Thoughts from the Hour Part 5: "All These Things"

"Again, the devil taketh Him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth Him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto Him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me" (Matthew 4:8-9).

Every temptation that Jesus met, we too will have to meet. Therefore, it's not a stretch or a twist to say that the adversary says the same to us today: "All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me."

All these what? Most of us have never had the opportunity to lay eyes on a kingdom, so what will be ours? I suppose one answers that question by asking yet another: "Well, I'll never fallen on my knees to worship the devil, and don't plan on it anytime soon, so how does his statement apply to me personally?" Paying homage to the adversary doesn't just include doing him literal, direct obeisance. Whenever we want our own way; pursue our own plans, without considering what God thinks of them; we are serving him.

How is that? When the devil sinned, he sinned by wanting things done his way, not God's way. He is the originator of self-ishness. If we live life the way we choose, irrespective of God's Word and will, we are defying Him, and serving self--thus following the great rebel, because he came up with the idea.

Now that that question is answered, it's much easier to answer the first. If I live for me (and therefore the devil), I can have whatsoever I desire of this world, if I work for it. In theory, if I was able-bodied and followed this plan of living:

• I could have the latest clothes and shoes--because, I want them, and don't care about being feminine and modest (Deuteronomy 22:5; 1 Timothy 2:9).
• I could eat the standard American diet again--because, I like it, and I couldn't have it if I aimed to be so healthy (1 Corinthians 10:31).
• I could play video games, and read fiction again--because, so long as I'm enjoying myself, it doesn't really matter how I use my time, or if the activities are true and good (Philippians 4:8; Colossians 4:5)
• I could have my GED--because, I need it, and I can't afford to be so particular about little things (Proverbs 4:2, 27).
• I could have a boyfriend more easily--because, I don't know whether they are the man God wants me to have, or whether they believe in Him (Proverbs 3:5-7; 2 Corinthians 6:14), but I love them.
• I could have get a job with little hassle--because, I want this position, even though I'd have to work on Sabbath (Exodus 20:9-11).
• I could have a fancy house someday--because, I earned the money to buy it and I can spend it the way I want, no matter what (Deuteronomy 8:11-18).
• I could keep my terrible temper--because, I don't always feel like being nice (Ephesians 4:32). It's the way I am.

The list could go on and on and on, and on. You see, we can serve the enemy without even realizing it, if we don't make the Bible the ultimate standard.

Now, if I choose to follow the Word of God, regardless of whether it lines up with what I want to do, will I have license to do the things listed above? No; instead, I will be holding to principle, refusing to bow to the instigator of selfishness, and will have to pass through this world without as much pleasure or easy-going as I could have otherwise. It will be a life of so-called sacrifice compared to the apparent rose garden, but it will be worth it. As a result of resisting the temptation to bow to the devil via pleasing self, I will have the approbation of my Maker, and a perfect character--just like Jesus. Will you also refuse to bow?

Blessings,
Jean




 

Thoughts from the Hour Part 4: Jesus' Childhood Example

"And the Child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon Him" (Luke 2:40). Jesus was the Pattern for children and youth as well as older people. His early years are a possibility for every child. They may learn to follow God in their sphere, just as He did. Yet, there is much adults can learn from this period of the Saviour's life as well.

Take, for example, when He attended the Passover with His mother and Joseph at the age of twelve. After the feast was over, Mary and Joseph started for home, thinking that Jesus was with their company. A day passed, and they looked for Him among their relatives, but they could not find Him. They returned to Jerusalem to search for Him. (vv.44-45). After three days, they found Jesus in the temple, "sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions" (v. 46).

I want to focus on that phrase— "sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions." Jesus, being divine and filled with the Holy Spirit, obviously knew more about the Old Testament than these men did. Indeed, the following verse states that, "all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers" (v. 47). Yet, the Bible says He heard them. Even though they were in error, He was respectful and listened to what they had to say. In answering He was still courteous. He could have responded very irately, and told them that they didn't know what they were talking about; but He didn't. Instead, He asked questions that stimulated them to think, and that were intended to guide their minds in the right direction. Far from making them hate Him, this method of conversation made them wonder in amazement at the knowledge of this youth.

I sometimes wonder what results we would see if every one of us followed Jesus' example when we dealt with others. May the Holy Spirit make us as gentle and courteous as the Master, so we may have the privilege of leading many souls to the kingdom.

Blessings,
Jean

Pause

A pause from Thoughts, to share this wonderful statement with you:


"It is a law of nature that our thoughts and feelings are encouraged and strengthened as we give them utterance. While words express thoughts, it is also true that thoughts follow words. If we would give more expression to our faith, rejoice more in the blessings that we know we have—the great mercy and love of God—we should have more faith and greater joy. No tongue can express, no finite mind can conceive, the blessing that results from appreciating the goodness and love of God. Even on earth we may have joy as a wellspring, never failing, because fed by the streams that flow from the throne of God."—Ellen White, Ministry of  Healing, pp. 251-253.

Sincerely,
Jean

Thoughts from the Hour Part 3: Herod and the Message from the Wise Men

"Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. When Herod the king had heard [these things], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him" (Matthew 2:1-3, emphasis added).

Herod, troubled? And everyone in Jerusalem? Strange, considering the Jews were waiting for the Messiah. What makes their attitude even stranger is that the chief priests and scribes knew where He was to be born, because they were able to tell the king (vv. 4-6). Why weren't they looking for Him themselves?

The Bible tells us that Herod asked the wise men to find the baby Jesus, and report back to him. They agreed, and went on their way. Once they saw the star over the house, "they rejoiced with exceeding great joy" (v. 10). They had found Him, the Promised One! Going in, they worshipped Him, and presented their costly presents (v. 11). Notice, they gave Him the best that they had to offer.

Whether they spent the night there or someplace else, we don't know; but the Bible does say that God warned the wise men through a dream not to return to Herod with the glad news. Rather, they were to go back to their own country via another route.

When Herod figured out that his directions hadn't been followed, he was very angry--"exceeding wroth", as the Bible puts it. His fury was murderous; he killed all the children two years old or younger in Bethlehem and her coasts. What a tragedy!

We know that Herod committed this act to prevent this King from usurping his throne; but reading this made me think of the verses in John which say this about Jesus: "He was in the world, and the world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came unto his own, and His own received Him not" (John 1:10-11). Herod most likely didn't know Who Jesus was; but often people who do know Who He claimed to be manifest the same hatred towards Him as Herod did. The question is, why?

Why do we not hail the news of the King of Kings with as great joy as the wise men? In John chapter one, verse 9, Jesus is called "the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world." It is this Light that men do not know, this Light that men do not receive, as the following two verses point out. Why don't men receive this light? "For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved" (John 3:20). Herein lies the answer. We have enthroned our evil selves as kings of our hearts, and we are anxious to be rid of Him, just as Herod was. Yes, rid of Him, lest we have to deal with the slightest suggestion that we are in the wrong, and that we should relinquish our kingdom to Another (even if it isn't in a coercive manner) Who can reign better than we. Yet, at the same time, our own rule hasn't been peaceful, and is quite wearying, to say the least. Our kingdoms are in shambles. What a quandary!

This King, King Jesus, has the power to rebuild them if only we will consent to abdicating and being His subject. Sad to say, we cannot abdicate on our own, no matter how hard we try. No, unfortunately not. The good news is, if we but admit this, King Jesus will freely grant us the power to abdicate. And once we take hold of it, we shall enjoy many prosperous years. So many, in fact, we will wonder why we didn't seek Him out to rule from the very first!

Blessings,
Jean

Thoughts from the Hour Part 2: Look into the Manger

Note: The original "Part 2" was changed to "Part 3" in keeping with the chronological order of the Gospels. It will be re-posted shortly.

"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn" (Luke 2:4-7, emphasis added).

She laid Jesus in a manger. A manger is nothing more than a trough that horses and cows eat out of. Think about it: she laid Jesus, the King of Kings, in a manger. I don't imagine it was the cleanest crib, and I doubt it smelled very nice. The King of Kings, used to a land of light and glory, become a babe and was lying in a dirty, smelly feeding box! And why? He did it for us, friends. He did it so that the poorest of the poor could never say He didn't know the struggles they passed through.

That is food for thought enough, but I want to bring something else to your attention today as you contemplate this scene. In light of this condescension made by Christ on our behalf, in light of the level of poverty to which His Majesty stooped, why do we allow ourselves to complain about not having this house or that car, this fridge or that blender, this dress or those shoes, or whatever it may be? Why do we let our hearts clamor for more, more, more? If Jesus passed by the luxurious homes of the rich when it came to where He should be born, why don't we pass them by?
I don't mean that in the physical sense; I mean that in regards to our way of looking at things, our mentality. Considering what our Lord had, should we not be utterly content? Most of us have far more than He ever did. Our hearts' striving for gain should be hushed, and thankfulness should take the place of griping. If some of us are indeed so poor that we have nearly nothing, then we should be cheered by the thought that the Master knows all about it; in fact, we should consider it an honor to tread the same path that He has trod, and we should remember that His grace is sufficient for any infirmity--even poverty.

Thinking about all this has subdued me. It has refocused my perspective, and has set my priorities straight. Once again eternal things are the most important things. I hope you can say the same after reading this, and that we all may attain them in the end.

Blessings,
Jean

Thoughts from the Hour Part 1: "Thou Shalt Call His Name Jesus"

What was the point of Jesus' being our Sacrifice? Some might answer, "It was to die for my sins." That is true, and praise God He was our substitute! Praise God He died so that we don't have to! That's not the only reason, however. It goes far deeper than that.

 Matthew chapter one records that Mary was "found with child of the Holy Ghost" before she and Joseph "came together" (v. 18). Joseph, of course, wasn't aware of that. He thought Mary had committed adultery, and wanted to privately divorce her. While he contemplated this, an angel came and explained the situation, thus stopping him from doing any such thing (vv. 19-20). The angel went on to say, "And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins" (v. 21).

"And she shall bring forth a Son, and thou shalt call His name JESUS: for He shall save His people from their sins." Notice the angel did not say, "He shall save His people only from the penalty of their sins." Oh, no. He said, "from their sins." Not in them, but from them. That is the other all-important reason why Jesus lived and died and rose again — to deliver us from our sins! That means that He came so that we might be the clean and good and noble people He intended us to be in the first place. People that love and worship Him, and that love and respect their fellow men, everywhere and all the time. He came so that we could have the power to stop killing each other (imagine — no wars!) ; so that children (young and old) could have the power to be good kids instead of brats; so that spouses could have the power to always be faithful to each other...Isn't it beautiful? I love thinking about it.

This is what Jesus was referring to when He said, "The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (John 10:10). The thief, or devil, only wants to steal us from God, to kill and destroy us; but Jesus came that we might live. Live physically, yes, but live aright as well. I could go on and on about this beautiful subject, but that might get a little tiring, so I will leave you to ponder it. In the end, I hope we'll have all let Jesus save each and every one of us from our sins, that we may happy, and be with Him forever.

Sincerely,
Jean

Introduction to Thoughts from the Hour

Photo courtesy of www.flickr.com

"It would be well to spend a thoughtful hour each day reviewing the life of Christ from the manger to Calvary. We should take it point by point, and let the imagination vividly grasp each scene, especially the closing ones of his earthly life. By thus contemplating his teachings and sufferings, and the infinite sacrifice made by him for the redemption of the race, we may strengthen our faith, quicken our love, and become more deeply imbued with the spirit which sustained our Saviour. If we would be saved at last, we must learn the lesson of penitence and faith at the foot of the cross." Ellen White, Gospel Workers (1892), p. 246.

To be completely honest, I don't often do this because I feel like I'm not doing it correctly, or like I don't have enough energy for other spiritual reading by the time I finish. Sometimes, however, I do try. I tried recently, and thought of many things. I don't want to lose them, so I'm going to endeavor to share them with you in a series of posts entitled Thoughts from the Hour. I hope you are blessed in some way by them.

Sincerely,
Jean