Do we see GOD in all of HIS Creation and hear HIS voice in everything around us, but still understand nothing? Proverbs 9:10, "The love of the LORD is the beginning of WISDOM..." When our SPIRIT is Free to question GOD no more, When our SOUL no longer seeks the approval of another, that is when we know we LOVE GOD; When it's no longer important to understand, WE HAVE WISDOM.
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An unexpected call in the middle of the night, someone pounding on the door early in the morning, an unexpected "commotion" interrupting a deep sleep; ALL ARE WAKE UP CALLS. Our Freedom in the LORD increases when we make the right choices; our Freedom decreases when our choices are not obedient. Our non-obedient choices burden us to the point that we no longer have Freedom in the most simple of pleasures. Ezekiel 1:28, "...when I saw...I fell facedown and heard a voice speaking..." Do we still "demand" our Blessings when we talk to GOD? Do we even have "Humility" when we come before HIS HOLINESS? Do we recognize our own sinfulness and lack of awareness and awe for HIS MERCY, or is it only fear of HIS JUDGEMENT? When we recognize how great GOD is, and how much we need HIM; we can't help but fall down in Humility. Prostrate on the ground, where we should be. It is our WAKE UP CALL.
.Do we read a few Devotionals, attend Church when we can (or decide to) and believe we have Divine Revelation? Is there a "cross-over" point when we look at ourselves as "anointed" teachers and not the Eager, Passionate Disciples of CHRIST? Have we become so confident in our "knowledge" of the Bible, that we no longer see GOD'S Hand in everyone we meet? The Apostle Paul met two people who GOD used to impact him greatly. In fact when he was in prison in Rome the final time, they were in his final earthly thoughts. 2 Timothy 4:19, "Greet Prisca and Aquila..." A couple who had an effective Ministry behind the scenes. They used what they had; hospitality, friendship and person-to-person teaching. They were not public speakers, but Private Evangelists! They did nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of Spirit, they regarded others as more important than themselves. SOMETIMES WHEN WE THINK WE HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY, WE DON'T. JUST LISTEN
To try and "understand" GOD's Mercy by associating it too the "best" we can imagine; Is limiting WHO GOD can be in our lives. We are Loved, Forgiven, Favored and given Mercy, "INSPITE" of ourselves. We have a mindset that reveals GOD as Forgiving and therefore, tolerant. Everything can be Forgiven; but not Everything is to be Tolerated. Romans 6:1, "...Shall we continue in sin...?" Why should we Forgive (or be Forgiven) sin but not Tolerate (or be Tolerated) sin? Toleration affects our discernment, right and wrong becomes cloudy. Toleration begins to justify our lusts for sin, even where we try to find Scriptural justification for our thoughts and actions. Toleration of sin can make us "SERMON PROOF" where we no longer respond to the HOLY SPIRIT'S CONVICTION. FORGIVENESS DOES NOT MEAN TOLERATION.
The United States celebrates more "pagan festive celebrations" than we do Christmas and Easter. St. Valentine's Day has nothing to do with Saint Valentine and his ministering to the Prophets and Martyrs. It has become a "compromising" attempt by Christians to "Christianize" this day (the 14th) when Saint Valentine himself became a Martyr. To quote 1 John 4:8, "...GOD is Love...in this the Love of GOD was made manifest among us..." is not the same as the "goat and dog" sacrifices to pagan gods; and running through the streets with whips, whipping maidens in fertility rituals. We can't speak for others; but WHAT DOES LOVE, HONOR AND OBEY MEAN TODAY, AND EVERYDAY to us? JUST TO PUT THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE.
The story about a young boy who wanted to make a difference in the world. He would do something nice for three people, something they couldn't do for themselves. In turn, each of these three people would do something kind for three more people. The kindness would be spread in GEOMETRIC PROGRESSIONS. Genesis 12: 2-3, "...I will Bless you...so that you will be a Blessing. I will Bless those who Bless you...and in you, ALL the families of the earth shall be Blessed." Did you wake up this morning with a BURNING PASSION to make a GODLY difference? You CAN, You ARE, You HAVE; PAY IT FORWARD.
What would our lives be like if we "loved the LORD our GOD with all our heart and with all our SOUL and with all our might..."?(Deuteronomy 6:5). EVERY MOMENT OF EVERY DAY? We can't just "FOLLOW" JESUS, do what HE did and Love like HE Loved to become LIKE HIM. We can't do it on our own "feeble" tries and mis-tries. To be like JESUS, HE must be in us, and us in HIM. HE exchanged HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS for our SINFULNESS on the CROSS. HE made us NEW CREATIONS. HE MADE not US MADE. To be LIKE JESUS we must be ONE WITH HIM, HIS POWER, HIS LOVE! If we try to "FOLLOW" JESUS on our own, it's ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE.
There is no Long or Short, and no Fast or Slow. Time is only measured by defined points, yesterday, next week or a number on the clock. In the Presence and Nature of GOD, all is Eternity. Time is not a "quantity" measurement, it is the Presence. We all live the same in HIS PRESENCE, no matter how long we live on earth. "...that one day is with the LORD as a thousand years..." (2 Peter 3:8). No longer do we have to say, "why did YOU take them so young, LORD"? We all have the "Same Amount of Time in HIS Presence", ETERNITY. AND THAT'S THE LONG AND SHORT OF IT.
There are moments that are beyond words. Times when we see what GOD has done, as if to say, "I AM GOD" and there is NO OTHER. It is a time when we LEAVE ALL MATTERS TO GOD. "Be still, and know that I am GOD..." (Psalm 46:10). A time when we, "Stand still, and see the Salvation of GOD." (Exodus 14:13). NO WORDS, JUST THE HOLINESS OF GOD.
They need not go away, you give them something to eat." (Matthew 14:16). Do we, like the Disciples, get all caught up in the "How-to-dos" instead of the "Just Dos"? The Disciples began to calculate "How much it would cost" to feed the people (are we immediately defeated by looking to "How Much"?) and concluded there was no way to feed them. JESUS said, "...feed them..."; HIS message was clear, "DIVIDE WHAT YOU HAVE", IT WILL BE ENOUGH! Give what we have and GOD will multiply it to satisfy all. I have an eighty year old Preacher who was telling me about these four cats who come to eat at the Church twice a day. He smiled and said they are his family. I asked him if he had given them names. He look at me in a puzzled manner and said; "THEY COME TO EAT, NOT TO TALK". People hear GOD'S WORD when we share what we have, even when we don't say a word. THEY COME TO EAT, NOT TALK
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About the Author and writerThe writer for our daily devotionals wishes to remain anonymous in regard to his work, giving instead Glory to the Author. Archives
December 2015
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