other people?
• Do you find yourself making the most of your time with people and being fully present or does your mind often wonder in other directions?
• Have you ever had a chance encounter with someone that you look back on as a life changing event? What was it like?
• Who do you need to be more present with in your daily encounters so that they might not be turned off to the message of Jesus love?

Jan. 9

Read John 9
^1-2 Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked, "Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born blind?" ^3-5Jesus said, "You're asking the wrong question. You're looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world's Light." (The Message)

Jesus confronts his disciples as they are pondering what they think is a cause and effect situation. The disciples think that because the man is blind someone must have done something wrong. They wanted Jesus to answer the wrong question and Jesus knew that the answer they were looking for was not going to help them understand the world and the way in which God was at work in the midst of it all. Jesus attempts to recast the question and have them instead look at how God might be able to work because of the current situation. This is a very different perspective than they were used to and one that the religious leaders didn't want to have to deal with. The truth is that we still don't want to deal with the reality of Jesus' answer to the question.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• In Jesus day physical limitations were seen as a sign of God withholding favor from someone, is this any different today?
• Have you ever felt like God was punishing you because of the things you had to live with?
• Does it make a difference if you live your life looking for someone / something to blame for your misfortunes or if you look for what God might do in the midst of your misfortunes? In what ways?
• Where in your life can you begin looking for what God might do because of your life circumstances rather than having to change those circumstances first?

Jan. 8

Read Colossians 3
^12-14So, chosen by God for this new life of love, dress in the wardrobe God picked out for you: compassion, kindness, humility, quiet strength, discipline. Be even-tempered, content with second place, quick to forgive an offense. Forgive as quickly and completely as the Master forgave you. And regardless of what else you put on, wear love. It's your basic, all-purpose garment. Never be without it. (The Message)

Paul keeps calling us back to a way of life that is not based upon what we do but on the attitude or heart of how it is done. Giving to someone in need out of a sense of obligation or to earn stars in heaven is not Paul's goal. To be guided by compassion in our giving is Paul's desire for us. This wardrobe that Paul lists is similar to the fruit's of the spirit that Paul mentions in Gal. 5: ²² "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness and self-control." There is a consistency surrounding Paul's encouragement that we should take seriously. These are attributes that we and others should be able to see growth in as we come closer to Jesus.
As the new year begins it might be wise to consider if we are growing in these areas and if not why not.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• In Paul's list of attributes here in Colossians or in Galatians which do you think you are best living out right now in your life?
• Of these attributes which do you believe others see as missing in your life?
• What one fruit of the Spirit do you believe Jesus is inviting you to grow in during this coming year?
• What might you begin doing today that will help you grow in this area?

Jan. 7

Read Colossians 3
 ^5-8And that means killing off everything connected with that way of death: sexual promiscuity, impurity, lust, doing whatever you feel like whenever you feel like it, and grabbing whatever attracts your fancy. That's a life shaped by things and feelings instead of by God. It's because of this kind of thing that God is about to explode in anger. It wasn't long ago that you were doing all that stuff and not knowing any better. But you know better now, so make sure it's all gone for good: bad temper, irritability, meanness, profanity, dirty talk. (The Message)

While Paul wants us to put Jesus first in our lives and not focus upon rule keeping he also has some expectations as to what a life lived following Jesus looks like. He makes it clear that those who follow Jesus have lives that are changed. He points out in a number of places that we can not change on our own but that with Jesus we do find freedom from those behaviors and compulsions that end up controlling us. The difficult part is being willing to be completely honest with ourselves and seeing what parts of our lives we have not yet allowed Jesus to take control of. When we profess to be followers of Jesus and then turn around and lose our temper on a regular basis there might be a problem. The life of a Jesus follower is not perfect nor easy but it should be guided by change, each of us changing more and more into the likeness of Jesus that he wants to shine through us into the world.

Some thoughts to ponder and share with others:

• How do you think Paul's warning to the people that they were still doing what they wanted rather than what God wanted might have been received by those who heard it the first time?
• How do you feel when you see someone who professes faith in Jesus do something that seems completely different than what Jesus would do?
• What part of your life do you need to have Jesus change so that you might be more consistent in your faith?
• Talk with someone you trust about the message your life and actions send to those around you. Encourage them to be brutally honest with you so that you might focus upon bringing Jesus into those parts of your life that need to change.