Arctic Tern Photographed in Scalloway harbour by Hugh Meechan
Good morning, beloved of God,
Well, yesterday was an unexpected day. I had my plan and then a stomach-ache made it a completely impossible to move forward with my plans. It was a day in bed. So strange. I’ve not had that before..and I’m fine today! My family went forward with their plans which was wonderful and I had quiet…no complaint..yet, I was contemplating writing another blog and I was fiddling with the WordPress site and found I have a ton of SPAM mail. I went in to clean it out and read it. Oh friends, all of this lovely email…people writing such nice things…why was this SPAM? I was so confused. People really liked me! Wow! I felt my chest puffing up. This was great. This could really add to my blog. Traffic…and then the gentle voice of the Lord Most High…and then He led me to remember…
It was SPAM. It was the same repeating comments. They were all coming from the same site traffic. I’m not exactly sure how it works, but self-praise is a slippery slope..this blog has never been about me..this blog is about the Lord’s work in and through my life, my family’s life and Bible, worship and prayer. How quickly silly words can get my mind on the wrong motives..me..and I reaffirm to whomever reads this and before God, I write this blog to His glory. I write this blog to know Him and His glory. People’s praise is so fleeting and I cannot depend upon it.
No chains on me! You are always here for me, Lord. Now, you might not have a blog, yet, how about someone commenting on your clothes, hair, children’s behavior..whatever? Do you long for that more that for the “Well done…?” I’m telling you, beloved, the praise of our people is nothing compared to the loving eyes of Jesus upon us. Stay the course. Hear the voice of Jesus saying, 20 Neither for these alone do I pray [it is not for their sake only that I make this request], but also for all those who will ever come to believe in (trust in, cling to, rely on) Me through their word and teaching,21 That they all may be one, [just] as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, so that the world may believe and be convinced that You have sent Me. (John 17)
Well, let me just say, it was humbling..and now to share it with the world. Ha! Let’s head back to the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount..let’s jump ahead to Matthew 9 and see what Jesus taught the Pharisees about where His heart remained…
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and [especially wicked] sinners came and sat (reclined) with Him and His disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and those [preeminently] sinful?
12 But when Jesus heard it, He replied, Those who are strong and well (healthy) have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick.
13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).
Are you thankful Jesus came for the erring ones and all those not free from sin? Those who are weak and sick…Jesus had come to save. We have to recognize our need. Have to! Our own righteousness is as filthy rags..let’s look at Romans 10:4 For Christ is the end of the Law [the limit at which it ceases to be, for the Law leads up to Him Who is the fulfillment of its types, and in Him the purpose which it was designed to accomplish is fulfilled. That is, the purpose of the Law is fulfilled in Him] as the means of righteousness (right relationship to God) for everyone who trusts in and adheres to and relies on Him.
So, let’s look carefully at that verse..Christ Jesus is the end of the Law..meaning the purpose of the Law is fulfilled in Him…so that a right relationship with God could be found to righteousness..for everyone who trusts in and relies on Him.
Love it. Christ Jesus is the fulfillment. Are you able to grasp this right relationship for your very own? You bet your sweet stars you can…how? read that verse again! 🙂
Let’s now look through Matthew 713 Enter through the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and spacious and broad is the way that leads away to destruction, and many are those who are entering through it.14 But the gate is narrow (contracted by pressure) and the way is straitened and compressed that leads away to life, and few are those who find it.
How in the world can you parallel Matthew 5:1-3
Seeing the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and when He was seated, His disciples came to Him.
2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
3 Blessed (happy, to be envied, and spiritually prosperous—with life-joy and satisfaction in God’s favor and salvation, regardless of their outward conditions) are the poor in spirit (the humble, who rate themselves insignificant), for theirs is the kingdom of heaven!
and these verses? Not easily at first but keep looking..LOL. It seems counter-intuitive to be humble in the world’s eyes, doesn’t it? Being the servant, being the insignificant, the one to be ordered…I cannot say that is all the rage in our culture. Our culture is the wide, spacious gate…and it is to our destruction, is it not, beloved? We have adopted so many of the cultures’ values to our destruction, our families..oh, man, don’t get me started.
Anyway, stay focused, girl. The narrow gate..the poor in spirit…is blessing! You will be blessed, happy, envied, spiritually prosperous with life, joy…keep going…find the narrow gate!
Let’s confess our absolute need for our Saviour and Lord. Let’s stay humble and ask the Lord to help us to keep our feet towards the narrow way…
Pray on. Pray on..
Related articles
- The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (loopyloo305.com)
- Rest (goldenbible.wordpress.com)
- Believing Jesus Is Healing! (corbenstreet.wordpress.com)
- Where is Boasting? It is Excluded (truthinscripture.com)
- Jesus Delight’s in Blessing his People (pttyann2.wordpress.com)
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