April 14 2019

Because the Lord has Need of it

And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. “And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ” Luke 19:29-31

“Because the Lord has need of it.” 
Jesus instructed the disciples to go to the village and take the colt – when asked why they were taking it, they were to answer, 
“Because the Lord has need of it” and the colt would be released.  
This colt was likely an important piece of property, a piece of someone’s livelihood. 
And yet, when the disciples indicated that the Lord had need of it, the owner released it willingly and without question.  
What does the Lord have need of in your life today?  
Are you willing to release that to Him, without question? 
The Lord has need of many things in our lives.  
There is much work to be done and that work requires the concentrated effort of the Body of Christ.  Without the colt Jesus would not have been able to make His entrance into Jerusalem, an important step to the journey to the cross, the grave and the resurrection. 
That thing that the Lord has need of in your life is an important piece of the bigger plan.
 “Because the Lord has need of it.” 
Are you ready to hand it over?
Question for Discussion
What does the Lord have need of in your life today?

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April 13 2019

Are you Willing to Climb the Tree?

Then Jesus entered and passed through Jericho. Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich. And he sought to see who Jesus was, but could not because of the crowd, for he was of short stature. So he ran ahead and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him, for He was going to pass that way. Luke 19:1-4

Zacchaeus wanted to see Jesus but he was short.  
He couldn’t see over the crowd. 
But Zacchaeus really wanted to see Jesus.  
So, he ran ahead and climbed up a tree to give him the height he required. 
Zacchaeus’ solution required some effort: 
1) he had to acknowledge the limitation and think it through, 
2) he had to actually climb the tree, 
3) he couldn’t allow what others might think of him impact his plan.
Sometimes we really want to see Jesus but there is something standing in our way. 
There are times when we just give up right there.  
We see the obstacle and we either turn around and go back or we just stand there and bemoan its presence in our lives.  
But we, like Zacchaeus, need to learn to take on the obstacle.  
1) We need to think it through (the first step is really to acknowledge the obstacle and to make the decision to think of a way around it). 
2) We need to actually follow through with our plan (often we know what we need to do but struggle to get it down). 
3) We can’t allow the perception of others to impact our plan (others may laugh or criticize while we climb the tree, but they are not the ones that have a desire to see Jesus and get past that obstacle, so their laughing and criticism is of no importance). 
Do you want to see/encounter Jesus in a new way today?  
It is time to climb the tree.  
Are you willing?
Question for the Discussion Group:
Are you willing to climb the tree to encounter Jesus?

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April 12 2019

What do you Want me to do for You?

Then it happened, as He was coming near Jericho, that a certain blind man sat by the road begging. And hearing a multitude passing by, he asked what it meant. So they told him that Jesus of Nazareth was passing by. And he cried out, saying, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then those who went before warned him that he should be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him. And when he had come near, He asked him, saying, “What do you want Me to do for you?” He said, “Lord, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Receive your sight; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight, and followed Him, glorifying God. And all the people, when they saw it, gave praise to God. Luke 18:35-43

What do you want Jesus to do for you today?  
Do you even know?  
Jesus asked the question of the blind man.  
It was probably fairly evident that he was blind, that he needed his sight.  
But Jesus asked the question anyway, “What do you want Me to do for you?” 
Sometimes, when we look around us, we assume what people need or want from us or from Jesus.  But we don’t know what is going on inside their life, the real life, the one that we don’t often see. Jesus didn’t assume that the blindness the man was experiencing was his greatest concern or his greatest need.  
He asked. 
So we shouldn’t assume that our greatest need is the thing most visible to those around us.  Sometimes, even our own needs seem to be buried within us.  
Take some time, sit in the Presence of the Lord, search your heart and be ready when you encounter Jesus and He asks you, “what do you want Me to do for you?”
Question for Discussion
What do you need Jesus to do for you today? Are you ready to answer the question when He asks?

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