Some of our most tender moments are being around children and memories (even if one or two) of our own youth. Youth is not a particular period of time in our lives, but non-prejudicial and unbiased relationships. Every moment of everyday brings excitement and anticipation of an unending adventure. The SPIRIT of the "old", the "poor" and "down trodden" joined our SPIRIT in reverent revelation and love, not pity or fear. Mark 9:37, "Whoever receives one such child in my name receives ME..." Have we ever thought what we will be like when we see each other in Heaven? Maybe we will all be children eager to listen, rejoicing and praising in HIS Presence, pure and Holy. "Red and yellow, black and white, we are precious in HIS sight; JESUS LOVES THE LITTLE CHILDREN OF THE WORLD. AS CHILDREN, WE WILL THINK, SPEAK, ACT AND LOVE AS OUR FATHER.
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What if all of our cheating, lying, stealing, slander and prideful acts were exposed all at once; and our punishment is to be the most severe we could ever imagine? Then someone stepped up to take our place; ridiculed, beaten, tortured and killed for what we did? Someone we knew; HE was closer than a friend, more precious than our mother, and greater than any love we know. And while HE is being crucified for us, and no matter how grateful we think we are, we commit even more "horrendous" crimes for which HE again took our punishment. We are so insensitive, cold and calloused we don't even realize what HE is doing for us. Then as we are standing beside HIM, our lack of love is exposed against HIS UNCONDITIONAL LOVE; our Pride against HIS HUMILITY; our sinfulness against HIS HOLINESS. And for all of this we fall in REPENTANCE asking FORGIVENESS and accepting HIS GIFT OF SALVATION. Only then are we, "...crucified with CHRIST...(Galatians 2:20). CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST.
Uncomfortable at funerals? Tears and sadness expose our Faith or lack of understanding of what GOD tells us. Life does not end at death! John 5:24, "...I say to you...who believes in HIM WHO sent ME has (not will have, HAS) Eternal Life...and has passed from DEATH TO LIFE..." Death of the body, SEPARATES the body and SPIRIT, but does NOT destroy them. JESUS told Martha, when she thought Lazarus was dead; "Whoever believes in ME, though he die, yet shall he live...those who believe in me shall NEVER DIE...Do you believe this? (John 11:25-27). And GOD tells us that LIFE IS INSTANTANEOUS AND IMMEDIATE in Luke 23:43 also; "Truly I say to you, TODAY you will live with ME in Paradise." Did you understand that; TODAY, TODAY? The SPIRIT lives on, either in the Presence of GOD; or away from the Presence of GOD. Do we really mourn, cry and express sadness for those who have passed on; OR IS IT FOR OURSELVES? Death is not Death, it is a Glorious New Beginning; NEW LIFE! INSTANTLY! Not sometime in the future. How do we know this? THE BIBLE TELLS US SO.
Do we "set aside" time for GOD? Do we read a "daily" scripture while thinking, "I soon need to get to work"? Or are our prayers interrupted with "other to-do thoughts"; to the point our prayers are filled with "static" and meaningless rhetoric? Was there ever a time when "we couldn't wait" to pick up the Bible to read and all the time "Expecting and Receiving" Revelations of TRUTH? A time when everything we read was written especially for us. A time when GOD'S WORD was laid up in our hearts (Psalm 119:11); a time when every WORD OF GOD was tried and purified (Proverbs 30:5); and when our eyes beheld wondrous things (Psalm 119:18). A time that inspired instantaneous GODLY Prayers where we heard HIS VOICE. When we no longer "set aside time" for GOD; but a time when we TRUSTED ALL OF OURSELVES TO GOD because nothing else mattered. THIS IS OUR PRAYER TODAY.
MEMORY MOMENTS come when we give GOD all of our cares, business, our desires and entrust those we Love to HIM. MEMORY MOMENTS are like children walking along collecting sea shells in the sand; we never know which ones they will keep as SPECIAL TREASURES. Jeremiah 7:7, "...I will let you dwell in this place ...forever." Only the Pure, Holy, Humble times when GOD reveals HIS Presence in our lives do our Treasurers become MEMORY MOMENTS.
"...I will give you rest", Matthew 11:28. Resting (to have Peace, Ease and be Refreshed) is not natural for us because we have to Trust SOMEONE to take care of everything. Rest removes us from the world and from "preconceived" Christian legalism. Rest is total Peace and Refreshment of the body, mind, soul and SPIRIT. The simplicity of Children's hearts are purity and innocence where they Spiritually TRUST GOD in all things. Their Humility prepares their heart for the Favor of Grace. To REST WE HAVE TO TRUST GOD. GOD IS VERY SERIOUS ABOUT REST.
Another thought for us today....... Our society's false teachings, foolish ideas and talk about "no GOD" begin to establish themselves as Truth when left unanswered. There comes a time when diplomacy and silence is no longer appropriate. There comes a time when the foolishness of the enemies of GOD must be powerfully answered without lowering ourselves to their level of arrogance. The "timing" must Glorify GOD, just as when Paul answered the "disbelievers" of his ministry and JESUS answered the Pharisees. We will know "what to say and when to say it" at the promptings of the HOLY SPIRIT giving us the "mind of CHRIST" (1 Corinthians 2:16). Would a "Mind of CHRIST" not fight and resist GOD'S enemies; the "Mind of CHRIST" will still preach GOD'S MESSAGE even though not "ordained ministers"; and "THE MIND OF CHRIST does not become a Fool because it answers a fool with GOD'S MESSAGE. To preach a "warning message", we don't have to have an "exit strategy", we are to stand firm. Lies and foolish teachings must be confronted and shown to be false or they will be accepted as TRUTH. THE MIND OF CHRIST.
Spending one moment in the AWESOME AWE of a flower is TIME WELL SPENT. When we Ignore or destroy the "FLOWERS" (GOD'S GIFTS) in our lives, we destroy ourselves. How many times have we wished to "do it all over again"? Ephesians 5:14, "...Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead..." Every second someone sees CHRIST in us is TIME WELL SPENT. Time is entrusted to us for GOD'S VALUABLE PURPOSE, we can have no IDLE MOMENT, for then we are WASTING TIME. Spend no more time arguing about what is GODLY, JUST BE GODLY.
LOVE WILL MANIFEST ITSELF. It is not something we "fall into", it is not the result of someone doing something for us, and it is never "temporary". LOVE is the ULTIMATE, UNWAIVERABLE RELATIONSHIP. It is a relationship we can share, confess and live with absolute TRANSPARENCY. When we are despondent, depressed and despicable in our own eyes; LOVE says, "that is not who I see". LOVE is what completes us; LOVE is the Spiritual Relationship with GOD and others. 1 John 4:9, "...the love of GOD was made manifest among us..." Jeremiah 31:3, "I have LOVED you with everlasting LOVE; I have drawn you with LOVING KINDNESS." We do not seek GOD for what HE can do for us; we seek HIM for WHO HE IS. GOD IS LOVE, AND LOVE WILL MANIFEST ITSELF.
We are Free in LOVE; a most Blessed INDEPENDENCE DAY. "ONE NATION UNDER GOD". Does a contradiction exist in our "religious freedom", where a person can "worship THE god" of their choice, or god's of their choice? It appears to be hypocrisy when we refer to the allegiance of ONE GOD and at the same time support the existence of other gods. Galatians 5:1, "For freedom CHRIST has set us FREE, stand firm therefore..." Have we, in our efforts to "do good", "spare our children" from the hardships we endured, created a NATION of Letter writers, Meaningless Speeches and Technology that no longer speaks from SACRIFICIAL LOVE? Has the ABSENCE OF RESTRICTIONS (FREEDOM) for some, imposed and restricted the FREEDOM OF OTHERS? Do we no longer serve GOD and our FELLOWMAN; have we become a nation of LETTER WRITERS, MEANINGLESS SPEECHES WITH NO POWER, and NO SACRIFICIAL LOVE? ARE WE REALLY ONE NATION UNDER GOD?
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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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