Oh, How He Loves You and Me! (John 11:36)
John 11:33-36, “When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews also weeping which came with her, he groaned in the spirit, and was troubled. And said, Where have ye laid him? They said unto him, Lord, come and see. Jesus wept. Then said the Jews, Behold how he loved him!” Oh, how He loves you and me, Oh how He loves you and me. He gave His life, what more could He give? Oh, how He loves you; Oh, how He loves me; Oh, how He loves you and me. Jesus to Calvary did go, His love for mankind to show. What He did there brought hope from despair. Oh, how He loves you; Oh, how He loves me; Oh, how He loves you and me. It is said that one of the most distinguished statesmen of the times of the American Revolution was once a hopeless drunkard. He had been engaged to a beautiful girl, but his debauchery had compelled her to break the engagement and sever herself from his influence, which was dragging her down. She had not ceased to love him, or to pray for him. One day she was passing along a road and saw him lying intoxicated by the sidewalk, his face exposed to the blistering sun, and swollen with drink and exposure. Her tender heart was moved, and, as she passed by, she took her handkerchief and gently spread it over his face. A few hours later he awoke and saw the handkerchief and her name stitched on the corner of it. He arose to his feet, and a cheerful thrill of hope and courage came to his heart. "She loves me still", he said. "All is not yet lost. For her sake I will redeem my life." And he did.... Oh how much more power there is in the love of Christ to save lost men from despair if they can only believe that He loves them! He left us the Bible, His love letter to us. Jesus groaned in His spirit and was troubled when He saw them weeping. This word groaned indicates a very strong display of emotion of being upset. This word troubled means "stirred, agitated, or disturbed like a pool of water". Jesus wept. This is the shortest verse in the Bible; however, it is powerful. Notice: Jesus does cry: 1. Tears of Sorrow (Luke 19:41) 2. Tears of Suffering over Jerusalem. 3. Tears of Sympathy (John 11:33). These verses teach five lessons about the Lord. God notices our tears (Job 34:28; Psalm 34:15). Jesus was a man who understood sorrow and grief (Isaiah 53:3). Jesus was not ashamed to cry (Luke 19:41; John 11:33). Jesus is praying for us (Hebrews 7:25; 8:26-27, 34). God is very concerned about our troubles (Psalm 91:15; I Peter 5:7). 1. Jesus Loves You Eternally. There never was a time when He did not love you. His love for His own is without beginning and without end. It is eternal. 2. Jesus Loves You Perseveringly. Though we sinned in Adam, were born in sin, and lived in sin by deliberate choice, His love for us was never broken. Though we sin still after experiencing His grace, His love does not cease or grow cold. His love is patient, longsuffering, lasting and enduring. God will never cease to love those whom He has always loved. His love is immutable. 3. Jesus Loves You Sacrificially. ‘“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us.” I know that God is good and kind to all men. His compassion reaches to all people. He will not stand idly by and allow one soul whom He loves to perish when He has the power to save that soul! He so loved us that He voluntarily laid down His life in our place! So mighty is His love that when He knew the price of our souls was His own precious blood, He willingly poured out His life’s blood to redeem us! 4. Jesus Loves You Satisfyingly. His love will be satisfied. He will never lose the object of His love. He will give us all that we can need or desire for all of eternity. He will withhold no good thing from His own. In that great day which is yet to come, God’s creation will stand back in awe and wonder and say concerning His redeemed people, “Behold how he loved them!” Jesus suffered to pay for the sins of mankind. I John 4:10, “Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” It wasn’t enough for Him to die. Jesus had to pay a debt. The payment was necessary. Jesus suffered to satisfy the demands of God’s wrath. As much as God loves you, He hates your sin with a holy, burning hatred that we cannot comprehend. The only way that He could embrace you was to get someone else—someone perfect, to pay for it. Romans 5:1, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:” Jesus suffered to purchase the opportunity for our sins to be forgiven. No longer do we have to carry our sin around. We can be forgiven. God laid all of our sinfulness upon Jesus as He willingly suffered and died upon the cross. The debt was paid, opening the door to our forgiveness. Jesus suffered to provide the way to eternal life. To get a gift, you must receive it (Romans 6:23). Have you? Do you know that Jesus is the gift of eternal life? His suffering has made that gift possible. PRAYER: Lord thank You for loving me unconditionally with a supernatural love. May my love for You be shown in my love for those You have given me. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com
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The Power of Encouragement (Proverbs 12:25)
Proverbs 12:25, “Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.” In our text, we read that one good word of encouragement can make another person’s heart glad. It does not take much to uplift our brothers and sisters in Christ. Sometimes, all it takes is a few simple words. Back when I was in seminary and working a warehouse job, everyday a fellow co-worker would ask me “give me a good word, Rev”. My mind would go to this verse and I would ask the Lord to help me give this man something that he would need. There are many times when people are discouraged simply because of the nature of living in a fallen world. There are pains, disappointments, and defeats that each of us will face. The temptation in those trying times is to gloom and give up. In those moments, a simple word of encouragement can be powerful. Everywhere we go there will be people with heavy hearts. They may have a smile on their face and appear to have everything in control, but inside heaviness is making their hearts stoop. Those heavy hearts could be lifted by a good word from you. Use your words to encourage those around you. Solomon wrote, “Two are better than one; because they have a good reward for their labour. For if they fall, the one will lift up his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:9–10). It is a blessing to have friends to offer that kind of help and encouragement when things are hard. Unfortunately, not everyone has this kind of friend. Therefore, we are to always be ready to provide hope and comfort when others face difficulty. Sometimes we get wrapped up in looking for someone to come and encourage us when God wants us to be offering encouragement to others. There is never a bad time to provide genuine and hopeful words to a friend. Certainly, by doing so you may help make the difference between success and failure for someone else. I can remember times that others said a good word to me and it made my heavy heart glad. Today there is someone grappling with guilt, wrestling with regret, and contemplating quitting. I wonder who will be the one to be used to deliver that good word to their heavy heart? We are never more like Christ than when we are encouraging His people. Pray that the Lord will use you to lift someone’s heavy heart. Question to Consider: Why don’t we ask God today to help us be aware of opportunities to say a good word to someone, to lift a heavy heart, to be an encouragement? Point to Ponder: Find someone today who needs to hear “a good word” and give it to them. Prayer, Father in Heaven, I know You see that person who is hurting. Their mind and emotions seem shackled in shame. Send me and shine Your light through my life. May Your Word fill their deepest longings until they overflow with joy. Replace any destructive thoughts they might have with the truth of Your Word. In Jesus name, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Christians Most Important Appointment (Romans 14:12)
Romans 14:12, “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” There is only one thing that is absolutely sure to happen to every person—everyone will have to face God some day. Not even “death and taxes” are certain for every one, but meeting God for an accounting of one’s life is certain! The word "account" refers to "what is said, thought, or the motives of a person". We have an appointment with the Lord someday. God help us to surrender our all to Him. We will give an account for our words, so be careful what you say. Every believer is accountable for his or her life. Matthew 12:36, “But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.” We will give an account for our work, abilities, opportunities, and knowledge. Our accountability to the Lord should motivate us to live godly lives and be responsible Christians. I Peter 4:5-6, “Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” Suffering the consequences of our actions tends to develop responsibility. What are some of the responsibilities of a Christian? As Christians, we have responsibilities concerning our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. 1. We are to be Loyal to the Lord. I Corinthians 4:2, “Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful.” Unfortunately, when duty calls, many are not home. 2. We are to Love the Lord and Others. Matthew 22:27-30, “Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” A feeling of responsibility for others is the first step toward unselfishness and maturity. 3. We are to Look for several things: a. Look not to Self. We are not to be consumed with self or selfishness. Life will have a whole new meaning when we are concerned about others. b. Look for Sin that can ruin our lives and rob us of blessings. Hebrews 12:14-15, “Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” II John 8, “Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.” c. Look to the Saviour. We are to direct our focus upon Jesus Christ. Responsibility is my response to His ability and will for my life. Hebrews 12:1-2, “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” d. Look for the Second coming of the Saviour. Philippians 3:20, “For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:” II Peter 3:12-13, “Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” In an age of appointments with doctors, dentists, etc., sometimes earthly appointments get cancelled. However, there is an appointment that every Christian will keep. This appointment is more important than any other appointment. This appointment will not be cancelled or rescheduled. This appointment is the Judgment Seat of Christ. Nevertheless, we as Christians still “must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (II Corinthians 5:10), where “the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide . . . he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire” (I Corinthias 3:13-15). Those who die in unbelief, however, not having trusted Christ as their Saviour, will face a different meeting with God. John describes the awesome scene as he saw it in his prophecy. Revelation 20:12, “And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.” But no one can ever be saved by his works (Ephesians 2:9). Revelation 20:15, “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.” This fact of Divine examination or judgment ought to guide all our conduct in every matter. Everyone shall give an account of himself to God. We are not going to be called to give an account of others before God. We are going to give an account of ourselves. Each one shall be held accountable for himself only. God is not going to be asking us what we think or know about others. Each one shall stand alone before God and give an account for his or her own behavior only. If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com What to do with Worry…Cast it on the Lord (I Peter 5:7)
I Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” George Muller Massena, one of Napoleon's generals, suddenly appeared with 18,000 soldiers before an Austrian town which had no means of defending itself. The town council met, certain that capitulation was the only answer. The old dean of the church reminded the council that it was Easter, and begged them to hold services as usual, and to leave the trouble in God's hands. They followed his advice and turned their worry over to the Lord. The dean went to the church and rang the bells to announce the service. When the French soldiers heard the church bells ring, they concluded that the Austrian army had come to rescue the town. They broke camp, and before the bells had ceased ringing, vanished. God took care of the problem. He can take care of your problems, too. Don't let worry weaken your faith. Worry will weaken your faith and rob you of your peace. The beginning of worry is the end of faith, and the beginning of true faith is the end of worry. A recently licensed pilot was flying his private plane in a cloudy day. He was not very experienced in instrument landing. When the control tower was to bring him in, he began to get panicky. Then a stern voice came over the radio, “You just obey instructions, we’ll take care of the obstructions”. I Peter 5:7, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” God wants us to throw our cares overboard, He wants us to willingly throw them upon Him. Casting indicates a deliberate act of our will. In other words, “I will thrust my cares upon the Lord”. Oswald Chambers said, “Worry is an indication that we think God cannot look after us.” The LORD is telling us to stop worrying. In other words, we are to stop worrying and never start worrying again. Nothing justifies our worry and anxiousness when we have the Lord. Worry is sinful. We may dignify worry by calling it by some other name—concern, burden, a cross to bear—-but the results are still the same. Worry fails to recognize that God is working in your life. God knows what He is doing. He has not forgotten us. God is at work, but when we worry, we are saying that God is not in control. Worry is irrelevant, it cannot change anything. It says that He doesn’t know what He is doing and He can’t take care of us. Worry is like a rocking chair, it does not get you anywhere. There is no need to worry because the Lord can supply every need for every situation that we face in life. God is bigger than our problems. He is never taken off guard or surprised at what takes place in our lives. He knows what is going on and will take care of you. The man who feeds his heart on the record of what God has done in the past will never worry about the future. It’s been said, Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow; it only saps today of its joy. Worry affects the circulation, the heart, the glands, the whole nervous system, and profoundly affects heart action. Worry wears us down spiritually in a number of ways!
Worry is the interest we pay on tomorrow's troubles. We spend more time worrying about the things we’re unsure of and less time worrying about the things we’re sure of. It seems like worry is programmed into our brains. If we don't have something to worry about, we worry about that. Remember, you can't change things when they are outside of your control. It doesn't help you to worry about something you can't change. Keep in mind, God has a solution for every worry that comes into your life. God will never be guilty of nurturing the sparrows and neglecting His own children. Prayer, Father in Heaven, I regret having carried these burdens and worries so long by myself when, in fact, You were always ready to take them from me and to carry them on my behalf. But it’s never too late to do what is right, so right now I make the decision to yield to You every one of these matters that are troubling me. Thank You for coming alongside me to take these weights from my shoulders. Because You are so loving and attentive to me, I can now go free! I pray this in Jesus’ name! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Burning with Bitterness (Hebrews 12:15)
Hebrews 12:15, “Looking diligently lest any man fail of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up trouble you, and thereby many be defiled;” There was a woman who was sick after being bitten by a dog. She went to the doctor to see if the dog had rabies. He examined her, did a number of tests, and told her the bad news. “I’m sorry to have to tell you this, but I’m afraid you’ve contracted rabies”. The doctor left the room for a minute, and when he returned the woman was busy writing on a piece of paper. He asked, “What are you doing, writing your will?” She said, “No, I’m making a list of all the people I’m going to bite before I die.” There was a lot people she was bitter at. That’s just the way most people think about revenge. When a person becomes offended and doesn’t deal with that offense correctly, that bitterness often churns so long in a person’s soul that it turns into a root of bitterness. God is telling you that if you don’t repent of bitterness and remove it from your life, it becomes deeply embedded in your soul. Once it becomes this deeply rooted in your soul, your negative opinion of the offender will become firmly fixed. Where does bitterness come from? Bitterness can come about as the result of what others do to us or say about us. Sometimes, bitterness can result from the events of life themselves, as we blame God or others for our troubles. Bitterness will affect every relationship within your life, but it will affect your relationship with the Lord most of all. A man who hates to be slapped on the back packs his coat with TNT and waits for this man who always slaps his back. His idea is when he hits me, I will get him, I'll blow him up. Hate kills both the person who you hate, but also yourself as well. Hating people is like burning down your own house to get rid of a rat. Hatred and bitterness hurt the hater much more than the one hated. Hating someone holds little effectiveness. The one that is hated often is unaware of the hatred and is unaffected by it. Yet the one who hates is often consumed with the feelings and allows them to govern thoughts and actions. We cannot control everything that happens to us, but we can control how we respond to the things that happen to us. A wise one once said, "I will never allow another person to ruin my life by making me hate him". Whenever someone does something to us, we can choose how we will respond. Right now, you may be in a mess, but it is never too late to follow the Lord. There is a price to pay for disobedience, but God can take the broken pieces of your life and mend them back together. The Holy Spirit is willing, ready, and waiting to help you grab hold of those roots of bitterness and pull them clear out of your life. All He needs is your invitation, so why don’t you go ahead and ask Him to assist you right now? PRAYER: Father in Heaven, I ask You to examine my heart and expose any resentment or unforgiveness lest any root of bitterness would spring up inside me. Help me to walk in the Spirit that I may produce the Fruit of the Spirit. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Abundant Mercy (I Peter 1:3)
I Peter 1:3, “Blessed be the God and Father of our LORD Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,” Oswald Chambers said, “We are going to meet unmerciful good people and unmerciful bad people, unmerciful institutions, unmerciful organizations, and we shall have to go through the discipline of being merciful to the merciless”. Two attempted car thieves in Denmark turned themselves into police to avoid the wrath of the angry victim of their crime. The owner of the car the thieves stole witnessed the robbery. He quickly hopped into another car and began chasing the criminals. According to a local paper, when the 19 and 21-year-old thieves realized the victim was chasing them, they decided to call police and report themselves. Instead of facing the angry car owner, they arranged for the police to pick them up at a nearby intersection. We may find it strange, although the thieves feared the police, they recognized that they were more likely to receive mercy and protection from the authorities, instead of the person they had just victimized. In the spiritual realm, it is the opposite. The giver of great mercy is the one we’ve violated with our sin. Yet in grace, He gives us what we don’t deserve—forgiveness, and in mercy, He doesn’t give us what we do deserve—punishment. In short, we deserve God's wrath, but He is merciful; He relieves us out of His incomprehensible compassion. God's mercy always comes just when we need it most. As just and pure as God is, His mercy reaches out to us in our sinful state and saves us from the worst of punishments. Many people point to catastrophic events in the world and question the mercy and goodness of God. They use tragedy as a case against the love of God, yet a more correct view of trials would be to look at our own sin. Our actions deserve more punishment than we receive, yet God's mercy intervenes out of love. Thank God for His mercy. Life without the mercy of God would be absolutely unbearable. Notice: This is what R.G. Lee said about mercy, “God's mercy is like a cluster of diamonds to those impoverished by sin. It's like a garden of flowers to those whose lives have been damaged by the torment of sin. It's like a huge tree, casting shadows in the terrific noonday heat of a summer's day, providing refreshment to a weary soul. God's mercy is like a palace of many glories, a wayside well to a thirsty traveler, an oasis in the desert, a fire dispelling chill, a balm and bandage for the wounded, and healing medicine for the sick.” God's mercy is marvelous. Great men in the Bible understood this and sought desperately for it. A. W. Tozer said, “God's mercy is boundless, free and, through Jesus Christ our Lord, available to us now in our present situation.” Jim Williams of Butte, Montana, writes, “I was driving too fast late one night when I saw the flashing lights of a police car in my rearview mirror. As I pulled over and rolled down the window of my station wagon, I tried to dream up an excuse for my haste. But when the patrolman reached the car, he said nothing. Instead, he merely shined his flashlight in my face, then on my seven-months-pregnant wife, then on our snoozing 18-month-old in his car seat, then on our three other children, who were also asleep, and lastly on the two dogs in the very back of the car. Returning the beam of light to my face, he then uttered the only words of the encounter. ‘Son”, he said, ‘you can't afford a ticket. Slow it down’. And with that, he returned to his car and drove away.” Sometimes mercy triumphs over law. So it is for sinners who call out to Jesus. Realize that despite the struggle, trial, difficulty, or consequences you are facing, God's mercy is ever present. God will not place you through more than you can handle. Praise Him for His loving mercy. Thank Him for His grace even though you deserve more consequences than He has given. He truly is a merciful God! Point to Ponder: Believers who are mature and merciful are often the prayer warriors within the church. Question to Consider: Will God’s mercy transform your heart and remold your thinking? PRAYER: Father in Heaven, thank You for Your abundant mercy towards me. In Jesus name, AMEN! If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com This mornings devotion is an excerpt from a Leadership Page. You can view this current study in its entirety by visiting this sites Leadership Page link. Leadership - Fellowship Baptist Church (fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com)
The Value of Having a Good Name (Proverbs 22:1) Proverbs 22:1, “A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favour rather than silver and gold.” On March 5, 2005, German long jumper, Bianca Kappler, created a stir in the world of indoor track and field. During the 28th European Indoor Athletics Championships in Madrid Spain's Palacio of Deportes pavilion, she refused the gold medal award. Kappler's final jump was measured at 22 feet, 10 inches. The next best contender was Naide Gomes of Portugal. Gomes' jump of 21 feet, 11 inches made her a distant second. However, when Kappler was handed the gold, she promptly handed it back, saying, "I know I can't jump that far". Kappler's other jumps were 21-11/2, 21-51/4 and 21-31/4. When officials asked her to reconsider or take a final jump the next day, Kappler declined. She insisted that her best jumps were nearly a foot shorter than that "medal-winning" effort. Judges concluded her jump must have been measured incorrectly and gave the gold medal to Naide Gomes. Kappler ended up with a share of the bronze medal, prompting several newspapers to dub her "the world's most honest athlete". The International Olympic Committee President sent a letter to Bianca Kappler to congratulate her on this gesture. The honor of a good name has more value than great wealth. Character will support a person regardless of the severity or sum of the circumstance. There are many rich people that have no respect or value to their name. The word of the person of character will go farther than all their riches. It means behaving in such a way that we cannot be reproached for inconsistency in our conduct (II Corinthians 8:21; I Timothy 3:2,7). One’s reputation is better than great wealth. The importance of maintaining integrity is beyond any financial price. A good name is more valuable than riches, because it can’t be bought with money. It has to be earned moment by moment, day by day, decision by decision. Having a good name means living in a way that earns the trust of others. It means demonstrating integrity that people can depend on. Maintaining a good name doesn’t mean that you are perfect, but when you make mistakes, you learn from them and do what you can to make things right. Ecclesiastes 7:1 agrees that your name is valuable, “A good name is better than precious ointment”. It leaves a pleasant fragrance in the air when it is spoken. A good name entails living with a clear conscience by accepting accountability for your actions and restoring when you have hurt someone. While riches we could live without, a life that doesn’t experience love would be devastating. If your name is not in good standing with others in your community, you need to start working on earning a good name today. It might take a while to build or rebuild, but there is no doubt in the end it will be worth it. There are things you can do to get and keep a good name: 1. Live your life in a way that is pleasing to the Lord (Proverbs 16:7-10). 2. Associate with those who have a good name (II Corinthians 6:14–17). 3. Live a sanctified life (I Thessalonians 4:3-7). 4. Be faithful to God’s house (Hebrews 10:24-25). 5. Work hard and be reliable (Proverbs 28:19-20; Ephesians 4:28). 6. Keep your word (Ecclesiastes 5:4-7; Matthew 5:33-37; I John 2:5). 7. Think of others (Philippians 2:3-4). Questions to Consider:
Points to Ponder:
PRAYER: Lord, help me to have a clean heart and clean hands that my walk in this life will be in absolute integrity. In Jesus Name, AMEN. If this post has blessed you in any way, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com This morning’s devotion is an excerpt from a Bible Study. You can view this current study in its entirety by visiting this sites Bible Study link.
Wake(C)up Call (Matthew 23:24-26) Matthew 23:24-26, “Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also.” The popular TV series, “The Swan” characterizes man’s obsession with outward appearances. The “Cinderella-type” stories feature physical makeovers involving liposuction, implants and cosmetic surgery. The skill of man may enhance the physical appearance of a person but what is far more important is a new birth experience which beautifies from the inside out. Jesus addressed matters of the heart. He exposed the spiritual laziness and hypocrisy of those unwilling to expend energy in loving God. Jesus likened this hypocrisy to a man who drinks from a beautiful cup, polished and shining on the outside while the inside is filled with stench. He drinks anyway, delighting in the appearance of the container while drinking and swallowing its filth. Jesus didn’t mince words in describing the contents of the cup, “within they are full of extortion and excess”(Matthew 23:25). This is a very bad combination. Greed expresses, “I can’t get enough. I must hold on to everything I have”. Self-indulgence adds, “I can’t be satisfied. I have no restraint and consume all I have”. These two priorities feed off each other, which leads to a heart check. Do you always want more? Once you have it, must you consume it? If you see shades of the Pharisees’ hypocrisy in your own soul, consider Jesus’ remedy in Matthew 23:26, “Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also”. Only once in this teaching does He use “Pharisee” as singular, as if the laser of His words is seeking the individual who is open to the truth and piercing his condition. Basically, Jesus was saying, “how can you not see this is wrong? You carefully and completely clean the exterior while lazily ignore the internal filth. You’re not willing to expend the effort for matters unseen”. Here is the hard, heart truth: the real you is who you are when no one can see you. When others might be watching, you probably tend to optimize your appearance. But what you do when no one is watching, that’s who you truly are. Who can hear Jesus’ words and not feel convicted? Perhaps you feel resistance rising up and prompting you to think, why do I have to consider right now? I don’t want to think about it. Be careful, that’s hypocritical apathy exhibiting laziness in matters of the heart. It’s evidence of being stuck and not caring enough to admit it, feeling deeply indifferent about your innermost being while pursuing a superficial life. It is a tragedy to nurse hypocrisy. In such moments of spiritual conviction, we can either squirm away, distracting ourselves as quickly as possible, or submit to the Lord. It’s not up to us to clean our own souls; it is up to us to acknowledge the filth within ourselves. I John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Questions to Consider: If the exterior of the cup represents your public image while the interior of the cup represents the real you, what does Jesus want to show you about the condition of your soul? What specific evidence of hypocritical laziness do you see in your life? How do you sense God calling you to greater care over matters of the heart? PRAYER: Heavenly Father, far too often I fret over appearances while neglecting my heart. I’m sorry. Please purify my heart, my desires, and my motives by the cleansing power of your Holy Spirit. Please help me to prioritize what matters to You, and not to care so much about how I look to others. I want to reflect your character in both my interior and exterior worlds. May the words of my mouth, the thoughts of my mind, the motives of my heart, and the actions of my hands be pleasing to you. Thank You for loving me too much to leave me drifting into laziness of the heart. Thank You, Jesus, for this morning’s wake-up call, just what I needed to hear. Show me specific sin in my soul, and please continue Your sanctifying work in my heart. Thank You that Your grace awakens me, cleanses me, and gives me hope. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Love Without Limits (I Corinthians 13:7)
I Corinthians 13:7, “Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.” A little girl got home from Sunday school where she had been taught the verse, "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. " She asked her mother when she repeated the verse what it meant. Her mom said, "Well, it means that when you are good and kind and thoughtful and obedient, you are letting Christ's light shine in your life before all who know you." The very next Sunday in Sunday school, the little girl got in a bit of a quarrel with another student and created somewhat of an uproar—to such an extent that the Sunday school teacher had to go and find her mother to get her settled down a bit in the class. Her mother was concerned when she got to the classroom and said, "Sweetie, don't you remember about letting your light shine for the Lord before men?" The girl blurted out, "Mom, I have blowed myself out." Many of us have done just that. In our relationship with Christ, our love light has gone out. Worship for the Lord becomes empty when your love for Him declines. This was a problem in the church at Ephesus, which was a good church. They lost their passion and excitement for Christ. The word "beareth" means "to cover, protect, to put a roof over something, or to conceal the errors and faults of others." Love does not avenge wrongs that are done to you or seek revenge. Love doesn't have the attitude, "I will make them pay for that!" Love finds ways to forgive and to forget. Our Lord did this for us when He died on the cross crying out, "Father forgive them for they know not what they do." Love is hopeful in all things. In spite of trials, difficulties, discouragement, and the feeling of failure, love keeps on going because of the strength it has from hopefulness. Love is persistent in being gentle and kind. Love remains under the load no matter how long it takes and no matter what else is piled on top. Love bears up courageously no matter what the suffering. It does not quit but keeps on keeping on in spite of burdens, setbacks, defeats, and pressing circumstances. Revelation 2:4, “Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love.” This was a problem with Jonah, who ran the opposite direction when God commanded him to go to Nineveh. It was also a problem with Peter after he denied the Lord. These men lost an attitude of preciousness toward the Lord. Their love diminished for Him. You would think this would never happen, but it happens every day. Other matters, things, or people become more important than Christ, who gets put on the back burner of our lives. Consider this mission statement of a well-known university: "To be plainly instructed and consider well that the main end of your life and studies is to know God and Jesus Christ." Wow! That is a great statement! Founded in 1636, this university employed exclusively Christian professors, emphasized character formation in its student above all else, and placed a strong emphasis on equipping ministers to share the good news of Jesus Christ. Every diploma read, Christo et Ecclesiae around the word Veritas, meaning "Truth for Christ and the Church." You've probably heard of this school. It's called Harvard University. That's right. You read it right…Harvard. Only 80 years after its founding, a group of New England pastors sensed Harvard had drifted too far for their liking. It spiritually had become bankrupt. Concerned by the secularization at Harvard, they approached a wealthy philanthropist who shared their concerns. This man, Elihu Yale, financed their efforts in 1718, and they called the college Yale University. Yale's motto was not just Veritas (truth) like Harvard, but Lux et Veritas (light and truth). Today, Harvard's and Yale's legacy of academic excellence are still intact, but neither school resembles what their founders envisioned. At the 350th anniversary celebration of Harvard, Steven Muller, former president of Johns Hopkins University, bluntly stated, "The bad news is the university has become godless." Harvard's and Yale's founders were unmistakably clear in their goals: academic excellence and Christian formation. Today, they do something very different from their founding purpose. What happened to Harvard and Yale is called "Mission Drift". They had lost their first love for the Lord. Jesus told the church of Ephesus what they needed to do to correct the problem. Revelation 2:5, “Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” They were to remember, repent, and repeat. If you have lost your first love for Christ, if your worship is empty, then remember, repent, and repeat the good things you are supposed to do. May our devotion for Him not be hollow and heartless. 1. Let Your Love Show (Matthew 5:14-16). Matthew 5:14-16, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” 2. Let Your Love Grow (John 13:35). John 13:35, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” 3. Let Your Love Flow (Galatians 5:13). Galatians 5:13, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.” PRAYER: LORD, I thank You for loving me unconditionally with a supernatural love. May my love for You grow and be shown in my love for those You have given me. The more I read Your love letter, the Bible, the more I come to know You more and understand how much You love me. I pray I never lose the desire to dig each day into Your Word, and also to share Your love letter, the Bible, with others. I know that the power of Your love can impact someone so, help me take the time to show it to someone today. In Jesus name AMEN! If this post has blessed you in any way please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com Pouting to Praising (Psalm 77:10-12)
Psalm 77:10-12, “And I said, This is my infirmity: but I will remember the years of the right hand of the most High. I will remember the works of the Lord: surely I will remember thy wonders of old. I will meditate also of all thy work, and talk of thy doings.” The psalm begins with the weeping of a troubled man pleading with God (Psalm 77:1-3). He then continues to mourn and reflect upon himself (Psalm 77:4-9). He then meditates upon God (Psalm 77:10-15). There is no one like him (Psalm 77:13). God is in a class by himself. He worked wonders and redeemed Israel with power (Psalm 77:14-15). He closes the psalm by remembering the victory of the Red Sea (Psalm 77:16). The psalm marks the condition of a backslidden ‘Christian’ as he is convicted and then turns back to fellowship with God. This psalm describes a person in deep trouble who cried out to God but felt that God was not responding (Psalm 77:7-9). If we find ourselves in a similar situation, we should do as this psalmist did: continue to call on God day and night (Psalm 77:1-2) while remembering all the ways God has shown us His love in the past. Because of what God did for us through His Son, Jesus, we now have the assurance in Romans 8:32, “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” The psalmist stopped griping about his troubles and instead glorified the Lord. This produced a much better attitude in the psalmist. We will find relief in our troubles when we give praise to God instead of complaining so much about our troubles. This greatly honors God. The psalmist is going to ponder the works of the Lord instead of his own problems. Notice: "I will remember... I will remember... I will remember... I will meditate... of all thy work, and talk of thy doings". It was God's works and wonders that would fill his mind. Though he was a mess spiritually, he determined to recall the days when he had been at the right hand of God. The days when he had been right with Him and in close fellowship. When we consider the wonders of God's creation, we can't help but to love Him and respect His power, wisdom, and majesty. He decided to recall and reflect upon all that God had done in years gone by. His mind was drawn to God’s Word and the wonderful testimonies of God’s power. When we lift our eyes from the pages of Scripture to go about the rest of our lives, it can be difficult to make the transition from past events to present spiritual truth. What does the crossing of the Red Sea, King David running from Saul, or the apostle Paul's struggle with the circumcision group have to do with life in the modern world? Where is God? Our natural spiritual dullness is enhanced because we live in a culture which is committed to living in the absence of God. Even though, in principle, we believe in our Lord Jesus Christ as the Lord of all of life, we can find it difficult to live with His abiding presence. That is why we must not only meditate on Scripture, but we must meditate on life as well. If we look with the eyes of faith and the guidance of the Scriptures, we will discern God's hand, guiding, teaching and shaping us. However, before we can discern His presence in our lives in the present, we need to be able to take a long look at His hand in the past events of our lives. It is a principle of Scripture that we must see the present through the experiences of the past. As we prepare to meditate on life, let's look at God's unseen, guiding hand in the life of Joseph (Genesis 37-45). In Genesis 50:20, He endorses all the painful events of his life to God's hand which was working for good. Meditating on God's Word is a vital principle for learning the Word and putting it into practice in your life. That should be our ultimate goal when we study the Bible or hear preaching. God will reveal many wonderful truths and practical applications to you if you will ponder the principles of Scripture throughout the day and the night. If you will relish or meditate on God's Word, it will help you to find relief from rut living. Point to Ponder: Make a list of major events in your life, both painful and pleasurable. Question to Consider: How do I see God's hand working it all out for my good and for His glory? PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as You lead me each day in my walk with You, show Yourself to me. Let me see Your hand and reflect Romans 8:28. In Jesus name, AMEN. If this post in any way, has blessed you, please share this website and its articles with others: www.fellowshipbaptistcarrabelle.com |
AuthorDr. Blackman is passionate about helping others grow in the grace of the Lord. His devotions are centered on how to grow closer to the Lord through a personal relationship with Christ. Archives
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