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    • Jesus…our example

      Posted at 5:45 am by sneuhofer, on November 7, 2018

      John 13:14 – 17 (NCV) “If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash each other’s feet. I did this as an example so that you should do as I have done for you. I tell you the truth, a servant is not greater than his master. A messenger is not greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.”

      Today’s reading: John 13: 1- 17

      Jesus is our example to follow. He gave up the perfection of heaven to come to an imperfect world and show us the way to live, love, and serve. The biggest example of serving others is displayed in the verses of John 13:3-17. As we read, we see Jesus and his disciples gathered around the table for the evening meal. Jesus was fully aware of the circumstances he would face. In fact, the things he would walk through wouldn’t be easy…but in a few short hours, he would be back with the Father in heaven. Knowing this, he still continued to teach – there was still an example to set and a lesson to be taught.

      John 13:4 (NIV) “so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist.”

      Have you ever wondered what the disciples may have been thinking when they saw Jesus with a towel wrapped around his waist reaching for the empty bowl? Sometimes I wonder if they even questioned why he had gotten up from the table.

      Jesus reached for a pitcher of water and filled the bowl then began to take on the job of the lowest servant in the house…foot washer. Whoa… can you imagine what is going through their minds? Peter’s boldness breaks through the silence “You will never wash my feet—ever!” I love Peter’s zeal! Jesus replied, “Peter, you don’t understand what I am doing now, but you will later.” (v.7)

      Jesus is right Peter doesn’t get it. “No Lord you will never wash my feet.” He must have been confused about what he saw. Why would Jesus take on the job of a servant?

      “Peter, if I don’t wash your feet you’re not one of my people.” There is an immediate change in Peter. Can you just imagine him standing there with his arms open wide “Wash all of me, Lord!” The disciples didn’t yet understand what was happening but they would soon find out. Jesus responded “After a person has had a bath, his whole body is clean. He needs only to wash his feet.” (v.10)

      That night, before he ever washed the first foot, Jesus knew one of the twelve would betray him and one would deny him before morning, yet he still washed all of their feet. He cleansed their sin. He forgave them. By morning, Judas would hand Jesus over for thirty pieces of silver and Peter would reject him three times.

      It is so important to remember the fact that all twelve of his disciples were present in the upper room that night. Have you ever let that little detail sink in? Perhaps you feel as if you’ve done something so horrible, so detestable, that Jesus will never forgive you or even love you. Think again. Knowing his disciples and what they were about to do, Jesus still humbled himself and served every one of them.

      This display of service in the upper room should be a huge example for us, as Christians. Jesus died for all of us – not just the lovable. He died for the broken, the angry, the thief,  the poor, the peculiar, the adulterer, the liar, the murderer…and yes, even the most difficult to love. Take some time to search within yourself. Are there people you don’t want to be around because you feel you are better than they are? What about when it comes to acts of service? Are there people you won’t help because you feel like they are capable of helping themselves?

      Remember… Jesus served all and he wants us to follow that example. “For I have given you an example that you also should do just as I have done for you.” John 13:17 (HCSB)

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      Posted in becoming like Christ, christian living, Serving | 0 Comments
    • True or False: Your thoughts run your life?

      Posted at 7:00 am by sneuhofer, on November 5, 2018

      TRUE! To find out why…read on…

      Psalm 19:14 (NKJV) Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.

      This verse takes me back to Sunday mornings sitting on a church pew next to my parents. I can still hear those words just as clearly now as I did some 40 years ago. You see, I grew up in church and my family spent most of the day Sunday and Wednesday evenings at church services or serving in some capacity. I can remember hearing the Pastor pray these words all the time just before he began his sermon. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realized they had come from Psalm 19.

      This morning as I re-read these words I had to ask myself a few questions:
      • Are the words of my mouth acceptable/pleasing to God?
      • Does the contents of my heart show evidence that I am a Christ-follower?

      In the gospel of Luke (6:45) we are reminded that “the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

      So what is my heart full of? I would like to think that my words and actions are a reflection of God’s love to those around me 100% of the time…but that wouldn’t be true. The truth is, sometimes the words that come rolling out of my mouth are harsh and come from a pretty angry heart. I am so thankful for God’s mercy and grace. He is so patient with me.

      This week, I challenge you to pray this verse each morning as a prayer of surrender. Humbly surrender your words and thoughts to Him. Determine that God’s love will guide what you say and how you say it.

      Related scripture: Proverbs 4:23, Psalm 139:23 – 24

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      Posted in guard your heart, impact of our words | 1 Comment
    • Work hard your whole life and what do you get?

      Posted at 7:00 am by sneuhofer, on November 1, 2018

      As the Scriptures say, “No one is righteous— not even one. (‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭10‬ NLT)

      We are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true for everyone who believes, no matter who we are. (‭Romans‬ ‭3‬:‭10, 22‬ NLT)

      According to the verses above, scripture is clear…we have all sinned. There is no one who walks the face of this earth that is without sin. Not one. I think it’s interesting in both of these verses Paul refers the reader back to the Old Testament scripture. The verse he refers to here is Psalm 14:3 in which the psalmist tells us “there is no one who does good…not one.”

      There is nothing we can do to be good enough. We cannot follow the law good enough, or serve others good enough, or live a good and moral life that will ever be good enough to make us right with God. The only way this can happen Paul says in v.23 is through placing our faith in Jesus. Believing and trusting that the work he did on Calvary is good enough to cleanse us from every sin…past, present, and future.

      I’m sure you have heard someone say “Well, I haven’t killed anyone, I obey traffic signals, and I don’t cheat on my spouse…I live a good and moral life.” While that may be true, if they haven’t accepted Christ and put their trust in him, they are still considered unrighteous…not right with God.

      God wants to be in relationship with us…we’ve seen this truth from the very beginning of time when Adam and Eve walked and talked with Him in the Garden of Eden. Yet in one moment of doubt, they gave up the paradise God made for them and believed the lie of the enemy. In that instant, their eyes were open to this sin-stained world and they were cast into the midst of it as a direct result of their disobedience.

      God never intended for us to face eternity without Him. He loves us and wants to give us life! He’s not some cosmic kill-joy who wants to rule over us. If He did…He wouldn’t have given us free-will (the ability to choose.) But with choice comes consequence. The consequence of sin…death. I like the way the Message paraphrases Romans 6:22 – 23:

      ” But now that you’ve found you don’t have to listen to sin tell you what to do, and have discovered the delight of listening to God telling you, what a surprise! A whole, healed, put-together life right now, with more and more of life on the way! Work hard for sin your whole life and your pension is death. But God’s gift is real life, eternal life, delivered by Jesus, our Master.”

      Romans 6:23 echoes what Jesus said in the Gospel of John (John 10:10 – NCV) “…I came to give life-life in all its fullness.”

      The word of God is clear…the wages or penalty of sin is death. Throughout the entire chapter of Romans 3, Paul urges us to understand that Jesus is the only way to become right with God. It is only by His blood are we are washed clean and considered good enough to enter God’s perfect heaven.

      So what is your relationship with Jesus like? Have you asked Him to come into your heart and forgive you for your sin? Are you reading your Bible and discovering who Jesus is and how to trust Him with the details of your life?

      Father, on this 1st day of November, help us to set aside some time, this month, to reflect and be thankful for all that you have done for us. First and foremost, thank you for sending your son Jesus to die for my sin. I am so thankful that you love us (me) so much that you provided a way (through Jesus) for us to spend eternity with you. I also thank you that you will not stop pursuing us – you will never, ever give up on us!

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      Posted in abundant life, consequences of sin, eternal life | 0 Comments
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