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Word of the Day: Romans 4:17

Word of the Day

In my opinion, one of the biggest challenges we face to experiencing the life Jesus intended is our lack of belief. Generally, most sincere Jesus followers have such a hard time believing God for who He is and what He has said. We are so prone to see life from our experience, our perspective, our biases, our fears, and our desires. The biggest obstacle to really experiencing God's power and grace is ME or in your case YOU!

Just the other night Laurie and I were with a bunch of young adults and we were discussing what Jesus said to a religious man in Matthew 8 who claimed that he's follow Jesus anywhere. Jesus responded, "The foxes have holes and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head." Another approached and said "Lord, permit me first to go and bury my father." Jesus' response must have blown him away, "Follow me, and allow the dead to bury their own dead."
I wonder how we might have responded to Jesus at that moment. I mean, isn't it reasonable to want to know that tonight we'll be sleeping somewhere warm, clean, and somewhat comfortable? Is it wrong to want to take care of your family and once all the family is safe and secure then radically follow Jesus? Jesus knowing that conditionally following Him was not possible (Matthew 12:30) put these two to the test. He never asked them to sacrifice a descent place to sleep or neglect responsible planning for the family's future. He just wanted them to be willing to go where He asked them to go, when He asked them to go, how He asked them to go and all along the way to trust Him with the why.

Are you willing to go where, when, and how Jesus tells you and trust Him with the why? At times the places where He asks us to go; the people He asks us to love; the things He asks us to do may seem absolutely unreasonable and maybe even impossible! But that's our great God; He asks of us the very impossible and humanly unreasonable so He alone gets the glory when we trust Him enough to obey. Please remember this about our magnificent King…
"…God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist." Romans 4:17

"Father in heaven, please help us see you for who You are, the God who brings life to the dead and makes something out of nothing. Please forgive us for not trusting you to go where, when, and how you want us to go. O God of all creation please make us an obedient people; please make us a people who daily hear Your voice and follow you wherever, whenever, however you ask. Thank You for Jesus! Please make us more like Him today! In His great and awesome Name I pray. Amen."

His Kingdom Come,
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