Is There A God?

Is There A God By Jeff Johnson

I was watching a movie last night (Sunday) on Netflix.  It was a movie of some college students who make a film called "Beware of the Christians http://youtu.be/IMIydiF69mA"  These young Christian men go to Europe to find out what people think about God and what people think about certain topics such as sex, drinking, heaven, hell, and so on.
 
The movie's journey is part evangelistic and part searching and part discovery.   From the information given by the young men, they had all grown up in the Christian church but really didn't have a God "encounter" or if they did they didn't share it in the movie.  What was the spring board to this journey was a question.  "Do I believe what I believe because I was told it or because I experienced and continue to experience the truth and reality of God?"

I have found in teaching young adults that I can teach them the word of God and how to apply it or put it into practice but what makes the word of God come alive is God working in their lives.  He is the one who makes the truth of the word come alive.     

Our testimonies/ God "encounters" are what God has done in our life which speaks volumes of the reality of God to not just others but ourselves.   I can give the word of God to other people but if there is no personal experience to go with that word it is difficult for them or anyone else to understand, except, seek it and walk it out.

Why do you think God says to fellowship with one another and build one another up?

I can't tell you all the times God has used people to touch my life.   They have encouraged me and I have encouraged them.   Now if I were to slip away into my comfort hobbit hole of a life I would find it very difficult, after a while, to be encouraged because I would just have my thoughts to contend with.  Not saying God wouldn't continue to speak to me and touch my life but life isn't just about us and ourselves and our little bubble of a world.  God made other people, uniquely different from ourselves but just as special, to touch our lives and we to touch their lives.

These real life experiences bring spiritual nourishment to our soul and we never know what kind of mustard seed of a tree will vigorously grow or Godly yeast that will knead into the bread dough of humanity.   When we have God's word weaved into the God given purposes, directives and experiences in our life we KNOW that God isn't a religion but real unquestionable truth.

You and I as Christians are the living testimony of God's truth.  People don't just hear the words but see the difference God has and is continuing to make in our lives.   With no real living testimony and no Holy Spirit guided action/direction, all people see most times is religious words or you and I  belonging to some "religious" group.  It's not until people come to Christ that they can see back at all  the Christians in their life.  Strange but true.  When I became a Christian those lights in my school days became abundantly transparent.  They were Nancy, Kurt, Kerry, Pat (Patricia), Kim, Bill, Joe, ..... (list goes on and on.)  

In "Beware of the Christians" God is loving knocking on these young men's door with questions. God is pushing and prodding, and encouraging Christians to take a step of faith and many times it starts with a question.   Questions like: What is my purpose?  What is the value of my faith in God? How does it show up in my life?

The more God brings these questions for us to consider, the more we reflected and questioned how to put those truths to real practice.

The more God brought these questions for the young men in "Beware of the Christians" to consider, the more they saw how important it was to live their lives for Christ.   This was not just for their own well being and fulfillment but the importance to be a living testimony to other people.  But again that living testimony can not be lived out without our collaboration, trust, submission, obedience, in God.

They, like every Christian, is looking to how to apply God's living truths to their life in the midst of a world that practices and preaches and teaches and advertises things like prosperity and denies, ignores, fights and even rages against God's truths. 

Every Christian, I hope, is looking for what Jesus wants them to do, not what seems okay or passable or negotiable in some kind of religious standard.

The world doesn't care about God's truths because they only see God and God's people as part of organized religion, judgmental, hypocritical, and a system of do's and don'ts.  The world doesn't care about God or his truths because they believe life is all about them and a means to to get things, make themselves happy, and experience all there is to experience of the world which in total reality leads them no where and unfulfilled.  Chasing after things that never satisfy.

People believe in false ideas made of man, the understandings of man and the corrupt thinking of man.  They don't even consider going to the source- GOD!   Instead they only look to the ways of themselves instead of God.  God is the one who brings about new understanding in life, contentment, peace, grace, and confidence (not within ourselves or the things of this world) but in HIM (God). The meaning of life can not be found unless God is active in our life!

These college students, who made this film had to ask themselves what is "religion" verses how does God want me to live?  What have I made into a religion... instead of really walking the path of faith that is trusting in God? They seem like really blanketed questions but when applied to all areas of life they bring about the desire to change from and mature as a Christian trusting in Christ.

I read this the other day: "I will lead blind Israel down a new path, guiding them along an unfamiliar way.  I will brighten the darkness before them and smooth out the road ahead of them.  Yes, I will indeed do these things; I will not forsake them." Isaiah 42:16

The path of faith is not our plans but God determining our footsteps.  The path maybe planned and smoothed out ahead of us but we are blind to everything except what God is putting a light on at the moment and in order to continue along that unfamiliar way or path we have to trust God.  

The good solid questions these young men faced (and if not disregarded down the road) will lead them to a fulfilling confident purposeful life in God.  They will find that God is not a "god" of religion but a God who can be found, trusted and collaborated with.  They will find their purpose in what God designed and created them to do and be and find peace and contentment in doing what God planned for them long ago.   Instead of religion they will find a relationship with God.

The one thing that disturbed me and I took away with this film was a lot of people in Europe don't seem to care about knowing God.   They seem to think their salvation to heaven is based on good and bad deeds.  And what they measure as good and bad deeds on are based on the understandings within themselves.   They say, "I haven't murdered anyone, I pay my taxes, I don't steal, and I volunteer at the local elementary school so I must be going to heaven."  But the truth is no one can get to heaven by their "good" deeds.  A person may be able to show their faith in Jesus Christ through good deeds but it is only through faith in Jesus Christ does one have the righteousness to enter heaven.  It is not our righteousness but in Jesus Christ's righteousness can we enter heaven.   That righteousness is faith and trust in Jesus Christ.  

Jesus, the Son of God, paid the way so we could go to heaven.   Jesus, the Son of God, gave us the gift of salvation in heaven, but we have to accept that gift in order to receive salvation in heaven.

This gift of salvation genuinely received should give us a change of heart, where we don't want do sin or do the things we know are wrong.  We don't make a practice of practicing sin or doing wrong.   Where... when we do wrong we ask God to forgive us for our sin, knowing the high price Jesus Christ paid for our sins on the cross -so we could go to heaven instead of hell.

How do I know this? Because Jesus Christ has changed me and is continuing to transform me as I trust in him.  He is constantly showing me things and encouraging me in my faith in HIM.  He is teaching and helping me to not be caught up in myself but caught up in him. 

People don't seem to value their souls.  They put value on themselves based on what they own or have or not own or not have.  They put value on themselves based on their abilities or capabilities or inabilities or incapability.   They put value on themselves based on what other human beings think of them.   They regard their soul after death like leaves that fall to the ground in the autumn to be swept away by whatever - not realizing that if they had just turned to God, God would reveal himself to them.   They don't realize the soul after death is either dragged into hell or carried into heaven based on if they haven’t or have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.

They don't realize the "things" they have acquired in this life don't matter to God.   No matter degrees, titles, money, possessions, achievements matter to God but living in relationship with him.

They don't realize it not about appearances but the heart that matter to God.   They don't realize that if they turned and sought God, God would have a relationship with them, give them a fulfilling purpose and they would see their need for Jesus Christ in their life and to be saved in Jesus Christ.

They would ask God questions and God would reveal those answers to them just as he has to me.   God is no respecter of persons,  He has no favorites. I am not anymore special then anyone else.  Check it out book of Acts in the bible Chapter 10 verse 34 

This is no good that so many people don't know God.   They have their own ideals of who God is - that is if they believe in God at all.   I said to myself, "You got to be kidding?  There are a lot of people in Europe that don't know God- probably just as many in America.   This amazed me considering the roots of my Christian heritage that were passed down from relatives who came from Europe so many years ago. 

Some may think I was brainwashed by my family members and friends to accept Jesus Christ but I know first hand that isn't even true or the case.  I may have been surrounded by Christians, did Christian activities, but I wasn't living a Christian life.  I was stubborn and prideful.  Did this sin and that sin.  I had many many misconceptions about God.   God however still loved me.   When I got in a pinch I would pray and He would answer but I never thought much about thanking him afterward.  But it wasn't until I found myself stuck in a deep hole, that I prayed to God seeing my life as worthless.   I asked God to take my life and seeing what I could not, He picked me up out of the hole.   He told me how much He loved me and then gave me a new life I did not deserve.

The Ways Christians Are Viewed

It is funny if you say you are a Christian, the world holds you to a higher standard.  That isn't a bad thing.  People expect us to never mess up or have a bad moment but is that realistic?  We aren't God but I suppose in a way it is good that we aren't perfect because in humble apologies we show another characteristic of a Christian.  Not prideful to admit wrong.

I am not sure why Christians are considered judgmental.   I know some are zealous but the reason some are zealous is because they have been changed/transformed.   They know the truth and they want to share that truth with others.   They know, it wasn't by them making themselves right with God, but by the grace of God- God made them children of God.  And they want to share that life giving truth with others.

I know many Christians are hypocrites.  They are because they forget who they are.   The get tricked into prideful thinking and they forget no one is perfect.   They start depending on themselves and not on God.   They get a little knowledge in the head and they become big headed not realizing that before they speak or act -the knowledge needs to go to the heart and meditated on with God first.

Some may have started with God but they stopped having a relationship with God so now they are stumbling and their confidence, which once came from their relationship with God, has now suffered.   These are all things to remember when a person becomes a Christian. 

Is there a God? YES!

I know God.   I can't live this life of faith without him.  He knows me better then I know myself.  My faith without God would be like a fad of fashion, here today and gone tomorrow.  Is being a Christian easy?  No! But the Christian life is to rely on God.  If the Christian life were easy why would we need to rely on God so heavily?  Everyday I look to him for words of encouragement.   He is my strength and confidence.

We could go this way and that way with why this happens and that happens but the fact is we live in a cursed world and this world pushes God away and then we expect him to come to the rescue.  If we as a nation, or a people or an individual push God away how can he protect us, how can he help us, how can he reassure us, and comfort us?

But even though this world is a cursed world we don't have to be cursed ourselves.  We can have a relationship with him and no matter what happens with us we will have the reality and confidence of knowing God and having heaven as your eternal destination because we believe in Jesus Christ as our LORD and Savior.

If you want to know God and know him first hand for yourself I ask you to ask God to reveal Himself to you in a mighty way.  There are only two options after this life- heaven or hell.

Jesus Christ is the only way to heaven.  Jesus told us, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." Book of John chapter 14 verse 6 (John 14:6)

Jesus Christ said, "Yes, I am the gate. Those who come in through me will be saved. They will come and go freely and will find good pastures." Book of John chapter 10 verse 9 (John 10:9)

I don't know if this sounds harsh to you or not- but Jesus paid for our salvation.  Salvation is something we do not have to work for, it was paid for when Jesus was nailed on the cross for our sins/ wrongs.

Jesus speaking about himself said "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.  God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it."  John 3:16

Heaven or hell is all about what you do with Jesus.   God the Father wasn't be selective in how one gets into heaven, he just said, "My Son, Jesus is the only way into heaven."  God gave one choice (Jesus) and humanity not liking that answer has continued to try to come up other ways to fool themselves only to sadly say- fool themselves into a fiery torturous prison in hell where there is total separation from God.

All the prophets of God point to Jesus as the Messiah/ Savior.   Ask yourselves, What is more HOLY then God's own blood?  Nothing!  God's own blood (Jesus blood) wiped out our sins so we can approach God.   We can become children of God through Jesus.   Jesus is the only way to saved.   If this sounds harsh think about this: sometimes the truth is harsh. We get hard truths everyday but it doesn't make those truths untrue.

If you want to get to know God and Jesus Christ as your Savior, I can only show you, figuratively speaking, the door.  It is has to be you to make the step.  The good news is you already instinctively know there is a God.  

In the book of Romans, chapter 1, verse 21 it says you already know there is a God. (Romans 1:21)

But "just knowing there is a God" is like just knowing the appearance of your neighbor but not knowing who she or he really is or what they like or dislike.    It's like knowing there is some really good fresh food in your refrigerator and deciding to not eat any of it even though you are really hungry.  

The word of God also says, "And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

Since you already know God exists, "sincerely" seek him and you will be rewarded you.

Jesus says "Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. "  Matthew 7:7

God is waiting for you to seek him.  He has been waiting for you to come to Him.  He isn't waiting for you to fix yourself, I didn’t fix myself I just gave him who I was and he transformed me- yep a Jesus Freak. God is waiting to unveil himself in ways that you thought were impossible and use you in ways you never thought were possible.

If God is asking you to come, don't be afraid- come.   If you want God to reveal himself to you, he will do it.  I heard a story of a family in India who had all these pictures of all these false gods and a picture of Jesus.  A missionary prayed with the family and the next time he visited all the pictures of all the false gods were taken down except the picture of Jesus.  Curious, the missionary asked what happened to the other pictures and the family said, Jesus was the only God who answered their prayers.

God is no respecter of persons.  God will reveal himself to you if you sincerely seek Him.  It will be your choice to give your life to Jesus and receive and live the life he planned for you long ago.

If you have decided to give your life to Jesus, you can simply pray what is on your heart.   Asking God to forgive you and ask Jesus to come into your life and transform your life.  In Jesus Name Amen.

People are searching for meaning in their life.  They are searching for purpose.  They are searching for fulfillment.  They are searching for peace.  They are searching for encouragement.  They are searching for assurance.   They are searching for contentment.   They are searching for some form of acknowledgment.  They are searching for confidence.   They searching for empowerment.  They are looking for a way out of the pointlessness and out of this feeling of being stuck.  They are looking for nourishment for their souls.  They are searching for someone who really understands who they are and what they feel.   They are looking for love.   They unknowingly are looking for God’s love because in his love, he provides all these things.

May God bless you with the indispensable reality of Himself and continue to bless you with the indispensable reality of Himself as you seek after Him.  In Jesus Name Amen.

Keywords of the week

Keywords

Peace (Shalom)

Complete in Christ

Fiery Trials

Fanning the Flames

Self Denial

Humilty

Sound mind

Discouragement

Suffering

Tired 

PEACE

Prince of Peace

“For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  His government and its peace will never end. He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David for all eternity. The passionate commitment of the LORD of Heaven's Armies will make this happen!”  Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT

God’s Peace.

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.  And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 4:6-7 AMP

God’s Peace is Shalom

Spending sometime with the LORD this morning, I told Him how I felt about life, which wasn’t all that positive.   I was just tired of life and I knew that was the wrong attitude especially at this time of the year.   I asked the Lord to clear and quiet my mind.   I then turned on some worship music and spent some time on my face, kneeling, sitting and standing.  At first I wasn’t sensing God’s presence but as I continued to sing to Him and seek Him I began to feel his presence and his Spirit came over me and I began to speak in tongues.   I don’t usually speak in tongues but it does happen from time to time.

The tongues were Hebrew, I believe because I kept saying “Shalom” a number of times and then I exploded into other powerful low guttural authoritative words.   (In a surprising thought, and tears in my eyes I said silently to myself, “That came from me?!” 

Don’t ask me what I said because I don’t know….  Would have been great to have some interpretation.

Afterward I felt completely empty of all the negative contents.  I felt like a crystal clear empty glass vessel.   I felt peace but I wondered if this kind of “empty” was a good thing?  Was I missing anything?  Is this one of the times my cup should be overflowing?  Did I spring a leak…. Were my cisterns drained as quickly as they were filled?  Was the devil trying to steal my peace by having me second-guess?

I searched my spiritual pockets.  I still had that unexplainable peace protecting my soul.  This was neW….

Knowing “shalom” meant “peace” I went to the Strong’s Hebrew concordance to see what else “Shalom” meant.

Shalom means:

1) completeness, soundness, welfare, peace

a) completeness (in number) b) safety, soundness (in body) c) welfare, health, prosperity d) peace, quiet, tranquility, contentment e) peace, friendship

1) of human relationships 2) with God especially in covenant relationship f) peace (from war) g) peace (as adjective)

Wow! Shalom is quite a blessing of a statement.

I don’t know about you but when I think of peace I think of candles glowing in their glass containers and soft Christmas music playing in the background or a mountain cabin in snow blanketed woods with light smoke coming out of it’s chimney and soft light lighting up it’s windows…. maybe the smell of warm food being lovingly prepared inside too.   

I guess that’s kind of like what the Lord does for us….   He prepares a meal of peace in our heart and mind as we praise, worship, and have fellowship and companionship of with Him.   He bestows all these wonderful gifts of peace as we come and seek refuge from the cold of the world.  He warms and takes care of us so we can be warm lights to others.   Just think what would happen if we didn’t come to Jesus for all our cares in this life?   Thank you Jesus for your care and love for us.

“Glory to God in highest heaven, and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.” Luke 2:14

Merry Christmas and may God’s peace be granted and given to you as you come and gather to him- the Prince of Peace.

Servants of Light

To understand what a servant of light is, we must begin with Jesus – for when we understand who we are in Jesus Christ the mental weight of servant hood is lifted.

Thomas Jefferson is quoted as saying, "Nothing can stop the man with the right mental attitude from achieving his goal; nothing on earth can help the man with the wrong mental attitude."

We have heard the saying "Attitude is everything." Our mindset can either limit us or make us achieve what we never thought possible.

The level of realization of who we are in Christ will greatly affect how we look and undertake what a true servant is.  We fail to develop a servant's mindset with our lack of realization of who we are in Christ Jesus.   Peter says,  "But those who fail to develop these virtues are blind or, at least, very shortsighted. They have forgotten that God has cleansed them from their old life of sin." 2 Peter 1:9.

In our old life we were filled with pride and self ambition or self-pity.   Pride only led to inflated self perception which became a wedge of division if anyone put down, negated, defeated, contradicted our thoughts and opinions.  Self ambition and self-pity made us only see ourselves, our needs, our strengths and our weaknesses and our wants according to what we envied in others people's lives.  We were blind to everything but what was in our mental closet.  We played, and danced, and lived in the masquerade ball but when we finally got a real good look at our reflection we saw nothing on earth could help us.  We had no fairy god mother to keep the truth from revealing itself.

We followed the desires of our sinful nature just as Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden.  And when the truth was revealed to them they tried to cover their nakedness just a people try to cover up themselves today in many varieties of things such pride, arrogance, addictions, in the friends they keep, the way they dress, the jobs they have, the way they change their appearance such botox injections and hair dye and lots of make up.  What are they trying to cover up?

I watched a woman once come onto an airplane.  She sat down, powdered her face, blended, added blush and crimped her eye lashes, put on eye liner, eye shadow, and darkened her eyelashes - and by the time she was done putting on these things on her natural pleasant face, she looked like an entirely different person.  She looked like a completely different person from when she first got on the plane.

Everyone's facades will be exposed no matter if they are.   Why do people try to hide who they really are?  The only one they are trying to fool is themselves.

It's them, themselves, who will have to stand before God - not those they have tried to fool to cover up who they really are.  Is it a sin to put on make-up -of course not!  That is not my point.  My point  is... people use all kind of things to cover up who they are.  Why are they trying to cover up to be something they are not.  Before I was saved, I used anger to cover up my insecurity.

God is all truth and when truth comes looking at them in their reflection and they see nothing on earth can help them... hopefully,  for their valuable soul's sake, they come to God instead of continue down the path to another masquerade.

It's in the mind not reality.

Ask any military veteran what is worst, the physical wounds and mental wounds and I can guarantee most of them will say the mental wounds cut deeper and last longer then the physical ones.

The enemy of our soul continually goes after our mind just as he did with Adam and Eve.  Nothing has changed.  If Satan can tie up the mind of a person in psychological garbage of this world, confusion, and warfare then he has nothing to worry about from that person.  The people in this world are lost in the mindset of the world but Christians, you don't have to be!  And you can be a helping vessel to help those lost in the tossing and roaring ocean of life.

People are tried of just existing and living day to day, they want to live a meaningful life!  The only way to a meaningful life is through Christ Jesus.  We too can be endangered of falling into the same thinking if we lose sight of Christ.   We too can end up chasing after things that are meaningless and never satisfying and find ourselves in the tossing oceans of doubt and uncertainty and hopelessness.   Our hope in Jesus Christ is our only anchor and allows us to experience things we didn't think possible which enriches and encourages the Christian soul to endure.    


^"This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary." Hebrews 6:19

You cannot be a light if your life is based on meaningless worldly things but to be a servant of light amongst darkness is like being one of those lights on the airport runway or a lit up pointing the way to Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father. 

Ephesians 6:17 says, "Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Paul is saying, put on Christ and all he IS! Who is Christ?  What does the Spirit of God say to you as you read his word? Who are you and I to be?!
    

“To accept Christ as all he is, is to find who we are and who we are truly meant to be in God.”
 – J.D. JOHNS

The Four Facades of Jesus Christ

In the book Ezekiel, Chapter 1, it talks about these “beings” with four faces.  They had a face of human, a face of lion, a face of an ox, and a face an eagle.  These four faces represent the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.   All four of these gospels are a picture of and represent a dimension or aspect (qualities and characteristics) of our Lord Jesus Christ.  

The book of Matthew is the symbol of the lion.  It is written to the Jewish people.  Jesus is the Lion of Judah.  The King of Kings! Lord of Lords!  "THE KING" who was prophesied about to Jewish people in scriptures "THE KING" had to be a descendant of King David.  Jesus was a descendant of King David on both his earthly father's side and mother's side.  Joseph and Mary were both descendants of King David.

"Behold, [the] days are coming," says the LORD, "That I will raise to David a Branch of righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, And execute judgment and righteousness in the earth." Jeremiah 23:5

"During the reigns of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed or conquered. It will crush all these kingdoms into nothingness, and it will stand forever." Daniel 2:44

"For when you die and join your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, one of your sons, and I will make his kingdom strong.  He is the one who will build a house- a temple-for me.  And I will secure his throne forever.  I will be his father, and he will be my son.   I will never take my favor from him as I took it from the one who ruled before you.  I will confirm him as king over my house and my kingdom for all time, and his throne will be secure forever."  1 Chronicles 17:11-14 
Jesus was also a descendant of Abraham.

"This is my covenant with you: I will make you the father of a multitude of nations! What's more, I am changing your name. It will no longer be Abram. Instead, you will be called Abraham, for you will be the father of many nations. I will make you extremely fruitful. Your descendants will become many nations, and kings will be among them!"I will confirm my covenant with you and your descendants after you, from generation to generation. This is the everlasting covenant: I will always be your God and the God of your descendants after you." Genesis 17:4-7

 Jesus is the perfect King.  His kingdom is the everlasting kingdom of heaven which the everlasting covenant with Abraham.  All other kingdoms will pass away but his kingdom will last forever. 

Revelation 5:5 "But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, "Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David's throne, has conquered.  He is worthy to open the scroll and break its seven seals."

The book of Luke is the symbol of a man.   It is written to the Greeks, and one Greek in particular "Theophilus" which means "lover of God or friend of God".  Theophilus also received what we know as the book of Acts from Luke as well.   Luke's aspect of Jesus was Jesus is the "perfect" man.  He was a man without sin.   The first man, Adam brought sin and death to humanity because he and his wife Eve believed Satan and ate from the tree which God told Adam not to eat from.  Adam and Eve's betrayal gave power to sin and curses upon the earth but Jesus, brought power and freedom from sin to those who believe in him.

The book of John is the symbol of an eagle.  It is written to us- the church and the world.   The eagle represents sovereignty, majesty, and the supremacy of Jesus Christ.

The book of Mark is the symbol of an ox or calf.  It is to the Romans.  Roman society had a mindset of being servant.  They were to serve the authority over them.  Those the Romans took over became servants and slaves of the Roman society, work force and even to the Roman cause- such as Roman axillary armies in the Northern Europe.  The ox represents the perfect servant.  Jesus Christ is the perfect servant.

Jesus Christ is King of kings, Lord of lords; He is the perfect man (without any sin). He has sovereignty and supremacy over everything, and he is the perfect servant.

So what does that have to do with us being a servant of light?

We are to serve others but that is hard to do if we are putting a "requirement" on it.  If we are putting some "have to" burden on it or some "emphasis" that puts us in the wrong mindset.  Our mindset must be on who we are in Jesus Christ- not what the world may think of or desire for us or even a religious perspective.

A.W. Tozer is quoted as, "Until the will is sanctified the man is still a rebel just as an outlaw is still an outlaw at heart even though he may be yielding grudging obedience to the sheriff who is taking him to prison."

What is the will stimulated and encouraged by?  The world, the church, yourself or Christ?

We need to be stimulated and encouraged by God and who we are in God/Christ Jesus.

The Lion:  You and I serve a mighty God in Jesus Christ.  Our heritage and lineage is in GOD - thanks to Jesus Christ - His throne and kingdom will last forever.    You and I maybe nothing important in the sight of this world but in the sight of God you are HIS child. You and I are a king, a prince, and a royal priesthood.  Jesus is King and Savior of your life.   If Jesus is our brother and he is King then what does that make us? If he is High Priest what does that make us?  If he is the Prince of Peace then what does that make us.   If he is the Lion of Judah, what does that make us? 

Jesus said,  “Anyone who does the will of my Father in heaven in my brother and sister and mother!”  Matthew 12:50. (NLT) 

1 Peter 2:9 says, " But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a dedicated nation, [God’s] own purchased, special people, that you may set forth the wonderful deeds and display the virtues and perfections of Him Who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." (AMP)

Matthew 5:9 Jesus said, "God blesses those who work for peace, for they will be called the children of God."

Proverbs 28:1 says  “The wicked flee when no man pursues them, but the [uncompromisingly] righteous are bold as a lion." (AMP)

We are not to live contingent on how the world sees us or treats us or even how we perceive ourselves but live in the assurance of a child of God.  You don't work and serve others because you "have to" but because you "want to".   Jesus said  “So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs.  Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. " Mathew 6:31-33

You are a child of God!

The Perfect Man: We serve Jesus Christ the perfect man that never sinned.  He withstood every test in this life so he will help us withstand the tests that come into our life as well as we trust him.   The perfect man presents himself to God and seeks the appointments and will of God in their life.   We are to read and meditate on the words of the bible as directed by the Spirit of God and allow God's Spirit to teach us and provide us with daily tasks that put those powerful teachings to work. 

 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, for he has appointed me to preach Good News to the poor.  He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the downtrodden will be freed from their oppressors, and that the time of the Lord’s favor has come.” Luke 4:18-19.

"If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that.  But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect." Matthew 5:47-48

"That is why we have a great High Priest who has gone into heaven, Jesus the Son of God.  Let us cling to him and never stop trusting him.  This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same temptations we do, yet he did not sin.  So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God.  There we will receive his mercy and will find grace to help us when we need it." Hebrews 4:14-16
     

The Eagle:  We serve Jesus Christ who is justice and truth.  He reigns on the throne of heaven and should reign in our hearts and in our lives to touch others. 

 “Righteousness is available because I go to the Father, and you will see me no more.  Judgment will come because the prince of this world has already been judged.  Oh, there is so much more I want to tell you, but you can’t bear it now.  When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.  He will not be presenting his own ideas; he will be telling you what he has heard.  He will tell you about the future.  He will bring me glory by revealing to you whatever he receives from me.   All that the Father has is mine; that is what I mean when I say that the Spirit will reveal to you whatever he receives from me. John 16:10-15. 

“But when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, you will receive power and will tell people about me everywhere- in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8

"The truth is, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works because I am going to be with the Father.  You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, because the work of the Son brings glory to the Father.  Yes, ask anything in my name and I will do it!" John 14:12-14

The Ox:  The perfect servant.  “You know that in this world kings are tyrants, and officials lord it over the people beneath them.  But among you it should be quite different.  Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be the slave of all.  For even I, the Son of Man, came here not to be served but to serve others, and to give my life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:42-45. 

"'And you must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind, and all your strength.  The second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' No other command is greater then these." Mark 12:30-31

See a need- pray for and if you can provide for that need.

As Christians directed by the Spirit of God, we move in these four directions (The way of the lion, the way of the perfect man, the way of the eagle and the way of the ox) just as the beings did in Ezekiel.   Ezekiel 1:9-17 

It’s impossible to be a "content and satisfied" servant of light if we don’t allow God to continually remind us of all these things which bring a ruling peace to our heart as we attend to what the Lord directs.

Those who are secure in Jesus can be servants of others  -without feeling lesser of a person. 

May God richly bless us in who we are in Christ Jesus so we may do freely- without some grudging requirement.   May He heal our spiritual blindness that so easily hinders us from being all he wants us to be in this life.   May we live as light to this world by first seeing who we are in the light, then the light that floods our soul will be graciously and freely shine upon others.  In Jesus Name I ask Amen.

“Your eye is a lamp for your body.  A pure eye lets sunshine into your soul.  But an evil eye shuts out the light and plunges you into darkness.  If the light you think you have is really darkness, how deep that darkness will be!”  Matthew 6:22

"You are the light of the world- like a city on a mountain, glowing in the night for all to see.  Don't hide your light under a basket!  Instead, put it on a stand and let it shine for all.  In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father."
Matthew 5:14
 
Extra:

We are our Heavenly Father's children but to really know who we are in Jesus Christ is like being arrows in his quiver.  Are ready to be sent?

 

"Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builder is useless.  Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good.  It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones." Psalm 127:1-2

Thank you for reading.

Simple Stones

“Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.  For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, [are called].  But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen, and the things which are not, to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence.  But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God--and righteousness and sanctification and redemption--that, as it is written, "He who glories, let him glory in the LORD."  1 Corinthians 1:25-31

Simple stones.... not in our abilities but his working in us makes us qualified.  Our trust and faith alone in God allows us to overcome the restraints of ourselves.  I am limited in myself but not when I let the mind of Christ occupy me - nothing is impossible with God.   I hope for nothing but God.   To die to self is hope to gain more of Christ – that he might live mightily within me. 
 

”And if you will make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone, for if you lift up a tool upon it you have polluted it.”  Exodus 20:25

Isn’t God the one who made these vessels to deem what he wills of them?  Isn’t it God who makes us right with himself by his Son Jesus Christ? Are we not to have the same mindset of Christ who said, ”I can do nothing on my own.  I judge as God tells me. Therefore, my judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the one who sent me, not my own will.”  John 5:30

Who also said, “Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.”  John 15:5

Simple stones know their weaknesses and knows where their strength lays within.

⁵ And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God.
1 Peter 2:5

Living and Holy Sacrifice.

“And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him.   Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.” Romans 12:1-2

 

There is Something about Doing Good Deeds

I have always admired one of a mild disposition and gentle spirit, who doesn’t need to show presence in words or abilities or looks but is quite simple and comfortable in all things concerning life and men.

Nothing seems to overcome them even in difficult times.  They are content with little or much.   They take one task at a time realizing what can’t get done today can get done tomorrow or the next.   Their focus is of one driving in a thick white fog, focusing on the here and now instead of what may or may not come.   It is not that they are indifferent or dry or highly regard of them selves- it’s just that they keep their trust in someone higher then the world and higher then anything the world might offer at a price.  

They sit looking at nothing in particular too long – not the oceans, the skies, the stars or even the pathways of men.   They quietly stand unstirred by all the affairs of life.  They walk as if listening to a lovely sympathy.  On the hot days the shade and a cool breeze brings thanks to their lips. 

On the cold days a simple fire and a warm drink is not under-appreciated by them.   They journey through life with a light grasp.  Even when wrinkles grace their face and white hair crowns their head, they still live in a warmth and quiet peace enjoying, savoring and absorbing all precious moments as if they worth more then gold.   Yes every morning they sit like a boat in quiet waters reading scriptures from their well-worn bible and then rise as if a soft wind has just filled their sails.  They aren’t like the clouds that come and bring no wind or rain.  They come with a refreshing word and perspective, which seeds the ground.  They mist, sprinkle, and pour graciously encouraging the ground to germinate and grow its fruits.  Their personalities aren’t so massive that they block out the sun or thick with pride that rays of light can never shine through.  They have sympathy and compassion and unity like a sunrise and sunset.

It is not of icy self-assertiveness or self-interest that they do this- for that would be still too bothersome of a burden for the human soul to bear.  They shed their leaves of color amongst great gratitude and sometimes sorrow.  Sweet sap drips from them in conviction as their roots continually dig deeper into God’s securing love.  When the Spirit comes over them, their hands without fail rise up like crocuses awakened from frozen ground.   The hands of heaven dry their cheeks and lift their chins like loving parent.

Many men seek such assurance and confidence in bits of silver and gold but they are continually left with a bitter taste of dissatisfaction in their mouth and a hunger in their soul.   The simpleton confounds them.  

Why is this man of long walks and humble attributes so appealing?   He has nothing really to give but offers what little he has.   He smiles with no evidence he will get any smiles back.  Why in all the hustle and bustle and uncertainty of today and tomorrow, why are you like a light that continues to shine even in the worst of storms?  Why don’t you just blow out like everyone else?  Why are you are like that salt the makes my soup malleable and sweet warm butter on my bread?      

Why do you walk as if you were experiencing one of the greatest cities in world but it’s plain and ordinary and even dismal?   You greet people as if it were a privilege but they aren't important or even famous.  Why is there a glint of encouragement in your eye when the wisest of men has said, "All is meaningless"?

It makes me think that - in the eyes of God even meaningless has a role.  What if all this hollowness, frailty, unfulfilling, fleeting whims of this world that seduce and chastise man -had a purpose? 

What has this man found that is so irreplaceable?   He has invested many hours of thought and accounted for his loses and the benefits still out weighted the losses.   He has checked his inventory everyday to see if something is missing and continually works to have a mature up to date supply.   He continually checks to see if his house is in need of repair.  

He sees his pantry of supplies is not enough for his company and himself.  He sets out for fish market and bakery to find fresh provisions.  He buys wood to cook the food and warm it.   Then when everyone eats all will be satisfied and he will have satisfaction of doing his service well.  He does this day after day just glad to be of service.

This man definitely travels a road less traveled.  What does he find there? 

Then comes the question, “Do you too highly regard your life?  Do you cherish your life more then you should?

If the soul is discouraged -could it be out of one’s self-centerness?

Do we too highly regard our life?  Would the world miss one more selfish soul?  No, of course not.   
But they might miss an unselfish one though.

The Lord Jesus said: “It is more blessed to give than receive.” Acts 20:35

Am I saying, “Does this giving score us any points with God?”  No!  Am I saying, "Good deeds get us into heaven?" No! But does giving something to someone in need do something within us to encourage us out of discouragement?

Do we too highly regard our life, our comfort, our security, our needs, our feelings, our wants and so on? But not highly regarding God and what he wants from us?

How often do you ask God what he wants from us?  Personally I know it’s far less then my requests from him.   Keep this in mind, if God wants you to do something he will give you the strength and resources and mind of Christ to do it in.

I don’t want to go down that street of guilt but I want to ask, if we are not asking God what he wants… are we really honoring God or not honoring God?  Do we really have a relationship with him at all? Are we really his body, his people, his vessels?

None are perfect at this that I know of .... yet he still puts up with our dabbling in other things.

Sometimes we even miss the entire point of life?  We can so easily point out the negatives in this life as if they are bigger then God.   We don't realize God allows us to see the negatives - so we might pray and do something by His Spirit to speak into the situation.  We don't see that we are an ear, a hand, a foot, a voice, an eye to be used by God.

Do we really love the LORD with all our heart, soul and strength? 

I am not trying to sound religious and dry and yuck! Please understand me here in your heart. 

We go to God to fulfill our needs and he does it… not always in the time we think it should happen but he does answer them…. but ask yourself does God have needs?

Does God’s body have needs?  Does the people, who don’t know him yet but who he died for, have needs?   Of course they do!  But how can they know Christ and come to Christ to be saved if we only cram God’s words into their face with no caring action behind it?

James says what?... “Now someone may argue, ‘Some people have faith; others have good deeds.’ I say. ‘I can’t see your faith if you don’t have good deeds, but I will show you my faith through my good deeds.  Do you think it’s enough just to believe that there is one God? Well, even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror!  Fool! When will you ever learn that faith that does not result in good deeds is useless?”  James 2:18-20

We say our purpose as God’s people is to serve God and encouragement comes from God but how can we be encouraged in the Lord if we aren’t also doing and participating in the Lord’s work?  God's words need to come alive off the pages of our mind and into our daily actions.      

Are we so cared for by God that we overlook the needs of others?  Are we so cared for by God that we over look the simple blessings that we receive everyday such as clean running water we shower in, to electricity we use, the home we live in, to the comfortable warm bed we sleep in? Are we so cared for by God that we have become greedy over the things in this life? Not realizing we have far more then we need.   Why don't we share?  Do we take and take more then we give?

Why don’t we cry out "Lord what are your needs?  What are the needs you want me to help you with to help those made in the image of you?"

The reason we don’t ask is because of our own self-centerness and what little we give – at all- we think that is enough.  The reason we don't ask is because we are afraid of how he might answer us.

Self-centerness leads to discontentment and discouragement.  We get so focused on ourselves that we can’t see what God wants us to do!

The message of Christ should enrich our lives and the lives of others.   Good deeds are part of that.  It is not a self-centered message but a message of hope and encouragement.  Where the peace of Christ is ruling and filling the heart/soul to touch other people’s lives.

Self-centerness doesn’t lead to maturity in Christ- it lives and leads to the mindset of the world.

We hear we work to live or live to work but it is neither.   We serve God to live. There is where the secret of life is… there's another strategy God gives to overcome the world and our discouragement!   

We hang onto life - we lose it but if we give it to God (more then we are now) then we will discover it more fully.

If you just went to work for the paycheck, it would be meaningless but if we looked at work as… how could we make a difference in other people’s lives then “the job”… It would be a lot more fulfilling.

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." Colossians 3:23

2 Timothy 3:1-17 New King James Version (NKJV)

Perilous Times and Perilous Men

But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: ² For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, ³ unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, ⁴ traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, ⁵ having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away! ⁶ For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts, ⁷ always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. ⁸ Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith; ⁹ but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

The Man of God and the Word of God

¹⁰ But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love, perseverance, ¹¹ persecutions, afflictions, which happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord delivered me. ¹² Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. ¹³ But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, ¹⁵ and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

¹⁶ All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷ that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

Looking at this passage we can be thankful to God for these last days.  Sounds crazy but think about it….  There is to be a definite difference or departure from those caught up in the world and those living for Christ.   As things get progressively worse -God’s people, filled and guided by the Holy Spirit will have many chances to glorify God more and live encouraged in a discouraging world.

The greedy still won't give unless forced and they will still find ways to keep what they have and the giver, already be used to giving, will give freely to those in need. They will be looking out for others then themselves.

God addresses our discouragement about life when we are able to do things for others.  Instead of feeling like everything is hopeless, God puts us to work to make a difference in a hopeless world.

The Jackie Pullinger Story - Missionary to China from believe836 on GodTube.