Tag: jesus

Oh, the Humanity!

Photo by Kristina Paul on Pexels.com

O love, how deep, how broad, how high,
how passing thought and fantasy,
that God, the Son of God, should take
our mortal form for mortals’ sake!

~from the hymn: O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High attributed to Thomas a Kempis

This verse coupled with these scriptures from the Message Bible brought tears to my eyes:

Think of yourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of Himself … When the time came He set aside the privileges of deity and … became human! … He stayed human. It was an incredibly humbling process. He didn’t claim special privileges … He lived a selfless, obedient life and then died a selfless, obedient death …

… Keep on doing what you’ve done, … redouble your efforts. Be energetic in your life of salvation, reverent and sensitive before God. That energy is God’s energy, an energy deep within you, God Himself willing and working at what will give Him the most pleasure.

Philippians 2:5-8: 12-13 The Message Bible (I capitalized the “God” pronouns)

Think of it, Jesus sacrificially laid down His deity to become the thing He came to save … humanity. What god in their right mind would do such a thing but the God? King of Kings, LORD of Lords, Master and Creator of all, ultimately, Lover — Lover of the crown of His creation — mankind.

That He would stoop from the heights of Heaven to walk with us here in: hunger, fatigue, sickness, disease, weakness, rejection, aging, anxiety, depression, the incessant barrage of the enemy against our bodies and our souls in attempt to break our spirits is beyond comprehension, but this, Jesus did. Such humility! In Philippians 2:5 in the Message version we are told to think of ourselves the way Christ Jesus thought of Himself; He had equal status with God but didn’t think so much of Himself that He clung to the advantages of that status no matter what.

He came to us and He also brought Heaven down.

He showed us by example how to live in our “human condition” without caving to the temptations of our enemy. He then demonstrated how to: remain pure, how to live in this world without becoming part of the world; how to heal the sick; how to cast out demons; how to raise the dead; how to defeat the enemy in death; and how to love without measure, even at the expense of ourselves, our own lives; and how to live again. He is Risen! He has ascended to His Father, our Father, where we are seated with Him in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6).

Our end will be glorious, too. Yes, getting from Point A to Point B is crushing at times; true discipleship is not for the faint of heart. What are we to to do while we travel here? As Paul wrote, Keep on keeping on. I add part of the LORD’s prayer: Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. No matter how it appears we need to keep looking for God’s will here. There is no sickness, disease, heartache, mental illness, or lack of any kind in Heaven, so look for the Cure to meet us here …

… because part of our prayer is to look for His kingdom here, I also add this admonition from Paul in Philippians 4:4 to: Rejoice in the LORD always; and again I say REJOICE! …

… why rejoice? Because it is finished (John 19:30). Whatever it is we are suffering here, It is finished. Whatever we commit to Jesus at the foot of the cross, to be covered with His precious Blood, It is finished. And whether we see and receive our answers to prayer while we are here, I trust that anything asked according to His will will be done.

Regardless, our focus is this: Jesus became one of us. He totally gets us. From birth to death, He was despised, rejected, a Man of sorrows, acquainted with our grief; because of us He was stricken, smitten, afflicted, wounded, bruised, and beaten. He purchased with His precious Blood our peace, healing, deliverance, wholeness, forgiveness, prosperity, and an eternal home with Him in Heaven. Join me today in bowing before Him, thanking Him for His humility, for becoming one of us. Let us take it a step further and ask if there is a particular matter in which we might humble ourselves before Him this day. It’s the least we can do.

Some of the Saddest Words Ever

Photo by Jean-Paul Wright on Pexels.com

26 For the king himself knoweth of these things, before whom also I speak freely; for I am persuaded that none of these things are hidden from him, for this thing was not done in a corner.

27 King Agrippa, believest thou the prophets? I know that thou believest.”

28 Then Agrippa said unto Paul, “Thou almost persuadest me to be a Christian.” Acts 26:26-28 KJV

Almost persuaded.

Several years ago we were at one of our “go-to” campgrounds. It was quiet, the campground nearly empty, when the host dropped by for an extended visit at our picnic table. How our conversation got to where it did is a mystery to me, but the point is, we ended up witnessing to him about Jesus. I felt compelled to reinforce how much God loves him. And yes, life doesn’t make sense, and bad things happen, and we make bad choices that sometimes lead to bad consequences, but that doesn’t change the truth that God is a good, loving God and yearns to have relationship with us.

Jim was “on the line”. I could tell by his tender expression and quiet contemplative engagement with us that Holy Spirit was moving upon him. I could also feel his hesitancy. I sensed about him that once he’s committed to something he’s committed, which is good and proper, especially where relationships are concerned. In Luke 14:28 we are told to “consider the cost”, maybe that’s what Jim was internally doing. Not wanting to push, and feeling a window instead of a full-fledged door of entry, I asked him to consider what we discussed, he said he would; I offered prayer, which he welcomed; I gave him a ministry magazine that I had with me that he received.

We still go to that campground, but we have never returned to those weighty, spiritual conversations and I have yet to know whether he has made a decision for Jesus. I wish I had that assurance, for I know God was reaching out to him that day.

Are you one of those who are almost persuaded to be a Christian? I hope not. If Holy Spirit has moved upon you I hope that you will be wholly persuaded and open the door and let Him in. If you wish to consider the cost, do so; that is a good, wise choice. I ensure you that true discipleship is costly, it is also worth the price. If you are willing to embark on a relationship with Jesus, please say this prayer with me:

God, thank You for sending Jesus, Your only begotten Son. I believe that He suffered and died for my sins, that He received all the punishment I deserve. I also believe that he is risen from the grave and is seated at Your right hand, and is preparing a place for me with You in eternity.

I’m sorry for the way I’ve lived, for the things I’ve done that have hurt You and others. Please forgive me and come into my life. Lead me, strengthen me to the live the life that You have purposed for me. I know I won’t do life perfect, but from here on out, I want to do it with You.

Thank You, I love You. Amen.

Perhaps today’s post made you think of someone that is almost persuaded. Join me in a prayer for them today:

Dear LORD, You have called us to be salt and light and we are doing that. There are dear souls that You have brought into our lives to point them to You. We pray that we drop seed, water seed, shine on seed, and gather seed as You direct. Oh, my God, cause us to do no harm but only good to all of our fellow man, but especially to those who would walk this pilgrim path with us. May “you almost persuade me” not be heard in our ears, but rather a “Yes” for You.

Thank Your for Your goodness and Your faithfulness to us all. Amen.