How many times have we heard, "Take you sins to the Cross, CRUCIFY them and know JESUS"! What about, "No Pain, No Gain"; or, "you will face hardships and be assaulted by the world if you take up your Cross and follow JESUS!" I REALLY DON'T THINK SO! When we know JESUS, do we think about hardship, being CRUCIFIED or really seek the "things of the world"? When we "Take up our Cross" are we doing it with the attitude that Pain and Tribulation will get us to Heaven? Or, when we take up our Cross are we following JESUS, and being Transformed like HIM, with Love, Compassion, Wisdom and HIS SPIRIT? In PERFECT LOVE there is no room for fear! Does taking up our cross provide Spiritual Light and Understanding through pain and affliction? John 8:12, "I am the LIGHT...LIGHT of Life..." Our only SUFFERING is when we have FEAR! "There is no fear in LOVE..." There is no fear of this world or life beyond this world. Get the LIGHT OF LIFE (JESUS); GET A LIFE!
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We feel accomplishment if we are esteemed and honored by others. Do we have this unquenchable thirst for recognition and fame in order to feel worthy or have value? The Disciples had a similar problem and misunderstanding that most of us do. Their sense of "value" was to be elevated to the right and left of JESUS, of course above the other Disciples. John 15:13-15, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one's life for his friends..." Some of us would respond, "O YES LORD, I will die for YOU, and have that "RUSH" of "HEROISM" To lay down our lives, is to put aside our selfish desires in life. Are we willing to exercise authority with love, position with sacrifice, and service with humility? Authority without love is over-bearing; Position without respect for others is demeaning and rude; and Service without generosity and sacrifice is cheap and self-serving. Why do we always think in the Heroism mentality of "DYING" to have meaning? THAT IS NOT WHAT HE ASKED. HE ASKED FOR MUCH MORE!
A Canaanite woman whose daughter was severely possessed by a demon asked JESUS to heal her...But HE did not answer... "Yes, LORD, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters' table..." (Matthew 15:21-28). This woman made the misery of her child her own! She was willing to suffer rejection in order to obtain healing; her persistence became unrelenting; AND HER FAITH GREW IN CONTACT WITH THE PERSON JESUS! The woman's persistence, wisdom and courage to not accept JESUS' refusal to give her what she asked for, was the RESULT OF HER LOVE AND FAITH GROWING WHEN IN THE PRESENCE OF JESUS! She became STRONGER in HIS PRESENCE not weaker or discouraged. She started with a request and this request grew into EXPECTANT FAITH! IN JESUS' PRESENCE HER LOVE GREW INTO EXPECTANT FAITH! AMEN! HALLELUJAH! Are you praying for someone you love to know JESUS or be healed? Are you praying for yourself not to doubt or be discouraged? GO BEFORE JESUS AND LET HIS PRESENCE GROW YOUR FAITH. YOU WILL BECOME BOLDER AND MORE CONFIDENT; YOU WILL ACTUALLY "FEED" (GROW) ON HIS PRESENCE. YOU WILL EXPERIENCE "EXPECTANT FAITH" KNOWING HIS LOVE AND MERCY KNOWS NO BOUNDARY'S! How can we keep from falling to our knees and Praising HIM as the Canaanite woman did? As the sun (SON within you) rises, the birds begin to sing, and color begins to come alive from the dark night; how can we not go into this day with AMEN'S AND HALLELUJAHS!!!!!
While Peter, James and John were asleep JESUS was Transfigured. When they woke up they witnessed JESUS in HIS Glory with Moses and Elijah (Luke 9:32). How much of GOD'S Glory do we miss because we are SPIRITUALLY ASLEEP? We miss the "things of GOD" when we let our own life go "unexamined"; when we "hide or ignore" our problems; or not facing our "doubts or problems". Concentrating on having a life of ease, could hinder us from the challenges that would bring us closer to CHRIST. Prejudice and sorrow (self-pity) can keep us from expanding GOD'S territory in our lives. JESUS wants to reveal HIS Glory to us, as HE did with Peter, James and John, as we seek HIS presence with "Faith and Reverence". Or do we miss it all by accepting the "lethargic comfort" of being SPIRITUALLY ASLEEP?
We say we don't want to be alone, and yet we choose to be alone everyday. Does anyone, ANYONE, (EXCEPT GOD) know ALL or ANY of your deepest thoughts? If not, YOU HAVE CHOSEN to be alone. Perhaps it is because your thoughts are so deep and revealing that words cannot "justly" express them. Or, maybe this solitude is from lack of Trust. Even though our thoughts of GOD can in no way approximate, visualize or encompass HIS WHOLE BEING; HE knows these thoughts and LOVES US ANYWAY. Let me share one of my "recurring thoughts" that only GOD has known up until now. "Why do Theologians and Christians have such unhappy expressions, and don't enjoy talking with those who want to Challenge their Faith?" Psalm 139:23, " Search me, O GOD, and know my heart..." If we live and labor without JOY, PLEASANTNESS, and DOWNRIGHT EXCITEMENT AND EXPECTATION, we may want to ask ourselves, "DO I HAVE JOYFUL THOUGHTS?
Am I in the right PLACE; Is it the right TIME; Are my talents enough; Am I just not smart enough? Ecclesiastes 9:11, "...the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong...nor riches to the intelligent, nor favor to those with knowledge..." Many think this Scripture refers to no matter what you do or what you accomplish, you will meet the same fate as those who have nothing, WE ALL DIE. May I suggest that DEATH is not accepting the Salvation of JESUS CHRIST and not just the physical death? Our physical lives can end at any time, but our Spiritual LIFE is ETERNITY. Is it a coincidence that the strongest suffer defeat by a weaker foe; or those who are wise become very poor? Is all of this just governed by CHANCE? GOD IS OUR OMNIPRESENT GOD IN TIME AS WELL AS SPACE. In HIS OMNIPRESENCE HE brings together the RIGHT TIME, the RIGHT PLACE, and presents the RIGHT OPPORTUNITY for us. Is our TIME, PLACE and OPPORTUNITY when we accept JESUS' free gift of SALVATION that GOD provides? We don't have to be the smartest, fastest or strongest because we are HIGHLY FAVORED and NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME, PLACE AND OPPORTUNITY to never die!
Do we get discouraged when we tire easily and pain is more persistent and severe? Pain is actually a GIFT to Christians and a CURSE to non-believers. For Christians,Tiredness and Pain could be looked upon as "GOD INDUCED FASTING". FASTING not only in food but in everything we do. When we are Tired or in Pain, we eat only what our bodies need, we think differently and we accept the opportunity to experience GOD'S GRACE. During these times we learn how to persevere and endure. We become more patient; tolerant of GODLY THINGS, and INTOLERANT of UNGODLY THINGS. Romans 5:3-4, "...we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character..." When we are tired, we quit worrying about things to do; we actually ENJOY floating in our thoughts, our thoughts are inspirations and thankfulness taking us to a time of rest. Our pain becomes more bearable as our endurance and perseverance lets us think of the sufferings of CHRIST as we become more CHRIST LIKE. We finally understand through tiredness and pain, "MY GRACE IS IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU, FOR POWER IS PERFECTED IN WEAKNESS". Pain can be like Fire, IT CAN HURT SOME PEOPLE WHILE IT CAUSES GRUMBLING AND COMPLAINING; OR IT CAN WARM THE SOUL.
There are two sides to every issue; one right, the other wrong, but the middle (compromise) is evil, where right is mixed with wrong. We say we are Christians and yet we compromise everyday. The things we do in our hearts, cause us not to lie to ourselves and men, but to GOD (Acts 5:4). When we use GOD'S resources to provide the wants of a rebellious, arrogant and prideful person; we have ENABLED them to continue their ways, and not HELPED them. Why can't we be of such CHARACTER (GOD'S CHARACTER) as to only CHOOSE BETWEEN MANY "GOODS"; instead of choosing between THE LESSER OF TWO EVILS?
On Saturday's the children in town would stand behind the Court house and listen to a man preach the Gospel. He was small in stature but his voice would echo through the Ozark Hills. As he preached, his wife sat on the park bench Praising GOD and encouraging her husband in the WORD. Why did the children in town "hide behind the Court house"? Because all of their parents "made fun of the Street Corner Preacher". And yet, when these same parents needed something repaired or couldn't afford the cost of repairs, Who did they call? "SHORTY BROWN" our street corner preacher! 1 Corinthians9:14, "...hath the LORD ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the gospel." The attraction (and I might add, the affection) for "Shorty" was that his life was a living picture of what he preached and spoke every minute of every day. When some of us became confused by science denying GOD, various claims of different denominations and the Vietnam War; who explained the "void" that filled our Souls? Not with modern theology or "roll playing dramas", but by marching into our living rooms or taking our hands on the streets, he would begin to PRAY. Prayers I had never heard, "lifting us to Heaven before the KING of Kings", communing with GOD that our hearts wanted to know HIM, and to show the plans HE had for us, as HE promised in the Bible. SHORTY never used GOD'S WORD to draw attention to himself. SHORTY preached everyday of his life, and not just on Saturdays. When I see someone helping someone else, when I see someone putting aside all they have to do and just be kind, and when we are going through the sunshine and storms we hear a loving word that says, I LOVE YOU; I can't help but think GLORY TO GOD, "PREACH SHORTY PREACH"!
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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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