“PAY ATTENTION!”

 

Mark 4:21-25                 (ESV)

A Lamp Under a Basket

“[21] And HE said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? [22] For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. [23] If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” [24] And he said to them, “PAY ATTENTION” to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. [25] For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

When I was younger, I had a SERIOUS case problem that I still have an issue with in my life. Before completing a task, I would move onto something different, something that would hold my interest for a while.  I would wind up with several different incomplete tasks without NO HOPE of them being completed!  Hopefully I am getting better at my completion rate, but it is still an issue for me!

There are many different reasons for not being able to properly “PAY ATTENTION” to what you are trying to accomplish.  I have discovered some natural supplements that have helped.  For this humble servant though, I have discovered that calming down my MOO (Method Of Operation) is THE MAIN THING that I have to take care of every day!  I make it a daily routine to BE STILL before my CREATOR and DOWNLOAD my instructions from HIM!

GOD, in HIS TRIUNE MAGNIFICENCE, has the ability to SLOW me down, even when I try to “do it on my own” following the Brain Hemorrhage, 19 years ago next month!  HE IS ABLE, ESPECIALLY WHEN I AM TRYING TO DO THINGS WITHOUT HIM!!  

“PAY ATTENTION” still needs to be on my heart, even as I go forward with my senior years.  

“LET GO!”

Psalm 46:10         (GOD'S WORD Translation)

“”LET GO” [of your concerns]!  Then you will know that I AM GOD.  I “rule” the nations.  I “rule” the earth.”  

There is a search engine that I use frequently called “Bible Hub”.  It uses a large number of translations of Scripture to be considered by the reader.  For this “brain damaged” person, it permits me look at Scripture through a prism of WORDS that can be “prescribed” to minister to the ailment that I might be experiencing at the time.  I don’t want to try to make things “more palatable”, but I love discovering ANYTHING that GOD has for me that I just can’t SEE!!!

When GOD orchestrated the brain hemorrhage in 2007, HE had a monumental task in my EYES!!!  For THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES though, it wasn’t a very difficult thing.  Seventeen days in a drug-induced coma isn’t out of the ordinary, but for a person who was moving as quickly as I was accustomed to it was MONUMENTAL!!!   But I WASN’T IN CONTROL!!!

GOD has different ways of saying to humanity to “LET GO” and KNOW that I AM GOD!  I had a “head knowledge” that I wasn’t in control of things, but the “actions” of my lifestyle were speaking a different language.  GOD “displayed” to me that HE WAS IN CONTROL, in a way that I was not able to UNDERSTAND before!  HE very gently slowed me down and displayed that I didn’t even want to be “in charge” of anything!!!

Little did I know that GOD would show me a few years ago the translation that told me to “LET GO” of EVERYTHING!!!  HE used these WORDS precisely to make it KNOWN to me that HE was capable of DIRECTING MY PATHS (Proverbs 3:6) far better than I am!!!  “LET GO” and KNOW THAT I AM GOD and I RULE EVERYTHING!!!

“IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD!”

 

Ephesians 2:8-10                 (ESV)

“[8] For BY GRACE you have been SAVED through FAITH. And this is not your own doing; “IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD”, [9] NOT a result of works, so that NO ONE may boast. [10] For we are HIS workmanship, created in CHRIST JESUS for good works, which GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, that WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.”

The Sunday School lesson from last week carried the last few verses of John 4. Those WORDS state “The father (of the sick child) knew that was the hour when JESUS had said to him, “Your son will live.” And he (the esteemed father) himself BELIEVED, and all his household. [54] This was now the second sign that JESUS did when HE had come from Judea to Galilee.” 

PLEASE NOTE that JESUS didn’t have a GO SEE the child that was “…was at the point of death” (John 4:47).  HE healed the youngster because of the FAITH displayed by the father of the sick child!  JESUS performed the miracle WITHOUT even seeing the child!  HE did so because HE saw THE FAITH of the dad!!!  JESUS KNEW precisely what the child needed and HE delivered the cure SUPERNATURALLY!!!

Saving FAITH is NOT something to GLORY about, nor claim that humanity demonstrates any assistance!!  “IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD”, NOT a result of works, so that NO ONE can boast about it!  GOD CHOSE us BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD (Ephesians 1:4), but we are not FOUND until HIS TIMING is revealed to us!  The Apostle Paul was “on his way” to persecute BELIEVERS in Damascus when THE LORD “found” him!  Literally, it took only a few days and he was preaching about JESUS!!!

Like Saul (later known as the Apostle Paul),,GOD did not need to strike me down to “draw” me unto HIMSELF!  My “journey” has been quite an interesting experience though!  I am SO GLAD that GOD HAS A PLAN for my life that I have every intention of fulfilling, but ONLY BY HIS GRACE!!!  “IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD” that HE uses the “worst of sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15) to GLORIFY HIS NAME!!!

“ONE OF THE CRIMINALS!”

 

Luke 23:39-43                   (ESV)

“[39] “ONE OF THE CRIMINALS” who were hanged railed at HIM, saying, “Are you not the CHRIST? Save YOURSELF and us!” [40] But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear GOD, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? [41] And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this MAN has done nothing wrong.” [42] And he said, “JESUS, remember me when YOU come into YOUR kingdom.” [43] And HE said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with ME in paradise.””

 Not being the smartest person alive, I’ve often wondered how one thief could SEE the need for a SAVIOR, while the other one was almost REBUKING with his response?   Both “law-breakers” were getting that which was deserved by them, but one would “be with ME in paradise”, according to GOD IN THE FLESH while paying for my sins!! 

I am BLESSED to have never had to defend myself for any sort of criminal activity.  These two men were found guilty and sentenced to death by crucifixion, the most gruesome sentence used by the Roman authorities.  

But according to Scripture, GOD CHOSE the ones who BELIEVE IN JESUS “before the foundation of the world”, so JESUS KNEW that one would BELIEVE and that the other would reject HIM!  Imagine how much both men had going against themselves.  Both were judged to be guilty of death by crucifixion, yet JESUS only CHOSE one to experience SALVATION!!!  The other one wasn’t CHOSEN, so he rejected his opportunity to go with JESUS!

It must be wild to be “ONE OF THE CRIMINALS” who was CHOSEN by GOD INCARNATE while HE was dying for his transgressions??  But how much better is the life than his life??  We ALL must realize and LIVE like we are “ONE OF THE CRIMINALS” with NOTHING available for our redemption!!  Like the thief on the cross, we MUST become like “ONE OF THE CRIMINALS” and fall into HIS GRACE for our REDEMPTION!!!

“DO NOT LOSE HEART!”

 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18                 (ESV)

“[16] So we “DO NOT LOSE HEART”. Though our outer self is WASTING AWAY, our inner self is being renewed day by day. [17] FOR THIS LIGHT MOMENTARY AFFLICTION is PREPARING FOR US AN ETERNAL WEIGHT OF GLORY BEYOND ALL COMPARISON, [18] as we look NOT to THE THINGS THAT ARE NOT SEEN but to THE THINGS THAT ARE UNSEEN. For THE THINGS THAT ARE SEEN ARE TRANSIENT, but THE THINGS THAT ARE UNSEEN ARE ETERNAL.”

My perspective about life in general has dramatically changed since July 09, 2007!  What we do very often is to compare things that we have experienced in “this world” to what we have waiting for us in our NEW HOME that JESUS is currently preparing for us.  

Humanity does not have the vocabulary to describe what Heaven will be like, if for no other reason, because THE SAME SPIRIT WHO CREATED “this world” developing HIS MASTERPIECE, something that HE is doing for at least two thousand years (John 14:1-14)!  

In the three verses of Scripture that are the focal passages this morning, the Apostle Paul writes that as as our minds are VASTLY broader than man can comprehend, the PLACE that JESUS is preparing for us is going to blow our minds and souls, so much so that we “might” be shocked by the GLORY of HEAVEN……….FOR ETERNITY!!!

So our mentality needs to be on THE THINGS ARE UNSEEN, not THE THINGS THAT ARE TRANSIENT (Temporary, fleeting, ephemeral, brief, passing, and impermanent)!  Our eternal HOME will be more than the human minds can conceive!  (1 Corinthians 2:9!). 

“DO NOT LOSE HEART”, for the ONE WHO CREATED “this world” is preparing our future ETERNAL HOME!  Best of all, our ETERNITY will be SPENT SERVING AND ADORING HIM, FOREVER AND FOREVER!!!

“THINK WITH SOBER JUDGMENT!”

 

Romans 12:3                 (ESV)

Gifts of Grace

“[3] For by the GRACE GIVEN TO ME I say to everyone among you NOT to think of himself MORE HIGHLY THAN HE OUGHT to think, but to “THINK WITH SOBER JUDGMENT”, each ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF FAITH THAT GOD HAS ASSIGNED.”

Most of the time the subject I write about daily is placed on my heart by the HOLY SPIRIT.  It isn’t because I am SO HOLY, but because I am NOT capable of HEARING from GOD without HIM taking control of my mind!!  This morning I typed the words “bible do not think more highly of yourself” into the internet search engine and Romans 12:3 was the overwhelming response.  

The letter to THE CHURCH in the city of Rome was written by the Apostle Paul.  In Romans 1:8-15 he wrote to the BELIEVERS living near Rome that he “longed” to visit with them and share what GOD had done, and was doing, to and through him.  

In the focal passage of Scripture this morning, Paul writes “by the grace given to me”, leaving it clear to us that his knowledge was far beyond his ability to comprehend.  

Then he writes that “everyone among you NOT to think of himself MORE HIGHLY THAN HE OUGHT to think”!  Those words were NOT written as a suggestion, but as a command!  

“But to “THINK WITH SOBER JUDGMENT”” is something that really stood out to me when reading it!  One definition of SOBER is defined as “marked by temperance, moderation, or seriousness”.  

My temperament was totally changed after the Brain Hemorrhage.  It was something that GOD did, so I just have to accept it and proceed!  I used to talk about anything, whether I knew what I was talking about or not!  But GOD “refit” my brain to speak by the GRACE GIVEN TO ME and my words were completely different!  GOD OPENED my Brain Damaged mind to comprehend that HE has given me, ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF FAITH THAT GOD HAS ASSIGNED!!  It is NOT anything that I have done, but I am now able to “THINK WITH SOBER JUDGMENT” and ONLY then will I be able to SPEAK FOR HIM!!!

“FRIEND, MOVE UP HIGHER!”

 

Luke 14:8-11                 (ESV)

[8] “When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, [9] and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. [10] But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, “‘FRIEND, MOVE UP HIGHER.’” Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. [11] FOR EVERYONE WHO EXALTS HIMSELF WILL BE HUMBLED, AND HE WHO HUMBLES HIMSELF WILL BE EXALTED.””

The “parable” shown in the Scripture passage above has been entitled The Parable Of The Wedding Feast.  A “parable” is defined as “a concise story that conveys a moral, spiritual, or theological truth by means of everyday illustrations and relatable experiences”.  JESUS used “words” so exquisitely to achieve HIS desired outcome in the particular situation.  It is understandable that in the book of John HE referred to as THE WORD, because HE encapsulated ALL THE GOOD that WORDS can describe!!!

THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSES was speaking to THE CREATED and HIS MESSAGE wasn’t very difficult to understand.  My humanity generally doesn’t lend itself to anything that isn’t revealed to me in a relatively short period of time.  But THE KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS was sharing that the people hearing HIS WORDS were being BLESSED to experience.  

JESUS told those who were “listeners” that whenever they were invited to a wedding feast, that they needed to consider themselves BLESSED to be invited!  When “your host” SEES where you are seated, he “may” say to you “FRIEND, MOVE UP HIGHER “!  But these words might leave you where you are …..FOR A SEASON!!!  

Our “HOST” for the HEAVENLY gathering we are scheduled to attend will be NONE OTHER than the ORATOR of this parable, THE WORD!!!  I will be BLESSED just to be at this gathering!  But I will HONORED to be told “FRIEND, MOVE UP HIGHER” by the KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS…….. if HE so chooses!!!