Hosea_3
Lord for my life application, I would like you to help me move past a mistake I have been holding against a loved one. Nothing too crazy but clearly I can't move past it bc clearly I have been wronged. Help me to move away from the pain, memory and trauma. Help me to love them anyway. And perhaps by taking this small step I can move towards loving as You Love.In the name of Jesus do I pray. Amen.-kenneth lee
Matthew____16
Scripture
Matthew 16:24-25
24Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. 25 For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.
Observation-What does it say?
Jesus was speaking with His disciples and predicted His death. He rebuked (aka corrected with sharp disapproval and criticism-Oxford dictionary), Peter’s response to his death because Peter was concerned about what Jesus said at the human level, not on the God level.
Understanding-What does it mean?
Jesus had to die to save ALL of mankind, including His disciples. That was the cross that Jesus had to bear. His life was His offering to God.
Peter didn’t understand the big picture and that’s why Jesus was frustrated with what he said. If Jesus didn’t die, Peter and the rest of the world would not live and would still be under the wrath of a just God. I also believe that Jesus’ words to Peter was a foretelling of how Peter would betray Jesus. Peter’s denial of Jesus was because he was more concerned about what others would think of him (human concerns) instead of what Jesus thought of him.
Life Application
What does taking up your cross look like?
In Biblical times, with taking up one’s cross, people literally had to die for their faith in Jesus. All the disciples were martyred, except for John.
Some of us may still be called to physical martyrdom, but more commonly in today’s times, taking up one’s cross daily means doing everything different than the world does it. It’s a struggle because although we are called to not live OF the world, we still live IN it and can easily be influenced by it. That’s the importance of staying close to Jesus daily. Here are personal examples of how I’ve had to take up my cross and lose myself completely to Jesus.
-Forgiving people who have hurt me deeply and responding in love and kindness instead of chewing their head off and hurting them back the way they’ve hurt me.
-Choosing to live a lifestyle different from everyone else in order to be more generous with time and money for Kingdom purposes.
-Setting up safeguards to protect my integrity and marriage. I had to do the same thing before marriage too.
-Choosing not to be part of the rat race and setting aside one day a week for Sabbath rest.
-Letting go of a higher paying job in order to live out God’s calling for my life.
-Looking at suffering as a blessing, instead of a curse.
-Being comfortable with having a reputation of being “weird.”
What are other examples you can think of of taking up your cross in your own life?
In John 17, before Jesus was betrayed and arrested, He prayed for His disciples and for ALL believers. If you’ve never read it, I recommend that you read it. It’s very encouraging to me because if God was to hear anyone’s prayer, it would be Jesus’ prayer. Jesus prayed in advance for us!
“I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” John 17:9-11 NIV
Thank you Lord! Amen.
-Michelle Gaddi
Matthew__15
Scripture
Matthew 15:32-33 NIV
Jesus called his disciples to him and said, “I have compassion for these people; they have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.” His disciples answered, “Where could we get enough bread in this remote place to feed such a crowd?””
Observation-What does it say?
Jesus had just retreated again to take a break and sat down on a mountainside along the Sea of Galilee. However, a large crowd that needed healing came to Him and Jesus healed them. As a result they praised God. However, they were with Him for 3 days and had nothing to eat. This concerned Jesus, because he was worried that they would collapse on their journey home if they weren't fed.
Understanding-What does it mean?
Jesus cared not only for their present journey, but their future one as well.
These people had fasted for 3 days while they were with Jesus and probably traveled a long distance just to see Him. He did not just heal their present physical and spiritual needs, give a blessing and send them away. He took the time to think about their journey back home and wanted to take care of that too.
Life Application
A popular verse to quote is, Jeremiah 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
However, the following verses after that one are just as important. "Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I have banished you,” declares the LORD, “and will bring you back to the place from which I carried you into exile.”” Jeremiah 29:12-14 NIV
In context, it was written to the nation of Israel, who God brought back from exile and restored for a time.
Just as the crowds sought Jesus out for healing, (He didn't seek them out), we are also to call on Him, pray to Him, seek Him out with all our hearts, for when we do, we will find Him. We will be protected, cared for, nourished by Him and we will find our purpose not just for the present, but the future as well. (Jeremiah 29:12-13).
Dear Jesus, just as You healed and restored the physical and spiritual needs of that crowd who sought You out, followed You and fasted for 3 days along the Sea of Galilee, I pray that Your Spirit would give us as a church the desire to also fast, seek You out and follow You so that our present and future needs would be protected and cared for by You. Thank You that all Your thoughts and present and future plans for us are good. May You reveal more of Yourself to us as we stay in pure and in constant relationship with You. Amen.
-Michelle Gaddi