Good morning friends! I hope you all have a wonderful weekend! Enjoy the beauty of nature, but above all enjoy His wonderful presence. Our God is an awesome God - there is none like Him! Let us shout and sing His praises! Excerpts from Psalm 86 - Hear me, Lord, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Guard my life, for I am faithful to you; save your servant who trusts in you. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to you all day long. Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in you. You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all who call to you. Hear my prayer, Lord; listen to my cry for mercy. When I am in distress, I call to you, because you answer me. Lord, hear all of our prayers here this morning. You see the many needs that we all represent. We are a poor and needy people, in need of you. We thank you that your mercies are new every morning, and pray that you will have mercy on us. Bring us the joy of your Holy Spirit, as we live in your presence. We put all of our trust in you this day, and ask for your divine help. We want to get to know you better, and we want to do and say those things that delight your heart. Change and transform us into your likeness and image so that our lives point others to you. AMEN! Matthew 21:23-27 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things? And who gave You this authority?” But Jesus answered and said to them, “I also will ask you one thing, which if you tell Me, I likewise will tell you by what authority I do these things: The baptism of John—where was it from? From heaven or from men?” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “If we say, ‘From heaven,’ He will say to us, ‘Why then did you not believe him?’ But if we say, ‘From men,’ we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet.” So they answered Jesus and said, “We do not know.” And He said to them, “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things. Jesus went back to temple. The chief priests and elders were still miffed at Jesus, for chasing out the money changers and all their booths of commerce. It is safe to say that they were hopping mad. They demanded of Jesus and answer to their question, By what authority are you doing these things? These scribes and Pharisees, chief priests and elders, were so filled with hate for Jesus, that all they could do was scheme how to get rid of him. We have the same thing in many churches today - people filled with such hate - they may call it righteous indignation - but it is simply that self is on the throne - Jesus is no where to be found in their hearts - Satan has taken control of them. Folks, we must stay humble, stay at the foot of the cross, with a contrite heart. We have no good within us - we are all in the same boat - sinners saved by grace. But we need to get to know Jesus better, so that it is He Himself that is on the throne of out hearts, and not self. Self will always try to reign, and unless we fall in total love with Him, self will boot Jesus off the throne of our hearts over and over again. We always think we are right - self - we think others are wrong - self - we think we are doing well, better than others - self - we think highly of ourselves - self again. And on and on. Jesus asked them a simple question of where the baptism of John and his ministry were from - from God, or from man. They reasoned among themselves that Jesus would lay into them and say to them, Why didnt you believe him then? And if they said his ministry was of men, they feared the reaction of the people. So they told Jesus they did not know. Jesus answered them that neither would He tell them by what authority He did these things. Let us continue to hunger and thirst for more of Jesus, and not be like the religious leaders of that day - full of self, pride and ego. The greatest in the kingdom of heaven is the one that serves the most, not out of pride, but with a servants heart. Lord, we love you because you first loved us. Give us a greater love for you and for one another. You rule and reign in our hearts. You be the shepherd that we follow and trust. We see our great need of you, and ask that you will live out your life within us, and use us for your honor and glory. AMEN! Walk with the King today, and be a blessing! I leave you with the hymn, Live Out Thy Life Within Me. Live out Thy life within me, O Jesus, King of kings! Be Thou Thyself the answer to all my questionings; Live out Thy life within me, in all things have Thy way! I, the transparent medium, Thy glory to display. The temple has been yielded, and purified of sin, Let Thy Shekinah glory now shine forth from within, And all the earth keep silence, the body henceforth be Thy silent, gentle servant, moved only as by Thee. Its members every moment held subject to Thy call, Ready to have Thee use them, or not be used at all, Held without restless longing, or strain, or stress, or fret, Or chafings at Thy dealings, or thoughts of vain regret. But restful, calm and pliant, from bend and bias free, Awaiting Thy decision, when Thou hast need of me. Live out Thy life within me, O Jesus, King of kings! Be Thou the glorious answer to all my questionings.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 11:09:17 +0000
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