Gary Piper

Making Jesus Simple Part Three

Gary Piper

Part Three: The Mission of Jesus…

Written by Gary Piper

Every journey has a destination. It does not matter if you are Jesus, or you are a chicken. Jesus' destination was twofold first the cross then the Father. A chicken's destination is the get to other side of the road. As Jesus journeyed toward his ultimate destination he chose to take a few detours. He could have gone straight from his baptism to Jerusalem, insult the Jewish hierarchy be sentenced to die and be executed on the cross thus reaching his final destination. Instead his journey took on a added dimension, it took on a mission.

Before moving on let's go back to the chicken. If you remember the question, "Why did the chicken cross the road," then you remember the answer, "To get to the other side." Some people are like that they journey toward a destination doing whatever it takes to get to the "other side of the road". Here's an example for you. Chicken A begins crossing the road and get injured and is unable to move. Chicken B begins crossing the road after a short distance he sees chicken A lying in the road. Since Chicken B's only mission it to get to the other side he sees Chicken A as an obstacle and goes around him. Sometimes the journey of success is like that. Aren’t you glad Jesus wasn’t a chicken? Are you a chicken?

Making Jesus Simple Part Two

Gary Piper

The Reality of Jesus…

Written by Gary Piper

*All scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (registered). Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

There is no greater need in the world today than to know that Jesus Christ is real. One can read all the books ever written, all the testimonies ever spoken and never really know him. In this regards Jesus is much like you and I, someone can look us up in the phone book, see our picture in an old year book or somewhere else and know we exist and never know what we're about.

The simplicity of Jesus is shrouded in his reality and our perception of that reality. Author, Arthur Oakman in his book "He Who Is" (published in 1963 by Herald Publishing House, Independence, Mo.) wrote, "If we believe in God at all, what we believe about him matters more than anything else which goes to make up our lives. To believe in God falsely conceived may very easily be worse than to disbelieve him altogether. For we become like the thing we worship." We could, for our purpose here substitute Jesus Christ for God and rewrite Mr. Oakman thus, "If we believe in Jesus Christ at all, what we believe about him matters more than anything else which goes to make up our lives. To believe in Jesus Christ falsely conceived may very easily be worse than to disbelieve him altogether. For we become like the thing we worship."

Making Jesus Simple

Gary Piper

Introduction…

Written by Gary Piper

A number of years ago there was a series of books titled "……. Made Simple" covering a variety of topics. I remember reading a couple of them when I had trouble with English in school, and when I became interested in electronics, they were really helpful. To my knowledge they are out of print and no longer available. But not to worry they have been replaced, today you can buy "………For Dummies".

Somehow we have gone from being simple people searching for answers to what we consider complex topics to dummies. Here's what the dictionary says about dummy: "One who is incapable of speaking; One who is habitually silent; One who is stupid; A large puppet; Having the appearance of being real; Existing in name only." I cannot speak for you but that does not describe me.

My father who by the way was the smartest person in the world (to me) wanted to purchase one about computers. "Dad," I told him, "You're no dummy."

"Yes I am," he told me, "I know nothing about computers."

"Dad, all that makes you," I told him back, "Is a man that doesn't know a lot about computers, it doesn't make you a dummy. In fact a dummy would be someone who would never seek to learn something new in the first place."

Making Jesus Simple Part One

Gary Piper

The Hinge…

I have titled Part One the Hinge because every thing you are about to read can not be proved and will depend on one five letter word, FAITH. Because Jesus no longer walks the earth physically it is our faith that will give reality to him. It is our faith that will allow us to feel God's love and forgiveness. It is our faith that will give wings to the Holy Spirit so we can enjoy the promises of heaven. So before proceeding further I think a simple basic understanding of faith would be in order.

Because Faith is multi-faceted and book after book has been written a theological discussion would only complicate it further. It is much easier to understand what faith does rather than what it is. Faith can be illustrated by using electricity as an example you can not see how electricity goes about lighting a light bulb but you can see what electricity does. In a like manner it is much easier to see what Faith does than see what it is.

Normally people think of Faith as an intricate system of beliefs or the act of believing in something. Faith is all that and more. It may be helpful to see Faith as something we experience, experience not based on rock solid knowledge but experience based on circumstantial evidence. In many ways Faith is not something we possess instead Faith possess us. Yet until Faith is exercised it is simply a five letter word in our arsenal of buzz words we use to sound spiritual.

For simplicity let’s examine Faith as a journey. A Faith journey is walking leaving what we know for sure and venturing into the uncharted areas of life and spirituality. It is a journey that will take us through our brokenness, our pain, our loneliness, our despair, and our conflicts into the vast unexplored regions of God’s love, compassions, and blessings. But as we travel its road we will experience the awesome power of the Holy Spirit carrying us ever upward beyond the normalcy of life as we know it. It is a journey filled with great expectations, peace, comfort, and wholeness. It is a journey of starting points that begins with the acknowledgement that we ourselves are helpless that we must depend on others and especially on God. It is journey that will defy logic. The following Journey Verse sheds light on Faith as a starting point.

The Year of Our LORD 2012...

Gary Piper

Today is December 31, 2011 and as of 12:01 AM it will be in the history books, I wish I could say that it was the year our hopes and dreams became a reality but those have been reserved for another year perhaps 2012.

With all the unrest and conflict in our world and our individual lives today it would be great to enter 2012 on a happy note rather than a negative one.

But wait just a minute!

Hold the fort!

Stop the presses!

Did I just set us up to enter 2012 on a negative note?

In spite of all the unrest and conflict in our world and lives is this not the Year of Our LORD 2012? Perhaps the most important choice we will need to make the entire 366 days of 2012 will be to choose between seeing 2012 as the Year of Our LORD 2012 or not.

If we chose to see 2012 as the LORD’s year then rather than unrest and conflict being adversities they will be entry points to a deeper more profound relationship not only with God but yourself as well which will in turn open up deeper relationship with others and the world around you.

For me 12:01 January 1, 2012 opens the doorway not only to the Year of My LORD 2012 but the beginning of a new and exciting adventure. I think one of the keys to any new year is not to think of it in terms of what it will bring but to think of it in terms of what do I want it to bring and how am I going to go about accomplishing those things.

But wait just a minute!

Hold the fort!

Stop the presses!

Did I just write of what I want 2012 to bring?

Did I not write a paragraph or two ago that for me 2012 was the year of my Lord? If I set out to think about what I want to 2012 to bring who’s year is it mine or the Lord’s?

Let’s back up a bit and do a rewrite… For me 12:01 January 1, 2012 opens the doorway not only to the Year of My LORD 2012 but the beginning of a new and exciting adventure. I think one of the keys to any new year is not to think of it in terms of what it will bring but to think of it in terms of what do I want it to bring and how am I going to go about accomplishing those things. But to think of it in terms of what God wants to bring about in my life and to go about discovering, embarking, and accomplishing those things. For me 2012 will be the greatest year of Adventuring with God in all my 65 years!

As we anticipate 2012 as a year of Adventuring with God let us begin by allowing God’s word to set us up and gently push us off into deeper waters and begin our adventure.

"Remember not the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:18-19 ESV)

“For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you…” (Jeremiah 29:11-14 ESV)

Trust in the LORD, and do good; dwell in the land (YEAR) and befriend faithfulness. Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act. He will bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices! Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath! Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil. For the evildoers shall be cut off, but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land (YEAR).” (Psalms 37:3-9 ESV)

Leaving the Holy Spirit to work with you in coming to terms with God on the all of the scripture quotes I will add a few of my own observations to the last one. I am not one to make New Years Resolutions and I will stand on that premise however, the Psalmist puts before us for 2012 “MUST DO’s” (I’ve added a couple, feel free to add your own)…

Trust in the LORD…

Delight yourself in the LORD…

Commit your year to the LORD…

Be still before the LORD…

Refrain from anger…

Wait for the LORD…

Love the LORD with all of your life…

Serve Jesus by serving others…

Well whether you are ready for 2012 or not here it comes and the choices you make before it gets here are some of the most important choices you’ll make all year. What will they be? Only you can answer that question.

In closing there’s one more thing I would like you to think about that may help you make the right choice – to choose to make 2012 the Year of the LORD.

While it is true 2012 will include your past years it is just as true that 2012 will bring brand spanking new blessings. While it is true all your past years have shaped you into the person you are now it is also true that God’s plans for you during 2012 is to forge a new you, a more blessed you. Because God works primarily outside the medium of time the “brand spanking” new blessings of 2012 are already in place and are awaiting your discovery.

Grace and PEACE,

Gary Piper

From Natural Spirit Ministries and the Glory Seed Devotional families

MAY 2012 PROVE TO BE ALL THAT GOD WANTS IT TO BE FOR YOU!