" He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is true, and no unrighteousness is in Him." (John 7:18 NKJV)
" So you also, when you have done all that you were commanded, say, 'We are unworthy servants; we have only done what was our duty.' " (Luke 17:10 ESV)
" I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant." (Genesis 32:10 NKJV)
Ah, the pitfalls of being a writer—or being engaged in any business which puts us in a position to sell ourselves. Is anything more dangerous for unworthy servants to covet than the esteem of others which belongs to our Master?
Whatever gifts our Creator has put in us, they are to be used for His glory, not ours. We offer the products of those gifts acknowledging the excellence is from Him, and the shortcomings mark our touch. And however competently we craft them and faithfully present them, any sale is a matter of the Almighty’s provision. He alone is worthy of the thanks and the glory.
Father, we are blessed beyond measure to be servants in Your kingdom. We are amazed at the treasures You entrust to our care. Keep us ever mindful that we are Your stewards.
Comments are invited! Post here, or e-mail via profile page.
Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy
Friday, September 5, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
You Are What You Eat
Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life. ... For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. ... He who feeds on Me will live because of Me." (John 6:53-57 NKJV)
And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
(John 6:35 NKJV)
"Any animal or bird that may be eaten ... pour out its blood and cover it with dust; for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, 'You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood.' "
(Leviticus 17:13-14 NKJV)
The Israelite preparation of meat included taking the time to thoroughly cleanse it of the blood—of the animal’s life. Contrast Jesus—the Word made flesh—who tells us to feed on His flesh with the blood in it, that His life would become ours.
It would be easier to simply eat a wafer of bread and drink the fruit of the vine in sharing the communion of the Lord’s Table, and leave it at that. To feed on the flesh of the Word is to take time to thoroughly digest it, and to believe in it immediately, while it is fresh, with the life in it.
We are made in the image of God so that we will be like God. To feed on Jesus, the Word of God, is to fulfill the adage, "You are what you eat."
Lord Jesus, You alone are life. Your Spirit breathes in us. Your flesh of God's Word feeds us. Your blood both cleanses of the sin that kills and sustains Your life in our flesh. Please enable us to receive You in every way You give Yourself for us.
Comments are invited! Post here, or e-mail via profile page.
Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy
And Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."
(John 6:35 NKJV)
"Any animal or bird that may be eaten ... pour out its blood and cover it with dust; for it is the life of all flesh. Its blood sustains its life. Therefore I said to the children of Israel, 'You shall not eat the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood.' "
(Leviticus 17:13-14 NKJV)
The Israelite preparation of meat included taking the time to thoroughly cleanse it of the blood—of the animal’s life. Contrast Jesus—the Word made flesh—who tells us to feed on His flesh with the blood in it, that His life would become ours.
It would be easier to simply eat a wafer of bread and drink the fruit of the vine in sharing the communion of the Lord’s Table, and leave it at that. To feed on the flesh of the Word is to take time to thoroughly digest it, and to believe in it immediately, while it is fresh, with the life in it.
We are made in the image of God so that we will be like God. To feed on Jesus, the Word of God, is to fulfill the adage, "You are what you eat."
Lord Jesus, You alone are life. Your Spirit breathes in us. Your flesh of God's Word feeds us. Your blood both cleanses of the sin that kills and sustains Your life in our flesh. Please enable us to receive You in every way You give Yourself for us.
Comments are invited! Post here, or e-mail via profile page.
Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Knowledge of the Truth
"But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe. You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life."
(John 5:38-40 NKJV)
"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me ...' " (Matthew 7:22-23 NKJV)
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves ... having a form of godliness but denying its power ... always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-2,5,7 NKJV)
It is possible to have zeal for God, but not according to true knowledge. (Romans 10:2) It is possible to be puffed up in knowledge without being built up in love. (1 Corinthians 8:1) It is possible to possess thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, yet completely miss knowing the Son of God, lack His Word abiding within, and fail to have life.
To come to the knowledge of the truth is to love Jesus who is named Truth. Knowledge is intimate and exposes the deepest part of Self to Him who is both Lord of life and the Lord of my life. Knowledge of Jesus is willing to come to Him and allow His Word to abide within at the cost of all else.
Lord Jesus, Word of God made flesh, please send Your Spirit to soften our hearts that You may plant the seed of your Word deeply within us, that Your Word might abide in us and we in You, that we might possess knowledge of Truth and life.
Comments are invited! Post here, or e-mail via profile page.
Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy
(John 5:38-40 NKJV)
"Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me ...' " (Matthew 7:22-23 NKJV)
But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves ... having a form of godliness but denying its power ... always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. (2 Timothy 3:1-2,5,7 NKJV)
It is possible to have zeal for God, but not according to true knowledge. (Romans 10:2) It is possible to be puffed up in knowledge without being built up in love. (1 Corinthians 8:1) It is possible to possess thorough knowledge of the Scriptures, yet completely miss knowing the Son of God, lack His Word abiding within, and fail to have life.
To come to the knowledge of the truth is to love Jesus who is named Truth. Knowledge is intimate and exposes the deepest part of Self to Him who is both Lord of life and the Lord of my life. Knowledge of Jesus is willing to come to Him and allow His Word to abide within at the cost of all else.
Lord Jesus, Word of God made flesh, please send Your Spirit to soften our hearts that You may plant the seed of your Word deeply within us, that Your Word might abide in us and we in You, that we might possess knowledge of Truth and life.
Comments are invited! Post here, or e-mail via profile page.
Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Fellow Servants and Brothers
"You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him." (John 4:22-23 NKJV)
Blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved. (Romans 11:26 NKJV)
They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
(Revelation 6:10-11 NIV)
Christians and Jews have had a troubled history during the nearly two millennia of the church’s existence. Satan has done a thorough job of keeping us apart, as if he could forestall his fate. But the Gospel has now reached almost all the tribes of the world and we near the fullness of the Gentiles. Christians are increasingly embracing the Jews from whom comes Jesus Christ and our salvation, and greater numbers of Jews are accepting their Messiah Yeshua.
When Jesus spoke of us, His "other sheep," to the Jews, He said there would be one flock and one Shepherd. (John 10:16) The days of fulfillment are finally at hand. We will not enter the next age without both our fellow servants and brothers. (Luke 13:34-35)
Oh come, Emmanuel, and ransom Israel! Bring in the fullness of the Gentiles. Please, Lord, work in our hearts, that we may be united as one flock, and You may return as our visible Shepherd. Put in the mouths of all Your people, "Baruch haba bashem Adonai! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"
Comments are invited! Post here, or e-mail via profile page.
Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy
Blindness in part has happened to Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved. (Romans 11:26 NKJV)
They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" Then each of them was given a white robe, and they were told to wait a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and brothers who were to be killed as they had been was completed.
(Revelation 6:10-11 NIV)
Christians and Jews have had a troubled history during the nearly two millennia of the church’s existence. Satan has done a thorough job of keeping us apart, as if he could forestall his fate. But the Gospel has now reached almost all the tribes of the world and we near the fullness of the Gentiles. Christians are increasingly embracing the Jews from whom comes Jesus Christ and our salvation, and greater numbers of Jews are accepting their Messiah Yeshua.
When Jesus spoke of us, His "other sheep," to the Jews, He said there would be one flock and one Shepherd. (John 10:16) The days of fulfillment are finally at hand. We will not enter the next age without both our fellow servants and brothers. (Luke 13:34-35)
Oh come, Emmanuel, and ransom Israel! Bring in the fullness of the Gentiles. Please, Lord, work in our hearts, that we may be united as one flock, and You may return as our visible Shepherd. Put in the mouths of all Your people, "Baruch haba bashem Adonai! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!"
Comments are invited! Post here, or e-mail via profile page.
Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy
Monday, September 1, 2008
Born Again
Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" (John 3:3-4 NKJV)
"He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:29-30 NKJV)
Be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10-11 NKJV)
A marriage custom in Jesus’ time was for the friend of the bridegroom to stand outside the bridal chamber and wait for the bridegroom to announce the marriage had been consummated—and the guests did not begin the wedding feast before that announcement.
As the bridegroom’s voice confirmed consummation of a marriage begun at betrothal, and as birth confirms the new life conceived months earlier, entrance to the kingdom is confirmed by more than the verbal assent to Jesus which even demons give. Making our call and election sure by faith will trust Him enough to give ourselves to Him as fully as a bride to her bridegroom—to be born again as a new person—and enter a new relationship from which there is no going back to the life before.
Lord Jesus, thank You for new life and a fresh start. Thank You for every day of eternity with You which begins when we are born again. Please use us to bring others to fully surrender to You.
Comments are invited! Post here, or e-mail via profile page.
Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy
"He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease." (John 3:29-30 NKJV)
Be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10-11 NKJV)
A marriage custom in Jesus’ time was for the friend of the bridegroom to stand outside the bridal chamber and wait for the bridegroom to announce the marriage had been consummated—and the guests did not begin the wedding feast before that announcement.
As the bridegroom’s voice confirmed consummation of a marriage begun at betrothal, and as birth confirms the new life conceived months earlier, entrance to the kingdom is confirmed by more than the verbal assent to Jesus which even demons give. Making our call and election sure by faith will trust Him enough to give ourselves to Him as fully as a bride to her bridegroom—to be born again as a new person—and enter a new relationship from which there is no going back to the life before.
Lord Jesus, thank You for new life and a fresh start. Thank You for every day of eternity with You which begins when we are born again. Please use us to bring others to fully surrender to You.
Comments are invited! Post here, or e-mail via profile page.
Copyright 2008, Anne Lang Bundy
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