Away on Vacation

**Attention faithful readers.  I have gone off for vacation and will not have computer access on a regular basis.  Therefore, I will not be posting any new Gems until I return from our trip.  Please make note to return on August 10th for a new Gem.  Thank you to all of you who make this a regular stop each day.  I appreciate knowing that God's Word is ministering to you as it has ministered to me the morning I wrote it for you.  See you later!

Sit and Listen

Imagine standing in a pool.  At the side is your toddler, ready to jump to your arms.  "Jump", you say.  No jump.  "Jump," you encourage again.  No jump.  So you ask you little one what is wrong and they say, "Water."

Luke 10:38-42 tells us the story of Mary, Martha, and their brother Lazarus.  Martha has invited Jesus over, but she gets busy in the kitchen.  So busy, we are told that it has become a distraction to her (verse 40).  She is so busy serving and not listening, that she doesn't even think that Jesus cares about her (verse 40).  

Jesus says to Martha, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things." (Luke 10:41; NASB).  Like the toddler at the pool focusing on the water instead of the caring parent, Martha was focused on the preparations instead of the Savior.  Serving others is a wonderful thing, but NOT when it stands in the way of sitting at the feet of Jesus and hearing what He has to say.

Take the time today.  Find a place where you can open your heart to the Savior today and see what "gems" He has to share with you.  He wants you to faithful obey and serve, but He wants you at His feet too.

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What's Holding You Back?

Excuses.  Anything we can come up with to stand in our way of doing the difficult thing the Lord may be calling us to do.  If Jesus were walking beside us today, what would we come up with?

A lawyer came to Jesus for one reason we are told.  He wanted to test Jesus (Luke 10:25).  If we heard the question, we would not see it as a test.  We would interpret him as a genuine seeker as he asked, "Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" (NASB)

Jesus asks him what is written in the law, and how he reads what is written.  The man says that we are to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind.  He adds that it is important to love your neighbor as yourself. (Luke 10:27).

Do you think this man felt good?  Jesus tells him his answer is correct and to go live it.  No problem, right?

Apparently it was a problem as Luke 10:29 says, "And wishing to justify himself, he said to Jesus, 'And who is my neighbor?'"  (NASB)

Do we hear accusation, where none is made?  Obviously this man knew he was not living according to the law.  Deep down, we always do.  We may make excuses.  We may justify ourself.  

If we want to know the way to eternal life and to live well, we must put away our justification. We must face the truth of our hearts and lives, and turn to Jesus for the real answers.  The answer is in loving the Lord with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind.  Does our life reflect that?  Or does it reflect self-love?

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Salvation, the best miracle of all.....

Think.  If we were asked what is the most wonderful thing in our life, what would we answer? 

Jesus had sent seventy out to preach the gospel and heal the sick.  When they returned, they were excited.  They told Jesus that even the demons were listening to them.  Jesus says that He saw Satan falling, but wanted them to understand something much more awesome then that.

Jesus reminds them that it isn't so much in what they do that is great, but who they are.  

"Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven." (Luke 10:20; NASB)  Better than casting out demons or any other miracle, the miracle of salvation is the best thing yet.

Better than anything this life has to offer, is the life that follows.  Dear Reader, do you know Him?  If you were to die tonight and stand before the Lord, what would you tell Him as the reason He should let you in?  If you aren't sure of your salvation, please email me at: beckiejoe@gmail.com.  I would love to come along side of you and help you know Jesus personally as I do.

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Jesus' Rejection

Rejection.  It is painful and difficult to take.  We will sometimes compromise just to feel we are accepted.  The fear of rejection can hinder us from doing what the Lord has called us to do. When we do step out in faith and are rejected, we often times do not respond correctly.  One of those incorrect ways is to stop risking.

It is hard to remember Jesus' words.  "The one who listens to you listens to Me, and the one who rejects you rejects Me; and he who rejects Me rejects the One how sent Me." (Luke 10:16;NASB)

As Jesus walked the earth and shared truth, those that rejected Him the most were His own people, the Jews of the day.  His death was sought after by the Scribes and Pharisees, the religious leaders of the day.  

It is difficult being rejected, but it is even harder when it is by those who call themselves "Christians".  We need to remember, if we are surrendering all to follow Jesus, then we will be rejected.   Ultimately they are rejecting Jesus and not us at all.  Remain faithful to Jesus no matter what.  In the end, it is worth it!

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My Way or the Highway

Focus. We have something in mind, and that is where our thoughts are. We can appear uninterested in anything else. Others may take things wrong, because we are focused on something other than them.

Jesus knew it was drawing near for Him to return to Jerusalem for His ascension. On His way He is passing through a Samaritan village. Jesus sends messengers ahead to prepare a place. When the messengers return, Jesus is informed that He is not wanted in this village.

Not wanted? Why? Luke 9:53 says, "And they did not receive Him, because He was journeying with His face toward Jerusalem." (NASB) They did not like where Jesus was headed, and so they rejected His presences in their lives all together.

Don't we do the same thing? We will become upet with the way the Lord allows things to happen in our lives. It is not our plans or our way of doing things. So, we many times will become angry, resentful, and will not spend time with the Lord.

We often limit the Lord ministering to us, because we are looking for Him to do it our way. Today may we put aside ourself and allow Jesus to have His way in our life.

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All About Jesus....

Do we ever stop to think about what thoughts are running through our heads?  Do we realize that many times the words that we say, and the actions we do began in our heads?

Luke 9:47 says, "But Jesus, knowing what they were thinking in their heart, took a child and stood him by His side." (NASB)

The disciples were concerned about who will be greatest among them.  They weren't talking so Jesus could hear their discussion, for obvious reasons.  A focus on greatness is not a pleasing thought and doesn't lead to good words.

Everything in our society points to watching out for what they say is number one, ourself.  That is not the Lord's way, or He wouldn't have suffered so much for our salvation.  It is not about us, but Him.

People don't look at children as great or as in accomplishing much.  However, if we pay attention, their words so innocently and truthfully spoken, can whallop a huge impact upon our lives.  More than that, the faith of a child is simple and their prayers can indeed accomplish great things.

May we be like a child and focus on Jesus.  How to honor, glorify, serve, and love Him most.  It is what really matters in the end.

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We Need Help in Times of Doubt

Difficult circumstances.  Circumstances that never seem to ease up.  What is the Lord doing? Has the Lord forgotten us?  Does the Lord see us?  Will the Lord help us?  Is the Lord able to do anything?

How often do we allow our circumstances dictate the way we view the Lord?  We have struggled in prayer, and the answers don't seem to come.  If we are honest, we will allow our circumstances determine what we believe about the Lord.

In Luke 9 we are told of a man whose son was tormented by demons since his childhood.  The father brings him to Jesus' disciples seeking healing.  Jesus was not present at the time, and they were unable to release the son of the demons.  

Finally Jesus comes down from the mountain with Peter, James, and John and rejoins the other disciples.  This man tells Jesus that if he is able to help them, he would really desire His help.  Jesus says, "All things are possible to him who believes." (Mark 9:23; NASB)

How does the man respond?  Openly, honestly, and transparently, "I do believe, help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24; NASB)  May we do the same thing.  The only way we can overcome our doubts and unbelief, is to admit we have them and seek the Lord's help for them.  Our circumstances don't determine the Lord's power, our belief or unbelief decide what the Lord is able to do for us.

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Others Power Over Us.....

How often do we see the power of the Lord working in us and through us?  What is stopping the Lord from accomplishing His will in our lives and from our lives?  If we have not seen the Lord lately, we need to evaluate our hearts and lives and ask why.

Jesus, Peter, James and John had been gone.  When they returned to the other nine disciples, they are found arguing with the scribes.  There is a problem.  A man in the crowd proceeds to tell Jesus the problem in Mark 9:17-18.  "And one of the crowd answered Him, 'Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute; and whenever it seizes him, it dashes him to the ground and he foams at the mouth, and grinds his teeth, and stiffens out. And I told Your disciples to cast it out, and they could not do it.'" (NASB)

What had stopped the other nine from being able to cast out the demon?  Was it sin they were harboring in their hearts and lives?  Was it praylessness?  Was it from lack of faith?  Jesus says in Mark 9:19, "O unbelieving generation....."  A lack of faith was playing into their inability to heal this boy from the demons.  They still possessed the power, but they lacked faith.  Why?

In Beth Moore's Jesus devotion she suggested two reasons.  1)  They were relying on the presence of Jesus, Peter, James, and John in order to exercise the power the Lord had given them, and 2) They were allowing the attitudes of the scribes lack of belief in them to influence them.  They had the power to heal the demon possessed man, but their faith had been weakened.

What is influencing our faith?  Are we relying upon others around us to spur us on to doing great things for the Lord?  Did someone criticize us and cause us to listen to their words instead of what the Lord said He has empowered us to do?  The Lord has called us and enabled us to do great things, we need to find out why we aren't accomplishing it in our lives today.

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Watch and See...

How do we react when the Lord does something out of the ordinary?  Are we even recognizing when He is doing those kind of things in our lives?  

Jesus met a man that was deaf and had a speech impediment.  He took Him away from the crowds to heal him in a very odd way.  Jesus put his fingers in the man's ears, spit, and put His saliva on the man's tongue.  The man was healed.

It says in Mark 9:36-37, "And He gave them orders not to tell anyone; but the more He ordered them, the more widely they continued to proclaim it.  And they were utterly astonished, saying, 'He has done all things well.  He makes even the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak.'" (NASB)

It was like they couldn't help themself.  They couldn't believe what Jesus was able to do and had to tell others.  How about us?  Are we recognizing what He is doing in our lives and those around us and can't keep quiet about it?  If we are not seeing the Lord, we need to slow down and watch.  He is there if we look for Him.

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Know Truth to Know Him

If we are not careful, we can deceived.  There are people out there who can use flowery and fancy words and can convince us that we need to buy their product.  We can't live without.  It will take care of any of those things we may want to get rid of in our lives or bring into our lives those things we want.

Paul warns the church in Colossia of what can happen.  "I say this in order that no one can delude you with persuasive argument."  (Colossians 2:4; NASB)

If we are not in the Word of God, we are not memorizing it, obeying it, and getting to know it. We can be fooled.  There are people out there who can take parts of the truth and weave them in such a way that we can be fooled to believe the Lord said it.  

Example, "God helps those who help themself."  It is no where in the Bible.  In fact it is opposite of what the Lord teaches.  He wants us to completely depend upon Him.  He says in Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things through Him who strengthens me." (NASB)  Our strength to live in obedience comes from Him, not ourself.

Know the Word, and we know our Savior.  The more we know the Word the less apt we are to be deluded by those who are good at what they do in leading people away from the truth to follow them and their false version of Christianity.

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Where is Your Attention?

How much are we paying attention?  How much do we see the Lord working in our lives and through us?  What limits the Lord in our lives?

Jesus had taken three of His closest friends, Peter, James and John, to a mountain to pray. While there, Jesus began to reveal His glory.  The appearance of His face changed, and His clothing was white and gleaming.  

What were Peter, James and John doing?  The same thing they were doing when Jesus was praying in the garden of Gethsemane.  They were sleeping (Luke 9:32).

However, they woke up.  We are not told how they were awaken, but when they did, they were able to see Jesus in all His glory speaking with Moses and Elijah.  Peter tells Jesus that they need to build a tabernacle in this place for the three of them, but then a cloud appears and the Father speaks.

"This is my Son, My Chosen One; listen to Him." (Luke 9:35; NASB)  Peter, James and John were getting caught up in the wrong thing.  The Father needed to remind them that they need to listen to Jesus.

What are we paying attention to?  Are we getting caught up in things that we are actually not hearing and doing as the Lord desires for us each day?  Do we hear Him talking to us each day? We need to take the time to listen to Jesus daily.

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God's Way....

It is all about self.  We live in a society where the focus is on ourselves.  We defend our rights. We unfortunately are willing to sacrifice if it doesn't hurt us.  We strive to be control of our lives.  No one is going to tell us how to live our lives.  We have indeed become an extremely rebellious society. It is usually someone else fault, but not usually ours.

Jesus had other plans for our lives.  We show submission and trust to our Savior when we take in mind His words in Luke 9:23. "And He was saying to them all, 'If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.'" (NASB)

It is about following Jesus.  Knowing full well, that it means denying ourselves and taking up our cross daily to follow the Lord.  Being a follower of Jesus in the fullest sense of the word, is not easy.  It requires daily evaluation of our thoughts, words, and actions.  It entails putting Jesus and others first.  It means fruit of the Spirit being displaying in the ways in which we talk to others.  

It certainly is NOT about what we do only on Sunday mornings, but what we are doing on Monday through Saturday.  It means being different than the world.  We are to be reflecting Jesus to the world around us.  We are to be Jesus in the skin.  Is that what those around us are seeing when they see us?

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What Are We Missing?

The time was drawing closer.   Jesus began to prepare His disciples for what was up ahead.  He wanted them to know.  He wanted them to have the opportunity to understand what was coming.

In Matthew 16:21 we are told this, "From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day." (NASB)

This was not talk that they understood.  They liked having Jesus around.  They enjoyed being with Him and seeing all that He was able to do.  More than that, they missed the Scriptures teaching that the Messiah was to suffer.  They were looking for a new King.  They believed the time was drawing near for Jesus to set up His kingdom.

The message was there.  It had been given to them, but they missed out on the details.  How much are we missing?  What are we not seeing and understanding?  May we open our hearts and hear what the Lord has for us to grasp and understand today.

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Satisfaction Guarantee....

When is enough, enough?  Do we receive all that we need?  Do we understand what it is like to actually be satisfied with what has been provided for us?

A crowd had been gathered around Jesus.  As the day drew to an end, the disciples were concerned about them having something to eat.  The story of the feeding of the 5,000 is one of the only stories that we get the perspective of all four gospels on it.  Matthew 14's account tells us that there were women and children that were being fed that day, besides the 5,000 men.

Jesus had taken the five loaves and two fish and had the disciples distribute it to the people.  It is significant to see what Matthew 14:20 says, "And they all ate, and were satisfied.  And they (disciples) picked up what was leftover of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets." (NASB)

Who had eaten?  We are told all.  How much?  Until they were satisfied.  When it was all said and done, even the twelve disciples received an abundance of food back in order to be able to eat and be satisfied as well.  Jesus cared about their needs.  He wanted to see that they were taken care of.  

He will do the same for us as well today.  He sees what we need.  He knows how to fullfill.  He knows how to give until we are satisfied.  May we see His provisions each day and be thankful.

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The Lord Can Do It!

Do we have opportunities to take steps of faith and yet we hesitate?  What are the reasons that we hesitate?  Do we fully understand our Savior and what He is able to do through us and with us?  What will it take for us to get it?

Jesus had sent the disciples out with the power to heal the sick and with the message of the kingdom of God.  When they return, they begin to tell Jesus all that happened while they were going village to village when the multitudes gather around them.  Jesus spends the day, once again, healing the people and sharing the kingdom news.

As day breaks, the multitudes need feeding.  The disciples come to Jesus and instead of seeing what He can do, tells Jesus to send them off to the near by villages to eat and get some lodging. Jesus responds in Luke 9:13 in this way.  "But He said to them, 'You give them something to eat!'  And they said, 'We have no more than five loaves and two fish, unless perhaps we go and buy food for all these people.'" (NASB)

All that Jesus has done already, and they didn't get it yet.  They still did not understand what the Lord was capable of doing.  Without rebuking their lack of faith and understanding, Jesus blesses what they have and has the disciples distribute the food to the people. When they are done feeding the 5,000 men, there are twelve baskets full leftover. One for each disciple to hold in their hand as the proof of what the Lord can do in their lives.

Do we see the power of the Lord working in our life each day, or are we missing it? Do we yet understand what He is able to do if we turn and depend upon Him. In order to know His power, we must depend upon Him to work in our impossible situations.

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Completely Dependant....

How dependent upon the Lord are we for our basic needs to be met?  How would respond if we were told to go into ministry, but to NOT take anything with us?

In Matthew 10:9-10 Jesus gives the following instructions to His twelve disciples, "Do not acquire gold, or silver, or copper for your money belts, or a bag for your journey, or even two tunics, or sandals, or a staff, for the worker is worthy of his support." (NASB)

Jesus was sending His disciples to preach the "kingdom of heaven was at hand" and to heal where it was needed, but they were to go dependant on those they are ministering to for their food, drink, and place to stay.  This takes a great step of faith and trust and yet the disciples obeyed. Would we?

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