Take Me to Ephraim

Jesus had just raised Lazarus from the dead and the Pharisees were plotting to seize Him and kill Him. So Jesus no longer walked openly among the Jews but retreated with His disciples from Bethany to Ephraim (which means “double fruitfulness.”).   

How long were they there? Maybe up to six weeks. What did they do there? I’m just guessing…but I bet they did some of these things:

•Played games and laughed their heads off! They’d come from a very stressful situation and needed a stress reliever. Sometimes we forget they were very human and had fun together. Laughter is good medicine. 

•Sang & prayed. They wanted to hear the Father. They NEEDED to hear the Father. And they met God as they worshiped Him. 

•Rested. Things had been very intense. The time for ministry was over. Their bodies, minds, and emotions were spent. They needed deep rest.  

•Embraced privacy. They needed alone time. People had clamored for their attention for three years. These were Jesus’ final days and He wanted to spend this time investing in His disciples.  It was a time of intimacy. 

I don’t think God tells us what they did during those six weeks for a reason. It was their time alone with Jesus, meeting their specific needs. 

Have you been through a stressful season? Ask God to take you to Ephraim. 

What if Prison is the Best?

Paul was in prison for living boldly and sharing the gospel. Don’t you imagine he chafed at being stuck in prison—when he could be doing so much more on the outside?  He was human with very human feelings, so I imagine he wrestled with being stuck in prison. His desire was to expand the kingdom of God! So he did what he could—he wrote to believers in the churches he’d established to comfort, instruct, and encourage them. 

Have you ever been there? You want so badly to be a part of what God is doing—but you feel stuck. You’re in a lifeless place fighting battles you never wanted to be a part of. Or you’re confined to home when you want to be out doing! You may be in a dead-end job with no hope for the future. You are taking care of toddlers and trying to stay ahead of the chaos. We’ve all been there in one way or another.  

What if prison is exactly where God wants us? (Or those lifeless-feeling places). Maybe there’s something God has for us there.  I don’t know that Paul knew he was writing the New Testament…but he had time to write and pray. So that’s what he did. He was sharing the good news of Jesus from his prison cell. He asked the churches to pray that God would open a door for him to speak. He just didn’t know that’s what God was doing all along. Maybe Paul was in prison so he would have time to write! He just had no idea he was also writing to you and me—thousands of years later. 

Apparently, God’s BEST plan was prison. I don’t think Paul had a clue all that God was doing in that prison cell.

Blood in the Water

Lysa Terkeurst says demons smell unforgiveness like a shark smells blood in the water. I think that is very descriptive—and true. 

Unforgiveness affects our spirits, our minds, our emotions, and our bodies…which means it affects our entire being. She goes on to say that God’s forgiveness flows to us and we must cooperate with God and forgive those who’ve hurt us. When we forgive, we symbolically take our hands off of our offender’s throat.

I can’t promise that when you forgive your offender that everything will magically be ok. They may never forgive YOU! But they are responsible for their own choices—and you can’t make those choices for them. But you can pave the way for future relationship by forgiving them and releasing them of your anger or any retaliation. The prodigal’s father stood at the gate waiting for his son to come home with forgiveness in his heart—even though that son had wasted his entire inheritance on sinful living. Interestingly, the prodigal's brother refused to forgive him. The father encouraged the brother to forgive and reminded him that all that he owned was his. He refused to forgive. That unforgiveness didn’t keep the prodigal and his father from enjoying a party to celebrate the prodigal’s homecoming! They apparently continued life without the unforgiving brother—even though he was invited in. God says, “If it is possible, as much as it depends on you, live peaceably with all men.” (Romans 12:18). I think the prodigal’s story sets a precedence in how to handle every aspect of forgiveness or unforgiveness.

FORGIVENESS 

•Repent

•Forgive & Receive 

•Restored Relationship

UNFORGIVENESS

•Encourage forgiveness with an invitation to relationship

•Be prepared to do life without that person.   

Don’t entice the demons with unforgiveness. Forgiveness will set YOU free!

The Start-up of a New Kingdom

This morning as I read Luke 21 and Jesus’ words about the cost of discipleship, my mind went to the men who founded America.  Those who were in the beginning phases of establishing a new “kingdom,” paid a heavy price that most of us don’t understand.   

Fifty-six men signed the Declaration of Independence to establish the nation of the United States of America. The start-up of a new government was expensive and most either gave all they had to start our government or lost their wealth for supporting the cause. Seventeen lost everything they owned. Many lost family members because of leading this worthy cause; it was clearly divisive.  There were threats to their lives or the lives of their families from those who opposed them. To start a new nation was costly.  

The same was true for the twelve disciples involved in spreading the news of the new kingdom that Jesus came to establish. Of the twelve, ten were martyred.  Judas hung himself and John probably died of natural causes—but only after being miraculously rescued after being thrown in a cauldron of boiling oil, according to Tertullian. The disciples gave up possessions and homes to follow Jesus. They had to prioritize him over their families. It was costly to be a disciple.  

We’ve forgotten the price that was paid for the establishment of a “new kingdom.” Now we walk around with expectations of what we’re owed. People in leadership look to make a profit off of their positions instead of investing all they have.  We no longer count the cost—we impose the cost on those under us.  

We should examine why our founding fathers and the disciples were willing to pay such a high price. 

Freedom always comes at a price. 

Occupying

Jesus told a parable of a man who had 10 servants and gave them each 10 minas (money) and told them, “Occupy until I come.” When he came back, he asked for an accounting. One man gained double, another 1 1/2, but another hid his money. Reward (or rebuke) was given according to their profit (or lack thereof). 

Jesus was making the point to His disciples that they were to occupy, to carry on kingdom business, until He returns.  

What has God given to you? What has He put in your hands? Money, talent, carpentry skills, accounting, nursing, car repair, parenting, preaching? Do that for the kingdom. The important thing is to KNOW what’s in your hand and expand it for God. 

So many times we hide our gifts because we’re afraid to use them, afraid we’ll be critiqued, or afraid we’re doing it wrong. And sometimes we wait for the BIG thing because we think our gifts are too unimportant.  

For two years, I’ve felt sidelined in kingdom work. All I knew to do was what was right in front of me. So I’ve been a friend to a woman walking through something very hard. And I’ve written prayer journals. I’ve sent one to everyone in my family and to friends—and still writing. These may seem like a small thing—but they’re filled with power! I’ve asked God to unleash His power through each prayer I prayed. 

Don’t wait on the big thing! What if each small thing IS the big thing? Don’t stand in front of Jesus and say, “I hid it. I was afraid.” Do the thing right in front of you! Give God more than He gave you.