Thursday, April 12th – Gary P. Nunn at Buckhorn Lake Resort, 7 p.m. 2885 Goat Creek Road, Kerrville 830-895-0007, www.buckhornlake.com

Friday through Sunday – Parade of Artists in Boerne. Ride the trolley, sample food and enjoy the art at different galleries. For more information, 830-249-1500 or www.visitboerne.org

Saturday – Singing Waters Vineyard, Comfort, Texas. Enjoy wine, music (The Wolf Sisters) and food from Crepe Nation from 1-4p.m. For more information, www.singingwatervineyards.com

Sunday – 15th Annual Crossroads Americana Party – From 3 – 7pm at Rockin’ R on the Guadalupe in Gruene, Texas. There will be food and drink vendors, Bud & Bud Light (while it lasts) and music from Sons of Fathers, Statesboro Revue, Cody & Muzzie Braun and Two Tons of Steel. Free admission. We’ll be there with our stage. For more information, www.rockinr.com

Just a few thoughts. Let me know if you have something else to add.

Jesus continuously cuts to the heart of the matter when it comes to the Law as He does in this passage. Jesus essentially was saying to the Pharisees: “You think just because you filed for a certificate of divorce according to the letter of the Law that it is ok to go out and do what YOU want to do (e.g., be unfaithful to your wife).  Not so, you are still being unfaithful and unfaithfulness is adultery according to the letter of the law. Come on, be honest. Quit covering up what’s going on in your heart. Let’s get to the heart of the matter. What’s the real issue?”

As for the Law, it would seem that sometimes Jesus was making the Law harder (as in the case of divorce) or easier (as in the case of healing on the Sabbath).  Instead, He is trying to get us to see the true meaning of the law … the difference between the spirit of the law and the letter of the law. The letter of the law kills. The spirit of the law brings life.

You see, the Law is intended for good (e.g., standards of right and wrong). It helps us to see what is good for self and society (e.g., don’t kill, don’t steal, don’t commit adultery, etc.).  It gives  instruction for the teachable and consequence for the unteachable. Fear of the consequence of breaking the Law tends to keep the lawless in line. It protects us from those who are lawbreakers. Thus, the statement, The Law is for the lawless.

Essentially, any standard of right and wrong can be likened to the law. For the patriots, we must salute the flag or else. For the eco-friendly “green” types, we must recycle or else. The Democrats, the Republicans, Baptists, Catholics, etc. … they all have standards of right and wrong in place. If you do this, you are “in.”  If you don’t, you are “out.”  Reward and punishment.  People go to extremes requiring fulfillment at all costs. What originally was a rule/law set for protection now becomes a burden even for those it was designed to protect. Fulfillment of the law becomes more important than the individual. That scenario replays over and over again in different settings.

The Law is  meant to lead us to Christ. It seems that we all go through a time of having to differentiate the letter of the law from the spirit of the law. Again, it always boils down to what we think the law is for.  For some, it is manipulated … to be used for self purposes (as in the case of the Pharisees who were seeking to just do what they wanted – be unfaithful to their wives – self for self – it’s all about “me!”). For others, it is looked to in order to control outcomes (again, a form of manipulation). If I do this, then I can have what I want (even if it is peace, prosperity, etc.). For Christ, it was used to see into the heart of God’s purposes … what is good for mankind, for others.

Eventually, if we are teachable, we “get” that we need Christ’s leading in order to truly understand how to live out the spirit of the law because trying to fulfill the letter of the law becomes heavy and burdensome. We cry out for help.

In order to be freed from the burden and enabled to fulfill the spirit of the law, we need Christ. We simply cannot fulfill the Law apart from Christ … apart from relationship with Christ who displayed a greater law, the Law of Love. As we receive Christ through the Holy Spirit, He writes the law (e.g., the spirit of the law, the law of Love) on our hearts. He enables us to truly distinguish the difference … translating what we comprehended as standards of righteousness (e.g., right and wrong) into real life giving actions (e.g., the law of Love).  Submitting to the Holy Spirit (e.g., we have a willingness to receive Christ’s nature), the Holy Spirit’s causes us to both to will (e.g., understand the law of love) and to work (e.g., to actually do life differently – to live a life that is about more than just “self”) for His good pleasure.

So … back to the Pharisees and divorce. Jesus was trying to get them to see that they were living a self for self existence. It’s as if He was saying:

“Come on … What is really going on in your marriage? You are missing the point!  God designed marriage … knowing that it was not good for man (or woman) to be alone.  He gave a wonderful gift of togetherness … two people being helpmates to each other.  In order to be a helpmate, though, you have to be help(full) toward the other.  If it’s simply all about self … one self … marriage decays into a legal contract.” *

Unfortunately, there are also even to this day just as many people who are still married according to the ‘letter of the law’ and yet they are divorced in reality … living separated lives.

God’s purpose in marriage is fulfilled by togetherness … oneness … when BOTH parties desire the best for the other … desire to be full enough to give give to the other … desire to make it MORE than just about their ‘self.’  When that happens, God blesses that union and ‘the two become better than one’ … having one heart, one mind, and a purpose that accomplishes God’s best. When two parties truly WANT to be together, WANT the best for the other … God’s purpose in marriage is fulfilled.

Jesus says to us all:  ”I’m always interested in getting to the heart of the issue. So, what’s REALLY going on in your marriage? Are you willing to go there with Me?”

*I just can’t see Moses rewarding a man who just wanted to go out and cheat on his wife. “Here let me help you out.  I’ll write you out a certificate of divorce so you can do what YOU want!”  Perhaps, the certificate of divorce was Moses simply allowing for a legal declaration of what was:  “You are living a divorced existence.  You have a hard heart towards your spouse.  It is what it is so I declare it so under the Law!”  Just a thought.

1.  How will you take title? In other words, I need your legal name.

2. What’s your mailing address, email, phone number, and fax number?  This is primarily so that the title company can send you their title commitment and all the restrictions, easements, etc. that affect the property.

3.  How much is the offer and how are you going to pay for it?

This is where people who have not been working with a buyer representative sometimes are surprised and can get a little offended.  What you need to keep in mind is that, from the Seller’s point of view, he/she wants to know, “Can this buyer perform?” So …

If the intent is to buy with cash, you’ll need to give me either a copy of a recent bank statement that shows that you have an account balance that is equal to your offer price or you can ask your bank to provide a letter stating the same information.  Most banks are more than willing to write a letter for you.

If the intent is to finance the transaction, you’ll need to contact your bank, mortgage company, or credit union, make application, have them run a credit check, and, if you meet the lender’s criteria, they will send me a “pre-qualification letter” that I can submit with the offer.   Basically, what a pre-qualification letter says is that the lender is agreeing that they will lend you the money IF you substantiate all that you have told them about your finances (and  continue in the same condition through closing – e.g., don’t go out and buy a car or furniture without making sure it won’t affect your ability to purchase the property) and IF the property conforms to their standards.

4.  You’ll need to be ready to issue a check for the earnest money and option fee (if applicable – see below). Earnest money typically is $500, $1000, $1500 and up … depending upon the purchase price.  It’s  what shows that you are an “earnest” buyer.  Generally speaking, it will NOT be refunded if the deal falls through unless there are title issues.  The only exception to that is if you “opt out” during the option period (again – see below) of if your financing falls through during the financing period.  The Financing period is the time period within which you must supply the lender with all of your financial information and get the final “OK” from the Lender.

5.  Do you want to do inspections? If so, you’ll need to purchase the right to do so. Typically the right to do so costs $10 p/day and usually lasts from 7-14 days.  This 7-14 day time period is what is generally referred to as the option period.  It’s called the option period because, if you find something surprising during that time, you can “opt” out and all you lose is your option money.  If there are no surprises and you want to move forward, the option fee typically is applied to the purchase price.  Another alternative (if there are surprises found during inspections) is to go back to the Seller and ask for concessions or repairs.

Keep in mind that there are different kinds of inspections:  A general home inspection, a well inspection, a septic inspection, etc.  Also, if you are buying a raw piece of land, an inspection period usually does not apply.  And … if you are asking for a REALLY great deal or buying AS IS, you may gain leverage in your negotiations by not asking for an option period.  For example, my husband and I have gotten some REALLY REALLY good deals because we offered cash with no option period, and close in 2 weeks.  You just have to weigh what you are trying to accomplish.

6. Are there any other conditions that apply? (e.g., Sale of current home, owner financing, etc.)

7. Last but not least, when do you want the closing to be?  For a property that is financed, you are looking at between 4-6 weeks.  It will vary depending upon the lender’s backlog.  For an all cash deal, it just depends upon whether a survey is needed or if there are inspections.  Typically, 2-4 weeks.

The best part of my job is drawing up contracts.  It means we are doing are job … helping people buy and sell property.

There are a lot of things that can go wrong during the “closing process.”  My job is to walk you through the entire process, anticipate the problems that can occur and then resolve them.

So … Are you ready to put an offer in?  Call me and we’ll get the ball rolling.

*Obviously, I am just covering contract basics here.  There are a lot of other legal issues covered in the standard TAR contract.  If you want more information, just ask me and we can go over it in more detail.

Last Saturday, we attended the River Star Music Series at the

River Star Arts & Event Park (4000 Riverside Dr. East, Kerrville, TX 78208)

We showed up at about 7:00 and enjoyed music by:

San Antonio’s Nicolette Good (featured on Troubadour, Tx! and in the pic with me)

Dawn & Hawkes—two independent solo songwriter/artists playing roots/rock/folk music.

The weather was great and music very enjoyable. Really talented individuals!

Next month’s event will be on April 28th.

Details:

• Cost $5 – Gates open at 4:30 and music starts at 5:00.
• Family-friendly environment and kids under 12 are free with an adult.
• Beer, wine, sodas, and water available for purchase, as well as burgers and hotdogs.
• Bring your own seating event and no outside coolers, beverages, or pets allowed.

• Contact:  www.facebook.com/RiverStarMusicSeries

Mark 8:11-21 (MESSAGE): When they arrived, the Pharisees came out and started in on him, badgering him to prove himself, pushing him up against the wall. Provoked, he said, “Why does this generation clamor for miraculous guarantees? If I have anything to say about it, you’ll not get so much as a hint of a guarantee.”

He then left them, got back in the boat, and headed for the other side. But the disciples forgot to pack a lunch. Except for a single loaf of bread, there wasn’t a crumb in the boat. Jesus warned, “Be very careful. Keep a sharp eye out for the contaminating yeast of Pharisees and the followers of Herod.”

Meanwhile, the disciples were finding fault with each other because they had forgotten to bring bread. Jesus overheard and said, “Why are you fussing because you forgot bread? Don’t you see the point of all this? Don’t you get it at all? Remember the five loaves I broke for the five thousand? How many baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”

They said, “Twelve.”
“And the seven loaves for the four thousand—how many bags full of leftovers did you get?”
“Seven.”

He said, “Do you still not get it?”

“How have we learned Christ?” I recently read that quote in a book.  The challenge of the book is: Are we coming to know the REAL Jesus? Is He a sweet, compassionate (albeit soft) guy or a harsh, demanding Lord? Over and over again, I realize that I must ask Him for the wisdom to know Him in Truth … in reality.

After reading Mark 8:11-21, you understand why we need that wisdom. The truth is that Jesus responds differently to people depending on what’s going on in their heart. Obviously, He loves all people the same, but His responses are different.

In this reading, both the Pharisees and the Disciples are falling short in their faith walk.  There is a big difference, though, in how Jesus responds to each of them.

The Pharisees were asking for miraculous guarantees. Jesus responds with a big “No.” He shuts them down and warns the disciples NOT to follow them … calls their way “contaminating yeast.” Wow! Pretty strong.

The disciples, on the other hand, were “minutia focusing” … fixating on the here and now stuff … what’s not right … what’s not working.  Jesus’ response was to continue interaction with them, encouraging them to change, instructing them how to see differently.

We can’t get around the fact that both the Disciples and the Pharisees were missing the mark (e.g., the “real” definition of sin).  What was the difference, though, between the Pharisees and the Disciples? Jesus continues to respond and teach the disciples but He shuts down interaction with the Pharisees.  What did the Disciples have that the Pharisees did not?

What I see is as the difference is A DESIRE TO BELIEVE. The disciples had it. The Pharisees did not. In fact, the “true” desire of the Pharisees could be better called manipulation (e.g., they were badgering Him, pressing Him to perform a miracle). I don’t know about you, but manipulation shuts down relationship every time for  me.

The Disciples, on the other hand, exemplified a falling short of a different kind. They were very human … definitely not “getting it” at times. The important thing, though, is that they wanted to get it!  Remember, a disciple, by definition, is one who is being taught.

Thankfully, Jesus does not shut us down when we fall short so long as we remain open, teachable. He continues to disciples us. He understands our limits and failings. He continues to respond … to encourage us … even when we fall short. The key question is:  Do we WANT to get it?

My answer is Yes, indeed! I think if you are reading this, yours is as well.

For the disciples, they were falling short due to what I call Minutia Focusing.

It’s just so easy to get sidetracked, waylaid into fixating on the here and now stuff … what’s not right … what’s not working. Unfortunately, as was the case with the disciples, minutia focusing causes us to buy into the blame game (e.g., finding fault with each other) which, of course, causes conflict. Obviously, that is not the fruit He (or we) are looking for in life!

As for the disciples, Jesus, seeing their desire to “get it,” continues to respond to them … … reminding them of the need to be proactive in their trust:

“Come on guys … You can do it. This is the ‘how’ of trust. Remember, I am not limited by what is wrong … what is not working. Remember, I turned two fish and a few pieces of bread into MORE than enough. You saw this! You experienced it! That was not just a one time event. Trust me that I won’t let you down … leave you stranded.  Trust me to do something new in the current predicament. Every predicament is an opportunity for Me to teach you, to train you, for us to grow in relationship. Ask me for MY unique Gift, my unique provision for the current situation.”

Obviously, we all need the Lord to “do” things for us.  There’s a difference, though, between trusting God to do something … asking Him for His unique gift, His unique provision for the situation vs. requiring that He prove Himself … demanding that He do what WE think He should do. One assumes His ability and desire and gives Him freedom to do what He chooses. The other has no clue about His desire, doubts His ability and requires that He do only what WE think He should do.

It is important to note that the Pharisees and the Disciples both had experienced many of the same miracles. The difference was that the Disciples sought to understand Jesus, to follow Him while the Pharisees sought to prove Him wrong because they did NOT WANT to follow Him.

The experiences we have are meant to change us … to build faith so that when we are in different situations, we know that we know that God is able to see us through. We believe that we WILL get to the other side with Him. He’s done it before and He’ll do it again!

Like the disciples, we need to be proactive about embracing our experiences with Christ in life, owning them … holding onto them as rock solid truths … truths that we will remember in the future.  Doing that builds capacity in us … capacity for faith … capacity to trust.

Jesus’ response to the disciples was “Don’t you remember?” When we remember our history with God, Jesus becomes present to us in the here and now. It strengthens us! Our eyes and ears replay the event and we are empowered by the truths of the event again. So, Lord, what do I need to remember right now?

Remembering … It is renewing your mind to His Ability and His Desire. How has He proven His Ability to you? How has He shown what His true Desire is for you?  Remember it and ask for His unique gift in the current situation!

According to the 2011 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, beating a market does not rank high on the reasons people move. “The biggest factors influencing choice of location were quality of the neighborhood, cited by 67 percent of buyers, convenience to jobs, 49 percent, overall affordability of homes, 45 percent, and convenience to family and friends, 39 percent,” says Walter Molony, a spokesman for NAR. “Other factors with relatively high responses include neighborhood design, 32 percent, convenience to shopping, 28 percent, quality of the school district, 27 percent, convenience to schools, 22 percent, and convenience to entertainment or leisure activities, 21 percent.”

Frühlingsfest “Spring Celebration”
10:00 am-5:00 pm, Downtown Historic District – Comfort, Texas, No Admittance Fee
Arts & Crafts Vendors, Street Musicians, Authors holding book signings, many on German history, Antique Tractor Display – The theme will be Comfort’s German Heritage and Texas Wildflowers

Hill Country Volkssportsverein Comfort Easter Walk.  5 / 10 / 15 km walk (SW12/92740) .
For info:  830-995-2421 or email txtrailhead@gmail.com, or website: web.me.com/txtrailhead/GG.Comfort.html

Singing Water Vineyard’s 2nd Saturday Concert features music by The Wolf Sisters  from 1-4 pm. Experience talents of songwriting & singing twin sisters, Becca & Sarah.  316 Mill Dam 830-995-2246    www.singingwatervineyards.com

The atmosphere is “just” ok … There is a porch outside but you have to walk all the way around the building to get to it. Pretty easy fix if they just turned the window overlooking the porch into a doorway. Anyway, if you’re into really good wines, we highly recommend it!

Hours:
Monday, 11 a.m.–4 p.m., Tuesday and Wednesday Closed, Thursday, 10 a.m.–6 p.m.
Friday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., Sunday, 12 p.m.–6 p.m.

http://www.mendelbaumcellars.com/

The disciples had that very response to Jesus when he warned them in Matthew 16: “Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees.” Their response: “Oh dear. He said that because we forgot the bread. It’s our fault. What are we going to do?”

Interesting assessment from Jesus as he responds with: “You men of little faith. Why are you talking about bread?” Essentially, He translates their “I’m bad worthy of being scolded” response into “little faith.” Makes sense if you realize that the opposite of faith is fear.

Obviously, Jesus had an expectation that his disciples would be translating their experiences with Him (e.g., the feeding of the multitudes) into faith: “Have I not already shown you that I care about your needs? Have I not already proven myself to you that I am willing and able to provide for you? Why would I be scolding you?”

Having a “sin” mentality is not the response Jesus is looking for. John 3:17 says, “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” Remember, He wants relationship first and foremost!

Yes … He came to offer an alternative way of living (meaning that most of the time we are not living congruent with His way) … but … change comes as we draw near to Him … as we know His love for us … as we see the goodness of His way over ours. He woos us into change … never forcing … never coercing. Usually, He is more focused on opening our eyes to seeing a different way .. helping us to see where the pitfalls are (e.g., Beware of the teaching of the Pharisees) rather than pointing out what we are doing wrong.

Keep in mind: What we fear, we can not draw near to.

I remember learning early on the following truth statement: “God can not NOT be loving!”

I always return to that statement when I am somehow seeing the Lord as NOT loving!
I remind myself that somehow I am seeing Him wrongly! I pray, “Help me to see you as loving here!”

Sometimes, it takes a while to “undo” my wrong thinking … but I can truly testify that God is always faithful to reveal Himself when we have a willing heart!

So … how has the Lord responded to your prayers in times past? When did He bring someone along to encourage you when you were at your “wits end”? When did He bring provision in just the “nick of time”?

It is so SO SO important to “own” these experiences as His revelation of His personal love for you.

Like the disciples, Jesus is asking us: “If I did THAT for you then, why would you think I would be doing this bad thing for you now? Haven’t I proven myself to you already?”

Let us increase our faith by believing in His love for us!