Glory Not in Talent and Influence

   “If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth; that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever.” (I Peter 4:11). 

Jews praying in the synagogue on yom kippur a most solemn day of self examination for if they find sin, the cure is to be forgiven by God before midnight or the dead will not rise from the graves, when the Shofars sound at midnight. Yom Kipper end the old year, at midnight the dead should come to life, because it is the 70th year, and God is to remove all debt in this coming year of Jubilee, October 4, 2014.

Christ is our patten, and those who follow Christ will not walk in darkness; for they will not seek their own pleasure.  To glorify God will be the continual aim of their life. . . .But how many who have been entrusted with talents of means and influence have lost sight of the pattern, and followed the standard of the world. . . .Men and women who have been blessed with an abundance of money, with houses and with lands, generally train their children to a life of idleness and selfish indulgence.  Thus they are made useless for this life, and unfit for the future, immortal life. . . .The youth of to-day are educated to believe that it is the money that makes the man.

Our power is not in our talents of education or means, neither is it in our popularity; it is in self-sacrifice, our willing obedience to Jesus Christ.   Those who truly surrender all to Him, will carry a weight of influence, and will carry others along with them, because they walk in the light.  Brain power will be inefficient, purse power of little account with God; but heart power, through godliness, humble fidelity, will bear a weight of influence that will be irresistible.

Shall we not consecrate ourselves to God without reserve?  Christ, the King of glory, gave Himself a ransom for us.   Can we withhold anything from Him?  Shall we think our poor, unworthy selves too precious, our time or property too valuable, to give to Jesus? – No, no; the deepest homage of our hearts, the most skillful service of our hands, our talents of ability and of means, – all are but too poor an offering to bring to Him who was slain and has “redeemed us to God by his blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.”

The wheat harvest now if over. The chaff has been bundled. The Messianic Jews have the gift of prophecy. They have the blood of our Messiah, the living blood of an alien, sent from heaven, to the Jews first, as promised. Then to the followers of Jesus Christ who keep the commandments and have the testimony of Jesus. “Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more.” And if this is the year, for “sin to be no more,”  Daniel 12:2 will prove, to be fulfilled. “Many of those who are sleeping in the dust of the earth will awaken—some to life everlasting, and some to disgrace and everlasting contempt. Those who manifest wisdom will shine like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who turn many to righteousness will shine like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:2-3).

 

 

WE ARE NOT TO GLORY IN WORLDLY WISDOM REMEMBER EINSTEIN?

He taught us how to build a “better” bomb. Now can we have a man to teach us how to farm? Build water purification plants?

Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom.

(Jeremiah 9:23).

Men are not to rejoice in their wisdom, their strength, or their riches, but in the fact that they have a knowledge of Christ.  This knowledge is the most excellent, the most precious, that we can possess.   It is the pledge of everlasting life.  For “this is life eternal, that we might know thee,the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.”  Money cannot buy it, intellect cannot grasp it, power cannot command it; but to all who will accept it God’s glorious grace is freely given.  But men may feel their need, and, renouncing all self-dependence, accept salvation as a gift.  Those who enter heaven will not scale its walls by their own righteousness, nor will its gates be opened to them for costly offerings of gold, or silver; but they will gain an entrance to the many mansions of the Father’s house through the merit of the cross of Christ.

The self-righteous feel no need of Christ.  And when those who profess His name extol their own wisdom and goodness, they give evidence that they are not acquinted with Him.   As soon as Christ is revelaed to the soul, the sinner feels that his only hope is in the Lamb of God as the propitiation (God’s wrath turns away from those who place their faith in salvation, in the Blood of  the Lamb, His Son.) for sin originated in Heaven. Lucifer’s jelousy of God, vexed God’s Holy Spirit. As Christ begins to open His love before him watch the effect, and see what it is.  Many claim this expereince who are strangers to the love of Christ.  But if it leads on to look with humility upon himself, . . .if he gives evidence that the hea,venly reward is of more value to him than his wordly possessions, we may know that eams of life from Christ are shining upon hs soul.

Out of Christ, human wisdom in all its forms is foolishness; for those who trust in their own wisdom, have lost eternity out of their reckoning. . . .To all who beleive in Jesus is able to save  unto the uttermost all that come unto God by Him, the gospel is the power and wisdom of God.

The warning in Revelation 13 is a prophecy soon to be fulfilled! And if this brings fear into your heart, to be without money, it can be only from the power of God, for “Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom.” Psalms 111:10  God has shown the power of His words, to incite a healthy fear that leads to respect and dignity for our Creator.

Satan has control for a “time”.  “And he shall speak great words against the most High, and shall wear out the saints of the most High, and think to change times and laws: and they shall be given into his hand until a time and times and the dividing of time. But the judgment shall sit, [in heaven] and they shall take away his dominion, to consume and to destroy it unto the end.  And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him. Daniel 7:25-27

What draws us to desire being ruled by a God of justice, a Creator, Jesus,  a man who bows down to be walked upon, by the men of earth, who voluntarily goes to a cross, for a crime he did not commit, then is raised from the grave, then he is raised to Heaven?

No one can call Jesus, a weak man. It takes courage like a lion, self control like an eagle, and weakness like a calf, that will grow to be as strong as a bull, in a man and woman, determined to be whole, in the Lord, in the complete picture of the sons and daughters of God, He wants us to be!

“And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.” (Revelation 13:17).

What can man do to me, that God can’t fix?