Lost

John 21:15-19

The Message (MSG)

Do You Love Me?

¹⁵ After breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”
¹⁶ He then asked a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
“Yes, Master, you know I love you.”
Jesus said, “Shepherd my sheep.”
^17-19 Then he said it a third time: “Simon, son of John, do you love me?”
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know. You’ve got to know that I love you.”
Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. I’m telling you the very truth now: When you were young you dressed yourself and went wherever you wished, but when you get old you’ll have to stretch out your hands while someone else dresses you and takes you where you don’t want to go.” He said this to hint at the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. And then he commanded, “Follow me.”


I have been chewing on this verse for the past few days.   I am reminded of the story of the shepard and the lost sheep.  He has 99 who are doing ok, and are safe.  There is 1 that is lost and tangled up in the thorn bushes.  Does the shepard leave the 1 on it's own to find it's way home....NO  he leaves the 99 and sherches desperatly for that 1 that is lost.  

many times there are people in our lives that are that 1 lost sheep.  Everyone has at least 1 person that fits this picture.  How many times do we leave the saftey of the 99 and go after the 1?  Lord i pray that i am never too comfortable in the saftey of the 99 to go look for the 1.  I pray that you clense and protect me as I live my life openly for you. That I will never be ashamed to proclaim you name to the lost sheep of the world.  Lord you are my cornerstone, my rock and foundation.

amen

hillsong - cornerstone

parenting

Some people don't quite understand how important it is for parents to be there for their children.  It breaks my heart knowing that there are children that will grow up seeing their parents fight, seeing their parents angry and in-different  towards their children.  watch the youtube link at the end of this blog, it will explain exactly why it is so important that us as fathers be there no matter what for our children.



 John 21:15-19
New Living Translation (NLT)
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?[a]”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”

“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.

16 Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

“Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.”

“Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.

17 A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.

18 “I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others[b] will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”


The question we all must ask ourselves is are we feeding our sheep (children) gods word and ways ( in our ways and actions ), or are we letting them eat the thorns the world has to offer?





i am second - annie lobert

Sheep

Are we feeding our sheep, or letting them eat the thorns and briers of the world? As I stand here fixing breakfast for my family the lord reminded me of John 21: 15-25 and mark 10:41-45

John 21:15-25
New International Version (NIV)
Jesus Reinstates Peter

15 When they had finished eating, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?”

“Yes, Lord,” he said, “you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.”

16 Again Jesus said, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

He answered, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Take care of my sheep.”

17 The third time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?”

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love me?” He said, “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you.”

Jesus said, “Feed my sheep. 18 Very truly I tell you, when you were younger you dressed yourself and went where you wanted; but when you are old you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” 19 Jesus said this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. Then he said to him, “Follow me!”

20 Peter turned and saw that the disciple whom Jesus loved was following them. (This was the one who had leaned back against Jesus at the supper and had said, “Lord, who is going to betray you?”) 21 When Peter saw him, he asked, “Lord, what about him?”

22 Jesus answered, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you? You must follow me.” 23 Because of this, the rumor spread among the believers that this disciple would not die. But Jesus did not say that he would not die; he only said, “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?”

24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true.

25 Jesus did many other things as well. If every one of them were written down, I suppose that even the whole world would not have room for the books that would be written.


So are we feeding our sheep with gods word, or allowing them to eat of the world? As a father it is my responsibility to make sure my family eats and drinks from gods word. I am not to be served, but to serve them to the best of my ability, and I will do that with all that is in me! I challenge all those who read this to do like wise. We can make a difference one family at a time!

weak

2 Corinthians 12:1-10
New Living Translation (NLT)
Paul’s Vision and His Thorn in the Flesh

12 This boasting will do no good, but I must go on. I will reluctantly tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I[a] was caught up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. Whether I was in my body or out of my body, I don’t know—only God knows. 3 Yes, only God knows whether I was in my body or outside my body. But I do know 4 that I was caught up[b] to paradise and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed in words, things no human is allowed to tell.

5 That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. 6 If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, 7 even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.

8 Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. 9 Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.


Having been under the weather the past few days I can appreciate being weak.  I feel tired and run down, but i know in my weakness that jesus is right here beside me, supporting me, carrying me when i feel i can't go on my own.  many will pray for strength, but only when we are weak are we strong.  Jesus knows when we need his strength, and will provide it, never leaving us or forsaking us.  He could have easily waved his hand in the garden when he was arested and made the whole thing stop...but he didn't.  He knew what he had to do.  I am forever grateful for that gift!

 Third day - offering

roots

Matthew 13:3-13

GOD’S WORD Translation (GW)

³ Then he used stories as illustrations to tell them many things.
He said, “Listen! A farmer went to plant seed. ⁴ Some seeds were planted along the road, and birds came and devoured them. ⁵ Other seeds were planted on rocky ground, where there was little soil. The plants sprouted quickly because the soil wasn’t deep. ⁶ But when the sun came up, they were scorched. They withered because their roots weren’t deep enough. ⁷ Other seeds were planted among thornbushes, and the thornbushes grew up and choked them. ⁸ But other seeds were planted on good ground and produced grain. They produced one hundred, sixty, or thirty times as much as was planted. ⁹ Let the person who has ears listen!”
¹⁰ The disciples asked him, “Why do you use stories as illustrations when you speak to people?”
¹¹ Jesus answered, “Knowledge about the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you. But it has not been given to the crowd. ¹² Those who understand these mysteries will be given more knowledge, and they will excel in understanding them. However, some people don’t understand these mysteries. Even what they understand will be taken away from them. ¹³ This is why I speak to them this way. They see, but they’re blind. They hear, but they don’t listen. They don’t even try to understand.


Often it seems that you can tell how deep a persons roots are in how they act.  Some are calm almost never seeming to get upset.  Others seem to get upset if the wind blows the wrong direction.  Still others never seem to he happy, or calm about anything, their lives seeming to be filled with bad deeds or thoughts.  Sometimes a person can seem to slip from one of these three to another, the evil one has many tricks and will do anything to trip us up and cause us to uproot from where we are.  It's just like a message i have heard preached, you are paralyzed by the past, afraid of the future, or present in the present. 

lord i pray that the more time i spend in your word, the deeper my roots sink into your good soil.  I pray that the more i spend in your word the harder it will be, eventually becoming impossible, for the evil one to trip me up.  I want your holy fire to rein down on me, that my fire would burn so bright that i would ignight others.

amen

Living water

John 37&38

37 On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”[a]

Footnotes:
John 7:38 Or me. And let anyone drink 38 who believes in me.” As Scripture has said, “Out of him (or them) will flow rivers of living water.”



Rivers of living water. All too often in life we are like the tight rope walker walking over a raging storm underneath . The wire is slippery and keeping balance is at times difficult. Jesus is always right there with us no matter how dangerous the situation might seem. He walked the line for us, can't we walk the line for him?!

Lord I am so glad you are always with me as I walk the line through life!

Amen

i will!

while riding around with the family today doing normal saturday stuff i had a hillsong cd in the radio.  The first song on it was beneath the waters.  I like this song anyway, but there is just something special about hearing my four year old daughters singing along to hillsong - beneath the waters at the top of their lungs.  It really touched me.  I pray that as the grow up they will really realize what jesus did for them on the cross.  I will do my part in witnessing to them.  It is so important for them to know that jesus is their cornerstone, that no matter what jesus is right beside them.  That even when they think that they are alone in what they are going through that ne is right there, laughing with them, crying with them, wanting to comfort them when they are sad and broken hearted.  It is my job and privledge as their father to make sure they know!