Motivation For Service
2009-09-16

Today has been pretty good, I think. It's funny, though, how God sometimes has a way of dampening excitement about something. You get all excited and then he gives you something to think about, which makes you slow down and wonder, "Whoa...let's make sure we do this right!"

Was that sufficiently cryptic??



Looking at the Presidential Prayer Team site:

Officials Warn Americans for New Terrorism Concerns.
Counter-terrorism officials on Tuesday urged local police to be on the lookout for evidence of homemade bombs, a day after the FBI raided four apartments in Queens looking for bomb-making components. Police departments are being urged to be on the lookout for specific indicators of terrorist activity. The directive speaks of the possible use of hydrogen peroxide in bombs, and to look for people who may have burns on the face, hands and arms. Officials Monday were apparently looking for an Afghan national from Colorado who may have links to al-Qaida. Sources said he stayed at the home of an acquaintance on a recent trip to New York. Pray for the safety of our nation from outside terror attacks.

While we pray for our troops overseas, let's continue to pray for our safety and protection at home.



My Psalm for today is Psalm 102:10. Reading from the Message.

And all because of your furious anger;
you swept me up and threw me out.

"As his goodness is inexhaustable, so his blessing would flow upon us without intermission, were it not for our sins which break off the course of it. Although, then, the remembrance of God's benefits ought to assuage our sorrows, yet still it is a great aggravation of our calamity to have fallen from an elevated position, and to find that we have so provoked his anger, as to make him withdraw from us his benignant and bountiful hand. Thus when we consider that the image of God, which distinguished Adam, was the brightness of the celestial glory; and when, on the contrary, we now see the ignominy and degradation to which God has subjected us in token of his wrath, this contrast cannot surely fail of making us feel more deeply the wretchedness of our condition. Whenever, therefore, God, after having stripped us of the blessing which he had conferred upon us, gives us up to reproach, let us learn that we have so much the greater cause to lament, because through our own fault, we have turned light into darkness."

(Commentary from Heart Aflame: Daily Readings from Calvin on the Psalms)

And we see that the Psalms are not always uplifting and cheerful, eh? Let us not wallow in the mire, here, but just realize that, yes, sometimes, it is our fault. We are sinners, and sin does have consequences, the most dreadful being a break in fellowship with God. Not because he leaves us, mind you, because he will not. But, just as in any relationship, when one party in the relationship has been "injured," reconciliation must occur before the relationship can continue as before. Thank the Lord for our premium reconciliation through Jesus Christ!



Tabletalk Magazine

"Silencing False Teachers"
Titus 1:10-11

Reading from the English Standard Version:

10 For there are many who are insubordinate, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision party. 11 They must be silenced, since they are upsetting whole families by teaching for shameful gain what they ought not to teach.

Paul is giving further reason for appointing teachers who are theologically sound. It doesn't appear that circumcision, itself, was the main issue, but that there were people who still espoused some of the old Jewish teachings. There were also some who were obviously motivated by a lust for money, rather than the glory of God.

We need to be strong supporters of people, institutions and churches that faithfully proclaim Scripture.



Holiness Day by Day

"The Lure of Grace"
Romans 12:1

Reading from the English Standard Version:

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.

Paul asks for respons based on heartfelt gratitude, not on any kind of obligation. It was not a sense of duty, but "by the mercies of God."

We do, in fact, have an obligation to God. He's our Sovereign ruler. He has laid down precepts that we are to be keeping. "He motivates us to obedience, not on the basis of His sovereign rule but on the basis of His mercy to us in Jesus Christ."

This is what Martin Luther had to say about Romans 12:1: "A lawdriver insists with threats and penalties; a preacher of grace lures and incites with divine goodness and compassion shown to us; for he wants no unwilling works and reluctant services, he wants joyful and delightful services of God."

Submission to Christ's lordship should be in response to God's love and mercy. This is the motivation that Paul uses when asking the Roman believers to offer their bodies as "living sacrifices."



Father, I thank you again for your mercy and grace in my life. Let that be an inspiration to me to offer up my body as a living sacrifice to you. Let my obedience to you always be based on a response to your mercy and compassion, rather than out of fear of punishment or because I just think I have to do something. I, too, believe that you prefer willing and cheerful obedience rather than reluctant service. Let that be a benchmark for any works of service that we undertake.

I continue to pray that I and any other ministers of the gospel will be theologically sound teachers. I pray that we never be found guilty of manipulating the gospel message, especially for greed. That is most reprehensible. If I ever head down that path, may you strike me down! I only want to worship you and joyfully lead others in doing the same.

Father, when we get down and depressed, when we are suffering under your hand because of sin in our lives, I pray that we will call out to you in repentance, seeking restoration to your holy face! Let us never stay down and wallow in self pity. Let us immediately look up to you and climb out of whatever pit we've wound up in and run to your embrace where we can rest.



If I could just sit with You a while
If You could just hold me
Nothing could touch me
Though I'm wounded, though I die.

If I could just sit with You a while
I need You to hold me
Moment by moment
'Til forever passes by...

(Thanks to Dennis Jernigan for receiving that song)

Grace and peace, friends.



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