Early in the morning, Jesus was walking along the edge of the lake. He saw two brothers and called them to follow him. Jesus chose His disciples deliberately. Jesus never picked any Pharisees or scribes.  No one learned or trained: instead, he chose fishermen, tax men and labourers.  Not because He disliked education but because He needed people who were teachable, not self-confident and who could be an example of the gospel’s power to change lives and empower ordinary people. Paul said the greatest witness to lost people was not the great things Paul had done or had learned, but as the chief of sinners, God had still called him and showed him mercy.  “That in me first, Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him, for everlasting life” ( 1 Tim 1:15-16).

Sometimes, we think we need to tell the world how together and strong we have become since believing. We may boast of our victorious life, instead of admitting our human struggles and boast of the miraculous help of God.  But we can tell it like it is. God isn’t frightened by our weakness, for it is His best opportunity to display His treasure. “We have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us” (2 Cor 4:7). God doesn’t gain greatness by making us less. Rather, He is magnified through making us stronger. God never plans to make you independent, but He does plan for His excellent power to be revealed in you. Jesus always knocks. He will bring Himself and His treasure into every part of our life that we invite Him.

Friends, we can tell it like it is: It is all of Him in all of you that makes you strong!

The final words of Jesus from the Cross declare the mission He was to accomplish, for your sake and mine.

  Luk 23:34  Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." And they divided His garments and cast lots.  He forgave those that crucified him, then took away His garments. When we receive His forgiveness, we walk away in His royal garment of righteousness.

 Mar 15:34  And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice..,"my God, my God, why have you forsaken me?  When He became sin for us, His fellowship with His Father was interrupted so we could find complete acceptance with our Heavenly Father.

 Joh 19:28  After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, "I thirst!"  The Cross was a triumph and because He perfectly fulfilled the Messianic promises, every promise God ever made to man, is freely ours, that we may never thirst again.

 Luk 23:46  And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I commit my spirit.' Jesus had committed His body to love people and finally provide the blood atonement for us. He then offers His spirit to continue the Father's mission in His journey to heaven via hell, so that our victory over Satan is complete.

 Joh 19:30  So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. Everything required to set mankind free from despair, death, disease and the devil was finished in order to usher in life and a new beginning for all those that believe and receive His Spirit.

 Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God. The Son of God became as sin for us, so sinners could become the sons of God.

It was a surprise to all. Nobody knew she had the jar with her. If anyone had noticed, they would never have guessed what she was going to do.   Most never even noticed the girl until she broke the alabaster box.  But then everybody knew.  The whole house was filled with the fragrance, and everybody knew what had been inside the box; it could not be hidden. That is the power of the broken vessel! And we have all seen it happen.

Some people share, and they are polished, clear and contained. We are impressed by their gift, but we know little of their life. But others admit to being nervous; they tell a story of pain and share their struggles.  Somehow, their honesty opens everyone’s hearts. We may not remember their polished gift, but we’ll never forget the feeling of awe as the grace and fragrance of Jesus filled the room.  It happens every time someone steps out and takes a risk for Christ.  Maybe an initial attempt at prophesying or a song. Perhaps it was going over to pray for a new neighbour, or stopping to help someone in trouble when you’re busy. It's breaking your vessel and releasing the fragrance.  And they notice!

Paul said it like this, “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us. We are ..  always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.   2Co 4:7 -10.   Paraphrased:  " The powerful life of Jesus within me will affect and bless lives if I choose to let my vessel be broken."

Friend, we don't have to risk being broken; we can stay self-contained, but no one will ever know what or "who" is inside.  Only when our vessel is broken is the fragrance of Christ fully released.  Breaking the vessel allows His Life to be seen. Go ahead and make their day.

As we remember the time of our Saviour’s arrival, we wish to feel greater gratitude and love for Him. But trying to find greater love for God, by looking inside us is misdirected. We only love Him more when we see how much He loves us. We love Him because He first loved us.  The Father's love is revealed:

In the Depth of His love toward us when “God so loved the world that He gave his only Son ”

In the Length of His love towards us “For God demonstrates his love in while we were sinners Christ died for us”

In the Width of God’s love toward us for “whoever believes on the Lord Jesus Christ shall be saved.”

And in the Height of the love of God toward us, for “Behold how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us that we should be called the sons of God.”

The Son became “sin” for us so sinners could become sons! Oh the depth, the length, the width and the height of the love of God!

Friend, it is enough to make you and your family, very Merry this Christmas. God bless you all.

John the beloved disciple describes our relationship journey with Christ, in his gospel. All of them are important but the last one is critical. We begin as sheep.  Lost sheep is how He finds and calls us. It is comforting but there is not much in common and they don’t speak the same language. After that, we are called His servants. A servant belongs to their Master and they lose their life to follow Jesus. Being a servant of God is honorable but it is not our identity. Then we are called disciples.  One who is seeking to learn a lifestyle from their Teacher? Jesus said, “When you are mature you will be like Me.  Disciples follow Jesus with their cross!   This is a necessary relationship but doesn’t define our identity.

Later Jesus said,  “You are no longer servants but You are my friends if you do whatever I command you.”  God tells his friends, those who live in harmony with His will, secrets that He tells no one else.  Knowing things about God that others don’t, is a great privilege but still not where our identity lies.

Friend, while the relationship of sheep, servants, disciples or friends is valuable, the problem with all of them, is that they are all about what we can become or should do, instead of what Jesus has done for us.  They are all good but if our identity is based upon them, we will always be vulnerable to condemnation. Our life as a servant, disciple and friend is not always perfect. Our identity is to be based upon His performance not ours. After the resurrection, and the gift of the powerful Holy Spirit, both the Father and Jesus got what they always wanted. Jesus said, "Tell my brothers to meet me in Galilee."  Father has made us sons - that is our identity! Once we know that, all other roles are our delight and privilege!

Jesus and His disciples went to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. The old olive trees were scarred and had seen a lot of history pass by.  Amid olive groves, there is usually an olive press. At harvest time the olives are shaken off the trees, and crushed in the press, to release their oil. (Mark 14). Every drop of oil is produced from a lot of shaking and a lot of pressure. The cost of olive oil is small, but not to the olive!

It seems that while the Holy Spirit is a gift, the increased release of His anointing “oil” in our lives, comes from being shaken, pressed and crushed.  We don't know the cost of someone's anointing.  Paul said he was “pressed beyond measure” and shared in Christ’s suffering.  Sometimes we want the same anointing as somebody else but forget that we can’t get it from the laying on of hands but from the laying on of the same “pressings”.

Friend, don’t look back, let up or back away.  It may cost a lot to keep a sweet spirit when all hell is against you. It may cost a lot to lose position, pre-eminence or popularity in the world. It may cost a lot to sacrifice without any immediate recognition or reward. It may cost a lot to be on your face when it seems others are only sleeping, but if you meet with our Father in the olive press, the anointing to accomplish His purpose will increase along with the sense of His presence and pleasure.

Lot followed God but not enough that anyone else could follow him. He had zero impact on the world; he was like a secret believer. If he had lived in the Soviet Union, there wouldn't have been enough evidence to convict him of being a Christian. He saw Sodom, moved closer to Sodom, then dwelt in Sodom and was eventually damaged by it.

Lot had a totally wrong idea of evil. He asked God not to send him to the mountains but to send him to a little city to avoid evil. He saw evil as physical not moral danger, but moral evil will hurt our family more than physical evil.  PC politicians, educators and even parents sometimes are clueless when it comes to what is evil.  They ban tree climbing lest children graze their knees but let the TV pour evil into their minds each night.  Teachers hand out condoms and tell them they are now having safe sex.

Abraham walked with God and was a blessing to all people.  People listened to him and he was called a prince with God, but when Lot spoke to his sons-in-law about God, they thought he was kidding. They could not take what he said seriously.  When it came to prayer, Abraham who didn't live in the city, had more impact than the man who had a family and business there. While many followed Abraham nobody followed Lot. Lot had become an addict of the world. He needed a buzz, a fix, he needed to fit into the world. He had not a lot to offer the city, for he was in need himself.

Friend, Lot shows us that it is possible to have a saved soul and a wasted life. Let’s live in a way that gives others something to follow.

The whole stadium was on their feet cheering as the athletes strained toward the finishing line. Encouraged by their cheers the runners pushed even harder to win. It is encouraging to think that a crowd of God’s finest champions of faith, surround us as we press towards our finish line. Heb 12:1-2. But if we look at them a little closer, they are a motley bunch of people. The Biblical record of people is very kind. It doesn't mention their struggles with sin and doubt, only their faith. Sara laughed in unbelief, Moses argued with God, Rahab the prostitute is there. Samson struggled with compromise and sin. David committed adultery. These are not people who shone with perfect performance, but people who despite their weaknesses, had faith. They had all felt shame as they thought about their past lives. But the Bible says these people laid aside the weight of their sin which could have easily ensnared them, and they got back up and ran their race with endurance.

It is not how sinless and perfect your race is, or whether you're embarrassed by your past or present; it is whether you can lay it aside, receive God's forgiveness and grace and run your race every day until you finish.

Friends, let’s get up and run because the Person cheering the loudest for us, is the One who went the furthest to remove the shame of yesterday’s sin and the guilt of today's failure. Come on hero of faith, your faith is not proven by your past but by your now!