Holy Communion: More than Religious Words and Ritual

The Presence by Alfred Edward Borthwick, Mary's Cathedral, Scotland in 1910

Christ is in The Presence of a woman in St. Mary's Cathedral, Scotland in 1910.

The painting depicts Christ’s presence as He comforts a woman who has stayed behind others gathered to and have gone forward for Holy Communion.

Why has she not gone forward with everyone else? Is she overwhelmed by sin and not being worthy of the broken body and the blood of Christ? Maybe.

Could it be that she is the only one in the church who is preparing her heart to take Communion, versus going forward and making Holy Communion nothing more than a religious act? She has considered the weight of Paul's instructions in 1 Cor. 11:27-32.

Blessings of Christ,

Owen <><

1 Corinthians 11:27-32 (NIV)  “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. A man ought to examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment. When we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world.”

My Prayer, By His Power

“Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the Lord of hosts.” ~ Zechariah 4:6

I have no might or power, only my Lord's Holy Spirit can manifest a good work, indeed bring a miracle to pass.  … … I can never again pray for help that focuses on God to empower me. Never can pray that He help accomplish Christ’s work. My Lord has placed His Spirit in me and upon me to be a witness of Christ, to disciple, to love … what he has told me, a follower, to do.

  

I can only pray with a surrendered will and life to my Lord, in hope that He will use me as an open conduit, through which His Holy Spirit’s power accomplishes the will of the Father.

So, I pray, “Not I, not for what my will desires, but in the will and by the power of the Lord God Almighty’s Spirit that God’s will be manifest. In the Name above all names, Jesus Christ, so be it, Amen and Amen.” 

In Christ alone, a conduit of His Spirit,

Owen <><

“Father, … yet not my will, but yours be done.” ~ Luke 22:42

Death and Taxes or Choose Life

“Jesus … saw a man named Matthew

sitting at the tax collector's booth.

‘Follow me,’ he told him,

and Matthew got up and followed him.”

~Matthew 9:9

When Jesus told Matthew, “Follow Me,” Matthew did not leave his lucrative tax table to

die a young pauper.

No, he obeyed Christ’s call and chose eternal life found only in the riches of God's mercy and grace.

That was not an act of an opportunist being strong, it was an act of a humble man knowing his own weakness and that he needed what only God could provide.

God bless,

Owen

Morality Is Not Relative

Whatever is evil,

… such as hate, pride, or anything that ... 

  

is unrighteous,

and it can never

be good.

Morality - good and bad –

are not relative.

Morality is not relative.

Remembering that God is good and Jesus was without sin: 

God bless,

Owen <><

Silent About the Lamb

We live and speak in social caution — correctness — in a way that nullifies Christ.

We need to realize, as Apostle Paul did, to "eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20).

Read his story of an encounter with Christ. Paul was practicing – living and speaking – within the correctness of Pharisaism. He carried out the persecution of all who were followers of Christ. In Acts 9 we see a transformation of Paul. That change begins with his being thrown down off his horse and by hearing Jesus' challenge. Then, with physical blindness he realized his blindness of God and the Son of Man, Jesus. 

By experiencing blindness, the restoration of sight was not merely of the sun’s light, mere human vision, but he gained vision by the Light, seen only in his Messiah – Jesus Christ, of whom he spoke boldly through the remainder of his life.  

Pray and Witness,

Owen

Long, long ago a word opened …

One little word ignited a passion within me to read and consider what the Bible had to say. It has been some forty years and that word continues as a comforting fireplace that warms my heart. Long, long ago the word that opened my mind was “study.” I do confess, in times that I poured water on the fire, nonetheless, it smoldered within my soul until I threw the water bucket away. He is like that.   

That word study first touched me when I read 2 Timothy 2:15. In the KJV translation we read, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The word study jumped out at me. That word took me to a place to help me better understand our Lord Creator and Savior.  

Today, new translations are more literal, in example, “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (ESV). The ESV, NIV, and other newer versions do not include study. This is not wrong, but accurate. “Study” isn’t in the original Greek text, the 1611 KJV translation added “study” as an inferred understanding of “dividing the word of truth.” That was a tidbit of what one learns when they study.

We must “rightly handle,” or study the Bible if we are to understand the meaning of a word, a verse, or short passage. If we don’t, then we can misunderstand or confuse the true meaning being given us. God has given people His truth, read it, study it – as you read be ready for the Spirit’s whisper, stop reading and listen.

I pray that I have encouraged you to study the Bible, you will discover that Christ is there in humility and love from beginning to end.

Studying his Word,

Owen <><

A Personal Question

Jesus asked his followers a simple question, “Who do you say I am?”  Peter gave a quick and short answer, “The Christ of God.” Peter’s time with Jesus had assured him that he was with the promised Christ or Messiah. The question by Jesus came as they had finished with feeding five thousand by one of Jesus’ miracles. Peter had been with Jesus for a while and observed a man who was humble, gentle, and possessed power over the elements, the illnesses and afflictions people suffered; and spiritual beings.

Now, it is important to recognize that there were two questions asked beforehand, first, “Who do the crowds say I am?” and then, “But what about you?” Good questions then and today. The disciples heard questions and answers ripple through the crowed as to who Jesus was as they were being fed by a miracle. I am sure Peter and other followers listened to the chatter and in amazement, turned to look back at Jesus many times. Similarly, you hear what a pastor, friend, neighbor, nonbeliever, or person of another religious faith has said about Jesus. What Christ asked his followers is still valid today. It is a question to you personally and the answer is yours, not someone else’s opinion.

Who do you say Jesus Christ is?

That simple question determines your life today and what tomorrow will bring.

Answering the question,

Owen

Luke 9:20

“But what about you?” he asked. 

“Who do you say I am?”

Confidence at Table

I have observed our grandchildren at the dinner table for many years. We have grandchildren from four to twenty years old. Over time I’ve watched a pattern of wanting to pray and being too shy to say a prayer through their lives:

there is a time of eagerness to pray due to the newness of understanding or sometimes an older one will pray to thank our Lord for the provision of food. 

It is a mixture of age that reflects newness to have the opportunity to pray, the opportunity to have the responsible privilege to pray, and shyness to pray as others listen.

Adults seem to be similar, they often hold back from or forget about prayer. Doing so is how the opportunity to deepen our relationship with God slips away.  More often, than not, we pray out of necessity, when things go wrong – health, finances, personal issues, disaster, etc. – we remember to pray. We live in a faith of response to need, not in a relationship where needs are met. We miss out on a lot of goodness of God’s presence and helping us in life before our issues occur. Prayer is much more enriching when not exercised as an afterthought.

It is good to peek, observe prayer.

A child will have a simple prayer at meal time, “God is great, God is good, we thank you for the food, amen” and we as adults hesitate to be that simple, that humble. Do we prefer to miss out? We hesitate to pray and to invite others to our table and pray with us.  I’m reminded of Jesus’ invitation for all who have a chair at the table for him, “Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev. 3:20). I wonder, would you, me, anyone answer the door and enjoy a meal together with Jesus? Yes, of course.  Now, who is going to say the meal's thanksgiving blessing? The guest or host? Be a gracious host and thankfully pray. When you pray you may be surprised at simple little things that change in your life … those little things, my friend, are miracles.  

I need to pray,

Owen

“Devotion to God and devotion to prayer are one and the same thing.” ~ E. M. Bounds

Ask the Obvious

We, as a local community of believers, often want many things. Sometimes those wants and what God wants seems to be a weird mystery to solve. This reminds me of a story when Jesus was in the middle of a crowd in a town called Jericho. A blind man kept calling out loud to Jesus, “have mercy on me!” But, the crowd wanted him to shut-up. Then God intervened. Jesus stopped walking and told the believers with him, “Call him.” When Jesus’ followers went bring the blind man to Jesus, he became excited and “jumped to his feet and came to Jesus.”

Then Jesus asked the obvious question, “What do you want me to do for you?” 

At no surprise the obvious answer was given by the blind man, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 

Jesus, in his usual easy-going way, replied, “Go, your faith has healed you.” In an instant the “man” was no longer the “blind man.” 

The miracle gave him sight and he “followed Jesus along the road.” When he gained his “sight” he saw Jesus’ face and he saw Christ his Savior – by faith he believed, then followed the Lord.   

Faith In The Unseen: 2 Corinthians 4:18

When Christ is obvious in our life, then, who we are becomes transparent. All humanity is looking for an answer, a miracle that will fill their emptiness. That is what brings validity to who God is, all because the obvious answer to the deepest question within our being has one answer, Christ. 

In the same way a community of believers reveal the obvious answer as to who the Healer is, who the lover of our being is, and who the God of eternity is.

To understand the answer of people’s want is to understand the question, “What do you want me to do for you?”

Being obvious,

Owen <><

See: Mark 10:46-52

Following the Crowd

From last Sunday, Palm Sunday, until next Sunday, Easter, is Holy Week.  The week began when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey.  A crowd gathered along the roadway and symbolically waved palm branches as a king entered Jerusalem.  That crowd “went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!’” (John 12:13).  A crowd also gathered early Friday morning, without a doubt most of the same people from last Sunday were in this crowd, but they exhibited a demeanor with a radical change.  The Friday crowd gathered and shouted, over-and-over again, “Crucify him!  Crucify him!” (Luke 23:21). 

How can a crowd welcome the King of kings one day and a few days later want to free the rebellion criminal named Barabbas and have Jesus executed in his place?  To which the Roman governor, Pilate asked, “Why? What crime has he committed?” (Matt. 27:23). 

But, “the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have Pilate release Barabbas” (Mark 15:11) and the crowd shouted back at Pilate, “Give us Barabbas!” (John 18:40).  Pilate, in political correctness, followed the crowd’s desire.  Such is the craziness of following a crowd, a deceived crowd.  But, isn’t that the point?  Jesus had “been tempted in every way, just as we are — yet was without sin” (Hebrews 4:15) and the “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3).  Similarly, we are under the judgment of eternal death, but Christ Jesus took our sins on himself and took them to the grave and left them there when He rose from the grave, in turn, all who follow Christ are freed from death to eternal life with our Lord.

The clamor of deceivers stirs us up, we follow the crowd, and become deaf to truth in midst of all the noise.  We have always questioned what the truth is throughout our human history (see Gen. 3:1-10), and with deaf ears follow the crowd that is deceived by the lie of satan and chant the lie together.  Truth can be hard to accept, but following the crowd is easy.  There is an emptiness in us that we desire to be filled, mistakenly we think that comes by recognition in the crowd.  We’re all that way to some extent – we just follow the crowd, which is why Jesus warns us to “watch out that no one deceives you” (Mark 13:5).

Following Jesus, not the crowd,

Owen <><

Spit

We are a people who are often concerned with where we came from and desire the answer to “Who am I.”  Today there are companies that will ask you to spit in a tube, in turn, they can analyze what percentage, if any, Neanderthal you are.  

They can also let you know what your family’s genetic roots are.  Sometimes verifying granny’s stories, sometimes bringing a shock to who you are.  The genetic tests can even tell you what your potential is for disease or heart failure.  But, science can’t tell you spit about being healed, and a lot more.  

Then, there is Jesus.  Who was asked by his followers if sin had had caused a beggar to become blind.  I guess the man hadn’t spit in one of the little tubes and mailed it in.  But, Jesus, stopped and nonchalantly “spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud and said to him, ‘Go, wash in the pool of Siloam’ (which means Sent).”  The blind beggar, went to the pool he had been Sent and after he had obediently washed, he “came back seeing.”  (John 9:6-7) 

I guess a little spit can do a lot.  Some spit can only tell you that you’ve a “potential” for an ailment.  A miraculous spit brings healing, restoration, and joy.  If all Jesus has for me is spit, then please, spit on me Lord – may a wave sweep me away ….

Where my heritage has come from is interesting.  But, to be overwhelmed by God’s Spirit, and swept away in a wave that manifests salvation, healing, and a fire of God’s Spirit (which is beyond what I can comprehend) is what will fill my inner emptiness – my spit in a tube cannot do all that.

Wash me in the pool you have Sent,

Owen <><

Life Goes On

Life goes on, and on, day in, day out. 

In the momentum of life, we experience little more than hiccups that are times of great joy and mourning.  That is the big picture of life’s simplicity and where busyness offsets everything not fulfilling instant tangible needs.

There is more for our being to transcend than our obvious physical, emotional, and intellectual view of life.  Our life as spiritual beings does allow us to see and hear and feel what is not tangible—but of our spirit and of God’s Spirit.  Our mind can ignore, disregard what our spirit hears and yearns for.  This is how we ignore Jesus’ explanation of the future and His example of a previous event in humankind’s history. 

Jesus, warns us, that just as it was, “in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away.

That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left. 

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.”  ~ Matthew 24:38-42

“Therefore” … we are warned by Jesus, it seems his words of kindness and love are ignored, He had to be blunt.   So, in our ho-hum day to day life, keep watch, listen in your spirit, listen to God’s Spirit calling you to him and he will be sending angles when He sounds the trumpet for the end of time as we know it.   

Life goes on, in a routine world. 

Life goes on, do you pause and listen for a trumpet and angles (messengers) of God?

If, if, you are attentive to God you will hear the trumpet and the wings of angels.

That is, unless your spiritual ears are only attentive to this world’s noise.

Listening for the trumpet’s everlasting song of joy,

Owen <><

News of a Kingdom

An angel appeared to Mary, telling her of a son she would have. The Angel said, “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne … he will reign over …, and of his kingdom there will be no end” (Luke 1:32-33).  Jesus comes to reveal a throne without glitter, only the light of truth about of the only kingdom recognized by the Lord God Almighty.  His.  A kingdom that was, is, and is to come – God’s kingdom is here and now.

As Jesus spoke God’s Word and ministered on earth he declared to His disciples, followers, “I assign to you, as my Father assigned to me, a kingdom,” (Luke 22:29-30) – God’s kingdom.  God’s kingdom is assigned to the people of God … praise God, the followers of Christ are established this very moment within the Kingdom!  This is because of “Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom” (2 Tim. 4:1) has made believers to be citizens.  As such, to this world ambassadors of the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:20).  With the inclusion of the kingdom, God gave a “charge,” or commission to “preach the word” (2 Tim. 4:1-2) of God’s truth.  The Word in Spirit and Scripture – the good news, the gospel of salvation in Christ alone (John 14:6). 

Only by God’s Word, the living and active Word, can we share the truth of the kingdom’s hope.  The truth of becoming a part of the Kingdom of God, established in Christ Jesus alone Who’s Kingdom is eternal; it was for yesterday, is for today, and will be forevermore.

Enter the Kingdom,

Owen <><

Where Does Conscience Lie?

Our conscience is the one thing that seemingly wells up within us as to the goodness of our acts in life.  From the very core of our conscious we draw regret or satisfaction in response to our decisions, actions, and words in life.

 
In “Murder on the Orient Express,” a soul-searching question is asked by Detective Hercule Poirot.  After pondering the bond between bitter, vengeful souls who plotted and carried out an elaborate murder, Poirot ponders aloud, “Where does conscience lie?”  However, Jesus has the answer to Poirot’s question.  If we do evil, those things that wrench the very soul of a person, then “your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23).  Within us is a battle, a spiritual war (Acts 6:12) that determines the perimeter in which Light can penetrate, repelling the invasion of darkness. 

The Apostle Paul responds out of his own conscience, proclaiming, “I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man” (Acts 24:16).  How do we keep our conscience clear?  How does our conscience not have regret?  How is our conscience light filled and not in the darkness of evil?  Again, Paul taught all who follow Christ to “not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will” (Rom. 12:2). 

We make it difficult, yet God has given us his perfect will in an answer, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever!" (Eph. 3:20-21).  But, we still ask, “Where does conscience lie?”  We make it difficult, yet God has given us his perfect will in an answer, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work

Where does conscience lie?  Within us, in our very soul, within a human being created by the true and righteous God.  Our conscience responds to God’s Spirit or another spirit who battles with God. 

Living by our conscience within,

Owen <><

Withered

Early one morning Jesus was hungry, he saw a healthy looking fig tree with all of its leaves.  As he looked up He saw that it had not produce fruit, although it was fig season.  His response was to say to it, “May you never bear fruit again!”  Then, “Immediately the tree withered.”  The disciples were amazed as to how quickly the tree withered away to nothing.  (Matthew 21:19-20).

We Christians are like a fruit tree in season.  The Lord is continuous in bearing fruit for us, such as answering prayer.  I am reminded how God operates.  He never lets us down.  He is continuous in his love and favor.  As Apostle John shows us heaven, we see how God works; there we see the “tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month” (Rev. 22:2).  The Lord is non-stop, “24 x 7,” all day every day, all year every year, pouring out upon us.  In humility we simply receiver all He gives.  

Notice, God gives always.  Your fruit bowl may not be full this moment and it may take a while to get all the fruit you need to do accomplish God’s will for you.  Like Israel in the wilderness, they received quail and manna daily, enough nourishment for them to make it to the Promised Land, where God wanted them to be.  God provides.  Sometimes not as much as you wanted at once and neither as fast as you want.  But, in his will and his promise he does provide.

God answers prayer.  In example, you pray for cake.  Our Lord Almighty answer does not come in an instant, but over a few days.  First you receive some eggs, then some oil and butter, and them the chocolate for your favorite cake.  But, you want more.  You assume God has not answered your prayer.  Then a delivery truck comes with not only a pan and cooking utensils but also a new oven – more than you needed!  But, it is not the cake you prayed for!  You get frustrated and leave the kitchen.

God sees another fig tree with leaves and nothing else.

Just a thought,

Owen <><  

Lift Your Head Up

When we think of being Christlike there is a tendency to think it being something we make ourselves do and not reflecting who Christ is, and who is in us.  As Ken Sande writes, “There is more to being like Jesus than simply recognizing weaknesses and confessing sin.”  When Christ Jesus came in human form he lived in the midst of our afflictions, but is that a reflection weakness?  What we forget is that Jesus was with us “in the appearance of a man,” he was incarnate, God revealed in human flesh and, yet, the fullness of God’s love, power, grace, and presence came among us.   

He had power, but yielded love and mercy. He raised the dead. He healed the crippled. He healed the sick, a woman with blood issues, and leapers.  He had power over life and death.

As for sin, he recognized it, yet was not subject to it. He was in the midst of a sinful world, but Jesus was without sin – that is how He was able to deliver righteousness to us, there is no other way. He had power sin and the father of lies and the liar’s demons. Jesus, in human “weakness,” warned Satan of twisting God’s word into temptation, rejecting the devil. Jesus had the power to cast demons out of people they had possessed. 

 

Where was there a reason for shame and where was weakness? Not to be found.  Only good, truth, and righteousness was with him in power.  So, was he weak and hanging his head in shame. I don’t think so.  Christ Jesus’ power reigned in humility and power. 

What did or does God give you when confessing Christ and following Jesus? He has justified us, making us righteous.  His Spirit has empowered you.

 

Lift Your Head Up,

Owen <><     

 

Following are a few verses given in order of above devotional, there are many more you can find:  Philippians 2:6-7; Hebrews 4:15; John 10:7, 14: Matthew 4:1-1; 1Matthew 1:34, 39; Romans 8:9-15, Galatians 4:6  

Life Is Hard Then You Die

Life is hard then, you die.  Or, so says a proverb of our world. 
This proverb reveals a bleak outlook on every breath one takes and the lack of there being any hope.  There is no hope of anything being good.  Everything is hard and no such thing as an easy button.  Only lament, grief that life is hard.  Then the letdown, it all ends with our last breath.

Life can be hard as the world’s proverb says.  I have my list of stuff that I admit to feeling defeated in or mad about or both.  It is hard to move on.  It is a mixture of things more than one thing that eats at us.  And, yes, then we all die.  However, God created us to live forever and not a hard, bad life (John 10:10).  God has rolled out a plan, it was revealed when Jesus Christ came to us. When Jesus was with he had come “to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).  I know we are lost when we see life as pitiful and see the world through a lens of an empty heart.  All we can say in life without the love of Christ is, “Life is hard; then you die.”  That is a sad state of mind to have.  We waste a wonderful life given to us by God.

As I read the Bible I see an answer from the Apostle Paul.  I am sure he thought about this, and yes he had a very hard life.  Paul shared his heart with what the Holy Spirit had comforted him with, he wrote, “I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us” (Rom. 8:18).  It is “not worth” the effort to wallow in the bad stuff.  We will see God, when we do His “glory … will be revealed in us.”  That is the blessed hope!  So, yes we will die, but there is a glory, which is being with God in what is our true home.

Do you believe that God, Christ Jesus loves you and came for you?  Then confess him to others, pray and ask for his comfort.  Then, live a life that is good and full of hope in Christ.  As you do, “rejoice and be glad and give him glory!” (Rev. 19:7)   As God answers your prayer His Spirit comforts you in the world we live, where “life is hard,” but, note hopeless.

 

I love you,

Owen <><




“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 8:38-39).

When Darkness Lurks Let Your Light Shine

Too often we shiver and shriek, then back ourselves into a corner when things look the worse.  It seems that fear has its greatest moment and the evil one’s work to shines brightly.

We often feel attacked when all we did was to:  gather to worship; gently allow others to know about our life and how it is Jesus that enriches our life.  We think about the encouragement of Jesus’ love when he expressed, “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full” (John 10:10).  We forget the other part of that same verse by John.  The part where the evil one lurks in the darkness to pounce out on his mission, because he, “the thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy.”

With that in mind we get discouraged when life is not abundantly overflowing with the supply of our needs, all things pleasing, and unthreatening.  If we witness about Christ someone may respond with negative comments, we think that is persecution.  So, we are silent and only desire the overflowing “stuff.”  Satan laughs and floods life with darkness – he won, no need to send demons.  

If life is without tension, it is not due to your weakness.  Christ in you is the power to overthrow evil.  To not witness of Christ is silence and that is of no threat to the evil one.  When we know the Bible, and its story about Jesus and the early followers (church) we know that they faced trials, in fact, persecution – we shouldn’t think that won’t happen to us (see Matt. 5:11-12, 2 Cor. 4:7-11; 2 Thess. 3:2-4).  Remember, bad does happen in this world, it is due to satan, he is evil –

BUT, we in Christ we have had Jesus pray for us, and God answers prayer, Jesus prayed, “I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world.  My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one”  (John 17:14-15).

 

The presence of Christ is with you,

let Him be herd of and seen in all you do,

 

Owen <><

Know your hope and enablement, read John 17:6-26 – Jesus’ prayer.

In Bad Company

We, the contemporary church folks, have become great socializers with one another.  Not much different than the many Christians over the past century who have been good at “fellowshipping with fellow saints.”  We have become good at the avoidance of those who are not the same as us, the non-followers of Christ – historically called sinners. 

What is interesting is that Jesus was known as a friend of sinners.

Jesus joined those disrespected by and shunned by the religious crowd.  But, Jesus spoke of himself as “The Son of Man [who] came eating and drinking, and you the [religious crowd] say, 'Here is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners'” (Luke 7:34).  Are we indeed followers of Christ?  Are we a religious crowd that only marginally embraces those we deem immoral, a. k. a. sinners?

Would it hurt our stature in the church to be seen at dinner or in the home of someone other than church friends?  Remember, it was Jesus who “came to seek and save the lost” (Luke 19:10).  Should we be seeking the lost?  We do follow His lead, right?    

Just a thought,

Owen   

Read Luke 7:36-50, 19:1-10

 

 

Closer to God

The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”  ~ Acts 23:11
 

This was a very powerful moment in Paul’s life.  I know you realize that by the time Paul begun his ministry, Jesus had already ascended into heaven.  Now, as Jesus “stood near,” at least twenty to twenty-two years since the resurrection and eighteen to twenty years since Paul’s conversion (Acts 9), his three years in Arabia (Gal. 1:16b-18), and two missionary journeys (roughly 36-54 A.D.) before he was now in custody.  But Now! Jesus stood beside him.  

Then, as now, to desire Jesus to stand by your side, as he did with Paul, is not only a longing, but a moment when He pours out encouragement to you, acknowledges your witness of Christ, and tells you what to do next.  Yes, the Lord has expectations of you.  That’s what the Lord Jesus did for Paul in the above verse. 

So how does that come about?  The Lord fulfills such an intense bond when through prayer and worship as you turn yourself and determine to be in His presence.  Then you are empowered to carry out his work – this requires being in tune with God’s Spirit. 

But where does it begin?  Let God become intimate, drop you shield – the excuses for being afraid and ignoring His holy presence and voice (that whisper you hear).  Allow God’s spirit to manifest through you as you never thought could happen.  Fear keeps you from doing God’s will; you are afraid to do what God has asked.  Remember, you cannot claim the Scriptures if they don’t guide you. 

 

Paul lived and reminds you, as a Christ follower, “we have an obligation—but it is not to the sinful nature, to live according to it. For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.” (Romans 8:12-15).

Trembling and yet closer to Christ’s will,

Owen <><