Tag: discipleship

A Blessed Discomfort

Love One Another

What follows is NOT an ordinary, run-of-the-mill blessing.  Some would undoubtedly wish for one, and others anticipating what follows, will skip this blog.  It happens all the time.  But, at distinct times, the Holy Spirit surgically slices through our foggy-ness and illuminates us to ourselves.

May God bless you with discomfort at easy answers,
half truths, and superficial relationships,
so that you may live deep within your heart.

 

May God bless you with anger at injustice,
oppression, and exploitations of people,
so that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.

 

May God bless you with tears to shed for those
who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation, and war,
so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them
and to turn their pain into joy.

 

And may God bless you with enough foolishness
to believe that you can make a difference in this world,
so that you can do what others claim cannot be done.

–From a Franciscan Benediction

Blessed with discomfort, anger, tears and foolishness.  Too often, we often think our discipleship as a massive undertaking for a personal renovation.  And when that does happen, thank God!   But we must drive this home, spiritual make-overs are not the point of holy living! 

We are directed to engage the world and to hammer away at the lies, in order to free people, under the direct supervision of the Holy Spirit.  When we serve, give, love, we will be surprised to find that our own lives will change, almost as an after-thought. Just maybe, that is what God intends? Maybe.

“And the King will say, ‘I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!’

Matthew 25:40, NLT

 

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Sinner Friendly

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“When a sinful woman in that town found out that Jesus was there, she bought an expensive bottle of perfume.”

  Luke 7:37

It is wonderful how genuine goodness draws to itself the troubled, the friendless, the outcast, and the fallen. Wherever Jesus went, these found him out and gathered about him. It was because he was the true friend of all men. They found authentic love in him.

Though he was sinless there was yet no superiority about him. He was just as gentle to an outcast sinner as to a spotless Nicodemus. And it didn’t matter who was reaching out for Him.

One of the truest things ever said of Jesus was the prophetic word concerning Him, “A bruised reed shall he not break.” He is always most gentle with sore spirits and bruised hearts.

He has a love that always concerns you.

Those who want to be useful in this world must have the same qualities. There is a kind of human “holiness” that draws nobody to itself, but rather repels; genuine holiness, however, wins its way everywhere into men’s hearts.

  • If we stay in this world to be served, we shall be of no manner of use. But if we live to minister to others, serving every one we meet, our life will be worth it. The hungry-hearted and the soul-needy will be drawn to us, and God will love to put work into our hands.

We need, too, to train ourselves to exceeding gentleness in dealing with human souls in their spiritual crises. Many earnest people, in the excess of their zeal, so incalculable harm to those whom they greatly desire to help. People with sore and bruised hearts usually need loving sympathy and strong, kindly friendship much more than they need theology. –JR Miller

‘Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard, a friend of tax-gatherers and sinners!’ 

Luke 7:34

“A pharisee is hard on others and easy on himself, but a spiritual man is easy on others and hard on himself.” 

–A.W. Tozer

 

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Jesus is Our Closest Friend

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“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.”

John 15:15

Jesus Christ is our closest and best Friend. He definitely intends to provide everything we need. No want can be unsupplied. No sorrow will go uncomforted. Truly nothing dark can master us. For time and eternity we are safe in his care. It will not be the streets of gold, and the gates of pearl, and the river and the trees, that will make heaven for us—it will be the companionship, the friendship of Christ. Our hearts can never find true peace without Him drawing close to us.  He is aggressive in this, Jesus pulls Himself as close as we allow.

flourish-65 “…The consciousness that Christ is our Friend and we are His should check every evil thought, quell every bitter feeling, sweeten every emotion, and make all our life holy, true and heavenly.”

– J.R. Miller

“It is a joy to Jesus when a person takes time to walk more intimately with Him. The bearing of fruit is always shown in Scripture to be a visible result of an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.”

– Oswald Chambers

“O, the fullness, the pleasure, the sheer excitement of knowing God here on earth.”

–Jim Elliott

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You Got Mail!

Jesus understands you

Dear Friend:

How are you? I just had to send a note to tell you how much I love you and care about you. I saw you yesterday as you were talking with your friends. I waited all day hoping you would want to talk with Me also. As evening drew near, I gave you a sunset to close your day and a cool breeze to rest you – and I waited. You never came. Oh yes, it hurt me – but I still love you because I am your friend.

I saw you fall asleep last night and longed to touch your brow, so I spilled moonlight upon your face and pillow. Again, I waited, wanting to rush down so we could talk. I have so many gifts for you! You awakened late and rushed off to work without ever thinking of Me, and I still love you. My tears were in the rain.

Today you looked so sad – so all alone. It makes My heart ache because I understand. My friends let Me down too and hurt Me many times, but I love you. Oh, if you would only listen to Me! I LOVE YOU! I try to tell you in the blue sky and in the quiet green grass. I whisper it in the leaves on the trees and breathe it in the colors of flowers. I shout it to you in the mountain streams and give the birds love songs to sing.

I clothe you with warm sunshine and perfume the air with nature scents. My love for you is deeper than the ocean and bigger than the biggest want or need that you will ever have. Oh, if you only knew how much I want to walk and talk with you. We could spend an eternity together in heaven. I know how hard it is on this earth. I really know! And I want to help you.

I want you to know my Father. He wants to help you too. My father is the way, you know. Just call Me – ask Me – talk with Me! Oh, please don’t forget Me. I have so much to share with you! All right, I won’t bother you any further. You are free to choose or reject Me. It is your decision. I have chosen you and because of this, I will wait – because I LOVE YOU!

Your Friend,

Jesus

 Not sure who wrote this “letter” but I really appreciate it. So thank you, whoever you are. –B