Saturday, December 02, 2006

Blessed!


As one of God's sheep I have the joy of helping other sheep find the way. Helping other sheep like me find the son. My task is to keep my eyes on the son, and lead others to him. It's a great joy to be able to serve God, and be involved in the lives of others. I so love people, and desire that they find the son, and walk with him. He wants to bless us, but not with money, health and prosperity (although he may), but he wants to bless us with salvation, with life, with his presence, with peace, with hope, with joy, with HIM.
It's really what God has called all us sheep to- to know him and to help other sheep find him too. The blessing?
Knowing God.
There are many teaching the church that all of the blessings of God are HERE and NOW- money, health and prosperity.
They have not really understood the bible. They don't know God's heart. They are focused on here and now. They are focused on ME, not HIM.
God's desire is that we focus on HIM!
It is, in fact all about HIM, not me.
We sheep are so easily drawn away by strange shepherds who want us to focus on our needs, our desires, our passions, our NOW, but here's God's heart-
Amo 5:4 For thus says the LORD to the house of Israel, "Seek Me that you may live.
Amo 5:5 "But do not resort to Bethel And do not come to Gilgal, Nor cross over to Beersheba; For Gilgal will certainly go into captivity And Bethel will come to trouble.
Amo 5:6 "Seek the LORD that you may live,

Mat 6:33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
Seek the best blessing any sheep can find....seek the shepherd, seek HIM...and let him take care of the rest.
That's being blessed!

4 comments:

Brandon and Jenny said...

"They have not really understood the bible. They don't know God's heart. They are focused on here and now. They are focused on ME, not HIM. God's desire is that we focus on HIM! It is, in fact all about HIM, not me."

Amen and amen brother! You preach that from the pulpit 'til the Lord takes you home and you will honor HIM!!!

vincit omnia veritas said...

I have to agree with Brandon and Jenny. Good post, and Amen to what you wrote!

All of us are guilty of loosing the right focus every once in a while. But let us keep our eyes on Jesus!

Anonymous said...

Who is THEY? Somedays THEY are us or our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are to point the way and live for Christ right? Where should we focus our efforts on dealing with THEY? The WORD right?

Tim had found a saying that I always liked, it was this:

The most difficult lie I have ever had to contend with is this: Life was a story about me.

Wow I continue to think about this. What do you think its about? This body of our church knows not only the answer but lives it.

This always leads me not to be critical of others - 'we should be' but also realize THEY can be us. Obey is 'the way to know'.

The way to know

If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine. . . John 7:17.
The golden rule for understanding spiritually is not intellect, but obedience. If a man wants scientific knowledge, intellectual curiosity is his guide; but if he wants insight into what Jesus Christ teaches, he can only get it by obedience. If things are dark to me, then I may be sure there is something I will not do. Intellectual darkness comes through ignorance; spiritual darkness comes because of something I do not intend to obey.
No man ever receives a word from God without instantly being put to the test over it. We disobey and then wonder why we don’t go on spiritually. ‘If when you come to the altar,’ said Jesus, ‘there you remember your brother hath ought against you. . . don’t say another word to Me, but first go and put that thing right.’ The teaching of Jesus hits us where we live. We cannot stand as humbugs before Him for one second. He educates us down to the scruple. The Spirit of God unearths the spirit of self-vindication; He makes us sensitive to things we never thought of before.
When Jesus brings a thing home by His word, don’t shirk it. If you do, you will become a religious humbug. Watch the things you shrug your shoulders over, and you will know why you do not go on spiritually. First go— at the risk of being thought fanatical you must obey what God tells you.

Chambers, O. (1993, c1935). My utmost for his highest : Selections for the year. Grand Rapids, MI: Discovery House Publishers.


-Dave

I strayed a bit so I hope you can follow my uhh points.

Mike Messerli said...

Dave,

Thanks for the note. You asked, "who is they?" "They", as I mentioned, are teachers...teaching the church false doctrine, focusing on man not on God. "They" are all over the christian world, and my point was simply that the real focus of the word is God himself..not US, or our needs and wants. Read it again, I think you will see where I'm going.
Thanks for your words. I enjoy your imput.