Friday, August 22, 2014

Our Father Knows Best

My Utmost For His Highest
 
‘He [Jesus] does the things that no one else can ever do. Am I prepared […]? Jesus cannot come and do His work in me as long as there is anything blocking the way, whether it is something good or bad. When He comes to me, am I prepared for Him to drag every wrong thing I have ever done into the light? That is exactly where He comes. Wherever I know I am unclean is where He will put His feet and stand, and wherever I think I am clean is where He will remove His feet and walk away. Repentance does not cause a sense of sin— it causes a sense of inexpressible unworthiness. When I repent, I realize that I am absolutely helpless, and I know that through and through I am not worthy even to carry His sandals. Have I repented like that, or do I have a lingering thought of possibly trying to defend my actions? The reason God cannot come into my life is that I am not at the point of complete repentance.’ CHAMBERS
 
Matthew 8:18-20   “When Jesus saw the crowd around him, he gave orders to cross to the other side of the lake. Then a teacher of the law came to him and said, “Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.” Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.”
 
Have you ever said that to Jesus?  I will follow you?  Jesus looked at the man’s heart and saw that his commitment was conditional … so long as he did not have to give up his home ….
 
Matthew 8:21-22   Another disciple said to him, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” But Jesus told him, “Follow me, and let the dead bury their own dead.”
 
Burying your father is not a bad thing … but God demands our complete devotion … Jesus saw the man’s heart and understood that his devotion to his family was greater that his love for God.
 
Luke 14:26  “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even their own life—such a person cannot be my disciple.”
 
Our love for God should make our love for other things look like hate in comparison.  Following Jesus does not mean that you must necessarily leave your home, your job, your way of life .. it means that you must love God “primye” first and most.
 
Luke 16:13 “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
 
The point here is that there is no room for other things in your heart for a first love … you cannot do it .. no matter how much you want to believe you can.  One will always dominate … God, who created us said that ... He knows you ...
 
Luke 18:22-23  “When Jesus heard this [about the good things the man had done], he said to him, “You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” When he heard this, he became very sad, because he was very wealthy.”
 
What is in your heart that competes  with God for first place in your life?  You need to lay it down …
 
"He Knows My Name"
 
"I have a Father, He calls me His own.  He'll never leave me, no matter where I go.
He knows my name. He knows my every thought. He sees each tear that falls, and hears me when I call."
 
Bondye Beni Ou (God Bless You)

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