Tag Archives: John

Have you lost your first love? (Revelation 2:1-7), May 12, 2017

Today’s Podcast

Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Remember the seven letters Jesus had John write to the seven churches in Asia Minor? They still have a lot to say to us if we listen.
Scripture
1. Revelation 2:1-7
2. The One: Write down My words, and send them to the messenger of the church in Ephesus. “These are the words of the One who holds the seven stars in His right hand, the One who walks and moves among the golden lampstands:

“I know your deeds, your tireless labor, and your patient endurance. I know you do not tolerate those who do evil. Furthermore, you have diligently tested those who claim to be emissaries, and you have found that they are not true witnesses. You have correctly found them to be false. I know you are patiently enduring and holding firm on behalf of My name. You have not become faint.

“However, I have this against you: you have abandoned your first love. Do you remember what it was like before you fell? It’s time to rethink and change your ways; go back to how you first acted. However, if you do not return, I will come quickly and personally remove your lampstand from its place. But you do have this to your credit: you despise the deeds of the Nicolaitans and how they concede to evil. I also hate what they do.

“Let the person who is able to hear, listen to and follow what the Spirit proclaims to all the churches. I will allow the one who conquers through faithfulness even unto death to eat from the tree of life found in God’s lush paradise.”

Devotional
1. The seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor raise lots of questions today about the stability of those churches
  1. Only one was left unscathed by Jesus’ remarks
  2. All the others were condemned for something they did or failed to do in the course of their daily activities
  3. All but one also had at least one redeeming quality
  4. The order of the letters might be in the order they might be visited if you took a trip to see all of them on a journey in those days
  5. Every letter also points to characteristics Christians today exhibit and should avoid
2. The first letter written to Ephesus
  1. Know your deeds
  2. Tireless labor
  3. Patient endurance
  4. Do not tolerate evil, or those who do evil
3. You abandoned your first love
  1. Became legalistic in examination of the deeds of others
  2. Rethink your ways
  3. Remember how you felt when you first received grace and mercy
  4. Go back to those days
  5. Go back to how you first acted
  6. Love each other and share the message
  7. Demonstrate the joy of the Lord
  8. Don’t fail to mix grace with justice
4. Listen, follow what the spirit proclaims, there is a reward at the end
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 Voice Bible Copyright © 2012 Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Voice™ translation © 2012 Ecclesia Bible Society All rights reserved. In accordance with the requirements for FTC full disclosure, I may have affiliate relationships with some or all of the producers of the items mentioned in this post who may provide a small commission to me when purchased through this site.

What do you do with fear? (Revelation 1:17-20), May 11, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Franklin D. Roosevelt is famed with saying, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” But how well do we do that?
Scripture
1. Revelation 1:17-20
2. The One: This is not the time for fear; I am the First and the Last, and I am the living One. I entered the realm of the dead; but see, I am alive now and for all the ages—even ages to come. Amen. I possess the keys to open the prison of death and hades.

Now write down all you have seen—all that is and all that will be. Regarding the mystery of the seven stars you saw in My right hand and of the seven golden lampstands: the seven stars are the heavenly messengers who preside over the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches themselves.

Devotional
1. Fear is rampant in our society
  1. Fear of physical harm
    1. Terrorists
    2. Robbers, murderers, assault
  2. Fear of disease
    1. Cancer
    2. Heart disease
    3. Diabetes
    4. Communicable diseases
  3. Fear of failure
    1. Work
    2. Relationships
    3. Life
  4. Fear of death
2. What do we do with fear?
  1. Wikipedia – Fear is a feeling induced by perceived danger or threat that occurs in certain types of organisms, which causes a change in metabolic and organ functions and ultimately a change in behavior, such as fleeing, hiding, or freezing from perceived traumatic events. Fear in human beings may occur in response to a specific stimulus occurring in the present, or in anticipation or expectation of a future threat perceived as a risk to body or life. The fear response arises from the perception of danger leading to confrontation with or escape from/avoiding the threat (also known as the fight-or-flight response), which in extreme cases of fear (horror and terror) can be a freeze response or paralysis.
  2. We all experience it as a natural emotion, but Roosevelt tells us we have nothing to fear but fear
  3. Jesus tells us now is not the time to fear
  4. He has already conquered the thing we fear most – death
  5. He holds the keys to the prison of death
3. Follow Him and He can release us from that prison
  1. Knowing He holds the keys to the worst that can happen to us
  2. We do not need to be afraid
  3. Our greatest failure is overcome by the one who holds the solution to our biggest problem – death
  4. He takes us through the veil to life everlasting
  5. There really is nothing to fear – not even fear
4. Go show a little courage
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.”

Talk about awkward (Acts 9:4-6), May 6, 2017

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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 a conversation where people were gossipping about someone and all of a sudden that person showed up? Awkward!
Scripture
1. Acts 9:4-6
2. The Lord: Saul, Saul, why are you attacking Me?

Saul: Lord, who are You?

Then he hears these words:

The Lord: I am Jesus. I am the One you are attacking. Get up. Enter the city. You will learn there what you are to do.

Devotional
1. It happens more often that people want to admit.
  1. Sometimes it happens real time – person walks up behind and hears the conversation
  2. Sometimes the person walks into the middle of the conversation and everyone gets quiet, they still know something is up
  3. Sometimes the word just gets back and they know who said what
  4. Relationships are destroyed as much as reputations are destroyed often by untruths
2. That’s what was happening in Paul’s life
  1. Persecuting Christians
  2. Telling the Jews things about them that were not true
  3. Telling stories about Jesus that were not true
  4. Spreading lies and rumors that despoiled Jesus’ reputation
  5. Jesus stepped behind him one day to interrupt his conversation
3. Saul, why are you attacking Me?
  1. What are you saying about Me?
  2. What are you doing to My followers?
  3. What have you been doing behind My back
  4. Why don’t you say these things to My face
4. And you know when we get ourselves caught in those embarrassing situations where we know we’re gossiping and shouldn’t, there are always consequences
  1. Paul got caught and was embarrassed by his wrong actions
  2. Fortunately did something about it
  3. Repented for his wrongdoing
  4. Learned of the tasks Jesus had for him to do
  5. Carried them out enthusiastically
  6. Stopped persecuting and became the persecuted
  7. Gained life and lost his
  8. Became the most prolific writer in the new testament
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.”

Are you a pessimist? (John 21:7-8), May 5, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
My daughter calls me a pessimist because I like to plan for contingencies that might happen in the future. But I think we would all like to know a little bit of what will happen next so we can be prepared. Does that make me a pessimist?
Scripture
1. John 21:7-8
2. Jesus: The Father, on His own authority, has determined the ages and epochs of history, but you have not been given this knowledge. Here’s the knowledge you need: you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And you will be My witnesses, first here in Jerusalem, then beyond to Judea and Samaria, and finally to the farthest places on earth.
Devotional
1. I was putting together some information a few months ago in preparation for things that I hope will never happen to me or my family.
  1. Daughter saw me gathering the information
  2. “Dad, do you consider yourself an optimist or a pessimist?”
  3. Optimist, I like to think I look on the bright side of things
  4. “Then why are you always planning for the worst case?”
2. Good question that made me start thinking about how I approach some of the bigger problems that can confront us in life.
  1. Insurance – life and health
  2. Shelter
  3. Provision for family
  4. How to leave a legacy of values for family
  5. Not a survivalist, but prepare for disasters
3. Some of the thought process comes from military training
  1. Strategic planner during military career
  2. Built plans around contingencies
  3. “What if” thinking to avoid surprises that shook you to inaction
  4. Crossed over to thought process in other things
4. I don’t necessarily see planning for contingencies as pessimism, but…
  1. We can go too far and miss life
  2. Jesus warned early Christians to perform a task instead of trying to guess when He would return
  3. He had a job He wanted them to do
  4. If they spent all of their time planning for the contingency of His return, no one would hear the good news of His power to forgive sins
  5. Enough that God knows the future and will take care of the ages and epochs of history
  6. Enough that God gives us His spirit to enable us to do the work He gives us to do
  7. Enough that we can concentrate on the work at hand and not worry about what comes tomorrow, He has those contingencies covered
5. Knowing the future is already determined and taken care of by the Commander of heavenly armies, how does that make you feel about contingency planning?
  1. The future is in His hands and He has your best in mind.
  2. So are you an optimist or a pessimist about tomorrow?
  3. With Him on your side, how can you be anything but an optimist?
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.”

Wishing to be in the other man’s shoes (John 21:22), May 4, 2017

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Music intro
Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Have you ever thought it would be better to be in someone else’s shoes? Be careful what you wish for!
Music intro
You can subscribe to the podcast, send me comments to let me know what you think, and listen to past devotionals at richardagee.com. That’s richardagee.com.
Music intro
Scripture
1. John 21:22
2. Jesus: If I choose for him to remain till I return, what difference will this make to you? You follow Me!
Devotional
1. We sure think the grass is greener on the other side of the fence sometimes, don’t we?
  1. Different job
  2. Different place
  3. Different circumstances
  4. Life would be so much better
  5. Just look at the life of that guy over there compared to what I’m going through right now
2. Big problem with that thinking
  1. We only see what’s on the outside and what his external circumstances allow us to see
  2. Never know the struggles, heartaches, difficulties going on behind closed doors
  3. We all tend to wear smiles in public when we can and put our best foot forward for those around us
3. Example of promotion in the military
  1. Thought it would be nice to be a colonel when I was a lieutenant
    1. Set your own calendar
    2. Driver to get you places
    3. More pay
    4. Secretary
    5. Best seats in every gathering
  2. With every promotion I figured out lieutenant wasn’t so bad
  3. As a colonel
    1. Eight to ten hours of every day spent in meetings or preparing for one
    2. 200-300 emails to answer every day
    3. A ream of paper to go through every day
    4. My secretary made sure my inbox was emptied and all those papers sent to the right place after I reviewed them; she deconflicted meetings so they didn’t overlap
    5. I had a driver so I could read email and talk on the phone while going from one place to another and not waste those precious minutes
    6. Best seats? Only because my eyes are getting bad and those seats are the best targets for all the question and answer sessions from the generals
  4. As a colonel, I knew a lieutenant’s life was great
4. Jesus reminded Peter and us, What difference does it make to you, just serve where you are and follow me.
Music exit
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.”
Music exit

Don’t forget the command that goes with the love (John 21:15-19)

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
What was Jesus trying to tell Peter when He ask three times if he loved Him? Did you remember His command each time as well?
Scripture
1. John 21:15-19
2. Jesus: Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these other things?

Simon Peter: Yes, Lord. You know that I love You.

Jesus: Take care of My lambs.

Jesus asked him a second time . . .

Jesus: Simon, son of John, do you love Me?

Simon Peter: Yes, Lord. You must surely know that I love You.

Jesus: Shepherd My sheep.

(for the third time) Simon, son of John, do you love Me?

Peter was hurt because He asked him the same question a third time, “Do you love Me?”

Simon Peter: Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.

Jesus: Look after My sheep. I tell you the truth: when you were younger, you would dress yourself and go wherever you pleased; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and take you to a place you do not want to go.

Jesus said all this to indicate the kind of death by which Peter would glorify God. After this conversation, Jesus said,

Jesus: Follow Me!

Devotional
1. A lot has been said about why Jesus asked Peter three times whether he loved Him
  1. Three different words to describe love
    1. Like something like you like ice cream or a good movie
    2. Love like brotherly love
    3. Unconditional agape, god-like love
  2. Peter denied Jesus three times so Jesus asked Peter three times for each denial
  3. Peter needed to reach deep into His core to get past the flippant answer we all give to questions most of the time
    1. How are you? Fine
    2. How was your vacation? Great
    3. What can I do for you? Just looking
    4. Do you love me? Of course I do
2. What we often forget is the command Jesus gave Peter that goes along with his declaration
  1. Take care of my sheep
  2. Shepherd my sheep
  3. Look after my sheep
  4. Do the hard work of keeping these fledgling followers encouraged during hard times
  5. Teach them My ways when the world is trying to drive them another way
  6. Give them help when they’re caught in the storms of life
  7. Be their shepherd
3. Jesus is telling Peter the same way James tells us in his letter
  1. Faith without works is dead
  2. Works do not save you
  3. But faith without works is not the faith Jesus wants of His followers, either
  4. Just ask Peter
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.”

Sharing the haul (John 21:10-12), May 2, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
So is Jesus’ invitation about sharing the haul He help bring about or sharing the breakfast He already prepared or teaching His disciples a lesson or what?
Scripture
1. John 21:10-12
2. Jesus (to disciples): Bring some of the fish you just caught.

Simon Peter went back to the boat to unload the fish from the net. He pulled 153 large fish from the net. Despite the number of the fish, the net held without a tear.

Jesus: Come, and join Me for breakfast.

Devotional
1. Peter heard the man call from the shore to throw his nets on the right side of the boat
  1. He wasn’t real sure why that side was any better than the other
  2. Did what the man suggested
  3. Made one of the biggest hauls of his life – 153 large fish
  4. Not sure what constitutes large, but Peter was a fisherman and large would not be something you could hold in the palm of your hand
2. Recognized the command came from Jesus after the fact
  1. Jumped in to meet Him
  2. Didn’t care what others thought of His actions
  3. Didn’t care about the wealth lost in getting to Him
3. Finally felt sorry for his friends and went to help unload the boat
  1. Took time to unload 153 large fish plus whatever else was caught in the nets
  2. Laid them out in the sand to dry
  3. Checked the nets for tears
  4. Hung them up to dry to be ready to go out again
  5. Professional fishermen
4. Bring some of the fish you caught
  1. Share what you have with others
  2. Don’t be greedy with what God has allowed you to gain
  3. Enjoy the fellowship with others as you give generously
  4. Bring some of the fish you caught
5. Breakfast was already roasting on the fire
  1. Brought fish, but fish was already cooking
  2. Abundance came out of sharing
  3. Joy came out of accepting the invitation from Jesus
6. What would have happened if Peter had not paid attention to that man on the beach that day?
  1. Tired, hot, sweaty from a long night’s work
  2. No fish to show for his toil
  3. Would not have met the Master for breakfast
  4. Would not have eaten some of the best fish created, just for him
7. God invites us to share out of the abundance He has given us so that He can invite us to experience even more with Him.
  1. God’s math doesn’t add up in our sense of thinking
  2. But we are not God
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.”

Do you know your nautical terms? (John 21:5-6), May 1, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
If you’re going to be around sailing men, you need to know a few nautical terms like bow and stern, port and starboard, and a few others just to get around. One today struck me for the first time in some of Jesus’ final words to His disciples.
Scripture
1. John 21:5-6
2. Jesus: My sons, you haven’t caught any fish, have you?

Disciples: No.

Jesus: Throw your net on the starboard side of the boat, and your net will find the fish.

Devotional
1. I’m not much of a naval guy. But having been on a few ships during my some of deployments,
  1. Meetings on a the USNS Comfort and Mercy
  2. Meetings on Flagships
  3. I needed to know a few nautical terms so as not to embarrass myself in front of my Navy brothers and sisters.
  4. Needed to know the difference between port and starboard, bow and stern. Important terms like galley, mess, and head.
2. Both brothers served in the Navy
  1. Also wanted to be able to converse with them
  2. One a submariner for twenty years
  3. One an engineer for six years
  4. All our languages are a little difference, but many commonalities
3. Never thought about what Jesus said until I read it again in The Voice
  1. “Throw your net on the starboard side of the boat…”
  2. The right side of the boat
  3. Not the wrong side
  4. How many times do we beat our heads against the wall because we are hard at work doing the wrong thing?
4. I’ve been guilty of working hard on the wrong thing
  1. Sometimes physical labor
    1. Digging the wrong hole in the ground
    2. Cutting the wrong board
    3. Building the wrong wall
    4. Tearing down the wrong structure
  2. Sometimes mental
    1. Taking the wrong classes
    2. Reading the wrong books
    3. Watching the wrong programs
    4. Listening to the wrong teachers
  3. Sometimes spiritual
    1. Following the wrong guide
    2. Listening to the wrong voice
5. How do we know what the right is?
  1. Get into God’s word
  2. Listen for His voice
  3. Know His voice better than any other
  4. Do what He says when He says it
  5. Do the right thing!
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.”

Why is it so hard to accept the word of others? (John 20:27-29), April 30, 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 20:27-29
2. Jesus: Reach out and touch Me. See the punctures in My hands; reach out your hand, and put it to My side; leave behind your faithlessness, and believe.

Thomas (filled with emotion): You are the one True God and Lord of my life.

Jesus: Thomas, you have faith because you have seen Me. Blessed are all those who never see Me and yet they still believe.

Devotional
1. My wife gets on to me all the time thinking that I don’t believe her when she tells me something.
  1. Mr Right Brain
  2. Have to work through the logic of her answer
  3. Does it fit the science or math or philosophy or some other discipline I’ve studied?
  4. Does it fit into my personal frame of reference?
  5. Usually agree with her after I’ve logically gone through it, but while I’m on that mental journey, she thinks I don’t believe her
2. A little frustrating for both of us
  1. Can damage a relationship if you don’t understand how the other person processes information
  2. Still strains a relationship at times when she just wants me to stop the logic part of my brain and nod my head
  3. That’s what the other disciples wanted Thomas to do
3. I think I relate to Thomas
  1. The science, math, philosophy, logic of the situation didn’t fit with his experience
  2. Needed to work through his logic to make sense of what they were saying
  3. He wasn’t there to see what they saw and might have eventually put it together
  4. Reviewing Jesus’ miracles
  5. Recalling Jesus’ words
  6. Listening to the stories from those who saw Him
  7. Would have put the logic together and believed but would take time
4. Jesus appeared to cut through the logic and made Himself known immediately
  1. Don’t worry about the science or philosophy or experience
  2. Just believe
  3. Sometimes hard for the right brain people
  4. We need to work on that part of our personalities
  5. Blessed (happy) are those that believe without seeing, without going through all the logic
    1. They won’t be as frustrated
    2. It won’t take them as long to get there
    3. They won’t have to work through the unexplained to believe
    4. They can just take by faith the news they hear from other believers
5. If you’re on the right brain side of the crowd
  1. Let loose a little
  2. Just believe
  3. You’ll be blessed by it

Covered from head to toe (John 20:22-23), April 29, 2017

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Thanks for joining me today for “A Little Walk with God.” I’m your host Richard Agee.
Have you ever lived or worked in a place that required you to be covered head to toe to protect you from exposure to the elements? Welcome to the world!
Scripture
1. John 20:22-23
2. Jesus: Welcome the Holy Spirit of the living God. You now have the mantle of God’s forgiveness. As you go, you are able to share the life-giving power to forgive sins, or to withhold forgiveness.
Devotional
1. Between my freshman and junior year of college, to earn a little money, I worked in a grocery chain warehouse loading their delivery trucks.
  1. It was hard work, but I didn’t mind it so much.
  2. It kept me in good physical condition
  3. pay wasn’t so bad for a young kid
  4. Negatives were night work, 7 to whenever trucks were loaded
  5. Worked in the freezer
2. I don’t like the cold
  1. Born and raised in Tennessee
  2. Got some snow and few days, maybe a week at a time below freezing
  3. Never liked cold
  4. After serving in Desert Storm, Saudi Arabia, hated cold – anything below 60 degrees
3. In the freezer temperatures at zero or just below
  1. Dry ice in boxes to keep frozen foods cold during transport
  2. dressed from head to toe
    1. Thermals
    2. Freezer coveralls
    3. Gloves
    4. Hat
    5. Mask
  3. Stayed protected from the cold and severe injury
4. When we ask Jesus into our lives He gives us the mantle of God’s forgiveness
  1. I think about the covering I had when working in that freezer
  2. Covered from head to toe with His Spirit
  3. Protected by His forgiveness
  4. Guilt and burden of sin cannot get through
  5. Free from the internal injury sin because His spirit keeps the fiery darts of Satan away from us
5. We underestimate the power of forgiveness
  1. God’s forgiveness to us
  2. Our forgiveness of others
  3. When He forgives us, we have the power to forgive others
  4. His grace and mercy extended to us shows us how to love and how to extend that same grace and mercy to those who wrong us
6. What does forgiveness do?
  1. It takes away the barriers that keep us from loving each other
  2. It tears down the walls in relationships
  3. It stops the negative thinking that builds up about our neighbors
  4. It helps us see others as God sees them, their potential as His children
  5. It helps us love unconditionally
7. Invite Him into your life and be covered by the mantle of His forgiveness
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.”