"....For You Serve the Lord Christ"

"....knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ." (Colossians 3:24)

"Whatever you do, put your whole heart and soul into it, as into work done for God, and not merely for men-- knowing that your real reward, a heavenly one, will come from God, since you are actually employed by Christ...." (J.B. Phillips).  The NLT says, "....the Master you are serving is Christ."  Now the context is an admonition to slaves in their conduct towards there owners, but the words are true for all of us, in all generations, for all time, whether "Christian workers," homemakers, entrepreneurs, office or factory workers, whatevers.

A main concern of mine over my life time as a pastor/missionary is that I never become "issue" oriented, advocate of some private doctrinal emphasis, or setting and seeking my own agenda.  To put it another way, I never want to "preach" what Paul called, "another gospel."  The best medicine against such a disease is, "for you serve the Lord Christ."  Our text can keep a person from always having his "finger in the wind," always checking to see which way the "spiritual" or cultural winds are blowing.  "....for you serve the Lord Christ," will continually enable you and me to live the abiding-in-Christ life, no matter in church meetings or activity, or the office, or the marketplace, or..............

If one 's motivation is primarily to serve man, no matter where that may be, it is from man only he can expect a reward.  If in every aspect of my life I am motivate by, "for you serve the Lord Christ," then it is from Jesus I, "will receive the reward of the inheritance."  Furthermore, when I, "serve the Lord Christ," it is then, and only then, that I truly serve anyone, anywhere.  

Father, in Jesus' Name, I renew and affirm today my original surrender to you, that I want to, "serve the Lord Christ."  Amen.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Whatever Your Past, "Forge Steadily Onward"

"For I acknowledge my transgressions, and my sin is always before me....Make me hear joy and gladness, that the bones you have broken may rejoice."  (Psalm 51:3, 8)

Psalm 51 is one of the "greatest" passages of repentance and confession in the Bible.  Yet there is nothing more true and at the same time more disconcerting than the reality, "....my sin is always before me."  Now we know that, "The Word of God," our Lord Jesus Christ, tells us that He has removed our sins, "as far as the east is from the west."  But that is He, not you nor I.  Our brains are sophisticated computers.  Have you ever noticed how you can pull up events of your childhood just as a computer can pull information from cyber space?  This includes sin.  Yes, as the hymn says, "My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!  My sin, not in part, but the whole, is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more."  We do not "bear" the judgment of our sin once under the Blood of Jesus.  But "saved," Holy Ghost filled or not, "my sin is always before me."  Now there is some good in this.  It keeps us aware of just how dependent and needy we are of God's forgiveness and indwelling presence and power to keep us from sin and the power of the evil one.  Our remembrance should warn us and encourage us at the same time, warn us of how wretched we are without a moment by moment relationship in Jesus Christ, and encourage us with the reality that in Christ we have victory over sin.

" Oh, give me back my joy again; you have broken me-- now let me rejoice" (NLT).  No one can, "give me back my joy again;" only Jesus, Who Is our Joy, can do that.  Yet in between the request of, "joy again," and, "now let me rejoice," is the acknowledgement, "you have broken me."  How does God "break us" in times of sin's manifestation?  One way is the consequences.  Uriah was dead; his wife was with child to David; the child died.  Nothing David could do, could pray, could fast for would change that.  The rest of David's life was filled with intrigue, murder, running for his life.  David's sin was forgiven, but the consequences were to play out.  The age-old question is, Did God do this to David as judgment, or is this just the outcome of reaping what we sow?  Both Old and New Testaments reveal both possibilities. 

There is something in our sojourn in Jesus which still leaves room for brokenness.  It is a, "you have broken me," born of love, a brokenness which deals with our self-will, a brokenness similar to a good father helping a child deal with rebellion, requiring chores around the house, taking responsibility for his decisions, helping him when mistakes brought on by a know-it-all attitude become opportunities of teaching the child a need for humility and receiving input.  The Bible always says it best, "For our fathers used to correct us according to their own ideas during the brief days of childhood.  But God corrects us all our days for our own benefit, to teach us his holiness.  Now obviously no 'chastening' seems pleasant at the time: it is in fact most unpleasant.  Yet when it is all over we can see that it has quietly produced the fruit of real goodness in the characters of those who have accepted it in the right spirit.  So take a fresh grip on life and brace your trembling limbs.  Don't wander away from the path but forge steadily onward.  On the right path the limping foot recovers strength and does not collapse." (J. B. Phillips)

Father, in Jesus' Name, I thank You for being such a, "Wonderful Counselor."  Amen.
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September 11, 2001:  The day the world came home.

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2