The Journey Readings: Week 127... and reminded what it means... to serve the King...

King Solomon built the temple... he enlisted workmen to make the furnishings and utensils for worship... yet the Word says...

In the plain of the Jordan the king cast them,

in the clay ground between Succoth and Zeredah.

Solomon made all these things in great quantities...

2 Chronicles 4:17-18 ESV

Solomon is credited with casting the pots... shovels... forks... and other needed bronze-works in the plain of Jordan... but in the previous verse... Huram-abi is named as the craftsman...

These verses do not mean Solomon himself got down and dirty in the clay... he didn't sweat over molten bronze... those who worked for him did... those he called to work... served in the king's name... for the king's renown...

I'm reminded what it means... to serve the King...

Those under the King... serve the King... at the King's call...
as His representatives... as if the King were doing it Himself...

We see this biblical concept in the New Testament too...

...Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John

(although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples)...

John 4:1-2 ESV

Jesus is credited with making and baptizing disciples...

while His disciples did the actual work of baptism...

His disciples baptized new Believers... in His name... for His renown...

This makes me wonder... and consider... what I do for Him...

am I serving at His call...? in His name...? for His renown...?

do I give Him the credit...? for all He does through me...?

What about you...?

what is Jesus doing through you...?

what are you doing for His glory...?

Find out more about what it means to serve the King... join The Journey...

This week's readings...
Monday             2 Chronicles 7-8
Tuesday            2 Chronicles 9
Wednesday        2 Chronicles 10-11
Thursday           2 Chronicles 12-13
Friday               2 Chronicles 14-15

a different start to the day...

I started this morning differently... not with a devotional... but with one to whom I'm devoted...

My daughter... already up and about before daylight... stressing a bit about a recent decision... we talked...

A moment of discipling happened... mother to daughter... sister to sister...

Looking back... I see a different attitude to take with my adult children in general...

Believing adult children... are not just children... they are disciples in training...

And it makes me wonder about a son... Perhaps he needs more discipling than parenting...

Thinking about what that looks like... hoping it may bring us closer... looking for an opportunity to bring up the subject...

"... Go therefore and make disciples of all nations,

baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe

all that I have commanded you.

And behold, I am with you always,

to the end of the age."

Matthew 28:19-20 ESV

The nations include our children too...

Lord... grateful You are with me always...

Bless me with words... and inspiration... 

to connect with my children... as part of a community disciples... 

and not just my children...

a new journey...

Waking before the alarm...

the anticipation of a new journey...

Not one of distance...

but one of the heart and soul...

A discipleship journey...

someone new joining me on the path...

While they were talking and discussing together,

Jesus himself drew near and went with them.

Matthew 24:15 ESV

Looking forward to the weeks ahead...

with anticipation... and joy...!

in need of Him...

A day that reminds me... that I need Him... 

every moment... 

of every day...

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I said to the Lord, "You are my Lord;

apart from you I have no good thing."

Psalm 16:2

self-consciousness... a stumbling block to compassion...

To be self-conscious... is to be self-centered... all thoughts revolving first around... self...

To be compassionate... is to be... self-less... thinking of others needs first...

Me... I allow self to hinder... compassion...

What will it cost me...? to step into their mess...?

What will they think of me...? to enter a mess that's not mine...?

And possibly the most perverted thought process... assuming the one in need... possesses my own self-absorbed nature... 

Will they be self-conscious if I notice their mess...? offer help...? 

Will I hurt their feelings...? make them uncomfortable...?

My self-centeredness... leads me to worry about others... self-centeredness... in a most compassionate way...!?!

Lies... Lies...

Jesus... He came sans self... no self-consciousness... only God-the-Father-consciousness... undistracted by the many voices in the world... the liars...

He only allowed the Father's voice... the compassionate gracious God... to prevail...

His greatest act of compassion... the cross... caused Him to sweat blood... in anticipation... He even prayed... for another way...

But in the end... He surrendered... trusting... knowing... there is no other way...

The believer's calling is to think and feel and will just what Jesus thought and felt and willed. He desires to be partaker, not only of the grace, but also of the holiness of his Lord; or rather, he sees that holiness is the chief beauty of grace. To live the life of Christ means to him to be delivered from the life of self; the will of Christ is to him the only path of liberty from the slavery of his own evil self-will.

---Andrew Murray on Prayer, Abide in Christ (emphasis added) 

Acts of compassion... are followed through without regard to self... no turning back...

That is why Jesus says...

"No one who puts his hand to the plow and looks back 

is fit for service in the kingdom of God."

Luke 9:62

"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself 

and take up his cross and follow me. ..."

Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, Luke 9:23

"...The man who loves his life will lose it, 

while the man who hates his life in this world 

will keep it for eternal life. ..."

John 12:25

I look back... and see an uncertain row... filled with gaps... an unfit furrow... too many times... the hands... have left the plow... the cross... dropped at the crossroads... a life loved... too much...

My failures... to act... react... offer... compassion... make me hate my life... 

Lord... make me fit... for service in the Kingdom...

Deliver me from the life of self...

Teach me... to walk Your way...

a taste of discipleship

Obedience... abiding... self-denial... the three-strand cord... of discipleship...

Obedience... requires abiding... without abiding... resting in Him... we do not know what He wants us to do... and are unable to do it apart from Him...

"I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

John 15:5-6 HCSB

Obedience... requires self-denial... at times laying aside fear...

"...I said, 'You are my servant';

I have chosen you and have not rejected you.

So do not fear, for I am with you;

do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

I will strengthen you and help you;

I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. ..."

Isaiah 41:9b-10 

...at other times... laying down pride...

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

James 4:10

Today... a taste of both...

But in the test... and rest... of abiding... I find peace... and joy... at seeing less of me... and more of Him...

"My Father is glorified by this:

that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples. ..."

John 15:8 HCSB

echoes... of easter thoughts...

The heart... of Easter thoughts... echoed today... in my reading... and my radio...

What does it mean... to be a true follower... to be Church...? How do you know... if you're really... still in the dark...?

My morning treadmill read...

I want this to come across as more of a challenge than a criticism, but I'm afraid we've turned church into a spectator sport. Too many of us are content with letting a spiritual leader seek God for us. Like the Israelites, we want Moses to climb the mountain for us. After all, it is much easier to let someone else pray for us or study for us. So the church unintentionally fosters a subtle form of spiritual codependency. ...

But do you really think God's ultimate dream for your life is to see you sit in a pew for ninety minutes every week listening to a message and singing a few songs? Is that the barometer of spiritual maturity? No way!

---Mark Batterson, Wild Goose Chase

And if he says this about those who come most Sundays... What about those who just come Easter...? 

Then later... from the car radio...

It is the common experience of men and women all across this land to go to church regularly every Sunday, and for all intents and purposes, the Book of the Law might as well be lost for they never open it...

---David Jeremiah, Turning Point, 4/2/2013, "Courage to Say No" 

These thoughts from others... echoing mine... usually come... as confirmation... of what I've heard... From years of listening...things in threes... they catch my attention... 

I'm reminded of a sticky note... kept on my desk... for months... years... I can't really remember how long... its faded words... from a book... a question... that struck a cord... one that has stirred my heart... caused holy discontent... on more than one occasion...

And how in the world do you begin to show people who already consider themselves Christians what it really means to follow Christ?

---Jim Walker, Dirty Word

It strikes a cord... because... I WAS ONE... who believed I was... when I wasn't... 

Only I was above the religious... believing without church attendance... without opening the Word... and rarely praying...

I know... now that I know... that I wasn't... and the thought it strikes fear in my heart that... if before I was... I had to face Him... I would certainly have heard...

"I never knew you. Away from me you evildoer!"

The fear... it is for others too... who deceive themselves...

So... it may be time... to listen anew... stir things up... in church... 

Always... a dangerous... risky... business...

Just ask... Jesus...

"...Remember the words I spoke to you:
 'No servant is greater than his master.'
 If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. 
If they obeyed my teaching they will obey yours also. ..."
---Jesus

John 15:20

A thought... that tightens my chest... with twinges of fear... especially... considering... past experience... and the timing... of this message...

Then [Jesus] called the crowd to him along with his disciples
 and said: "If anyone would come after me, 
he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.
 For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, 
but whoever loses his life for me and for the gospel will save it. ..."

Mark 8:34-35

But the final commission... given by Him... to His disciples... was ... make more disciples... not spectators... and the business... of making disciples... out of church-goers... can be risky...

Lord... I'm willing... just make it clear... each step You want me to take... I want no part of this to be me... only You...