Rob Parker's Blog

“Keep on loving each other as brothers and sisters. Don’t forget to show hospitality to strangers, for some who have done this have entertained angels without realizing it! Remember those in prison, as if you were there yourself. Remember also those being mistreated, as if you felt their pain in your own bodies.”

As we conclude the book of Hebrews today there is one final thought we want to pull from it.  Throughout the whole  book the focus of Hebrews is teaching about who exactly Jesus Christ is and what it means to walk by faith.  It is in the later chapters the author defines faith and then gives examples of how others had trusted and followed God.

We have read that application of faith is of the utmost importance.  So we conclude our reading of Hebrews by looking at ways in which we can live out our faith today.  We do this in reaching out and loving our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ.  As you go to community (small) group be deliberate in your conversations with one another.  Make an extra effort to listen to the persons you are speaking to.  Also, reach out to complete strangers.  Open the door for a person, help someone to their car, by the person in front of you a cup of coffee.  Who knows you may be ministering to an angel?  Lastly, think of someone you know who is down on their luck.  Give them a call, drop them an email or maybe do something special for them.

Our faith is not just based on our beliefs, it is reflected in how we live.  May we be people who are daily learning to walk as Jesus walked and love as Jesus loved.

For the past three weeks we have been having an event “God in the Bar.”  The purpose of the event is to allow the community of Mahwah to have a safe environment where questions of faith could be discussed.  Our approach is to have a conversation about faith rather then having an apologetic seminar.

Why the bar?  This is a great question especially when I have had a struggle with alcohol and second it is not the place you would find an “Evangelical Church.”  The truth is it is the location we would find Jesus.  So often we read of the bold steps Jesus would take to reach people.  For some reason Jesus would push the envelope more and more with the hope he would rescue a hurting person.  Jesus would go where the tax collectors are, go to the pool where those who were considered broken would be, he would even rescue people whose sins were what we would consider the worst of the worst.  The sad thing is we read about Jesus but do we act like Jesus?

Over the past few years I have wrestled with, “Do I act like Jesus?”  Yes, I love broken people. Yes I open my home to those in need.  Yes I am quick to give money and my time.  But do I step out and do that which is uncomfortable and maybe has the possiblility of being shunned by the church and rejected by the world?  This is my tension where I have been living and now I realize if we do not go to the places where hurting people actually hang out then I am missing the mark of what Jesus has asked me to be, His hands and feet.

When you hear of such an event that involves Guiness and conversations about Christ it either seems like a scam or a very overconfident pastor.  I have to be very honest, even as I type this I am shaking inside.  Why?  I am frightened by the fact that no one may want to hear. I am anxious by the fact that the church may look down at me. I am scared at the fact that this is not my norm.  Most importantly I am humbled by the fact  that Jesus would invite me to begin to live like Him.

So today pray for our team as we share a meal, a drink and the love of Jesus with anyone who shows up.

For so many, Christianity is looked at as self rightous, narrow-minded and seperatist.  I find that very hard to believe when you read the words of Jesus.  Just look at Mark Chapter 10.  It is in this chapter that there are so many different situations and each situation Jesus handles the situation at hand in reference to the heart of that person.

It was the teachers of the Law that wanted to pin Jesus down and have him answer in a way to trap him.  The disciples and others wanted to keep the children and lame away from Jesus not to bother him but he welcomed them.  Matter a fact he was bothered by how the children were pushed aside.  What about the rich man, he wanted to be that person who did all the right things and Jesus confronted the treasure he valued most.  And what about the two who wanted to be great, Jesus said, greatness is symbolized by being a servant rather then a king.

There is a lesson about the Christian faith and how we deal with people.  First, Jesus dealt with the heart of the person.  He was more concerned with the deception that had taken hold rather then the perfect person.  God wants to deal with our hearts.  Secondly, Jesus dealt with each person differently.  He never swayed from who he was or what he stood for.  Rather he was sensitive to the person in front of him and dealt with the situation by dealing with the individual.

Today, we will all interact with many people.  Be like Jesus and look past the surface and ask God to help you speak to the heart of the person before you.

The Book of Mark starts off in a high power fashion.  We first read about John the Baptist.  Then about Jesus being baptized and going on a forty day fast.  After the fast miracles begin to happen and people are in awe at the teaching of Jesus.  They said, “he taught with authority.”  As I read Mark I am constantly encouraged by the works of Jesus and his desire to bring restoration to peoples lives.

In the midst of this excitement there is a small section in this first chapter that makes me sit back and ponder, “Before daybreak the next morning, Jesus got up and went out to an isolated place to pray.”  In the hype of all that was going on there was a main priority in the life of Jesus and that was seeking the Father’s will.  Everything Jesus did came through the guidance of God the Father.  This was the discipline of his everyday life.

How do we know this?  When the disciples found Jesus he told them they were to go to the next place.  The next place?! But what about the crowds?  To Jesus it wasn’t about the recognition it was about obedience to do the will of his Father.

As you go throughout this day choose tomorrow to rise early and begin to seek God’s guidance.  Learn to trust God as Jesus trusted Him on an everyday basis.  He already has plans for your life, so choose to walk in the perfect plan of God.

Jeremiah 29:11-13

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. In those days when you pray, I will listen. If you look for me wholeheartedly, you will find me. I will be found by you,” says the LORD. “I will end your captivity and restore your fortunes. I will gather you out of the nations where I sent you and will bring you home again to your own land.”

Everyone knows the story of Daniel and the lions den.  As a child it is one of the all time greats, especially when the Sunday School class acted it out during the lesson.  The truth is there are so many lessons we can learn from this one incident.  But today I want to share just one.

As we have looked at the life of Daniel we have seen that throughout his abduction he has seen many leaders come and go.  In every changing of the guard God had used Daniel to be a voice of wisdom for each of the kings.  God had given Daniel favor with those in the highest position.  Why?

As you read the book of Daniel and come to what seemed to be a defining moment we learn something very simple, Daniel never seemed to be shaken by those who opposed him.  There were countless times when the enchanters, magistates, administrators and others were jealous of Daniel and tried to get him destracted by fear.  Threats were made to him and decrees were put in place thinking they would cause Daniel to shrink back from worshipping the God of Heaven.  Did this shake Daniel?

How often do we allow others to strike fear into our hearts?  The answer is too often.  Daniel lived faithfully in relationship with God.  One thing Daniel did was when the heat in the fire of persecussion was turned up, he saught God even more.  In every situation God had rescued Daniel.  Every time Daniel was a testimony to the power of God.

Do you want to experience the power of God in your life? Do you have a desire for others to witness the power of God? SImply do this, DO NOT BE SHAKEN!  Allow the circumstances of your life to draw you closer to God knowing whether you are thrown into a fiery furnace or into a den of lions God is your rescuer.  Who knows, maybe someone is watching and waiting to praise God because of His power being displayed in YOU?