Gideon – Moving from fear to embracing Jesus

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Matthew Laker

Part 1

Following Jesus involves moving from fear and being lost to embracing Jesus and wholeness.

For many followers of Jesus, we wonder if Jesus is really with us. Gideon was no exception. He too wondered, just where is God? I was reading through the book of Judges and came across the story of Gideon. Like Gideon we wonder “is God really leading us?” and “can we trust him?”

Yet the scripture shares in Hebrews 12 that Gideon’s faith is one for us to learn from. Gideon’s story is found in the book of Judges, starting in chapter 6. There is much in the story of Gideon that can help us understand ourself and God.

As I read and reread the story of Gideon I kept wondering, what is it about his life–his faith–that convinced the author of Hebrews that there is an example for us to follow?

When we look at the whole story of Gideon we watch as God moves and calls him from fear to embrace faith. Gideon is constantly asking God to reveal himself again so that Gideon can know that God is with him. In God’s grace, he continues to remind Gideon who he is.

God speaks to Gideon, not as Gideon sees himself, but in a fashion of who he was created to be. Gideon is not defined by current circumstances. Gideon looks at his situation and wonders where is God? Fear is a driving force and there is tension in the journey of walking away from fear and embracing faith.

There is much we can learn from Gideon, but one overarching storyline is the call to leave fear, to leave the idols and embrace faith in God. The mess the people of Israel find themselves in comes as a result of not listening to God.

They failed to listen, they failed to remember who God is and what he has done. Because of this, they are driven to other things outside of God to find security, power, and hope. Fear becomes strong in their life. Yet God watches and waits for them to call out. As they live in their fear and rejection of him, they finally call out and grace is seen.

Gideon is taken on a journey of re-discovering who God is and comes to the point of realizing God is sufficient, God is life and he has nowhere else to turn. At that point, the leaving fear and embracing God and his promises, Gideon embarks on entering, engaging and experience the life he was created for. Yet Gideon is not perfect which is why we can relate to him so much. His story does not even end well. In face he moves back into fear. However, the message is the same for us. Jesus waits for us to call out, and grace is given. He calls us to leave fear and embrace him.

Where are you needing to let go of fear and embrace who you are in Jesus?

Take time this week to listen to who God says you were created to be.

Six ways I listen and follow Jesus’ teaching

Posted on October 14, 2016 by Matthew Laker

“Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock.” Matthew 7:24 (NLT)

Just how do we listen to Jesus’ teachings and embrace them in our life?

It was a Saturday night and I was sitting on our back steps and reflecting on life. I started to think about the sermon I would preach the next day. I was talking about the need to learn the ways of Jesus and embrace him in the everyday moments. I wondered to myself, just how do I learn the ways of Jesus.

Here are six things I wrote down in my journal of ways I go about learning the ways of Jesus and embracing in him my life.

These are in no order.

Six ways to listen and follow Jesus’ teaching

a. Time for self reflection

Life goes so fast we fail to slow down long enough to actually reflect upon our experiences and their impact in our life. It is during these moments that I am looking at my life in light of who Jesus is. I am not sure if I do this well yet, but am learning as I walk this journey.

b. Regular reading of and meditating on God’s word

It is no secret that one of the biggest catalysts we can have in growing our faith is a regular reading and meditating on God’s word. I have learned to not get so hung up on completing a certain amount of text, but picking up where I left off. For example I do use some version of a bible reading plan. However, if I miss a time, I just pick up either where I should be in the plan or where I left off. I am not concerned about completing it, as I am about spending time in God’s word.

c. Investing in others (serving)

There is no better way to learn the ways of Jesus than to help others learn the ways of Jesus.

d. Regular gathering with God’s people for teaching, worship, prayer and fun.

Community is a big part of our faith journey. Many struggle with it for many different reasons. However if I am honest, it is part of how I listen to Jesus and follow him.

e. Learning from Saints now and before.

This one is connected to the community one above. The example as well comes out of Hebrews 11 and I have found it useful. You can do this through reading the stories of those who have gone before and those who are now. You can do this meeting with other followers of Jesus and being intentional with your questions and learn from them.

f. Walk the path

This is literally about putting his words into practice. It is that easy and that hard. It is about how I use my time, what I read, how I react and in what I trust. It is not easy.

What about you? How do you go about learning the ways of Jesus and putting them into practice?

Tools in my backpack to help me keep a quiet time

Posted on October 5, 2016October 14, 2016 by Matthew Laker

In all of our lives, there are foundational practices that need to be part of the regular rhythm of life. As I journey with people, often when I ask about people’s quiet time, their head drops or they look away. They know they need to develop this area but have not. A few along the journey honestly have never really developed a quiet time in their life.

What is a Quiet time?

A quiet time is the intentional regular rhythm of pausing to pray and sit with Jesus. Often it involves scripture reading but does not always have to.

My 3 purposes of a Quite time.

a. To provide reflection space in my life to gain a better perspective of myself, circumstances, and Jesus.

b. To hear from and listen to the Holy Spirit.

c. To align my life with Christ’s

There are more, but these are my top three.

Developing and practising our quiet time is like going on a hike. In that journey, there are some useful tools to have in our backpack.

Here are four tools I carry in my life that help me in the journey, or rhythm, of a quiet time.

1. Calendar – Set time aside to meet with Jesus. We do it with everyone else. You can still have that spur of the moment time. For example, unplanned times where you find yourself praying or worshiping in music, etc. You need those, but you also need scheduled times of hitting the pause button in your life. So find a time that works and do it.

2. A Framework – Many people, when starting out, need the assistance of a framework to help them know what to do in this time. The framework is just a tool to help you hear from Jesus. There are many good ones out there. For example Lectio Divina. Here is an outline you can read to help and you can read a little more about it here.

3. A Bible and a journal – Many people use this time to reflect upon scripture and read scripture. I suggest having a bible reading plan can be a great help. A journal as well can help you process your thoughts.

4. Understand yourself – It is important to know how you best connect with Jesus. It is important to know your personality and character and who God calls you to be. There are a number of great tools that can serve as jumping off points to help in this.

In my journey of practising a quiet time these are a few of my tools that have proved to be helpful. It is important as well to also be aware of the space you are in and what your distractions will be.

Finally, give yourself some grace. Just because you missed that one time does not mean the world is going to end or you lose God’s favour. You already have God’s favour, that is why we want to spend time with him.

What tools are in your backpack?

What is one step you can do today to develop the rhythm of quiet?

What is one tool you need to use to develop the rhythm of your quiet time?

Jesus wants to speak with you: Three things to do

Posted on September 29, 2016 by Matthew Laker

I was in a season of trying to figure out my next steps. There was much reflection and desire to hear from God. I started to ask questions like, how do I hear from Jesus? How does Jesus speak to us? Just because I am a pastor does not mean I have this all figured out. The second push behind some of this questioning was a real awareness in my scripture reading of God wanting to guide and speak to his people.

I even picked up some resources to read and looked through some old notes and studies I had done. The thing is, even for the average person in the Bible, God speaking was not a large and massive event. Those are the rare moments. Even in the Old Testament stories we often refer to are very different experiences than what Jesus speaks about for us who are now under the new covenant.

Remember, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection we can now enter the throne room of God. Jesus shared he would send his spirit to guide us to truth.

In John 10:27 Jesus shares:

” My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Jesus intends to speak to his followers.

Don’t just rush by that. Jesus, the creator of the universe and our redeemer, wants to speak to us. To be a follower of Jesus means in some way Jesus speaks to us. To some, this will seem like foolishness. For the follower of Jesus, this is to be the norm.

The big question is, what does this look like? How does this happen? What does it sound like? These are all good questions.

However, today I want to ask this question. As a follower of Jesus are you making time to hear from Jesus?

Even Jesus pulled away to spend time with God the father. There is an example there for us. In learning to hear from Jesus, we have to make time.

Three things to do.

1) Schedule it – Start by scheduling 15-30 min a day to worship and pray and be still before the throne of God.

2) Journal what you may be thinking Jesus is saying to you. Then take that to a trusted friend so you and your friend can test it.

3) Follow Jesus. Hearing God comes alongside obeying God. Obeying God leads to being able to enter, experience, and engage the life you were created for.

What questions do you have? What has been your experience?

4 Rewards for developing the habit of prayer

Posted on June 3, 2016June 2, 2016 by Matthew Laker

4 Rewards for developing the habit of prayer

“Of all the Spiritual disciplines prayer is the most central because it ushers us into perpetual communion with God the father”

(Richard Foster).

When we journey through the Spiritual discipline of prayer, it is important to remember the rewards of developing this habit. Remembering the “why” or reason, in this case for prayer, helps us to continue and maintain any habit.

Prayer at its core is about communing with Jesus. It is about walking to the everlasting fountain of living water and taking a drink.

Here are four rewards for developing and continuing in the habit of prayer.

Christ-likeness

This is about becoming who God created you to be. Through the power and work of the Holy Spirit, we are becoming like Jesus. As we spend time with him in prayer we are positioning ourselves to fully enter, engage, and experience the life Jesus’ death opened up for us.

Experiences of God’s grace in your life.

In Hebrews 4:16 the author reminds us that because of Jesus’ death and resurrection we can approach the throne of Jesus and receive grace and mercy for the journey we are in. Prayer becomes one of the roads we walk to experience God in our life.

Our souls become nourished.

In John 4 we read ¹³Jesus replied, “Anyone who drinks this water will soon become thirsty again. ¹⁴But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” If we are to stay spiritually hydrated we are going to need to sit at the feet of Jesus and drink.

Release blessing to other people.

Many times in scripture we see Jesus praying for others, we see the church praying for others. Jesus calls us to pray that God the Father would send more workers because the harvest is ready. Praying for others is part of our journey with God. We join together with him in his work in the world. He invites us into this work and at one level, as we pray, it opens up the opportunity of blessing for others.

To enter, engage and experience the life you were created for continue in the habit of prayer.