Do You Love Me? Part 1

A scene saturated with miracles brings us to one final question from Jesus at the end of the Gospel of John. But before we go there, allow me to share my personal journey with Biblical questions.

When we lived in Budapest and as our three children grew from childhood to adolescence and into young adulthood, they asked penetrating questions; and they expected authentic answers. This dynamic revealed a deep need for my own growth.

On my knees, in raw honesty before God, I prayed, “Lord, I cannot lead them where I have not walked. With every fiber of my being, I long to be authentic before them and be obedient to You. I ache for real answers to real questions—not just for my teenagers—but also for myself.”

In this pilgrim’s pursuit, God took me to His Word and the passage in Mark 12:28-30, not for the question, but rather, for His answer to the question.

“One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked Him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

“The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’”

And years later, I make my home in His response. If Jesus called this commandment “The Most Important”, then it needs to be the North Star for my life.

Engaging with that question-and-answer dialog led to an insatiable desire to become a student of the questions we discover in Scripture. Not surprisingly, my quest stirs within me a keen interest in the topic: The Questions of Jesus.

So, this summer, will you please join me on the shores of Lake Galilee for a breakfast conversation between Jesus and Peter. (John 21:1-24)?

In Parts 2 and 3 we will consider: Divine Realities, Divine Intervention, Divine Invitation, Divine Conversation, Divine Instruction, and Divine Destiny. May our time together please our Saviour and feed your soul. This content originated in Bob Tiede’s recent book, 340 Questions Jesus Asked, where it was my privilege to contribute Chapter 6.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ

whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

When is the last time you enjoyed time with the Lord in an outdoor setting? Consider the opportunity summer affords for you to enjoy Jesus in the beauty of His creation.

Note: Living with Eternal Intentionality® will appear once a month for June, July and August. In the fall we will resume our regular schedule.

Stand Firm. Resist the Devil.

Guest Post by Judy Douglass

We have a powerful, sinister enemy who hates us and has a terrible plan for our lives. Because he is unseen, we tend to forget or ignore him. But we are warned and admonished in Scripture to be on the alert. We have seen that he is clever, looking for just the right moment, masquerading as good when, in fact, he is abominable.

How do you resist the devil? Here are some simple but practical ways you can stand up to the demonic bully.

PRAISE GOD

The evil one does not like hearing our God lifted up, glorified, praised. So we do just that, for Scripture tells us: “But You are holy, enthroned in the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3) God’s glory and greatness are revealed as we praise Him. Praise Him in these simple ways daily or when you feel under attack:

Name His names, attributes, and qualities.

Read aloud from the Psalms that especially praise our Lord, such as Psalms 95-100.

Sing praise songs.

THANK GOD—IN ALL THINGS

Giving thanks in all things is probably the most life-changing way-of-life practice I have learned. When Satan confronts or attacks, giving thanks rescues me over and over. When I give thanks to God, especially in difficult, challenging, or painful situations, several things happen:

Almost immediately my perspective begins to change from negative to more positive.

I affirm to God that I trust Him to be who He is—God and good. I say it aloud so listening minions of the evil one hear that as well.

Often saying “Thank You, Lord” is like handing God a key to open a door to show me what He is doing.

WALK IN THE SPIRIT

This is the ultimate means of resisting the devil: Make sure that I am consistently living in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Think about it: The Spirit of God comes to live in us as we put our faith in Jesus and His sacrifice for us. He offers us so many realities: comfort, counsel, encouragement, wisdom, reminders, help, truth, peace, presence, and power. Whatever your need—every day and every moment, even as you are harassed by the evil one—is available to you as you let the Spirit fill you and guide you and empower you.

So when our enemy comes at our weakest moment, or approaches us with subtle variations of counterfeits, we can resist. God gives us praise, thanksgiving, armor, truth, and a Holy Spirit so we can stand firm and resist the devil.

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ

whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

In resisting the devil, which of these practices resonates the most with you?

Please share your best idea for standing strong in spiritual battle.

Meet Judy Douglass Judy loves Jesus, her family, Texas, Mexican food — and quite a few other things. She is an author, blogger, podcaster and fire-starter. Of herself she says, “I want to think beyond the obvious and ordinary. I want to believe that God wants to do more in me and through me than I can ask or imagine. I want to be filled with God’s passion and compassion for the lost, the hurting, the needy, the rebellious. I want my life to make a difference for others — now and for eternity.” Listen to Judy’s podcast When You Love a Prodigal Read her book When You Love a Prodigal Sign up for her blog Kindling

Lesson From a Navy Seal

In this season of graduation addresses a lesson from Naval Admiral Bill McRaven, ninth commander of U.S. Special Operations Command stands out. On May 17, 2014, he delivered to the nearly 8,000 graduates at the University of Texas the 10 lessons he learned during his SEAL training. His very first lesson was:

 “If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.”

“Every morning in basic SEAL training, my instructors, who at the time were all Vietnam veterans, would show up in my barracks room and the first thing they would inspect was your bed.
It was a simple task — mundane at best. But every morning we were required to make our bed to perfection. It seemed a little ridiculous at the time, particularly in light of the fact that we were aspiring to be real warriors, tough battle-hardened SEALs, but the wisdom of this simple act has been proven to me many times over.
If you make your bed every morning you will have accomplished the first task of the day. It will give you a small sense of pride, and it will encourage you to do another task and another and another. By the end of the day, that one task completed will have turned into many tasks completed. Making your bed will also reinforce the fact that little things in life matter. If you can't do the little things right, you will never do the big things right.
And, if by chance you have a miserable day, you will come home to a bed that is made — that you made — and a made bed gives you encouragement that tomorrow will be better.
If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed."

The Admiral’s advice will serve us well. I am not a SEAL; I am not a student. But you and I still face fierce challenges on a daily basis.

Here’s why I think it matters.

•    You are not in the bed.
To make a bed means that you and I are not in the bed. Instead, we are up, we are moving; we are not wallowing under the covers. We have at least made an initial attempt to face the day. 

A Dallas Theological Seminary professor said, “If you are depressed, make your bed.” When I first heard that decades ago, I mulched the thought over and over in my mind wondering if I agreed. In the end, I concluded that it makes quite good sense. To make a bed is to make an attempt to live life.

•    You at least have a bed.
Seeing in Brazil the hordes of humanity hovered under pieces of plastic they call “home” has given me a new appreciation for having a bed. In the course of making the bed you and I have the opportunity to give thanks that we are not homeless and sleeping on the street or under a bridge or under a piece of plastic. A bed is a blessing. 

•    You actually possess the ability to make the bed. 
The physical ability to make our bed is a gift. This seemingly mundane chore transforms into a privilege when we realize that millions would give anything to be able to do what we are doing—walking, tugging, tossing, bending—all the motions easily taken for granted to those of us with healthy bodies.

So, in the morning, yawn, stretch, and yes, make your bed. Truth be told, it matters.

Adm. McRaven’s full address:
Adm. McRaven Urges Graduates to Find Courage to Change the World

Living With Eternal Intentionality®

“And this is eternal life, that they may know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ

whom You have sent” (John 17:3).

What are your thoughts regarding this first lesson in a series of ten?

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ” (Colossians 3:23-24).