GospeLines Devotionals: 8/29/05 - 9/2/05
August 29, 2005
"Thank you Lord!"
A few Sundays ago, one of our members sang a beautiful solo during church service. Many told me she had sung before, but this was the first time I had heard her. She sang "How could I ask for more?" - A beautiful song written by Cindy Morgan.
The last few lines in this song are:
So if there's anything I've learned
From this journey I am on
Simple truths will keep you going
Simple love will keep you strong
Cause there are questions without answers
Flames that never die
Heartaches we go through are often blessings in disguise
So thank you Lord, oh thank you Lord
How could I ask for more?
I was particularly drawn to the words, "...questions without answers." As I listened to her sing, it was clear that although there were many questions in her life for which she had no answers, her faith allowed her to boldly and proudly sing, "Thank you Lord, oh thank you Lord. How could I ask for more?"
Now, for the rest of the story: This beautiful lady's husband was injured in an automobile accident a few years ago and is now confined to a wheelchair. Still, her faith in our Lord (and his) allows her to be fulfilled and satisfied with whatever God gives her; and, even if she doesn't understand, she can still sing, "Thank you Lord. How could I ask for more?"
Thank you Lord... for such a wonderful witness. Thank you Lord... for allowing this witness to be shared. Thank you Lord...
Ron KillenU
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
-
ron@gospelines.com
August 30, 2005
"Follow Me!"
Part 2
Several months ago I wrote a devotional entitled "Follow Me" (Sorry, our archives don't yet go that far back). That devotional said that as you walk through your daily lives, remember Jesus’ promise: “I will be with you always, even until the end of the world.” (Matthew 28:20) My point was, with that power, you can joyfully overcome anything the world sets in your path.
Ever since writing that devotional, Jesus' words, "Follow Me" have stayed in my mind. Yes, Jesus said "Follow Me"; but, He also said, "...wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ...small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matthew 7:13-14)
Seventeen times in the KJV and twenty times in the NIV, the Greek words of Jesus are translated "Follow Me." Attached to most of these entreaties was an admonition.
· "...and I will make you fishers of men." (Matthew 4:19; Mark 1:17)
· "...and let the dead bury their own dead." (Matthew 8:22; Luke 9:59-60)
· "...and anyone who does not take his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me." (Matthew 10:38; Luke 14:27)
· "If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me." (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23)
· "...sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me." (Matthew 19:21; Mark 10:21; Luke 18:22)
· "My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me." (John 10:27)
· "Whoever serves Me must follow Me; and where I am, My servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves Me." (John 12:26)
Are we following Christ? He gave us the method for knowing. Are we:
· Working to bring others to Christ (fishers of men)
· Ignoring the constraints of the world (letting the dead bury the dead)
· Bearing our own cross (trials and temptations)
· Denying ourselves (our own lusts and desires)
· More interested in helping than having (selling our possessions and giving to the poor)
· Do we hear His voice
· Are we His servants
Even if we answered "Yes!" to all these things, there is still one more question: Do our family, friends and associates know we're following Him? If not, why not? Which of Jesus' requirements are we not doing with faith and sincerity?
Father, through the power of Your Holy Spirit, You have promised to teach us all things and to remind us of everything Your Son Jesus taught. Fill our hearts with Jesus' Words so we may have full confidence that nothing of this world can overcome us or deter us from following our Master. Help us not to waiver or be afraid; not to fear, hesitate or panic; but, to follow Jesus always. In His Holy name we pray and believe that we have received.
Ron KillenU
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
-
ron@gospelines.com
August 31, 2005
"I will give you all my worship"
Have you ever heard or sung "You Are Worthy of My Praise" by David Ruis? The chorus contains the lines: "I will give You all my worship. I will give You all my praise."
This is one of my favorite songs and it is very popular at our church. Lately, those words in the chorus have been troubling me. Do I really give God all my worship and praise? If I do, that means I don't give any worship or praise to anything else.
One of Webster's definitions of worship is the extravagant respect or admiration for or devotion to an object of esteem (i.e. the worship of the dollar). I found it interesting that Webster chose that particular example.
We translate worship from the Greek word proskuneo which means to kiss the hand, as a sign of reverence; or, homage shown to men and beings of superior rank. The Hebrew word shachah is also translated as worship and means to bow down or prostrate oneself in homage before a superior. The question to us is a simple one: Do we "bow down" and show homage to anyone or anything except God?
Very early in Scripture we are told, "For thou shalt worship no other god: for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God..." (Exodus 34:13) Jesus also sets an example for us when He responds during His temptation, "Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." (Matthew 4:10; Luke 4:8)
Brothers and sisters, as we are warned in Romans 1:24-26, let's examine our hearts and be sure that we do not exchanged the truth of God for a lie or we may find ourselves worshiping and serving created things rather than the Creator - who is forever praised. Amen.
Ron KillenU
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
-
ron@gospelines.com
September 1, 2005
"Are you willing to lose your life for Jesus?"
There has to be a death before there can be a resurrection. Think about that statement and then read it again: There has to be a death... before there can be a resurrection...
Why am I talking about death and resurrection? Have you even known someone who had an extramarital affair? If that person has repented and asked for forgiveness, it's a cause to thank and praise God. However, have they put the affair behind them? Is that period in their lives truly dead? Because if its not, the evil one may be able to bring it back into their lives.
Have you ever known someone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior; but, they still occasionally use "colorful metaphors" in their speech? James 1:26 tells us that "if anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." This person has not truly died to their old ways - they are not yet a "new creation"
If you have accepted Christ; but, you still allow the temptations of pornography to occasionally slip back into your life, you have not died to your old sinful self.
One of the saddest verse in the Bible is John 8:24: "I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins." Then, only a few chapters later, Jesus makes a statement that should give hope to all mankind: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die." (John 11:25-26)
If we were buried with Him by baptism into death; then, like Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, we also were resurrected and walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we also live in the likeness of His resurrection. (Romans 6:4-5)
Does this mean that we'll never allow those old ways to slip back into our lives? Not necessarily - The enemy is strong. However, it does mean that if we are new creations, dead to our old selves and resurrected in Christ, that when we do falter, we can immediately go to our Father and receive forgiveness and strength to walk in newness of live - cleansed and made righteous by His mercy to stand before His throne as His redeemed children.
"Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years." (Revelation 20:6)
Brothers and sisters, if our old self is crucified with Him - dead - so that the body of sin has been destroyed, then we will no longer serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. (Romans 6:6-7) Now we are in Christ; we are new creations; the old is gone and the new has come. All this is from our Father who has reconciled us to Himself through Christ... (2nd Corinthians 5:16-18)
Do not fear the death of your old self, but look forward to a new life serving and following our Lord and Savior into eternity.
Ron KillenU
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
-
ron@gospelines.com
September 2, 2005
"Cherished Love"
At 3:35 pm this afternoon a large moving van drove past my house and tears began to fall down my face uncontrollably. My friend, my sister in Christ, my wife's confidant and the mother of my twin daughter's best friends for 10 of their 13 years, also twins, was moving away.
A major piece of my heart was riding on that moving van. We hugged; we laughed and promised to visit and call; then we cried (Mostly, we cried). My wife cried; her girls and ours cried, and our neighbors cried. Her husband tried not to show emotion; but, in the end, he had to turn away because the emotion was just too great.
That was six hours ago and as I sit at my keyboard, my mind is in a van driving to New York. How do you say goodbye to such cherished love and friendship? How do you tear a big hunk out of your heart and toss it into the back of a truck? Every time I walk out of my front door and see that dark, empty house across the street, my eyes glaze over and my heart sinks. All I can do is tell it to my Lord.
Oddly, when I started telling the Lord of my sadness and hurt; He was strangely quiet. I felt His love and understanding; but, there was something else there. Finally, slowly, it came through. He said:
"My precious son, your friends are not lost; they are only a little farther away. They are still in your heart and soon, you will be together again. Imagine how you would feel if they were lost to you forever. What if that truck were taking them to a place of no return where there would be no contact, no sharing of love and feelings; and no hope... ever?"
I could not even respond. As I tried to grasp His words, the magnitude of what He was suggesting became overwhelming. I can’t even imagine such loss. That's when he said:
"My child, that's what I'm facing soon. When the end comes, not one or two, but billions will be lost to Me forever - Lost with no hope of return. My child, it is breaking My heart to contemplate the tremendous and totally unnecessary lost that is coming soon. So many will not hear My voice and will not turn from their ways. They will be lost forever."
Suddenly my personal grief was replaced with the knowledge that only our God could sustain such grief that is caused by the loss of so many souls. My friend and I will still communicate. Our girls will "IM" every day and we will see each other frequently (My wife's already planning a Christmas trip).
Jesus must endure the loss of billions and billions who could have been saved by His wonderful sacrifice if only they had not hardened their hearts and turned away. For the first time in my life, I felt sorrow for my Lord. That's when He put His arm around me and said, "I love you too!"
Ron KillenU
“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus.”
-
ron@gospelines.com
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