KLOVE Radio Features – June 2023

HOW TO SEE A MIRACLE

Would you like to see Jesus do a miracle in your life? I’m sure you would. But you’ll have to go to Him to see it. In Luke 23, Herod had waited a long time to see Jesus do a miracle, but never saw one because he wasn’t willing to go to Jesus. Finally, when Herod does see Him, Jesus is on trial before him, and about to be crucified. But, for Jesus, it is not a miracle making moment. It’s a time to suffer and be rejected. Today if you want to see a miracle, go to Jesus in humility and faith. If you need to ask forgiveness, do so. He longs to touch and help you. “The sacrifice you desire is a broken spirit. You will not reject a broken and repentant heart, O God.” (Psalm 51:17)

“I USED TO BE A JERK!”

Whenever a crowd or Christ’s disciples lavished Him with praise that might lift Jesus up with pride, Jesus reminded them of the challenges He was about to face by suffering, being rejected, and then killed. It wasn’t false humility. He was tempted in all points just like we are. (Hebrews 4:15) Jesus was allowing reality to defuse flattery. I once met a Christian leader for the first time because I’d heard great things about him and began my conversation by saying “Didn’t you used to be…” and then filled it in with some notable position. He stopped me right in the middle and said, “I used to be a jerk, and Jesus rescued my life.” It was surprisingly refreshing, and my estimation of who he was only increased. I’ve never regretted seeing myself with humble eyes.

FEELING EMBARRASSED OBEYING GOD

Do you ever feel embarrassed when you are boldly obeying the Lord, and yet people are still misjudging you? I know I do. Joseph, in Luke chapter 2, went to Bethlehem with his fiancé, Mary, when she was visibly pregnant and about to give birth. Unlike today, Mary’s pregnancy outside of marriage was an incredible scandal within the Jewish culture. Yet, Joseph despised the shame, obeyed the Lord and believed that he was to be committed to Mary. He knew that the baby inside Mary had been conceived by the Holy Spirit, and not because of a relationship with another man. Today when you feel embarrassed because you’re doing the right thing, reject the lie, and embrace the truth that your obedience is honoring and pleasing to God no matter what the crowd thinks.

CROWD PLEASING

Are you following the crowd? Please don’t! The crowd is almost always wrong and going in the wrong direction; often over a cliff. One of the saddest verses in the Bible says, “Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged and handed him over to be crucified.” (Mark 15:15) Pilate’s decision made it easier for him in the moment, but infinitely harder for him in eternity. One moment they’ll applaud you, and the next they’ll flog you. If you really want the best God has, choose His will, and not the crowds’. Sure, following Jesus is uphill, exhausting, and at times overwhelming. But, in the end, you won’t miss any of the so-called worldly wisdom or the fickleness of the fans. Islands are at times the tops of great mountains.

WHAT FOLLOWS VICTORIES?

All of us are hoping to live victorious lives. And when the victories are the outgrowth of obeying God, He’s cheering us on. But what should you expect after a big victory? Expect a great test! WOW! That’s deflating. True, and intentionally so. In Jonah 4, when a tree miraculously grew up to protect Jonah from the heat of the day, God planned for it to die in order to test how he would respond. Jonah, “…became faint and begged with all his soul to die, saying, ‘Death is better to me than life.’” I’ve seen that same kind of fickleness in me. One minute I’m elated and the next deflated. All of it is trying to push God off the throne, attempting to make my will best, though it never is. Embrace the tests! They are each purposely crafted to bring out your best.

PATIENCE IS PERFECT 

I remember the first time I saw that “patience” was listed as a fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5. Candidly, it bummed me out. No one’s ever said to me, “Boy, Francis, you’re a really patient guy.” Then I read in the Bible, “…the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1:3) And I thought, “perfect, complete and lacking nothing.” I may not like patience, but I sure would love to be perfect, complete and lack nothing. Granted, patience is a test, and faith stretches me way beyond my comfort zone. But the God of the Universe is sure patient with me, and that blesses me tons. So, even though I fail the test a lot, I’m not getting off the operating table.