I find myself more often than I should scrolling videos, one after the other, on social media. It’s no doubt one of Satan’s best tools to monopolize the time of Christians so they’ll be less and less productive for the cause of Christ. Can you identify? If you’re on social media any time at all you probably can. But perhaps you’re more disciplined than me. I pray you are. But as I scrolled, I came across a Christmas video of a Baptist Church in some other state, I don’t recall, but it was a huge church of thousands. The video was of their Christmas program filled with dancers, live animals, flying people across the massive roof span with drama and lights that rivaled any Hollywood production. Even Santa made an appearance at the end! I saw very little Jesus. I was frustrated for God. One of the comments below the posts was “Jesus should turn over a few tables in that place.” I agreed. It was bad enough when the world took Jesus out of Christmas, but a Baptist church? This is why it matters not what denomination is over the door, it’s what’s in the hearts of the people who attend.
This morning as I read John 14:1-6 I was so grateful for the greatest gift that I have ever received. The Spirit of Christ.
John 14:1-6
| 1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. |
| 2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. |
| 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. |
| 4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. |
| 5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way? |
| 6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. |
Medicine for a Troubled Heart
On my night stand lies all my medicines for my heart. It’s the only way that I can remember to take them is if they’re laying in a place that I see them when I wake up and when I lie down. That medicine keeps me a live. But the Word of God keeps me living. Keeps me desiring to go on.
Jesus told His disciples, “You believe in God, believe also in me.” The men who watched Him perform miracles, who walked with Him daily and heard Him speak needed those words to comfort their weary hearts. It’s human nature to get discouraged. You don’t have to work at that at all! But boy oh boy do we have to work at keeping uplifted and desiring to go on in this troubled world.
Do you have any troubles right now? The answer is likely yes. The level of our troubles vary, and if we compared them to the problems in other countries ours would seem as minuscule as a drop of water in the ocean. But in our world they fill our thoughts with worry and concern and again monopolize our time, keeping us from serving God.
A Mansion for Tomorrow
Waiting for us in heaven when that eternal tomorrow comes is a mansion. One of the many, many reasons I like the King James Version of scripture. The other versions say house, or rooms. But I’m believing in that mansion! One with a huge pickin’ porch that all our friends can gather and play music and fellowship without the burdens of life. Won’t that be amazing? Perhaps that’s not your idea of Heaven. Maybe it’s art, or any number of things that people enjoy, but the point is, we’ll enjoy it! There will been no troubles, no heart aches or arguments. No worries about making the ends meet, there will be no end. No worries about family and friends. Just an endless time of worship and serving God in a perfect land. There is no more perfect gift than a free heart and mind from worldly anxieties.
The Master is Waiting
My friend Gloria used to sing a song in choir titled “Then I Met the Master.” Ohhhh, all of Heaven came down when she sang that song. Jesus is the Master, but is He the Master of our lives? In my own frustration He is not most of the time. I allow the world to captivate my thoughts and as Jesus stands waiting to take every burden of the day away from me, I continue in it.
But then there are mornings like today, when the gift that keeps on giving, gives me a touch of that endless peace that comes from knowing Jesus and from the Holy Spirit that lives within the child of God.
By Mosie Lister
Like a baby when it cries for its mother
Like a child, I was helpless alone
Then I met the Master
Now I am one of His own
For all things were changed
When He found me
A new day broke through
All around me
For I met the Master
Now I belong to Him
Like a blind man who walks in the darkness
I had longed, I had searched for the light
Then I met the Master
No, I walk no more in the night
For all things were changed
When He found me
A new day broke through
All around me
For I met the Master
Now I belong to Him
I met the Master
Now I belong to Him
For all things were changed
When He found me
A new day broke through
All around me
For I met the Master
The Master
Now I belong to Him
I met the Master
Now I belong to Him
I met the Master
Now I belong to Him
I belong to him