Life Path Multimedia Weekend Work

https://youtu.be/lDN40y0xw_o

For those who might have missed it, the Coffee & Chat with Rev Bruce live stream launch was a joy. The fruits of your labor are always sweetest when you have done the work long before others see any signs of sprouting. If I can help somebody, let me say it plainly: Keep pushing when it seems like quitting time.

Coffee & Chat with Rev Bruce Podcast

Part of the big deal is that the live stream allowed for the podcast upload and here is Part 1 of the initial episode of the podcast. Excuse the colorful language at the end but I believe where you can see the natural flow of this dialogue and discussion on purpose and pursuing a greater good for communities and its children.

Hated Just Like Him

¹⁸ “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. ¹⁹ If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. ²⁰ Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. ²¹ But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. ²² If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. ²³ He who hates Me hates My Father also. ²⁴ If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. ²⁵ But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.'
-John 15:18-25 (NKJV)

The words of Jesus seem to have been spoken with both simplicity and significance.

What He said to His closest followers on that final night before His death seemed to come off as touching as Lou Gehrig's farewell in Yankee Stadium delivered by Gary Cooper in "The Pride of the Yankees." He spoke specifically of the things to come and how His disciples should face them with the inevitable assurance of the coming of the Helper.  He spoke directly, openly and candidly with these men about His departure.  Yet, He spoke plainly about what these men would face without Him physically present with them.

If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you.

He kept it plain.  He said it with simplicity.  He said that they would be hated by the world since Jesus had been hated by the world.  He said it in real simple terms.  He did not want it misunderstood or misinterpreted by them.  He kept it simple, hoping them to take His words in and remember them when the time came.

If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. 

He said it with significance.  Persecution, in whatever form that it would show up, would surely come to the followers of Jesus.  Jesus said it to them while He was still with them.  That was significant.  He did not want them caught off guard by the ill treatment of the world.  He did not want them to be shocked or stunned by how cruel the world could be towards Him or His followers.

He had already shared the indication of the world's past.  He had already spoken of Israel's ill treatment of the prophets.  He had already shared words that had perplexed and confused in His famed Sermon on the Mount, referencing the prophets being treated to persecution prior to His coming. 

Why say it in such a way? Why keep it simple and plain?

Soon, after the meal had been shared and the wine had been sipped, they would see one of their own hand the Master over to His persecutors.  Once they had supped, they would be confused among themselves regarding much of what He had said.  They would question their own motives.  They would run and hide, doing no better than those disciples who "turned back and no longer followed him." 

He said it simple and plain.  He said it with significance.  He said it so the disciples would recall it when they needed to remember it the most.  After all, we read it today and recognize that our own mistreatment is not without reason.  We follow Jesus.  We walk in His footsteps.  We get the hatred of the world that hates Him because we not of the world since He chose us out of the world and caused us to walk with Him.

Those who hate me without a cause

Are more than the hairs of my head;

They are mighty who would destroy me,

Being my enemies wrongfully;

Though I have stolen nothing,
I still must restore it.

-Psalm 69:4 (NKJV)

5 Things Christians can Learn from the 2012 Political Race

"Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished

by being governed by those who are dumber."

-Plato

Read Plato's Republic or Walden by Henry David Thoreau and you can get a worldly view on politics and its citizenry.  That may not go well with the Bible.  In fact, it may not match at all.  However, there are some key things that Christians can learn by observing the current political race for presidency.

1. You have to announce that you are running in the race.  Christians should not act like they have the best-kept secret in town.  The gospel is translated as "good news." You share good news.  You don't keep it to yourself.  We have to announce it to the world that we are in the race.
2. You have to make an effort to reach people one way or another.  The Obama Campaign of 2008 incorporated all sorts of means and mediums to involve every type of potential voter around the country.  We have to reach people with our message with the same fervor that candidates push their agendas and campaign slogans online and in print, even through the media and public appearances.
3. You have to let people know where you stand on the issues that matter to them.  Politicians will constantly talk about taxes, public assistance programs, business development and employment, even education and health care.  They may step into controversial areas like birth control, abortion and same sex marriage, even illegal immigration.  We have to know what matters to people and share where we stand with people.  We lose any opportunity to win souls like we should when we fail to share what the Good Book says about this life and eternity.  Look at Luis Palau, James Dobson and Chuck Colson for examples of how to evangelize with hope and a firm standing on the issues of today.
4. You have to keep your cool and your composure in the heat of the debate.  Political jousting is nothing new.  It is as old as politics itself.  However, as Christians, we have to be able to maintain our cool when our beliefs are attacked.  We cannot get on the defensive, taking it personal, and become arrogant or abusive with our attackers.  The Bible tells us that our spiritual warfare is not fought against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:10-18).  After all, even as Jesus hung on the cross, He did not call upon the armies of angels to rescue Him as He endured the fatal punishment of the storied execution style of the Romans and the cruel mistreatment of His own people.  We, too, must endure the attacks of slander and assumptions regarding our beliefs.
5. You have to carry yourself as a winner.  No candidate enters the race with the hopes of being a loser.  No, political candidates go for broke with a winning attitude.  They are confident in their own abilities.  We do not have to get conceited or cocky.  We just have to go forward in faith, with full belief in the Lord's ability to provide for us and protect us.  We have to take Paul's words to heart, believing: "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

For Any Who Have Felt Broken into Pieces

Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly. - Psalm 31:9 (KJV)

My eyes grow weak with sorrow; they fail because of all my foes. - Psalm 6:7 (NIV)

 
Many people have asked me why I wrote my inspirational book of poetry Broken Pieces.  I can't help but smile because it is dear to my heart.  I was down.  I was down and reading both Jeremiah and Psalms intensely as my daily devotion.  I was starting to think that the Word was even getting me down as I read the weeping prophet and David's pleas for God to not turn His face from him and to incline His ear to him.  That's when it hit me.
 


God does not leave us helpless.  That is especially comforting for those of us who reside on this side of the cross.  He offers us the Comforter, His Holy Spirit.  We have God dwelling within us.  He knows our moans and groans as well as what they truly mean to us.  He is with us.  We are not without comfort when we have the Helper.
 
I had to share it.  I could not keep such a blessing to myself.  I found poetic inspiration and let it spill onto the page.  I felt the Spirit driving me to write and complete Broken Pieces as a testimony of all that God can do with our broken pieces.  We are all right as long as we stay in the clutches of the Potter's hands.
 
In His Hands
A poem from Broken Pieces by Bruce Jackson

In His hands,

I am but clay

At the mercy of the Master’s touch.

As He crafts me into His desire,

He shapes and molds me to His liking.

He forms me with His hands

And designs me as His workmanship.

He knows the flaws of my very existence.

He cuts away that which is useless.

He creates in me a clean heart

And purifies me through the fire,

Testing how well I will hold together.

He names me and makes me a new creation.

He touches me with His breath

And I live.

I am His masterpiece in the making.

I am but clay in His hands.

Starting Out in Galilee

14 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
- Mark 1:14-15 (ESV)

The ministry of Jesus started out in Galilee.  He was about thirty years old.  It happened after John the Baptist was arrested and imprisoned by Herod.  Jesus made His way to Galilee.

Galilee? The man from Nazareth emerged in Galilee and started a world-changing ministry.  His first miracle was at a wedding in Cana of Galilee.  Galilee?

Jesus started out in Galilee and did a great work in Galilee.  He shared and spread His message throughout the land.  He offered the world an open opportunity to turn their hearts back to God when He called out for people to repent and believe in the gospel.

He started out in Galilee with His earthly ministry and let His ministry and message spread as far and as wide as it could through Him.

He started in Galilee.

Radical and Radiant

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden...Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

 - Matthew 5:14, 16 (NKJV)

Believers are the light of the world.  Jesus said so.  In one of the most well-known of sermons of the Savior and messages of the Master, He simply says: "You are the light of the world" (Matthew 5:14).  In the Sermon on the Mount, just after the Beatitudes, Jesus shares that we, as believers and followers of Christ, are the light of the world. 

He speaks of the believer as light in a world full of utter darkness.  The red letters of the Bible indicate that it was Jesus speaking, and the tone of His delivery indicates that He shared His words with both hope and expectancy.  In other words, Jesus shared His expectation of the believer and openly shared that the believer should let his or her light shine before men so that their works may be seen and that those who observed the believer's works would give glory to God (Matthew 5:16).  That sounds like He had hope, believing that the observer of good works would honor and glorify God.  It appears that He had expectations of the believer to be met by letting his or her light shine before the world by doing good works.

As followers of Christ, we should let our lights shine.  We should radically radiate the true light who is Jesus Christ.  We radically radiate by shedding light in a dark world.  It is a radical concept because we tend to point people towards the church or the pastor for insights into who the true light is and where to discover the light that came into the world.  We radiate as reflections of the Light.  He is the source of our light and we reflect Him as we interact with the world.  Get real.  Get radical.  Radiate with your light.  Let others see that the Light exists within you.

If we radiate, our lights can't help but be seen by others.  Others will see our lights shining brightly and give glory to God for what they have observed.  Jesus said that we shouldn't hide our lights.  Jesus said that we should give light to all who are around us.  We should radiate.  In other words, our radiation should be radical in the sense that we penetrate the darkness as the light of the world.

Let's get radical.
Let's radiate.

Foolish About Faith

The fool says in his heart, "There is no God." They are corrupt, their deeds are vile; there is no one who does good.- Psalm 14:1 (NIV)

The words of Psalm 14:1 are echoed in Psalm 53:1 verbatim.  I believe BibleTrack's Bible commentary on the Psalms does an apt comparison of the psalms.  What David says to open each psalm speaks clearly about the fool and what the fool has to say.  Much like David, we have to learn to identify, discern and detect when we are in the presence of a fool.  For those who may not know, here is part of how the foolish deal with faith.

The foolish believe that you can have favor without faith.

And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.- Hebrews 11:6 (NIV)

The foolish believe that you can have freedom without faith.

Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.-Galatians 3:25 (NIV)

The foolish believe that they have a right to offend others.
A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.-Proverbs 29:11 (NIV)

The foolish are foolish for a reason.  The foolish live by foolish ways.  Others should see a fool and beware.  The fool can be a danger to himself as well as others.  His destructive ways can lead to his own destruction or the destruction of others.  Understand that fools don't lead people to faithful living.  Fools lead people down a road of destruction and danger.   Don't be surprised by what comes out of a fools mouth.  Be surprised at what a fool says about God, faith and other such matters.



 

Conversational Conduct

The tongue of the wise commends knowledge,
but the mouth of the fool gushes folly.

-Proverbs 15:2 (NIV)

The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life,
but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.

-Proverbs 15:4 (NIV)

The Word provides a contrast between the wicked and the wise when it comes to conversation. Each conducts himself in a vastly different way. The wise and the wicked conduct themselves differently, especially when it comes to how they use their words. According to Proverbs 15, the conduct of the wise leads to one taking "the path of the upright" (verse 19).

• You have to remain composed
• You have to resist confrontation

Your conduct in conversation will reveal your character. You can turn people off or away by the way you speak to people. Think about how you say things to others. Even what you say can lose its message and meaning when you are not conscious of how you conduct yourself in conversation.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. - Psalm 19:14 (ESV)

The Word Became Flesh

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. -John 1:14 (NKJV)

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He is Immanuel (Emmanuel), called "God [is] with us." Imagine the majestic and masterful presence of God being in our midst. John writes that He came to His own and His own did not receive Him (John 1:11).

What we discover is that the Word is beyond the beginning. The Word serves as a model for us and our living, a guide for our actions and interactions on this earth with an eternal outlook. He became flesh to provide us an example and provide the sacrifice necessary for our salvation. As the Word, He speaks life and truth to all who believe in Him. He lives as the Logos and the rhema; He is the Word as well as its utterance that speaks life.

He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. - John 1:11 (NKJV)

Warn those who do not understand who He is to this world. Help others to learn more about Him. Live as an example to others as Jesus lived as an example among His own people. Make a difference by becoming and being different.

And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.- Ephesians 5:2 (NKJV)

The World Uses the Word

...The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.- 1 John 3:1 (ESV)

...For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light.- Luke 16:8 (NIV)

The world did not know him according to the first verse posted above. In fact, John wrote earlier in his gospel account: He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. Believe it or not, John also said that Jesus came to His own people and they did not even receive Him. Needless to say, Jesus was not received well by the world.

Yet, the world did something different with His Word. While many did not accept Jesus as the Messiah and the Anointed One, the world did take His Word to a totally different place. The world took His Word and did something different with it.

The world tainted His Word. It puts everything else alongside His Word and simply held the Word without reverence or much regard. The world twisted the Word. It bent the Word this way and that way to make it work for them. They use the Word in such a that makes the Word as more of a reference source than a relied-upon source. The world tweaked the Word. It added some here and removed some there, straying away from the truth of the Word.

Don't rely on the world. Rely on the Word. Put your full trust in the Word. As a Christian, the world does not understand you because the world does not understand Him. Stay with the Word.

Let your light shine before men so that they may see your good works

and glorify your Father who is in heaven.-Matthew 5:16

Jesus talks about sharing and showing our light as he calls us the “light of the world” in Matthew 5:14-16. He shares that a lit candle is not lit to be hidden but to shed light on all that is around it. He expressly states that we should let our light shine before men for a two-point purpose:
1) Men are to see your good works
2) Men will glorify God

Ministry has the ultimate purpose of glorifying God. Guess what? When you do your good works, you are letting your light shine before men just as Jesus shared for us to do as the light of the world. However, when these men see your good works, they won’t give you the glory. No, they will see your good works and give glory to the One who provided the light. They will give praises to the Lord who caused us to let our lights shine before men in the first place.
Share it and show it.
Let your light shine.

Just as They Killed the Prophets

They killed the prophets of God, one after another. Read http://revbruce.wordpress.com

Is There a Word?

I heard the Word
...in my spirit.
I saw the Word
...coming at me
Like a dove
Descending from heaven!
He revealed to me
The Word
...with a flaming sword for a tongue
That destroys demonic powers
And saves souls from scorching fires.
Is there a word?
Not a word!
No, not just any word.
There is the Word.
There is the God-given sacrifice
Who takes away the sins of the earth.
There is the Word!

Bruce Jackson (2008)

The Matrix-Like Messiah

Neo. Yeah, man. I said Neo, not Nemo. Neo serves as an iconic pop culture figure that has the power to influence the shootings by the young men of Columbine fame. Yet. somewhere nestled deep within the storyline, you hear and see hints of Neo with some Messianic qualities that many expected to see out of the Lord upon His coming. In fact, many of the film's fans having a parallel understanding of the film's storyline and the Messiah's role for saving His people from the enemy. What gets me is that some of our church-going, God-serving people are not aware that The Matrix has such a following. Nor, if we truly pay homage to art imitating life and life pulling a vice versa, do we expect that many youth pastors will start sporting long black trench coats and dark Ray-Ban shades. However, I am convinced that some who sit on the edge eagerly await a fighting, kicking and swinging type of Messianic figure like Neo to truly "free" believers from the enemy. Like many others, they should probably read Revelations and at least John 1:1-14, Isaiah 53 and Psalm 22.

Jesus is the Model for Ministry

When we look at ministry, look at Jesus. Consider the standard for ministry to have been set by the Master Himself. Jesus simply sets the example for us. We don't need to look elsewhere. Jesus offers us a model by which we can follow His footsteps and make the most of what He offers us in ministry. Look at Jesus for :

• Message: Look and listen to what Jesus shared and how He shared it with the multitudes and His disciples. From the Sermon on the Mount to the upper room before Calvary, hear what type of message Jesus shared with people. He interwove the Word from the prophets and others with a "new command" like loving one another.
• Methods: Revisit Jesus' journeys through the Gospel of Mark. See Jesus moving in and out of situation after situation in the Gospels, dealing Jairus and the woman with the issue of blood. Even when Jesus is confronted with the woman caught in adultery, His method of response appears to have made Him an offense to those who sought to keep the law themselves.

Jesus did provide us an example. He exemplifies what we should have as our ultimate ministry "hero." He gives us the blueprint of what we must live up to. Look at Jesus. He is our example.

Kingdom Worth and Kingdom Work

...the kingdom of God is within you. . .-Luke 17:21 (ASV)

We are born again, born as heirs to His holy kingdom. We find ourselves a part of a family that is a "royal priesthood." Out of this newness of life, we realize that we were once living as the poor pauper but now we live a life of luxury like a prince. We are born through this new birth as part of the kingdom. We discover that we have both kingdom worth and kingdom work. The King Himself has ascribed our worth to us, sharing that we are precious and valuable to Him. The King has withstood the penalty of sin in order to redeem us with His very life and blood. That's how valuable we are to Him.

Yet, He also gives us work. God offers us work, a call to serve Him with gladness before others (Psalm 100:2). He shares that all that He desires to accomplish will not come about except that His harvest have laborers sent forth by the Lord. It is this kingdom work that the Lord grants us as a partnership opportunity with Him. Paul shared that we are "fellow workers" with God. Pray that you discover your kingdom worth and your kingdom work. It is our work that goes along with God's work that accomplish God's will.

Today is a New Day

Today is a new day.

Today is yesterday's tomorrow,

Tomorrow's yesterday.

Tomorrow is not promised.

Yesterday is gone.

Today is a new day

So let me work

While I still have today.

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Jesus spoke about the timeliness of working through the day and not the night in John 9:4. He said that He was to do the works of Him who sent Him. As Christians, we are followers of Christ. We follow His example, so we have similar works as He did.

Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.-1 Corinthians11:1 (NIV)

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Take Action (Or Lose Ground)

Isaiah was clear and concise with Hezekiah with a word from the Lord:
Get your house in order. The swiftness of Hezekiah's actions speaks volumes to many astute Bible readers and others. This episode serves as a reminder of how futile life may be and how we must live in the moment, not for the moment.
Has God given you a similar warning? Was it that heart attack that felt like "gas" at first? How about when God got your attention by causing you grief on your job? Or, what about all of those funerals that you had to attend week after week? did you get the message? Was it clear to you?
Listen to God and do exactly what He says for you to do. As the famed theologian John Wesley stated: "Do all the good you can, By all the means you can, In all the ways you can, ... you can, To all the people you can, As long as ever you can."
Read James 1:22. We are to be doers of His Word, not hearers only.
To God be the glory. . . Now and forever.
Rev. Bruce Jackson
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Love Letters (Messages of Love)

Letters of L-O-V-E The Bible is often called a love letter from God to His people. It is God's love expressed towards mankind throughout the ages, culminating with His love expressed through the sacrifice He made through Jesus Christ. Write a letter today. Want a good idea of a letter that shares about God's love? Read 1 John in its entirety. That's a letter that shares about the love we should have since meeting Jesus. Not good at letters? Try writing an e-card. Dayspring and Crosscards have plenty of e-card templates that will help you share a simple expression of Christian love with family and friends, even co-workers. Got MySpace or Facebook? Share a special message with your "friends" online. Create a free blog and share expressions on how Christ shows us how to love one another.

The point is to send the Word forth. Let others know that what Jesus did was based on love, but what we need to do is share that same love with others. After all, it's what He has called us to do.