God not only pursues those who have not believed in him, but he also pursues those who do know him. God beckons us to come to find the jazz of life change in others – to not only work and labor, but to learn the joy of pursuing others.

Not everyone will respond to the search. Some sheep don’t want to be found during certain chapters of their lives. Jesus tells the story of a Prodigal Son – but this story could also be called the story of the Waiting Father. Part of learning to reach people is the learning the art of waiting.

Jesus then tells another story about a lost coin. This time, the setting is not the open country – but right at home. There are some differing descriptive words being used in this story. We are told that the owner of the lost coin ‘sweeps the house’ and ‘searches carefully’ – words that are distinctive to this story

Steve begins a new collecton - Open Country

There is one more final moment of our lives under the magnifying glass – but it is not on this side of eternity. Every follower of Jesus will have his or her work examined as we stand before God.

When things are going smoothly, we easily are thankful, pleasant, and up tempo. But things can easily change when mountains turn to valleys. Trials have a way of magnifying what is on the inside. That is, what is really on the inside.

Actions matter. Actions magnify. Although love is a feeling, love has to be expressed in tangible terms. Our hearts are revealed by what is manifested in our actions. God reminds us that without action, our faith is flat-lined with no vital signs.

Magnified Series Part 2: Litmus --

Built into the system of every believer of Jesus is a litmus instrument – the person of the Holy Spirit. Before we come to Christ, our conscience plays this role, but it is evident that the conscience can become ineffective (1 Timothy 4:1-2). But the Holy Spirit is a person and will not fade in his ability to tap us when we steer off-course.

Without the Holy Spirit, we have no magnification of the inner course. We cannot rely on our own human operating system to get this done.

The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. (1 Corinthians 2:10)

Magnified Series Part 1: Lamp --

Proximity to a lamp is essential for its effectiveness. The closer we get to the lamp, the more intense the light, and the more successful the intention of the light will be. And the closer the light, the less darkness. Shine a flashlight across a room and it won’t do much; walk across the room and shine the light right up to the wall and there won’t be much room for darkness because of the focused intensity of the light.

Our proximity to the words of God will determine whether or not the magnifying process of God is being allowed to take place. The closer we get, the more illumination. The young king Josiah experienced this change of proximity. (2 Kings 22) The words of God had been lost in the mix and as a result, the loss of illumination had allowed for more darkness. As soon as Josiah unearthed the word of God, darkness became evident and light was allowed to do its job.

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. Ephesians 5:13