Month: May 2017

Go Plant Some Trees!

Luke 12-13

hands-holding-seedling-posters

Friday, May 19

I like three things more than most anything else, sailboats, stars, and trees. No particular reasons other than I am fascinated by how they work and what they look like. My interest in trees started when I was young when I learned from my Grandpa Ben that trees grew from these tiny little things called acorns. It was and still is amazing to think something so small has such great potential.

Jesus uses this illustration to compare the mustard seed to the kingdom of God. “It is like a mustard seed which a man took and planted in his garden. It grew and became a tree, and the birds of the air perched in its branches..” Luke 13:18-19 Something that seems so small now, will eventually grow to be very large and influential in this world. Just like the man in this illustration where he took the seed and planted it in his garden, we too must plant the kingdom in our gardens. In other words, the kingdom lifestyle should be obvious in our lives. Though the kingdom will be fully established when Jesus returns it is our responsibility to live as if it is a reality now, and see to it that it grows.
I think its crazy that Jesus gave us the responsibility to grow the community of Kingdom citizens. With that said, what are you waiting for – go plant some trees!
-Jesse Allen

Got To Tell Somebody!

Luke 10-11

harvest lo Luke 10

May 18, 2017

Have you ever tried to go evangelizing by yourself? Its terrifying! Unless that is your gift and it just comes naturally, evangelism can be pretty intimidating. Especially when you are trying to get people to see that they may not be right about a certain issue or topic. Even though we have carefully thought out every verse and illustration it always seems to fail. I think Jesus knew this because of Luke 10:1-16.

Although it was customary to send two people on journeys to deliver messages, I think Jesus knew this way of evangelism would boost the confidence of the messengers. This section of verses causes me to think about being more intentional about evangelizing and talking to others about my faith, but approaching it with a friend or mentor in the faith.
Though, when we fail, even together, we should understand that we will not reach everybody. That is what the last part of this passage is talking about when it mentions “wiping off the dust that clings to your feet”. Not everyone we talk to can or will be convinced by us.
When will be the next or first time you intentionally go tell people about the Kingdom?
-Jesse Allen
(Photo Credit: https://engageworship.org/ideas/luke-10-visual-reflection)

Great Faith

Luke 7-9

great20faith

Wednesday, May 17

Great faith is not always defined as a noun. I feel like in church that we sometimes believe things with our minds more than we believe them with our actions. I would argue that Jesus thought the same about some of the people he was around when he was still on earth. Except maybe a few were different. Like this one case in Luke 7 involving a centurion.
The centurion knew that Jesus could help. He could have easily stayed in his home and made Jesus come into his house by sending a servant. But the centurion, a man of honor and high authority in the Roman ranks chose not to send a servant to act upon the faith he had in Jesus, and went himself because he knew he was not worthy of having him in his house. The centurion also assumed with faith that Jesus could heal from anywhere.
Where in our lives do we need faith like the centurion had? We as believers of Jesus and his works must rely on his power from heaven to heal us just like the centurion’s servant. We also must humble ourselves and realize we need Him.
-Jesse Allen
(Photo Credit: https://andrewkgabriel.com/2009/09/07/anxious-about-the-need-to-have-great-faith/)

Some Peace in this Crazy World

Luke 6-7

o-LOVE-YOUR-ENEMIES-facebook

May 16, 2017

Have you ever prayed for your enemies? Not to make you feel guilty if you haven’t but I think it’s a good habit to start. My reasoning behind this relies on the fact that the kingdom of God will be peaceful, and if we are to be a part of the kingdom of God why not pray for that peace now? You might think praying for peace is different than praying for your enemies but I don’t think there is that big of a difference.

 

But prayer is one thing, what about actions? Can we love our enemies with our actions? Jesus seems to think so, and even demands that we do it in Luke 6:27-36. He even gives a couple examples, one of which is prayer.

 

Why should we do this? Well, other than to be obedient to Jesus, which is emphasized in verses 46-49, it is because God has been intentional in reaching out to us. Yes, at one point in time, we were against God, and yet he still gave his Son for us. He was merciful to us, even when we might have hated him. Luke 6:36 “Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.”

 

I encourage you today to read through this section of verses. Write down how you could love those who you may consider enemies. Your answers may surprise you, and if you follow up by doing some of the things you write down, you might find that loving your enemies isn’t all that hard. Who knows, you might even create some peace is this crazy world.

 

-Jesse Allen

thechristiantaco

 

My Life Purpose

Luke 4-5

purpose road

May 15, 2017

Have you been on youtube lately? If you have I’m sure you may have heard this on one of the ads before your video. “Do you know your life purpose? Do you know your destiny?” (Yes, Tai Lopez has made it into my Fuel Devotion.) But regardless of who asked these questions, they are good questions to ask and to think about.

Jesus knew his life purpose, we see this in Luke 4:43 “I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose.” Jesus was sent so he could preach the message about the coming Kingdom of God. We know today that he did that very well considering how big Christianity has become. I believe this has something to do with the fact he called other people to join him in preaching this message.

We can see Peter, James, and John joining Jesus after he tells them they will be fishing for men in Luke 5:10-11. “. .they left everything and followed him.” Peter, James, and John thought they were going to be fishers of fish their whole life. But plans changed when Jesus called them to be fishers of men.

For the entirety of my senior year of high school, I wanted to become a full-time firefighter. I was already a volunteer at my local Fire District and had already taken Firefighter 1 and 2, plus EMT-B training. It was a done deal, I was set on making it a career. Well, all I can say is be careful what you wish for because I am becoming a full-time firefighter. Someone once told me that “To be a Pastor is to be the ultimate firefighter.”. Here I am freshly graduated from ABC about to do a pastoral internship. I guess I became a firefighter after all, huh?

Just like Peter, James and John were fishermen, they kept their job title but the job was different. They thought they knew their life’s purpose and destiny but God, through Jesus, had directed them to the ministry of preaching the kingdom of God. Have you thought about your life’s purpose lately?

-Jesse Allen

Included:Luke 2-3

 

 

May 14, 2017

The feeling of exclusion is one of the worst feelings I have ever felt. It’s the classic “I get picked last at recess” feeling. It is also the feeling we get when we find out someone that we normally do stuff with is doing something without us, and they post it on social media. Feeling excluded can often trigger us to feel unwanted or worthless, but I am here to tell you that is not the case.

May I turn your attention to Luke 2:30-32 and Luke 3:6-9? These verses talk about the salvation of God. One interesting fact about the salvation of God is what is said in verse 32 “A light of revelation to the Gentiles,”. This phrase is talking about how Jesus will reach out in his ministry and include the Gentile people in salvation. This concept is hinted upon in verse 10 as well when the angel that scared the shepherds says, “I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all people”. The word “all” in verse ten and the phrase, “Presence of all peoples” leads me to believe that everyone will be included, not just the “people of God” at that time who were the Jews. Also, this idea is found in Luke 3:6 when it says “all flesh” which includes the Gentile, or non-jew, in salvation.

How can this be, that all people, can now be included in salvation? Well, I think that John the Baptist explains this very well in the next chapter. In Luke 3:7 John starts to rebuke those who are coming to be baptized only for the sake of looking good in front of others and not actually because they care about being saved. He continues and spurs them to change by telling them to bear fruit “worthy of repentance”. Not claiming that they are a part of the Jewish faith, that no longer matters because everyone is included now as long as they bear fruit. He also tells them the consequence of not bearing fruit, which is being chopped down and throw into the fire.

How can we accept the offer and become included in the salvation that Jesus brings? We change our lives and actions to reflect that of Jesus’. Since Jesus was the Light to the Gentiles, it no longer matters if you were a Jew by heritage to be a part of the people of God. Sometimes I feel that we think the same way the Jews did, “Well, I have the title of Christian so that must make me one, right?” According to John the Baptist in these verses, it does not. But those who bear good fruit, of the spirit of God, will not be thrown into the fire and will have salvation. So the next time you’re feeling excluded remember that Jesus wants you to be included in the people of God.

-Jesse Allen

Fear NOT

Luke 1

Luke_1_30_37_praise_image_scripture_image, with_God_nothing_is_impossible

Saturday, May 13

What are some fears that impact you? Spiders? Snakes? Heights? Public speaking? We have many fears that may consume us. Some of these fears protect us physically, other fears may protect us socially. We should take time to evaluate our fears and see if it is something that is actually a danger or just a perceived danger. One of my daughters is afraid of crickets…is the cricket that makes her scream really going to do her any harm? No, however the snake she found in the yard as a toddler could have been poisonous and a real danger (Thankfully it was not). Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference in these fears. In the moment, the fear is powerful regardless of actual danger levels.

 

In Luke 1 we find fear mentioned when Zacharias (Zechariah) encounters the angel Gabriel and again when he appears to Mary. It says in verse twelve that Zacharias was “troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him.” It says Mary “was very perplexed … and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was.” I can only imagine what it would have been like for either of these individuals, to be in the presence of “one who stands in the presence of God and {has} been sent to speak to you.” That would be quite the intimidating situation. This would, by far, rival the fears we face on a daily basis.

 

I am drawn in by Gabriel’s response to both Mary and Zacharias. He says to them, “Do not be afraid …” It is obvious from his statements that he is there to be God’s messenger and that these messages are meant for the good of God’s people, yet there is still fear instilled when he appears. Gabriel had to deal with this fear before he continued to share God’s Good News. We must learn to deal with the fears in our hearts before we can effectively share the gospel message with those around us. God tells us, “Do NOT fear!” He is with us, He has given us hope, He has placed a message in our hearts and in our mouths. We MUST share that message and FEAR NOT!!!

-Bill Dunn

(Photo Credit: Photo by Eric Valentine – http://praisephotography.com/2010/12/19/overwhelmed-with-joy/)

Go

Mark 14-16

mark16.15

Friday, May 12

As we started our journey through the book of Mark on Monday we saw that Jesus was all about the gospel of the Kingdom of God. Now as we come to the end of Mark we see Jesus is still about the same work. He is seated with his disciples and tells them in 14:25, “Truly I say to you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.”

 

We see later in chapter 14 that he was “deeply grieved” and asked that God would “remove this cup.” Death was not what he wanted even in this situation, knowing what was coming, he still said, “not what I will, but what you will.” Jesus knew the prophesies, he knew the suffering he was about to face, yet still he sought the Kingdom of God. Jesus, along with his passion for the Kingdom to be fulfilled, is our inspiration to follow the will of God. We must “seek first the Kingdom of God”(Matt 6:33). It is of utmost importance.

 

Even after Jesus was crucified and was raised from the dead He still focused on the Kingdom. He told his disciples to “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation.”(Mark 16:15) We are to preach the gospel of the Kingdom of God to all around us no matter how popular the message is or isn’t.

 

-Bill Dunn

 

(Photo Credit: http://dailybiblememe.com/tag/mark-1615/)

Choose Your Battles

Mark 10-13

temple tantrum brick testament

Thursday, May 11

What are some of the things that make you mad and how do you react when you are upset?  Do you think Jesus ever got mad or expressed his anger?

We read in Mark 11 of a time where Jesus was anything but quiet and soft spoken. We see Him turning tables and running people out of the temple. This is not to say that we should go flipping tables and chasing people whenever we get upset, that is NOT what was happening here. Jesus reacted in this way not because someone disagreed with Him, in those instances He says to turn the other cheek. He reacted this way because these individuals had taken the temple of His Father and they were using it like a common marketplace. The things they were doing were a disgrace to the sanctuary of God. Jesus was angry with a righteous indignation. He was furious because the temple of God was being defiled!

Do you get more upset and react in a more dramatic way if someone speaks against you or against your God? Hopefully we are faster to defend our God rather than ourselves. We tend to be pretty quick to jump at small things, leaving the big things for someone else to handle. I think of David before He became king, he was willing to fight a giant because of what he had said about our God.

We must pick our battles. It isn’t easy to let someone talk about you or your family. It isn’t easy to let them bad mouth a friend. These things don’t matter as much in the end though. What truly matters is how we defend our faith, how we stand for our God. We MUST stand firm when it comes to the scripture, we MUST share our faith, and we MUST learn to choose our battles as Jesus did.

– Bill Dunn

 

(Photo Credit: 

http://www.thebricktestament.com/the_life_of_jesus/temple_tantrum/jn02_15b.html)

Count the Cost

Mark 7-9

mark 8 36

Wednesday, May 10

What is the most you have ever paid for something? What is the most you have ever gotten from selling something? We value our things and we value our money. It seems that prices keep going up and up on everything that we need. Yet when we sell something it seems the price is never quite as high as we would like it to be. When we buy or sell we must ask ourselves, “What is this really worth to me?” That question will help us decide if we want to buy or sell at the price offered.

 

Jesus asks His followers to place value on what may be the single most valuable thing we have, our life and the choices we make in it. In Mark 8:31 Jesus teaches that He, “must suffer many things and be rejected … and be killed, and after three days rise again.” In the verses that follow He tells Peter that Peter had not set his mind on God’s interests, but his own. Then Jesus tells us, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” (Mark 8:34) Jesus is saying that we must place a value on being His follower. We must also place a value on following our own desires. We must decide which is of greater value to us. If our desires win and we choose to seek the things of this life and avoid the suffering of following Jesus it is a steep price to pay. Jesus says, “whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.” (Mark 8:35) Proverbs puts it this way, “There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” (Proverbs 14:12, Proverbs 16:25)

 

I leave you with the 2 questions that Jesus asked His disciples in verses 36 and 37, “For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world, and forfeit his soul? For what will a man give in exchange for his soul?”

 

-Bill Dunn

 

(Photo Credit: ttps://www.bbmquotes.com/quote-from-the-bible-mark-836/)