Meaningless Requests

Scripture: Mark 10:35-40
Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask. “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory. “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with? “We can,” they answered. Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with, but to sit at my right or left is not for me to grant. These places belong to those for whom they have been prepared.”

Did you ever ask a question in class thinking that you have the best question only to realize that you asked a stupid question and everyone in your class or team is looking at you while laughing? I definitely know this can be so embarrassing and you may not like it at all and may look for a place to hide your face to keep you from the embarrassment.
James and John, the sons of Zebedee, realized that Jesus was almost being put to death and that he was not going to be with them longer. They quickly think of a deal to be promoted and be allowed to sit on the sides of Jesus. Jesus looks at them and tells them that they did not know what they were asking for and they didn't know the trials that would come.
Many, at times, will pray prayers that are contrary to the will of God. We may want things to be done our way not knowing that God has them planned in a different format. We grieve God when we insist that we know it better and we make His Helper be of no value to us. In many such instances we fail terribly and think God has not answered. Actually, God’s answer can be NO and we have to accept that He still has the best answer for us. James and John walked with Jesus but still their request was not in line with God’s plan for them. It is possible that we as believers sometimes may ask what we ought not to have asked so we must be ready at all costs to let only His will be done as Jesus did in the Gethsemane encounter. Equally, when we walk to Him our focus should be His Kingdom and not our desires.
Romans 8:26-27 – "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searched the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God." John 16:13-14 – "However when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come. He will glorify me for He will take what is mine and declare it to you."

Eliazar Wambo

Director Bethesda Faith Ministries

Pastor Makira Baptist Church, Mfangano Island, Kenya

Give Me a Drink

Scripture reading: John 4:1-26

Focus verse: John 4:7,9-10

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?”

The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans. )

Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”

Imagine walking along the road and meeting with the president of your nation, whether the president of the United States or Kenya president. He looks at your hand and sees you taking some bites of crisps or French fries and he tells you, "give me a bite". How would you respond to such a request from the most powerful person in your land? What about if he goes further and asks if you may allow him to take a selfie with you? Would you deny him? What if he asks if you would be willing to take him to your home so that he may stay with you even for a night? So that you can tell him some of your needs and challenges, how would you feel? Yes, I can guess how you feel about this! For some, this can be an opportunity for lives to turn around, a fortune that has fallen on them.

Jesus met a woman by the well of Jacob. He asked the lady for a drink since He was thirsty and needed a drink. The woman quickly began to explain reasons why she couldn't give a drink to Jesus. Jesus challenged her about who was asking her for a drink. Jesus didn't get tired of her but kept their conversation alive. Jesus later made this lady know who He was by revealing to her more about how she had lived her life and how she had wandered in adultery. She then realized that the guest she was speaking to was a great Prophet. She finally gave her life to Jesus and became a good ambassador of God's kingdom.

Today, Jesus is asking for something from us. For some people, He wants them to open their hearts and accept Him as Lord and Saviour, while to some of us He is asking of our service to Him. He wants us to dedicate more of our time to him and have that personal and uninterrupted time with him. To some he is asking for our resources while to others he wants us to devote our gifts and talents for his services. Jesus needs people who can take the gospel of love to the less fortunate. The question is, what will you do with Jesus's request? We must put excuses aside and serve him. If you can't put off your president's request then you must not put off Jesus' request.

By Pastor Eliazar Wambo

Director Bethesda Faith Ministries 

Constantly Giving

Scripture Reading: Acts 4:32-37

Focus verse: "But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. And he declared to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that He had spoken to him, and how he had preached boldly at Damascus in the name of Jesus."
Acts 9:27

The original word for "encouragement" in the New Testament -- as when Barnabas is referred to as the "Son of Encouragement" (Acts 4:36) -- is from the same root as the word paraklete -- the Word used to describe the Holy Spirit (John 14:16, 26). Both words come from a root that means to be called alongside -- as an encourager like Barnabas or as a divine Comforter like the Holy Spirit.

An encourager is a person who dispenses courage to those who are weak or fearful. And in Barnabas' case, his generosity with courage should come as no surprise since he was also generous in other ways. For instance, he sold a piece of personal property and donated the money to help care for the needy in the early church in Jerusalem (Acts 4:36-37). And he generously introduced the new apostle, Paul, to the other apostles and leaders of the church in Jerusalem (Acts 9:27).

People who are generous are constantly giving things away: courage, money, introductions -- whatever is needed. Look around today and see what you have in abundance that others might be lacking.

Seeking empties a life while giving fills it.
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Devotion written by Dr. David Jeremiah

God Has the Last Move

Scripture Reading: Exodus 14: 15-31

Focus Verse: Exodus 14:29 “The people of Israel had walked through the middle of the sea on dry ground, as the waters stood up like a wall on both sides.”

This past week I heard a story about a famous painting.  The painting is called “checkmate”.  It’s a picture of the devil playing a game of chess with a young man.  The devil is pictured as looking very confident in himself, and the young man is looking very discouraged.  The devil has called “checkmate” meaning that the young man’s king will be captured on the next move and the young man will loose the game.  This is why he is feeling defeated.

The world’s greatest chess player was looking at this painting in a museum one day.  He was looking very carefully at how the pieces were placed on the board.  And he discovered that the young man has one move left, with the KING, and he could actually win the game and beat the devil. 

Have you ever felt like this young man in the painting?  You felt like the devil has defeated you?  The children of Israel felt like this.  They were up against the Red Sea.  They were trapped and had no way out and were going to be killed by Pharaoh’s army.  God had a plan and moved to make a way for them!  

God will always have the last move.  God will not be defeated by the devil.  The children of Israel walked through the Red Sea on dry ground.  And God will always have the last move in your life as well.  You may feel defeated and discouraged but God has the last move in your life.  God will make a way, when there seems to be no way!

Bobby Johnson

Interlocking Ministries

 

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An Uncertain Present

An Uncertain Present Doesn't Mean an Uncertain Future

by Shana Schutte

“He is still working things out, even when it looks like He isn’t.”

Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – June 26, 2022

For the word of the Lord is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. Psalm 33:4

This week, I talked with a friend who recently moved to a new city with her husband and kids.  In the in-between adjustment of where she used to live—surrounded by close friendships that had been nurtured for years in a tight-knit community— and the not-yet of the future, my friend has felt a little discouraged. 

Will God provide new, close relationships?

Will He prove faithful to show His love through community like He did before? 

When will this loneliness disappear? 

During times when we don’t know how God’s plan will unfold and how His faithfulness will ultimately be revealed, it’s easy to fall into discouragement if we don’t see that He is bringing good into our lives right away.

Jeremiah 29:11 is a bolstering hope during these times. “I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope.”

As we look at this scripture, we must remember that this promise was given to Israel, not to one person.  However, the context of God’s words in Jeremiah can help us see how He dealt with His chosen people, and therefore, can encourage us about His faithfulness toward us when we don’t know what lies ahead. 

To begin, when God spoke this promise to Israel it was given just before he sent them into captivity in Babylon. That doesn’t sound encouraging, but it’s a reminder that even when we are experiencing discomfort now and the hope of the future seems uncertain, the Lord already has a good plan in mind for us and He has already gone before us to make a way for future redemption. Just because things aren’t happening the way we want them to now, doesn’t mean God has abandoned us, left us, or that He doesn’t love us. He is fully in control. It doesn’t mean He isn’t at work. An uncertain present doesn’t mean an uncertain future. It simply means that He is still working things out on our behalf and for His glory, even when it looks like He isn’t. 

It is helpful for the human soul and for our own encouragement when we see that God’s goodness is not limited by even the greatest trials.  He will prove faithful to His children. 

“He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)

Prayer

Lord, I will not allow the discouragement of the moment to ruin my hope for tomorrow. I know you are at work. I know you love me, and I know you will do what is best for me. I trust you. Amen.

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Application

What do you need to trust God with today?

 

Resource: https://www.wisdomhunters.com/an-uncertain-present-doesnt-mean-an-uncertain-future/