As Jesus sent His disciples out into a world that would be hostile to them, that would imprison them and beat them and kill them, what they needed to succeed wasn't a new car, or perfect teeth or a retirement plan. What they needed to live successfully (as God defines it) was The Comforter.
Lately my dog has been doing a pretty good job of keeping me humble. Whenever I am tempted to lose patience with him, I am halted by the thought that God is so incredibly patient with me. I'm reminded of my own shortcomings…
The story of the shepherd seeking his lost sheep became very, very real to me that night, and I'm not ashamed to admit that those stupid lost hens brought me to tears of humility. Do we not do the same to our Heavenly Father? He shows us green fields, and we race back to the emptiness of what's familiar… even those with years of experience in walking with God, we can be caught unawares. All of us, at some time or another, stray away from God's best, and need the Shepherd to come find us.
Our clothing consists of hearts that are tender and filled with compassion displaying mercy; human-kindness that overflows to meet the needs of others; a humble preference to put others first; a meek, spirit-controlled temperament; and the willingness to go the distance with others without complaint-these are the new clothes.
Whatever the suffering we might be experiencing as a consequence for following our own way instead of God's way, the promise of God still extends to us: If we will recommit our lives to Him; if we will serve Him; if we will do things His way; if we will look at life through His eyes; then God promises to restore the years we have lost: "the years that the locust hath eaten".
The same God that formed us in our mothers' wombs desires a personal relationship with us. While we are in human corruptible flesh we are only able to have access to Him through an incorruptible, sinless representative. Jesus is the one and only High Priest who fits that description.
Some treat the blood of Christ as nothing special, they say it was no different from any other blood, but that is NOT what God says in His Word… Only through faith in the blood of Christ can we be saved…
Jesus' resurrection… gives us hope that we too can live our lives unburdened by sin/sinfulness/the sin-nature. We have a hope for the present, for our day-to-day walk, that sin does not have to rule over our lives: Jesus' resurrection means we are free.
…our faith in God may be tested to the ultimate. How will we come out on the other side of difficult situations? Will we emerge from our troubles and trials giving Christ the victory for having clung to Him and the promises in His Word?
I'm excited to introduce you all to a good friend of mine, Chris Tripputi. Chris and I have known each other since Kindergarten and have had the privilege of serving together in ministry for many years. Currently Chris serves as the Online Church Director with me at Community Bible Church as well as running a fully functioning creative agency for churches, My Square Creative.
IN Too on 19 Jun 11As Jesus sent His disciples out into a world that would be hostile to them, that would imprison them and beat them and kill them, what they needed to succeed wasn't a new car, or perfect teeth or a retirement plan. What they needed to live successfully (as God defines it) was The Comforter.
