Praise The Lord and what a great week it has been. Wow, what a way to begin today's devotion!! Think back with me, if you will, to when you were around the age of 8 or 10 years old. Any other time in that neighborhood will suffice. It is around December 15th or so and you know what is coming very soon. You begin to see each day some new things showing up at your home that have pretty paper and bows attached with a tiny note card on each one. The excitement builds and you are wondering and hoping for what it is that you have mentioned for the last few months that you would like to have. "Did I get that one particular item I have been asking for and hinting about?" As a child it was a wonderful time to have all that excitement and the thrill of the moment as we opened the gifts and received the one thing we wanted. Maybe even as you think of those days you are reminded of a special time that brings back wonderful memories of family and friends sharing together.
If you are a child of God, I want to ask you to think of another wonderful time in your life. The day you were obedient to the Holy Word of God and were given the greatest gift ever; salvation and the forgiveness of sin. Do you remember that day as you heard the Word in its truth and as your conscience was pierced? Do you remember as you felt the tug of the Holy Spirit urging you to do what you knew was the right thing, the best thing? Remember that day and the excitement and the enthusiasm that was present. How long has it been since you had that joy? I want to encourage you to read God's love letter one more time and realize again what we have because if Christ.
In Psalms 51:12 and 13 we read these words;
"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will turn back to you."
I do hope you can pray this prayer of David and desire the things he mentions here that never get old or go out of style. The joy of having HIS salvation, and the blessing of others receiving it as a result is a wonderful thing. Regain the joy of knowing the blessing of the salvation you have each morning as you awake to live and serve The Lord. God bless until our next time.......
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
"BITTER BEAUTITUDE"
Mathew 5.10-11, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely, on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
At the beginning of Moses' ministry among the wandering Hebrews he climbed up Mt. Sinai and returned with two tablets of stone. On them, written by the very finger of God, was a list of short statements; the 10 commandments upon which the whole Mosaic Law would be based.
We associate one particular phrase with the 10 Commandments – 'Thou Shalt Not'. That's not really fair, because they don't all begin that way; only six do. It is true that four out of five of those commandments, which deal with human relationships, are communicated negatively.
This is not so with the teachings of Christ. When Christ began His ministry He climbed a mountain, sat down, and delivered a list of short statements upon which the rest of his Sermon on the Mount would be based. We associate these statements, the Beatitudes, with a single word; Blessed.
Christ Jesus begins the new day by bringing us blessings, not prohibitions. And yet, even these blessings are not the things we might normally associate with smiles, expressed joy, and active thanks.
They include poverty, mourning, hunger, thirst, and giving mercy to those we might consider not worthy. Jesus calls us to go beyond patience and endurance. He insists that we view such experiences as blessings. This is far more demanding of us than the 10 Commandments ever were.
Maybe the most demanding Beatitudes are the last two, quoted above. He calls us to see injustice as a blessing. When we suffer unfairly "for Him", we should REALLY be glad; showing it. He gives us two reasons that, when seen together, include the past, the present, and the future.
We should be glad when we suffer injustice (in the present) because it connects us to our reward (in the future), and to the suffering of the prophets before us (in the past).
This all makes sense, logically. But nothing could be more contrary to our "common sense". As humans we react against injustice; especially when we are the ones suffering.
We establish governments, hire lawyers, memorize the charter of the homeowners' association, get the best tax advice, keep a detailed record of every wrong to us; all to ensure we are not forced to endure an injustice.
Like Sally Brown, Charlies' sister, "All we want is our fair share. All we want is what is coming to us." It may be possible to endure, even for the sake of Christ, such treatment; but to rejoice and be glad about it – how is that possible?
And yet it is possible. We see in scripture it is the way the early Christians saw things. When Peter and John suffered their first arrest by the Sanhedrin, the congregation at Jerusalem praised God so intensely that the building was shaken (Acts 4:23-31). The second time they were arrested, Peter and John, "left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name," (Acts 5:41). When Paul and Silas, both Roman citizens, were illegally arrested, tortured, and incarcerated at Philippi they spent their time "praying and singing hymns to God", (Acts 16:25), and again, the building was shaken.
How is this possible? To prepare in our minds to endure injustice is understandable, but to take real joy in it seems a bit masochistic, even pathological.
Unless we listen to what Jesus really said. We take joy in injustice, not for its own sake, but for the way it connects us to salvation history, and the glory YET to come.
These are the reasons Paul mentions in Philippians 3:4-16. He suffers, he says, because he wants to know Jesus completely; not just through the Word, but through personal experience. He wants to know "the fellowship of His sufferings," even to "becoming like Him in His death," (v.10). He suffers the loss of all things to attain "the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (v.14).
This 'bitter' Beatitude is bitter in order to be sweet. If we want to know Jesus personally, and not just academically, there is no other way. That we are even allowed to know Jesus this fully, this deeply is indeed a blessing. What could be more desired by His people today?
At the beginning of Moses' ministry among the wandering Hebrews he climbed up Mt. Sinai and returned with two tablets of stone. On them, written by the very finger of God, was a list of short statements; the 10 commandments upon which the whole Mosaic Law would be based.
We associate one particular phrase with the 10 Commandments – 'Thou Shalt Not'. That's not really fair, because they don't all begin that way; only six do. It is true that four out of five of those commandments, which deal with human relationships, are communicated negatively.
This is not so with the teachings of Christ. When Christ began His ministry He climbed a mountain, sat down, and delivered a list of short statements upon which the rest of his Sermon on the Mount would be based. We associate these statements, the Beatitudes, with a single word; Blessed.
Christ Jesus begins the new day by bringing us blessings, not prohibitions. And yet, even these blessings are not the things we might normally associate with smiles, expressed joy, and active thanks.
They include poverty, mourning, hunger, thirst, and giving mercy to those we might consider not worthy. Jesus calls us to go beyond patience and endurance. He insists that we view such experiences as blessings. This is far more demanding of us than the 10 Commandments ever were.
Maybe the most demanding Beatitudes are the last two, quoted above. He calls us to see injustice as a blessing. When we suffer unfairly "for Him", we should REALLY be glad; showing it. He gives us two reasons that, when seen together, include the past, the present, and the future.
We should be glad when we suffer injustice (in the present) because it connects us to our reward (in the future), and to the suffering of the prophets before us (in the past).
This all makes sense, logically. But nothing could be more contrary to our "common sense". As humans we react against injustice; especially when we are the ones suffering.
We establish governments, hire lawyers, memorize the charter of the homeowners' association, get the best tax advice, keep a detailed record of every wrong to us; all to ensure we are not forced to endure an injustice.
Like Sally Brown, Charlies' sister, "All we want is our fair share. All we want is what is coming to us." It may be possible to endure, even for the sake of Christ, such treatment; but to rejoice and be glad about it – how is that possible?
And yet it is possible. We see in scripture it is the way the early Christians saw things. When Peter and John suffered their first arrest by the Sanhedrin, the congregation at Jerusalem praised God so intensely that the building was shaken (Acts 4:23-31). The second time they were arrested, Peter and John, "left the presence of the council rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name," (Acts 5:41). When Paul and Silas, both Roman citizens, were illegally arrested, tortured, and incarcerated at Philippi they spent their time "praying and singing hymns to God", (Acts 16:25), and again, the building was shaken.
How is this possible? To prepare in our minds to endure injustice is understandable, but to take real joy in it seems a bit masochistic, even pathological.
Unless we listen to what Jesus really said. We take joy in injustice, not for its own sake, but for the way it connects us to salvation history, and the glory YET to come.
These are the reasons Paul mentions in Philippians 3:4-16. He suffers, he says, because he wants to know Jesus completely; not just through the Word, but through personal experience. He wants to know "the fellowship of His sufferings," even to "becoming like Him in His death," (v.10). He suffers the loss of all things to attain "the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." (v.14).
This 'bitter' Beatitude is bitter in order to be sweet. If we want to know Jesus personally, and not just academically, there is no other way. That we are even allowed to know Jesus this fully, this deeply is indeed a blessing. What could be more desired by His people today?
Monday, April 9, 2012
CHRISTIAN DUTY #5 PART 1
5) Do all things with love
Love is one of the major themes of the Bible. It is because of Love that God gave us his only begotten Son; and this love is why we love God enough to try/attempt to obey his will.
1 Corinthians 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
Without love in life and actions for God, and love in our life for his people we are nothing. It doesn't matter how many good deeds you do, if you do not do it all out of love, then it's a big fat waste of time.
We are to be examples of God's love and we should try real hard to show others the beautiful love that can only be found with a close relationship with God.
John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep My commandments."
1 John 5:3, "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome."
This is how The Christian can really show that they have the love of God; by being obedient to God's Word, His Will. A person can say that have love all day long but until they show it by how they conduct their lives, then their words don't mean much at all.
1 John 3:18 18, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed (labor,striving) and in truth (John 17:17 "Thy Word Is Truth").
John is basically saying "actions speak louder than words."
God bless and we will continue this thought next time...
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