He that loveth his life shall lose it;
and he that hateth his life in this world
shall keep it unto Life Eternal.
John 12:25
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
and whosoever will lose his life
for MY+ Sake shall find it.
Matthew 16:24
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it;
but whosoever shall lose his life
for MY+ Sake and the Gospel's,
the same shall save it.
Mark 8:35
For whosoever will save his life shall lose it:
but whosoever will lose his life for MY+ Sake,
the same shall save it.
Luke 9:24
That is what HE+ said. Four times HE+ said it.
That is what HE+ meant. Each time He+ said it.
That is how HE+ lived. Until HE+ died.
That is how we live . . . don’t we ?
As a matter of fact, Luke records the EXTENSION of The LORD’S thoughts on this:
If any man come to ME+,
and hate not his father, and mother,
and wife, and children,
and brethren, and sisters,
yea, and his own life also,
he cannot be MY+ Disciple.
Luke 14:26
We hate --- not our bodies nor our relatives and friends --- but our own Ego, our own SELF-WILL, our Adamic nature. We hate SELF- promotion.
We True Christians live our lives NOT according to our own interests and talents and skills.
ALL , yes ALL, is laid down
at the foot of the Cross,
on the altar of GOD.
We make our SELF-life a “Living Sacrifice” ,
which is our Reasonable Service . . .
for all that CHRIST JESUS has done for us.
+ + +
It takes a Super-human effort to do this; we cannot do this on our own.
Yes, it takes His+ Enabling Grace. That is the GRACE that ENABLES us to put ALL on the ALTAR , even our God-given, natural talents, and let HIM+ incinerate them if that be His+ Will.
Let the painter not paint; let the singer not sing. Let the writer not write . . . no, not one picture, song, nor word UNTIL all talent is laid upon His+ Altar at the Foot of the Cross.
If it please HIM+, HE+ will burn it to ashes for our own good.
For The LORD JESUS knows ahead of time what the satan will use to turn our focus onto our SELF, to make a name for our SELF and garner a reputation. . . to the great detriment of our soul . . . and to the befouling of the Body of CHRIST.
HE+ wants our example to the Body of CHRIST
to be Cross-carrying,
not flesh-enhancing.
In short, The LORD JESUS wants others to see HIM+ in us, not for them to see “us” . . . nor our paintings, songs, writings, or other natural talents.
Let us learn to take ALL to the Cross so that HE+ will be glorified instead of our talents.
Indeed, The LORD can enable anyone with talents which are needed to help the Body of CHRIST , just like HE did in the making of the Tabernacle in the wilderness.
Likewise, HE+ can enable us ones with our talents to make ourselves of no reputation and join HIM+ on the Cross, as it is written:
But made HIMSELF+ of no reputation,
and took upon HIM+ the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man,
HE+ HUMBLED HIMSELF+
and became obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:7,8
Let us pray:
LORD JESUS CHRIST, I bend the knee to YOU+ .
I find myself “in fashion as a man”, like YOU+ found Yourself+ to be here on earth.
Here, then, LORD, are all my talents, gifts, and reputation .
I place them earnestly upon Your+ Altar.
Melt me, Mold me, Fill me with YOURSELF+, and use me now . . . cleansed of any Ego and Reputation that I have gained for myself, “being in fashion as a man.”
Take this empty vessel --- emptied of my Self --- and fill it with Your+ Presence. May all who see me now may only see YOU+ instead.
In Thy+ Precious and Holy Name, LORD CHRIST, I lift up this prayer unto THEE+. Amen
No comments:
Post a Comment