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Friday, December 8, 2017

"Out Of The Heart Proceeds...."

"The law of his God is in his heart....Your law is within my heart."  (Psalm 37:31a; 40:8b)

Yesterday I wrote of what some see others do not, or what some do not see others do.  Could it have something to do with "heart."  People say, "He really has heart."  What are we saying in that?  Perhaps we are speaking of what the person really is, even though it may be difficult to "put our finger on it," something which we cannot describe, but nonetheless see.

The great and fundamental promise of the Bible, both Old Testament and New, which includes the Gospels, is found in Jeremiah and recounted in Hebrews, "I will put My law in their minds and write it in their hearts...."  This is the only way that you and I can live a victorious life.  Jesus said that it was, "out of the heart proceeds," what we are really.  Too many appraise people based on what they literally see.  Jesus rebuked this life style, the hypocrite, who lives the life of the visible, that which is easy to see, perceive.  It is the stuff of quick and ill advised judgments of others, "good" or "bad."

Psalm 37:31 says that the righteous person has, "The law of his God...in his heart."  If Jesus' Law/Word is not in my heart, it is not "in" me.  And I think we can paraphrase Psalm 40:8, "I delight to do Your will, O my God, [because] Your Law is within my heart."  No matter what we say, what we do, eventually what is in our heart will manifest who we are.  Too many are attempting to control their behavior.  Maybe we should make a greater effort to "control" our hearts.

Father, in Jesus' Name, all I can do at this moment is to declare and ask this to be in my heart:  "I delight to do Your will...because Your Law/Word is within my heart."  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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Thursday, December 7, 2017

What Jesus Sees That You Or Others May Not

"Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called MarkBut Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work."  (Acts 15:37, 38)

I prayed Psalm 35 for President Trump early this morning.  As I have watched/listened to the diabolical hatred for him, I thought of how some people see something others do not, sort of like in our text.

This week is the annual Army/Navy Game.  I was invited to attend this great rivalry game as a recruit of Army in 1960.  One of the recruiters introduced me to the Army head coach as "the best running back in the State of Pennsylvania."  That was not true.  If it had been, I would have been all state; I wasn't.  The question to me was, and still is, What did he see in me that I didn't?  Why did Michigan heavily recruit me and Penn State did not?  The only answer I can come up with is that some saw something which others did not.  Forgive me for this illustration, but there is a life lesson here which has intrigued me most of my life.  It has more affect on us than most realize.  Our text reveals this phenomenon.  

Barnabas saw something in Mark which Paul did not.  Later in Paul's life, however, he actually asks that Mark join him in, "the work."  There is a great lesson here for all of us.  Be careful how we judge.  Now many will say, "O, I don't judge anyone."  Right.  Regardless, a glorious reality about our Lord Jesus Christ is that He saves us not because of our likeability, our gifts, our great personality, sense of humor, compassion, anointing, works, etc., etc., things by which far too many judge us, and thereby determine whether we are friend-worthy, or worthy period.  Just think, for instance, how we choose friends.  Yet in Jesus' Blood all who come to Jesus, "just as I am," are received by Jesus, "just as I am."  This is not an excuse for our sin.  This is an invitation to us to repent and receive Jesus just as we are, to become just as He is.

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me to see in others what and the way You see.  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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

Wednesday, December 6, 2017

"I Stood At Calvary"--- Again


"'We found this fellow perverting the nation, and...saying that He Himself is Christ, a King....Away with this Man, and [give] us Barabbas....Crucify Him, crucify Him!'...Jesus turning to them, said, '...do not weep for Me, but weep for your children'....And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals...."  (From Luke 23)

In this season of, "the Little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay," I read today of this Event, as Graham called it, "The pivotal point in history."

There is no greater account of the "Passion" of Jesus than Luke 23.  Every quarter it takes me to what the song says, "I Stood At Calvary."  I just pray that every moment of every day you and I stand "at Calvary."  If this every gets "old" or boring to anyone on planet earth, if this ever ceases to be the foundational, central message of today's Church, may God have mercy on us all. 

It was/is the Cross, the death of the Passover Lamb, Which/Who gives you and me Eternal Life.  It was, "....through the Blood of His Cross," that you and I can sing, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen."  The One of Whom Micah says is, "from days of Eternity," is the One of Whom the angels said was, "....born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord", born in the town of which the carol writer said, "Yet in thy dark streets shineth the Everlasting Light."  Humanity can only walk in this "Everlasting Light" because of Calvary.

Below this devotional on our Blog Site is a recording of that great song, "I Stood At Calvary."  Enjoy, and "stand" with me.

Father, in Jesus' Name, may every moment of every day I "[stand] at Calvary."  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.'"

Hebrews 12:2

The Renaissance-I Stood At Calvary

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