Monthly Archives: March 2017

So much worse that sewer repair! (John 13:7-10), March 21, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Topic Introduction with headline.
Scripture
1. John 13:7-10
2. Simon Peter (as Jesus approaches): Lord, are You going to wash my feet?

Jesus: Peter, you don’t realize what I am doing, but you will understand later.

Peter: You will not wash my feet, now or ever!

Jesus: If I don’t wash you, you will have nothing to do with Me.

Peter: Then wash me but don’t stop with my feet. Cleanse my hands and head as well.

Jesus: Listen, anyone who has bathed is clean all over except for the feet. But I tell you this, not all of you are clean.

Devotional
1. Remember the Ridex commercials?
  1. Father has everything ready for his daughter’s birthday party
    1. Cake
    2. Presents
    3. Surprise pony
    4. Princess castle
  2. Septic tank overflows and fills the yard where the party is supposed to take place
  3. Terrible job cleaning out an overflowing, broken septic tank
  4. Machinery to suck out intact systems, but when they’re broken…
2. We sometimes don’t really understand the full impact of what Jesus was doing that evening as He washed the disciples feet
  1. Ancient times
  2. Everyone walked
  3. Same pathways with camels, donkeys, goats, sheep, horses
  4. Have you looked at the street after a parade of horses?
  5. Imagine that scene multiplied by daily traffic with no street sweepers
  6. No underground sewage system either
  7. Chamber pots used during the night were often emptied out the window into the streets in the morning
3. Now think of those foot travelers, which was 80% of the travelers
  1. No socks
  2. No closed toed shoes
  3. Sandals with leather straps holding them in place
  4. Imagine what finds its way between the top of those sandals and the bottom of your feet
  5. Imagine what finds its way between your toes
4. The lowliest servant or the one deserving the most punishment that day got the duty of washing the guests’ feet
  1. None wanted that duty
  2. Washing feet meant scraping the animal and human waste off, them scrubbing them clean
  3. That’s what those large water pots were for that Jesus turned into wine in Cana, imagine that! I guess it was all organic
  4. What a job! But Jesus volunteered to show He was a servant to everyone even though He was King of kings and Lord of lords, Savior of humankind for all who would follow Him
5. Ever feel a little uppity because of what you do for the kingdom? Take a look at what Jesus did in that upper room that evening. He took on the worst task possible to show us how we should act toward those around us. Serve rather that expect to be served.
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

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What happens when you ignore the boss? (John 12:44-50), March 20, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
What happens when you ignore the boss? You might never see the boss in a large corporation, but that doesn’t mean you can ignore what he says. You job will be on the line if you do. So how does that relate to our spiritual life?
Scripture
1. John 12:44-50
2. Jesus (crying out before the people): Anyone who believes in Me is not placing his faith in Me, but in the One who sent Me here. If one sees Me, he sees the One who sent Me. I am here to bring light in this world, freeing everyone who believes in Me from the darkness that blinds him. If anyone listening to My teachings chooses to ignore them, so be it: I have come to liberate the world, not to judge it. However, those who reject Me and My teachings will be judged: in the last day, My words will be their judge because I am not speaking of My own volition and from My own authority. The Father who sent Me has commanded Me what to say and speak. I know His command is eternal life, so every word I utter originates in Him.
Devotional
1. As I’ve mentioned several times during my podcasts, I served in the Army for thirty years.
  1. Armed Forces are part of the Executive Branch of the government under the Constitution
  2. Keep the borders of our nation safe and prosecute conflicts directed by the President and approved by Congress
  3. President is the Commander-in-Chief, the boss
  4. Served under six: Ford, Carter, Reagan, Bush, Clinton, Bush
2. Met Rosalynn Carter and George W. Bush, but never met any of the other presidents or their wives before or after they were in office
  1. Why bring that up?
  2. All of those presidents who a lot of Executive Orders that applied to service members
  3. Many of those Executive Orders affected our behavior, what we could or could not do both in battle and in peacetime environments
  4. Ignoring or disobeying any of those orders could mean stiff administrative actions, discharge, hefty fines or imprisonment
  5. I had to obey all those orders yet I only saw one of those Commanders-in-Chief in person and that was during the Army’s response to Hurricane Katrina and then only long enough for President Bush to shake my hand and say, “Keep up the good work, Colonel Agee.” The same thing he said to several others crowded in that room with him that day.
3. We obey our bosses who we may never see
  1. Why is it so hard to obey the God who loves us so much He came to earth in the flesh to live with us?
  2. Why is it so hard to listen to what He says and understand His commands are for our good?
  3. Why can we not figure out that failing to obey God carries consequences far worse than failing to obey an earthly employer?
  4. Time to meditate on just Who we should listen to now isn’t it?
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Stay in the light (John 12:35-36), March 19, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Have you ever been in absolute, total darkness. It’s hard to find those spots today, but when you do, they can be pretty scary.
Scripture
1. John 12:35-36
2. Jesus: Light is among you, but very soon it will flicker out. Walk as you have the light, and then the darkness will not surround you. Those who walk in darkness don’t know where they are going. While the light is with you, believe in the light; and you will be reborn as sons and daughters of the light.
Devotional
1. Growing up in central Tennessee or central Kentucky, you know about Mammoth Cave. It’s named after the discovery of the Mammoth skeleton found in its caverns deep under the earth.
  1. System goes on for miles
  2. Popular tourist attraction
  3. Beautiful natural sculptures from millennia of stalactite and stalagmite formation
  4. Evolution of insects, fish and frogs without sight
  5. Every tour stops deep underground to demonstrate real darkness
  6. All lights extinguished for a few moments with no light anywhere
  7. Shocked by the total absence of light
2. Few places you can go without some light visible
  1. Light pollution from cities makes night training difficult for military
  2. Observatories find it more difficult to search the stars for the same reason
  3. Use to be able to point out many more constellations and clearly see the Milky Way
  4. Light floods our skies 24 hours a day because of the man-made devices we employ
  5. We despise darkness
3. Darkness means
  1. Can’t navigate
  2. Can’t avoid hidden danger
  3. Can’t distinguish friend or foe visually – sense we rely on the most
  4. Fear
4. Many live in spiritual darkness and don’t know how to escape it
  1. Swallowed in fear
  2. Know there is danger, but don’t know how to avoid it
  3. Sense the evil in the darkness but run headlong into it because there is no way to recognize the right path in the darkness
  4. Need light to show the way
5. Jesus says He is the light
  1. He lights our way
  2. He says when we believe in Him, His spirit will live in us and we become sons and daughters of the light, His light will shine in and through us to light the path before us
  3. Might not see the whole journey,
  4. Might only be the next step
  5. But will never be in darkness if Jesus is living in you
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Everything will change (John 12:30-32), March 18, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Have you ever thought about the key events in history that really changed the world. Stop and see if you can name a few.
Scripture
1. John 12:30-32
2. Jesus: The voice you hear has not spoken for My benefit, but for yours. Now judgment comes upon this world, and everything will change. The tyrant of this world, Satan, will be thrown out. When I am lifted up from the earth, then all of humanity will be drawn to Me.
Devotional
1. There are some key events in history that change everything. Think about it
  1. The Renaissance
  2. Pax Romana
  3. Life of Muhammad
  4. Reformation
  5. World War I
  6. World War II
  7. Printing Press
  8. Berlin Wall
  9. American Revolution
2. None compare to what Jesus did for us
  1. God spoke to the crowd
  2. God gave us a means of escape from the punishment for our sins
  3. God gave His life that we might have eternal life
3. Everything changed; we can be changed, too, if we will let Him change us
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

The miracle of growing things (John 12:23-28), March 17, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
I admire farmers for what they do. It seems their work never ends, but I’m also fascinated by the miracle of life and the analogies Jesus uses with growing things as He speaks.
Scripture
1. John 12:23-28
2. Jesus (to Philip and Andrew): The time has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth: unless a grain of wheat is planted in the ground and dies, it remains a solitary seed. But when it is planted, it produces in death a great harvest. The one who loves this life will lose it, and the one who despises it in this world will have life forevermore. Anyone who serves Me must follow My path; anyone who serves Me will want to be where I am, and he will be honored by the Father. My spirit is low and unsettled. How can I ask the Father to save Me from this hour? This hour is the purpose for which I have come into the world. But what I can say is this: “Father, glorify Your name!”
Devotional
1. Jesus’ words got me thinking about wheat production?
  1. Learned some facts about growing wheat in OK in make a profit
  2. One grain of wheat buried in the ground produces one stalk of wheat
  3. The stalk has a head with from 8-15 spikelets
  4. Each spikelet holds 2-2.5 grains of wheat
  5. Each head has 20-30 grains of wheat
  6. Farmers sow 18 – 22 seeds per square foot to produce a profitable crop
  7. Need 60 heads per foot for profit
  8. Harvest two or three times a year
2. Tells us a few things about wheat you might not know and how it might relate to Jesus’ words
  1. The seed must die and be buried before it is can grow again
  2. The plant that grows out of the ground looks nothing like the seed from which it came
  3. But it produces a lot of seeds that look just like it did before it was buried
  4. Produced a lot more of them also, 40, 60, 100 fold
  5. Cut several times in the seasons but revives to the suffering makes it come back and produce more
  6. Heads are usually bigger the second cutting than the first
3. Jesus talked about the necessity of His burial
  1. He came to die and His death would return Him to His place of glory
  2. His death would bring glory to the Father and fulfill His own destiny
  3. It would also do something for us that we cannot imagine
  4. He makes us part of His kingdom
  5. We become like Him when we follow Him
  6. When we allow Him into our lives and gain new life in Him we become part of that stalk that produces grains of wheat
  7. When we feel buried in all the suffering, maybe it is just the harvesting of the wheat we have produced so we can produce more
4. Wheat is a fascinating plant when you walk through the fields and grab a few heads of the ripened grain in your hand
  1. Next time you pass a field of wheat or corn or anything growing out there, think of the miracle happening and what God might be wanting to do through you as you become part of the harvest of souls and the means of bringing others into the kingdom as well
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Extravagant giving may not be so bad (John 12-7-8), March 16, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Have you ever given someone an extravagant gift and others kind of scolded you about it? We probably all have if you think back through your life. Men can think about that tiny little rock on their fiance’s finger. That’s a lot of money for such a small thing, isn’t it? But is it really extravagant? Jesus got one of those gifts one day and everyone complained.
Scripture
1. John 12:7-8
2. Jesus: Leave her alone. She has observed this custom in anticipation of the day of My burial. The poor are ever present, but I will be leaving.
Devotional
1. When young men get down on their knees and ask for a young lady’s hand in marriage, she usually expects a gold or white gold ring with at least one diamond in it, right? It’s just the way of things, or it least it has been for a long time.
  1. Diamonds are measured in karats
  2. 200 milligrams which is 7/1000’s ounce
  3. Perfect cut and highest quality 1 carat diamond is $17,000
  4. Is that extravagant?
  5. Ask your fiance
2. Jesus and His disciples were eating with Lazarus at his home in Bethany
  1. Martha was working as hostess serving the guests
  2. Mary sat at Jesus feet and poured pure nard
  3. Comes from a plant grows to about 1 meter (3 ft) in height and has pink, bell-shaped flowers. It is found in the Himalayas in Nepal, China, and India at an altitude of about 9,800 to 16,400 ft. Rhizomes (underground stems) can be crushed and distilled into an intensely aromatic amber-colored essential oil, which is very thick in consistency.
  4. Other gospels tell us she broke an alabaster jar to pour out the precious liquid
  5. The alabaster stone from which the jar was carved probably came from the quarries of Alabastron in Egypt, the place from which the stone for the sarcophagus for Seti I and many of the canopic jars came
  6. Each item on its own cost months or maybe even years of labor wages for their purchase
3. Not just Judas, but several of the disciples who were with Jesus complained about the waste
  1. Look at what that money could have bought
  2. Look how many people we could have fed
  3. Look what we could have done for the poor
  4. Look how much ministry we could have done if she had sold that perfume and given the money to us instead of pouring it out on your feet
  5. Jesus, scold her!
4. He didn’t
  1. Sometimes extravagance is the right thing to do
  2. She showed extravagant love through her gift to the One who set her free
  3. We give extravagantly to the one we wish to live with for the rest of our lives
  4. We think nothing of shelling out those months of pay to put the right ring on our bride’s finger
  5. Why should we complain when someone pours out an expression of love for their savior?
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

That was no magic show (John 11:43-44), March 15, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Do you like magic shows? I’m always fascinated by them and like to see if I can catch the magician in some mistake that reveals his secrets. 2,000 years ago, that was no magic show at Lazarus’ tomb, though
Scripture
1. John 11:43-44
2. After these words, He called out in a thunderous voice.

Jesus: Lazarus, come out!

Then, the man who was dead walked out of his tomb bound from head to toe in a burial shroud.

Jesus: Untie him, and let him go.

Devotional
1. A couple of months ago, I saw the Illusionists. It’s a group of magicians that do a variety of tricks on stage that really boggle the mind.
  1. A couple of the acts were pretty weird, like running sharp objects through his body. I didn’t care so much for that.
  2. Escape from a water chamber similar to Houdini’s water chamber, but without the straightjacket
  3. One that really fascinated me was a man who just manipulated playing cards.
    1. Hidden in pockets
    2. Appeared from thin air
    3. Thousands of cards
2. We enjoy watching things we can’t figure out
  1. Enjoy trying to catch the magician in his tricks
  2. Try to find the wires or hidden pockets or figure out the strange technology they used to fool you into thinking something magical has happened
  3. Their skills are sometimes incredible
3. 2,000 years ago those around the tomb didn’t see a magic trick
  1. No incantation
  2. No technology, wires, or mirrors
  3. No double to take Lazarus’ place
  4. Jesus prayed, thanked His Father for hearing His prayer
  5. Called in a loud voice
4. The dead man walked out of the tomb bound from head to toe in a burial shroud
  1. Jesus brought life into a dead body
  2. Arms bound to sides
  3. Legs bound together
  4. Enough life to get up, walk out of the tomb wrapped from head to toe, probably hopped out
  5. Took away the stench of death, too
  6. Untie him, and let him go.
  7. Free him from the shroud as I freed him from death
  8. No magic, just power over death
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Effective prayer (John 11:39-42), March 14, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Is silent prayer effective? Yep. Is vocal prayer effective? Yep. Is prayer effective? Yep. When it’s for the right reason.
Scripture
1. John 11:39-42
2. Jesus: Remove the stone.

Martha: Lord, he has been dead four days; the stench will be unbearable.

Jesus: Remember, I told you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God.

They removed the stone, and Jesus lifted His eyes toward heaven.

Jesus: Father, I am grateful that You have heard Me. I know that You are always listening, but I proclaim it loudly so that everyone here will believe You have sent Me.

Devotional
1. I know people that are scared to death to pray out loud.
  1. They are afraid they’ll say the wrong thing.
  2. They think someone might think poorly of them because of the words they say.
  3. They get their tongues tied and nothing seems to come out right
  4. They’re afraid they’ll forget something they really want to say
2. I know others who think you really need to pray out loud to keep focused during prayer
  1. It’s too easy to let your mind wander
  2. It’s easier to gather your thoughts
  3. It helps you articulate your praise to God
  4. It helps you focus on others instead of yourself
  5. It forces you to think more clearly about what you’re doing
3. Jesus shows us that prayer is effective no matter how we pray as long as it’s for the right reason.
  1. “Father, I’m grateful You have heard Me.”
  2. But He hasn’t said anything out loud yet. He has obviously prayed, but communicated silently with His Father.
  3. “I know You are always listening”
  4. “I proclaim it loudly so that everyone here will believe You have sent Me.”
  5. His vocal prayer is heard so others will know His specific prayer to the Father for Lazarus’ resurrection
4. What was all of this about?
  1. Everything Jesus did was to bring glory to God
  2. He stated before He left for Bethany that His delay and actions would bring glory to His Father
  3. All His prayer requests sought direction to give the most glory to God
  4. His actions aimed glory to God and not Himself
5. Jesus came to Bethany to bring glory to His Father
  1. He would raise Lazarus from the dead
  2. He would show He was one with the Father since only God had the power to give life
  3. He would point all of those action toward one purpose and one cause
  4. Bringing glory to His Father
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Can you believe? (John 11:23-26), March 13, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Sometimes the things people say are just really hard to believe. Can you imagine what it was like for Mary and Martha when Jesus asked them to believe we truly never die?
Scripture
1. John 11:23-26
2. Jesus: Your brother will rise to life.

Martha: I know. He will rise again when everyone is resurrected on the last day.

Jesus: I am the resurrection and the source of all life; those who believe in Me will live even in death. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never truly die. Do you believe this?

Devotional
1. Some people try everything they can to cheat death.
  1. Trillion dollar industries
  2. Cosmetics
  3. Exercise regiments
  4. Vitamins
  5. Cryonics
2. Imagine when Mary and Martha heard these words for the first time
  1. “Believe in Me and live”
  2. “All who believe will have life everlasting”
  3. Easy until looking death in the face
  4. “Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never truly die”
  5. “Do you believe this?”
3. Two different major sects among mainstream Jews
  1. Pharisees believed in resurrection after death
  2. Sadducees believed death was final and there was no resurrection
  3. Listened to Jesus and believed what He said, believed there was a judgment and resurrection
  4. Couldn’t put together the thought of moving between the two
  5. Couldn’t think about His power over death
4. Still the question hung in the air
  1. Do you believe everyone who lives and believes in Me will never truly die?
  2. Mary and Martha watched their brother take his last breath
  3. They washed his body and wrapped it in linen clothes filled with spices
  4. They put their brother in a tomb four days earlier
  5. He will never truly die? What do you call what happened?
5. We have 2,000 years of testimony from people who have lived the assurance of Jesus’ message.
  1. Still we have trouble believing
  2. Yet Mary and Martha voiced the words and took Jesus to the tomb with the expectation of Jesus doing something spectacular for their brother
  3. If they could believe that we never truly die when we believe in Him, without having knowledge of His resurrection, don’t you think we should be able to believe
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”

Personality of a specialist (John 11:14-15), March 12, 2017

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Today’s Podcast

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
I’ve heard a lot of reports of people with cancer, heart problems, strokes, all kinds of maladies in the last few weeks and I’ve heard families complain sometimes about the specialist caring for their loved one. Rough bedside manner. No people skills. Don’t seem to care. I’ll let you in on a secret in just a minute.
Scripture
1. John 11:14-15
2. Jesus: Lazarus is dead, and I am grateful for your sakes that I was not there when he died. Now you will see and believe. Gather yourselves, and let’s go to him.
Devotional
1. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but in the medical world, there seems to be an inverse relationship between bedside manner and perfection of subspecialty skills.
  1. Brilliant people with exceptional medical knowledge and skill
  2. Can diagnose and treat when no one else seems to be able to
  3. Knows exactly what to do and wonders why no one else can see the problem
  4. Horrible bedside manner
    1. Matter of fact
    2. No social skill
    3. Blunt without emotion or feeling
  5. But they’re good, maybe the best
  6. Perhaps okay to put up with lack of social skill when they are the best at their craft
2. Jesus sounds a lot like that when He talks to the disciples in this passage.
  1. Lazarus is dead
  2. For your sakes
  3. Grateful I wasn’t there when He died
  4. Don’t cry.
  5. Let’s go
3. Knowing Jesus is the best at what He does, don’t always expect Him to be all soft and squishy with you
  1. Sometimes needs to tell it like it is
  2. Sometimes needs to just cut to the chase and let you have the news you need to hear
  3. Sometimes needs to have no bedside manner to get your attention so you can heal best
  4. Great Physician
    1. Physically
    2. Mentally
    3. Spiritually – only He can save us from our sins
  5. He’s the specialist, it’s okay for Him to get rough with us sometimes
If you want to learn more about my church, you can find us at SAF.church. If you like the devotional, share it with someone. If you don’t, tell me. I hope you’ll join me again tomorrow for “A Little Walk with God.”