So, when he had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man is glorified, and God is glorified in Him."
~ John 13:31 (NKJV)
If you've never seen it, this half-minute clip from the movie "City Slickers" explains "Just One Thing." (The single profanity is muted.)
Jesus knew His Just One Thing: glorify the Father. He sought no glory for Himself, with the exception of the glory in Him which glorified His Father.
We are greatly beloved to Jesus. Just before He died, Jesus invited us to join Him in His Just One Thing, and live to glorify the Father. We will one day do it in face-to-face worship. In the meantime, we have an opportunity to glorify God that we won't have then. Our days here are a gift during which Jesus allows us to carry His Holy Spirit on His behalf, to the glory of God.
We strive to do that through our good works—giving to the poor, or sharing the Gospel, or living a righteous life. Though Jesus said in Matthew 5 that our good works bring God glory, it's not the works themselves that accomplish that. There's really only one good work to be done, which we put into action through every other word and deed, thought and feeling:
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
~ John 13:34-35 (NKJV)
All will know we are Christians by our love, and they will give glory to God for it. Our love glorifies God more than all the praise songs and good works can ever give Him by themselves.
To join Jesus in His Just One Thing is to love one another. You stick to that and everything else don't mean ...
Lord Jesus, thank You for Your love. Thank You for the privilege to join You in Your highest goal. Please help us see our opportunities for what they are.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Commandment Number 13, Part Two:
Payback Time
For some thought, because Judas had the money box, that Jesus had said to him ... that he should give something to the poor.
~ John 13:29 (NKJV)
John's Gospel describes that twice in one week, Jesus' disciples express concern for the poor (above, and when Mary pours expensive perfume on Jesus). It may be surmised that Jesus had both taught and demonstrated such manner of kindness toward the destitute, though He and his disciples were themselves destitute. (See Mark 10:28, Matthew 17:27, Luke 9:58)
As an itinerant Prophet, Jesus often relied upon the kindness and hospitality of others. If some of His disciples criticized Mary for "wasting" a costly flask of oil, perhaps they harbored resentment for those times they went hungry after giving to others from their purse. Or perhaps they had yet to appreciate the proverb Jesus surely esteemed:
He who shows favor to the poor lends to the LORD,
And He will pay back what he has given.
~ Proverbs 19:17
God's payback may or may not include a payback in kind. But God's payback is sure to include all manner of spiritual treasure. We both "lay up treasure in Heaven" for the future, and we reap what we sow here and now. Whatever our material possessions or savings in a bank vault, we ourselves are the vault in which Jesus keeps His Holy Spirit. We become wellsprings of treasure as we make regular deposits of God's Word into our hearts.
Showing favor (Hebrew chânan) to the "poor" may include far more than a monetary handout. It means that we, who are destitute of time, still give of our time. It means that we, who sorrow, give comfort. It means that we, who fall short of being Christlike, lavish patience and love upon those who are not Christlike, as God lavishes upon us.
Holy Spirit, please open our eyes to see opportunities for spiritual investments and loans. Please make our interest grow where we invest our hearts. Please give us patience as we wait for Your payback time.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
~ John 13:29 (NKJV)
John's Gospel describes that twice in one week, Jesus' disciples express concern for the poor (above, and when Mary pours expensive perfume on Jesus). It may be surmised that Jesus had both taught and demonstrated such manner of kindness toward the destitute, though He and his disciples were themselves destitute. (See Mark 10:28, Matthew 17:27, Luke 9:58)
As an itinerant Prophet, Jesus often relied upon the kindness and hospitality of others. If some of His disciples criticized Mary for "wasting" a costly flask of oil, perhaps they harbored resentment for those times they went hungry after giving to others from their purse. Or perhaps they had yet to appreciate the proverb Jesus surely esteemed:
He who shows favor to the poor lends to the LORD,
And He will pay back what he has given.
~ Proverbs 19:17
God's payback may or may not include a payback in kind. But God's payback is sure to include all manner of spiritual treasure. We both "lay up treasure in Heaven" for the future, and we reap what we sow here and now. Whatever our material possessions or savings in a bank vault, we ourselves are the vault in which Jesus keeps His Holy Spirit. We become wellsprings of treasure as we make regular deposits of God's Word into our hearts.
Showing favor (Hebrew chânan) to the "poor" may include far more than a monetary handout. It means that we, who are destitute of time, still give of our time. It means that we, who sorrow, give comfort. It means that we, who fall short of being Christlike, lavish patience and love upon those who are not Christlike, as God lavishes upon us.
Holy Spirit, please open our eyes to see opportunities for spiritual investments and loans. Please make our interest grow where we invest our hearts. Please give us patience as we wait for Your payback time.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Commandment Number 13, Part One:
Impossible Love
When my oldest daughter was a little girl, she one day presented me with a gift:
We had discussed (in home school Bible lessons) the importance of The Ten Commandments (listed in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5). We went on to study that according to Jesus, all the commandments really come down to just two:
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
~ Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV; also Mark 12:28-34)
If we love God with all we are, and if we love others as we want to be loved, we have little worry of violating The Original Ten. Jesus simplifies all of the Old Testament with these two commands.
10 —> 2
Easy? Oh no. But it is simpler. Jesus continually issues challenges that go to our core with the very simplest of truths, such as:
lust = adultery
hatred = murder
About the time we might think we're getting a handle on those two greatest commandments, we may come to realize that Jesus simplified even further, with The New Commandment:
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."
~ John 13:34 (NKJV)
We can no longer get away with the lower standard of loving others as we want to be loved. We are now challenged to love others as well as God loves them.
2 —> 1
Simpler yet. More difficult yet.
Impossible for humans. Made possible by the God living within us, when we love God so well that His love naturally flows from us to one another.
More to follow ...
We love You so much, Lord. We love You not nearly enough. Please show us more of You?
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
We had discussed (in home school Bible lessons) the importance of The Ten Commandments (listed in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5). We went on to study that according to Jesus, all the commandments really come down to just two:
"Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.' This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."
~ Matthew 22:36-40 (NKJV; also Mark 12:28-34)
If we love God with all we are, and if we love others as we want to be loved, we have little worry of violating The Original Ten. Jesus simplifies all of the Old Testament with these two commands.
10 —> 2
Easy? Oh no. But it is simpler. Jesus continually issues challenges that go to our core with the very simplest of truths, such as:
lust = adultery
hatred = murder
About the time we might think we're getting a handle on those two greatest commandments, we may come to realize that Jesus simplified even further, with The New Commandment:
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."
~ John 13:34 (NKJV)
We can no longer get away with the lower standard of loving others as we want to be loved. We are now challenged to love others as well as God loves them.
2 —> 1
Simpler yet. More difficult yet.
Impossible for humans. Made possible by the God living within us, when we love God so well that His love naturally flows from us to one another.
More to follow ...
We love You so much, Lord. We love You not nearly enough. Please show us more of You?
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Stress Test
My heart hurts.
It is not heartburn—not anything I ate, and not because my heart's on fire for the Lord.
It's stress. I can handle the pressures of obligations okay. Physical exertion has never bothered me (at least not until the last few weeks). But there's been just a wee bit too much emotional stress in my life. And so the doctors say:
Chest pain
+ normal EKG
= stress test.
I understand the concept. Put increasing stress on my heart, observe how it reacts, and obtain a diagnosis so that the doctor knows what treatment plan to recommend.
Since I already know that stress is what caused the problem, I'm not entirely thrilled about the idea of going in today to see how much more stress my heart will take and how it will react. But I also understand that being tested is the process by which we learn where we're strong and where we fail so that we can do something about it.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me ...
~ Psalms 139:23-24 (NKJV)
Maybe cardiologists got the idea for stress tests from God. He's the Expert in that field. The difference is that with God, He already sees into the heart and knows exactly where there's a problem. His tests aren't to prove to Himself what's a problem, but to show us where we're weak so that we can cooperate with His treatment plan.
And then sometimes He tests us to show us where we're strong so that we can engage that strength in His service.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
~ James 2:21-22 (NKJV)
God knew Abraham's heart. But did Abraham know his own heart until he raised the knife above Isaac? And didn't his heart of faith become stronger through the faith offering?
Stress tests from God should be expected. Some failures should be no surprise, though they should also result in us growing stronger in faith. And when we, like Abraham, pass with flying colors, we know our Father smiles upon us for proving what He knew we could do all along.
His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
~ Matthew 25:21 (NKJV)
Precious Lord, we are Your unworthy servants. We dare not ask You to test us without fear and trembling, knowing the sin which lurks in our hearts. Please be gentle with us. Please give us the courage to be tested by You and remain standing.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
It is not heartburn—not anything I ate, and not because my heart's on fire for the Lord.
It's stress. I can handle the pressures of obligations okay. Physical exertion has never bothered me (at least not until the last few weeks). But there's been just a wee bit too much emotional stress in my life. And so the doctors say:
Chest pain
+ normal EKG
= stress test.
I understand the concept. Put increasing stress on my heart, observe how it reacts, and obtain a diagnosis so that the doctor knows what treatment plan to recommend.
Since I already know that stress is what caused the problem, I'm not entirely thrilled about the idea of going in today to see how much more stress my heart will take and how it will react. But I also understand that being tested is the process by which we learn where we're strong and where we fail so that we can do something about it.
Search me, O God, and know my heart;
Try me, and know my anxieties;
And see if there is any wicked way in me ...
~ Psalms 139:23-24 (NKJV)
Maybe cardiologists got the idea for stress tests from God. He's the Expert in that field. The difference is that with God, He already sees into the heart and knows exactly where there's a problem. His tests aren't to prove to Himself what's a problem, but to show us where we're weak so that we can cooperate with His treatment plan.
And then sometimes He tests us to show us where we're strong so that we can engage that strength in His service.
Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?
~ James 2:21-22 (NKJV)
God knew Abraham's heart. But did Abraham know his own heart until he raised the knife above Isaac? And didn't his heart of faith become stronger through the faith offering?
Stress tests from God should be expected. Some failures should be no surprise, though they should also result in us growing stronger in faith. And when we, like Abraham, pass with flying colors, we know our Father smiles upon us for proving what He knew we could do all along.
His lord said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.'
~ Matthew 25:21 (NKJV)
Precious Lord, we are Your unworthy servants. We dare not ask You to test us without fear and trembling, knowing the sin which lurks in our hearts. Please be gentle with us. Please give us the courage to be tested by You and remain standing.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Friday, March 2, 2012
How Deep
Ever wonder why Jonah didn't want to go to Ninevah?
Jonah the son of Amittai was a small town boy from an obscure and remote corner of Israel, Gath-hepher of Zebulun. Yet traveling to educated and sophisticated Nineveh, magnificent capital of the Assyrian Empire, should be no challenge to a man who readily set sail on a large cargo ship for distant Tarshish.
The Assyrians surely intimidated neighboring countries with their malicious brutality and horrific expertise at siege warfare, which rivals any in human history. But fear seems to have little place in the heart of a man who dares to first defy God, and then later angrily rebuke Him. One might surmise that Jonah sought to prove himself anything but the "dove" he is named.
In the end, Jonah leaves no question about his motivation for disobedience, which is revealed in the closing words of his book (Jonah 4:2). Not unlike the Pharisees, who had zeal for God without knowing Him, Jonah's problem was that he knew God all too well, but loved Him all too little.
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
~ 1 John 4:20 (NKJV)
The Bible says it took three days to walk through Nineveh, long enough for Jonah to closely observe its people. However intelligent and advanced their culture, their hedonistic lives immersed them in sin's misery and darkness. Their plight evoked only Jonah's contempt.
Jonah not only knew God to be gracious and merciful and compassionate, he had just experienced the depth of it in deliverance from the fish. He readily praised God for the blessings poured out on a repentant heart, but seethed with rage and persisted in hatred when God did the same for someone else.
Such knowledge—such personal experience—is riches greater than all the wealth of the mighty Assyrian Empire, greater than the GNP of mighty United States. We will not be willing to pay the cost (however small or great) of sharing such treasure unless we first love God and love people.
Lord God, knowing You is an inexhaustibly deep well of living waters. Thank You for permitting us to touch such treasure. Please allow us to see others through Your eyes and feel for them what You do, that we might do Your will on the earth as it is done in Heaven.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
Jonah the son of Amittai was a small town boy from an obscure and remote corner of Israel, Gath-hepher of Zebulun. Yet traveling to educated and sophisticated Nineveh, magnificent capital of the Assyrian Empire, should be no challenge to a man who readily set sail on a large cargo ship for distant Tarshish.
The Assyrians surely intimidated neighboring countries with their malicious brutality and horrific expertise at siege warfare, which rivals any in human history. But fear seems to have little place in the heart of a man who dares to first defy God, and then later angrily rebuke Him. One might surmise that Jonah sought to prove himself anything but the "dove" he is named.
In the end, Jonah leaves no question about his motivation for disobedience, which is revealed in the closing words of his book (Jonah 4:2). Not unlike the Pharisees, who had zeal for God without knowing Him, Jonah's problem was that he knew God all too well, but loved Him all too little.
If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
~ 1 John 4:20 (NKJV)
The Bible says it took three days to walk through Nineveh, long enough for Jonah to closely observe its people. However intelligent and advanced their culture, their hedonistic lives immersed them in sin's misery and darkness. Their plight evoked only Jonah's contempt.
Jonah not only knew God to be gracious and merciful and compassionate, he had just experienced the depth of it in deliverance from the fish. He readily praised God for the blessings poured out on a repentant heart, but seethed with rage and persisted in hatred when God did the same for someone else.
Such knowledge—such personal experience—is riches greater than all the wealth of the mighty Assyrian Empire, greater than the GNP of mighty United States. We will not be willing to pay the cost (however small or great) of sharing such treasure unless we first love God and love people.
Lord God, knowing You is an inexhaustibly deep well of living waters. Thank You for permitting us to touch such treasure. Please allow us to see others through Your eyes and feel for them what You do, that we might do Your will on the earth as it is done in Heaven.
Comments are welcome (including respectful disagreement) and will receive a reply.
You may also contact author via Twitter – @anne4JC
or e-mail – buildingHisbody [plus] @gmail.com
Copyright 2012, Anne Lang Bundy, all rights reserved.
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