“DO JUST AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU!”

 John 13:15-17                 (ESV)

“[15] For I have given you an example, that you also should “DO JUST AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU”. [16] Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. [17] IF you know these things, BLESSED ARE YOU IF YOU DO THEM’.”

There is a clear, yet uncomfortable, lesson given to we who are CHOSEN by our CREATOR to serve HIM!  JESUS is saying to HIS CHILDREN that we should “give up” what our “dreams and aspirations” are and surrender our lives to HIM!  Knowing that we are CALLED to sacrifice our lives to HIS PLAN “can be” a scary situation, especially if we are subjected to the abuse and torture that JESUS was subjected to!!!

JESUS “gave up” a throne in Heaven to walk among “fallen humanity” because HE was the ONLY HOPE for HIS PLAN to be fulfilled!  There is ABSOLUTELY NO OTHER WAY to accomplish and complete HIS PLAN!  

So why do we have a problem surrendering to HIS PLAN?  We didn’t choose to give up everything we had worked so hard for to DIE ON CALVARY’s CROSS!  But HIS INSTRUCTIONS are for us to “DO JUST AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU”….FOR HIS GLORY!!!

For this Brain Damaged reject who has nothing to offer THE KING OF GLORY, all I can do is to “DO JUST AS I HAVE DONE TO YOU”!  HE IS IN CONTROL and I am NOT!!!

“OF GOD!”

 John 8:47                 (ESV)

“[47] Whoever is “OF GOD” hears the words “OF GOD”. The reason why YOU DO NOT HEAR THEM is that YOU ARE NOT “OF GOD”.””

Being able to HEAR from your own children or grandchildren is something that is hard to describe!  Even when they contact you accidentally, it carries with it a certain sense of admiration that is difficult to describe!  The words “If You Know, You Know” was probably initially written about such things???

Hearing the things “OF GOD” is NOT for everyone!  As a matter of fact, in Mark 1:35, it is recorded “And rising VERY EARLY IN THE MORNING, while it was still dark, HE (JESUS) DEPARTED and went out to a DESOLATE PLACE, and there HE prayed.”  Notice HE didn’t talk with anyone, but HE DEPARTED and went to a DESOLATE PLACE to be alone with HIS FATHER!!!

If we are CHOSEN, we are given instructions to GET ALONE with GOD, to make the encounter quiet and solitude, and to LISTEN to the things “OF GOD”!  I find it almost impossible to HEAR from GOD when I my mind is cluttered with the cares of “this world”!  

I NEED TO LISTEN to the things “OF GOD” and NOT BE enveloped with anything else!  Demonstrating that whatever is “OF GOD” is FAR MORE IMPORTANT than ANYTHING social media has to cloud my mind, and is CRUCIAL to Spiritual growth!  If “YOU DO NOT HEAR THEM” maybe “it is that YOU ARE NOT “OF GOD”!!!

“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!!!