the earth will mourn

Matt14 kills me because it shows such a human side to Jesus. People see Matt14 for the miracle of the loaves and the fishes and the thousands of fed mouths. But people don't see the other miracle here: the miracle of God incarnate in human form -- so human, He mourns for the loss of His cousin.

His first reaction to the news is to try to isolate Himself and to get some time alone to grieve. He doesn't get that chance immediately because there's a horde of people following Him -- not too different than say the widow of someone famous trying to grieve privately, but crushed by public expectation. This is when the divine side of Him comes forth. Instead of focusing on His own very real needs, He takes the time to serve the thousands. Then afterwards, He sends His disciples off and finally gets the chance to be alone.

There are other lessons here, I think, about the proper response to the death of a loved one, but let's just stop at the miracle of divinity made humanity.

went to his home

Short analogy while I have it in my head. Me: tired, not well, want to go home. Him: my strength, the healing, home. The appeal to Heaven to me is not the idea of a place where only good things happen, and all your dreams are fulfilled. The appeal of Heaven is not a sparkling white city with streets of gold and all wear robes of silver and crowns of grandeur.

The appeal of Heaven is finally, finally belonging. And knowing you are home.

to be swept away with the flood

Matt12 overwhelmed me this morning. What to focus on, what to focus on. I'll give you a listing of the potential posts for today -- which as in the past, I may follow up on, well, whenever. The ones:
* Desiring of compassion not sacrifice hearkens to OT (I think) with Him desiring a repentant heart. Had a thought about this last night relating to the whole hand-raising thing for a later time. But in short, not talent, but a worshipful heart.
* He won't contradict the law. Doing good not equal to work is what He is saying. If you are being your natural state, it is not work, ergo...
* Sinning against Holy Spirit/unforgiveable sin. Still can't resolve.

Stopping here. Overwhelemed.

that is the one for whom i shall

Changing tunes, are we? Not sure. Thinking all along this was for me. But lately, thinking some of this benefits us all, really. At the same time, there's the whole this-is-mine-don't-steal-ideas-from-me mentality. But then there's the whole when-I'm-preaching-everyone-will-hear-anyway piece.

When I'm preaching? Hold your horses, crazy. Too much to figure out in there to bring it out here.

First, figure out who this is for. Maybe not mutually exclusive, but maybe so.

is a difficult statement

People think it's easy being a follower: simple, blind faith in things unprovable. They have no idea the level of courage required of all who believe. These days, you're mocked for holding morals; mocked for not believing in the foolishness of pseudoscience; mocked for clinging to inspired teachings.

Matt10 tells us that He doesn't think today any different than then. Not much of a motivational speaker, He tells his followers (then):
* Evangelism won't be your calling due to the high pay
* You're sheep in the midst of predators
* They will scourge you
* Family will betray you (and you family)
* You will be hated
* They will persecute you
* Boy will they malign you
* Killing? Yeah, your body

Trust me -- there's no courage required to mock, or take the broad road. Narrow's the tough ticket.

his personal presence

Breakfast with Jesus? Breakfast with God? Simply Breakfast with Him? My wife suggests Breakfast with the Savior. Whatever the case, a work focused on bringing people/churches to the presence.

Based on a previous post of Peter, focused on the whole redemption from the crowing incident, the jumping into the water, the privacy and intimacy of the beach. Chapter for an intro. Chapter for the background of the redemption. Chapter on the actual redemption conversation. Chapter on the idea of jumping by instinct, braving the cold. Chapter on beating the other fishermen (maybe same chapter). Chapter on the reward on the beach. Chapter closing with Peter in Acts.

Publishers, start your engines.

when the true worshipers will worship

Posted prior: no excuses; you need to draw near and lift them up and be there. Here’s the outline for that:

Intro:
- Remember AL Wild Card vs Yanks? Griffey and Edgar?
- Remember Seahawks comeback against KC in KC, Derrick with six, Skansi from Krieg, 17-16?
- Remember Jordan v Utah, wrist bent, retire with the ring?
Hands raised? To celebrate what? Something meaningless.
But not to God in song?

I. Why the need
A. Because distinct diff twixt in Him/with Him and in His presence (Mary & Martha)
B. Closer you are to Him, the more you will feel and draw from His power – you can do nothing away (hem healing)
C. For your own good, for your own pleasure (hem and M&M)

II. How (Rev?)
A. Eyes closed
- Remove fear of others watching
- Remove vision of others modeling
B. Thoughts clear (and many times A will help with that)
- Just you and Him (remind self)
- Enter in holy of holies
C. Hands raised (doesn’t matter how)
- Start slow (palms up)
- Head to shoulder height
- When there, all up to heaven

III. Application
A. If believer, draw nearer, nearer, nearer Lord to thee
B. If not a believer, you are missing a thrill greater than any playoff chase, any last-minute comeback, any search for a championship. You are in fact missing the whole game. Ask Jesus to draw you close, closer Lord to thee.

Idea of 1-yr itinerant. Will need 52, you know. We’ve got two down, at least in form. Scraps of maybe half-a-dozen else. Let’s keep it up.

enter a second time

You have to know that one of the greatest things about Him is that He doesn’t give up on you, ever. Even when you feel like you can’t do it, or don’t know how to do it, or don’t want to do it. Even if you think that it doesn’t matter, or isn’t in you, or it’s just too early, or there’ll be another chance. He says I can, I know, I want you to. He says it matters to me, I’m in you, it’s not too early. He is the great Second Chance.

Reminder: you really can’t do anything. Never have been able to.

Lean.

observe how great this

Have to get this, because it's amazing for all the right reasons.

The splendor of the King, clothed in majesty,
Let all the earth rejoice, all the earth rejoice.
He wraps Himself in light, and darkness tries to hide
And trembles at His voice, trembles at His voice.

How great is our God, sing with me,
How great is our God, all will see
How great, how great is our God.

Age to age He stands, and time is in His hands,
Beginning and the end, beginning and the end.
The Godhead, three in one: Father, Spirit, Son,
The Lion and the Lamb, the Lion and the Lamb.

How great is our God, sing with me,
How great is our God, all will see
How great, how great is our God.

Name above all names,
Worthy of all praise,
My heart will sing
How great is our God.

11.35, deux

Just clearing my desk and came upon my outline of an earlier idea. Let me rid myself of the scrap by immortalizing the outline here.

Intro:
- One of my favorites
- One of most famous
- One of most powerful
- One of most telling about character of God
- Known by toddlers and adults
- Answer to trivia question

Preface:
First, dispel myth of weakness in weeping (i.e. Big girls don't cry, men don't cry, "cry like a baby")
Who wept?
- Joseph (CEO of Egypt)
- Job (friend of God)
- Peter (rock of church)
- Jesus Himself
- Commandment in Romans

I. Says of God
A. Sympathy for mankind (why we weep for others)
B. Feels sorrow (for Lazarus)
C. Regret (for fate of mankind upon death -- separation)
Note: wept twice -- also in Luke over Jerus

II. Says of Us
A. Friend of God
B. Beloved of God
C. Worth it to God

III. How to react
A. If believer in sin, turn from sin -- that death not you anymore
B. If believer in dumps, know you are beloved (be loved), weptover
C. If not believer, what are you waiting for?
- Why you weeping (angels, Jesus)
- In Heaven no tears
- Weep with joy