Stained?

"From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him."John 6:66

Everyone knows the captain is supposed to go down with his ship. It is a sign of loyalty, a sign of courage. Many of Jesus' early followers later came to think that he was a sinking ship. And because Jesus challenged his followers and told them that they would face difficulties, even more of them abandoned the ship and doubted whether following him was the right thing to do.

Following Jesus was not easy back then, and it hasn't gotten any easier today. Jesus challenges us and tells us that we're going to face difficult times. The question is: are we willing to stand with him through it all?

The followers who left Jesus missed out on the amazing things he did while he was here on earth. But those who stayed with him had a front row seat to the greatest events in history. And they became part of the movement of Christ that literally changed the world through the blood stained cross!

So when you begin to doubt whether following Jesus is the right thing to do, think back to those first followers. Look to their example and remember that even when times get tough, Jesus is there to take you to places you have never gone before and he wants to show you things you have never seen. Follow him, trust in him, and let Jesus prove Himself to the world through you because, as His follower, you have been - stained clean.

The Point?

"You do not want to leave too, do you?" Jesus asked the Twelve. Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We believe and know that you are the Holy One of God."
John 6:67-69

"To whom shall we go?" When you think about it, Peter's question here is more of a declaration. Peter knew Jesus was the only one who was able to give meaning to life. And he knew there was no better place for him to be.

Peter wasn't perfect. He had his shortcomings. But when it came down to it, Peter recognized that Jesus was greater than anything or anyone else. And he was willing to put aside all his doubts and continue following the one he had seen work miracles and change lives.

When you are faced with doubts in your life and think you may want to bail on Jesus, take a moment to ask yourself what Peter asked. "To whom shall I go?" Take inventory of what God has done in your life. And realize that no matter what circumstances or problems you may be facing, that Jesus is the only one who can help you overcome them - that's the point! www.get2thepointe.com

An Awesome Discovery!

"Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish."
John 6:9 & 11

The crowd was gathered. They were tired, hungry and needed to eat. So the disciples suggest that Jesus send them home. But Jesus says something that seems odd, even impossible. He tells them to prepare for a meal. He plans on feeding the entire crowd with just five small loaves and two small fish!

Understandably, the disciples respond with doubt. The odds were stacked against them. But Jesus wasn't concerned with the odds. Instead, he overcame them.

There are times in our lives when the odds seem stacked against us. And it's during those times that our doubt can trump our understanding. The situation we are facing can seem insurmountable. But Jesus isn't concerned with the odds, because he can overcome any obstacle.

Whatever odds you are facing in your life, remember that through Jesus, anything is possible. Don't become frozen in your doubt. Instead, move forward in faith and discover all he can do in your life!

Many of Jesus' followers had a front row seat to the miracles he performed. They watched firsthand as he gave sight to a blind man, healed the lame and brought the dead back to life. Yet, when Jesus called for Lazarus to walk out from the tomb, one of his followers, Martha, doubted that he could perform such a miracle. Yet in the face of her doubt, Jesus called to Lazarus. And Lazarus walked out of the tomb.

Jesus, once more deeply moved, came to the tomb. It was a cave with a stone laid across the entrance. "Take away the stone," he said."But, Lord," said Martha, the sister of the dead man, "by this time there is a bad odor, for he has been there four days."
John 11:38-39

Most of us today would probably look for the smoke and mirrors. We would have trouble believing that such a miracle could happen. But in the face of our doubts, no matter how strong or cynical, Jesus is still the miracle worker.

Don't let your doubt keep you from experiencing the life-changing power of Jesus. Instead, watch him work in your life and the lives of those around you. And trust that he can do anything, even the miraculous, in your life today.

I'll believe it when I see it!

"I'll believe it when I see it!" It is a common phrase of doubt, an expression we use when we really just want more proof. Thomas basically used the same expression in the upper room when it came to Jesus' resurrection. And here, we see that Jesus responded in a unique way. "...blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Then Jesus told him [Thomas], "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." John 20:29

The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians, said that believing without seeing is the lifestyle of all Christ-followers (2 Cor. 5:7). It is during those times when we can't see the whole picture that our faith has the opportunity to grow the most. That's also when doubt can come into play. And we have to choose whether or not we turn to Jesus and give him our full trust and faith.

If there's something in your life that's causing you to doubt, turn that over to Christ. Because it's during those times of doubt that we have the opportunity to turn to the One who can help us truly live by faith and not by sight.

Time to exercise

The diet industry is one of the most successful and prosperous industries in the world. From self-help books and tapes to meal supplements and plans, diet gurus feverishly promote their products and ideas. But no matter how much you tweak your diet, you will not see maximum results unless you exercise.

The same is true when it comes to our spiritual health. Yes, we must feed on the Word of God, and the church is the table where we come to be fed. But if all we do is eat and eat and eat, then eventually we'll get too heavy, unable to move about and exercise.

Feeding on the Word of God provides us with the fuel we need to get out and serve others. True spiritual maturity is all about pushing away from the table and exercising. It's about doing the will of God, not just hearing it. "Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says." James 1:22

Don't grow complacent with simply feeding on the bread of life; take what you learn and use that fuel to serve others.

Time to eat

In the dieting world, there is an obsession with carbs. There are all sorts of low-carb, no-carb diets that promise to help improve your overall health so you can shed those unwanted pounds. But there is one carbohydrate that we all need.

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."John 6:35

Jesus is the divine carbohydrate that promises to satisfy us when we are hungry. All we have to do is believe in him. But belief isn't just an intellectual appreciation. It's more than just memorizing some historical facts or flippantly acknowledging God.

Believing in Jesus Christ means coming to him and fully yielding your life to him. Don't fall into the trap of believing that you can earn God's favor. Salvation is not achieved by works and acts of service. It is achieved by faith in Christ and the work he has done for you. Grow to trust in Christ and you will discover the only relationship that will truly satisfy the pains of your spiritual hunger.

Just Lust

No one is immune from the sinister influence of lust. It lures both men and women alike with promises of pleasure and satisfaction. But in the end it only brings destruction.

Lust is a God-given desire for intimacy that has gone haywire, manifesting itself in a physical attraction that leads to illicit sexual actions. Often times, people play around with lust thinking, "Oh, I can just fantasize about my beautiful co-worker. It's not like I'm actually cheating on my wife," or, "There's no harm in wearing this shirt with the plunging neckline. It's just 'eye candy.'"

However lust has a strong and powerful influence that drives many Christ-followers into a life of deception. They pretend to follow a path of purity outwardly, while inside they have become enslaved to lust's tight grip. But God wants us to discover the amazing life that is available when we turn our desires over to him.

Today, start breaking down the hold that lust has on you by listing the areas of vulnerability in your life. Write out the consequences of giving in to those areas. And then, ask God to help you walk in purity before him, yourself, and others.

"Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry."
Colossians 3:5

Heartburn?

Ask any nutritionist, doctor or trainer what the keys are to a long and healthy life and the two most common responses will be: A healthy diet and regular exercise. But diet and exercise can benefit much more than our physical bodies.

Our spiritual bodies rely heavily on a healthy diet and regular exercise to thrive as well. The local church has exactly what we need when it comes to these two life-sustaining realities. Yet, too many of us come to church to dine on the Word of God and we forget the exercise part. We just come to get the fuel that is necessary to survive in our own little world, forgetting all about the people around us who need to hear the good news of Christ as well. He said to them,"Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation."
Mark 16:15

"Go into all the world" is about exercise. We have to be willing to push away from the table, get outside of our comfort zones, and exercise. We must be willing to take the bread of life to the world around us by sharing and serving.

Examine your life today. Don't just eat and eat and eat on the Word of God. Make sure you push back from the table and take the bread of life to those around you who are in desperate need of true nutrition, and let your heart burn for Christ!