Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Doing What is Most Important

Every year we come up with resolutions for our future to change ourselves in mind, health, finances, activities—what we think will give us the most benefit.  Some of our aspirations are quite noteworthy, some not so much; some we can attain, most are easily given up. 

Ask yourself:  “What is the greatest thing I can do for myself that will make everything else fall into place?”  Brace yourself, and be open for a second or two.  Maybe it is as simple as following a Law that God told Moses to write; a law so important that Jesus gave an answer to a man’s question, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” 
To this, Jesus replied: 


Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.”

~Deuteronomy 6:5; Matthew 22:37, Mark 12:30

The Lord’s word to you this very moment, as it was yesterday and will be tomorrow is simple.  If you love the Lord—He who is love, the essence and creator of life and giver of mercy, grace, peace, and love—then your heart’s desire will be given to you when you love him with all your being. For you see, at the heart of love is obedience, to obey love fulfills all things and fills all need.

Oh, that I do what is most important,
 
Owen <><

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

The Reason the Son of God Appeared…

I enjoy Christmas, the tree, lights, Santa, and all the wonderful things we know—and, what we have made Christmas to be.  It isn’t so much about a helpless baby in a manger; it is a threat to the evil one’s, Satan’s, desire to rule.  Jesus’ human birth, the incarnation of the Son of God, reveals the glory of our King, our eternal hope, and the Spirit’s power to overcome all that is against us as we live doing what matters through Christ. 

The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the devil's work.”  
~ 1 John 3:8

The gifts in the nativity are gold, frankincense nor myrrh—the gift not found under a tree nor in need of a ribbon, is Christ the King, the glory of our salvation, our hope, and the power that will “destroy the devil's work.” 
 
The next nativity you see look for more than a helpless infant.  Look and see God’s greatest gift.  There in the midst of holiday clamor is the Anointed One, the incarnation of God, He who is life through the resurrection, the light that overwhelms the darkness of evil and sin; and the One who holds the power to destroy the devil's work and bind him forever.
 
Receive the gift, the power of Christmas.
Owen  

Friday, December 13, 2013

The Inn Keeper's Decision

No matter how one may express it; you either have room in your heart or reject the gift that Christmas represents.
Imagine yourself as the inn keeper, whom Joseph and Mary approached for a place to receive the birth of Christ.  You either have room for Christ, or not.  Jesus either is invited into your midst and very heart and spirit,  into your very midst, or not—having him near, allowing him some small place is to reject him. 
 
Simply put, invite Christ in or tell him to move along.
 
“She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.”  ~Luke 2:7
 
It is more than a nativity scene it is an eternal message:
“Anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. Anyone who does not believe God has made him out to be a liar, because he has not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.”  ~1 John 5:10
 
Merry Christmas,
Owen

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Do Not Hesitate

Often in prayer, or any situation, the Spirit of the Lord speaks into your very soul, your very essence of being and thought.  How do you respond?  You know what was just whispered into your heart was in direct response to the moment.  When thoughts out of your normal attitude nudge you to get up, overcome barriers, and capture the moment to reveal Christ enters your heat:  do not hesitate—that is God talking to you.  

“While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the
Spirit said to him,
Simon, three men are looking for you.
So get up and go downstairs.
Do not hesitate to go with them, for I have sent them.’”
~ Acts 10:19-20

Peter had trouble being a guest and sharing the table fare with non-Jewish, non-Hebrew, unclean gentiles.  What he had to overcome was changing his thinking and do what God’s Spirit had whispered into his heart. 
Peter submitted to the whisper of the Lord’s Spirit. 
Then, what happened?
He got up, and did not hesitate to accept an invitation.

Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet,
and worshiped him.  But Peter took him up, saying,
“Stand up: I myself also am a man.”
Acts 10:25-26
Peter was welcomed into the home of Cornelius, a good man who gave to the poor and sought God, a Roman Centurion and of all things, a gentile!

Peter shared the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Cornelius and others at his house.

While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. The circumcised [the Jewish] believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles.”  (vv. 44-46).   

Do not hesitate: overrule your reservations—submit to doing what God’s Holy Spirit plants in you, and today you will reveal the gospel of Christ to someone who is perishing.       



Get up, … Don’t Hesitate,

Owen <><

Read Acts 10

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Glorify the Lord: Generation to Generation

My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant.
…His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation.”   Luke 1:46-50

A young teenager gave us the wisdom above, a girl who was bout fourteen, maybe sixteen.  She was from a poor and dusty little town called Nazareth; her name was Mary. 
 
Her testimony was, “my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.  What you speak will become a precursor, the very foundation to the legacy you will leave to future generations.  Every child (or adult) you are near can be influenced – you can tell them about the love of God through Jesus and the comfort of the Holy Sprit; or leave a legacy of frivolous, vain things that remain in this world. You have a choice.  The words you speak have impact, just as the teenage girl, Mary said, “from generation to generation.” 

Your words and influence have everlasting impact, do you lift up life in Christ, whereby the Lord’s “mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation”? 
You have the floor, … speak your “peace”.

Bless you,
Owen <><

Monday, December 2, 2013

The Truth is this…

The Truth is this, …, says Rev. Andrew Murray—and so lives Jesus!

“The truth is this: Unless pride dies in you then nothing of heaven can live in you.” 
—Andrew Murray
         
How do we go from the pride of “me-me-me” to being “yes, Lord, yes” is a matter of attitude.
We are to think like Jesus—God’s Holy Spirit is within the born again—our task becomes one of transformation: changing our thinking process to be the same a Christ (see Romans 12:2).  As we read in the Word of truth: 

Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
Who, being in very nature God,
did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
but made himself nothing,
taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.
And being found in appearance as a man,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to death —
even death on a cross!”                             

—Apostle Paul, Philippians 2:5-8

“Humility, the place of entire dependence on God, is, from the very nature of things, the first duty and the highest virtue of the Christian.”  —Andrew Murray

Consider, if you will, without humility, one cannot confess they need Christ. 

You cannot think that:
1) You are not good enough for God (pride of self-pity).
2) You a strong and good enough on your own (pride of self-worth)
3) You don’t need God, humankind’s beliefs are good (pride of self-humanist-truth)

Filling yourself with pride leaves no room for God’s love, mercy, grace, and Spirit to fill you.

“Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”  James 4:10

Don’t be down, … be lifted up in all humility!
Owen <><

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