There is a standing argument in the Church regarding whether it is better to serve God intellectually or from our hearts. We have heard the arguments from each side, but in truth our determination matters little. Whether we are right brain people or left brain people, what matters most is that we hear God's Word and obey Him.
Are you a slave to instinctive reflexes... this is a recipe for instant sin, and an avenue for our inner person, the old fallen man, to bypass a carefully thought-out reaction, driven by our faith and intellect, as it erupts from our mouths. Conquering this ancient fallen creature within each of us requires chains that only God’s Word, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, can bind him with.
Am I blessed as Jesus said I would be when He taught the Beatitudes? Do I see them as simple precepts for life, or does their spiritual undercurrent shake me? These very easily followed rules for living can improve the life of an unbeliever or elevate a person of faith to a dramatically higher spiritual plane. Are the Beatitudes impacting our lives and how? Do we read these blessings with the eyes of an unbeliever, or with the spiritual eyes of a true Christian?
Do we follow Jesus for the reward of eternal life? Do we serve Him for the blessings He bestows on us? Is our fear of God because we might be judged and thrown into a pit of fire? If our answer to any of these questions is yes, then our faith might just be an illusion, and our love for Him far less than He deserves. This morning, I am reading Psalm 84. This is a declaration of love, and the language is incredible. There is no doubt of the psalmist's intense love for God as he begins by writing about his longing to be in the Lord’s presence…
Where do we look for wisdom? How about righteousness, sanctification, and redemption? Do we find them in church or bible study? Do we seek them out while plodding along a pilgrimage path in some far-off country? The answer is that we find them in one place only... in our relationship with Jesus Christ.
Are we prepared to walk in the desert? Can we tolerate the loneliness that will test us there? When there is nothing left but ourselves and God will we find that we are prepared for death and to join Him? Will we accept sanctification in Christ just as His apostles did? These are questions to consider regarding our being alone and the sanctity that results from it.
Do we accept the teaching of a college professor who we don’t believe in? Would we allow a surgeon to operate on us if we didn’t believe in his ability to successfully perform the operation? What about applying this to our faith? Have we placed Jesus first and foremost in our lives as our teacher, and what is the danger in doing this? Why is it more important that we should put “Jesus the Redeemer” before “Jesus the Teacher” in our lives?
Are we seeking God? Do we search day and night for Him? Praying? Reading scripture? Well, although these things are good, let’s pause for a moment and be still. He is not hiding from us so we don't need to search for Him... He is all around us! When we realize that this is truth, then all that remains for us to do is to acknowledge that He is here with us now, and to enter an everlasting and loving relationship with Him. Yes, He desires us to be still and know that He is God.
The gift of salvation through God's grace is totally of God, and has nothing to do with our earning it... but does that relieve us of all responsibility? I was reading a devotional message yesterday in which the author agreed that our salvation was 100% the work of God's grace, but as he went on, he concluded that because of this we have "no responsibility whatsoever"! I agree that we have no responsibility in receiving the gift, but once received we most certainly have a responsibility... in fact, we have responsibilities as a result of it.
When I came to Jesus it was in full submission to Him, but have I served Him over all else in my life? Have I been the servant that God expects me to be, or has my commitment to Him become a convenience on my part? These are my thoughts this morning and as I seek the answers to them, I find that they often serve to convict me. I gauge my faith and belief against that of Jesus and find myself lacking. It is in moments like this that I cry out for mercy, grace, and to be covered in the blood of the perfect lamb, Jesus Christ. Will you join me in this quest for true faith, and a plea for mercy?
I am thinking back to the moment I professed Jesus to be my savior, and the events that brought me to that decision. I am considering the strength of the gospel that I heard and comparing it to all the preaching I have heard since then. What made the message strike home with me that day? What have I heard since?
This morning, I read of God's provision and gifts to us in my devotional message. I was strengthening myself in the understanding that He is always there, always good, and always hears and answers my prayers. My confidence in these facts forms the basis for my expectation in Him and relieves me of doubt and worry.
How far would I walk to hear the gospel, or to see the grave of a disciple whose hand held the cloak of Jesus? How long would I travel to reach the soul of one man or woman who had never heard of my Lord Jesus Christ? Would I walk on Pilgrimage over the Pyrenees and across Spain to Santiago de Compostela? Would I travel my entire life to reach the ends of the earth with the gospel welling up in me? Would I sail across raging seas in a small wooden boat to reach one lost centurion?
I am thinking about what it means to turn the other cheek this morning. Is it a sign of cowardice, bravery, or something else entirely? I think it might be the latter. Although it could be construed as a sign of weakness, or that it takes courage to stand and not retreat, it also demonstrates great faith to resist being provoked or enticed to sin.
Does God have to move something, or someone, out of the way before we will see Him? Is our attention focused somewhere other than on Him? Our God is a jealous God... He told us so, which begs the question... why do we taunt Him with our inattention? This is my concentration today and I invite you to join me. I am asking myself if there are people or things in my life that keep me from Him or draw my attention away from His desire for me.