WHAT IS YOUR VALUE?

It started of by my making the mistake of trying

to think.  You know, thinking is hard work and it

hurts to think.  That is why so few of us bother to

think.

But while thinking the thought went through my 

mind how I am not compassionate like God is.  I

want to be a help and kind to people etc.  But also

I tend to not want to be bothered.  [You are not that

way, I'll admit.]

Then when thinking of my lack of compassion, I

could just see some poor homeless person or a 

begger in their need.  You know, a cast off from

society or a parasite just getting in the way.

But, which is the most valuable or important?

A poor homeless person or perhaps a bagger?

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Or an invalid totally incapable of taking care of 

him or her self.

Or perhaps a highly decorated person in an important

position?

Or, maybe even a successful business person

or investor?

Well, none.

We as people only see the outside of a person and that is

what helps us form our opinions.

But God looks at it differently.  Consider when God was

speaking to Samuel he said;

 "Do not look at his appearance or his stature,

because I have rejected him.  Man does not

see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is

visible, but the Lord sees the heart." 

(1Samuel 16:7 CSB)   

The truth of the matter is that in God's sight

that poor cast off person is just as valuable as

some one who is rich or perhaps famous.

Even the disciples of Jesus Christ fell into the

trap we do.  They began to argue among themselves

as to which one was the greatest.

He attempted to correct their thinking by pointing

out that the most important person in the Kingdom

of God was the one who was the youngest, like a

child, or the humble person, a servant.  And that

he himself [Jesus Christ] came as a servant to us.

"But God proves His own love for us in that

while we were still sinners Christ died for us!

(Romans 5:8 CSB)

Yes, we nothings are just as important to God

as a rich person or a celebrity.   Just as important

to God as a president or a king.

It is your heart that God treasures.  Not your

body, money or prestige.  Give him your whole

heart, strength and mind.  Then in truth you will

be away ahead of the rest of the world, even if

you are a nothing to everybody else.

TODAY'S PROMISE

Jesus Christ said,

  "These things I have spoken to you, 

so that in Me you may have peace.

In the world you have tribulation,

but take courage; I have overcome

the world." 

(John 16:33 NASB)

HAPPINESS IS...

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HAPPINESS IS...

in pleasure

"Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure and ease.

He wrote:

'The worm, the canker and grief are mine alone.'"

Well perhaps in political Power.

"William Tweed became the brilliant boss

of Tammany Hall and ruled New York City,

He said: 'My life has been a failure in everything.'"

Possibly in military strength.

"Alexander the Great conquered the known

world of his day.  Then he wept:

'There are no more worlds to conquer.'"

How about atheism and a total disregard

for God Almighty?

"Voltaire was a world-class unbeliever.

He wrote:

'I wish I had never been born.'"

Well, then Fame and Position.

"Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than

his share of both.  He wrote:

"Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle;

old age a regret.'

Then happiness certainly must be in money.

"Jay Gould, the American millionaire,

had an enormous fortune.  When dying,

he said, 'I suppose I am the most miserable

man on earth.'"

But Jesus Christ said,

"Happy are those whose

greatest desire is to do

what God requires;

God will satisfy them fully!"

(Matthew 5:6 GNT)  

  

TODAY'S QUOTE

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"All that God has said is plain, satisfactory, and just.

As God in His Word calls us to seek Him, so He

never denied believing prayers, nor disappointed

believing expectations.  He gives grace sufficient and

comfort and satisfaction of soul."   

-Matthew Henry

WORK: A DEVOTIONAL EXPERIENCE

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WORK: A DEVOTIONAL EXPERIENCE

"What ever your task, work heartily, as serving

the Lord and not men, knowing that from the 

Lord you will receive the inheritance as your

reward; you are serving the Lord Christ."

(Colossians 3:23,24 RSV)   

Is your work dull, boring and meaningless?

Is your work tiring and getting you down?

It doesn't have to.  Your work can be transformed 

into a joyful, refreshing situation with purpose

and meaning.

How can my work be changed from a weary

routine to an invigorating opportunity?  Very

simply.  Take Jesus to work with you.  It works

for me, and it will work for you.  When we do 

our work enthusiastically as unto the Lord it

becomes a holy thing.  We are to do it for God,

and not man.

When we work heartily as serving the Lord, 

with "hymns and spiritual songs, singing and

making melody to the Lord with all your hearts."

(Ephesians 5:19 RSV)  Then the drab routine task

we are doing becomes pure joy.

MY WORK CAN BE A SACRED TASK.  

TODAY'S PROMISE

Jesus Christ said;

Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so 

that the Father may be glorified in the Son, if you 

ask Me anything in My name I will do it."  

(John 14:13,14 NASB)  

DON'T LIKE YOUR LOOKS?

Do you like your looks?  I don't like mine.
And I would bet you don't like your looks
either, unless you are an ego maniac.

Years ago I read how even most actors are
not satisfied with the way they look.  They
would change some little thing or other.
And after all these years I have found
nothing to make me think differently.

It seems to be a problem to all human

beings.  Consider the these statistics.

In the year 2016 world wide there was

61.5  billion U.S. dollars spent on

color cosmetics.   You know, paint,
putty, wood filler or what ever it is
that women use trying to look like
something different.

And we fellows did not do much better.

We spent 48.5 billon dollars on men's
grooming products trying to look better. 

But I noticed something IMPORTANT.

When God came down as a man - Jesus

Christ - so he could die in our place if

we will accept it.  You would think He

would come as the most outstanding person

of all time.  But He did not.  Notice the 

thing of the appearance of Jesus Christ 

in the prophecy given about Him.

"For before him he grew up like a young plant,
like a root out of dry ground.  He was not well-
formed or especially handsome; we saw him,
but his appearance did not attract us.
People despised and avoided him, a man of pains,
well acquainted with illness.  Like someone from
whom people turn their faces, he was despised;
we did not value him."

(Isaiah 53:2,3 CJB)

Did you catch that?
The very one who created the Universe and
gives life to you, when he came to be one of
us, He came as the plainest of the plane people.

Don't you think that we put way to much
emphasis on our outward appearance?

"God sees not as man sees,
for man looks at the outward appearance,
but the LORD looks at the heart."
(1 Samuel 16:7 NASB)