Bourland Family Blog

What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. When that happens, be happy! Yes, leap for joy! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, their ancestors treated the ancient prophets that same way. Luke 6:22-23[NLT]

Wow, is the message appropriate for me in this stage in life and career. I have so many opportunities at work on a daily basis to represent and show my faith in how I present and handle myself. In the past several years, I have increasing confidence that the way I’ll be let go from my job is because people will learn that I am a devote follower of Jesus.

Our culture has developed a perception that Christians == homophobe, transphobe, and racist…which is the farthest from the truth for a genuine believer and follower of Jesus. When a person is living an obedient life to the teachings of Jesus, there is no greater lover of souls than those people.

I needed to be reminded today that living my life sold out to Jesus may impact my livelihood. When or if it does, I can walk with my head held high and with joy that I have been persecuted in His name.

And solemnly lifting up His eyes on His disciples, He said: Blessed (happy—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, apart from your outward condition—and to be envied) are you poor and lowly and afflicted (destitute of wealth, influence, position, and honor), for the kingdom of God is yours! Luke 6:20[AMP]

When I read this verse that comes out of my passage today, I find myself wanting what they (the poor) have. And what is it that they have? Well, the amplified version tells us -> “Destitute of wealth, influence, position, and honor“ Ok, none of us probably want that; but what does it mean that they have because they are in the situation that Jesus calls out here?

Quite simply, they don’t have earthly things, so they cling to spiritual things. I’m going to have to look up where, but there are other places in God’s word where it talks about the fact that when we seek to people please, the recognition that we get when we do (here on earth) is a receipt of the reward we are looking for (paid in full). So, like that reward, the security of money, influence, position, and honor fulfill a need that we… we are not looking for the spiritual comfort and peace that God can give us when we are destitute.

QUESTION: Am I living a life in my job security, worldly possessions, and comfort that have me leaning into the Lord like I need to? If I’m answering honestly, probably not. Do I need to lose all of these things in order to attain a closeness with the Lord that he desires for me? I don’t think so, but it means that I have to be prepared to lose everything, to give everything away if I don’t feel like I am getting as close to the Lord as I should, while having all of these things. This has kind of rocked me today… and I’m still processing.

But He was aware all along of their thoughts, and He said to the man with the withered hand, Come and stand here in the midst. And he arose and stood there.
Then Jesus said to them, I ask you, is it lawful and right on the Sabbath to do good [so that someone derives advantage from it] or to do evil, to save a life [and make a soul safe] or to destroy it? Luke 6:8-9 [AMP]

As I was reading this passage today, the thing that jumped out to me the most was “He was aware all along of their thoughts.“ All too often I tend to focus too much on exhibiting the right behavior once I have thought about going in one direction or another. I forget that Jesus knows my thoughts. It’s my thoughts and my heart that Jesus is concerned with, not so much of my actions. In fact, the Bible says that obedience is better than sacrifice. Obedience starts in the heart.

The next verse concerns what Jesus had to say to these Pharisees, who were challenging Him about healing on the sabbath. “Is it lawful and right on the sabbath to do right or to do evil. To save a life or to destroy it?” Jesus already knew that in their heart they were leaning towards evil because they were already in fury debating within their own hearts/minds how to stop Him from doing what He was doing and saying.

What is super convicting is that my heart is often times just like the Pharisees’, but in the normal walk, situations, and circumstances of my life. Whether it’s how I’m feeling towards a coworker who is challenging me on a direction we should go, or that person who cut me off on the freeway, or the annoyance that I have with those in our world who are pushing social agendas that are against the word of God. It’s that evil condition in my heart that I feel so convicted by when I read my quiet time today. Lord God forgive me for the evil that is deep inside me. Help me in my sanctification to be more like You; to overcome and have victory over this aspect of my flesh.

And Jesus said to them, "Can you make the wedding guests fast as long as the bridegroom is with them?
  But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken from them; and then they will fast in those days." Luke 5:34-35 [AMP]

Have you ever fasted? If so, why did you do it? What is it about fasting that petitions God to act? I have fasted many times in my Christian walk and there are several reasons why you might do it. One of them is given right here. Jesus is pretty much telling the Pharisees that challenged Him, that fasting serves a purpose in the absence of the physical presence of Jesus. Jesus tells them that when He is taken from them (in this case ascended into Heaven) that they will fast then. Quite simply, in this instance, fasting is appropriate preparation for a special imparting of the Spirit.

When I fast, I am depraving myself of sustenance that makes me hungry; when I feel a hunger pang, I dive into prayer for the thing I am fasting for. Usually, it’s over a decision where I am beseeching the Lord for His wisdom and maybe even a confidence in the Spirit that I am moving in the right direction. Other times I am fasting in prayer for someone and asking for an imparting of the Spirit in their circumstance. Normally I fast from sundown to sundown and relegate myself to liquids only (Coffee, Tea, or Water).

Fasting is powerful and it is important to fast in private (as to not be tempted to boast). Additionally, fasting should cause joy and anticipation for what God is already doing to answer your prayers…no moping around because you are hungry. Using the hunger pangs as a instigator of prayer is super effective. If you have a big decision to make in your family, our you have someone in your life group who is going through a struggle and they need wisdom…think about fasting in those circumstances.

When we are caught up to Heaven, fasting will no longer be necessary for we will be united with the Bridegroom and fasting will once again lose its necessity.

Today was the first day back to work after a wonderful 4 days off. Things are super busy at work and it could be argued that I could not afford to take time off…but I did. One thing that made it easier was a blessing from God. I have a very large and involved contractual document I needed to turn into the Government by 24 MAY 2023. The morning I took off from work (THURS) I asked my counterparts on the government team whether they would allow me to extend the submission date a week and THEY AGREED! There is good reason from them to as they just had a new person start that is coming up to speed and it will provide he and I more time to align on some of the direction before submitting. I was soooo thankful and I know it was the Lord’s mercy and gift to allow me to focus on my wife and our church at the Pastor/Elder Retreat I attended with her.

And after this, Jesus went out and looked [attentively] at a tax collector named Levi sitting at the tax office; and He said to him, Join Me as a disciple and side with My party and accompany Me.  And he forsook everything and got up and followed Him [becoming His disciple and siding with His party].  Luke 5:27-28 [AMP]

I remember watching The Chosen and the writer’s depiction of Levi (Matthew) who they portrayed as a brainiac math wizard who had some ADHD/Autism aspects about him. They showed Levi having a lot more watching of Jesus and being familiar with Him than what I can find in God’s Word…however, I could totally see how Levi might have had some knowledge of Jesus before He called him to follow.

Under contract with either the tetrarch or more local officials, Galilee-based tax collectors collected sales taxes, real-estate taxes, and toll taxes imposed along travelling routes between cities. It was a role that lent itself all too well to extortionary practices. Given the high degree of contact between tax collectors and Gentiles in this profession, the stricter Jewish sects would have considered tax collectors inherently unclean, much like the man with leprosy we read about yesterday. Like the fisherman called in 5:11, Levi is led to leave everything behind and ‘follow Him’. For Luke, following Jesus means leaving everything behind, not for the sake of duty or for the sake of sacrifice itself, but simply because Jesus says, “Follow Me”.

So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple.

Luke 14:33 [AMP]

Like what was said above, it would not be a trivial thing for Levi to just leave his post; being assigned to a local official would come with some lose ends as he just stepped away. In the ‘The Chosen’, they show that Levi has a centurion assigned to him; but more than likely the soldier was assigned to guard the money and keep an eye on the tax collector and maybe even being his ‘heavy’ in needed circumstances.

Application:

Levi (Matthew) had no hesitation in dropping everything and following Jesus…even when it meant likely earthly ramifications. Levi didn’t care about those things in the moment. Do I have this loose of a grasp of my worldly possessions, job, or standard of living? As a person who has been blessed with a measure more than most, I must constantly be asking myself whether I am doing everything I can to be a conduit for God’s Kingdom building work? I need to be listening for the voice of God in my time in prayer and in His word everyday if I am indeed ‘Following Him’. Clinging close to the Spirit within me and tuning my ear to the sound of the Shepherd is the only way to be sure that I am standing, walking, or even running the narrow road of obedience.

And when He saw [their confidence in Him, springing from] their faith, He said, Man, your sins are forgiven you!   And the scribes and the Pharisees began to reason and question and argue, saying, Who is this [Man] Who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins but God alone?  But Jesus, knowing their thoughts and questionings, answered them, Why do you question in your hearts?
 Which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven you, or to say, Arise and walk [about]?  But that you may know that the Son of Man has the [power of] authority and right on earth to forgive sins, He said to the paralyzed man, I say to you, arise, pick up your litter (stretcher), and go to your own house! Luke 5:20-24 [AMP]

Feels like I have been away from my posting for longer than just 3 days. I am happy to be back sharing my time with the Lord in this form but my time away with the elders, pastors, and their wives at the CHCC Pastor/Elder retreat was amazing. We had Drs Nicholas and Vanesa Ellen with us to encourage and admonish us. It was a special time.

In my reading today I focused on the well-known story of Jesus healing the paralytic who was lowered down through the roof and set right in front of Jesus as He taught those there. There were many Pharisees and Teachers of the Law that were in attendance, who had come from all over to hear this Man who was having a meteoric rise in His visibility and following. As you likely remember, this paralyzed man had a set of friends who knew Jesus could heal the sick (as He had been doing this for the last several days/weeks and news had traveled). They were so bent on getting their friend in front of Jesus, that that took him up to the roof (no small feat), broke through the thatched roof and then lowered their friend down right in front of where Jesus was sitting.

Luke does not tell us anything about the paralyzed man and his belief, but Jesus addressed this man’s condition because of the faith of his friends. The condition Jesus addresses is not what we might think initially…He said “Friend, your sins are forgiven.” This immediately set off the Teachers of the Law and Pharisees that were in attendance. For them, Jesus’ assertion constitutes a blasphemous usurpation of authority, since declarations of forgiveness could only appropriately be made by either Yahweh (Exod. 34:7; Ps. 103:12) or Yahweh’s appointed agent. On the face of it, the teachers’ reaction is not entirely unreasonable, especially since Scripture clearly indicates that sin forgiveness is a strictly divine action. But Jesus then reinforces HIs identity by healing the paralytic, telling him to “Get up, pick up your mat, and go home!”. There must have been astonishment from everyone that was there. He is now trying to get their attention.

Application:

This repetition is one of the things I notice in my own walk when God is trying to get my attention. I have learned to stop in my tracks when I see this happening, and respond with obedience on what I feel Him calling me to do. My study of Romans 8 and Spiritual Warfare was one of these.

While He was in one of the towns, there came a man full of (covered with) leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, Lord, if You are willing, You are able to cure me and make me clean.
   And [Jesus] reached out His hand and touched him, saying, I am willing; be cleansed! And immediately the leprosy left him. Luke 5:12-13 [AMP]

Because of my long day yesterday I had to push my Quiet Time to after Life Group. I crawled in bed with full intention of hearing what God had for me in His Word but I kept falling asleep. So I shut my laptop and went to bed. God deserved my best, not a quick sleepy plug at the end of the night.

I don’t know why but I always smile when I read about this specific story. The smile comes from Jesus saying “I am willing”. The vision I have in my mind as I recreate it is a loving banter between this leper and Jesus. The leper is committed to doing a couple of things – This guy likely hunted Jesus down. He had heard what Jesus was doing and what He was teaching – He believed. He worshipped by falling on his face before Jesus in his plight for healing. He implored Jesus for an answer to his request for healing acknowledging Jesus’ sovereignty by stating “If you are willing”. He trusted in the power of Jesus’ touch – “You ARE ABLE to CURE me and MAKE me CLEAN”.

The next part of this vision I have is Jesus looking down on Him in full compassion, acknowledging the desperateness of this man’s plea, with eyes looking directly into the leper’s saying, “I AM willing…Be cleansed!” [emphasis on AM].

Tonight I have some people very close to me who are hurting from a very difficult decision what has been handed to them. They are totally heartbroken but also being so honoring to the Lord in their processing of the news. I am praying that the Lord shows a compassion that is reflective of their acknowledgement of Him as their Savior and Object of their service. If God, You are willing, please comfort these precious people who love You and trust in You so much. You know their situation and heartbreak better than anyone. Please have mercy on them and quickly show them Your purpose behind this change.

When He had stopped speaking, He said to Simon (Peter), Put out into the deep [water], and lower your nets for a haul.
   And Simon (Peter) answered, Master, we toiled all night [exhaustingly] and caught nothing [in our nets]. Buton the ground of Your word, I will lower the nets [again].
   And when they had done this, they caught a great number of fish; and as their nets were [at the point of] breaking,
   They signaled to their partners in the other boat to come and take hold with them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink.
   But when Simon Peter saw this, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord. Luke 5:4-8 [AMP]

So thankful to have a bit of time before my first meeting this morning and rather than choose to do busy-work (email, document writing, and other things I need to do outside of meetings) I am going to spend this time with the Lord and ask that He help me be productive as possible through the rest of the day. Starting off my day with Him ‘always’ results in a day where my mind stays nestled in His care, grace, and presence.

I pulled up the calling of the disciples in Matthew, Mark, and John and this (Luke) is the only place where the ‘haul of fish’ is recorded as a part of that initial calling. In the other recordings, Jesus asks them to follow Him, and they drop their nets and leave their boats, but the miracle is left out.

The main takeaway from today is the identification I take with Peter (as I often do) with his questioning of Jesus in regard to going out and fishing again after an entire catch-less night of work. Remember, Peter just got done seeing Jesus miraculously heal his mother-in-law from the fever and all of the rest of the people that came that night where Jesus healed every single person who came…yet, here Peter questions Jesus’ request. Let’s be clear, fishing for these guys, was tough work. The boats were about 26′ long and 8 feet wide. They had to row the boats out to where they would fish before prepping and dropping their nets. No small feat with the close recollection of the fruitless night and exhaustion that had probably set in.

But then look at Peter’s response after the big haul of fish – “I am not worthy to have You in my presence Lord Jesus, please leave as I am a man full of sin!” He was not only broken about his doubt in Jesus, but he was also in awe of the realization that Jesus was indeed the Messiah and he (Peter) should not have questioned Him. Finally, they left everything (including they huge load of fish in the boats) and followed Jesus. There was no earthly possession or enterprise that got in the way of their service to the Messiah…they had an change in perspective that made earthly things meaningless.

Application:

I have seen the hand of God move uncoincidentally in my life and those around me. Yet, I like Peter, question God’s ability to have impact or move in another circumstance or situation. When He does show His presence and power, I am ashamed of my lack of unbelief and come like Peter did in repentance and guilt. In my sanctification, I only find that I am more and more guilty of giving into the flesh in terms of self-sufficiency or pride. Things that I have been doing out of habit are revealed as ‘Respectable Sins’ that I must address. The big question I have to ask myself is – “Am I willing to walk away from my nets, boats, and livelihood to follow Jesus?” Honestly, I have to ask myself this question and answer it every day. I do think that one day is coming where I may lose my job for what I believe and my worldview that is centered on the Word of Truth alone. I live each day in the freedom that where God has me right now is my mission field. I must keep close to Jesus in my heart every day to be sure that I am exactly where He wants in regard to His will and purposes for my life.