Jesus the exalted head

“…How do we become more submitted to Jesus? We stop asking him to compromise His lordship…”

I think every Christian can relate to the idea of compromising our worship and service to God. “If you just gave me this I’d worship you more/better” or “I’m just busy and tired right now” etc. We all do it, I do it, we all have our excuses; our reasons. Sometimes it might be true, most of the time….I don’t think so. But maybe if we hand over the things we worry about; things that take up our time, maybe if we actually took the to stop thinking about ourselves and think more about our Lord. Then God can actually fulfill and bless us with the things we so deeply desire.

After all, it’s difficult to help someone if they won’t let you.

Ending off with a quote from today’s devo:

Jesus will be Lord of all, or He will not be Lord at all.

—Augustine

Devo and Inspiration #20

It’s been a while since I’ve written a devo post. Darrrr feel terrible about that x.x So. Since I have a smartphone now (and I’ve been doing my devos in the morning on my way to work) I’m going to try this thing where I do devo and then draft a post so I can post it later when I have internet (cuz I don’t have data and I don’t plan to get data since I have internet at home and work and I don’t need it in between). Anyhoo, here’s hoping this’ll work cause I do love writing and blogging my thoughts down (I’m a visual person lol).

On another devoted related note. The last few devos I’ve been going through focused on Malachi and the concept of God being the refiner who has the eye for finding gold/silver though hidden among all the other ores around it (i.e
us) and purifying and refining it to it’s intended beauty. The random quote that was included in yesterday’s devo I found to be encouraging and hopeful so I thought I’d share it today 🙂

If there is joy in the world, surely the man of pure heart possesses it.

-Thomas à Kempis

Inspiration #18

I see Your face in every sunrise
The colors of the morning are inside Your eyes
The world awakens in the light of the day
I look up to the sky and say
You’re beautiful

I see Your power in the moonlit night
Where planets are in motion and galaxies are bright
We are amazed in the light of the stars
It’s all proclaiming who you are
You’re beautiful

I see you there hanging on a tree
You bled and then you died and then you rose again for me
Now you are sitting on Your heavenly throne
Soon we will be coming home
You’re beautiful

When we arrive at eternity’s shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing
You’re beautiful

–Beautiful by Phil Wickham

What a wonderful and beautiful song by Phil Wickham.

This was one of the songs we sang at my church summer retreat this year. I couldn’t sing it the first time because I was choked up on tears as I read the words. One of my devo’s last week also focused on the majesty and reverence of God, and how sometimes it’s just good and wonderful to stop, think, realize and be reverent about the awesome God who created and blessed us with everything around us. From the smallest particle to the grandest sunrise and sunset skies.

Humility

Everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.

–Luke 18:14

I can’t think of an easier way to put it as God has put it there. But today’s devo I think put it in some interesting words:

The selfward heart doesn’t get it. It can’t be transparent about its weaknesses and failures because it is too busy masking them. There is a personal reputation to maintain. The Godward heart, however, is busy with God’s reputation. It can easily confess sin and sickness, because it knows that God is glorified by His treatment of such things. The selfward soul runs around saying, “I’m doing my best for the glory of God.” The Godward soul can relax and proclaim, “God’s doing His wonderful work in the wreck that is me.”

Both perspectives come from good intentions (I hope :P). But God’s grace shows up best in the honesty of a tax collector like Zacchaeus or a prostitute who weeps for mercy. Honest souls know what’s inside of them. They alone can showcase a Saviour.

I think it’s also important to note that to be humble is doesn’t condemn yourself (i.e. make yourself feel like crap). If you feel condemned, if you feel anger, ego or pride, chances are it’s not humility. God doesn’t look to put you down (unless you really need that slap in the face), He wants to build you up and bless you so that you may love and glorify Him.

It’s very parent-like don’t you think so? 🙂

Insufficiency

(2 days ago)

Building on yesterday’s devo:

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made complete in weakness

–2 Corinthians 12:9

….Whatever fails we come up with, He can redeem. And that brings Him glory.

That doesn’t mean we should fail intentionally, especially if that failure is sin. Insufficiency comes naturally; we don’t need to create more for Him.

….Remember that a few loaves and fish were all that was offered to Jesus to feed a large crowd, and He was glorified. A leprous hand was offered to Him, and His power to heal was honoured. The tomb of a dead brother became a scene of awesome praise. And a disgraceful cross, as well as the horrendous sin behind it, became God’s greatest glory…..God is used to taking humility, brokenness, and even failure, and magnifying Himself in them.

How amazing is that really? And God has shown over and over again throughout the bible that He chooses the weak to shame the strong and wise. That no defeat is able to take Him down.

It’s the nature of God to make something out of nothing; therefore, when anyone is nothing, God may yet make something out of him.

–Martin Luther

Dependence

Apart from me you can do nothing….This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit.

–John 14:5,8

We know that we are to worship God with everything in us, and that includes living a fruit-bearing life…. We forget though the very key element in Jesus’ teaching: We can’t. We don’t have that ability. Unless we’re abiding in the Vine–in Him–we’re just dead branches….

The element of dependence is why God is glorified when we bear fruit….Our incapability gives Him a platform to work in the Spirit. He can work in an insufficient life to much greater honour than He can in a self-sufficient life. Our inabilities can be turned into an act of worship, IF we’ll offer them up to His power.

As I like to say.

If we were meant to be self-sufficient, we wouldn’t need God, we wouldn’t need other people. But the brokenness in our world, our desire for love and affection, I think, is proof we NEED God. And God is the only thing that will satisfy that need.

The margin quote was also interesting today:

“The more we depend on God, the more dependable we find He is.”

–Cliff Richard

In connection with the last part of today’s devo (to the quote above), I really do believe that if we depend on God more, the more God will be able to work through us and bless us. As a friend of mine said once (and I’m paraphrasing here):

“if you can truly sacrifice, even one thing, for God. He will bless you 10x over”

After all, it’s difficult for God help someone who’s constantly trying to help themselves. I mean really, you try it. If you were trying to help someone who was trying to do everything on their own without accepting help, would it be easy to help them?