Nevertheless (Pt.2)

(Part 2) 

“When He had come down from the mountain, great multitudes followed Him. And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, “Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.” Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, “I am willing; be cleansed.” Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.”-Matthew 8:1-3

Sometimes we struggle so much with believing that He is able that we leave no room to address His will. The leper that approached Jesus that day, was not wrestling with Jesus’ ability to heal. His question was focused on Jesus’ willingness to heal. Was it in keeping with God’s redemptive purpose? The man knew it was possible, but was it God’s will? Jesus, in answering the man, communicated the will of God to him.

At the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus took His prayer a little further; from the realm of what is possible to the question of God’s will. “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”-Matthew 26:39

The word “Nevertheless” means: in spite of. Jesus was saying, “In spite of what I know God can do, I am going to pray for His will to be done.” Nevertheless prayers are prayers that go beyond what God is capable of doing to seeing the will of God accomplished. 

Nevertheless prayers recognize that God is capable of answering the prayer that you prayed, but in spite of how much you want it to turn our for your benefit, you understand that God knows the big picture and that His greater redemptive purpose for all of mankind is paramount. 

Because as much as we would like it, God’s will does not always line up with our will. That is where our disillusionment and disappointment come from and why our confidence has been shaken when it comes to prayer. We are not following the instruction of 1 John 5:14-15:

“Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.”

If you are lacking confidence in your prayer life, perhaps it is because you are praying possible prayers, but not going the extra distance. You’ve not gone as far as to pray nevertheless, not my will but yours be done. 

Can I let you in on a little secret? When you pray “nevertheless” that is not the magic word allowing God to move ahead with His plans. He doesn’t need our approval. His will is going to be done. The nevertheless is for you. It is your way of communicating to God that you are willing to set aside your will to see His greater will accomplished. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Nevertheless (Pt.1)

(Part 1 of 2)

“He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”-Matthew 26:39

Jesus’ prayer in Matthew 26 is really unique. The first thing that catches my attention is His questioning of the possibility that His death could be avoided. Was it possible? Was it possible that God could see to it that Jesus did not die on the cross? I mean, He is God. I would venture to say, yes; however, in doing so it would have aborted the entire plan of redemption that God had established since the dawn of creation. 

In His flesh, it is obvious that Jesus didn’t want to walk through a gruesome, violent death on a cross. If there were another way to accomplish God’s redemptive purposes without having to go through such trauma; I believe that He would have been receptive to it. So, Jesus prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me.”

On multiple occasions Jesus acknowledged that nothing was impossible with God:

“But Jesus looked at them and said, “With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”-Mark 10:27

However, Jesus went on a little further with His prayer. He prayed, “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” This is where I have been challenged in my own prayer life. 

The reason so many people abandon prayer is because they don’t see their prayers answered as they had hoped and believed. It wasn’t because they had a lack of faith, in fact, they had all they faith needed to see a miracle happen. Yet, their prayers did not come to pass. Ever been there? Has your prayer life suffered because of it? 

How often, though, do we pray for what is possible, without praying God’s will be done? What if Jesus had stopped short in His prayer to the Father? 

Imagine for just a moment, what would have happened if God had answered Jesus’ possible prayer? You and I would still be in our sins. You and I would be still be lost and bound for hell. The prayer that would have benefited Him most in the moment, would have had far reaching effects on the rest of humanity. Yet, it was possible. Why? Because prayer is never a question of God’s ability. 

The reason so many people are disillusioned with prayer is that they pray what is possible, without praying God’s will be done. Praying “possible” prayers is believing that because God can do it, He will do it. We never take into consideration, how answering that prayer may influence God’s redemptive purposes for mankind. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Do You Hear What I Hear? (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

 “A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”-Luke 1:39-45

At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She heard something! She didn’t hear Jesus with her ears or see Jesus with her eyes. Mary didn’t inform Elizabeth of her pregnancy, nor was she far enough along to be showing. Rather, Elizabeth recognized the presence of Christ informed her soul and spirit. She began to proclaim, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored that the mother of my Lord should visit me?” Elizebeth recognizing the spirit of Christ responded with joy and acclamation. 

The child that Elizabeth carried (who would grow up to be John the Baptist), neither saw Jesus nor heard Jesus, yet when Jesus came into the room, John leapt with joy inside of Elizabeth. He recognized his creator and responded with joy at the presence of God. 

It wasn’t until the shepherds had an angelic visitation and went and laid eyes on Jesus that they returned glorifying and praising God. It wasn’t unit the wisemen traveled to Bethlehem to see the newborn king that they presented their gifts and worshiped Him. However, Elizabeth at just the sound of Mary’s greeting was awakened to the spirit of Christ. You don’t need decorations, Christmas carols, or a powerful sermon to awaken the Christmas Spirit inside of you. 

Some of you just can’t seem to get into the Christmas spirit. Instead of awakening joy inside of you, this time of year awakens anxiety, depression, and stress. We have allowed the over-commercialized components of Christmas to deafen us to the sound of Christ’s presence. 

We’ve convinced ourselves that it would take an angelic vision to awaken our hearts to the spirit of Christ. Yet, it is my prayer that we would recognize the presence of Christ in the simplest of greetings. That we would experience eHim in the handshake of a stranger, the smile of a child, and the gentle encouragement of a friend. In those moments, I pray that we would recognize the presence of Jesus.

Honestly, I love the sights, sounds, and smells of Christmas, but all I have enjoyed is the exhilaration of festivity, if I don’t experience the presence of Jesus in it. I think God would be pleased if we all celebrated Jesus’  birth like Elizabeth. I realize that Elizabeth was not there when Jesus was actually born. She wasn’t there when He was born into this world, but she was fully present the moment that He was born in her. 

“At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”-Luke 1:41 

Elizabeth was fully present the moment that Christ filled her soul. Christmas can come alive in you, too, if you will let Christ be fully present in you this Christmas! 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Do you hear what I hear? (Pt.1)

(Part 1 of 2)

“A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth. At the sound of Mary’s greeting, Elizabeth’s child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, “God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed. Why am I so honored, that the mother of my Lord should visit me? When I heard your greeting, the baby in my womb jumped for joy. You are blessed because you believed that the Lord would do what he said.”-Luke 1:39-45

How do you spread the news that the Savior of the world has been born? How do you inform mankind of such a magnificent event? Obviously, at the moment Jesus was born they didn’t have the luxury of sharing a selfie on Instagram, posting it on Facebook, having it printed in the local paper or announcing on the evening news. However, God does have a flare about Him and did announce Jesus’ birth in a couple of extraordinary ways:

We read in Luke 2:9-14: 

“Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.” Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”-Luke 2:9-14

God announced the birth of Christ in magnificent fashion to a group of shepherds near Bethlehem using a mighty angel chorus. Then, later, we read in Matthew 2:1-2:

“Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the reign of King Herod. About that time some wise men from eastern lands arrived in Jerusalem, asking, “Where is the newborn king of the Jews? We saw his star as it rose, and we have come to worship him.”

God in another extraordinary display of wonder announced to a group of wise men the birth of Christ using a sign from heaven to point the way. 

However, before angels appeared to the shepherds and the star appeared to the wise men, before any of them laid eyes on Jesus; Elizabeth was the first to hear the news of Christ’s coming. No angels announced His coming to her. No celestial anomalies caused her to take notice. The passage tells us that simply at the sound of Mary’s greeting something happened to Elizabeth that informed her soul. It was more than the sound of her cousin’s voice that she heard that day, rather at that moment she recognized the spirit of Christ. Truth is, you don’t hear Christmas with your ears, you hear it with your heart!

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Make Room

“And it came to pass in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This census first took place while Quirinius was governing Syria. So all went to be registered, everyone to his own city. Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child. So it was, that while they were there, the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”-Luke 2:1-7 

In preparation for our Christmas series of messages at church, I have been carefully reading through Matthew 1 & 2 and Luke 1 & 2.  These chapters are packed with people whose lives were forever changed by the birth of Christ. 

We read about Mary’s cousin Elizabeth, who while pregnant with John, had an encounter with Jesus while He was still in Mary’s womb. We read of the three wise men who traveled from the east, following a star, that led them to the newborn king. Of course, we read about a carpenter (Joseph) and a young woman by the name of Mary who would give birth the our Savior. We read about the shepherds who were among the first to hear of Christ’s birth through an angelic visitation and discover two precious saints of God, Anna & Simeon, who had waited their whole lives to see the Messiah and finally get their chance. 

However, the Christmas story didn’t end with the birth of Christ. His birth is still changing lives today. His birth is still giving hope and healing broken hearts. The Christmas story is ongoing and the cast of characters is growing day by day as people find hope in our Savior. 

The challenge today, is not whether we have room in our hearts for Christ, but rather will we make room. Let’s be honest, our lives are filled to the brim with commitments, obligations, passions, interests, and personal ambitions. Much like the innkeeper in the story of Christ, it wasn’t that he had room to spare and turned Mary and Joseph away because he was cold and mean. No, he had no room because the inn was fully occupied. There was no vacancy.

To make room for Mary and Joseph, he would have had to remove somebody else from a room they were occupying and give it to them. Sometimes I think the innkeeper has been given a bad reputation. Seriously, he didn’t know that Mary and Joseph were coming, so he wasn’t prepared for their arrival. He didn’t know who they were and neither did he know that Mary was carrying the Messiah inside of her. Perhaps, if he had, the story would have been different. 

So many of us today are like that innkeeper. We have occupied our lives with so much that we have left no room for Jesus. What I love about the story is that Mary and Joseph didn’t try to force their way into a place where there was no room, instead they found a place with plenty of space to accommodate Jesus. 

Jesus is never going to force Himself into a place where there is no room for Him. So, if you want Jesus to come into your heart and life, you are going to have to make room for Him. You are going to have to give up some things in your life, that have kept your heart, mind, and life occupied for so long. As you turn from those things, your heart will open to receive Him. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Your Cana Moment!

“Standing nearby were six stone water jars, used for Jewish ceremonial washing. Each could hold twenty to thirty gallons. Jesus told the servants, “Fill the jars with water.” When the jars had been filled, he said, “Now dip some out, and take it to the master of ceremonies.” So the servants followed his instructions. When the master of ceremonies tasted the water that was now wine, not knowing where it had come from (though, of course, the servants knew), he called the bridegroom over. “A host always serves the best wine first,” he said. “Then, when everyone has had a lot to drink, he brings out the less expensive wine. But you have kept the best until now!” This miraculous sign at Cana in Galilee was the first time Jesus revealed his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”-John 2:6-11

Of all the miracles that could have been Jesus’ first miracle, why would Jesus choose the miracle of turning water into wine as His first? Why not walk on water first, or feed the five thousand or heal the sick first? A casual reading of this passage might make you think this was some kind of warm-up miracle. He really wasn’t looking to do anything, yet Mary kind of forced the issue:

“The next day there was a wedding celebration in the village of Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the celebration. The wine supply ran out during the festivities, so Jesus’ mother told him, “They have no more wine.” “Dear woman, that’s not our problem,” Jesus replied. “My time has not yet come.” But his mother told the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.” -John 2:1-5

However, if we can look past the fact that it was His least extravagant miracle, we will find that it was His most extraordinary. Because what Jesus was about to do to the water, He desires to do in each of our lives.

The miracle in Cana was not about Jesus being capable of changing the molecular structure of water into wine. It was a demonstration of His ability to categorically transform one thing into something new. With a little heat I can change water to steam or with some frigid cold I can turn water to ice. Regardless, it is still going to be H2O. Jesus, however, can transform it into an entirely different compound. He can make it a new creation!

He didn’t make good wine better or even bad wine better for that matter. Instead, He made that which was not wine, to be wine. He demonstrated with water what He intended to do with us:

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”-2 Corinthians 5:17

That is a hard truth for many to accept. Jesus doesn’t simply want to make you better, He wants to make you new. Sometimes it’s easier to have faith in the idea that God can create something from nothing than it is to believe that God can transform something common (like you & I) into something extraordinary. 

It was at Cana where God showed us just what He is capable of, if we will put our trust in Him. Today is your Cana moment! Jesus wanter you to come to Him and let Him transform your life!

Scott Burr 
Dayspring Community Church 

Nothing Wasted! (Pt.2)

(Part 2 of 2)

“Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.”-John 6:11-12

The problem that most of us have, is that in order to bless many, God has to break up the loaf. That seems so contrary to how we want to live our lives. We don’t want to live broken, we want to be whole.Yet, as appealing as a whole loaf can be, left intact it is all that we have. If we remain whole, we can only give ourselves to one person, but broken we can be a blessing to many. In God’s economy, dividing doesn’t diminish the amount we have to give, it multiplies the people that can be reached.

Jesus took that boy’s lunch and broke it. This creates a stumbling block in so many people’s hearts and minds. That ideal life that you have dreamed of, carefully planned, and settled into; at times must be broken or disrupted to bless many. Those disruptions are God’s way of preparing us to be shared. 

We all go through trials, difficulties, and seasons of pain and in those moments we may feel as if we are falling to pieces and perhaps that is exactly what is happening. Unfortunately, we look at brokenness as a problem and not an opportunity. We want God to step in and take those broken pieces and reassemble us like a puzzle, but instead God is trying to prepare our lives to be given away. Truth is, we receive better from people that have experienced what we have been through. 

That part of your life, like when you lost a child, you can share that experience with others going through the same thing. How about when you and your spouse struggled in your marriage and God brought you back from the brink of divorce? You can share that experience with others and give them hope. Or when you lost your job and had to file bankruptcy and thought you’d never recover? You can share that with others and be an encouragement to them. 

Finally, sometimes we hold back because we fear that what we give will be wasted. Ever feel like you give and give, but never see a return. We feel spent and depleted and so we stop giving of ourselves, worrying that we are wasting our loaf (life). However, a life that is broken and blessed by God is never wasted: 

“After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.”-John 6:12

Nothing wasted! Jesus gathered up the pieces of that little boy’s lunch and collected twelve baskets full. In the end, that little boy ended up with far more than he started with, because he was willing to give up what little he had at first. 

It’s not about what you have to bring, but what you are willing to give. The key is that you give it to God first. That little boy could have divided his own lunch up and maybe fed two or three others. Instead, he brought his lunch to Jesus, let Him bless it, and saw the multitudes fed. Today you may not feel like you have much to bring, but if you will give it to God; He will bless it to see the multitudes fed. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Nothing Wasted! (Pt.1)

(Part 1 of 2)

“Then Jesus took the loaves, gave thanks to God, and distributed them to the people. Afterward he did the same with the fish. And they all ate as much as they wanted. After everyone was full, Jesus told his disciples, “Now gather the leftovers, so that nothing is wasted.” -John 6:11-12

The story of Jesus feeding the five thousand is an iconic story in the Bible. It is recorded in all four of the gospels and is an amazing account of God’s provision. However, reading it again I realize that the lesson goes deeper than just fish and loaves. It reveals more than simply what God can do with a little boys lunch, but rather it demonstrates what He can do with your life, if you will let Him.

There are three major characters in this story: Jesus, the crowd, and His disciples. I say, three, because those are the groups we most often focus on when we teach and read this passage. However, the real hero of this passage is the young unnamed boy who gave up his lunch. We don’t know who he is or to whom he belongs, but it is curious that the one person in this story who acted with complete selflessness doesn’t even get a name drop!

More than anyone else in this story, God’s desire is that we identify with that young boy. This young man didn’t have a lot to offer, but he was willing to give what he had to bless others. He could have eaten what he had been given and went home satisfied, but rather he did something extraordinary with what little he had and God used it to bless the multitudes.

Jesus received the two fish and five loaves from the young boy and the according to the passage he took it, blessed it, broke it, and gave it away. That is precisely what God wants to do with your life, if you will give it to HIm. He will bless it, break it, and give it away.

In our culture, we measure value by how much we have or how much we have accumulated. However, in reality, how much we have isn’t as important as how much we are willing to give. Pastor Andy Stanley stated it like this: “The value of a life is always measured by how much of it is given away.”

It reminds me of a story in the Bible about a poor widow who came to the temple with her offering. She dropped in two coins that did not amount to very much. At the same time a rich man came in and gave a hefty offering which was much larger in comparison. Yet, Jesus turning to his disciples told them that the widow gave more than anyone else that day, because everyone else gave out of their surplus, where she gave out of her need.
So it isn’t too hard to believe that even Jesus’ disciples looked at the little boy’s lunch and thought: “We don’t have much to work with here.” The need was so vast and what this little boy had to offer was so small. Let’s be honest, sometimes it isn’t just other people that see us as having little to offer, we see ourselves that way too. Because of that we hold back. We don’t even bring to Jesus what little we have.

The beauty of this story is that nobody that day, besides Jesus, knew the potential that little boy was carrying around with him. He carried the making of a miracle, yet nobody but Jesus saw it.

Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church

Word became flesh! (Pt.2)

(Part 2 of 2)

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”-John 1:14

Bibles are wonderful tools, but they don’t have feet. They cannot go anywhere they are not taken. So when God decided to mobilize the gospel, He chose to sow His word into men’s hearts and minds:

“But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the Lord, I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.”-Hebrews 8:10

Let’s be honest, just as Jesus was the Word made flesh among us, we are to be the embodiment of His Word among our friends, family and neighbors. 

Should we not embody God’s sacrificial love?

“This is my commandment: Love each other in the same way I have loved you.”-John 15:12

Should we not embody His kindness?

“Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”-Colossians 3:12

Should we not embody His compassion?

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.”-2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Should we not embody His forgiveness?

“Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.”-Ephesians 4:32

The most effective way to mobilize the gospel is not to make sure it is printed in every language, but to see that it is imprinted on people’s hearts and minds. 

When the word becomes flesh in our neighborhoods and the people begin to experience the grace and truth of God, that is where the lost get found, the sick get healed, and dead get raised, and bound find freedom! It is where the people see the glory of God, not simply read about it. 

Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church 

Word became flesh! (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”-John 1:1.

It would be hard to find another passage of scripture that elevates and promotes the significance of the Word of God more than this one. This passage tells us that Jesus embodies the Word of God. He is the Living Word and if that concept isn’t mind blowing enough, God does something that would radically change the course of history. He put feet to the gospel:

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth”-John 1:14

God wrapped the Word in flesh and sent the Word to us in human form, that we might behold His glory. God mobilized the gospel! 

“But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”-Romans 10:14-15

Throughout history there have been some amazing moments that have helped to mobilize the Word of God. From 1382-1395, John Wycliff translated the first English Bible by hand. In the 1450s, Gutenberg’s printing press opened the doors to mass printings of the scriptures and from 1550-1650, the Protestant Reformation saw the Bible translated into some 400 languages. 

Nevertheless, when God sent Jesus in the flesh to dwell among us, He was modeling the most effective method of mobilizing the Word of God. Wrap the word and flesh and let it dwell among the people. In the Message Bible, John 1:1 reads like this: “The Word become flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood.” Here’s the question, “When you moved into your neighborhood, did the Word of God move in with you?” 

Should we not, like Christ, be the living word among our friends and neighbors? Are we not suppose to be the word dwelling among the people? 

Jesus spent his entire adult ministry sowing the Word of God into twelve men who He would then send out to the surrounding towns and villages to stay in people’s homes (Luke 9:4). In Luke 10, He sent out 72 others with the same instructions. He filled them with the Word of God and then He sent them out to dwell among the people. 

Why? John 1:14 explains that the reason God sent the Word wrapped in flesh is so that we could see the glory of God and experience His grace and truth. God wanted the people to experience Him right where they lived; in their own homes, workplaces, and communities. Even if a person never graced the doors of a church, they could experience the grace of God right in their own neighborhood. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Don't be surprised! (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

“Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters, we don’t really need to write you. For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief.”-1 Thessalonians 5:-4

Not only did Jesus express some truths that we, as believers, shouldn’t be surprised to hear, so did the Apostle Paul. Speaking of the future catching away of the church and the second coming of Christ, Paul admonishes us not be be surprised when that day comes like a thief in the night. 

This significant truth would not come without its controversy as many false teachers in Paul’s day tried to capitalize on the event. However, Paul was not surprised to find false teachers and false prophets among the body of believers:

“But I will continue doing what I have always done. This will undercut those who are looking for an opportunity to boast that their work is just like ours. These people are false apostles. They are deceitful workers who disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. But I am not surprised! Even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no wonder that his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. In the end they will get the punishment their wicked deeds deserve.”-2 Corinthians 11:12-15

There are many people today who will be shocked to find false teachers and false prophets among them and consequently, because they are not diligent in discerning their presence, will be led astray by their teachings. Nevertheless, we shouldn’t be shocked that following Jesus would require us to face opposition and trials:

“Dear friends, don’t be surprised at the fiery trials you are going through, as if something strange were happening to you.”-1 Peter 4:12 

Fiery trials? Who signed up for that? The Apostle Peter warned us that it should not be considered a strange thing to suffer for Christ or to walk through difficult situations on account of our relationship with Him. Yet, there are believers that are shocked by the idea that part of our experience following Jesus is to share in His suffering. Instead, many people see fiery trials and suffering as an indication of God’s displeasure, when in reality it is a sign of divine relationship. In fact, the Apostle John takes it a step further:

“So don’t be surprised, dear brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.”-1 John 3:13

The more you separate yourself from this world (the way that it thinks, acts, and believes) the more it is going to hate you. There are those who are surprised by the idea that you cannot be friends of God and friends of this world. They are shocked to hear that following Jesus means that the world will hate them. They believe that you can live one foot in the world and one foot in God’s Kingdom, but James 4:4 is clear:

“Don’t you realize that friendship with the world makes you an enemy of God? I say it again: If you want to be a friend of the world, you make yourself an enemy of God.”

If you count the cost now, you can prepare for and face those things knowing that God warned you they were coming. However, if you thought coming to Christ was suppose to make your life rosy and perfect, you are going to be surprised by a few things along the way.

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Don't be surprised! (Pt.1)

(Part 1)

“Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’”-John 3:5-7

Was coming to accept and live for Jesus everything you thought it would be? Have you been surprised by anything along the way? Things ever get difficult and you find yourself saying something like, “I thought coming to Jesus was suppose to make my life better, not harder.”?

In my devotional time I came across a few passages that I found interesting. All of them used the phrase, “Don’t be surprised” or a variant of it. Jesus and some of His disciples used this phrase to cast light on some things that should be expected by those who follow Jesus.

A surprised reaction is a startled response caused by an unexpected event. So with that in mind, the passages that we will look at focus on things that should not catch us off guard or seem unexpected to us as we pursue following Jesus.

Jesus begins right here in John 3:5-7 telling Nicodemus, a Pharisee, that following Christ requires that he be born again; not of water, but of the spirit. Humans can only reproduce human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. We were all dead in our sins, until we repented of our sins and received Christ’s forgiveness. It as as this point that we a made new creations in Christ and are born again spiritually.

There are some people out there that are going to be surprised to find out that Jesus truly is the Way, the Truth, and the Life and that no one gets to the Father except by Him. They are going to be shocked to discover that being a good person is not enough and that going to church is not enough, but rather you must have a personal relationship with Jesus if you are going to make heaven.

That “Don’t be surprised” moment takes on even greater significance when we read what Jesus says in John 5:25-29:

 “And I assure you that the time is coming, indeed it’s here now, when the dead will hear my voice—the voice of the Son of God. And those who listen will live. The Father has life in himself, and he has granted that same life-giving power to his Son. And he has given him authority to judge everyone because he is the Son of Man. Don’t be so surprised! Indeed, the time is coming when all the dead in their graves will hear the voice of God’s Son, and they will rise again. Those who have done good will rise to experience eternal life, and those who have continued in evil will rise to experience judgment.

Jesus emphatically states that we should not be surprised to hear that the dead will someday be raised and stand in judgment before God.

There are some people out there that are convinced that God is a God of love, however they will be shocked to find that He will also, one day, judge the world as well. They will be surprised to find that He is as equally just as he is loving.

Scott Burr
Dayspring Community Church

Lazy Faith (Pt.2)

(Part 2)

Faith without action is dead and useless. It is lazy faith! We should not be surprised by a generation that is disconnect from their faith, that has been trained up by a generation lazy about theirs. We need to recommit ourselves to living out our faith everyday. We do this by understanding what composes lazy faith. 

Lazy faith is faith without consistency. It is a lack of faithfulness to routine. Is it possible to have faith, without faithfulness? Proverbs 20:6 declares “Many a man proclaims his own steadfast love, but a faithful man who can find?” You see, creed without action is lazy faith. Jesus said in Luke 16:10: “If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones. But if you are dishonest in little things, you won’t be honest with greater responsibilities.”The question becomes are we showing ourselves faithful in the little things in regards to attendance, serving, giving, and devotions. Are we showing ourselves to be faithful?

Lazing faith is also faith without discipline. Many of us have a severe inability to tell ourselves “No!” Faith requires us not only to say “Yes” to God, but also say “No” to ungodliness:

“For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God.”-Titus 2:11-12

The danger we face when we refuse to exercise self-control is that we ultimately counteract our progress with poor decisions.  

Thirdly, lazy faith is faith without practice. Lazy faith is characterized by an unwillingness to practice our faith outside the church. Many people have a desire to play piano, but few have the desire to practice. A lack of practice leads to a lack of proficiency. I wonder how many of our kids signed up to play a sport, but when they did’t want to put the time in practicing, we pushed them to do so; yet we signed up to follow Jesus, but don’t live by those same convictions:

“Keep putting into practice all you learned and received from me-everything you heard from me and saw me doing. Then the God of peace will be with you.”-Philippians 4:9

“But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. you see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. “-James 1:22-24

Finally, lazy faith is faith without accountability. This is when we don’t have any spiritual goals set for ourselves and we are critical of those who attempt to hold us accountable to even the very basics of our faith. That is precisely why many people stay out of church. It is to avoid having to account for their ongoing poor decisions. However, God has instructed us to hold each other accountable for our actions:

“Dear brothers and sisters, if another believer is overcome by some sin, you who are godly should gently and humbly help that person back onto the right path. And be careful not to fall into the same temptation yourself. Share each other’s burdens, and in this way obey the law of Christ.”-Galatians 6:1-2

The owner of the gym I attend is quick to call me out if I am using wrong form or sees a way I can improve myself. He isn’t being mean or judging me, he is keeping me from hurting myself and helping me to get the most out of my workout. 

Don’t let your faith become dead in useless when it is within your power to put it into action. Be consistent. Stay disciplined. Keep practicing. Remain accountable. If you will, your faith will become vibrant. 

Pastor Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church 

Lazy Faith (Pt.)

(Part 1)

“What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”-James 2:14

Have you ever purchased a gym membership and then only attended once or twice? You signed up because you believed that going to the gym would help you reach your health and fitness goals and that housed within that gym was everything you needed to develop consistent disciplines that would help you reach your expectations. 

However, for those who only engaged the gym once or twice, those health and fitness goals were likely never achieved; not because you didn’t believe they could be, but rather because of your inaction. The same could be said of us in regards to our spiritual health. 

I heard a quote recently from an author discussing his own journey of faith. He was referring to a dry season of his life when he made this statement: “I wasn’t lacking in faith, I was just lazy in practice.” That statement got me reading James 2:14-26 a lot differently. 

I’ve always approached James Chapter 2 as a dialogue on faith vs. works discussing the value of each and how they compliment one another. Yet, works still often gets cast in a negative light; most notably when it is seen as a means of trying to gain salvation. What I find interesting in the New Living Translation is how the author interchanges the word work with the word action:

“Don’t you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? You see, his faith and his actions worked together. His actions made his faith complete.”-James 2:21-22

Here is why that is interesting to me. Laziness is defined as: to dislike, oppose, or be disinclined toward work, activity, or exertion. When James begins to talk about faith without action, that quote comes to mind- “I wasn’t lacking faith, I was just lazy in practice.” It causes these words from James 2:15-18 to take on a whole new light:

 “Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

James doesn’t mince words here. Faith that isn’t put into action is dead and useless. In a very real sense, some people’s faith is as useless as the gym membership card they carry around in their wallet. The true value of faith is not seen or experienced until it is put into action. 

It is hard to claim that you are a person of faith, when there is no activity to support that statement (James 2:23-24). Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions, and not by faith alone. Would you say that a person with a gym membership that only goes sporadically is “committed to their health and fitness?” We all know the old adage: Actions speak louder than words. We don’t listen to people’s creeds to determine their heart, we watch their actions. Thus, our inaction, as well, is declaring something about us. We have lazy faith. 

Scott Burr

Dayspring Community Church