Today’s Scripture: Matthew 10:39 ESV: Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
What is your experience with living Matthew 10:39? Have we ever lost our life for Jesus’ sake? Forget lost for a second, have we ever even “inconvenienced” our life for Jesus? As we look at Jesus’ instructions here to this young group of disciples can we apply these instructions to our own lives today?
Like the original twelve we too have been authorized to go. Not only have we been authorized we are instructed by Jesus through the written Word and through the Holy Spirit. We are still encouraged to stay with those who are worthy and have the confidence that Jesus will give us the words to speak.
The Spirit of God speaks to us and we can reveal what He says and shout it from the housetops. We only fear God and we know the One we fear loves us and knows us better than we know ourselves. I do love Jesus above all others and will take up my cross and follow Him! The few steps I have already taken have given me a life beyond what I could have imagined and I will endure to the end. What is your experience with losing your life?
Today’s Prayer: Jesus thank you offering Your life to me. Forgive me for holding onto my old life with such blindness. I praise you for speaking to me and allowing me to share You. I go and trust in Your provision and Your power. I will go boldly and proudly for You and shout whatever You reveal to me. Thank You for this new life and help me to reveal Your life to those who will receive it. I carry my cross into today so others may know You. Amen
Tom Raines
Christian Affirmations 4 Life
Love the “not only authorized, but instructed” – it’s a call to action. Thanks for the word today, Tom!
Thanks Dustin! Let’s act today!
Like many others, I have struggled with “giving up to gain” as Jim Elliot used to say. I have found thought that it is only when I am willing to give up control and give away my life that I can truly find it. What a paradox! Good thought this morning Tom.
I know I have only scratched the surface with this as well. Our nature is hard to overcome but as we give up our fleshly life He reveals His full life to us. I am looking forward to living His life as living mine has robbed me of so much. Thanks Bill!
>>”Like the original twelve we too have been authorized to go. Not only have we been authorized we are instructed by Jesus through the written Word and through the Holy Spirit.”
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AMEN! Yes! Tom, I am in love with these words, I must tell you! We are authorized, indeed. Authorized, empowered, and blessed, this side of Heaven, to be as His hands, His mouth, His Spirit, and as His Word made flesh. For it has always been on God’s heart that His Word would be made flesh. That’s where we come in; this is why He has chosen us.
Great Tuesday post, Tom!
Thanks Donald, let’s greet each person and house we enter today with Him! Love your words for us to make it flesh today…
I really really really needed to read this today. Thank you for the reminder.
Awesome Debi, He does provide doesn’t he?! Don’t be a stranger, I miss you when you aren’t chiming in! May He show you His life today!
Hey Tom…. I read something relevant recently by Dr. Rev Sam Shoemaker, an Episcopal minister who was significant in the formation of original AA as well as Oxford Group.
He wrote that putting your faith in Jesus is a risk we endeavor to take. Now that may smack a little to hear. But isn’t that a realization we have to come to? Do we not have to, just like jumping off the high board for the first time, close our eyes and trust that gravity will do its thing and so will the pool below?
And is the opposite also not true? That not putting our faith in Jesus is also a risk we choose to take? Although we are more familiar and perhaps comfortable by sheer habit looking after ourselves versus putting our faith in Jesus.
When I read his wording about taking the risk, it made sense to me why I resist. Yet I take risks all the time. Every time I drive, go to work, walk down stairs, cross a bridge, whatever.
I remember the day when I sat down to pray in early recovery. I had my list of things I wanted to ask of God. I had a format planned for how I pray and had done so many, many times. I was really hurt at the time over all of the chaos in my life at that moment. I tried to pray but just sat there on the floor feeling so broken, I uncharacteristically started crying. I then said, “Sorry God, I can’t do this today, I have nothing left. No strength to even bring this to you (so I felt)”.
Now I really am not clear on how or when we hear from God, but if it ever happened to me, this moment was like to be it. A vivid thought came into my head of God saying to me, “Great! Now you are exactly where you need to be to hear me”.
I kid you not my friend. I can’t imagine where I would have thought to come up with that at that moment on my own. I was very self-reliant my whole life.
But in that moment of deep feelings of brokenness, I did not feel it was a big risk to put my faith in God. So why then do we feel like it is a risk when we are doing anywhere from ‘not too bad’ to ‘great’? Perhaps because we still have a greater sense of self-reliance working in us that we do not want to give up.
Funny, I feel at a similar point of futility right now in trying to run some things my own way. Maybe some stuff has crept in and I am taking things back that I had once surrendered.
Time to wake up and trust in faith.
Ciao.
Chaz
I have no doubt God spoke that to you. I now hear God in new and exciting ways that I have no doubt, like you it is Him. I too have things I take back and yes we need to surrender moment by moment and trust that He knows all and loves us! How was your trip to Hawaii??
Hi Tom…. Hawaii was great. A time of total rejuvenation. Been back a few days and am back in the swing of things.
Had a great meeting with Dick B, AA Historian. I describe it on my blog page.
I am alway cautious to say what is or isn’t God’s voice. I have heard this used recklessly and frankly, self-servingly, far too many times in the past. If God truly does tell us something in whatever way he does, I believe it will simply prove itself out. We dont need to stand on the rooftops and try to convince anyone. Jesus never did. Jesus just did what he did far more than he said what he did. The proof was in the outworking, not in the telling.
Chat again soon.
Ciao
Chaz