disciples

  • The Disciple Who Never Was

    “Jesus looked at him and loved him.  “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then come, follow me.  At this the man’s face fell.  He went away sad, because he had great wealth.  Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!”
                                                                     Mark 10:21-23   NIV

    Last week I spoke a message at a youth group called “You Are A History Maker”.  I played a fun TV Game Show style game called “Name That History Maker” where faces of different History Makers flash on a screen.  Kids got points if they could name the person, tell what they did and say if they were a positive or negative history maker.  I wanted to get into their minds that everyone is a history maker.  Today’s devotion is about the rich, young guy in the Bible; The Disciple Who Never Was.  He’s someone who by his decisions made history as the guy who loved his stuff more than Jesus.

    I contemplated naming this devotion “Missed Opportunities”.  It’s so sad to me that this young man was offered the same invitation that Jesus had given to the disciples when he said, “Come, follow me”.1  If the rich young guy had said yes to Jesus, how different the history of his life would have been.  I don’t know if he continued to live out a comfortable, good life or if his bad choice gnawed at his conscience?

    He probably didn’t face the struggles or persecution the disciples faced, but in light of history, did he make the right choice?  The record of miracles performed through him or people saved as he addressed the crowds is not recorded.  The only written record of his life is a rejection to the call of God.  In contrast, the miraculous adventures of the disciples are still being told through the Bible, books, movies, sermons and Sunday School lessons today.

    We are all history makers.  Don’t let your life be marked with missed opportunities like The Disciple Who Never Was.

    [tweetthis remove_twitter_handles=”true” remove_hidden_hashtags=”true”]Live your life to the fullest, choosing to answer yes when Jesus invites you to, “Come, follow me”! @Sherry_Stahl[/tweetthis]

    Prayer

    Father…Thank You for inviting me to partner with you in changing the history of the world.  Help me to see that what you ask me doesn’t cost me too much.  Your plan is worth more than anything this world has to offer.  Give me the boldness to answer yes to whatever You ask me to do!  In Jesus Name…Amen

    1           Mark 1:17

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  • Launch Out Into The Deep

    “When he had stopped speaking, he said to Simon, “Launch out into the deep, and let down your nets for a catch.”
                                                               Luke 5:4 NKJV

    Two weeks ago I ticked one item off my bucket list.  For my longtime readers you know that I come from a racing family.  Well, this drag racing girl drove a stock car her very first time at an oval track!  For my birthday Todd bought me the “Rusty Wallace Racing Experience” so I could check off attending a driving school from my bucket list.  I hadn’t driven a standard car in decades, so I forgot how they launch forward when coming out of gear.  I wasn’t very fast on the bends, but this drag chick put the peddle to the metal on the straightaways. Next time I’ll master the curve!

    Luke 5 tells the story of Jesus calling His first disciples.  After Jesus commandeers Simon Peter’s fishing boat to preach a message for the growing crowd, He spends time with the fishermen in the boats.  After a long night of fishing these men had been washing their nets ready to go home.  They hadn’t caught a fish all night when the carpenter/preacher instructs the fishermen to launch out into the deep and let down their nets for a catch.

    I can only imagine how tired they were.  I’m sure the thoughts of more work doing the same thing that didn’t work all night long wasn’t on the top of their bucket list, but when the men followed Jesus’ advice they landed the greatest haul of fish they had ever caught.

    Understanding the word launch means “to throw forward, catapult, send off…put into operation…set in motion,,,spring forward…make a start”1, helps me to see that Jesus instructions for the boys to launch out into the deep was the call that catapulted them forward into the plan God had for their lives.  Obedience, followed up with some hard work shifted their lives into high gear.

    [tweetthis]Obedience, followed up with some hard work can shift our lives into high gear.[/tweetthis]

    God has opened up the opportunity to run a full scale book launch for the Soul H2O Devotional.  It’s exciting and scary; deep waters always are.  I believe the book launch has the potential to catapult my calling into new arenas that God has for me.  So, how about you?  What might God be asking you to launch out into the deep with today?

    Prayer

    Father…Thank You for staying in the boat when you ask me to launch out into the deep.  Help me to remember that I’m not alone.  You’re with me, guiding me at every turn.  Let my obedience and hard work catapult me forward, racing towards the goals You’ve set for me!   In Jesus Name…Amen

    1           https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/launch

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  • Stay

    “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
    Luke 24:48 NIV

    In my lifetime I’ve had a few dogs. There was Missy, then Coby, next a crazy Daisy followed by Roxie and a brief stint with Chancho. With training, or shall I say, trying to train all those dogs, there were a ton of “Stay” directives spoken. Some dogs learned the command quickly. Crazy Daisy and Chancho never learned to come under their master’s authority.

    In this verse, Jesus is at the end of His life. He’s just about to be ascended back to heaven when He gave the disciples this command to “stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Learning to stay is not an easy lesson to grasp.   As a first-born, with a slightly Type-A personality who was raised at the dragstrip; I’ve struggled with learning to stay. I don’t want to slow down, and I especially don’t want to stay. I want to get things done but, if I don’t heed the master’s voice when He’s directing me to stay, and I run on ahead of His timing; I end up in a whole heap of problems.   Jesus knew what was ahead for the disciples. He knew that they had so much to do and couldn’t do it in their own strength. They needed to stay and wait for the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish all that God desired them to do.

    Could Jesus be directing you to stay? Trust that He knows what is ahead of you. I encourage you to discern His voice and learn to stay until you hear His voice declaring a FORWARD command.

    Prayer

    Father…My heart’s desire is to follow You; not running ahead or lagging behind. Help me to rightly discern the direction You’re giving me today. Please take away my anxious heart and help me to accept Your command when it’s given to stay; not as punishment, but protection for what’s ahead.   May I stay still long enough so You can clothe me in Your power! In Jesus Name…Amen

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