“. . . I am gentle and humble . . .” Matthew 11:29

One of the first devotionals in J. I. Packer’s Knowing God Through the Year uses the above verse.

“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

My eyes stopped when I read, “gentle and humble.” I began to consider what I read.

Here is the Creator of all things — the God Almighty, the God who knows everything and is all wise, the One who is holy, the Ruler Supreme — telling us that He is gentle and humble, and that we will find rest for our souls if we come to Him.

You would think He would say, “Hey you, don’t you know how important I am? I don’t have time for you, I am too busy.” But He didn’t. He said, “Come to Me.” Wow!

The greatest leader, and He is gentle and humble. How many people do you know who invite you to come to them? How many leaders do you know, who, after they have become powerful, display gentleness and humility?

And then we must ask ourselves the question, “Am I gentle and humble?” Do people feel peaceful in my company?

A gentle spirit  is something we cannot produce in ourselves.  But the Holy Spirit produces “love, joy, peace, kindness, gentleness” and much more.   Why not ask the Holy Spirit to be in control of your life from now on and He will change your to be the person you want to be.

Here is a prayer for you:

“Dear Father, I need You. I acknowledge that I have been directing my own life and that, as a result, I have sinned against You. I thank You that You have forgiven my sins through Christ’s death on the cross for me. I now invite Christ to again take His place on the throne of my life. Fill me with the Holy Spirit as You commanded me to be filled, and as You promised in Your Word that You would do if I asked in faith. I now thank You for directing my life and for filling me with the Holy Spirit.”

If you prayed this prayer we would love to hear from you . If you would like to know God deeper we can connect you with an email mentor and/or send you some great links.

By Katherine Kehler
Used by Permission

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“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.” Matthew 22:37

Sold as a yearling for a paltry $11,000, ridden by a rookie jockey hardly anyone knew and stuck in an outside post no horse had ever won from – not exactly a blueprint for success at Churchill Downs. I’ll Have Another just didn’t seem to have the goods to win the Kentucky Derby. The winning odds were 15-1.

But with the finish line in sight, the chestnut colt overtook the more favored horse in the final furlong to make a name for himself and his unknown twenty-five year old rider. He stormed out of post No. 19, a position no horse had ever won the race from and never looked back until he crossed the finish line. He went on to win the Preakness and if he wins the Belmont, will become the first Triple Crown winner in thirty-four years.

He was largely a mystery to the record crowd, who didn’t know the horse and jockey had the right stuff until the 20-horse field turned for home. That’s when he, who moved up between horses around the final turn, positioned not far from the rail and set down to run and run he did. Both the horse and his rider gave it their all, their best, their all, their total, their everything.

Jesus quoted the greatest commandment as loving the Lord “with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37). The whole of who you are is the best you can give Him. To give Him only a part of yourself is to fall short of loving Him as He deserves. Use not only your spiritual gifts but also your personality, heart passions and experience and strength along with your walk with God, presenting yourself as a living sacrifice to Him.

Throughout the Old Testament we read of the Israelites giving God the first fruits and the best of the flock. We serve the same God. He is still worthy of the first and best of our time, efforts, and resources. To give Him leftover or misdirected time and energy is to fall short of giving Him the place in your life He deserves. Focus on what you do best, giving that your primary effort.

To give Him a half-hearted or sloppy effort is to fall short of glorifying Him as He deserves. Serve where you will be most effective, doing it in the name and power of the Lord Jesus.

Question: Are you willing to give God your best, your first, your total, your all?

by John Grant
used by permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

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While situated temporarily in a house that boasted three bathrooms, it seems so effortless and such sheer joy to keep the sinks sparkling after the rough cement slab we had used in Japan.  I could not imagine that such a task could ever become drudgery!

But now this was another day!  A surplus of sinks and bathtubs was not the source of my satisfaction. It’s just that now beautiful sinks are so commonplace!

Really, when one stops to think about it, this is much the story of life in general in this materialistic world of ours.  It makes little difference whether it is a new hat, a new car, a new house, or a new position.  In and of itself, the newness soon loses its sparkle and its attraction, and the object may in time become “old fashioned.”

Scripture reminds us that it is also possible to lose our “first love” for the Lord.  In fact, it is more than possible—it’s inevitable—unless one is careful to keep looking to God and His Word rather than to embrace the ceaseless changes that swirl around us.

“Abide in me, and I in you.  As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself except it abide in the vine, no more can you except you abide in me” John 15:4

“Yesterday, today, forever, Jesus is the same.  All may change but Jesus never!  Glory to His name.”

by Muriel Hanson
Used by Permission

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“First Love” Intimacy  Read more..

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The post When the Sparkle Goes appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish,  that I may gain Christ.” Philippians 3:8

Spiritual knowledge of Jesus is personal knowledge. I cannot know Jesus through another person. No, I must know Him personally.

This knowledge will be an intelligent knowledge. I must know Him, not as I’d sometimes selfishly imagine Him to be, but as the Word reveals Him. I must know His natures, at once fully divine and fully human. I must know His presence, His characteristics, His works, His shame, and His glory. I must meditate on Him until I fully understand Him from all angles, and most importantly until I know the love of Christ, which surpasses knowledge. (Ephesians 3:19)

It will be an affectionate knowledge. If I know Him at all, I simply must love Him, and an ounce of heart knowledge is worth a ton of head learning.

It will be a satisfying knowledge. When I know my Savior, my mind will be full. I will feel that I have everything that my soul thirsts for, and when we eats this bread we will never hunger again. (Revelation 7:16)

At the same time it will be an exciting knowledge. The more I know of my Beloved, the more I will yearn to know. The higher I climb, the loftier will be the heights which invite my eager footsteps.

Finally, this knowledge of Jesus will happy knowledge. In fact, it will be so reassuring, that it will help us through trials, doubts, and sorrows. It will help us become something so much more than “Mortals, born of woman,” who “are of few days and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1, TNIV) It will guard us in the winsome presence and the joy of the eternal, merciful Savior.

Come, my friends, sit at Jesus’ feet and learn from Him all He has to teach you today.

Question: How is your knowledge of Christ increasing daily?

By Charles H. Spurgeon
Updated to modern English by Darren Hewer, 2008
Used by Permission

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John didn’t know on that Friday what you and I now know. He didn’t know that Friday’s tragedy would be Sunday’s triumph. John would later confess that he “did not yet understand from the Scriptures that Jesus must rise from the dead. John 20:9

That’s why what he did on Saturday is so important.

We don’t know anything about this day; we have no passage to read, no knowledge to share. All we know is this: When  Sunday came, John was still present. When Mary Magdalene came looking for him, she found him.

Jesus was dead. The Master’s body was lifeless. John’s friend and future were buried. But John had not left. Why? Was he waiting for the resurrection? No. As far as he knew, the lips were forever silent and the hands forever still. He wasn’t expecting a Sunday surprise. Then why was he here?

You’d think he would have left. Who was to say that the men who crucified Christ wouldn’t come after him? The crowds were pleased with one crucifixion; the religious leaders might have called for more. Why didn’t John get out of town?

Perhaps the answer was pragmatic; perhaps he was taking care of Jesus’ mother. Or perhaps he didn’t have anywhere else to go. Could be he didn’t have any money or energy or direction – or all of the above.

Or maybe he lingered because he loved Jesus.

To others, Jesus was a miracle worker. To others, Jesus was a master teacher. To others, Jesus was the hope of Israel. But to John, he was all of these and more. To John, Jesus was a friend.

You don’t abandon a friend, not even when that friend is dead. John stayed close to Jesus.

He had a habit of doing this. He was close to Jesus in the upper room. He was close to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He was at the foot of the cross at the crucifixion, and he was a quick walk from the tomb at the burial.

Did he understand Jesus? No.

Was he glad Jesus did what he did? No.

But did he leave Jesus? No.

What about you? When you’re in John’s position, what do you do? When it’s Saturday in your life, how do you react? When you are somewhere between yesterday’s tragedy and tomorrow’s triumph, what do you do? Do you leave God’ – or do you linger near him?

John chose to linger. And because he lingered on Saturday, he was around on Sunday to see the miracle.

By Max Lucado
From: He Chose the Nails
To learn more about Max Lucado visit his website at:
https://maxlucado.com/about/

photo credit: Christopher Brown. Creative Commons license.

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The post On Saturday appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“He is the sacrifice for our sins. He takes away not only our sins but the sins of all the world.” 1 John 2:2 (NLT)

A few years ago, I participated in a course called The Ancient Paths put on by Family Foundations International. It was a time of beautiful healing for me.  After bringing my stuff to Jesus time and time again at the cross – every detail, every bad thing, every lie that had been whispered to me, every wrong turn I had taken, I was amazed again by the power of Jesus, and especially Jesus on the cross.

I got a glimpse, even in just a small way, of what He must have experienced on the cross. Besides the humiliation, besides the physical pain, He took the sins of the world on him. As I looked at the stuff I had in my life – the pain, the disappointments, the sin, knowing how heavy these things had been in my heart, I couldn’t imagine Him carrying the sins and pain and disappointments of every person who has ever lived and will ever live on this earth. But He did. He broke through and created space for each and every one of us. That power is now available to us as we bring our lives to Him.

This is our Jesus, amazing God who became man, my Superhero.

by Idelette McVicker
Used by Permission

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God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you”. Hebrews 13:5

Having major surgery is no small feat, even in the best of hospitals. I am amazed at the teams that prep you for surgery, as well as those in the operating room, at least those I saw before slipping off to “La La Land“.  Then there are all sorts of people in the recovery room. Finally, when you get to your hospital room, there is another team of people, each with their assigned task. They go from bed to bed and from room to room. But what is missing is the patient’s very own person assigned especially to you and to no one else.

That person is called a ‘private nurse‘. I was fortunate to have one, even though insurance doesn’t cover the cost. But, I got one for free, and she was the best. She was there when I woke up in the recovery room, beside my bed and holding my hand. She accompanied me to my room and remained there beside my bed for five days and nights, sleeping on a small cot in the room.

When I was able to get out of bed and take my first steps, she encouraged me every step of the way. There are a lot of needs a patient has, ranging from painful to personal, and she helped with them all. Whenever I needed something, she made sure that I got it. When I came home, she stayed with me to take care of my needs and encourage me through my therapy. If you are going to have surgery, it’s the only way to go.

When I thought about how blessed I was to have this lady at my side, I thought of a spiritual parallel. From the time I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior, He has always been at my side, saying that I should not worry because He will never leave or forsake me. He is always there to carry my heaviest burden or to care for the least of my needs. Scripture often refers to our relationship with God as being like a marriage. The way our society has perverted marriage into a disposable item robs us of the security that concept was divinely intended to portray.

As I am sure you can guess, this ‘private nurse’ was my wife of more than forty years, my best friend, my lover, the mother of my children and next to Jesus, the one who means the most in my life. She never ceases to amaze me with who she is and what she does for me. This new experience in surgery was just one more reminder of how she is as close to me as Jesus and how blessed I am to have both always at my side. I am indeed a most blessed patient, husband and sinner saved by God’s merciful grace.

by John Grant
Used by Permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

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“A man who has friends must himself be friendly,  But there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother. ” Proverbs 18:24

^” just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:28 (NKJV)

“I’ve been in this church 14 years and I can’t find anyone to talk to on Sunday morning.”

When I heard those words from an intelligent, attractive, mature woman, I questioned their validity. Because the church is large, it provides myriad opportunities for involvement, everything from hiking to knitting groups, Bible studies to craft classes, mission trips to music.

How is it possible for an individual, over the course of many years, to not find a niche in a local church? An acquaintance employed by the foreign service of her country’s government and who moved every three to five years, usually to areas of the world far from friends and family, said there was a relatively simple way to emotionally survive in such a lifestyle: “Dig in immediately. Try new things. Invite strangers to your home. Find a place to serve. Don’t give up”

Jesus is our example for entrance into a new culture whether it be a school, church, community or country. He moved out of his ‘comfort zone’ of heaven. He developed relationships with people of diverse backgrounds. He unselfishly served. He went to parties and weddings, even daring to eat with sinners!

Followers of Jesus must be people with passionate purpose. While not everyone is an unreserved extrovert, we must not use our personalities as an excuse for lack of involvement. We dare not wait 14 years to find someone to talk with. We are called to intentionally serve, not be served.

Jesus, you are my friend but also my example of friendliness. Not a friend whose hand is weak and words glib, but one who intentionally reaches into my life. Help me be creative in doing the same for others.

by Marilyn Ehle
used by permission

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“The name of the Lord is a strong tower. The righteous run into it and are safe.” Proverbs 18:10

In Hebrew and Greek, each personal name communicated something indispensable for distinguishing that person’s character and personality. Names were so important that when the person’s character changed, the person’s name changed, like Jacob to Israel, Simon to Peter, Saul to Paul. Their new name corresponded to their new nature and the purposes of God in their life.

The many names of God present some aspect of His inexhaustible, awesome glory. God made a big deal of making His name known to Israel, and Jesus said that making the Father’s name known was one of His continuing functions, so that we will love Him more and receive His abiding presence (John 17:26). Knowing the names of God causes us to know the riches we have in Him, and we rejoice His heart when we know Him.

God intends for us to see Him through His names. There are 37 names and 120 ways and attributes of God in Revelation. Can you find the 61 names or titles and 300 attributes of God in Psalms?  How about the 64 names and titles of God and 150 attributes in Isaiah?  Knowing the names of God leads me to know the riches we have in Him. What we call God says a lot about our relationship with Him. As we pray, do we call Him Lord? Abba-Father? King?

For every need and circumstance you are facing there is a name of God to meet that need. Focus your attention on the overcoming God of the universe, rather than on your problem or need. Worship God in any way that is meaningful to you, as His Spirit leads you. Make it your ambition to glorify God and enjoy Him in his many names. The King of kings wants you to personally know Him in all His fullness.  Think of it!  You are privileged to walk with the Lord of hosts. Think of it! The Living Water invites you to drink deeply of Him. The Bread of Life invites you to feast upon His Word.

by Sylvia Gunter
used by permission

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“And the child grew and became strong in spirit” Luke 1:80

Her thick dark braid swung to one side as she struggled to open the heavy church door. I had offered to accompany her to this first night of a children’s program in a church we had just begun to attend, but she said she could do it alone. She was not a gregarious seven-year-old, preferring books to games, moments alone to group play. My heart sank as I watched her pull on what seemed to be a huge obstacle to an evening of enjoyment.

In the decades since that evening, I have watched this shy child evolve into a competent woman who has struggled with doors far heavier than massive ones made of wood. My heart ached as I watched her walk alone through airline security, leaving the refuge of home and family in Europe to begin university in California. Later she planned her own study program in France, away from the familiar halls of that university. After graduation she would move alone to New York City to attend graduate school. She floundered and almost sank when an important relationship was cruelly severed. She navigated the waters of choosing a career, buying a home and building a life as a single woman.

Perhaps struggling with wooden doors as a little girl was a first step in what would become a lifetime of far more challenging decisions as a daughter, friend, aunt, teacher and counselor. We dare not open doors for our children they can open for themselves.

So often our natural response is to make life easier for our children, forgetting that it is by opening increasingly heavy doors that they will ultimately succeed. Teach us, Lord, when and how to help.

by Marilyn J. Ehle
used by permission

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In this moment…there is only one voice for you to hear, only one choice for you to make, only one step for you to take, only one Master for you to serve, and only One heart for you to please that really, truly matters!

Then Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me, I speak these things. And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things that please Him.” John 8:28-29 (NKJV)

by Roy Lessin
used by permission

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The post This One Thing! appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.” James 1:19-21

There’s an old fable about a Cherokee Indian elder who was teaching his grandchildren about life. He said to them, ‘A fight is going on inside you. It is a terrible fight between two wolves. One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, sharing, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, friendship, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. The same fight going on inside of you is inside every other person, too.’

The children thought about it for a minute, and then one child asked his grandfather, “Which wolf will win?”

The old Cherokee elder replied simply, “The one you feed.”

A Rabbi expressed it this way: “The two wolves symbolize the Evil Inclination (Yetzer Hora) and the Good Inclination (Yetzer Hatov). The former thrives on bodily appetites, while the latter thrives on Torah, prayer, and good deeds. Eventually, one swallows the other.”

Paul talked about in his letter to the Galatians, telling them to live by the Spirit, and not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. He said the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature.

In case the Galatians didn’t know how to identify these traits, Paul spelled them out: sexual immorality, impurity debauchery, idolatry witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. And then he went on to enumerate the fruits of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Reading this causes me to take inventory of my inner self. Clearly, I can see the two wolves within me. Clearly they are in competition. Clearly, on my own I have not the ability to triumph good over evil from within. But the wonderful part of the story is that through the Spirit of Christ, I can overcome all things and I can be the kind of person God uniquely created me to be. I can be all things through Christ who strengthens me.

So, I encourage you to do as I did. Take an inner inventory. Decide who you want to be and who God wants you to be. And, above all else, make sure each day that you take time to feed the right wolf.

Question: Which wolf are you feeding today?

by John Grant
used by permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

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