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Secrets, Dark Secrets

Secrets. Dark secrets. How many of us have things in our past that we have done that might shock others if they knew? How many of us would be embarrassed if others knew our darkest thoughts?

“No one lights a lamp and then covers it with a bowl or hides it under a bed. A lamp is placed on a stand, where its light can be seen by all who enter the house.  For all that is secret will eventually be brought into the open, and everything that is concealed will be brought to light and made known to all.
Luke 8:16-17 NLT
http://bible.com/116/luk.8.16-17.NLT

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So much left to learn

Yesterday,  I reacted strongly towards a coworker. The message that I was speaking to him was correction and truth,  but after 30 straight hours at work due to an emergency situation, it did not come out in gentleness,  love and forgiveness – it came out as frustration.

A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Luke 6:45 NLT
http://bible.com/116/luk.6.45.NLT

Who among us doesn’t read this and find conviction? Who among us doesn’t read this and remember that thing that we said recently that was not loving, that was not forgiving,  that did not sound Christ like at all?

If you read this passage and it reminds you of your perfection in Christ – I don’t know whether to commend you as  a saint or earn you of the impending fall from pride that can be expected.

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The Workday that Never Ended

I’ve been at work since 8AM Wednesday morning. The conference call rolled around the globe from one support team to another through the day, night, and morning again. I’m about to see my shift mates return to the office to me still in the same clothes. I’m thankful to the Lord for the strength to endure, but definitely seeking an end in sight to the endless hours and long nights of the past month. I’ve had so little uninterrupted sleep in the past 5 weeks that I’m just a rodeo clown dodging bulls from one day to the next.

My wife and I worked in a quick phone call to still do our morning devotional together, and I was able to tell my daughter that I love her and miss her before she gets ready for school. When we are on the other side of a phone, it doesn’t matter if we are 10 miles away or 1000, because we aren’t there for the hugs, the quality time, the important time leading our household. But even these little sacrifices are nothing in comparison to the cross.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest.
Matthew 11:28 NLT
http://bible.com/116/mat.11.28.NLT

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You are Sent with a Purpose

but he said to them, “I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.”
Luke 4:43 ESV
http://bible.com/59/luk.4.43.ESV

Yes, you are sent with the same purpose, to be a witness of Jesus Christ to the world for the glory of God.

Mark 16:15 ESV
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

Yes, it is your purpose not to just sit in the pews of religious practice, but to witness, to share your testimony with the world. To go forth and make students of the nations and to baptize in His name.

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He does the Lifting

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up in honor.
James 4:10 NLT
http://bible.com/116/jas.4.10.NLT

Yes, our job is to humble ourselves. We are to be a servant to others. We are to love our enemies. We are to give open handedly to those in need.

We are to recognize “little me, big God”.

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Flowing? Stopped up? Polluted?

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A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart. What you say flows from what is in your heart.
Luke 6:45 NLT
http://bible.com/116/luk.6.45.NLT

Do you have a heart touched by Christ and made new?

Do you have His love alive in your heart?

Are you bearing fruit?

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Greek, Jew, or Christ

For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:22-25 ESV
http://bible.com/59/1co.1.22-25.ESV

There are two ditches and one narrow path between them. Many who walk the ditches in great masses of people believe that they are on the path, but there is only one way, one truth, one life.

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Participation Matters

One of the more common teachings that I hear some share is to simply “say a sinners prayer one time” and then “rely on Christ to change you”, as if it takes no effort,  no sacrifice,  no work on our part to participate in the Kingdom of God. While this wording has truth and value explaining what is happening within a genuine born again Christian, it can get twisted into deception when people say things like, “Christ did all the work” and then they use grace as an excuse to continue in their sin – making no genuine effort to participate in the Kingdom of God.

What a dangerous teaching when misunderstood by those veiled to the truth of the narrow path!

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator.
Colossians 3:1-10 ESV
http://bible.com/59/col.3.1-10.ESV

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