The Greatest Commandment

The new school year started and I have the privilege of taking care of about 25 children from 4 years old to 12th grade in an after school program. We have a great time of sharing how the day went, eating snacks, playing checkers, board games, drawing, eating more snacks and heading outside no matter what the weather.  I have three rules for the classroom.  Use an inside voice.  No running until we are outside.  And the greatest rule is keep our hands to ourselves.  One student said, "can't push each other?"  No, our hands are to our self.  Another said, "Can we play tag?" Really?!! No, our hands are to our self, but outside tag is great. "Can we wrestle, quietly?"  I had to smile at that one...but, nope, our hands are to our self.

Pretty much every possible classroom disaster can be eliminated with gentle voices, no running and keeping our hands to our self!  Especially a classroom full of little children.

It reminded me of when Jesus was asked what was the greatest commandment of the whole Law.  And he said, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it; 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'  All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments."

If we all really did do those two things, our families, classrooms, homes, work places, and streets would honor God and be a blessing to all the peoples of the world. 

Deuteronomy 6:5, Matthew 22:37-40

Are you Discouraged or Devoted??

"Jesus . . . said to him, ’You still lack one thing. Sell all that you have . . . and come, follow Me.’ But when he heard this, he became very sorrowful, for he was very rich' Luke 18:22-23

 

Have you ever heard the Master say something very difficult to you? If you haven’t, I question whether you have ever heard Him say anything at all. Jesus says a tremendous amount to us that we listen to, but do not actually hear. And once we do hear Him, His words are harsh and unyielding.

Jesus did not show the least concern that this rich young ruler should do what He told him, nor did Jesus make any attempt to keep this man with Him. He simply said to him, “Sell all that you have . . . and come, follow Me.” Our Lord never pleaded with him; He never tried to lure him— He simply spoke the strictest words that human ears have ever heard, and then left him alone.

Have I ever heard Jesus say something difficult and unyielding to me? Has He said something personally to me to which I have deliberately listened— not something I can explain for the sake of others, but something I have heard Him say directly to me? This man understood what Jesus said. He heard it clearly, realizing the full impact of its meaning, and it broke his heart. He did not go away as a defiant person, but as one who was sorrowful and discouraged. He had come to Jesus on fire with zeal and determination, but the words of Jesus simply froze him. Instead of producing enthusiastic devotion to Jesus, they produced heartbreaking discouragement.

And Jesus did not go after him, but let him go. Our Lord knows perfectly well that once His word is truly heard, it will bear fruit sooner or later. What is so terrible is that some of us prevent His words from bearing fruit in our present life. I wonder what we will say when we finally make up our minds to be devoted to Him on that particular point? One thing is certain— He will never throw our past failures back in our faces."

My Utmost for His Highest by Oswald Chambers for August 17

Mary Magdalene

"He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven devils." --Mark 16:9

"Mary of Magdala was the victim of a fearful evil. She was possessed by not one devil only, but seven. These dreadful inmates caused much pain and pollution to the poor frame in which they had found a lodging. Hers was a hopeless, horrible case. She couldn't help herself, neither could any human help avail.

But Jesus passed that way, and unsought, and probably even resisted by the poor demoniac, He uttered the word of power, and Mary of Magdala became a trophy of the healing power of Jesus. All the seven demons left her, left her never to return, forcibly ejected by the Lord of all. What a blessed deliverance! What a happy change! From delirium to delight, from despair to peace, from hell to heaven!

 

Straightway she became a constant follower of Jesus, catching His every word, following His devious steps, sharing His toilsome life; and in all things she became His generous helper, first among that band of healed and grateful women who ministered to Him of their substance.
 

When Jesus was lifted up in crucifixion, Mary remained the sharer of His shame: we find her first beholding from afar, and then drawing near to the foot of the cross. She could not die on the cross with Jesus, but she stood as near it as she could, and when His blessed body was taken down, she watched to see how and where it was laid. She was the faithful and watchful believer, last at the sepulchre where Jesus slept, first at the grave where He arose.

Her holy fidelity made her a favoured beholder of her beloved Rabboni, who deigned to call her by her name, and to make her His messenger of good news to the trembling disciples and Peter.

Thus grace found her a maniac and made her a minister, cast out devils and gave her to behold angels, delivered her from Satan, and united her for ever to the Lord Jesus. May I also be such a miracle of grace."    
            

  Written by Charles H. Spurgeon Evening Devotional for August 9th

Seeking God's Face

Heard someone recently say, "Maybe instead of going on Facebook so much we should be seeking more of God's Face in His Book."  Good thought.

Love compels...

INEXPRESSIBLE JOY
by Cornelius R. Stam

"Have you ever noticed that the Apostle Paul never speaks of his love for Christ? Rather he keeps talking about Christ's wonderful love to him. Neither does he exhort us to love Christ, but keeps telling us how Christ loved -- and loves, us. This is consistent with the message specially committed to him: 'the task of testifying to the Gospel of God's grace.' (Acts 20:24).

The Law said: 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God' (Matt.22:37). This is the very essence of the law. And we should love God, but the law cannot produce love, so God comes to us in grace and says: 'I love you'. This is why Paul's epistles are so filled with 'the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus' (Romans 8:29).

The fact that God deals with us in grace does not mean that believers should not, or do not, love Him. The very opposite is true, for love begets love. It is when men come to know the love of Christ that their hearts respond to him in love.

Peter, like Paul, had once been a strict observer of the Law, but had since come to know the love of Christ in growing measure. The result: A deep love for Christ and the overflowing joy that accompanies such love. This is why we find in 1 Peter 1:8 those touching words that naturally overflow from the heart and lips of one who has come to know the love of Christ: 'Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy.'

Yes, knowing and loving Christ does indeed bring inexpressible joy, but we cannot love him by trying. We must accept His love for us in faith so that our hearts may naturally respond."