Blog Archives - River of Life Church

Why Did Jesus Do That?

11/30/2012

Do you ever read the Bible and come away with more questions than answers? I am puzzled by a certain action that Jesus did to His disciples that I do not have a good answer for this question.

The gospel of John records Jesus telling His disciples about the Holy Spirit in chapters 14-16. Jesus explains that He will go to the Father and send the Holy Spirit. Jesus is crucified, risen from the dead and meets with his disciples and tells them to receive the Holy Spirit before He goes to the Father.

John 20:22 And with that He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

It appears they did not receive the Holy Spirit on that day because 40 days later Jesus tells them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit.

Acts 1:4-5
On one occasion, while He was eating with them, He gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

Why did Jesus breath on His disciples and tell them to receive the Holy Spirit before He ascended to the right hand of the Father?

I am not convinced by those who say the disciples did receive the Spirit when He breathed on them. I am not convinced Jesus breathed on them to prepare them to receive the Holy Spirit fifty days later. I am still wondering, “Why did Jesus so that?”

Any thoughts?

Powerball Winners

11/29/2012

I am intrigued by the recent Powerball activity. Powerball lottery tickets were selling 130,000 per minute in the US the hours before last night’s drawing. This amounts to players buying 7.8 million tickets per hour, spending $15.6 million per hour in hopes of winning the second largest Powerball jackpot of $579.9 million. Powerball officials estimate that 90% of the tickets sold were quick picks, which means the computer picked the numbers instead of the player. One ticket costs $2.00 and the odds of winning are one in 175 million.

This morning, officials confirmed that two winning tickets were sold, one in Arizona and one in Missouri. If the tickets represent two individuals and they choose the cash option, they would split $379.8 million. An additional 8,924,123 players won smaller prizes. "There were 58 winners of $1 million and there were eight winners of $2 million. So a total of $74 million," said Chuck Strutt, Director of the Multi-State Lottery Association.

Previous winners of large jackpots have come forward after they have secured a lawyer, financial planner and any other profession that will help them move forward in their now very different life. It is impossible for their lives not to change outwardly and nearly impossible for them not to change inwardly. Even the 58 winners of $1 million and eight winners of $2 million who will not be named or viewed by a national audience will have different lives.

The Bible talks about becoming immediately wealthy.
Proverbs 20:21
21 An inheritance quickly gained at the beginning
will not be blessed at the end.

What if the same volume of spending were done for a humanitarian cause? What if people in the US gave $15.6 million per hour in $2.00 contributions towards reducing poverty, hunger, and sickness in our world? There would be a lot more real winners.

Angus T Jones

11/28/2012

Angus T Jones is an actor on the CBS comedy “Two and a Half Men” who in a series of recent interviews told people not to watch the program. Jones denounced the sitcom as “very inappropriate” and said it contains “filth”. The show is television’s third most popular comedy that has sexual innuendos in its’ content.

Jones, now 19 years old, has been acting on the show for nine years and makes $350,000 per episode. He talks about his religious awakening affecting his attitude toward life and work. He trying to walk with God and describes himself as a “paid hypocrite” because he is still acting on the show.

After criticizing the show, Jones issued an apology on Tuesday. “I apologize if my remarks reflect me showing indifference to and disrespect of my colleagues and a lack of appreciation of the extraordinary opportunity of which I have been blessed,” said Jones. “I never intended that.”

Is Angus T. Jones, a new believer of Jesus Christ who is wrestling with the new person he has become? Is Jones trying to serve God and money?

It is too easy to make judgments with the incomplete information we have and the distance we are from the situation. A better question is to ask if there are places in your life that makes you a hypocrite. Do you believe one thing and yet do another? You know what the right thing to do, but do not do it.

The apostle Paul in the Bible wrote of his struggles with doing the right thing.
Romans 7:15
“ I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.”

I think this may have been his struggle before becoming a Christian. Others believe it was his struggle before he became mature in his spiritual life with Christ. Either way, we identify with wanting to do the right thing, but not always choosing to do the right thing.

You and I cannot control what Jones is going to do about his convictions. We are responsible for what we do about our convictions.
So, what are you going to do?

Persecution

11/27/2012

This morning I read accounts of Christians in other countries that were harmed and suffering because they believe and love Jesus Christ instead of the dominant religion of their nation. Some are beaten, others not allowed to have a job, some are separated from their children, some are imprisoned and others killed. Those that are persecuted that they are able to have contact with share how Jesus is helping them survive, remain loyal to Jesus and to forgive their enemies.

Jesus told those who followed Him that He would protect, help and never leave them. Jesus said He would help make the load of life easy to carry. Jesus also said not to be surprised that people would oppose them because of their beliefs. Peter was one of Jesus’ disciples and reminded people of challenges Christian may face.

1 Peter 4:12-14
12 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal that has come on you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. 13 But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed. 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests on you.

For those reading this blog that live in a country that allows freedom to live as a follower of Christ, let us be thankful for that freedom. Let us use that freedom to openly serve, love, and tell others about Jesus. Let us pray for those who do not have that freedom.

For those reading this blog in countries that do not allow you to live openly as a follower of Jesus Christ, know that your suffering will be replaced with great joy when Christ’s glory is revealed.

Information or Transformation?

11/26/2012

Do you ever read the Bible just for information instead of transformation? That is how one man encountered Jesus in the Bible.

Nicodemus came to Jesus in the evening. He was a religious man with a spiritual position. He was a Pharisee and a member of the ruling council, the Sanhedrin. The Pharisees were divided whether Jesus was a good man sent from God or a religious rebel.

Nicodemus must have been on the side that believed Jesus came from God. He came to Jesus at night and began his conversation saying that Jesus must have come from God because of the miracles He was doing. Jesus replies that a person must be born-again to enter the kingdom of heaven.

The conversation and questions lead to one of the most familiar passages in the Bible:
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Nicodemus wanted information from Jesus to try to understand Him more and received truth that would transform his life. The next time Nicodemus appears in the Bible, his colleagues, the Pharisees, had determined that Jesus was deceiving people and was really a false messiah. Nicodemus asks whether it is right to condemn a person without a hearing.

The third and final time we read about Nicodemus, he is helping take Jesus off the cross, cleaning his lifeless body and placing it in a tomb.

Read the full story of Nicodemus in John 3:1-21, 7:50-51, 19:38-42.

In what ways are you like Nicodemus and in what ways are you different?

5 Days to a Thank-filled Life: Day #5

11/23/2012

One of the best ways to live a thank-filled life is having a rhythm of life that is aware of big and little good things that happen in your life. It seems quite simple, but requires an intentional awareness of those things that bring pleasure and joy in your life.

You have taken steps over the past four days towards a thank-filled life. This final step is developing a pattern or habit of being aware of those good things and giving an expression of thanks to those who are involved in them.

You may have a practice of thanking God at the dinner table for the meal you are about to enjoy. This provides an opportunity to mentally review the day and consider the things that are thank-worthy and specifically tell God, “Thanks” for each good that came out of the day.

There is likely a person or person that was used by God behind the scenes of those good things. A delicious cup of coffee that gave you a much needed boost in the day was prepared by an employee of the coffee shop, office or workplace. You may not even know their name, but they can be included in your thanks prayed to God. If you will be served b y that person in the future, you can tell them thanks, give a generous tip or in some way let them know your appreciation.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

The more you thank, the more thankful you become!

5 Days to a Thank-filled Life: Day #4

11/22/2012

Today is Thanksgiving and a perfect day to do Day #4 because it is rather simple. You will use the Thanks Checklist from Day #1 and you will need a single dice(die). After you have enjoyed a delicious meal and are “recovering” in the living room, have each person shake the die and share what they are thankful for in the category matched with the number on the die: 1-Relationships, 2-Finances, 3-Travels, 4-Events, 5-Activities, and 6-Health.

If you are reading this after Thanksgiving, do this activity the next holiday, birthday or any other family gathering.

Psalm 118:1
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.
Happy Thanksgiving!

5 Days to a Thank-filled Life: Day #3

11/21/2012

On Day #1 we made a Thanks Checklist of things that occurred over the past year that we have good memories from in the categories of Relationships, Finances, Travels, Events, Activities, and Health. On Day #2 the list was printed and used as a prayer targets for praying thanks to God for all the good things that He has brought into our lives.

For Day #3 towards living a Thank-filled Life you are going to do the same as yesterday. Take your Thanks Checklist and thank God again for the wonderful memories and experiences He has brought into your life. While it may seem redundant to pray the same thing back to God, it will not be the same. Today, you may thank God a little longer about an event that you wrote on your list. You may pray shorter about something you prayed longer about yesterday. You may recall a facet of one of the memories and talk to God about how special that time was that He brought into your life.

The more you thank God, the more your life becomes thank-filled. A good prayer guideline is ACTS. This acronym stands for Adoration, Confession, Thanks, and Supplication.

Adoration – telling God about Himself. “God, you are kind, forgiving and yet your justice is never compromised.”

Confession – telling God about your shortcomings. “God, I am sorry that I was unforgiving to my spouse, today and said hurtful things to her. I need to apologize, forgive her and ask for her forgiveness for my poor behavior.”

Thanks – thanking the LORD for all the good things He does. “Jesus, thank you for helping things work out, today. I was not certain it would.”

Supplication – asking for help. “Holy Spirit, I need confidence going in to this meeting. Help settle my nerves and make an effective presentation.”

King David includes adoration and thanks in this prayer:
1 Chronicles 29:10-13
David’s Prayer
10 David praised the Lord in the presence of the whole assembly, saying,
“Praise be to you, Lord,
    the God of our father Israel,
    from everlasting to everlasting.
11 Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power
    and the glory and the majesty and the splendor,
    for everything in heaven and earth is Yours.
Yours, Lord, is the kingdom;
    You are exalted as head over all.
12 Wealth and honor come from You;
    You are the ruler of all things.
In your hands are strength and power
    to exalt and give strength to all.
13 Now, our God, we give You thanks,
    and praise Your glorious name.

5 Days to a Thank-filled Life: Day #2

11/20/2012

On Day #1, we made a “thanks checklist” compiled of Relationships, Finances, Travels, Events, Activities, and Health. We identified things that occurred on our lives over the past year that we have good memories from in each category. Making a hard or soft copy of this list is essential for what we are going to do today, so if you took the easy route and just did it in your mind, put it on paper or e-paper!

Print the list you have made and use it as a prayer of thanks to God today. I filed my list under Thankful Things. One of the things I am thankful for in the events category is sleeping in a structure made of cardboard with friends raising fund for the homeless in our community. Now I can thank God for being able to participate, for the fun guys I was with, for no rain or snow that day, for the people who made donations and for the partnership we are doing with a local non-profit helping the homeless in our community.

Just take you list and thank God for each of the thankful things you have on your list. Some of the items on your list you will spend just a brief amount of time thanking God for and other items will be a fuller thanks expressed.

Your grateful heart is a great heart before God.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17
Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

5 Days to a Thank-filled Life: Day #1

11/19/2012

Thanksgiving is just days away and it is a major holiday that focuses on actions and attitudes. The action includes the Native American Indians helping and joining the first Pilgrims survive and celebrate their life in America. The attitude is one of thankfulness by the early settlers and Native Americans offered to God and to one another.

What are some actions and attitudes to embrace this Thanksgiving?
Let us start with attitude because it moves us towards action.

Instead of you and I straining our minds this Thursday for something, anything we are thankful about so we can get on with the meal before it gets cold; let’s do a mental review now of things this past year that were pretty remarkable.

What are things that have occurred this past year that made some good memories?

A thanks checklist:
*Relationships – what are some strong or repaired relationships in your life?
**Finances - what were you able to pay off or purchase this year?
*Travels - who did you visit and what did you see or experience?
*Events - what special concerts, significant meetings, reunions or gatherings did you attend?
* Activities - did you run, bike, walk, garden, or explore this year?
* Health – all of the above mentioned things were because your health allowed you to do them!

Now that you have made a mental checklist, either open a new document on your computer or take out a piece of paper and put these thoughts into a hard or soft copy. Mine list is titled, “Thankful Things”.

Once you begin entering or writing things down, you will be surprised at how many good things happened already this year!

1 Chronicles 16:34
Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; His love endures forever.