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 <><

Gospel: Thing of Compassion Or Ugliness

“Biblical orthodoxy without compassion is surely the ugliest thing in the world.”
—Francis Schaeffer

When Jesus “saw a large crowd, he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things” (Mark 6:34).  Just as easily, Jesus could have condemned the crowd for their sins and preached judgment due to that sin.  He would have been correct, or as Schaeffer says, within “Biblical orthodoxy.” 

 

But, Jesus “began teaching them many things.”  

 

No doubt, He taught things about heaven, things about salvation, things about grace, and things about eternity with God.  Christ’s compassion, I’m sure, included teaching things that would keep one eternally lost and without the Shepherd.  It is compassion for the lost that lets you see great things as God’s Spirit enables your witness and words to teach things with Biblical orthodoxy—in a way that isn’t “the ugliest thing in the world.”    

Teaching many things—for your eternity,

Owen <><

 

Compassion for someone to live in the eternal presence of God is the basis of Jesus’ desire (Luke 19:10) and the task He has given you and me (Mt 28:18-20, Acts 1:8). 

Rooftop Whisper

We have a Hollywood vision of how we hear God speak. In the scene you are deluged in a blinding light, then a booming voice of thunder emanates from behind a veil of smoke as the Almighty speaks—a scene not unlike going before the Wizard of Oz. 
Jesus taught differently, saying: 

What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight;

what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs.     ~ Matthew 10:27

The Lord speaks loudest in a quiet moment—as you pray in stillness before starting your day.
God will “tell you in the dark” what catches your breath, by what is “whispered in your ear.”
 

Into your spirit is placed encouragement, comfort, and an urgent message of good news to be shared—the whisper burns in your soul something that is too good to keep hidden in a dark closet.  ...
You have to take it out into “the daylight,” where you can “proclaim from the roofs” the message for all to receive.

Job heard such a whisper that resonated through him like thunder, he proclaimed, “...how faint the whisper we hear of him! Who then can understand the thunder of his power?” (Job 26:14).  Take time in quiet conversation—out of the noise of Hollywood’s bright lights—listen, then get up on the roof and proclaim, broadcast, declare the thunder—whispered in your ear. … …

 

 

 

Pssst,
Owen <><