All in Christian
This morning, we are considering the decisions we make in our lives. Who makes our choices; are we making them based on our own logic and reasoning, or is God making them for us out of His perfect wisdom and understanding? Have we chosen to turn our lives over to the Lord, or are we still holding tight to the tiller of our lives and plotting our own course?
God is indescribably great, and we are so utterly lost without His love and grace, but Jesus has an overpowering presence as well, and although we describe Him as humble, and meek, He is also glorious. We realize our faults and shortcomings, and rarely do we compare ourselves with the magnificence of God's glory, or the perfection of Jesus. We don't like to compare ourselves to the perfection that is Jesus nor to the absolute and awesome presence and power of God the Father because that would be presumptuous of us and so farfetched; some would consider it heretical. John fell to the ground as if dead at just the sight of the transfigured Christ, and it was only by the hand of Jesus that he was awakened. When we meet Jesus and stand before God will we be overcome by the mere sight of Him?
Does God visit with us day and night? Do we allow Him full reign over both our waking and sleeping hours? Have you ever had a heavenly visitation while sleeping, and if so, did you consider it real? Dreams will be the subject of my thoughts today.
Is our relationship with God close enough? Are we one with other believers and with Jesus? These are the kinds of thoughts regarding our faith that we should be considering as we go through our days. This is not an easy contemplation but let’s join together this morning as we search for the answers to these questions within ourselves and the community of believers we associate with. Let’s meditate on them throughout our days so that by understanding we will be transformed into the Lord’s image from one degree of glory to another.
What did Jesus mean when He told us to "seek first the kingdom of God?" Some believe He meant to seek Him totally and that all else would miraculously be provided, while others feel He meant that we should seek God first and foremost, but then continue living our old lives guided lawfully by His commandments. Then there are those who believe that this means we should live our lives as we always have and to simply roll and squeeze God into the cracks of life like mortar or caulk. Which type of seeker are you? Do any of these ways describe how you search for Him? In what way do you seek to know our Heavenly Father?
Are we seeking those things which are important in life and if not, how do we change our direction? This is our thought today. We will be contemplating what we actually hold to be most valuable in our lives and then asking ourselves if those things are really as valuable as we believe them to be. Are we placing value on fleeting things at the expense of those which are holy and eternal?
Today let’s consider the timeless nature of our relationship with Jesus; not so much as being either in or outside of time itself, but the unending or eternal nature of it. Do we truly understand the extent of His faithfulness and how incredibly deep His love is for us? Is our love for Him capable of reaching just as far?
Do we spend an inordinate amount of time trying to achieve the perfection of Jesus Christ and too little time just living out our daily lives like He did? Are we wrapped up in searching for some hidden meaning in God’s Word at the expense of just living out the obvious things scripture teaches us? Our goal should be to follow Jesus and learn at His feet, but we can't do that unless we are walking with Him and making camp where He makes camp. Are we doing this? Are we reading scripture with the open minds of children?
Following Jesus into Transfiguration and on to His Ascension leads us into our study this morning, but beyond that let’s also look forward towards Pentecost. A day that comes Forty nine days, seven sevens, from Easter. Will we, can we, understand what Jesus felt and became during His transfiguration, at prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, or whiles Ascending into heaven? Perhaps not, or at least not yet, but we can certainly feel the presence of the Holy Spirit. The promise of "another", a comforter, that is very real to us today.
To consider ourselves consecrated we are required to have a complete dedication to God. He does not give a portion, or measure, of Himself to us; He gives us Himself totally, and that is how we should dedicate ourselves to Him. This morning, I am contemplating the path to consecration and what that actually means.
Troubles are a part of our lives. In daily life we face many trials, but as Christians and believers in God the Father, we face them from a point of great advantage and strength. We find confidence in God's ability to bring us through them, and they strengthen our faith as we face them, but what of the good times?
We share in the death and resurrection of Jesus to obtain salvation, but we also share in the life of Christ, and that gives us great joy, peace, and holiness in our everyday lives. How can we call ourselves Christian and not live as He did and manifest the essence of His life? Today let’s explore the meaning of a full and abundant life in Jesus.
We will all be resurrected into judgement one day, so are we maintaining a clear conscience as we go about living our lives of faith? This morning, I am concerned with allowing my own conscience to guide me as I follow God's commandments and prepare myself to stand in the judgement of Christ before Him. I listen intently to it so that on the day when I account for my sins I will be perceived as pure by the profession of my conscience which was formed and reformed by my righteous spiritual knowledge and understanding. Are our consciences clean, and have they been cleansed by the blood of Jesus as we have undergone our transformation in Him… made new in Jesus Christ?
Are there situations and places where we don't feel at home with God? This is my morning thought. Our goal in faith should be to remain comfortably in the presence of God wherever we are and in whatever circumstance we find ourselves in... So how do we get there? It is easy to walk with Him when all is going well in our lives of faith and we are not experiencing spiritual challenges, but what about those times when we are facing storms and temptations?
Do we know what love is, and do we understand the depth to which it should be experienced and applied to those around us? This is our contemplation today, and let’s ask ourselves if we are truly showing others the love of God and Jesus Christ as it is described in scripture and shown to us through Jesus Christ. But before we can know if we are showing it, or fully giving it, we must first know what love looks like so that we can recognize it in our lives. Scripture helps us to recognize it by describing its attributes…