Word for Today, Sun, 24 Sep 2006, Willingness and Preparation
Posted by: masinick <masinick@...>
Dear friends,
Jesus, more than anyone ever (simply because He is God in the flesh),
told us, in matter of fact fashion, what is most important. You
remember that I talked about The Most Important Think. Well, in
everything, Jesus got right past the superficial thoughts behind the
things that people were concerned about and got right to the crux of
the matter. So it is in this passage, which opens the famous "Sermon
on the Mount" as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew from chapter five
through chapter seven.
Drop your gift if you have something to settle with someone. It is
much more important to settle issues, then to come to worship God than
it is to go with gifts, but be harboring hatred and evil in our
hearts. When we realize we have done wrong, the right thing to do is
to first (as soon as we realize it) confess it before our God. Then
if it involves an issue with anyone, at the earliest possible
opportunity, make it right. Then when we worship God, we can do so
with a right attitude.
The heart, the attitude we have toward God and toward one another has
everything to do with our faith. Jesus Christ loved us completely,
without any reservation at all. He did not wait until we were just
right, He came because His Father wanted to redeem His lost creation,
which He gave up because He wanted to be loved out of free will. God
gave the right to choose to Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. Do
you actually think God did not know the outcome? He knew that they
would stumble and fall before it ever even happened, so Jesus Christ,
before time began, agreed to come into the world at just the right
time to redeem a fallen race.
Is that unreserved love or what?
Can we do any less when we have wronged another or another has wronged
us? When we do wrong, we must get it right. We must seek
reconciliation. When others do wrong to us, we must forgive them,
whether they seek us out or not. Harboring ill will toward anyone is
contrary to the will of God.
We are not asked to be stupid. We are not to continue to associate
with those who clearly are antagonistic toward God and His Word.
Nevertheless, we are to pray for one another, and if we have
opportunity to draw those in who have formerly opposed God, all the
more wonderful. God wants to redeem that lost sheep, even if He has
to leave ninety nine other sheep temporarily to find that one who is
lost.
May we be like minded.
Yours in Christ,
Brian
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/ MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST -- http://www.heartlight.org/
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September 24, 2006
THE "GO" OF PREPARATION
Therefore if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there
thou rememberest that thy brother hath ought against
thee; leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy
way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come
and offer thy gift.
Matthew 5:23,2
http://www.SearchGodsWord.org/desk/?query=mt+5:23,2&sr=1
It is easy to imagine that we will get to a place where we are
complete and ready, but preparation is not suddenly accomplished, it
is a process steadily maintained. It is dangerous to get into a
settled state of experience. It is preparation and preparation.
The sense of sacrifice appeals readily to a young Christian. Humanly
speaking, the one thing that attracts to Jesus Christ is our sense of
the heroic, and the scrutiny of Our Lord's words suddenly brings this
tide of enthusiasm to the test. "First be reconciled to thy brother."
The "go" of preparation is to let the word of God scrutinize. The
sense of heroic sacrifice is not good enough. The thing the Holy
Spirit is detecting in you is the disposition that will never work in
His service. No one but God can detect that disposition in you. Have
you anything to hide from God? If you have, then let God search you
with His light. If there is sin, confess it, not admit it. Are you
willing to obey your Lord and Master whatever the humiliation to your
right to yourself may be?
Never discard a conviction. If it is important enough for the Spirit
of God to have brought it to your mind, it is that thing He is
detecting. You were looking for a great thing to give up. God is
telling you of some tiny thing; but at the back of it there lies the
central citadel of obstinacy: I will not give up my right to myself -
the thing God intends you to give up if ever you are going to be a
disciple of Jesus Christ.
MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST - by Oswald Chambers //
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http://www.heartlight.org/devotionals/my_utmost /
--
Brian Masinick, masinick at yahoo dot com
Home page: http://www.geocities.com/masinick/
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