Events and Truth

 But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. (1 Corinthians 6:11 NIV)

By the Blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross, we were washed.

The Resurrection Life of Jesus Christ is Life that the sanctified life yields to.

The Ascension of Jesus Christ and Pentecost, the coming of His Holy Spirit, imparts peace delivering us from shame and guilt.

These events and truths are multidimensional and can not be summed up in a bow, but I was encouraged by the correlation. Have you heard of other right answers?

James 3:18,

Camelot

Live from Life

Have you ever felt like you were wearing a mask?

I am usually very joyful and happy. I smile on the phone when no one is looking. I smile a lot. (The wrinkles hold that smile longer now too.)

When things are not right in my world and circumstances close in, am I wearing a mask if I walk around smiling and full of joy? Well that depends.

I heard someone say the other day that denial and faith look a lot alike. They do. So what is the difference?
Denial covers the circumstances by ignoring them, numbing them, or leaving them.
Faith covers the circumstances in prayer, intercession, and the promises of God.

So, how should I live? No matter how the circumstances, if we are Christian(this is a must, since the peace that we have as Christians is not known by those who do not know Christ), then we can choose daily to live out of the "not crushed" life, rather than the "pressed down" circumstances. For the Christian, it is a choice because we have access to the Father of Life, who has promised us... well look at it...

2 Corinthians 4
⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ⁸ We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; ⁹ persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. ¹⁰ We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body. ¹¹ For we who are alive are always being given over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that his life may also be revealed in our mortal body.  ...

¹⁶ Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. ¹⁷ For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. ¹⁸ So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

What a Promise! What a God! That He would give us life like this. 

Lord, may my face, my heart, my mind, my actions be lived from Your Life in me. May my head be lifted by the not crushed part, may my back be straightened by the "not in despair" truth, may my lungs be filled with the "not abandoned" awareness, may my song be sung by the "not destroyed" tune. O God, my Father, I am Yours, You are mine. That is all I need. You are all I need.

James 3:18,
Camelot

Comparison or Compassion

James 3 compares relational wisdom from the world and relational wisdom from above.

         ¹³ Do any of you have wisdom and insight? Show this by living the right way with the humility that comes from wisdom. ¹⁴ But if you are bitterly jealous and filled with self-centered ambition, don’t brag. Don’t say that you are wise when it isn’t true. ¹⁵ That kind of wisdom doesn’t come from above. It belongs to this world. It is self-centered and demonic. ¹⁶ Wherever there is jealousy and rivalry, there is disorder and every kind of evil.

       ¹⁷ However, the wisdom that comes from above is first of all pure. Then it is peaceful, gentle, obedient, filled with mercy and good deeds, impartial, and sincere. ¹⁸ A harvest that has God’s approval comes from the peace planted by peacemakers.

In this context, this image is appalling, but try to list in your mind all of the places that you come into contact with people. How many are competitions and how many compassion?

The life of Jesus reeks of compassion, there was no competition in Him, except maybe glimpses when he was making the whip to clean out the money changers, or telling the story of the prodigal son's father running, or maybe even when he was fighting for the water basin to wash the disciples feet.

Lord, I want to be like Jesus. He oozed with gentleness, peace, obedience, mercy, and compassion. Lord, make me like You. Lord, make me like You. You were a servant. Make me one too. Lord, I am willing, do what You must do to make me like You, Lord. Make me like You.

James 3:18,
Camelot

National Day of Prayer

Whether you are American or not, proud or not, if you are a child of the King, pray for America!
"Never stop praying."  1 Thessalonians 5:17

pray for
Our national leaders, our international representatives, our state leaders, our local leaders.
pray for
Our children, our families, our marriages, our communities.
pray for
Our local bodies of believers, our schools, our playgrounds, our airports.
pray for
Our law enforcement, our prisons, our food pantries, our shelters.
pray for
Our hospitals, our clinics.
pray for
Our people.

Our god is not money, so our lack of money is not our need.
Our god is not health, so our lack of health is not our need.
Our god is not our fame, so our lack of being known is not our need.
Our god is not our stuff, so our lack of stuff is not our need.
Our god is not our work, so our lack of work is not our need.

Our God is Almighty God, Maker of heaven and of earth. WE NEED HIM! Pray that we will receive what we need. He is freely given through Christ. It is our hearts that need prayer.

 

James 3:18,

Camelot