"Jesus Spoke"

For Christians, Christmas is about THE special coming to earth of Jesus Christ.  It’s a bustling and busy time!  And I would say that many who truly love Christ with the sincere desire of obedience, find it to be the hardest time of the year to stay focused on Him.  As a result of my own efforts to do this through the years since I’ve come to know Him, I still struggle with keeping my mind free of the glitter of distraction and details for a day of celebration.  And I grieve that I look more like a world without Christ in that celebration, than a people who say He is the center of their life.

With those thoughts, I share today’s post.  This year, I purposed to read John 17 in my time of morning devotions for the month of December.  John 17 is a crucial chapter in the Bible.  It’s the longest recorded prayer of God to God.  We know Jesus spent long times of prayer to His Father.  But here we have recorded a prayer that, along with the rest of the inspired Word of God, is there for our encouragement and growth.  Jesus, God in the flesh, speaks to God, the Father on behalf of those who have come to know Him and are still on earth.  We, who still live on earth should take notice of this wonderful passage of God to God conversation.  And as I share one short yet profound part of this passage in my already too wordy post, may the reader consider the importance of listening and taking heart.

As I’m also studying the Psalm, here’s a verse that correlates to the verse I will share from Jesus prayer.  Psalm 55:1  “The Mighty One, God, the LORD, has spoken…”  Is that not something to heed, when there is proclamation of the speaking of God?  I mean even if just believers would think through “these things”, what dramatic changes we might see.  That Psalm goes on to say, “He summons the earth…He summons the heavens above…”  Can man say this?  Why we can’t even exhaust exploring the earth and have continually given up the heavens exploration as a “black hole”.  But with God, there is no black hole.  He speaks, summons and sovereignly controls everything.  Let us listen, quietly.

With that, I come to John 17: 1: “Jesus spoke these things; and lifting up His eyes to heaven, He said…”   Should we not take notice of what God has to say?  God, the Mighty One, the LORD, Jesus, He who summons the earth and heaven and He who came to earth from heaven and looked up to heaven as He spoke.  Is there not a volcano of excitement that wells up in you as to what “these things” will be that He speaks?  John says in chapter one that the “Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”  As He lived among us, He spoke among us.  God, through His Word has “explained Him.” (John 1: 18) 

“Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning; Jesus, to Thee be all glory given;

Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing; O come, let us adore Him.  O come, let us adore Him.  O come, let us adore Him, Christ the LORD.”  Jesus was born, who knows when.  But we have set aside a day a year to celebrate that birth.  Let us consider, think, listen, heed, adore and worship.  To Him be the glory, all the glory given, That Word of the Father!

Just A Thought

Psalm 22:3 says, "Yet, You are holy, O You who are enthroned upon the praises of Israel."  Reading that verse and being a visual person, I picture God sitting on "praises".  And I couldn't help but wonder, if God were sitting on "my" praises, would He have anything on which to sit?

Yet...

Hopelessness leads to despair.  From that comes a multiple of maladies that we see played out as we are bombarded by the media.  In every outlet, be it television, web, newspaper or radio, good news is scarce.  Instead, we see the effects of hopelessness and despair.

Christians are not exempt from the effects of tragedy, but the way we handle it should be a part of our "evangelism" to a world in need of hope.  I praise God for the Bible that gives me His divine plan and purpose for us, His creatures.  Time and time again, I have been renewed in my thinking with a hope that is beyond understanding.

The Psalm is a book full of writers who loved God but had real problems.  That's what makes it such a therapeutic book.  In chapter twenty-two, David cries out in his well-read messianic Psalm, "Why have You forsaken me?"  One of the big issues in mulling over our problems is loneliness.  I am forsaken!  Notice David says, "My God".  God is personal to him.  But God is not delivering him from this problem.  He says, "I'm groaning" alone!  "You do not answer...I have no rest."

What keeps David from despair?  "YET"!  David thinks rightly!  "Yet You are holy...enthroned...
trusted...disappoint not."  Whatever happens he trusts in a God Who is in control and there is hope and stability there.  He cries out again after remembering his great God, but again he comes back to the right thinking of "Yet".  "You have been my God from my mother's womb."

At the end of that Psalm, David exults in his God-given thoughts with, "Posterity will serve Him; It will be told of the Lord to the coming generation.  They will come and will declare His righteousness to a people who will be born, that He has performed it."  That's true, because here I am declaring to myself and to you.

Mindset

After reading the same chapter in Romans for the last three weeks, you'd think I wouldn't notice anything new!  Not so!  This has reigned true over and over again with God's word.  The depth of the treasure is mind-blowing.  Chapter eight, verse six through eight says, "For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able  to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

I hear the word "mindset" again and again in all kinds of conversations.  The definition, pretty self-explanatory,  from a few sources is something like this:  an attitude, disposition, mood, intention, inclination; a fixed mental attitude or disposition that predetermines a person's responses to and interpretations of situations; the established set of attitudes held by someone.  Ok, so, to put it simply, it's that in you that makes you do what you do.

So, why do you do what you do?  What is your mindset?  What internal motivator gives you the direction of your conversations and actions in all of life?  I think it's crystal clear in this chapter of Romans.  In fact, in verse five, it says: "For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit."  Again, pretty clear cut.

Which will it be?  Death or life and peace?  What is your "fixed mental attitude" in regard to the pattern of your life choices?  Romans gives us the direction of the two actions, "mind set on the flesh" or "mind set on the Spirit".  It gives us the destination of the two actions, "death" or "life".  And in verse eight, it tells us that we are not "even able to do so".  It seems to be a quandary, but in reality, it was taken care of before the foundation of the world.  Verse three tells us the good news: "God did"..."sent His own Son as an offering for sin."

What is your mindset?  "Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you."  Don't let the flesh win the victory over your mindset.  Death, hostility, rebellion, inability to please God.  This is a heavy burden to carry and after traveling life with it, the end is even worse.  Jesus lifts the burden and destroys it.  Surrender yourself to His provision.  "The mind set on the Spirit is life and peace."

Perspective

Consider the following lines of two different songs:  "I would trade the world and it's treasures for a moment of old yesterday."  "We long for a time when all time is past."  Two songs, two world views, two perspectives; one hopeless, one hope-filled.

The line of the first song comes after the person has tried everything in life to make him happy.  To him happiness comes from some unknown place.  For a time, he tried everything money could buy, thinking the next purchase or trip would be the answer but he was not fulfilled.  Now he longs for something he can never have and says he would trade everything for that moment in the past.   If he were able to make that trade, he would find he did so for nothing.

The line from the second song comes from the person who has found the answer to the longing of his soul.  That answer is fulfillment in Jesus Christ, Who is the only way to a restored relationship with God.  To this man, who has found fulfillment, the longing left is for "His kingdom come".  For the believer, true fulfillment is found in bearing fruit now and ultimately being united with Christ in heaven.  He hopes for that time when the struggle is finally done and we rest with Christ forever.

Until that time, may all those who have found their hope in Christ be fruitful influences on those who are still looking.  The only "moment of old yesterday" that will affect anyone is that moment in time over 2000 years ago, when Jesus secured our salvation and conquered death by resurrection.  He is our only hope!

Toddler in the Traffic

I was waiting in my car for a computer store to open.  Across the parking lot from me was a van with what appeared to be a grandmother, a mother and a toddler.  I sat impatiently waiting looking from one thing to another, the clock in my car being the center of my attention (minutes are long when one waits), when all of a sudden I heard screams.  I looked up just in time to see the grandmother grab the toddler from traffic (it was one car but that is all it takes).  Both the mother and the grandmother's screams could be heard all around the shopping area.  And thankfully, the car stopped in time.

As I watched, fear shot through my body and I can only imagine how those two women felt.   Immediately, it came to my mind how passionately we should be warning those who do not know Christ.  We should be just as intense about lost souls on the brink, as these two women were about this little toddler approaching traffic.  God, give us the words to warn and Your Spirit to make it plain and effective!

Plants and Ants

My mother has created a beautiful floral paradise around her patio area.  Recently she needed me to do the watering for her while she was away.  I was walking around, with her cool hose-pipe, watering away and truly enjoying the process,  when ants began crawling on my feet and legs.  I'd knock them off, but it did not deter the all-out attack these determined little creatures had planned.  The whole entire time I was trying to save the plants, the ants were out for the kill.

I realize the Bible gives a great, positive "ant" illustration in Proverbs, but I'm using them here for a negative illustration.  (Yes, I'm bitter.)  As I watered and fought the ants, I thought, "how like the Christian walk": we pray, read the Word, place ourselves under good teaching in order to represent our Lord in this world, yet the Enemy of our souls continually tries to kill our witness, our joy in his "all-out" attack against us.  His plan is to make us quit.  But we must persevere, "keep on watering" as we moment by moment call on God to thwart the Enemy's attacks that we will grow into the image of Christ.

By the way, I did not quit watering the plants and they are still beautiful!!  Let us pray that our "watered" souls be beautiful to a needy world.