I Want That by Bob Mumford

"You Are The Light...That...Cannot Be HIdden"

"You are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket...."  (Matthew 5:14, 15a)

Sometimes "humility" can be code for, "I just want to be left alone," or just timidity.  Many people who say, "Now don't look to me; only look to God," are just hiding from scrutiny.  You and I are called to a life which, "....is set on a hill..," and that life, which is in Jesus Christ, "....cannot be hidden", try as we may.  Beware!  They will "find" us.

Our Lord Jesus is telling us in today's text that you and I are not to live a life of, "Hide him behind the cross," but rather a life on public display------- on the cross.  The Church of Jesus Christ is, "A city that is set on a hill...."  Jesus saved us from sin (from ourselves) to put us on public display.  It is as though Jesus is saying to the world, "Look at what I can do for you!"

I know; most of us probably think, "Well, I don't know if He really wants to display that!"  But He does.  Maybe our ideas of perfection, good, great example are not always the same as Jesus'.  As we abide, live, dwell dependently in Jesus, submit to His Words, trusting only Jesus in our salvation, His light in us, shining to the world will somehow come through. 

Father, in Jesus' Name, I pray that I would not try to avoid the, "hill," and the, "basket."  Amen.

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Please pray for my time in DC, April 9.  If you have anything or anyone I can pray for, let me know. 

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

Are You "Fishing"

"Then He said to them, 'Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.'"  (Matthew 4:19)

I have shared before that many, many years ago I said to the Lord, "I'm not a very good, "fisher[] of men."  The response was "quick" and something I had never thought of before, "Fish in the waters of your testimony."

Now for sure, all of us have a "testimony."  Have you thought about yours lately?  I remember when I was in Intervarsity Fellowship in college, the regional guy had us write out our testimony, and only using one side of an 8x11 sheet of paper.  It was a good discipline, because I tend to have the general problem of giving people more information than they want or are interested in. 

That exercise was about 57 years ago.  A whole lot of water has gone over the falls since those days, as well as a host of life experiences which has contributed to my testimony, which you probably know if you have been reading these devotionals for any length of time.  Yet there is a "common thread" in all of our testimonies; His Name is Jesus Christ.  We, "have all sinned and come short of the glory of God," and, "There is none righteous, no, not one"; therefore, all humanity needs our Lord and Savior, Jesus, that we might be, "born from above," to receive the forgiveness of sin, and become a member of, "the Household of faith," and citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven.

From the New Birth on, however, the life of conversion begins, a change of life style, renewing of our minds, etc.  And, during life's developments we go through much, times when the hand of Jesus manifests His Faithfulness and keeping power every day.  But I learned over the years that when a person gives his heart to Jesus at an early age, you generally do not appreciate just how powerful is Jesus' work in our lives.  In the calendar year of 1970, I was to discover a "keeping power" in Jesus Christ which I could not have imagined before.  I write this today, still loving Jesus, serving Jesus, His Church, and Kingdom because of Jesus' deliverance from something of what Bunyon called the "Slough of Despond," a "despond" which is beyond description. 

The Church of Jesus is an organism of testimonies.  Don't give someone else's, pass out religious cliches, or just quote words of people whom you admire.  There is a uniqueness about your testimony which someone, somewhere needs to hear and see, probably even today.  Write it down.  As the hymn says, "....and it will surprise you what the Lord has done."

Father, in Jesus' Name, I still pray to be Your faithful fisher of men.  Amen.

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I will be in Washington, DC on April 9, 2019.  The schedule which I sent to you the other day has changed.  Hotels are running close to $500.00.  I will leave here at 06:30 on the 9th and return that evening.  The hearing and briefing schedule is still the same.

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

Who Knows? You Just May....

"The the king promoted Daniel and gave him many gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon."  (Daniel 2:48)

There is literally no limit to the "heights" to which we can go if the Lord Jesus Christ is orchestrating our lives.

Daniel was promoted to Prime Minister of the world super power at the time.  This was the Lord God's doing.  We can look at our current circumstances and think, "This is it; this is as far as I go in life."  But it is not, that is, if our lives are surrendered to Jesus.  The only "limitation" on us is our obedience and our doing of, "follow the Lamb wherever He goes."

Now the Bible teaches that we are not to seek, "great things for yourself."  But if there are "great things" for which our Lord Jesus Christ has prepared and called us to, then I fear that some of us may not want whatever that is, not because of humility, but because of the "sacrifice," the cost, as in, "take up his cross daily and follow Me." 

I think that there are many of us who are like that would-be disciple who said to Jesus, "I will follow You wherever You go.  But first...."  Jesus teaches us that there is no, "but first," in our walk in Him.   Sometimes frustration in following our Lord can come from not getting what we want, having our ambition fulfilled, which in turn leads to us missing the will of God for our lives.

Never think we are too old, too lowly, too whatever to walk way beyond where we are in life.  Never accept the lie which tells us, "You are where you are, just stay there."  Jesus promises you and me, "....a future and a hope," which is defined by our abiding in Him and His purpose for our lives.

Father, in Jesus' Name, as the hymn writer said, "Lead on, O King, Eternal."  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

"As I Have Said Before...." (God)

"....It has become evident to the whole palace guard, and to all the rest, that my chains are in Christ....All the saints great you, but especially those who are of Caesar's household."  (Philippians 1 & 4)

April 1, second quarter; back to the "beginning."  Today's text is from the beginning of one of the readings.  Along with Genesis 1, Isaiah 1, etc., God will now begin to repeat Himself to me.

As I have written before, every time you and I read the Bible, Jesus, "The Word of God," Himself is repeating Himself.  The Canon was closed centuries ago; the reason you may speculate, or even debate "should-it-have-been-closed?"  But every time that you and I pick up the Bible we are picking up what the Bible calls, "the Words of God," completed, "finished," and the warning at the end of the, "God-Breathed," Words, in Revelation 22 declares, "If anyone adds to these things," and, "if anyone takes away," well, it won't be pleasant.  Any "words" which we may hear which are claimed to be "from the Lord," must submit to the "closed" Bible.

As I read our text, the thought again occurred to me that Paul had finally "made it."  Remember his words, "After I have been there, I must also see Rome."  I think I can say that Paul made it from the Sunday School class to the White House.  This is similar to how I have summarized the Book of Acts: "From Jerusalem to Rome."  Paul went into synagogues, into houses, religious sites, prisons, and finally into the very presence Caesar and the Government Quarter of the Roman Super Power to proclaim Jesus Christ.  Too much of the Church has lost this vision.

My prayer for you and me in these days is that we allow no one or no thing to keep us from this "call," this "vision."  Throw off any intimidation which you may encounter anywhere, whether family, school, business, market place.  You have the "property rights" to the nations.  The Word of Jesus to you and me is the same as He spoke to Joshua, "Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you...."  O, yes, my friend, this is exactly what our Lord Jesus says to the Church in the "Great Commission," or better, "The Great Command."  Now go, "into all the world," and take over.

Father, in Jesus' Name, help me and my friend to never settle for anything less that what You have commanded.  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