It's Your Decision - what do I do about Jesus? - J M Boice

From James Montgomery Boice - 
    The Gospel of Matthew, Volume 2, pp 634-635



Have you ever been confronted by the power of Jesus' resurrection? Or are you still trying to make your life secure against Jesus?

Perhaps you have heard of Christ's gospel, but you have been trying to keep Jesus politely in His place.

I warn you: Jesus is not that easily contained. You can push Him down, but He will crop up again. You can banish Him from your thoughts, but He will come back when you least expect Him. What are you going to do against the power of the one so many call Lord? How are you going to make yourself secure against Jesus?

Let me suggest what you can do. You can begin with activity. That should not be too difficult in our hectic times. Our world is preoccupied with activity and even rewards those who are busiest. If you are busy enough you will not have time to think about Jesus. Fill up your time. Schedule your idle hours. Then you will not have to go to a Bible study. When Christians invite you to church, you can say you are too busy. Fill your evenings with television so you won't have time to read your Bible.

Here is something else you can do. You can fill your life with sin and sin's pleasures. Jesus is the sinless Son of God. Sin should keep you from Him. Fill your life with evil pleasures of the world. Here are many. Make your life as secure as you can against Jesus.

I have one more suggestion:  Become religious. If you take this path, however, I suggest that you do not learn too much about Christianity. Instead, sink yourself in ceremony. Do things not because they are meaningful -- you might have to think about their meaning -- but for tradition's sake or for mere aesthetics. Make your life as secure as you can with religion. Attach your seals! Set your guards! Erect your barricades!

Alas, it will not be enough.

Jesus has broken seals before. He has scattered countless guards. What will you do with the light bursts forth from heaven and Jesus confronts you in resurrection splendor?

I will tell you what I would do.

I would give up fighting altogether. I would lay down my seals and stones and guards and feverish activity. I would abandon my sins, and I would fall before Him and confess Him as Thomas did. I would say, My Lord and my God."

Then Jesus will make you His, and He will tell you what you are to be and do for His sake.

                                       ~~~~~~~~~~~~



[That's what I did - and I've never been sorry!]

Stay Sober

A story......

This story is about a man who imagined himself to be quite spiritual. He was talking with a more mature friend, and he asked his friend to pray for him that he might be humble. "Pray for me that I might be nothing," he said

.

His friend wisely replied,, "You are nothing, brother, take it by faith."

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose
the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.
I Corinthians 1:27-29

On the Other Hand....

These words from Ray Stedman:

Ray Stedman said that every morning when he got up he tried to remind himself of three things:

First, I am made in the image of God. I am not an animal and I don't have to behave like an animal. I have an ability within me, given to me by God himself, to respond and relate to God. Therefore I can behave as a man and not as a beast.

Second, I am filled with the Spirit of God. The most amazing thing has happened! Though I do not deserve it in the least degree, I have the power of God himself at work within me. I have become, in some sense, the bearer of God, and God himself is willing to be at work in me through the problems and pressures I go through this day.

Third, I am part of the plan of God. God is working out all things to a great and final purpose in the earth, and I am part of it. What I do today has purpose and significance and meaning. This is not a meaningless day I am going through. Even the smallest incident, the most apparently insignificant word or relationship, is involved in his great plan. Therefore all of it has meaning and purpose.

And so.....

For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly that you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment.... Romans 12:3

Who Is Like Our God? Who makes known the end from the beginning.

 

"I am God, and there is none like Me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, 

what is still to come. 

I say, 'My purpose will stand and I will do what I please.'" 

(Isaiah 46:9-10)

I just keep meditating on and enjoying this passage! Isn't it wonderful to know who is really in charge? That brings me a profound sense of peace and exhilarating freedom!

What about you?

And I love to reflect on the words, 'I make known the end from the beginning.'

Think about Eve, at the beginning, in Genesis, receiving God's promise of grace given to her specifically, that her Descendant would one day destroy the evil that Satan had brought into her perfect world.

Read about that in Genesis 3:15 - a passage we call the protoevangelium, a Latin term meaning first gospel. It is referring to God's initial promise of salvation, immediately after Adam and Eve's fall. It prophesied a future Redeemer -- the "seed" of the woman who would destroy the devil's work by delivering a fatal blow to evil.

Then read Revelation 20 and see it happen! And we know it's going to happen. She was told the end at the very beginning.

 

John tells us, "The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3:8).

God told us the end at the very beginning.

Looking Back with Awe

 Remember how empty and lonely life was before God reached out and claimed us as His children? And how joyous life became as we began to  understand and believe how much He does truly love us?

 It is still a great mystery -- and think about John 17:24, when  Jesus prays for His followers, and tells them that God loves them as He loves Jesus Himself!

Doesn't seem possible, but He does not lie!

After all, He loves us so much He would rather die than live without us! And so He did.

These words from Pastor Scotty Smith:

"To know Jesus through the riches of the gospel as the One to whom I belong, is one glorious thing. But to believe that He actually desires me is quite another breathtaking thing. To be desired is to be wanted, pursued, enjoyed, known and accepted, nourished, thought about, cherished. All of these are promised in the gospel. Only in the gospel can they be realized in part; only in heaven are they realized in full."

Isaiah speaks God's words --  Listen to what He says: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine" (43:1)

He wants us. He calls us by our name (No 'hey you, over there!') But in tenderness and love He seeks us to come to Him. The Good Shepherd who calls His sheep by name!

Think about this picture -- of a loving parent, cradling his child and whispering: "The LORD your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing (Zephaniah 3:17).

Today's challenge -- take that picture with you everywhere you go today.

Remember How We've Been Changed!

 

                                          Remember How We've Been Changed!

From Titus 3:3-8:

"At one time, we, too, were foolish, disobedient, deceived and enslaved by all kinds of passions and pleasures.

We lived in malice and envy, being hated and hating one another.

But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that, having been justified by His grace we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life. 

This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, so that those who have trusted in God may be careful to devote themselves doing what is good.

These things are excellent and profitable for everyone."

I remember, years ago, a spiritual that went something like:

Things I used to do, I don't do no more,

Things I used to say, I don't say more,

Things I used to want, I don't want no more -

There's been a great change since I've been born again!

Yes, there's been a great change since I've been born again! Doxology!