FIRST THINGS FIRST

FIRST THINGS FIRST.

You no doubt know the event where Jesus was a guest

at the home of Martha and Mary as well as I do.  Martha

was very busy trying to prepare a big dinner for Jesus 

while Mary just sat at the feet of Jesus and listened to 

him talk.

You and I would be just like Martha, we would be

upset over our lazy little sister just sitting there 

doing nothing but listening to the conversation

Jesus was having.  And like Martha we would

complain.

"But the Lord said to her, 'My dear Martha,

you are worried and upset over all these

details!  There is only one thing worth being

concerned about.  Mary had discovered it, 

and it will not be taken away from her.'"

(Luke 10:41,41 NLT)

The Scriptures teach us that God saved Christians

to do good works.  So, I want to be obedient about

doing good.  You know.  Be in Church every time

the doors are open.

Give all I can to help the poor.

Encourage people in their walk of life.

Pray for the sick.

Be kind to my neighbors.

In my case, fix all the broken things I can for 

people.

etc. etc. etc.

But the truly important thing is,

am I getting my Bible out and sitting at the

feet of Jesus letting him talk to me.

Or, am I too busy?

 

TODAY'S QUOTE

 

“In reality a Western university education

or even theological training is often more a 

hindrance than a help on the mission field.

In frontline situations it can erect another

barrier that has to overcome in relations to

lost souls.

“Indeed, most native Christians find that a 

Western education had to be consciously

unlearned before they can begin to minister

to their own people.”

- K.P. Yohannan in Why the World Waits 

REFLECTING HIS IMAGE.

 

Yep!

That is the mirror in my bathroom.

And I took it at that funny angle so you would

not see my ugly face.

You kids will not understand this.  But us old folks

find that everything about us seems to fail.  We get

weaker and weaker.  Our memory is not as good as 

it use to be, etc. etc. etc.

Well, the last couple of months as I shave, wash my

face, comb my hair or whatever old men do, I was

not seeing a clearly as I used too.  I was beginning

to think that perhaps I should go have my eyes

examined again.

Then one day I finally noticed something.  The

mirror was getting dirty.  My wife passed away 

about nine months ago and she used to keep it clean,

but I had never once washed it.

Would you believe that getting all that dirt off

cleared up my vision.  Even I looked better.

As a professed Christian I knew that I am supposed

to reflect the image of Jesus Christ.  That is, my life

should show the change in it because of my relationship

to Christ.  But does it?

"For those whom He foreknew, He also

predestined to become conformed to the

image of His Son, so that He would be the

firstborn among many brethren".

(Romans 8:29 NAS)

Now I have to wonder.  Have I allowed so much

of the ways and thinking of the world enter my 

life that when people see me, they do not see 

Christ in me?

TODAY'S PROMISE

I do not particularly consider this a promise.

But it gives me insight into some of the trials

life has thrown at me and this truth is a blessing

to myself.

See what you think.

“Good people pass away;

the godly often die

before their time.

But no one seems to care or 

wonder why.

No one seems to understand

that God is protecting them

from the evil to come.

For those who follow godly paths

will rest in peace when they die.

(Isaiah 57:1,2 NLT)

 

MALNOURISHED

Most people you see are malnourished.

In fact they are starving to death and do 

not even know it.

I am talking about the real person.  The one

that is down inside of you.  Not your body,

but the life inside of your body.  Your hopes,

desires, your emotions.  That inner life that

makes you different than the person beside

you.  Your heart or very soul.  The you that is

 going to exist for ever somewhere.

That is why Jesus said,

“People do not live by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from

the mouth of God.”  

(Matthew 4:4 NLT)

Sitting with. your hands folded looking like a frog

pretending to pray won't do it.  Even going to a 

Church and listing to someone talk won't do it.

Get the book, the Holy Book, the BIBLE out and

read it.  Digest it and nourish the real you.  Let

the words of life from the one who gives you life

nourish you in both body and soul.

 

TODAY'S QUOTE

"God feels our sorrows, our misery, our  anxiety.

He weeps with us.  He also feels our elation, our

joy, our relief -- and He laughs with us.  The greatest

thing Jesus taught us about God is that He is a God

who cares."

- Jamie Buckingham

 

THE RICH YOUNG RULER

THE RICH YOUNG RULER

A very rich young man came to Jesus with a question.

"What can I do to receive eternal life."

(My paraphrase.)

This event is recored in Matthew 19:16 -----, Mark 10:17--

and Luke 18:18 ---- each giving some added details.

Lets note several things about this man.  One, he was

a young man.  Two he was a ruler, official or leader 

depending on the version you are reading and he 

was very rich.  In other words, HE HAD IT ALL.

He had even keep all of the laws and commandments

from childhood without breaking any of them.

I can't say that, can you?

But deep down, despite being a religious leader,

he knew something was missing.  He did not have 

the assurance that when he died he would go to 

heaven.  That is a concern all of us, if we are

honest with ourselves, have or have had.

It is obvious that being religious was not doing the

job.  So he wanted to know what he could do, or

perhaps how much it would cost, so he could go

to heaven.  I just love Jesus's answer.

"Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love

for him.  'There is still one thing you haven't

done,' he told him. 'Go and sell all your 

possessions and give the money to the poor,

and you will have treasure in heaven.  Then

come, follow me.'"

(Mark 10:21 NLT)

The man went away sad.  His wealth meant too

much to him.  And unless something happened

so he changed his mind, he is still in hell regretting

his choice to this day.

Most of us are not rich like that man was.  But,

what else is there that we cling so tightly to that

keeps us from following along with Jesus.  Wealth,

fame, pride, pleasure, etc. etc. etc.

We cannot earn or buy our way into heaven.

We must give it all up for him and then follow

Jesus if we expect to get there.