Recipe For A Happy Life
Jeremiah 9:23-24
23 Thus saith the Lord, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches:
24 But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.
Just two simple verses yet God reveals His heart and desire for all of His people – He wants us to love Him, worship Him, and make Him the total focus of our lives. Notice how he attacks the 3 most vulnerable points of human temptation:
(1) Wisdom, or knowledge, or the pride of “knowing it all.” Do we not realize that there is no wisdom, knowledge, or discoveries aside from God, the Creator of the human mind?
(2) Might, or power. Everyone wants to be in charge and everyone wants their recognition but God says He is the One we are to serve. There is no power issue to consider when we submit ourselves to His authority.
(3) Riches, or having wealth. After knowledge and power, it seems we covet big bank accounts. God, in His ultimate wisdom knows that riches (or any of these things) will not give us long term satisfaction. In fact, they tend to corrupt and place our life focus on ourselves and what we can attain.
In verse 24, the Lord shows us the things that are important to Him:
(1) Lovingkindness – this is the heart of Christ. Having compassion for one another, placing the needs and cares of others before our own.
(2) Judgment – the God-inspired way of making good decisions. The Lord provides us this powerful tool if we place Him and His kingdom in the forefront of our lives. Imagine the joy of life if we made only sound, godly decisions.
(3) Righteousness, or doing what we know is right in God’s eyes. God is pleased when we desire to live life His way.
I want you to notice how the 3 things that lead to failure and dissatisfaction are all based on mankind’s pride. Further, notice that the 3 things that God delights in are all God-centered. That ties in with the statement in verse 24 where the God says, “…that he understandeth and knoweth me.”
My friend, God wants us to know Him, personally, and He wants to have fellowship with us every moment of every day. He wants this so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus, to die on an old rugged cross to pay the debt for our sins – following after our own lusts and taking pride in them. God wants us to worship Him and put ourselves aside. He wants us to love one another. He wants us to make godly decisions so that we will be happy and content in our lives. He wants us to follow after righteousness and serve only Him.
I hope that this meditation encourages you in a special way today. May God richly bless you!
Clichés Full and Running Over
Mark 4:29
But when the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come.
Life is short. Opportunity knocks only once. The early bird gets the worm. Empty clichés? Not to a soldier in the Lord’s army. He has a task to carry out, a need to be about the Father’s business. Who did you pass by today that might pass on tonight? The next time you feel the Holy Spirit prompt you to witness—do it. A man’s soul is his most precious possession. Don’t let him die without Christ. Its just too important! Life is short indeed. Opportunity may only knock once. The early bird usually gets the worm. Share Christ’s love with someone today.
My Testimony or What the Cross Means To Me
Blood was dripping on the ground. It wasn’t the usual single drops but more like a steady stream. The sun was getting higher in the sky and the heat was starting to take it’s toll. There was a strange quietness in nature, only the sounds of men shouting, women crying, and agony.
The Bible shares seven phrases that Jesus whispered while He was being tortured to death on the cross. Beyond what He said, it’s what He did that matters the most to me.
Fast forward a couple of thousand years to 1985. I was driving home on a dark lonely highway after attending a revival meeting in Duncan, Oklahoma. I had listened closely to the message, one that God had aimed directly at my heart. The title, “Being Too Familiar With the Things of God,” had gripped me and the Holy Spirit was at work. You see, I had grown up in church since I was born – literally. I went to Sunday School and Children’s Church every week. I’d heard the story of how Jesus had suffered and died for my sins but I never made Him my personal Savior, just one I knew everything about.
It was on that cold January night that I bowed my head and asked Jesus Christ to forgive my sins and save me. I knew (all too well) that He was the only way. Well my friend, He did save me and I’m humbled that these many years later He chooses to use me to share His story with others. But let’s go back to the cross and what Jesus did there for me.
First of all I know I was known by Him as well as all the sins I was going to commit. He paid the price for them when I was only a thought in God’s mind. The Bible tells me that even though I was a sinner and I didn’t deserve to have my sins paid for by another, that Christ died for me. Having the power to forgive sins is incredible. Only God can do that.
Mark 2:4-5
4 And when they could not come nigh unto him for the press, they uncovered the roof where he was: and when they had broken it up, they let down the bed wherein the sick of the palsy lay.
5 When Jesus saw their faith, he said unto the sick of the palsy, Son, thy sins be forgiven thee.1 John 1:9
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
Because of those drops of Jesus’ blood that were shed at the cross, my sins were forgiven. Sin has to be paid for in blood. Only the blood of Christ was good enough to pay the debt in full forever.
Now because I am saved and my sins have been forgiven, the Lord has promised me a home in heaven with Him for eternity. Many times over the New Testament tells us about this place (a real place) called heaven. Of all the wonderful descriptions, the greatest is this: I will dwell in the presence of the Lord forever. He will be my God, and I will be one of His people.
2 Corinthians 5:6-8
6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord:
7(For we walk by faith, not by sight:)
8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.John 14:2-3
2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.Revelation 21:3
3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
I’m looking forward to the time when I will be with God and all the saints who have loved and worshipped Him here on earth. It will be a great homecoming, but that time is in my future. Right now, I still live and breathe and work and love on the earth. I have a Savior to serve (out of love and not duty) because I’m a citizen of another country as well. Now I live each moment working for the kingdom of God and His rightesousness. My goals and ambitions are different. I understand the time is short and there are many people on this globe who don’t know about Jesus Christ, God’s love for them, or the cruel cross where He suffered and died paying their sin debt too.
Matthew 6:33
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.Romans 1:16
16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.Acts 1:8
8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Yes, the “uttermost part of the earth,” that’s my mission! All the torture, all the suffering, and eventually His death, burial, and triumphant resurrection were part of God’s plan of redemption – restoring fellowship between fallen mankind and his Creator. God loves us that musch. The blood has been shed, sins have been forgiven, victory over the grave has been won. All this was accomplished so that I could be with Him forever. I’m so humbled at the thought… before the foundation of the world was laid He loved me and chose me to be His very own.
He loves you too. Everything He did for me He did for you. He wants to be in heaven with you forever – won’t you accept Jesus Christ as YOUR personal Savior today?
I hope that this meditation encourages you in a special way today. May God richly bless you!
Ambassadors For Christ
1 Corinthians 9:19-23
19 For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more.
20 And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men , that I might by all means save some.
23 And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you.
The art of diplomacy is slowly dying. Better known as the ability to work things out for the mutual benefit of all parties involved, it requires great listening and negotiation skills, patience, tact, and strength of character. When I was young I enjoyed listening to men like Henry Kissinger, mostly because he was very thoughtful and sincere with every word he spoke. He is a good example of a dynamic diplomat. His listeners would trust him just by listening to the slow, deliberate tone of his voice.
Before one can assume the position of intermediary, they must have earned a certain amount of trust from both sides. Whether that is by word or deed, it is necessary before beginning. A gifted diplomat can go beyond gaining trust to actually convince each side they will primarily be representing their interests. At that point they have the upper hand when leading the parties towards resolving their issues.
The Apostle Paul was one such diplomat. With the wisdom and skill of a seasoned negotiator, he preached life-changing revivals, started churches, corrected doctrinal error, demonstrated new-life living, soothed strained relationships, and took the gospel to a group of people (the Gentiles) that the establishment (the Jews) felt was unworthy to hear it. He was all things to all people so that he could win some.
Oh that there would be more men and women of God in our age that would with eloquence and diplomacy carry the gospel of peace to the nations. With the art of diplomacy and the skill of oratory express the life-giving Scriptures to a people so in need of it’s divine refreshment.
As we pray for God to give us such passionate saints, we should also be praying for ourselves. Christian, how many opportunities to share Christ have we lost because we were neither prepared or just simply approached the whole thing wrong? How many people have we turned away from saving grace by our attitudes and actions which were less than Christlike? I want to encourage you to follow Paul’s life example. I believe there were two primary reasons why he was so successful in accomplishing his mission:
(1) He was clearly led by the Spirit and trusted solely in God. My friend, we cannot share the gospel of Christ effectively apart from the leadership of the Holy Spirit. It is He, and not us, that draws people to Christ. Just as Paul, we need His great power to be at work in our hearts and the hearts of unbelievers before, during, and after we testify to them.
(2) He wasn’t afraid to give people the truth of the Scripture. Paul recognized the power of the Word of God. Sometimes we have a tendency to “sugar coat” or dilute the message thinking we won’t offend anyone. Here in lies that fine line; the Word of God is certainly a sharp two-edged sword that cuts straight into the heart. This is true for believers as well as those who don’t yet know Christ. The gospel will offend some, but that doesn’t give us license to be offensive with it. Again like Paul, we are to speak the truth in love. It’s a matter of our heart being in the right place and our lives lined up with God – hate sin but love (I mean real, not just words) the sinner.
Diplomacy, the experience to say the right thing to the right person at the right time. Pray that God would give you and others this special discernment and then open your heart to the still, quiet voice of the Holy Spirit. Study your Bible and be ready to give the thirst-quenching gospel of Jesus Christ at any time. Go and be a loyal and dependable ambassador for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
I hope that this meditation encourages you in a special way today. May God richly bless you!
Movin’ On
Philippians 3:13-14
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
He was a privileged youth growing up in a household of means. He was sent to the very best schools with the very best teachers. Upon graduation he became an influential member of society and even went into national politics.
After a short while he gained the respect of his peers and became a leader of that body as well. His path was laid out and his future was secure. It was a dream only a few could ever realize. As he continued in his leadership role, he grew even more in power and respect. When his name was mentioned it brought fear into the hearts of many.
But all this changed one dramatic day on an isolated highway as he was making a journey – He met Jesus.
The man was Saul. He was a great persecutor of Christians. He stood by cheering and supporting as more than one Christ follower was tortured or killed. He was a Jew among Jews. His reputation grew as he merciless hunted down Christians and silenced them. His hands were stained with much innocent blood.
After his encounter with Christ on that lonely road, everything changed. His eyes were opened to the truth of God’s Word and it forever changed him and everyone around him. Saul, now Paul, turned the ancient world upside-down for the cause of Christ, seeing thousands come to salvation by grace through faith and countless churches born. What a man!
You know what my friend? For all of the great things that Paul did for the infant church, it might have never happened. Not if Paul would have reacted to his past like we do sometimes. He could have carried the guilt of his early years with him for the rest of his life. He could have said, “God could never use someone as wicked as I.” Thank God he never said that.
I love these verses [from our text] in his letter to the Philippian church. He settles the past once and for all. He says to them (and us too), “Get over the past. There is nothing you can do to change it. Instead of lying in your bed wallowing in misery and doom, get up and move on. Put your eyes on the Savior and heaven and throw your whole life and existence into the moment when you’ll see Him.”
What is it that you have done in your past?
There is no sin too great that God cannot forgive you. He loves you and wants you to be burden-free if you’ll just trust in Him and let Him carry your burden for you. The devil, on the other hand, he loves to see you walking around all defeated and down. He loves to bring up your past to keep you from accomplishing great things for the kingdom of God. There’s an awesome saying, you may have heard it but I’m going to use it again. It goes like this: The next time the devil reminds you of your past, just remind him of his future! I love that.
Get over the past – what’s done is done and God forgives. Press on toward the mark – win the prize – rest in the arms of the Lord. Get to movin’ on.
I hope that this meditation encourages you in a special way today. May God richly bless you!
