“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
– Martin Luther King, Jr.
I wonder if this is what the Apostle Paul was being inspired to write when he penned these words onto the parchment: Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil
(Ephesians 6:13 NLT).
We all know how easy it is to serve God and be a Christian when everything is going good. We boast about wonderful church services and the moving of the Holy Spirit. We tell everybody at the restaurant what a great time we had in service. Being with Jesus will cause one to feel that way. There is nothing better than basking in the Spirit of God and experiencing His wonderful presence in your very soul. But what about the other times? You know them, the times when you just don’t feel spiritual. Like when that coworker smarts off to you on Monday morning or when your spouse is not in a complimentary mood toward you. When your job is boring, your bank account is overdrawn, your car needs fixing, your roof is leaking, and your teenage daughter has fell in love with a Hells Angel. Yeah, those times.
Neither Dr. King nor the Apostle Paul were inspired to say those times would be easy to endure. What they were inspired to say is the down to earth, rubber meets the road, truth. The same Holy Spirit that was with you last Sunday is still with you. The same Jesus that embraced your heart and whispered encouraging words into your spirit last Sunday is still with you! So how do we stand during the difficult times? The same way we stood in the sanctuary; by immersing ourselves once again in Christ. Putting Him on is simply allowing Him to cover us up. If we leave the Holy Spirit in the sanctuary we are forfeiting the strength and help available to us out here in the world. How do you measure up today? Can you go the distance? If you are in Christ and He is in you, you can!
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Stinky Feet
“You shall never wash my feet!” (John 13:8 NKJV)
Dr. Scholl’s was not in existence when Jesus decided to take it upon Himself to do a little foot care unto His disciples. It was not actually about their feet anyway but it would be something they would never forget. From that point onward every time they entered a house and had a servant wash their dirty feet it would be a constant reminder of who Jesus is; and who they were.
The event was a strike against pride, the kind of pride that says that we can wash our own feet. You know what I’m saying. The kind of pride that says we have been saved, washed in the Blood, born again, redeemed, and all the other Christianese phrases you can think of. Christianese? The language of church folk. It is foreign to the unbeliever. They may hear it and have some idea what it means but are not able to connect it with the Gospel. Foot washing is not literally required in order to be saved. Many churches have foot washings and that is fine as long as we realize it is an illustration of servitude. Servitude that starts with letting Christ wash our feet that we may allow Him to wash the feet of others through us. Or did you think it was about you and you serving others? If so, that is the pride Jesus was putting down.
Peter did not consider himself worthy enough to have his feet washed by his Master. Human pride in his heart spoke for him. Jesus came to save sinners and if we think for one minute we are not worthy of His grace and mercy, we will perish being to prideful to submit to One greater than us. “Let Me wash your feet Peter, or you are not My disciple.” That is how I translate what Jesus said to him. Old Pete got the message; “wash all of me then,” he said. You and I are His disciples if we allow Him to do for us what we need done. Church going, Bible reading, foot washing, communion taking, are all good things but do not wash our feet. Only Jesus can cleanse our sin stained bodies. We stick our dirty feet into His pan if we want to be His. We then are to tell others what He has done for us and invite them to have a seat and let Him do it for them.
Feeling stressed? Worried? Sick? Afraid? Have a seat, put your feet in Jesus’ hands, and walk away humbled, refreshed and strengthened having dealt a blow against your pride.
Dr. Scholl’s was not in existence when Jesus decided to take it upon Himself to do a little foot care unto His disciples. It was not actually about their feet anyway but it would be something they would never forget. From that point onward every time they entered a house and had a servant wash their dirty feet it would be a constant reminder of who Jesus is; and who they were.
The event was a strike against pride, the kind of pride that says that we can wash our own feet. You know what I’m saying. The kind of pride that says we have been saved, washed in the Blood, born again, redeemed, and all the other Christianese phrases you can think of. Christianese? The language of church folk. It is foreign to the unbeliever. They may hear it and have some idea what it means but are not able to connect it with the Gospel. Foot washing is not literally required in order to be saved. Many churches have foot washings and that is fine as long as we realize it is an illustration of servitude. Servitude that starts with letting Christ wash our feet that we may allow Him to wash the feet of others through us. Or did you think it was about you and you serving others? If so, that is the pride Jesus was putting down.
Peter did not consider himself worthy enough to have his feet washed by his Master. Human pride in his heart spoke for him. Jesus came to save sinners and if we think for one minute we are not worthy of His grace and mercy, we will perish being to prideful to submit to One greater than us. “Let Me wash your feet Peter, or you are not My disciple.” That is how I translate what Jesus said to him. Old Pete got the message; “wash all of me then,” he said. You and I are His disciples if we allow Him to do for us what we need done. Church going, Bible reading, foot washing, communion taking, are all good things but do not wash our feet. Only Jesus can cleanse our sin stained bodies. We stick our dirty feet into His pan if we want to be His. We then are to tell others what He has done for us and invite them to have a seat and let Him do it for them.
Feeling stressed? Worried? Sick? Afraid? Have a seat, put your feet in Jesus’ hands, and walk away humbled, refreshed and strengthened having dealt a blow against your pride.
Monday, January 2, 2012
Grace Today
Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time men began to call on the name of the LORD. (Genesis 4:26 NIV)
Time was marching on after the murder of Able. God had issued His promises of suffering that mankind would inherit due to the disobedience of Adam. It is evident that Gods presence had not forsaken the first family even though they were defiant. Eve understood that Seth had come by the hand of God.
It is encouraging to me to see that men began to call on the name of the Lord. After all they had been through one would think God would not listen. We could not hold a grudge against God if He had chosen to stop with the murder of Able and allowed Eve, Cain, and the rest of them all to die out. Not giving them anymore children but putting an end to sin at the very out start. “Nipping it in the bud,” as Barney Fife would say. We know now that is not what He did.
You may think you have gone to far in your defiance today. Perhaps someone has even told you that you are an outcast forever. They are wrong and your thinking is wrong. The mercy and grace of God was in the world at the beginning and is still here today. The key to realizing it is to follow the example of the first offspring of sinners; call on the name of the Lord!
Time was marching on after the murder of Able. God had issued His promises of suffering that mankind would inherit due to the disobedience of Adam. It is evident that Gods presence had not forsaken the first family even though they were defiant. Eve understood that Seth had come by the hand of God.
It is encouraging to me to see that men began to call on the name of the Lord. After all they had been through one would think God would not listen. We could not hold a grudge against God if He had chosen to stop with the murder of Able and allowed Eve, Cain, and the rest of them all to die out. Not giving them anymore children but putting an end to sin at the very out start. “Nipping it in the bud,” as Barney Fife would say. We know now that is not what He did.
You may think you have gone to far in your defiance today. Perhaps someone has even told you that you are an outcast forever. They are wrong and your thinking is wrong. The mercy and grace of God was in the world at the beginning and is still here today. The key to realizing it is to follow the example of the first offspring of sinners; call on the name of the Lord!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)