Good morning folks and welcome. It is
Thursday, October 28, 2010 and we are anticipating the arrival of some cooler temps that if and when they get here can only be described as both refreshing and a blessing. The other day I mentioned some behind the scenes ministry efforts that for the most part go unnoticed but the results help to change and restore people's lives. I had been talking about how critical it is for us to be doers and not just those who hear the Word of the Lord. On Tuesday evening the lady teaching our inner city Bible club used that same passage but focused on how the writer James emphasized how those who hear only and do not
do, end up deceiving themselves. (See James 1:22) That got me to thinking. It's okay for you to be worried about me thinking because that's often the same response I have. Those who hear only end up deceiving themselves. The word for deceit in the Greek has the meaning of cheating oneself, beguiling, or self deception. How could someone do this to themselves by hearing only? Obviously the intention of the truth is not for knowledge sake only, therefore, if the mission of the truth God has preserved is to provoke action and that being the God ordained response indicated but we instead settle for hearing only or knowing only or building up our Bible library only, then we settle for something not just much less than God's best, but we can end up deceiving ourselves. Unfortunately, the hearing and storing up of knowledge often causes us to feel spiritual and that may be how we miss the boat entirely. We feel full, think we are full, act like we are full, but we are actually empty. I am thinking as I write of some people who are not Bible scholars, not Bible literate to any great degree, but they work tirelessly to do what they can with that which God has given them to work with. Many of these people are the ones involved in the unheralded ministries that wash feet and serve tables for the Lord. They have taken the little truth they know and put it to work and often their work for the Lord is accomplishing great things for the Kingdom, while some of us feel so full of knowledge as we sit on the sidelines with our smug attitudes of how much we know. Wow! That self deception business hit me pretty hard. Something to think about as you sip on your coffee this morning!
I could be all ministerial and say I know someone out there somewhere needed that today. But, if I wrote about this subject before our Bible Club and then heard it again at our Bible Club it might just be God talking to me. Have you ever connected the dots like that? That is, when things seem to come together to be reinforced through repetition, we might just pass it off as coincidence. Never forget the image of our Savior standing at the door knocking. He is on the outside trying to get someone to let Him in. Many use that illustration found in The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Chapter 3, as a salvation appeal. But within the context of the passage it is our Savior knocking on the door of one of His local New Testament fellowship of believers, what we call a Church today. What a word picture! Pretty scary when you think about it. He goes on to say that if the door is opened He will come in and commune with and have fellowship with those inside. Visualize a modern day Church service going on. Everyone is in their pew. Suddenly there is a loud knocking on the entrance doors. Wonder who that could be? Everyone seems startled as the knocking continues. Should we are should we not go and open the door? I grew up in a Church where we probably would take a vote on it. Just kidding. But I think we get the powerful message here. I've heard it said there are many folks who will defend with their lives the Bible while never having paid any attention to it. In the same way I suppose we can spend all our time filling up our heads while never connecting our hearts which fuels our motivations that produce actions. You say you didn't order a wake up call from the front desk this morning. Maybe it was supposed to ring in my room.
Amen.
Today's blog is a great example of what happens when I have no idea what I have to write about. Sorry to burst your bubble but most days it is pretty much just thrown out there on the electronic page. I do love passing on observations and anecdotes as well as a lesson here and there. I'm not always pleased that many of my most pointed commentaries tend to be directed towards myself, but if you are going to share what comes up, you have to deal with it like it is, and obviously much of what I write hits me first. However, there's also encouragement and hope because we all are still works in progress. Some might look at me and say, "You are already doing much.", but that is not really the issue. God doles out the abilities and gifts, therefore, He is the one doing the assessment as He desires to work through different people. For some, their little is all they can do and it will receive great reward! For others, He has given much and there is a corresponding accountability for the much that has been received. (See Luke Chapter 12) The good news is how that He continues to work on us all. This reminds me of that popular chorus from the children's song from a few years ago:
He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be. It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars, The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me. As believers, how do we know that we still have time to respond to His calling to us to the specific work He has for us? Take a mirror and hold it up to your mouth. If you can breathe and make a sign on that mirror, you are still eligible to respond.
Amen. Maybe tomorrow I will have something to write about, therefore, it might even be shorter! That gives us all something to look forward to, including me! .....More later.
I could be all ministerial and say I know someone out there somewhere needed that today. But, if I wrote about this subject before our Bible Club and then heard it again at our Bible Club it might just be God talking to me. Have you ever connected the dots like that? That is, when things seem to come together to be reinforced through repetition, we might just pass it off as coincidence. Never forget the image of our Savior standing at the door knocking. He is on the outside trying to get someone to let Him in. Many use that illustration found in The Revelation of Jesus Christ, Chapter 3, as a salvation appeal. But within the context of the passage it is our Savior knocking on the door of one of His local New Testament fellowship of believers, what we call a Church today. What a word picture! Pretty scary when you think about it. He goes on to say that if the door is opened He will come in and commune with and have fellowship with those inside. Visualize a modern day Church service going on. Everyone is in their pew. Suddenly there is a loud knocking on the entrance doors. Wonder who that could be? Everyone seems startled as the knocking continues. Should we are should we not go and open the door? I grew up in a Church where we probably would take a vote on it. Just kidding. But I think we get the powerful message here. I've heard it said there are many folks who will defend with their lives the Bible while never having paid any attention to it. In the same way I suppose we can spend all our time filling up our heads while never connecting our hearts which fuels our motivations that produce actions. You say you didn't order a wake up call from the front desk this morning. Maybe it was supposed to ring in my room. Amen.
Today's blog is a great example of what happens when I have no idea what I have to write about. Sorry to burst your bubble but most days it is pretty much just thrown out there on the electronic page. I do love passing on observations and anecdotes as well as a lesson here and there. I'm not always pleased that many of my most pointed commentaries tend to be directed towards myself, but if you are going to share what comes up, you have to deal with it like it is, and obviously much of what I write hits me first. However, there's also encouragement and hope because we all are still works in progress. Some might look at me and say, "You are already doing much.", but that is not really the issue. God doles out the abilities and gifts, therefore, He is the one doing the assessment as He desires to work through different people. For some, their little is all they can do and it will receive great reward! For others, He has given much and there is a corresponding accountability for the much that has been received. (See Luke Chapter 12) The good news is how that He continues to work on us all. This reminds me of that popular chorus from the children's song from a few years ago: He's still working on me to make me what I ought to be. It took Him just a week to make the moon and stars, The sun and the earth and Jupiter and Mars. How loving and patient He must be, He's still working on me. As believers, how do we know that we still have time to respond to His calling to us to the specific work He has for us? Take a mirror and hold it up to your mouth. If you can breathe and make a sign on that mirror, you are still eligible to respond. Amen. Maybe tomorrow I will have something to write about, therefore, it might even be shorter! That gives us all something to look forward to, including me! .....More later.
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