Adonaii – Names of God
ADONAI is the Hebrew Name meaning Lord and Master.
In a recent sermon, Pastor Jim said there are 3 kinds of hearers; those who reject what they hear, those who receive it but reject Him as Lord and those who receive him and recognize His authority over their lives as Lord.
The third requires a relationship. He is the Lord and Master and we are his servant or slave. Surrendering our own authority is necessary. But, that’s counter culture!
Servanthood is not a popular word, or attitude. Being a slave, someone’s servant, sounds demeaning and belittling. The culture says it’s all about me! I’m in charge! Me! I deserve to be happy. I am in charge of my own destiny.
Truthfully, we may more comfortable being a follower, His disciple!
I never understood that old bumper sticker – “God is my co-pilot”. That’s not the position we should take. He is the Pilot. If our life is hidden in his, we allow him full reign over us, He is the PILOT!
When we call Him, “Lord”, we surrender all authority to Him, our desires are what he desires for us.
A sobering verse: “Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you?” Luke 6:46
Lordship shows ownership; surrendering authority.
Wouldn’t that surrendered relationship impact our prayer lives? Rather than praying for what we want, we would pray and submit to what He wants Wouldn’t it be radical if we gave him full authority over our lives? Often, my prayers are heavy on the ‘supplication’ side!
What if we prayed, like Jesus did, Your Will not mine? Would our response be like Isaiah’s, “here I am, send me!” If we surrendered to this Lord/Master relationship, would our response be like Samuel’s “Speak Lord, for your servant is listening.”
Isn’t it amazing, he doesn’t need us but he somehow wants us. He wants us to be his hands and feet on earth.
Wouldn’t our prayer posture would be face on the carpet!
Jesus Himself modeled this relationship. The New Testament shows Jesus as both Lord and Servant. Jesus submitted to His Father’s Will.
March 27, 2018: C. Fowler
Miqweh Yisrael (Hebrew Name: Hope of Israel)
Recently, SHELLS, our WoM group, went to St Andrews Living Center to visit, sing hymns and take ice cream. We always share a devotion when we go, hopefully, a word that encourages them, in their stage of life. Those years of being cared for, years of limited mobility and independence. A crucial time for HOPE!
One thing we can’t live without is HOPE. Hopelessness is an awful feeling. Hope is a great stabilizer, it steadies us when we are afraid or having a difficult time. HOPE is what helps us stay on course regardless of our circumstances.
As we get older, we realize WHERE we put our HOPE is most important. We have learned that we can’t put our HOPE in money, our income could change quickly, jobs change, the economy changes, investments are lost. We can’t put our hope in money.
We know that we can’t put our hope in other people because they often let us down.
Reading the newspaper headlines and listening to the news, we realize we can’t put our hope in the government. Changing times can be discouraging.
We can’t put our HOPE in ourselves because things change there also. Our health changes, and we may not be ale to do what we had hoped.
We can only put our HOPE in God. He is unchangeable. He is our trustworthy HOPE. He can know that He is good. He is faithful. He is merciful. He is powerful.
While, we hope for earthly blessings, our GREATEST HOPE is aimed at the life to come – eternal life. When God will wipe away our tears, when we will have JOY forever.
We know that God has many Names. The Hebrew Name that means HOPE is Miqweh Yisrael, it means the HOPE of Israel. (pronounced Mik weh Yis ray el)
The prophet Jeremiah says cursed is the one who puts his trust in man but blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord. He will be like a tree planted near the water, it has deep roots whose leaves are always green and he doesn’t fear a drought. 17:13
When we have a deep trust in God, we don’t fear those hard times because our HOPE Is in God. “O Lord, the hope of Israel” or Hebrew Miquel Yisrael is our same HOPE. The Bible says no eye has seen no ear has heard what He has prepared for those who love him.
The prophet Isaiah wrote “those who HOPE in the LORD will renew their strength, they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”. ( Isaiah 40:31)
That sounds pretty good doesn’t it? We can put our HOPE in the certainty of God’s promise.
Remember that old hymn “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness…” Nothing less!
Hebrews 6:19 is a great verse – “We have THIS HOPE as an anchor fo the soul, firm and secure.”
We know what an anchor does! An anchor keeps a boat from drifting away with the current, it holds a ship safely in position. Putting our hope in Jesus guarantees our safety as well and keeps us firm and secure even in the midst of life’s storms, we are secure. We are not left hopeless. We have a trustworthy, unchanging anchor. The Hope of Israel is our same hope, nothing less.
March 9, 2018: C. Fowler
Jesus Loves Me This I Know…
Remember this sweet little child’s song? Jesus Loves Me This I know…” But this little song has so much truth for you and me.
Repeat after me: “Jesus Loves Me”. I’ll confess, that’s kind of hard for me. I like to know the how and the why of how things work. I can’t wrap my mind around His love! His love is radical. It’s undeserved. It’s unexplainable.
But yet – He does. He IS love. Even when it doesn’t feel like it, He loves us. When our circumstances and our emotions don’t FEEL as if we are loved, we are! We are loved by Him.
God loved the world so much that he gave His only son so we wouldn’t perish but have everlasting life. (John 3:16) He demonstrated His LOVE. Jesus loves us.
But, don’t take my word for it. Listen to the song, “for the Bible tells me so. That’s how we can know He loves us. Because the Bible says so! That’s my favorite answer! Because the Bible says so! The Bible is God’s word and every word of it is truth. In our culture, we read so many opinions that are declared as fact, and often those opinions are just that – opinions. The Bible is the Authority! The words “thus saith the Lord” are powerful words we can count on. I’m comforted by that, aren’t you? No matter what skeptics say, no matter how our present culture tries to turn that around. The Bible is the authoritative Word of the Creator of the Universe.
Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
Jesus loves me because the Bible tells me so. The Holy Bible is God’s unchangeable, eternal Word. No matter which translation you prefer!
The Bible calls God’s love for us EVERLASTING. Jeremiah wrote: “I have loved YOU with an everlasting LOVE.” It won’t change no matter what we do or how much time goes by. Everlasting means it lasts forever. No other love compares.
The Bible calls God’s love UNFAILING. It doesn’t depend on how much we love him back or what we do to please Him.
The Bible calls God’s love ENDURING. It says it endures forever! Forever is a long time. His love lasts that long.
God proved His love for us, He demonstrated His love “in that while we were still sinners, Jesus died for us.(Romans 5:8) That’s an AMAZING love.
Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so.
When I sing this song to my grandchildren, I sing “Jesus loves YOU”. I want them to grow up with the truth of Jesus’ love planted deep.
We all need this reminder sometimes. It’s an uncomplicated message, Jesus loves you and me.
February 27, 2018: C. Fowler
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin again you.”
In the previous post, we acknowledged that the only way to hide His Word in our hearts is to actually read His word, in spite of our busy schedules, to prioritize time in our Bibles.
But we can’t look at only half of the verse. I have hidden your word in my heart THAT I might not sin again you. THAT! Some modern translations read “so that”. I have hidden (stored or treasured) your word in my heart so that I will not sin again you.”
The WAY we hide it in our hearts is to read, learn, study, meditate on it, to value it and come to understand that the Bible is God’s Holy Word.
The REASON we want to hide it our hearts is so that we might not Sin against God. Knowing and keeping His Word is a deterrent to sin. The more we read and study His word, the more learn of our God and the more we know Him, the more we want to obey Him, to follow His teaching. We want to do what it says!
Listen, we must come to a point where we agree with God about what He calls sin! It’s paramount that we agree with what God calls sin rather than what the world calls sin. “I the LORD do not change.” Malachi 3:6 “All your words are true; al your righteous laws are eternal.”
Part 3 would be to recognize that we sin against God. “…so that I might not sin against YOU” If we belong to Him, our sins are against Him. The Psalmist addresses God. Realizing when we sin against each other, we disobey God. His commands are clear, He’s never vague about what is expected.
Girls, we gotta study our Bible! Knowing God’s Word is so very important. Knowing it and applying it, internalizing it is our weapon again our enemy. It’s the Sword in our armor. If we don’t KNOW His word and treasure it, value it, store it in our hearts and minds, we are powerless in the battle we are fighting. We are unarmed! We must sharpen our swords!
Bible study isn’t just to learn more Scripture, to be more academic! Memorizing Scripture isn’t just to recite a poetic verse! That tweet I read – “It all starts with hiding His Word in our hearts” is truth! It does! Because friends, the God of the universe left His Word for us, His love letter, His instruction book, His life line, it’s HIM! It’s His son Jesus sent from Heaven to save us so we can spend eternity with Him. It’s critically important!
Let’s make commitment, challenge ourselves to Hide His Word in our hearts so that we might not sin against Him. After all, His Heart is Hidden in His Word. It’s worth it for Heaven’s sake!
“I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin again you.”
hiding His word…” and that verse, that thought has been buzzing around in my
head for the past few days. Don’t you love how His Word echoes all around us.
Seriously, you should read the full chapter. The author is passionately devoted
to the Word of God. His heart for God is pure, In verse 10 he writes, “I seek
you with all my heart”. His desire is to “walk according to the Law of he
Lord” (vs 1) but he humbly acknowledges his own errant ways. I can shout “me
too” can’t you?
can a young man keep his way pure, by living according to your word”.
it in our hearts? How can we know how to walk according to His laws?
We read books about the Bible, listen to other people talk about the Bible but
the key is to just read the Bible for ourselves. Ask God to reveal Himself, open
your heart and your mind and just read it. If it really does all start with hiding His
word in our heart, that’s the best to way to get His Word in our hearts!
have become a generation of believers who are Biblically illiterate! Yes, I did say
that! The thief has stolen our time from us. We have tons of Christian
resources available. A daily verse can pop right up on our news feed, we can
read any number of Christian blogs, follow Christian writers on social media, this
ministry offers several, but nothing, absolutely nothing will replace opening your
own Bible all by yourself and asking, like the Psalmist did to:
crowds out the important. His Word is a such a treasure, full of His promises,
full of His love for us, full of His plan for us. Jesus Christ is revealed as the only
way to the Father. Let’s not let the culture water that down for us. His Word is
truth!
go buy an inexpensive copy to study and make notes like crazy, like a the girl
after God’s own heart that you are. Start out reading all of Psalm 119. Notice
how often he writes, “teach me”! (highlight that!) “Teach me” is request God is
always willing to answer. It’s the only way to hide His word in our hearts and get
to know the one true God of the Bible.
Feburary 8, 2018: A. Edwards
Prayer
When considering what to write about in the blog, I felt compelled by God to write about prayer. Probably because it has been on my mind and heart a lot recently. I must admit, I have been slacking on my prayer life for a while now. Of course, there’s the routine prayer to bless the food, but if we would be honest with ourselves, that can really become more of a habit with little thought or heart put into it. And, of course, sometimes we tend to only pray to God when we need something or are going through difficult times. Obviously, this is not how our prayer lives should be as Christians. There should be more. However, it is easy to let it become this way with our fast-paced lives and distractions at every turn.
Thinking back to my high school days, I would consider my prayer life healthy and probably the strongest it has ever been. I took time every night to pray before going to bed. In having a healthier prayer life, I felt close to God. Regretfully, as the years went by and life became busier, I became less disciplined in my talks with God. Obviously, like any relationship, if you don’t communicate much, then your relationship will eventually feel distant. I have always felt such a comfort and peace knowing that when I speak to God, He is truly listening to me. The Creator of everything cares about what I bring to Him in prayer. It’s an amazing realization, if you really stop and think about it.
There are many Bible verses that touch on prayer and its importance. There are 650 prayers listed in the Bible. One verse to mention is Philippians 4:6 which calls us to not be anxious about anything but instead to bring everything before God. I must admit that I really struggle with this sometimes. I feel like I need to worry about my issues and try to figure out my own solutions. This verse reminds me, however, that only God is all powerful and who am I to think I know better than Him? It is a great relief to come to Him with our troubles. Another verse, 2 Chronicles 7:14, states that the Lord tells us that if we would only turn to Him in prayer, with a willing heart, He hears us. It also tells us that when we seek Him with a repenting heart, turning away from our sin, He will forgive us. We don’t only pray to God for one type of thing. We pray about our present situations, our future, a heart of thanksgiving, repentance, etc. In all things we must pray. We must come to the Lord seeking His will. Luke 22:42 reminds us that it is not our will we should be seeking over our lives but God’s will for our lives. John Piper explains prayer in this quote: “Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. And prayer is the turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that He will provide the help we need. Prayer humbles us as needy and exalts God as wealthy.” It really is not about us at all but about God. It is about drawing near to Him, knowing He is our only answer. In our walk with the Lord, we shouldn’t only pray but also study His word. In an article online, I saw this quote, which states: “Prayer relies on our knowledge of God, which comes from reading His word.” We can’t do one and not the other and expect to grow in our relationship with Him. We must do both.
Name it is”. An older one, Oh Lord, Our Lord, How Majestic is your Name in all the earth.” An
even older one, “Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, There’s just something about that Name.”
Name of God. God’s Name is so great that He uses many names to reveal Himself to us. There
are 211 names for God in the Bible, counting all the titles and nicknames there are over 700
names needed to describe Him.
knowing His Names, helps us know His character. Understanding Him deepens our trust.
seek you.” (Psalm 9:10)
Names of God this coming year. We thought we’d share what we learn! We want to know the
greatness of God, not just to learn a Hebrew word or two, but to know God better. We want
that for YOU too.
we won’t have to say, that older lady who sits on the second row piano side! Some of our
names may be Mom, Grandmother, daughter, sister, friend, or neighbor. All of these words
identify us. But they don’t show our character.
more than just identify or label a person, they often told something about a person, maybe their
reputation. Names were often a reference to a person’s character or their destiny! Sometimes,
when a person had an encounter with God, God changed that person’s name to reflect a
change in character or destiny, like Abram/Abraham for example. Eve means “the mother of all
living things’.
Name is trustworthy and strong.
our God.
Strong Creator. It’s the very first verse in the Bible. In the beginning God (Elohim) created the
heavens and the earth. God created the world and everything in it. period. Just that one fact
is enough to worship Him. He created the world from nothing, from within Himself.
by your great power and outstretched arm. Nothing is too hard for God!”
maybe milk, eggs and flour, flower seeds and soil. Only God created from nothing. We are
created in His image. God has an unlimited ability to create. We have a limited ability to
create.
translated into English as “God”. So you could write Elohim in your Bible in Genesis 1:1. “In
the beginning, Elohim, strong, mighty powerful creator created the heavens and the earth.
You can see why opponents of God start right there in that first verse to try and discredit the
truth of Scripture; to introduce the theory of evolution is to break down the truth of Creation.
That is the scheme of the enemy. The Big Bang Theory may be a funny tv show but the Big
Bang never happened.
says God (Elohim) created the heavens and the earth. The truth of Scripture is built on that
fact. God created the earth and everything in it. He along is the strong and might CREATOR.
ELOHIM is the first Hebrew Name we’ve learned.
Claudette
September 28, 2017: A. LaHay
My Reality Check
I have, as of late, been compelled to do some soul searching and wanted to share the process with you.
I have always considered myself to be a kind and decent person. I have a good reputation and, as it relates to morals and character, I have held myself to a higher standard. After accepting Christ as my Savior, I have counseled others, young and old, on their Christian witness as well as written public admonishments and encouragements on the Christian walk. But recently I had a harsh reality check and I was forced to reevaluate that long held view I had of myself. The outcome was humbling, to say the least.
The situation involved me getting hurt by someone very dear to me. My response was to act on that hurt. Then, when confronted, I was deceptive to cover what I had done. I was caught in that deception and, thus, hurt someone I cared for a great deal.
My response was then to ask God’s forgiveness and the object of my offense, as well. The consequences were far reaching. I do not know if the broken trust will be repaired and the conviction was crushing. I am devastated because it is all my doing. Not only did I see firsthand the person I cared for deeply wounded, I felt physical pain as if my heart was breaking. And most importantly, I risked the loss of that relationship and the damaging of my witness in Christ. As it stands, I do not know the full effect of what I have done.
What I learned was that I wasn’t as good as I thought I was. Even I could, in a weak moment, succumb to the temptation of sin. The consequences of sin are destructive, not only to those we hurt but to ourselves. Maybe God was using this situation to remind me, though painfully, of my need for total reliance of him instead of self and to uncover hidden pride. In every situation, I am to humble myself before the Lord and to seek his guidance and strength to overcome the temptation of sin in my own life.
Sometimes, I think, it takes reminders like these to cause us to do some soul-searching and realize how frail and inept we are without the aid of the Lord.
August 2, 2017: A. LaHay
Our Witness
Being raised in a Christ centered environment, I was taught to be conscious of my Christian witness. I was to show others Jesus through me. I was told that I was Christ’s hands and feet. I became aware, especially after accepting Jesus as my Savoir in my adulthood, how important these instructions and admonishments had been. As this world gets more and more sensual, sinful, and just plain ungodly, it is our responsibility to be a shining light amidst the darkness. So, what does being a “witness” actually look like in our everyday lives? When we wake up and start our day, we first ask God for the strength to act like Jesus. Then, when we go out into the world, we don’t use expletives and we don’t gossip in the break room of our workplace. Even if everyone else is doing it. We don’t tell off color jokes. We don’t cheat and lie to get ahead even though it might seem easier. We treat others kindly and show love, even to those that seem undesirable or just plain unapproachable or mean. We don’t watch that movie because it is not honoring to Christ. We resolve ourselves, by the power of the Holy Spirit within us, that we will not do anything that we would be ashamed of if Jesus himself were beside us. Because in truth, if we belong to Him, He is. Impossible feat, we might convince ourselves. How can I possibly walk the straight and narrow, all the time? I am only human, after all. Excuses, my friend, the same ones I have told myself. Let us can the defeatist attitude and remember that we truly can do all things through Christ strength. The payoff is tremendous. People are watching and if they see, not only in word but in deed, the change in us they will desire to know the why and how. This then opens the door for us to share Jesus with them. Since pleasing God is our motivation and our eternal reward our goal, let us focus on what we can do each day to be a witness to those who need the light and hope of salvation. Let’s show them different, let’s show them Jesus.
Matthew 5: 15-16 (NIV): “Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”
May 23, 2017: A. LaHay
Waiting Patiently
I must confess, I am not the most patient person in the world. I have always wondered the secret to the eternal patience that some people seem to have and wish I had been one endowed with the ability to wait patiently for something, anything. Yet, whether it is waiting in line at the fast food drive- thru or sitting in the waiting room at the doctor’s office, I get impatient. But what about the big things in life? Patience and my ability to wait are being tested in real time. I discovered a lump in my breast during a self-exam. A million thoughts entered my mind as temporary panic ensued. I am all my little ones have, I thought, what if it’s the dreaded “C” word? That was three months ago. The slow and arduous process of doctor’s exams, referrals, and tests have left me in the state of limbo. Waiting for that dreaded yet anticipated call. Even amid these uncertain times, there is something that I am sure of. I have prayed daily for patience and peace and Lord heard my cry and answered my prayers. Though waiting isn’t my strong suit, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13) Whatever the outcome, I am assured that my heavenly Father holds me in the palm of his hand. He will work out all things for my good and His ultimate glory. This is my peace. Through Him, in His strength, I will wait patiently. Are you in a period of waiting? If so come to the Lord in prayer, my friend, surrender your cares to Jesus and trust in Him. You will find Him faithful too.
April 24, 2017: A. LaHay
Nurturing Faith
There are many passages in the Bible devoted to faith. Why? Because our Heavenly Father wants us to trust Him in any and every situation. His will can only be accomplished in our lives if we stay the course in our walk with Him. We understand from the book of James that the growth of faith in the believer’s life can be accomplished through trials and testing.
I would like to share with you one such occurrence that I experienced personally. I happened to be traveling home from church one Sunday morning on a busy highway with my three-year-old son in tow. I was halfway home when I heard a loud knocking sound in my engine. Not knowing what it was, I continued to travel and when I heard a loud bang and the sound of a whipping noise I became concerned. As I looked in the rear-view mirror, I noticed a semi-truck traveling close behind me and I didn’t want to pull over abruptly if I didn’t have to. I noticed the battery light on but continued to drive at full speed until I called mechanic friend and he advised me to pull over. I prayed that the Lord would protect my son and I and get us to safety. Then, I found the next exit and pulled off at the end of the ramp. Just as I pulled into the emergency lane the car stopped. Only then did I find out what had happened. When I had initially heard the whipping sound in my engine it was my serpentine belt flying off the pulley system and when I had noticed the battery light illuminate, my car had cut off, three miles back! I was not aware of this because my car had never lost one mile per hour of speed. The gravity of what had happened started to sink in. The Lord had quite possibly saved my life and that of my son by giving life to a dead engine. The Lord used that experience not only to let me know that he wasn’t finished with me yet but more importantly to grow my faith.
The next time my faith was tested my response was different that it had been in the past. The same God that rose my Savior and that engine back to life had the ability to work out all situations for my good and His ultimate glory.
May my story empower our faith and remind us that no matter the size or gravity of the situation we face our God is greater and stronger than our storm.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:2-3
Sometimes people promise everlasting, to love forever; til death do us part, or to Be best friends forever. Broken friendships really hurt don’t they. Broken relationships are so painful. Sometimes people don’t stay in our lives forever! It’s rare anymore to have that life long friend isn’t it? Sometimes relationships change when we fail to make the effort to just keep in touch. Often, we allow a disagreement or a difference of opinion to put a wedge in that relationship rather than mending it. Human beings just can’t promise EVERLASTING! But God can. We need everlasting love. I believe God knew we would need to differentiate His everlasting love.
everlasting love.” He is a covenant keeping God. He has never, ever broken a promise. It’s not
in his nature. His Name and His Character just won’t allow it.
Love Seeketh Not Her Own
all part of Gods family.
ministry event, and prepared three children’s Sunday School lessons that ALL pointed toward God’s glory–especially in His creation. Coincidence? I doubt it. I was prompted, however, to read more.
Israelites through the wilderness in a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night (Ex.13:21) He also descended to Mt. Sinai in a cloud during this time in which He called Moses up to the top, and gave him instructions for the people for building the tabernacle and how to recognize His presence there, as well as giving them the Law, the Ten Commandments.
bring Him glory. God’s glory and all it encompasses is so much more than we could ever understand, much less cover in one writing. We can, however, be thankful and give Him praise for His presence, His power, and His holiness—His glory–that He has allowed us to experience and enjoy. So as we go into this upcoming holiday season, keep in mind that all that we are, all that we have, and all that we need comes from Him.
35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’……….40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers,[a] you did it to me.’
Invisible?
He is a promise keeping God. Everything he promises Abram/Abraham and Sarai/Sarah was fulfilled. Everything He promised Hagar was fulfilled. Everything he promises you and me will be fulfilled. The Bible is full of promises He’s made to us. A challenge for you and me; search them out and meditate on those promises. Pray them back to God.
He keeps His promises. He cares about you, no matter how it may FEEL. He hasn’t forgotten. He has his eye on you. Jehovah El Roi sees YOU. He loves you. He is not capable of forgetting anything. He is not capable of breaking a promise.
This devotion was originally written for SHELLS ministry to the residents at St Andrews Assisted Living Center and also shared by Joan through Gideon ministry to women inmates. Consider those women’s feelings of being forgotten. A important reminder that He does not forget us. His eye is on the sparrow!
September 7, 2016: D. Polk
“Bittersweet chapters”
will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” ESV
And He will continue to work “until the day of Jesus Christ.” God will take the talents and abilities He has given her and use them for His glory as He molds her into the Christian young lady He has created her to be.
That same promise is for ALL of His children. He is working in all of us as well. If we allow Him, He can take all of our mistakes and use them to grow us into a deeper relationship with Him. Although this chapter in life is somewhat bittersweet, it holds such promise: the excitement of learning new things, meeting new friends, and setting new goals. However, first and foremost there is God’s promise to be right where we are, perfecting us, and working in our lives–just as He said He would.
August 17, 2016: C. Fowler
We seem to eat together a lot, don’t we? Eating is a big part of how we fellowship as a church!
Throughout the New Testament, Jesus ate with His disciples. It was an important part of their relationship and a part of their training.
We know of the significance of the Last Supper just before His death. Revelation promises the Wedding Supper of the Lamb. So, eating together was an important element in Scripture.
One particular time, after Jesus’ death, Peter and some others were fishing. Let’s slip our feet into their sandals.
Their friend, their teacher, their Master and Lord had recently died! It was not how they thought things would turn out. Can you imagine their despair? So, they went back to doing what they knew, they went fishing. And Jesus met them right there! John records this familiar event. They’ve fished all night but didn’t catch anything. Jesus, watching from the shore (unbeknownst to them) tells them to cast their net on the other side of the boat. They did. Because he said so, they caught so many fish they could barely haul them into the boat.
This passage also tells us that Peter jumped out of the boat to get to Jesus. Don’t you wonder, what kept the other IN that boat? But here’s my point.
When they rowed their boat on shore, Jesus had a fire burning already. Don’t miss this! This is an indescribably precious period of time after his resurrection but before His ascension! He had a fire burning to grill their fish because He wanted to eat with them one more time!
John 21:10 “Bring some of the fish you just caught.”
By now they had realized it was the Lord! It’s hard to imagine their emotions, isn’t it? This is the third time He has appeared to them after His crucifixion, a 40 day period before “He is taken up to heaven” and he tells them to “bring some of those fish you just caught”.
Jesus is about to reinstate Peter. This meeting is an important one because, although Peter had denied knowing Jesus three times, Jesus has come to restore Him. Peter’s earlier denial did not change his calling! That’s great news for us too. Jesus not only forgives, He restores. That’s His priority for this particular time when they are all together. Restoration!!