The Root and the Star

29 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by mjdmom01 in O Christian.com Tags: , , , , , , ,

I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star–Rev 22:16

Nothing is more notable in Jesus than the union of apparent contradictories. Qualities of the most diverse characters are brought into a perfect harmony in Him. When we set out to copy any brother, we are wrested from our true development. For other lives, even at their finest, are fragmentary and incomplete. But nobody who aims at following Christ can ever be false to his true self, for the character of Christ is universal. He combines the most opposing temperaments and reconciles diversities of being. Everything that all are meant to be, our blessed Savior actually was. That is the truth which lies in the assertion, so often fiercely combated, that our Lord was not a man but man. Speaking evangelically, it is only the redeemed who are in Christ. Not till we are born again are we in Him as the branch is in the vine. Yet in the matter of ideal character, in all its infinite diversity, there is a mystical sense in which our Savior embraces the whole human race. Nobody becomes anybody else when he aims at imitating Jesus. He grows nearer to his highest self when he becomes more like his Lord. For all the partial ideals of life which give to it an infinite variety blend into a perfect unity in the perfect character of Jesus.

The Union of the Diverse

Now, something of that reconcilement is seen in the imagery of our text. Between a root and a star there is a world of difference, and yet Jesus tells us He is both. He takes objects from two different worlds, and in both of them He finds Himself. He selects things that seem to have no unity, and He compares Himself with both of them. He brings together in a single sentence objects that are utterly unlike, and yet He sees in each of them something that is an image of His being. Take these figures separately and they are rich in spiritual significance. Take them together and they are big with hope for all the diversities of character. Men who are as different from each other as a root is different from a star may find all that they seek for in the Savior.

One notes, for instance, how this twofold figure combines the local and the universal. A root is embedded in a single spot; a star rains its influence on the world. If a root is to grow it needs a certain soil, for there and there alone it finds its nutriment. To that environment must come the searcher if he wants to get his hand upon the root. But in the crowded city and the lonely glen and far away on the solitudes of ocean a man may lift his eyes towards the heavens and be comforted by the shining of a star. The root is grounded in one place; the star sheds its light on every place. The root is fixed in a definite locality; the star is the joy of all localities. And then one thinks of Jesus, born in Bethlehem and growing up in Nazareth and yet today the light of the world. Go to Africa, and there you find Him. Travel to India, and He is them. Multitudes who have never been to Bethlehem have experienced the power of His name. Rooted deep in the rich soil of Palestine, the image of a root is not enough. On sinful men a million miles from Palestine He has shone as the bright and morning star.

The Union of the Hidden and the Evident

Another aspect of this twofold figure is the union of the hidden and the evident. A root is something concealed from observation; a star is conspicuous in its shining. There are roots which lie very near the surface, and there are others which run very deep. But one mark of every root is this, that it shuns the light and moves into the darkness. And just there, between root and star, what a world of difference there is, for a star is something that is seen. Nobody in the brightest day can see a root. It lives and moves concealed from human eyes. But in the darkest night the stars are shining in the wonder of the heavens. And does not one feel at once that it takes both, infinitely diverse though they be, to picture for us the mystery of Jesus? The kingdom cometh not with observation, yet Jesus could not be hid. The mighty world knew not when He came, and yet He is the light of every man. He lives in the secret of the heart and in our hidden being has His dwelling, and yet in the outward and habitual life He reveals the shining of His presence.

The Unity of the Earthly and the Heavenly

And then lastly in this twofold figure we have united the earthly and the heavenly. For a root is one of the children of the earth, and a star one of the glories of the sky. You find the root where common feet are treading, where lovers walk and little children play. You find the star beyond all human reaching in the infinite heights of heaven that are above us. And then we think of Him, whom we discover on our Emmaus roads, while He shines on us from the altitude of glory. One cannot explain these things nor understand them. They are mysteries beyond our fathoming. How can one be here, where the green grass is, and yet radiant in a world beyond our reach? And then we remember how these contradictions were reconciled in the consciousness of Him, who called Himself a root, and then–a star.

http://devotionals.ochristian.com/george-h-morrison-devotional-sermons-devotional.shtml

 

How Jesus Taught Us to Pray (4)

29 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by mjdmom01 in The Encouraging Word Tags: , , , , , , ,

“Deliver us from the evil one.” Mt 6:13 NKJV

Jesus taught us to pray: “Do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one” (v.13 NKJV). Satan knows your areas of weakness and he will exploit them. But there’s good news. It’s your weaknesses, not your strengths, that draw you closer to God and make you lean on Him. Paul wrote: “I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may work through me” (2Co12:9 NLT). At first this verse doesn’t seem to make sense. You want to be freed from your weaknesses, not boast about them. But Paul gives you several reasons: (1) Your weakness prevents pride. Paul writes: “So I wouldn’t get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations” (2Co 12:7 TM). You’ll often find a weakness attached to strength, acting as a governor to keep you from becoming boastful or running ahead of God. Gideon chose 32,000 men to fight the Midianites, but God reduced his numbers to 300 (See Jdg 7). Why? So that Israel would know it was God’s power and not their own that saved them. (2) Your weakness creates fellowship. Your struggles show you how much you need the support of others. Vance Havner said, “Christians, like snowflakes, are frail, but when they stick together they can stop traffic.” (3) Your weakness enables you to help others. It’s the broken who become masters at mending. Your most effective ministry can come out of your most painful experiences. The things you’re most reluctant to share are often the very things God will use to help others.

http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/05/29/how-jesus-taught-us-to-pray-4/

Object Lesson: You are a Thank You Card by Kristin Charles

28 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by mjdmom01 in Childrens Corner, Ministry To Children, Tween/Teen Tags: , , , , , , ,

The following object lesson can be used in a children’s church setting, an elementary chapel, an Awana message, or a Sunday School.  It is designed for students from kindergarten through sixth grade.  The premise of the message is that we should live our lives as “Thank You Cards” written to God.

How many of you have ever written a thank you note before?  How many of you had your parents make you write that thank you note?  (Good for them!)

Do you remember what kind of things you were thankful for?  Was it crazy socks you got from your birthday party or a ten dollar bill you got from your Great Aunt Wilma for Christmas or a book from your teacher?  Did you ever write a thank you note for something special that you did with someone, like go out for pizza or ice skating or to an amusement park?

Does anyone know what you say in a thank you note, besides thank you?  Invite responses. Usually, most thank you notes sound like this:

Dear Heather,

Thank you for taking me camping with your family.  I had so much fun!  It’s hard for me to decide what my favorite part of the weekend was.  It could have been eating s’mores or swimming in the lake or giggling over your dad’s snoring.  Wasn’t it funny when that raccoon scared us or when the tent fell on our heads?  I laughed so hard.  Thanks for taking me.  I can’t wait till we go again!

Your friend, Me

So besides just saying thank you, you tell the person why you loved something and what it meant to you.  If you got a gift, you may say how you’re going to use it.

Okay, next question.  How many of you have ever gotten a thank you note?  How did that thank you note make you feel?  I don’t know about you, but I love thank you notes!  It’s kind of cool to know that someone notices a gift that you got them.

Or maybe, someone says thank you for just being you.  It might be something as simple as a note on a napkin that says, “Thank you for making me smile!”  If I got that note on a napkin – even if there was ketchup or hot fudge on it or something out of your nose (don’t get any ideas now!), I think I would keep that napkin forever.  That thank you napkin would make me happy every time I saw it.

Now let’s turn this talk over to God.  What can we be thankful to God for today?  Let’s think about all that God has done for us.  In Psalm 126:3, it says, “The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy.”  Let’s shout out some of those great things He has done.  I’ll begin.  I thank God for __________, ___________, and _____________.  Invite student responses for as long as you can.  Let this time be an anthem of thanks.  Continue to supply your own thanks also.

As we just heard, God has done great things for us and we can be filled with joy!  God has been so good to us.  Most of all, He has given us our Savior Jesus Christ, who died on the cross for our sins.  He has given us incredible life in Him and because of Him.  But He has also given us so much more.  He’s given us ice cream, tree frogs, patience, and thumbs. Have you ever tried to do anything without your thumbs?  Try it today.  It’s nearly impossible!  He’s given us our legs to run, a painted sky, and the ability to forgive others.  Substitute your own random thanks. Don’t you kind of wish we could write Him a thank you note for all He has done?  Here’s the thing.

We can.

Hold up a card and envelope. Now it’s not the kind of thank you note that gets stuffed in an envelope, licked, stamped, and addressed.  It’s not the kind where you even need to take out a pen.  It is the kind of thank you note that looks just like you though.  And you, and you, and you, and you, and all of us and me.

We can be a thank you note.

Why should we obey God’s word?  Why should we do what He says?  Why should we love Him?  It’s not just to keep us out of trouble.  It’s not just because it’s what is best for us.  It’s not just because our parents have said so. It’s certainly not so that everyone can see how good we are.

We obey God so that our lives can be a thank you note back to Him.  It’s our way of saying thanks.  What would our lives look like as thank you notes?  If we are saying thanks, can we at the same time be complaining?  If we are really saying thanks for all that He has done, will we always want more stuff or will we be content?  If we are living lives of thanks, can we keep hurting others, whom He has made?

If we are really thankful for what He has done, how does that make us different?  Invite responses. How can we be a thank you note to God this week?  In your life, what needs to change?  If I am to be a thank you note this week, I’ll be honest with you.  I’m going to need to work on _____________.

Think about what you need to work on this week.  What sin in your life do you need to get rid of?  In the quietness of prayer, let’s go to God and ask for forgiveness.  Let’s also ask the Holy Spirit to help us to change us from the inside out.

How cool would it be to bombard heaven with our thank you notes this week; the thank you notes of us.  Let’s do just that!  I think I’m already seeing God smile now.  Ready.  Set.  Go!

The idea of Christ followers living lives as “Thank You Notes” was first generated by Dr. Kara Powell.  I loved the illustration so much that I expanded it into this lesson.

http://ministry-to-children.com/thank-you-object-lesson/

Will You Practice Sin or Right Living? Object Lesson for Kids by Tony Kummer

28 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by mjdmom01 in Childrens Corner, Ministry To Children, Tween/Teen Tags: , , , , , , ,

One of my biggest frustrations is when kids know right & wrong but choose to do wrong anyway. This drives me crazy, especially when it’s just a small temptation that wins them over. So, I began to brainstorm a way to teach about the practical effects of sin even when they don’t get caught.

Watch the video below to see a demonstration featuring my son David. You can also click here to add your own thoughts or suggestions for this object lesson.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TspPDjbSGT8&feature=player_embedded

Supplies Needed: One child to volunteer (preferably a kid who plays basketball) and a basketball.

Gospel Connection: Don’t let this object lesson come down to only behavior. This tenancy for all of us to choose sin shows us the need for Jesus. We are all born sinners and practice doing wrong all our lives. It takes the power of the Gospel to remove our guilt and change our inward desires. Then we can begin to practice right living.

Scripture Connection: This can be used with any Bible lesson about doing right or growing in God’s ways. Here are a few Bible verses that come to mind when I think of these truths.

Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. (1 John 3:7 ESV)

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish. (Psalm 1:6)

http://ministry-to-children.com/will-you-practice-sin-or-right-living-object-lesson-for-kids/

 

Support the Troops!

28 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by mjdmom01 in Joe Stowell Tags: , , , , , , ,

“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against . . . the powers of this dark world.” Ephesians 6:12

As the war in Iraq drags on, we are all a little war weary from the complex battle that continues to wage over there. The tired troops want to come home, but with courage and dedication to the cause, they remain on the frontlines. Those of us watching from a distance do what we can to support them, driving around with our “Support the Troops” stickers on our cars and praying fervently for their safety and success.

While no one can accurately predict the resolution, the war carries a poignant lesson for all those who care about the cause of Jesus Christ. As God’s people, we are engaged in a war of far greater proportions—warfare against the hierarchies and unseen powers of the satanic hosts (Ephesians 6:10-12). This battle concerns the liberation of the eternally lost, the advancement of Christ’s kingdom, and the glory of His name.

What strikes me is the surprising lack of support for the frontline men and women who are in the trenches waging this war against the gates of hell. Some of our spiritual troops are dug in on battlefields far away. From massive urban centers like Hong Kong and Rio de Janeiro to the remote jungles of Papua New Guinea, among executives and shopkeepers and natives, these soldiers are penetrating enemy territory with the life-changing claims of Christ.

I am frequently brought face-to-face with the everyday struggles of missionaries who serve as soldiers in the work of the kingdom. Some spend an inordinate amount of time getting to the frontlines because the funds they need are not available. Others often feel forgotten and neglected during their stint on the field. When they finally come home, they feel that somehow they don’t fit.

I also have the privilege of talking heart-to-heart with pastors who labor in their homelands. While some feel loved and supported, others speak of the difficulty they face in trying to focus their church’s attention on the advancement of the gospel. Often a pastor is the target of bickering and petty agendas that turn the congregation inward and end up dividing and sapping its strength.

Laymen fight it out in the trenches of the marketplace, where they see their careers as an opportunity to show Jesus to their world by working with integrity and ethical purity, and some of them do this against great odds. Yet many find little enthusiasm or support for what they are doing in the tough arena of secular society.

So, as Americans commemorate Memorial Day, I think it’s fitting to stop and consider how we are doing in terms of spiritual warfare. Let’s take seriously Paul’s advice to “put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes” (Eph. 6:11). If each of us were to make a personal commitment to put away what is petty and temporary and instead concentrate on what will advance the cause of Christ, think of the ground we could claim for His kingdom! If we pledge to pray consistently and specifically for those involved on the frontlines, we will provide a vital aspect of support. And if we put our money where we say our hearts are, we will keep the battle lines supplied.

The big difference, of course, between earth-side battles and spiritual battles, is that we already know the outcome. Jesus already claimed eternal victory, and in the meantime He gives us the power for victory in the skirmishes we face along the way. So enlist yourself today, and don’t forget to support the troops!

YOUR JOURNEY…

  • Are you on the frontlines waging war with the forces of darkness? If so, make a list of the personal battles you are facing, and commit those areas to prayer with your armor on!
  • What are some of the battles the church at large is facing today? How can you help support the cause in a way that brings glory to the name of our Leader?
  • Think of some specific ways you can encourage others who are slugging it out on the frontlines.  Write a note, send a gift, or make a phone call—be creative!

http://getmorestrength.org/daily/support-the-troops/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+GetMoreStrength+%28Strength+For+The+Journey%29

Unquestion Revelation

28 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by mjdmom01 in Oswald Chambers Tags: , , , , , , ,

In that day you will ask Me nothing —John 16:23


When is “that day”? It is when the ascended Lord makes you one with the Father. “In that day” you will be one with the Father just as Jesus is, and He said, “In that day you will ask Me nothing.” Until the resurrection life of Jesus is fully exhibited in you, you have questions about many things. Then after a while you find that all your questions are gone— you don’t seem to have any left to ask. You have come to the point of total reliance on the resurrection life of Jesus, which brings you into complete oneness with the purpose of God. Are you living that life now? If not, why aren’t you?

“In that day” there may be any number of things still hidden to your understanding, but they will not come between your heart and God. “In that day you will ask Me nothing”— you will not need to ask, because you will be certain that God will reveal things in accordance with His will. The faith and peace of John 14:1 has become the real attitude of your heart, and there are no more questions to be asked. If anything is a mystery to you and is coming between you and God, never look for the explanation in your mind, but look for it in your spirit, your true inner nature— that is where the problem is. Once your inner spiritual nature is willing to submit to the life of Jesus, your understanding will be perfectly clear, and you will come to the place where there is no distance between the Father and you, His child, because the Lord has made you one. “In that day you will ask Me nothing.”

http://utmost.org/unquestion-revelation/

Tozer Devotional-Looking Back While Pressing On

28 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by mjdmom01 in A. W. Tozer Tags: , , , , , , ,

Looking Back While Pressing On

Another enemy is complacency.“ Woe to them that are at ease in Zion” (Amos 6:1). The contended Christian is not in danger of attack, he has already been attacked. He is sick and does not know it. To escape this we must stir up the gift of God which is in us. We must declare war on contentment and press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Again there is self-righteousness. The temptation to feel morally pleased with ourselves will be all the greater as our lives become better. The only sure defense against this is to cultivate a quiet state of continual penitence. A sweet but sobering memory of our past guilt and a knowledge of our present imperfections are not incompatible with the joy of the Lord; and they are of inestimable aid in resisting the enemy.

http://www.cmalliance.org/devotions/tozer?id=563

The Gathering

28 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by mjdmom01 in Our Daily Bread Tags: , , , , , , ,

During Oswald Chambers’ service as a YMCA chaplain in Egypt (1915–1917), he touched the lives of many soldiers who died in World War I. On November 6, 1916, Chambers wrote in his diary: “We have a letter from a New Zealand friend telling us that Ted Strack has been killed. And so Ted Strack has ‘gone to be with Jesus.’ That is just how he would have put it . . . . [He] was a rough beauty of nature and of grace, a fearless, loveable little saint. Thank God for every remembrance of him . . . . So they are gathering one by one.”

As we grieve the death of those we love, we cling to Jesus’ promise of life beyond the grave. The book of Revelation records John’s vision of a great multitude from every nation, tribe, and language gathered around God’s throne in heaven (7:9). The overarching truth of this passage is a glad, eternal reunion when “the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd [us] and lead [us] to living fountains of waters” (v.17).

The passing of every believer in Christ foreshadows the day when we will join them with the Lord. In our sadness today, we are hopeful as we see that “they are gathering one by one.”

Beyond the sunset, O glad reunion With our dear loved ones who’ve gone before; In that fair homeland we’ll know no parting— Beyond the sunset forevermore. —Brock
Goodbyes are the law of earth; reunions are the law of heaven.
http://odb.org/2012/05/28/the-gathering/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+odb%2Ffeed+%28Our+Daily+Bread%29

The Life To Know Him

27 May 2012 1 Comment

by mjdmom01 in Oswald Chambers Tags: , , , , , , ,

. . . tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high —Luke 24:49


The disciples had to tarry, staying in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost, not only for their own preparation but because they had to wait until the Lord was actually glorified. And as soon as He was glorified, what happened? “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33). The statement in John 7:39 — “. . . for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified”— does not pertain to us. The Holy Spirit has been given; the Lord is glorified— our waiting is not dependent on the providence of God, but on our own spiritual fitness.

The Holy Spirit’s influence and power were at work before Pentecost, but He was not here. Once our Lord was glorified in His ascension, the Holy Spirit came into the world, and He has been here ever since. We have to receive the revealed truth that He is here. The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive reviving life from our ascended Lord.

It is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit that changes people, but the power of the ascended Christ coming into their lives through the Holy Spirit. We all too often separate things that the New Testament never separates. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience apart from Jesus Christ— it is the evidence of the ascended Christ.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not make you think of time or eternity— it is one amazing glorious now. “This is eternal life, that they may know You . . .” (John 17:3). Begin to know Him now, and never finish.

http://utmost.org/the-life-to-know-him/

Everything that may abide the fire, ye shall make to go through the fire. Num 31:23

27 May 2012 Leave a Comment

by mjdmom01 in O Christian.com Tags: , , , , , , ,

The great aim of this enactment was to render these articles ceremonially clean. They had been in the use of the Midianites, and required cleansing, before they could be appropriated by Israel. But the cleansing processes were to be determined by their texture. Fire for what would stand fire; water for what could not stand fire.

We must be thoroughly cleansed. – If a man will purge himself, he shall be a vessel unto honor, meet for the Master’s use. Not clever- ness, but cleanliness, is the prime condition of service. Jesus will not put throne-water into impure and polluted receptacles. What fellow- ship hath Christ with Belial? We shall not be passed through fire, unless we can stand it. – Our faith is too precious to God to be exposed to risk. He will not let us be tempted beyond what we are able, lest we be dis- couraged, and make shipwreck. If, then, you are called at this time to pass through an unusually searching ordeal, be sure that your Heavenly Father knows that you can endure it. “That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried by fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.”

We must go through water, if not through fire. – The law provided also that “all that abidethnot the fire, ye shall make go through the water.” The one is negative, the other positive; the first appertains to John the Baptist, the second to the Holy Spirit. The latter is the best; but be thankful, if you cannot endure it, that there is a discipline more tempered and gentle, which will yet render you meet for the handling of the Holy Saviour.

http://devotionals.ochristian.com/f-b-meyer-devotional.shtml

 

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