Sonsofthesea.org

"Come follow me and I will make you fishers of men." Matthew 4:19

Month: November 2017

November 26, 2017 /

 “I have been crucified with Christ [in Him I have shared His crucifixion]; it is no longer I who live, but Christ (the Messiah) lives in me; and the life I now live in the body I live by faith in (by adherence to and reliance on and complete trust in) the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”

Are you living the crucified life that you ought? Before you answer, keep in mind that If you have received Christ as Lord and Savior, then you’ve agreed to climb up on Christ’s Cross and be crucified with Him…

So, with that in mind, I’ll ask again: Are you living life dead to self and alive to Christ?

Those questions hit me like a thunder bolt! Jolting me out of my familiar mid-week leaning-in posture—causing me to sit straight up in Holy Ghost conviction!

Crucifixion. Not your typical topic of conversation. It conjures up images of unimaginable brutality and unthinkable cruelty. Yet, in the case of Jesus, though brutal yes, this unthinkable act was voluntary. The high-point of His coming into this world was to die for it.

And so should it be for us as well if we claim to know Jesus as Lord and Savior…

It was for Esam, an Iraq Christian, who, after 5 hours of torture, after being brutally beaten, was crucified by Isis in front of his wife and children. Why? When He was told to deny Jesus he refused. And so he was told, “If you will not deny this dog, this Jesus, then you will die like Him.” And he did.

Esam was crucified…

Was he afraid? I’m sure he was. Yet his love for Jesus, that promise he made that his life was no longer his own, strengthened him, giving him the grace necessary to surrender it all to God. “And they have overcome (conquered) him by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing]” Revelation 12:11

Overcome: To subdue, over-power, to conquer. “Living your life unafraid to die for Christ’s sake empowers you to truly live your life for Him. Because to live is Christ and so too, to die…

I knew God had just said, Now that I have your full attention, this is where—the direction in which, I’m calling you. Follow me.

I recognized in an instant I was being sent back to the Cross—yet again. But my death, (unlike Jesus’s, unlike Esam’s), was purely spiritual; it’s dying daily to all my little gods. To straining the gray from my life, ridding it of lukewarmness, of me-ism’s, my death, my personal choice to lay down my life, to be crucified with Him, remains an ongoing process…

From my familiar seat, in familiar surroundings, I could hear too, the familiar steely echo of the hammer striking archetypal nails.

Loving God is meant to cost you. Serving God means understanding dichotomy—seeming contradictions. Dying to live. Giving to receive. Emptying yourself to be filled. In other words, thinking as God thinks, not as the world around you think…

The Pastor asked the above questions last night. He was unpacking his message and talking about how God had rebuked the Pharisees concerning their faithful—yes faithful, letter of the law tithing.

How Jesus chided them for having failed in true giving because what they had given was incomplete. Because when it came to the heart of their giving Jesus wanted more (Matthew 23:23). He wanted, wants, hearts that are generous in giving everything. Like Esam’s. Hearts, like His own, willing to give it all. Hearts lavish in showing mercy, open-handed in trust—in faith believing, princely in demonstrating love, kindness, and compassion. A heart that’s fair and just. One that uses the same scales to weigh another’s sins and short-comings as it does its own. A heart willing to die to its wants to please, build up, support, encourage, comfort, give, seek the best for, another. One that would rather die than to break his commitment to live for God…

Not one that is tight-fisted. Giving only what the law requires, says must be given—and not one thing more.

That’s when I thought  to myself what I believe we’ve all said to ourselves or aloud, at some point—if we’re Christians. My giving is pure, joyful, a privilege. I’ve been crucified with Christ; my life is no longer my own. That it is Christ who lives in me...

And I know that if you, like myself, love God, and have said this, you too have meant it—mean it, when you say it. I know I do. But do I, do we, mean it to the point of death?  Like Esam? Or do we mean it like the Pharisees meant it, giving what is required by the law but no more?

Do we mean it even when it costs us—because it will.

It will cost us because—love is, after all, sacrificial…

Something must go—must be given up, over to, surrendered, put to death. Over, and over, and, over again. For however long that love, that relationship lasts—else it will die—rot, dry up, from selfishness—from an overdose of; “But what about me….?”

The Pastor went on to point out how as new Christians, we take pride in our Christian-ness. In being able to quote a few Scriptures, serve on a ministry team, have our faces—better still, our names known by our fellow Christians, our pastor,  Christian 101. The alpha of our salvation. He then went on to point out the B’s and C’s of the Christian experience. He finished his teaching with an example of the more mature Christian. The one that has been through some battles, suffered seemingly unbearable loss, having some scars to show for their years—having carved out circles in midnight rugs as they battled in prayer—contending. Has spent time in the refiners finer—finding themselves prostrate on the floor—in tears of gratitude, or repentance. Who knows this walk—their strengths and abilities, have nothing to do with self and everything to do with God. That in truth, they’ve yet to scratch the surface of knowing their unplumbed God…

But they want to—they strive to, will give anything—to know Him more.

He’s all they have—all I have.

Hence the ongoing deaths—our love for Him drives us back to His Cross…

Love requires that we give everything, not simply what the law requires.

Love is sacrificial…

It drives us back to the hammering and the nails that recommit us—to our sacrificial life’s work—death to self and life in Christ. And, for as long as we live in these tents of flesh they’re necessary— the hammer and the nails, those cyclical trips to the Cross—they’re air and water necessary to our souls. Only Jesus died once for all—we are not Him…

Though He lives in us and through us, we, unlike Him, are not yet perfected as He is perfected.

I was jarred when the Pastor asked those questions of us—of me. My answer, ashamedly—honestly, was no.

No, I’m not wholly living my life-like I had crawled up on His Cross and died. I leave far too much room for myself—my wants, thinking, and abilities. Though I want to, strive to, and at times do give it all—I am non-the-less selfish. My flesh wins out far too often in its ongoing war with my Spirit. And it is here, in this knowledge, in my weakness that I was reminded I have a Father who knew how selfish, imperfect, and flawed I was when He called me to be His own. It’s why He sent Jesus into my pig-pen, to wrap a cloak around me, to put His signet ring on my finger, and to prepare a feast—and a permanent place for me…

So then, I will not, must not, allow the enemy of my soul to condemn me for something God has sent His Only Son to free me from. Though God lovingly convicts me that I may grow in Him, though He demands that I relinquish what does not reflect Him to the world around me, I do not stand condemned before Him.  Why? The finished work of Jesus has redeemed me—His Life, His death, and His resurrection.

Jesus did for me—for you, for the whole of the world, what we could not do for ourselves. His perfect—spotless, sacrificial death, His Blood—if received by us, by anyone, reinstate us to right relationship with Father God.

But as I’ve said from the outset of this message—Loving God will cost you, because true love, at its core, is sacrificial.

It always seeks what’s best for its beloved. It serves—first, loves, first, gives, first, forgives, first, encourages, comes-up alongside of, lays down the right to, thinks of other before self…first.

True love is the mirror image of God’s love for us turned out toward the world—towards each other…

Hence our need, my need to return to that Cross—His Cross, my Highest example of what death to self is Truly all about. That I might, unlike the Pharisees Jesus chastised, learn to give God my all. My very best. Those things that cost me to give…

For God so loved the world that He gave, His only Son—so that I might, we might, know Him, and through that knowing be transformed into His image. And continue as vessels that bring—carry life, to the world as He did.

Like Father—like daughter/son.

My brother, my sister, if you claim to know Him, to have received Him—His Spirit, I’ll ask of you what was asked of me, what convicted me.

Are you living as though you had climbed up on Christ’s Cross and been crucified with Him? Are you living your life dead to self? Or are you living the way of the Pharisees? Giving some, but not all, to God? I urge you to pray to the Lord that He may show you where you need to lay “self” down.

I pray your strength as I pray my own…

And, if you don’t yet know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, today is the acceptable day, now—right now, wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, stop. Just stop. Ask Jesus into your heart now—and mean it, He will come…

“But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved” (Romans 10: 8-10; emphasis added).

 

“Why Peter?” Matthew 16:15-17

November 19, 2017 /

 “He said to them, But who do you [yourselves] say that I am?  Simon Peter replied, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God. Then Jesus answered him, Blessed (happy, fortunate, and [a]to be envied) are you, Simon Bar-Jonah. For flesh and blood [men] have not revealed this to you, but My Father Who is in heaven.”

So why is it that Jesus called Peter out of the boat? Why not Andrew, John, or James? If it were to demonstrate to them all the truth of His divinity, then certainly His walking on the water, according to both Johns and Marks Gospel accounts, accomplished that. Each writer clearly states that, all of those in the boat fell down and acknowledged that He was the Son of God.

So why Peter?

Why did Jesus call Him—solely, to step out of the boat and walk on a raging, life-threatening, sea?

I posit, and the Scriptures certainly backs up, that it was apparently groundwork for what was yet to come…

For a Peter who ran, God came. For a loud mouth, God came. For one who was so rash he reached for a sword as his answer, God came. For a leader who tucked-tailed, God came. For a beloved friend who denied Him, not once or twice, but thrice, God came. For what God saw inside the heart of Peter, and not what we see, God came. And, through Peter’s life, the Holy Spirit reveals what can happen to a man when God comes…

Think of it. Walking on water—stepping out on a sea as solid as dry land, for however briefly, is something one would never forget. And, even if the memory of it dimmed with time—as the most powerful of our memories do, one word, one poke at the embers of that experience and it would rage white-hot once again!

The foundation for doing the seemingly impossible—the sheer miraculous, had been laid—through this one-act of obedience, of great faith. Great humility would be laid in Peter also, suffusing with this faith—but only after his unfathomable betrayal. And these would come together and congeal with his fierce loyalty. An allegiance that was born both from revelation knowledge—gnosis, and from directly tasting the fruit of that revelation—of what Jesus offered, however baffling at times—repeatedly.

Knowing it would never be found—that Truth, in anyone or anything else. Ever…

And, that one experience, mixed with this humility and this knowledge—this gnosis, would be so seared into Peter’s being, his faith, that even the denial of its Author—as astonishing and heart-rending as it was, could not erase what he knew to be Truth. We see evidence of that on a sandy shore during breakfast—John 21:15-17.

It was to Peter that Jesus said if he’d but give Him the rest of His life, He would make him into a ‘fisher of men’, one who would change the world—Mark 1:17. It was Peter to whom God revealed that Jesus was the Messiah—the Son of God, the rock—the Truth, on which His Church would be built when asked, “Who do you say that I am?”– Matthew 16:13-20 And, too, it was Peter, who, after the visitation of the Holy Spirit in the Upper Room, addressed the crowd gathered in Jerusalem for Passover, each in his own language—and about 3000 were saved and baptized—Acts 2:41. And Peter who first brought the Word of God to the gentiles when Cornelius and his entire household accepted Jesus as Lord and were baptized—Acts 10. Peter, who is recognized as the Apostolic leader of the early Church whose counsel Paul, and Barnabas sought about how the gentiles should be taught to practice the way and their rights as followers—Acts 15.

And in the end, it was Peter who was crucified upside down. Not worthy, according to his own words, to taste death as His Lord did.

Yet throughout the Gospels we see evidence too, of the dichotomy present in Peter. His bold profession’s and pitiful shortcomings. His humanity.

The very same Peter who denied Him and ran, God chose to be the pillar of the early Church

Yet it is this bold, impetuous, ill-tempered, sometime weak-as-water, unwavering martyr that God used—to help carry the Gospel forward and perpetuate the Truth of Who Jesus is, and the Life He offers—that is still producing fruit to this day.

Back to my original question. Why Peter? There were at least 10 others that loved Jesus as Peter did. Who had given up everything and followed as Peter had. Left homes, families, husbands, wives, and children—gave of their time and resources until they had given it all. Up to their very lives…

What was it that Jesus saw inside of Peter? Surely, he wasn’t perfect.

I believe the Word shows us that it was both the measure of faith, as well as the fierce loyalty that God had placed in Peter—Romans 12:6, along with a deep and abiding humility, that set him apart for the task which God had called him—John 21:15-17. Though he didn’t always understand Jesus—or His teachings, Peter recognized the Truth in them. Simple man that he was, Peter knew, that only Jesus had these Words of Life—these teachings, and that outside of them there was nothing—John 6:68. Not that the other’s lacked faith or loyalty, they didn’t. But God knew what He had created Peter for—what would be asked of him—required, and exactly what it would take to see Peter through—to accomplish what He had destined Peter for. And through him, his Church on earth. And it would take walk-on-water faith, and an abiding, in-the-face-of-all-adversity, stalwart loyalty, mixed with a knee-bending humility, to partner in perpetuating God’s eternal Truth…

Jesus Christ is the way, and the Truth, and the Life—John 14:6

What has God placed exclusively within you, Peter?

More, will you  be faithful, humble, and, loyal to what He has given you also—for such a time as this—and, for those who you alone were created to influence?

“Immeasurable Value” Philippians 1:29

November 12, 2017 /

 “For you have been granted [the privilege] for Christ’s sake, not only to believe and confidently trust in Him, but also to suffer for His sake…” 

Solomon tells us that there is a time and a season for everything under heaven. So it shouldn’t surprise us that the Lord brought forth a time—a season, specifically set aside, associated with—being thankful. We actually call it, “Thanksgiving.” A time when we gather as a collective, connected, human family and recall all that we are thankful for. We sit—gathered around tables and steaming platters of food, hands joined, and hearts bent inward.

In a prayer—a confession, we take turns saying what it is we are most grateful for.

In a social media exercise conducted on Facebook of the top ten things people are most grateful for—Number One on the list, topping the charts, was friendship. People were most grateful for their friends. Also in the top ten are “family and friends,” “husband,” “children,” and “daughter.” It appears that we are most thankful for the people we are closest to.

By far, the most significant, meaningful, fulfilling, the most precious relationship I have—the friend I value most in life, is Jesus. It’s the relationship I have with Him. And so, it’s here—as the head of this table, the one you and I are seating at, that I’ll ask you to indulge me for a moment so that I might talk a bit about who it is I am most grateful for.

Hopefully—you share in my gratitude? But if not, maybe later, as our time together comes to a close—you will…

I didn’t go looking for a friendship with Jesus.

I knew of Him certainly, but that was all—a knowing, a head knowledge. It was a start, a seed…

Years of Catholic school and my weak as water faith in the fact that there was more to life than what I was experiencing, was the only true thread that connected me to God. That, and the fact that I had always believed—felt, somehow intrinsically knew, that there was a reason behind all that I saw around me. Mind you, I take no credit for this knowing. It was a gift. I wasn’t a person who believed in random anything. I still don’t. I know now that though I didn’t yet know (ginṓskō ) God—He certainly knew me, in the truest, most intimate sense! And why wouldn’t He, after all He created me, formed me, knew my most intimate thoughts and intrical parts. God speaks of His intimate knowledge of His friends this way: “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations” (emphasis my own).

I didn’t choose Jesus, as I said. He chose me, wooed me. He stood over the void He was about to turn into the place I know as home and said, Yes, I think MaryEllen will fit perfectly into my plan for this place. And He did it before He created one tree, one fish. Before grass was green He chose me to be His! And so, in His infinite wisdom, and, for lack of a word I’ve not yet found to describe His loving-kindness, His goodness, and unmerited mercy, God was gracious unto me and called me to be His own—His friend…

He set a place—a forever, exclusive seat at His table for me…

So in this season, and every day that He allows me to live—to be used by Him in some small way, I am grateful…

But it’s now, here, with you, that He is reminding me of this great privilege I’ve been afforded. Not everyone knows Him—or wants to. I’ll leave the theological explanations of why to those far more learned than I. What I can tell you with absolute certainty, with boldness, is this. If He had not chosen me, I’d be dead. Most likely literally, but if not, most certainly I’d be among the living dead—the hopeless. You see my life had become a cesspool. There’s a saying that will give you a glimpse of what I’m talking about. It goes something like this: You can put a gown on a pig and a gold ring through its nose—but it’s still a pig. And that friend, describes my state of thinking and living right up to the second Jesus reached across time and eternity and took me to be His…

Everything on the outside looked fine—hence the gown and gold ring on our fictional pig…

Three beautiful, healthy children, a home, good food, a car, money in my pocket, talents, and a family that hadn’t tossed me to the wolves. Even after years of my abandoning them. Yet I was a train wreck—wallowing in sin, depressed, in denial, manipulative, and, angry. Knowing it was wrong—I was wrong, wanting out—but feeling as though I were powerless to change one thing. And I was. No one—unless their out of their minds, literally, would choose living that way…

And then Jesus came. Bringing with Him the change only He can. Just like that, seemingly, out of nowhere. I know now—have some small glimpse in retrospect, of how Paul may have felt when Jesus knocked him off His horse! “And he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me [harassing, troubling, and molesting Me]? And Saul said, Who are You, Lord? And He said, I am Jesus, Whom you are persecuting. [b]It is dangerous and it will turn out badly for you to keep kicking against the goad [to offer vain and perilous resistance]” (Acts 9:4-5). Though I didn’t hear one Word from Jesus the day He knocked me off my proverbial horse—I most assuredly felt Him. I knew something had just happened to me as I sat there listening to the priest exegete his homily.

Yet I had no idea—no frame of reference for what that feeling was—nor how it would immediately, lastingly, turn my life upside down—in the best possible way…

It cost me. His coming to me, being chosen by Him—it cost me. If fact, it still is, costing me that is. But oh, what a privilege, an honor really, to pay the price of calling Jesus my own! And yet my cost has been chicken feed when compared to what Jesus willingly paid to call me His…

Again, I can relate to how Paul tells it, listen: “But whatever former things were gains to me [as I thought then], these things [once regarded as advancements in merit] I have come to consider as loss [absolutely worthless] for the sake of Christ [and the purpose which He has given my life]. 8 But more than that, I count everything as loss compared to the priceless privilege and supreme advantage of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord [and of growing more deeply and thoroughly acquainted with Him—a joy unequaled]. For His sake I have lost everything, and I consider it all garbage, so that I may gain Christ…” (Philippians 3:7-8).

I felt compelled today to share this…

First as a reminder to myself—because though I’ve been afforded this awesome privilege, both of salvation and friendship with Jesus, and to partake—share, in His suffering, truth be told, shamefully, I often forget just how very precious and costly this privilege is. How dearly another—willingly, lovingly paid the price that I might taste of its goodness at all! Secondly, but no less important, to remind you too—if you’ve been chosen by Jesus, knocked off your proverbial horse as it where, to return to the place—to the fervor, of where it all began—this thankfulness…

Friend, thank you for joining me at my table…

And thank you for allowing me the privilege of sharing with you the Person for who I am most grateful. Jesus Christ. Prayerfully, you too are thankful for Him in your own life. But allow me, if you will, another moment to speak to anyone who may not share in our gratefulness because they’ve not met our Lord.

Friend, there is room at this table for you…

Jesus has set a place for you as well. He didn’t forget about you. He set it two thousand plus years ago at His Cross. The Blood—His innocent Blood, was shed there for you—so that you too may be called His chosen, His friend. He’s done all that was asked of Him and He tells us in His Word that if we ask Him to come to us, and believe that He is who He says He is, then salvation is ours—friendship with Him is ours. “But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: that if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with your heart you believe and are justified, and with your mouth you confess and are saved.…” (Romans 10:8-10).

Won’t you call out to Him today? Please, join us in fellowship as we celebrate—this gift of giving thanks to The One…

Give thanks with a grateful heart

Give thanks to the Holy One

Give thanks because He’s given Jesus Christ, His Son

And now let the weak say, “I am strong”

Let the poor say, “I am rich

Because of what the Lord has done for us

Give thanks…”

 

“Proper Use” For” 1 Corinthians 7:31

November 5, 2017 /

 …” and those who use the world [taking advantage of its opportunities], as though they did not make full use of it. For the outward form of this world [its present social and material nature] is passing away.” 1 Corinthians 7:31

 Before we get into today’s teaching, let’s first define the word, use.  The proper ‘how to’ of using a thing, as referenced in our Scripture verse.

Use:The privilege or benefit of using something…

In Chapter Seven, Paul deals with questions asked him in a letter by the Christians in Corinth.

Today, for the purpose of this teaching, we’ll focus only on verse 31 of this informative, ‘how-to’ Chapter. We’ll look at how our hearts and minds ought to view the ‘things’ we’re given—even those, especially those, that are pleasant and seem good to us. And, how the viewing of them, these, ‘things’, directly affects how we ought to be experiencing the passing of time…

This topic, the proper use of things, is one the Holy Spirit has dealt with me on. And, as with all messages He gives, they’re first run, as a heart check, through me, and only then, passed on to you. My prayer for you before we move on is that you allow God to have His perfect way in you. Accomplishing all that He wills in and through you as you read on, and always…

So, now, as we jump in, Scripture, as it should always be, will be our guide today. Our foundation, our facilitator, in getting us started in the right direction. Paul, in part, is teaching us in this chapter to have, ‘imminent thinking’, just as he has had. To be ever aware that at any moment, quite literally, Jesus will return. It’s not a, ‘He might’ thing—rather, it’s a He will!

It’s written in Stone…

Paul cautions us in today’s verse to be vigilant—always at the ready! He is simply reiterating for us what Jesus said to us in Matthew 24:44: “Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”

So let me ask you, “Are you ready to meet Jesus? If not, now, today is being afforded you the opportunity to!…

As Christians—followers of Christ, He calls us to live our lives in imminent expectancy—Listen: “Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, And my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor” (Psalm 39:5, emphasis my own). In other words, regardless of how long you may live—it’s only but a moment when compared to our eternity…

Once we—through the revelation of the Holy Spirit, grasp just how fleeting our time on earth is, it should bring about a change in the way we desire to use this time we’ve been blessed with. Though we’re free to choose how we use what we’ve been given, if you call yourself a Christian—if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, then you should always—in all you do, (not just in marriage, as Paul was referring, but also in relationships, work, good deeds, with your possessions, or within your ministry), have your eyes focused on eternity. On Jesus. Being good stewards of whatever time we’ve been given. So, now that we have a biblical direction in place pointing us towards—our due north, concerning how it is we should wisely use our time, let’s look next at how we ought to be regarding—dealing with, the ‘things’ in our lives.

We should never lose sight of why we are here and what God’s purpose in having given us— gifted us, with anything, is truly for.  And that is to be used to advance the will of God and His Kingdom. They were not given, these blessings and talents, so that, he with the most toys at the end wins! Quite the contrary. Everything we have been given, and all that we do with it should bring glory to God. Everything. “So then, whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of [our great] God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

I don’t know about you, but I have a propensity—a bent, towards allowing stuff, things, possessions, even time, to get the best of me. Let me explain…

If I am not watchful, and too often, if I’m being transparent here, I’m not, I allow the enemy to slip in through the crack in the door my lack of humility creates. Next thing I know I find myself thinking that all the stuff in my life (for the sake of this teaching I’ll focus on material, tangible, things such as my home, furniture, car, possessions) is actually mine. And, mind you, to a certain degree it is mine. But not for the reasons the enemy is promoting. Pride in self, in my accomplishments, in what I’ve done. Think King Nebuchadnezzar here, you can read it for yourself if you’re not familiar (Daniel 4:28-30). Rather, everything is mine because God in His infinite love and through His provisional care, choose to bless me with it—has provided it for my use. And it is, and forever will be, His choosing to bless me, not anything I’ve done or given to myself, that has brought any of it into existence—contrary to how strenuously the world may disagree with that line of Truth… “O LORD our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours” (1 Chronicles 29:16).

Yes we work. We partner with God. But before we were ever able to do so, He had to have first equipped us to do so. Who provided us the job? Deeper, who gifted us with the talents and abilities to do said job once it was given to us? You get where this is going? Which  brings me to the root of this teaching. The ‘how to’ of using the things God has given us—gifted you and I with.

And more, deeper still, the ‘heart-attude’ in which they should be honored…

As with all things given us by the Lord we should hold our belongings loosely—with an open hand.

How we hold what’s given us mirrors back at us the condition of our hearts…

The posture of our heart is a direct indication whether we’re grateful, faithful, and trusting in God. Whether we’re looking for ways—opportunities, to share with others, all that God has blessed us with. Is our hand open to allow ‘all who will’ to partake(Revelation 22:17 )? Do we see—think of, all that we’ve been freely given rightly—through the Perfect lens of Scripture? Do we view every-thing we’ve been blessed with as a tool to be used, in some small or great way, for advancing The Kingdom of God?

As a key that unlocks the blessings for future generations?

Do we use everything to demonstrate the love of Jesus to a lost, a dark, and a dying world? Or, are we, like the world, blinded by a heart whose roots got tangled up in the wrong soil? Producing within us the fruit of selfish ambitions? Have we allowed so much of the world to seep in, that we’ve lost sight, however briefly, of eternity? Are we scared that if we share—give of what we have, we might run out ourselves? Ugly I know, but is it possible that our  perceived or perhaps tangible tastes of lack have allowed us to believe that we might lose all that we’ve wrongly chosen to hold dear? That if we don’t keep our hand closed, perhaps someone else will come and steal it—what’s ours! And so, in fear, we close—ball up our hand into a fist. We close off any chance of anyone taking anything that’s ours…

The problem with that isn’t so much about the posture of the hand, though wrong and harmful, as it is the posture of the heart…

Fix the heart and the hand will follow. Time is short. Any ‘thing’ that you’ve ever called your own is a gift from God. Ask the Holy Spirit to do a heart check in you today. Use the tools  you’ve been blessed with wisely—keeping your eyes fixed on eternity always…

I remind you of this Truth today because the Holy Spirit first reminded me…

My hand is open to you, come, take what you will. As I’ve been given, I freely give. “Iron sharpens iron; so a man sharpens the countenance of his friend [to show rage or worthy purpose]” (Proverbs 27:17).

If you have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, now is the acceptable time. If you’ve felt Him tugging at your heart as you read these words today, please friend, answer Him with a resounding and heartfelt, “Here I am Lord!”

© 2024 Sonsofthesea.org

Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑