Friday, April 8, 2005

Luke-Ashamed?

Luke 9:25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?  

Solomon was a wise man in his time. He wrote the book of Ecclesiastes, which was a view of the world from his perspective; the richest of men with everything he desired from this life. These are his words:  

 Eccl 1:2  Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity. (empty)
Eccl 1:3  What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun?
Eccl 1:14  I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.  

Life is empty if it is about ourselves, but when we are in Christ Jesus, life is beautiful and full of meaning. I love his word.  Solomon's father was King David, a man after God's own heart. He spoke the Psalms.  

 Psa 56:10  In God will I praise his word: in the LORD will I praise his word.
Psa 56:11  In God have I put my trust: I will not be afraid what man can do unto me.
Psa 56:12  Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.
Psa 56:13  For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

Paul wrote of our life being as a race and that we must run the race lawfully, lest we be a castaway, disqualified.  

1 Cor 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.   As David, we must encourage ourselves in the Lord, stay in his word and prayer. There are other voices and spirits who seek to destroy the work of Jesus in our lives. We must not be swayed by the ill winds that blow, but press on, for we are of a higher calling.  

 Phil 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
Phil 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
Phil 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
 

 Luke 9:26  For whosoever shall be ashamed of meand of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father's, and of the holy angels.
 

 It is OK if others seek to shame me, for I am in Christ. Those who hate him will hate us. We keep on loving our Lord, warning the lost when possible, but keeping ourselves from their evil ways. We are a holy people, sanctified and set apart for His fellowship. We are the light of Christ in a sin darkened world. One man said to me, there are more of us (God haters) than yours. So be it, it is their choice. I will glorify the Lord, for I am not ashamed, I am greatly honored to be with my Lord Jesus Christ, He is why I live. No one will pass by my grave waving a stick wondering where I will be. I know where I am going and you know, we are not ashamed to be with Jesus.  

 Rom 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Eaglewings Ministries

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