Do Whatever

Jesus' coming out party took place at a wedding. Not His but we're never told whose wedding. 

The first miraculous act displaying His glory happened at a wedding (Read here). Wine was important not only because it was the drink of celebrations, but because suitable drinking water or other substitute beverages weren't available. The poor people of Israel didn't yet have the joy of some sweet tea!

When the wine ran out, the groom and his entire family were on the verge of losing face and being shamed publicly. Regardless of whether it was poor planning on their part or people enjoying the wine a little too much, they ran out and this was not a good situation.

Jesus' mom was at the wedding and probably serving the guests. When she learns that the wine is gone, she goes to tell Jesus.

Mary didn't necessarily know what Jesus would do. She just knew He could help.

She tells the problem to Jesus. And though I'm skipping some details here, she then tells the servants standing nearby to "do whatever Jesus tells them to do."

The greatest advice I could ever follow with my life or give to another are those uttered by Jesus' mom to the servants that day. Whatever Jesus says, whatever He commands, whatever He asks for, we should do it. It may not follow human logic. You and I may not be able to reason why He wants us to do so.

Who was Mary to tell them to obey Jesus? And yet she did. Who was Jesus that they should obey Him? And yet they did.

Not without risk and faith. Wine was what they needed, yet Jesus tells them to fill six pots with water. They had to trust Jesus by faith because what they were seeing were pots filled with water. And yet, because they believed and did exactly what He said, they witnessed the glory of God on display in the life of the only Son of God. All six pots that had been filled with water were turned to wine. A fermentation process that normally happens over days with pressed grapes happened in moments with ordinary water.

What will you and I witness, what will we get to be part of, how will He use us, in what ways will the mission of God advance when we simply by faith trust Him enough to do whatever He says to or asks of us?

Come and See

Jesus never grows nervous by those individuals who express doubt but are willing to honestly seek Him.

When His first disciples came to follow Him, He asked them, "What are you seeking?" His invitation to their response was, "Come and See."

Later when Philip, one of the four first followers of Jesus, went to share the good news of finding Jesus with a man named Nathanael, Nathanael doubted. He wasn't sure he was ready to believe. But Philip simply invited him to "Come and See."

There will never be a moment when a person who comes to see will ever find that Jesus doesn't meet up to the claims and promises He makes or the character of perfection. Those who come and see will find Him to be everything He claims.

So come and see.

Those who have already come to see that Jesus is everything you need, do not be alarmed when others doubt. Simply invite them to come and see as well.

The Only Way to Please Him

There is only one way to please God the Father. Spending time in Hebrews makes this one way abundantly clear. The write says that faith is the only way to please God. Whoever draws near to God must believe the He is and that He rewards those who seek after Him.

Faith is the unwavering, unflinching, unreserved trust in God. It is a trust built on the confidence of God's character and God's track record of deeds. 

Faith that pleases God chooses Christ's sacrifice for our sin over my feeble attempts to earn salvation.

Faith that pleases God leads us to obey His perfect will rather than follow our own wisdom.

Faith that pleases God spurs us on to seek Him daily instead of seeking Him at our convenience.

Faith that pleases God focuses our eyes on the reward stored in heaven as opposed to earthly treasures.

Faith that pleases God dares to live a life of impact for God's glory over living for safety and my glory.

How will we live today? 

It is by faith that the people of old have received their commendation. Noah, Moses, Rahab, David, Joseph, Joshua, Seth, Enoch, Samson, and more have all received their commendation because of a faith fixed upon the unchanging, unmovable, unstoppable God of heaven.

How should we expect to receive the commendation of Christ our Savior and King any other way?

We either live by faith in the One who sees all things perfectly or we live by the sight of what we can see, grasp, and figure out.

Will we live today a life of faith that pleases God? Will we live today pursuing hard after a God who has rescued us from darkness into His marvelous light.

Take a Daniel moment:

1.  Celebrate God seeking after us that we would be found in Him.

2.  Thank God for giving us faith to believe in Jesus Christ.

3.  Ask God to enlarge your faith in Him.

4.  Pray for strength to live every moment, every situation, every decision, and every day by faith.

All for His Name

David dared to do what no one else wanted to do. There were no soldiers in the Israelite army who wanted the privilege (or horror) of representing Israel against the formidable opponent named Goliath. The army of Israel quaked with fear at merely the sight of the warrior in the valley.

David's motivation was not the reward he would receive (the daughter of the King as a wife, living tax-free in the kingdom, etc.). He was not motivated by the fame of his name (though for sure people would be talking about his victory if he won).

David's motivation to go against all odds and face off against an incredible enemy warrior was the fame and glory of Israel's God. And he made this known as he descended into the valley. As he approached Goliath, David declared his coming was in the power of God's name so that all the earth would know that there is a God in Israel.

The motivation and purpose of our mission has differed little today, though we may not be traveling into the valley to fight a flesh and blood warrior-giant. Our mission to display and declare the gospel of Christ's kingdom is still for the purpose of seeing that all the earth would know and worship Christ the King.

Our mission is motivated by the fame and glory of Christ and His name.

Our mission is powered by the power of Christ's name.

Take a Daniel moment:
1.  Celebrate the God who gives us purpose, mission, and power.
2.  Pray for our eyes to always remain focused on His mission.
3.  Ask God for the power of His name to empower you in displaying and declaring the good news.

This Sounds Crazy

Have you ever believed God wanted you to do something that didn't make sense or seemed like an odd approach? It's as if He says, "This is God and I know this sounds crazy, but I want you to do ____________ or I want you to do ______________ this way."

I think these times are for two reasons: One is to lead us to exercise faith in God and the other to leave us with no room to take the credit.

The people of Israel crossed the Jordan River to enter the Promised Land. The first battle to be waged was against the mighty city and well-fortified city of Jericho. From the beginning, God promised He would give them the land by delivering enemy after enemy into the Israelites' hands. God tells Joshua that He had already delivered Jericho into his hands with the king and fighting men.

Do we trust what God has already promised? Do we ask for things believing and giving thanks that it is already done?

It was true that God had already given the city into the hands of Joshua and Israel. What came next was merely the proof and demonstration of this. But it would require complete trust and faith. God said, "March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days….On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in."

Would you do this? This was not and is not the way battles take place. This is not the way we plan to conquer cities and defeat our enemies.

Without faith in God, this seems absurd. Who would do this? How can this work? I've never done it like this before! 

With faith in God, there's no debate. God's wisdom exceeds my own by far. God's is greater than my plans and power. When He gives a direction, there's no other way to go. To go another way is disobedience and will not accomplish His will.

Would you do it? Would you tell a million people thirsting for water to gather around for the water that is going to come as you speak to the rock? Would you lead a whole nation to walk around a city promising them its walls would fall after the seventh time on the seventh day? Would you walk to the sea and catch a fish because you would find the coin to pay taxes in its mouth?

Obedience to Jesus may look crazy. But have the faith to obey places us in the position to see His work of power. What would you do? What will you do?

Take a Daniel moment:

1. Give thanks that God doesn't work within the power and confines of humanity's limitations.
2. Ask God to enlarge your faith to do what He asks in the way He leads you.
3. Pray that God will allow you to see His mighty work of power and the beauty of His glory as you follow His leading (whenever, wherever, and however He leads).

So Close

Moses came close…real close. God told Moses to go upon the Abarim Range to Mount Nebo. From this lofty perch Moses was able to see the land of Canaan. 

Moses would see it but not touch it. He would come so close but he would not enter in and receive what God had promised. He lacked the faith to trust God and obey God's word in a difficult situation.

The people of Israel had been led out of Egypt by the mighty deeds of God. Yet they never seemed to be content and grateful. Instead, they grumbled about not have water to drink. They complained that they didn't have meat to eat. On more than one occasion they accused Moses of leading them out of Egypt to die in the wilderness. And at least once they planned to select a leader to take them back to Egypt.

Leading people is a difficult task and Moses faced every difficulty in leading a people one could imagine. We can imagine how day after day and month by month how this just weighed upon him. So we can also imagine how, when the people once again griped about not having water and God said He would provide if Moses and Aaron would speak to the rock, Moses took his staff and hit the rock instead.

He was frustrated.

He was angry.

He was weary with the people's complaints.

But most of all, he was a man who in that moment acted on his own rather than by faith. Faith in God in every situation and circumstance of life will lead to obeying God. After Moses struck the rock, God said, "Because you have not believed Me, to treat Me as holy in the sight of the sons of Israel, therefore you shall not bring this assembly into the land which I have given them."

Moses did not believe God. He did not trust God. He had not faith to follow God's way. So he chose his own way. Yet God still brought water from the rock in spite of Moses and Aaron's lack of faith and direct disobedience.

As I read this passage (familiar to me) once again today, I sought to ask whether or not I am exercising faith and obedience to God in every situation and circumstance. What I do not want to be true in my life is that I forfeit the promises of God and getting to be part of God's mission and work because I fail to trust HIm wholly and obey Him fully. My heart was so overwhelmed and encouraged, though, that even when I fail to have faith and obey, God graciously gives what we need (as He gave the people the water they needed for drink).

Take a Daniel Moment:

1.  What areas in your life are you not exercising faith and obedience?

2.  In what ways are you missing out on God's work and promises as a result?

3.  Pray that God would expose these areas and help your unbelief?

4.  Ask God to allow you to exercise radical belief that leads to crazy obedience so you don't come close but never take part in what He is doing and desires for us.