The Work Week With Christ

We Are The Body

John 20:14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.

The tomb is empty, and the Christ is gone. This has to be the lowest point in Mary, and the disciples lives. Could you imagine the despair, the utter feeling of being totally lost they must have felt? Yet Mary turns, and there is Jesus. Folks, that is the way life is every single day and twice on Sunday. Every day Christ is at our side, yet so often we never turn to see Him. We get lost in the moment, lost in the pain, and disappointment of the day. We get wrapped up in the deals, the bargains, the hectic schedule, and we pick up so much speed that it feels like either the wheels are going to fall off, or we will be crushed by the weight of the day. At that moment, we need to turn to the Lord. The knee jerk human, worldly reaction is to reach out, grab another gear, and hope it all holds together for another day, that is not the way we were built. We were made to live, laugh, and love, not stress, cry, then die. Each day we should find some time to turn and see that Jesus is walking with us. We should remind ourselves that even at our lowest point we are not alone. Jesus is there to take the burden, the confusion, the pain, and the frustration. He never asked you to carry it, nor did His Father, all they have ever asked is that you live for them, and allow them to carry all of your weight.

There is more to this verse though, a little bit of symbolism I believe. You see Mary turned, and saw Jesus, but she did not see, nor understand that this was Jesus at first. Now there are a number of reasons why this could have happened, perhaps Jesus did not want her to see that is was Him immediately, in this case I believe it is more of typical grief. Jesus was dead, Mary saw Him die, She could not get her head around the fact that He was actually standing in front of her. So at first she thought that He was the gardener. And here I find the symbolism. If it were just the gardener standing there, and that gardener was a believer, then would that not mean that there was in fact a part of Christ standing there? When someone is at their lowest point, and they turn and see you, should they not see Jesus staring back at them? Should they not feel the love, compassion, and help, that we expect, and enjoy from the Lord? Are we not told that we are the Church, we are the living breathing body of Christ? Are we not the living examples of Christ here on Earth? I think you know the answer to those questions. Which means that it does not matter if you are just a gardener, or the President, CFO, CEO, COO, VP, or any fancy initials you want to hang after your name, we all carry the same prefix J.C…..Jesus Christ. We are here for each other, to help out, to carry the load, to build up the broken, and tear down the walls that hinder. Today Mary might turn and instead of Jesus she might see you, or perhaps today is the day that you turn and see the outstretched hand of another. Give the help that is needed, and take the help that is offered. With God above, the Spirit within, Jesus at our side, and the living breathing body of Christ around us, we should never feel alone, or left behind.

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

Just For You

Matthew 9: 9 As Jesus went on from there, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s booth. “Follow me,” he told him, and Matthew got up and followed him.

There are a couple of passages that reflect this same simplicity Jesus says, and people do. Hey you, get up and follow me…..and Matthew gets up and goes. Pretty simple huh? I mean it seems easy enough, Why not right? Christ shows up in your life, and you move….What? it’s not that easy? There is more to it than that? Life is more complicated today? There are more grey areas, life is not so black and white like it was back then? I might be inclined to go along with those thoughts, but Matthew was a tax collector. If you want to see a picture of someone living in the grey area, look at the life of a tax collector in the day of Jesus. These guys were crooks, by way of the law, they taxed more than they were supposed to and they kept the profits. It was common knowledge, no one liked the tax man (some things never change). Matthew was living a life that would rival Bernie Madoff! The difference is Matthew most likely never would have been caught, and prosecuted! Think about it, Matthew had a pretty good gig going on by worldly standards. He took what he wanted, lived as he pleased, did not want for anything. Matthew must of had a nice house, he threw a dinner party and a ton of folks showed up. If they had Maserati’s back then, you can bet Matthew would have had one. Yet, Matthew was called, and Matthew moved! That tells me one thing. Out of all the stuff that Matthew had, he still felt like he was missing something. He knew there was more to be had. I often wonder about the next few days after Matthew decided to follow Jesus. I can see him sort of looking around thinking, “wow, this cat does not have anything!” What am I doing here, why did I give up everything that I had? I am sure that all of those questions were answered as soon as Jesus raised that little dead girl. Oh, I can here Matthew say to himself, this guy gives life to those that are dead………OK, I am in!

That is the simplicity of Christ. Get out past the religion, the “right music” the “right rituals” “ the right prayers” the “right church” get down to the brass tacks, and you will see plain and simple, Jesus brings life where there was only death. That is what makes the choice so simple. It is that very thing that makes men and women leave their lives of comfort, and travel to faraway lands to tell the world this truth. It is why people turn from their old worldly lives, and follow Jesus when He calls. They realize that Christ brings them life…..Christ brings you life. It is this simple truth, Christ died for you, that can change a life, a family, a community, a country, and yes the entire world we live in. There is something more out there for you. I don’t care who you are, or where you are at in your journey with God. That empty feeling, that little empty feeling that shows up usually when you are at the height of your game. The celebration that falls a little short, the joy that somehow still feels a little lacking. That is the feeling of knowing there is more out there. That is the feeling of the call of Christ to do a little more than last time (even if last time was nothing). It is the feeling of making sure you make that simple choice, and follow when Christ calls. I am sure that Matthew knew exactly what feeling I am talking about. I would be willing to bet he had been living with that feeling for quite a while.

Knowing that Christ brought us life, and continues to guide us through that life. Knowing that He offers that life to you each and every day, and each and every day, He calls you to make that choice, and fill that empty feeling with the Love of Christ. There is always more to do, there is always something better out there, that something better is what Christ is calling you for. He is not calling me to it, He has me doing something else. He is not calling your neighbor to it, He has them tied up on another task. He is calling you. The work He has done, He did for you. The work He continues to do, He is doing for you. The call that you hear….yes, it is for you. Will you go as willingly as Matthew did? Even if it means that you might have to give up some of what you have to get what you are being called to? Christ is calling you today, will you follow? It really is just that easy. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be willing.

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

Rings and Things

Romans 8:29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

I have not been wearing my wedding ring here lately. My joint has been killing me right where my ring hits, so I am taking a break from wearing it. Now does that mean I get to take a break from my marriage? Since I do not have that little chunk of silver on my finger does that make my vows worthless, does it mean that since I am not waving the married flag, it does not count? Better question, when I do wear it, am I now somehow magically bound by the mysterious powers of the metal that encircles my finger, and now I am unable to do any wrong? I think we all know the answer to that. That ring means nothing. It is nothing more than a way to convey a status to the world of what my intentions are, not necessarily how I am living. What I do with it off, or on is up to me. The outward appearance has nothing to do with the internal. I am what I was led to be, married. Ring, or no ring, it all still counts, and people will know my marital status, not by the ring, but by my actions.

Folks, we are not called to admire Christ, we are not called to be His cheerleaders…..he does not need them! No, God made us in His, and His Sons image, and we are called to be Christ like. We are called to emulate Him, not just admire. However, just like my wedding ring, many folks today seem to think that just because we wear the right ring, have the correct bumper sticker, go to the right Church, drink or eat the right things, or sing the right songs then we are Christ like. I know many people who are flying the Jesus flag, yet just like the guy with the cowboy hat that has never been on a horse……they are all hat, and no cattle. We have fallen it to the trap of being more worried about how we are perceived than worried about how we are LIVING like Christ. This is not some lengthy admonishment about how we terrible of a job we are doing. It is more of a desperate plea for us to each stop and look at our lives. You see, Christ never really cared what others thought about Him. He cleaved to the one and only truth. The Truth of His Father. He did not care where He preached that Word. In a boat, in a Synagogue, by a lake, on a hill, or in the house of a sinner. He did not care if those around Him were Samarian, Jew, or Roman. He showed love for His Father, and Love for each and every person around Him. Here is where we find the key. It is not a matter of where we are at, or what we are wearing. It does not matter if we find ourselves surrounded by Christians, or Atheists. We must be what we were called to be…… conformed to the image of Christ.

Does that mean that I have to have an Ichthus (Jesus Fish) sticker on my car? Do I have to belong to the Church that is deemed the “right” one in my circle? No. If I shout Jesus from the rooftops, and say I believe, will that mean that I am “in”. Nope, even the devil believes in Christ…matter of fact I would bet that the devil believes in Christ more than a lot of people today. Saying you are married does not make you married, saying you are sober does not cure the alcoholic, calling a dog’s tail a leg, does not mean that a dog has 5 legs.

We have been given a gift, we have been shown the greatest amount of love that anyone could be shown. When we least deserved it, we were given what we did not deserve on our best day! In return all we can do is try to live the life that the Lord has planned for us, and that life is one that looks as close to Christ’s as we can get. No, it is not easy, yes, we will have days that we will fail miserably at it. But it is not that ring or the bumper sticker that will define your walk with Christ. It will be defined, and a testimony to all around you, when they see you struggle, but continue on, when you fall, and get back up, when you falter, and reach out to the Lord for stability. When we return love for hate, compassion, for scorn. When we are seen nailing our lives to the Cross of Christ, standing on the rock, dirt under our fingernails from clawing our way back up, torn shirts from navigating the thorn bushes, and holes in the knees of our pants from praying for the help, guidance, grace, peace and strength needed to make it another day. A ring will not make you married, and a bumper sticker will not make you a Christian. Both take a lifetime of selflessness, just like the life that Christ led.

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

Oh Yes You Can

Romans 3:3 What if some were unfaithful? Will their unfaithfulness nullify God’s faithfulness?

So you can’t do it huh? God does not deliver for you, He does not listen to you, you are not important enough. You cannot dream that big, those things don’t happen to me, there is no way I can be that lucky….it’s always the other guy. I hear these, or versions of these statements often. Who are you listening to? Who has told you to water down your dreams. Who has convinced you that you cannot win? Who in your life right now, or in your past has robbed you of undiluted faith? Their unbelief, has fueled your unbelief. One of the hardest things in life to learn, and believe, is just because a “smart” person says it…well….that does not make it true. Their lack of faith does not mean that there are no faithful! We get in this habit of believing what others say, more than what we know. We start to defer to friends, self-help books, and the latest fad to try and find our worth, and our compass. We start to believe the lie that somehow the person with the better background, the better college receipt, the better wife, car, family, whatever you want to measure, is better, or more deserving that we are. Has God promised to be more faithful to them? Have they cut a deal with the Lord to have more, or have it easier? Maybe they are right, and you are just not that smart!

I want to be very clear on this, God is not a deal maker. He made one deal and one deal only, He allowed us to kill His Son, so that His Son might stand in for our sins. As a result that deal made us all sons and daughters to God, and siblings to Christ. That is the deal, not another one has been made, nor is there another on to come. God’s faithfulness extends to each and every one of us. Not more to one, and less to another, but exactly what we need and how much we need to accomplish His goals for us. Folks His goals are big, His plans are monumental, and His faith, and belief in you goes well beyond what any mere human might think of you. Could you imagine if Christ let His faithfulness be dictated by those around Him? I can see it now, Jesus walking down the streets of Jerusalem, kicking rocks and dust, head down, murmuring to Himself, “geez, the Pharisees don’t believe me, the Romans don’t believe me, very few of the Jewish people believe in me”……”Maybe they are right”, “Maybe I can’t change the world”. “Maybe my Dad just does not know what He is talking about”……….. WHAAAAAT???? Could you imagine? No….honestly no, I cannot imagine that ever happening. So why do we think it is ok for us to think like that, why would we allow someone’s unfaithfulness nullify God’s?

We have to believe in ourselves, and the best way to do that is to believe in God’s faithfulness to us. It is hard to just believe in ourselves, You hear that all the time….”come on, just believe in yourself and you can do it”. But if you will believe in the promises God has made to you, then it becomes quiet clear that no one can dilute your dreams, no one can hold you back. You are not trapped, you are not restrained. God….the God….you know THE ONE….He says you can. He says you are worth it. He says that with Him, His Son, and the Holy Spirit in your life there is no dream that He sets into motion that you cannot accomplish. Do not allow the unfaithful around you to nullify God’s faithfulness! Shrug off the I can’t, and the I will nevers’…God says you can, the Lord says you will, listen to the Lord. He will tell you time and time again, “yes my child, you can”.

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

Luke 6:12 -13 ¹² One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. ¹³ When morning came, he called his disciples to him and chose twelve of them, whom he also designated apostles:

Christ spent the night praying, and I would think that is anyone had the ear of God that night, His Son did. Christ did not just pray a little, He spent the night praying. Anyone that has taken part in a prayer vigil knows praying all night take some focus, it takes commitment, and it takes determination. After a night of prayer, Christ goes out and chose twelve men to be His apostles. Not ten, not eleven, but twelve, and one of those twelve was who? Judas. The man that would betray Jesus, was handpicked the morning after a night of prayer. If that is not proof positive that we will have difficult people in our lives I do not know what is!

We can read where that Jesus experienced all things human. It is one of the aspects that makes Him able to identify with us so well. I would think that this must have been one of the harder things to experience. Not just betrayal, but betrayal at the hands of one you love. It is a stark reminder that God’s plan does not always mean “our plan” , we can pray for protection, we can pray for an easy life, we can pray for smooth waters, we can pray night and day endlessly, but that will not change the fact that we will be hurt, we will be betrayed, the waters will get rough. So am I saying that we should not pray? Of course not! Prayer is vital in our relationship with the Lord. Christ Knew what was in store for Him, and He did not falter in His praying! What we must understand is, that sometimes prayers are answered in the middle of our pain. The sweet healing power of the Love of Christ might just show up in the middle of a torrential downpour. An entire world was set free at the pinnacle of one Man’s pain. Your prayers are always answered, but sometimes we have to struggle through the pain to get to the blessing. This is our “big game” the world cup, the world series, the super bowl, and the masters all rolled into one. We pray for a win, but honestly we pray for strength. We pray for the fortitude to endure the challenges that we are to face.

What have you obtained in this life that yourself or someone else did not have to sacrifice for? If it was easy to get, was it satisfying to obtain? Your job, your family, your friends, even your hobbies, are they any sweeter when they come without struggle? Why would we want or expect our relationship with Christ to be any different? For every step you take in prayer, you can bet the devil will be there to try and knock you back. Praying does not guarantee us a life of ease. It guarantees us an open line of communication with God. It allows us to cry out and let the Lord know that we cannot do it on our own. God is God, not Santa Clause (although some pictures it is hard to tell the difference) His plan might take us through dark storms, disappointing outcomes, and less than satisfying relationships, but I want you to remember something. God works for the good in the lives of the people that love Him, and have been called to His purpose. It might not seem like it right now, but know this; If it is not good right now, that just means that God is not done. Do not slack on your praying, increase it. Just because you find that you have a traitor in your midst does not mean that your prayers have not been answered, it might just be that God is about to do something huge in your life. Life is tough, and at times it might seem unfair, but know that God is a just God, He is faithful, and He is moving right now to change your life, and you know what….He is going to work in that traitors life as well. It might just be that traitor is doing some praying himself, that might just be what brought them to you. Remember that light at the end of the tunnel……it might be you.

God Bless,

Brian Thetford

Who Says?

1 Samuel 17:33 Saul replied, “You are not able to go out against this Philistine and fight him; you are only a young man, and he has been a warrior from his youth.”

You can’t you, are not able, you don’t know how, you cannot learn, you will fail! Saul might as well have told David he was worthless. Who is telling you that today? Who are you listening to today? No, No, NO, NO, NO! we hear it over and over again every day. People are constantly telling us what we can and cannot accomplish. We all have our Goliaths to face. They are the problems in this life that follow us, they taunt us, and they make us doubt ourselves. So who do we listen to? It is more often the case than not that we listen to the boss that tells us that we will never pull it off, the spouse who says don’t take the risk, the friend who tells you that you will fail. So we slink back behind the ranks of others who are just as scared as we are, and we wait. Goliath is still there, he is still calling out your name, he is still waiting. Why do we listen to those that would hold us back? I love David’s response to Saul “The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine.” David is telling Saul that he has had other times where he has faced adversaries, they might have been smaller, but he won. If God will see him through the small ones, He will see David through the big ones! You see, when we listen to the world we will never be able to fully trust in the Lord, but when we set those naysayers aside, and focus on the Lord, focus on His strength, focus on His promises, focus on His faithfulness, then we will see there is nothing that we cannot do. There is no problem that we cannot face, and overcome. The world says you can’t, but the Lord says with Me, all things are possible. SO who will you listen to? Sometimes getting to the fight is half the battle. How many people do you think stopped David on the way to the battle field? An entire army refused to step forward, yet this one young man walked past them all. To get to a point where he could fight the Philistine, David first had to fight through the people who were supposed to be supporting him! Oh, but when we do that, when we refuse to listen to the ones who would tell us we can’t, and instead listen to THE ONE who says we can, when we lose ourselves, and find the voice of the Lord inside of us, we are unstoppable, no weapons formed against us will prosper. So who says you can’t, and does it really matter? The important thing to remember is who says you can!

God Bless,

Brian Thetford