Aspire Ministries
Friday, May 24, 2013
Aspire To Be All That God Created You To Be
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A WEE LITTLE STORY WITH A GREAT BIG MESSAGE


 
Madaline McFarland
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
“Then Jesus Entered and passed through Jericho.
 Now behold, there was a man named Zacchaeus
who was a chief tax collector, and he was rich.
 And he sought to see who Jesus was,
 but could not because of the crowd,
for he was of short stature.
 So he ran ahead
 and climbed up into a sycamore tree to see Him,
 for He was going to pass that way.”
 
Luke 19:1-4
 
My “Carter Baby” as I call him is a very curious little fellow.   He reminds me of one of my favorite monkeys, Curious George. He is fascinated with electronic devices such as phones, remote controls and computers. He has found things on my cell phone that I didn’t know even existed. Carter is also my first climber. The other two boys were not like this one. He will climb up on the coffee table just to get a better view of what is going on in the room and then do sort of a modified river dance in celebration of his discoveries. When I call his name, however, and reach towards him he eagerly jumps off into my arms.
 
Have you ever found yourself curious about the things of God? Maybe even curious of something that you have read here on Aspire. Have you heard of experiences others have testified about but think it just not meant for you? Have you ever found yourself climbing up a tree of skepticism just to get a better view from a safe distance away? That’s ok! At least you’re looking! For most of us that is the first step. The Holy Spirit draws us with our curiosity. 
 
Zacchaeus was curious to know more about who the Jesus was. So he ran ahead and climbed up a tree. This was not a proper action for a man of his wealth and position. He probably looked a little bit silly up in that tree in his fancy clothes. However, Zacchaeus didn’t care. He cared more about getting to see Jesus than he did about how he looked. He was finally desperate enough for change in his life that he stopped thinking about how he appeared to others.
 
My challenge to each of you is to ask the Lord if there is anything that you are up in a tree about. Is there any area of your life that He is asking you to let go of? Any move of the Holy Spirit that you haven’t encountered but are curious about? I am asking you to seek Holy Spirit and ask Him to reveal these things to you and then by faith let go of the branch. 
 
 
SEEK AND YOU WILL FIND HIM
 
“Ask, and it will be given to you;
 seek, and you will find;
 knock, and it will be opened to you.”
 Matthew 7:7
 
Zacchaeus knew were Jesus was going to be so he went and looked for Him. You however don’t have to climb a tree to see Jesus. His word tells us right where to find Him.
 
 
He is where we pray…
 
“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High
Shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
Psalm 91:1
 
 “But you, when you pray,
 Go into your room,
And when you have shut your door,
Pray to your Father who is in the secret place,
And your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.”
Mathew 6:6
 
 
 
He is where we praise…
 
 
 “But thou art Holy,
O thou that inhabits the praises of Israel.”
Psalms 22:3
 
When we enter into praise and worship we allow the glory of the Lord to inhabit us.

We enter His gates with Thanksgiving and into His courts with praise
 
 
He is where we gather with other believers in His name…
 
 
 “For where two or three come together in my name,
there am I with them.”
Matthew 18:20
 
 
Listen! He is calling you by name.
 
 
When Jesus came by,
He looked up at Zacchaeus
And called him by name.
“Zacchaeus!”
Luke 19:5
 
Before Zacchaeus was born God knew him. He chose his name because it described the man that God knew Zacchaeus would be. Zacchaeus means Pure, Clean and Just. What? That doesn’t describe the Zacchaeus that we’ve always heard about. He was a cheater and a thief. When Jesus called Zacchaeus down from that tree he didn’t say, “Excuse me
Sir, could you come down please. No, He called him into his destiny. Even though they had never met, Jesus looked up into that tree and said Zacchaeus, one who is pure, clean and just, come down.
 
When Jesus looks at you he doesn’t see your failures or weaknesses. He sees the child that he created, full of potential and able to be victorious in any situation, because in our weakness He is strong.
 
I can hear Him calling your name right now. Just like the prince called to sleeping beauty, He is leaning toward you with a kiss and a whisper saying, “Awake sleeper, Arise from the dead! And the light of Christ will shine upon you.” “Come daughter of Zion, Come my Bride and walk with me. Let me give you living water for your soul. Let me pamper you and pour my fragrant oils upon your head. Let me come to your house and feast with you. I will provide the food.”
 
 
Clear Your Calendar
 
 
It didn’t matter what was happening at Zacchaeus’s house that day. From the moment he came down from that tree his schedule had been changed. He would do no more work collecting taxes this day. His calendar had been cleared. His servants dropped everything they had planned and began preparing for a feast. 
 
My friend don’t wait until you get your life in order before you seek out the Lord for rest assured the enemy will make sure that you never do. Jesus came to seek and to save the lost not those who have already been found. I always believed that Zacchaeus was saved because he repented from his evil ways and gave back the goods. Then Luke 19:9 became rhema, life changing food for me.
 
 
  
 
And Jesus said to him,
"Today salvation has come to this house,
because he also is a son of Abraham."
 
Luke 19:9
 
What? Not because he turned over a new leaf? No, because years ago the Creator cut a covenant with one of Zacchaeus’s ancestors. It was a covenant of promise, favor blessings, and eternal life. Zacchaeus was saved when he chose to follow Jesus and invite Him into his home site unseen. He was transformed after being in the presence of our Lord and feasting upon His glory.
 
So come now! There is no time to waste daughter of Abraham. The Messiah is drawing near and He is calling your name.
 
BLESSINGS AND GRACE,
ASPIRE MINISTRIES
Ephesians 3:16-21
You may subscribe here to InJesus,
our additional site,
for weekly encouraging words
from Aspire Ministries.