Leaving the 99 to minister to the 1 and the Need to Feel Connected…

   “What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them goes astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine and go to the mountains to seek the one that is straying? “And if he should find it, assuredly, I say to you, he rejoices more over that one sheep than over the ninety-nine that did not go astray. “Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” Matthew 18:12-14
   There are times when we need to see beyond the masses and go and minister unto the one. With the direction that social media is heading it makes it difficult for us to do so. It is easy to feel a false connection with others in our media circle, "Hey, I have already posted my FB status update, twitted, and emailed my friends.”

But have we really made a network-connection that is able to support us when we need it?

   My mind goes to the movie "Surrogates" where the dirty work of living has been turned over to humanoid robots. Citizens recline comfortably in their homes, linked remotely to younger, stronger, sexier versions of themselves, who work and play and do all the things that humans once used to do. It's an entrancing vision: In the future, we can let our surrogates take risks for us, do our jobs for us.

Do we let our social media outlets take the place of human connection?

   When Mary ran to Jesus‘ tomb after Jesus had been crucified, she encountered an angel who told her, “But go, tell His disciples--and Peter--that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you,” Mark 16:7. Did you catch that; and Peter? Jesus is moving beyond the masses to reach out to Peter out of love. Even though Peter denied the Lord, the Lord is reaching out to him with love and forgiveness. We find out later in the book of John, that John reaches out to Peter in person. "He (Jesus) said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep" John 17:21.

   Who do you need to personally reach out to today?

   We all need to be like the shepherd mentioned in Matthew 18 and leave those around us to minister to the hurting person who is alone, frightened and praying for someone to come alongside them with friendship and an encouraging word.

The Shepherd and the Butcher

A friend of mine recently told me a story of shepherding in the Middle East. My friend watched a group of sheep being lead by a shepherd from the front and a shepherd from the back. When my friend asked which was the lead shepherd she was told that the true shepherd lead from the front and the shepherd in the back, was not a shepherd at all, but the butcher; the shepherd guides and leads the sheep and the butcher drives the sheep. This is an interesting way to look at the decision-making processes that we go through occasionally.

• Are you being lead or are you being driven to make a quick decision?

• Do you lead others to make the right decisions or do you drive and force others to rally around your decision?

Sure, there are times when a decision must be quickly made; I’m talking about decisions that require thought, preparation, and homework. And the occasional cold-call of course!

In the New Testament book of John, Jesus is asked to heal a man named Lazarus. John 11:6, “So, when He (Jesus) heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” Jesus doesn’t immediately leave what He is doing but stays two more days where He is. Lazarus actually dies and Jesus raises him from the dead later on in the story. Jesus even catches some heat from Lazarus’ sister Martha in John 11:14, “Now Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” A friend of mine waits at least three days in making a major decision, similar to the number of days Jesus was in the grave. Making an impromptu decision can have disastrous results. Remember to bring your decisions to the Lord and wait for His answer before making a decision; the results will be worth it.

"The cart before the horse"

   It’s interesting the political rhetoric that comes up every four years with our elections. I can almost see the new crop of bumper stickers; and yes, they’re already available for purchase on the web for the 2012 presidential elections. However, with all the energy that is out there to make a change, either to the left or to the right, no change can be made from the top down. Even if each political party had its complete way, our political, social, and religious climate would be the same. Why? Change begins with each individual allowing change into their heart. Let’s take a look at Nehemiah.
   In the 20th year of Artaxerxes, king of Persia, (445/444 BC), Nehemiah was cup-bearer to the king. Learning that the walls of Jerusalem were broken down he asked the king for permission to return and rebuild them, and Artaxerxes sent him to Judah as governor of the province with a mission to rebuild the walls.
   Nehemiah 1:3-7, They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.” When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. Then I said: “Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.

What steps did Nehemiah take?

• He prayed and fasted. Notice he did not speak his mind, send out an email, write a blog, he simply prayed and fasted to the Lord.

• He reminded God of His love for His people. He repeated God’s word, the Bible, back to God. Not that God needs to be reminded of His covenant towards His people, but His people, Nehemiah in this instance, needed his faith built up in the Lord. Romans 10:17, “Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”

• He personally asked God for forgiveness before he asked God to forgive his people for their sins committed against God. Humility is always the best step when coming to God, and praying for forgiveness of sins teaches us our humility and reminds us how far we have strayed from the Lord and His commandments.

Part II to be continued at a later time.

"Our longing fulfilled"

   Lean on Me, lean on My breast, as My disciple did at the supper table. I long to commune with you, I long to fellowship with you, My child. We are one. Come to My banqueting table; it is prepared for your nourishment and enjoyment. Learn to take your nourishment from Me to feed on. As I fed and received My nourishment from the Father, I gave to the disciples and they fed the 5,000. In order for you to be fed and give out of your abundance you must spend time in My presence. You cannot give out of your lack, you can only give out of your abundance. Spend time with Me, spend time in My presence and I will allow you to feed the multitudes, the nations, the peoples and tribes of the world that are searching for nourishment, for substinence only I can fill, only I can nourish. Only I can fill the longing of your spirit man. Look to Me. Look to Me My child and I will fill your longing.
   Song of Solomon 2:4,  "He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love."
   John 6:5-11, When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, “Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?” 6 He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do. Philip answered him, “It would take more than half a year’s wages to buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!” Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, spoke up,  “Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?”  Jesus said, “Have the people sit down.” There was plenty of grass in that place, and they sat down (about five thousand men were there). 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 13:23, There was at the table reclining in Jesus bosom one of his disciples, whom Jesus loved.

Calmness in the Storm

   Allow My calm spirit to invade your presence; to shower your soul with an everlasting love, with an everlasting calmness that will bring joy and health to your body, your spirit and soul; yes your soul, your mind, will, and emotions. Speak to your emotions, speak to your soul, be calm and be in perfect peace. Learn to set your emotions on Me, allow Me to be your rock in the storm, your strong tower that you run into and abide in. Amen.


   Only by learning to dwell in My presence will you find My peace for your soul, for your life.

Matthew 8:26, And He (Jesus) said to them, Why are you timid and afraid, O you of little faith? Then He (Jesus) got up and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great and wonderful calm (a perfect peaceableness).

Speak God's Word!

   I will speak to you My child, I will speak to you; but you must learn to speak to Me. You must learn to speak My words back to Me. My words in your mouth have creative power to change the Earth. We work hand in hand with My words, believed in your heart, spoken from your spirit, declared out loud! 

   Proverbs 4:20-22: My son, pay attention to what I say; listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.