"The Lavish Celebration Prepared For Us"

"So we're not giving up.  How could we!  Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside, where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace.  These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us.  There's far more here than meets the eye.  The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow.  But the things we can't see now will last forever." (2 Corinthians 4:16-18--The Message)

You have undoubtedly noticed that our text is a favorite of mine.  It holds out hope of deliverance to all who are trapped in the "seen" world.  The "seen" world is full of "hard times," but to the person in Jesus Christ, "not a day goes by without his unfolding grace."   Those bound by the "seen world" do not realize that "there's far more here than meets the eye." 

I saw this quote the other day.  "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass.  It's about learning to dance in the rain."  Initially it sounds good, but it is empty if dancing in the rain simply means, "This is all we have, so we might as well make the most of it."  This is nothing but fatalism and defeatism par excellence.

What about you today?  Are you caught up in a "seen world," dancing in the rain, because rain is all you have?  Are you fighting just to keep your head above water, shattered dreams and hopes, defeat tugging at your elbow?  Our text reveals that you can celebrate in the storm because of Him Who makes the storm to cease.  Take this into your weekend--- There is awaiting you "the lavish celebration prepared for us....So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal....Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him----------------------- endured...."

Father, in Jesus' Name, deliver me from eye problems.  Amen. 


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Rich Or Poor-- It Makes No Difference to Jesus

"....A certain blind man sat by the road begging....So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be brought to Him....Zacchaeus, make hast and come down, for today I must stay at your house." (From Luke 18 & 19) 

 

Our text speaks of a lonely, blind beggar, followed by the lonely, rich government official.  One was a "down-and-outer," the other, an "up-and-outer."  Both were "outers," people with whom their culture had little to do.  Then came Jesus.  He literally stopped everything for both the poor man and the rich man.  This is unlike many Christian "ministries" today.  If you took a survey of congregations' outreach, you would find an almost unbelievable neglect of the educated and the rich.  Why?  For one reason, you can patronize and feel superior to the poor and uneducated.  You cannot have such attitudes toward the rich and educated.  You can intimidate the one, but are usually intimidated by the other.

 

If Jesus Christ reigns in a person, a church, even a government, then there is no favoritism, no neglect or punishment of the one to do something for the other.  Governments which target the rich with heavy taxes believe that the best way to help the poor is to rob and penalize the rich.  This is "class warfare," the heart of classic communism, not the heart of the Gospel.  

 

You and I are called to be different.  In Jesus, we can feel just at home with the poor and uneducated as with the rich and educated, because we don't look at the outward man.  We look at the inward man.  We realize that both need forgiveness of sins, deliverance from the coming Judgment and the fires of Hell, and that "no man comes to the Father but by Me."  So, look for them today, the uneducated and the educated, the poor and the rich, and, "do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen"------ no favoritism, no "compassion" and boldness with one, yet prejudice and fear with the other, just Jesus in you manifesting Jesus to them.

 

Father, in Jesus' Name, deliver me from the reasoning and eyes of man to the reasoning and eyes of You.  Amen. 

    

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Think About "It" Today

"But at midnight there was a shout, 'Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him.'" (Matthew 25:6)

Scarlet O'hara had a philosophy, "I won't think about this now....I'll think about that tomorrow."  The foolish women in our text had the same philosophy.  "There is always time to 'think about that.'"  There wasn't.  The day came when the time for preparation was over.  Preparation is either taken seriously, or ignored.  They chose to ignore it, and paid a terrible price.

Today you have much on your mind and, as they say, "on your plate."  But prioritize preparations for the coming of the Bridegroom.  How does one do that?  Some suggestions:
     1. Read completely through the "God-Breathed" Word regularly.
     2. Live in constant communion with and obedience to Jesus Christ.
     3. Live in forgiveness.  "Do not let the sun go down on your anger."
     4. "Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without                which no one will see the Lord." (Hebrews 12:4)  
     5. "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit           of doing, but let us encourage one another-- and all the more           as you see the Day approaching." (Hebrews 10:25)

These commands are by no means exhaustive, but I pray today that you will take heed to them.  They are not my commands but the commands of our King, Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  Live in obedience to what the Holy Spirit shows you in His Word, and when the "shout" rings throughout the earth, "Behold, the bridegroom!  Come out to meet him,"--------------------------------------- I'll see you there!

Father, in Jesus' Name, if my confidence were in me or my righteousness, I would never be ready.  Be my constant "righteousness and sanctification, and redemption,"---------- and preparation.  Amen.


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