Tag: aussiedave

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“Come, follow me.”

The Kedge Anchor
Photo by Vlada Karpovich on Pexels.com

What company in their right mind would hire someone without any training or knowing how to do the job? Granted there are some jobs that offer on the job training. But more often then not the process goes something like this; learn the skills, gain the knowledge, apply for the job, interview, and hopefully someone calls you and hires you. That’s how things work on planet earth.

But God, God calls us first then equips us. God calls us to follow Him. No skills required, no interview. He only requires recognition as our Lord and Savior, recognition that we are sinners, and a willing, repentant heart. We are so far from worthy but yet He calls us. He shows us grace and mercy and calls us to follow Him. As Bob Goff says, “Grace is like the sunrise: It’s there for us everyday whether we choose to enjoy it or not.”

Jesus simply called His disciples to follow and learn from Him. That is how He equips us. He didn’t hand the disciples a textbook or a manual. He offered a simple invite to follow Him, live life with Him and learn from His example. He offers that to us today. If you have been watching The Chosen, S1 E1 Jesus calls Mary of Magdala a woman tormented by demons. Jesus meets her in a tavern or a bar, she’s a mess, physically, emotionally, spiritually, totally unworthy but yet Jesus called her and called her by name.

Jesus didn’t wait for the disciples to clean up their acts. They answered His call as they were. They followed Him. Jesus’ style of teaching in the Hebrew culture; hevei mitabek b’afar raglehem, a well known blessing literally means “cover yourself with the dust of their feet.” (Dave Adamson) The rabbi’s students were to follow so closely behind that they should step where their rabbi stepped, that the dust kicked up by the rabbi’s feet would cover their their clothes. That’s close.

Jesus called out to the disciples, “Come, follow me.” He calls out to us today, just as we are. No qualifications, no formal education, no skills, no interview. When we agree to follow, to follow closely behind Him. And in the dust of His footsteps is where He will equip us.

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Forgiveness – It’s Not About a Number

The Kedge Anchor
Photo by Lena Khrupina on Pexels.com

Often when we hear about forgiving, the number seventy times seven, or 77 comes to mind. Matthew 18:22 says; “Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times” But what does that mean, seventy times seven?” “( NIV). The King James version says, “… but up to seventy times seven.” That’s 490 times. So after 490 times of forgiving someone, that’s it, we’re done? Hardly. Jesus wasn’t just using a number to illustrate how often we should forgive. Jesus was using a technique often used by Jewish teachers called REMEZ (רמז – pronounced rehm-ezz) which means hint or clue.

It’s kinda like filling in the blank. If you remember some tests in school where you had to fill in the blank (if it was multiple choice fill in the blank I was a happy camper : ) ) Rabbis used to quote a passage of scripture and the students would fill in the blanks, this is known as deductive teaching and this is what Jesus was doing. Jesus wasn’t teaching a math class and just throwing out numbers. His followers knew the number 77 only appeared in scripture only once – Genesis 4: 23– “If Cain is avenged seven times then Lamech seventy-seven times”(NIV). Lamech was a vengeful man and returned offenses 77 times over. That’s a lot of passion in vengeance!!! Jesus was trying to tell His followers to forgive with as much passion as Lamech was in being vengeful. Like the photo above, what if we were to seek opportunities to forgive with as much power behind that wave crashing down on the lighthouse? What if we had that much passion in forgiving others?

There’s also something interesting about the number 7. Seven is the number of completeness and perfection (both physical and spiritual). Much of it’s meaning is correlates to God’s creation.

When Jesus died on the cross His forgiveness for us was complete – “It’s is finished”, John 19:30. He completed His mission here on earth. His plan for salvation was completed. His sacrifice for us on the cross was complete and perfect love, He was the perfect sacrifice.

Is there someone you need to forgive? You don’t need to wait for someone to ask for forgiveness. You can forgive in your heart. It’s much more than words, saying “You’re forgiven” it’s a heart attitude as well. Your words need to be backed up with action. When the offense or offender comes to mind what do experience, what emotions arise? Sometimes I feel anger creeping in or I start to feel hatred. That’s when I have to forgive, again. I am human. God may forget our sins, but we are not God, we from time to time may remember. Sometimes I actually do feel sorry for those who have offended me and pray that God will be merciful to them. After all I know I have offended others and I want them to forgive me the way God has forgiven me. “… bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” – Colossians 3:13. Are you willing to show your forgiveness by being friendly and showing kindness toward your offender? Are you able to go as far as showing love? It’s not easy. But it can be done with God’s help “

Is there someone you need to forgive? You don’t need to wait for someone to ask for forgiveness. You can forgive in your heart. It’s much more than words, saying “You’re forgiven” it’s a heart attitude as well. Your words need to be backed up with action. When the offense comes to mind what do experience, what emotions arise? Sometimes I feel anger creeping in or I start to feel hatred. That’s when I have to forgive, again. I am human. God may forget our sins, (Hebrews 8:12) but we are not God, we from time to time may remember. Sometimes I actually do feel sorry for those who have offended me and pray that God will be merciful to them. After all I know I have offended others and I want them to forgive me the way God has forgiven me. “… bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do” – Colossians 3:13. Are you willing to show your forgiveness by being friendly and showing kindness toward your offender? Are you able to go as far as showing love? It’s not easy. But it can be done with God’s help ” But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible” – Matthew 19:26. (KJV).

This blog post inspired by: Dave Adamson / @aussiedave

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Green Pastures

The Kedge Anchor
Image from IsraelU.org

“The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing, He makes me lie down in green pastures, …” – Psalm 23.

A good shepherd looks out for his sheep. The sheep know and follow his voice. A good shepherd goes after the one that looses its way, he leaves the 99 and searches until he finds that one lost sheep and returns to the fold. A good shepherd looks for the green pasture, the tuft of grass like the one pictured above, for the sheep to graze upon.

Back in David’s day, the green pastures aren’t the lush green pastures we think of. David was in the desert of Israel, green was far and few between. So the shepherds had to look and lead the sheep to the green pastures, the tufts of grass in the desert.

So it is with Jesus. He is our good Shepherd. He is going before us each day clearing the path for us and leading us to green pastures. He has cleared the path to the greenest pasture, Heaven.

1 Timothy 2:4 – “who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.” God desires that all men be saved, to come to know Him, Truth. And so He made a way. He created us to have a relationship with Him but sin entered the world and that relationship was broken. So God sent His Son Jesus to pay sin’s penalty. It was Jesus sacrificing His life for us that paves our way to Heaven. Not our works, not our deeds, nothing of ourselves can get us into Heaven but accepting the blood of Jesus. We must choose. We must choose to hear His voice, we must choose to follow HIs voice, we must choose Him to enter our hearts.

John 10: 2 – ” The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep.” John 10:9 – ““I am the Gate for the sheep,”

So even today this very moment, Jesus has not only paved the way to Heaven, which we could never do ourselves, each day He is leading us to green pastures. You may be in a difficult situation and wondering where that green pasture is. It’s there, it may not be what you think it should look like. In our own personal deserts there are green pastures. It may not be the lush green grassy field you are thinking of. It could something small and simple, unexpected. Maybe it’s just a verse from God’s word for you to cling to. Or perhaps it is a song in your heart. Maybe it’s just a text from a friend saying they are thinking of you. Maybe it’s a happy memory God gives to carry you through the day. Maybe it’s just ten minutes to savor between appointments. God gives us what we need. Its not always what we think we need. It can be hard to recognize the green pastures. Listen for his voice, follow Him.

For further reading: John 10:1-8, 1 Timothy 2:1-6

More resources: Israelu.org, Dave Adamson