A Net in Time

Curriculum and book reviews, faith, homeschooling and more!

Faith

Complete

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Alone, working nights
Raising mice, and wee piggies,
Life seemed perfect except
I needed a friend,
Someone who would understand,
who could listen about my wanting deepness
with God and struggling with what my church taught me.

Enter a man, with a wimpy dog
My dog beat him up (tried) when they first met.
Friendship formed. Hearts listened.
Completeness
Yet, not quite

A lad came along
A talkative fellow who made noises
at me all day long even as a youngster, and
now a young man growing, chatter fills our days
Completeness
Yet, not quiteComplete, a poem

God keeps calling
Reminding me, showing
Gathering me in, Beckoning,
Examples in disciples of long ago.
Remembering, and then telling.
Completeness?
Not sure.

Then as I ponder I see
Rabbits…the joy of critters
The lad… the wonder of learning and growth
The hubby…the steadiness and push to be more.
And before I know it.. I see it.
The completeness the Lord has given
Different pieces that aren’t quite enough
and rounded out
These gifts of God
Along with the calling and the showing and the teaching
Gives me what I need
to be
Complete.

KATE has her five minute Friday prompt gig going on again this Friday.
Join us won’t you?

The Vitalness of Prayer

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John bunyan quote

In Matthew 7:7-11 we read: 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.
9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 

Through prayer, God answers our needs and requests.  If we don’t pray, then how do we gain the riches of God?  I don’t mean that in a monetary sense.  I mean, that without prayer, how can we expect God to move?  God needs us, wants us to talk to him.  That’s all prayer is you know?!

It’s talking, you can do it in a formalized manner with praise and thankfulness followed by supplication.  You can pour out your heart to him with tears and on bended knee.   You can use thee-s and thou-s or just common language.  God doesn’t mind the language we use, he just wants us to talk to him as a child talks to their parent.  Regardless, if on bended knee or walking down the street or over a phone, prayer is vital. It’s how we tell God our needs and desires, and it’s how we learn to listen back.  It’s a two-way street prayer is.  It’s a real conversation.

vitalness of prayer

Even so, I have to admit I struggle sometimes with prayer.  WHY?

  1. Exhaustion.  I know.. How can I forget to pray when I’m tired?  Well.. my brain shuts down and it’s hard even for me to hold a conversation with my hubby.   Perhaps you have the same thing?  When you get tired it’s easier to just not, because sometimes we want to but we just can’t.
  2. Distraction.   Satan doesn’t want us talking to God so he’s done an excellent job of providing a whirlwind of distraction for us. TV, books, people, bills, jobs, selfishness, and more.  Satan tosses it all in our direction and a lot of it catches doesn’t it?
  3. Lack of appreciation.   Do we truly appreciate all that God does for us?  I say Thanks to my hubby when he holds the door, thanks to our student for helping carry in groceries, thanks for my boy when helps with the laundry, thanks to a random person when do something kind.  Small conversations.   Do I thank God for the muffin I just ate?  Or the clothes on my back, or the roof over my head?  Do I say thanks for the KIND people buying things from the church?

God is so wonderful to us.  We should be astonished and ashamed I think at our reluctance to pray, to carry out conversation with the Lord God.  Through it we gain insight into our actions, are enabled to dig deeper into His Word, and have a chance to just talk things out with someone who will ALWAYS listen, always.   Suss our the vitalness of prayer.  You’ll be amazed at the bounty to be discovered the more you engage in it.  I know I always am!  🙂

Whose Glory is More Important?

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Last time we met we saw Jesus with a troubled heart, but a determination to fulfill his purpose.   Today we see unbelief in John 12:37-43.

John 12:37-43

When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them. 37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him, 38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled:
“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,
40
“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
lest they see with their eyes,
and understand with their heart, and turn,
and I would heal them.”
41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him. 42 Nevertheless, many even of the authorities believed in him, but for fear of the Pharisees they did not confess it, so that they would not be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the glory that comes from man more than the glory that comes from God.

This section starts with the worlds “when Jesus had said these things“

What things?  The previous verses have these words : “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

Anyways, he said those words and then he disappeared, we are told he left and hid himself.   We read the sad words that even though Jesus had done many signs, people still didn’t believe in him.   This was to be expected since Isaiah had foretold this. 

“Lord, who has believed what he heard from us,
and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

and

40
“He has blinded their eyes
and hardened their heart,
lest they see with their eyes,
and understand with their heart, and turn,
and I would heal them.”

Do you see it?   God blinded eyes, and hardened hearts.   God’s choice.   I have to admit, I don’t quite get it.  Why would God do that?  Why wouldn’t he want people believe in him?   I know that he is gracious, kind, and loving to his children that he calls by name. He heals our wounds and eases our sorrows.   So why wouldn’t he let eyes be open and hearts be soft? 

I had to ponder this for a while so I went and did some dishes and laundry.  Busy hands help my mind to settle and think. 

Perhaps the reasoning is found in verse 42 where many did believe in him but didn’t make any sign of it because they were afraid of the Pharisees. They valued their positions and the opinions of others over God.  God wants people that believe in him fully, that don’t let fear stop them from declaring their faith. 

It leads me to the question.   Whose glory is more important?

God knows whose glory we will seek.  So hearts are hardened who won’t truly seek after his glory. Eyes are closed for those who won’t put God first in their lives. He knows long before we even think about it.

What a reason to praise God eh?   Those who believe in him.  He knew even before we did that our hearts would seek after him and his ways.  That we would want to God’s glory known more than the opinions of others. 

The question left for me then is this: Do I act in a way that shows what God knows?   Do I seek after God’s glory or do the opinions of those around me matter more than God?   Am I letting him down?  He knows my heart and so called me to him, is my heart showing forth to the world, honouring God’s glory?

 

A Troubled heart … a purpose

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Remember how the Greeks came?  Today we see Jesus with his heart troubled in John 12:27-36. 

27 “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven: “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that stood there and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” 30 Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not mine. 31 Now is the judgment of this world; now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die. 34 So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” 35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

John 12:27-36 devotional

When we last saw Jesus he was talking about how service to him equalled honour by God. 

I saw these next words and I felt my heart break for him.  His soul is troubled.  Jesus… the one I love.  Here his soul is troubled.  He knows what is to come.  He wants to ask God to save him from what’s coming, but he doesn’t.  His response to being troubled was to see his purposed “Father, glorify your name“, he says. 

And God answered. Oh, my heart is lifted.  People around didn’t understand it, but Jesus did.  He knew what God said.  “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.”   Oh…the mercy in those words.  I feel a bit silly sitting here with tears in my eyes.  Knowing Jesus’ need at that moment and God not even hesitating in meeting it.  I get the same tears when a child calls crying for his mama and she comes enveloping said child in her arms murmuring words of comfort.  This is God, comforting his son in doing his duty. 

Anyways, those around didn’t understand, which is too bad you know?  Afterall, as Jesus said, they were spoken for their sake not his.  He went on to speak for the judgment of the world “now will the ruler of this world be cast out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.”

Think on those words a spell.  Jesus talks about how he will die.  The fact that he will die (otherwise why would he be lifted up from the earth?)   He speaks to the fact that Satan (the ruler of this world) will be cast out.  It’s a fact.  Satan doesn’t hold this world in his grip.  Jesus, it’s JESUS who will gather people in.  In fact Jesus states that he will draw ALL people to himself.  Jesus will do this. Not Satan, Jesus.  It’s good to hear that eh?  To have the reassurance that Jesus indeed is the one. 

Moving on we hear that again people just don’t understand.   Jesus’ answer doesn’t really make it any clearer for them. They don’t understand because scripture tells them that Christ remains forever, but Jesus said that the Son of man will be raised up.  They don’t get that both have to happen.  And honestly… if it were me then… I wouldn’t get it either. So I get the confusion, I also get the … what seems to me….quiet response of Jesus. “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.”

Jesus gives them encouragement.  Walk in the light, seek the light, be alert to the light lest the darkness overtake you.  Walk in the light so you know where you are going.  Why walk in the light?   So you can become sons of light.  (or daughters of light).  Jesus, drawing people in, even when his heart is troubled.   This…this is Jesus.  Putting up with our “I don’t get its” always encouraging us to walk in the light, to avoid the darkness.  

The Power of Your Love

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We sang this song in church one morning. It brought me back a few years singing this song with people I cared about.  It was so good to lift our voices in praise to the Lord.  Anyways, I hope you like it. 🙂

The Power of Your Love

Author is Geoff Bullock.   I expected when I plugged his name into the search bar to just learn some basic facts about him.  He’s an Australian boy, who has recorded more than 20 albums and written two books.  He was part of the rise of Hillsong. I didn’t expect to read about a story of God’s grace… Fame, leadership, loss, sin revealed, and God’s grace seen.  You can read more of his story here. 

Lyrics

Lord I come to You
Let my heart be changed, renewed
Flowing from the grace
That I’ve found in You
Lord I’ve come to know
The weaknesses I see in me
Will be stripped away
By the power of Your love

Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
Lord unveil my eyes
Let me see You face to face
The knowledge of Your love
As You live in me
Lord renew my mind
As Your will unfolds in my life
In living every day
By the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
Hold me close
Let Your love surround me
Bring me near
Draw me to Your side
And as I wait
I’ll rise up like the eagle
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love
And I will soar with You
Your Spirit leads me on
In the power of Your love

Where Do We Look?

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Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4 while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.  Hebrews 2:1-4

Therefore, holy brothers, you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God’s house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself.    Hebrews 3:1-3

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.  Hebrews 12:1-3

consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession text over candle

Where is Jesus in our lives?   That’s the question that Ian Hamilton puts to us in The Faith-Shaped Life. 

The author to Hebrews was writing to a group of believers who had gotten side-tracked.  They put other things before the Lord, becoming dull of hearing (heb 5:11), they were starting to submit to the pressure of giving up Christianity and returning to Judaism, (heb 10), and were no longer putting Christ first in all things.   The author wanted to put a stop to such things so he urged them to remember their first love… CHRIST.  They had stopped considering our Lord and Saviour and needed to remember where they should first look. 

Make a resolution?

Shouldn’t this be a resolution that we make?  To be more deliberate about looking to Christ?   To consider what he would want before we consider our ownselves?  

Yesterday in our Heidelberg reading the lad and I were going over how Jesus is our perfect high priest, King and Prophet.   If that’s what he is, shouldn’t we think of him as we live our daily lives?   Shouldn’t it matter greatly to us what he thinks, or might have to say about the matters at hand?  Shouldn’t we then make him our first priority?

Not an easy thing you know, to refocus one’s thoughts.  It’s so easy to just get about the daily task of living, to forget something that isn’t right in front of our faces.  AH, I feel convicted as I write these words, I need to seek after the Lord, to talk to him before I start out on my daily events.  Let him in on the details and plans and see where he would take me in my journeys.   This I then resolve, consider the Lord in my daily life all the more.  Make him matter.

Join me yes?

Want to follow along in The Faith Shaped Life? Here’s where to find it:

The Greeks Come

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Last time we met we learned how the disciples remembered events from Jesus’ life and then once they understood them later, told others what they knew.  Today we study from John 12: 20-26.  The Greeks come to talk to Jesus.

20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

John 12:20-26

So we know that Jesus was at the Passover preparations/feast.  We know that people had been looking for him.   We’ve also seen him being welcomed with hosannas, a trail of coats and a young donkey to ride in on.   Today we learn that Greeks were part of the crowd… they came to worship at the feast.  

You know what that tells me?  They were converts to Judaism…otherwise why would they come?   Greeks wouldn’t show up at a Jewish event to take part, to worship, unless they had converted to Judaism.    Therefore we have these Greek Jews on a mission.  They came to Philip and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

Philip went to Andrew and then together they went and told Jesus. 

Jesus’ answer seems a bit odd to me.  It wasn’t sure… bring them on over, rather it was more total end game.    His response:  “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. 25 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

I gotta wonder, did the disciples take that response back to the Greeks?

Or did they wonder… what is Jesus talking about?   I know they didn’t really understand that Jesus came to die, so these references probably had them shaking their heads a bit.  In retrospect we understand what he says.   Jesus’ time to die was fast approaching.   But his death would bear much fruit just like a wheat kernel dying to produce a new plant with many seeds.   It’s important to realize this truth you know?  Especially in light of his next lines. 

Then we get the reference to those who follow after Christ.  They need to be willing to die for him.  But that death would yield eternal life.  Service to Christ requires that we follow him, and since we are following him we are with him.   Christ’s servants are honoured by God the Father.   Jesus’ death lead to much fruit.  We need to be willing to follow Christ…even to the point of death.  What might our deaths bring in terms of fruit borne?  Do we even really ever think about that?

I know that I don’t tend to. In fact most days I have to admit I often don’t think of my relationship with Christ in those terms… of dying to myself so that I might serve Christ better?   I rarely wonder about how I might die to myself as I follow the Lord… and that’s not a great thing you know?   I shows how very self-centred I can be.  That is SO not a good thing.  How can I follow the Lord well if I mostly see myself and my own needs/desires?   Here the Lord reminds me well what my calling in… service, willingness to follow him regardless because where I am… so is he.  

What a word for the Greek Jews eh?  To hear Jesus say to follow him and be honoured by God?  

What a word for us now.  To be reminded on just who we follow… a glorified Jesus.  The Son of God and how through following him and serving him, God the Father will honour us.