When Will We Realize, People Need The Lord?

Thursday, May 16, 2013   Romans 10:14-15

When Will We Realize, People Need The Lord?

Everyday they pass me by,

I can see it in their eyes.

Empty people filled with care,

Headed who knows where?

On they go through private pain,

Living fear to fear.

Laughter hides their silent cries,

Only Jesus hears.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord.

At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door.

People need the Lord, people need the Lord.

When will we realize, people need the Lord?

I had two conversations recently that impressed upon me truth of Steve Green’s song, People Need the Lord. The first occurred the morning after a young man shot and killed his estranged wife and her parents. The killings took place in front of the shooter’s two young children. A short time later the shooter took his own life. Within a brief period of time four lives came to a violent end, and two children have indelible horror etched into their memory. The morning after the shootings the mother of the shooter called me; she needed to talk to a pastor. In the days following the killings, the intense pain, dysfunction and violence that was normal for this family was made public.

As has become usual following incidents similar to this, there will be calls for more regulations for firearms. Perhaps more laws will help prevent future acts of violence, but “When will we realize, people need the Lord?”

The second conversation took place in a Hospice residence. The patient was sedated and slept the entire time I was there. Sitting on a sofa near the bed, I talked for almost an hour with his daughter. The patient was at peace with his life. His wife of sixty-four years had died eighteen months previously and he was ready, no eager, to join her in that place Jesus has prepared for his followers. The daughter was also very much at peace. Her faith in Christ was comforting her in the present moment and her Christian hope assured her Jesus will receive her father into his loving arms.

What a contrast between these two families.

There are certainly great benefits that our government can bring to our society to make it safer and more enriching for all people. However nothing in our government’s charter can match the great promise of God that “anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (2Corinthians 5:17).

Steve Green sings, “People need the Lord. They must hear the words of life only we can share.” And, the Apostle Paul replies, “How can they hear about him unless someone tells them?” (Romans 10:14b).

Will you tell them?

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com. The Kindle version will follow soon.

·        The second edition First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free

Wednesday, May 15, 2013                   Galatians 5:1

For Freedom Christ Has Set Us Free

I believe the greatest gift we can give God is to accept our acceptance. God wants us to wrap our arms around ourselves, and love ourselves as He loves us. When I truly embrace myself as the beloved child of God everything changes, I “become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This is the truth that Jesus said would set me free and Jesus gave his life for me so that I can live in his freedom. (John 8:32; Galatians 5:1)

Living in the freedom of Christ allows me to love and accept myself as I am; where I am. Living in the freedom of Christ allows me to be pleased with myself just as I am, because God my Father is pleased with me. (Remember, the Father of our Lord Christ Jesus is very fond of you!)

This freedom in Christ is not a license to keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace. (Romans 6:1) This freedom in Christ empowers us to do and say what Jesus would do or say, because Christ lives in us. (Philippians 4:13; Colossians 3:11b) Therefore we don’t have to lie to each other. Remember, the Lord hates lies, but he delights in those who tell the truth. (Colossians 3:9; Proverbs 12:22)

In my meditation, Performance-Based-Acceptance, I noted that “almost every career is governed by statistics.” I suspect just about every conversation between colleagues includes a reference to how well you are doing in terms of these statistics. Invariably, pastors will compare with their colleagues how well they are doing in terms of worship attendance or new members added to the church rolls. Most of these comparisons are substantially embellished. Freedom in Christ means you don’t have to lie; you don’t have to embellish your performance. Freedom in Christ means you are free to live in the truth of who you are, where you are, how you are.

When we succumb to temptation and embellish the truth, when we lie about who we are, where we are and how we are, we do fall short of God’s hope for us. Remember, God delights in those who tell the truth. (Proverbs 12:22) When we do yield to temptation we want to remember “if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness” (1 John 1:9). Then we can stand up and go forth as the beloved of God, empowered to stand firm in the freedom Christ has won for us. Remember, “Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us” (Colossians 3:11b).

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com. The Kindle version will follow soon.

·        The second edition First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

Listening for the Voice of Jesus

Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Listening for the Voice of Jesus

John 10:27

Among the many obstacles in our path as we seek the life in Christ as our way of life, is the cacophony of voices vying for our attention. Our own voice is chief in this barrage trying to influence our daily life. Our voice is made up of all of our memories, our desires, our motives, our fears, our hopes and our dreams. In the midst of all these voices is the still small voice of God. Jesus said “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me” (John 10:27). Therein is the life in Christ: listening to the voice of Jesus and following him.

Just as I noted in the meditation on spiritual guidance, learning to discern the voice of Jesus is “more of an art than a process.” In my journey, I have found it helpful in mastering this art to remember three differences between God’s voice and all the voices in the cacophony calling out to me.

First, Jesus is the way, the truth and the life. Jesus is the truth. It is impossible for God to lie. However, our adversary, the enemy of God is a liar and the father of lies.  (John 14:6; Hebrews 6:18; John 8:44)

Second, God is never tempted to do wrong, and he never tempts anyone else. The temptations in our life are no different from what others experience and come from our own desires. (James 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 10:13)

Third, our adversary, the enemy of God will heap guilt upon us; however, there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1) Often in our culture, both within the church and without, people try to motivate us by using guilt. They may be well intentioned, but if they try to motivate us by guilt, we can be sure the voice of Jesus is not leading them. If Jesus is not leading them, why would we want to follow?

When one of the voices in the cacophony manage to get our attention, we need only consider whether the voice is telling us the truth about God, our self, and our world; whether the voice is tempting us away from God’s plan for our life; and whether the voice is using guilt to urge us along their path. As we consider these three attributes we’ll know whether it is the Voice of Truth calling out to us. God’s voice, even when He needs to correct our behavior, will always affirm the truth of our identity as His beloved children with whom He is delighted and upon whom His favor rests.

Music that affirms the truth of God’s word helps me listen for, and discern the voice of Jesus. Two songs that help me hear the voice of Jesus are Voice of Truth by Casting Crowns and What a Friend I've Found by Delirious?

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com. The Kindle version will follow soon.

·        The second edition First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

As Far as I Can Step

Monday, May 13, 2013     Psalm 23:2-3

As Far as I Can Step

Sometimes it is helpful to think of our journey seeking the life in Christ as our way of life as though it were a process to be learned. Although seeking the life in Christ does involve training in the new way of living in the Spirit, ultimately we are transformed by God working in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. Our responsibility is to let God transform us into a new person, and this is more of an art than a process. (See Philippians 2:13 and Romans 12:2)

When I think of how I can let God transform me, I think of the TV show, “Dancing with the Stars.” Dancing with a partner involves one person leading, the other following. When two people try to lead, it doesn’t feel right to the partners and their movement doesn't flow with the music. However, when one person relaxes and lets the other lead, both partners begin to flow with the music. It's as if the two become one. To dance with a partner takes surrender of control and attentiveness from one person, and guidance and skill from the other.

Now, stand back a look at the word guidance. Do the letters ‘dance’ at the end of the word guidance jump out at you? Next, look at the acrostic formed by the letters preceding ‘dance.’ G U I: God U and I dance. Spiritual guidance is dancing with God as we surrender control and allow God to lead us beside still waters, restore our soul and lead us in right paths for his name’s sake. (Psalm 23:2b-3 NRSV)

My metaphor of Dancing with the Stars breaks down a bit because unlike the partners on the TV show, we do not know the whole dance routine; God just gives us one step at a time. A true story I read many years ago helps me learn to rest in God arms and allow Him to lead our dance, one step at a time. Missionaries living abroad depended on older men serving as night sentries for their homes. These men were most useful in carrying notes at night between homes. One dark night with no moon or stars shining, a missionary went to her door and “could just make out the figure of Papa Jean holding out a note. There were no street lights on this isolated mission station. A small, six inch kerosene lantern with a smoky chimney in Papa Jean's hand gave the only smattering of light. Such a pitiful little light in such a dark night I thought. "That lamp doesn't give much light, does it, Papa?" I said to him. "No, it doesn't," he answered. "But it shines as far as I can step." (As Far as I Can Step, Virginia Law, Word Books (1970))

As I dance with God, I am learning His light shines as far as I can step. 

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  In addition to this BLOG they are distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com. The BLOG is also available on Amazon Kindle, by subscription

Publications by Alex M. Knight:

·        Seeking the Life in Christ, Meditations on the New Testament and Psalms has been published and is now available at Amazon.com. The Kindle version will follow soon.

·        The second edition First Think – Then Pray has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.

·        Meditations on The Story of My Life as told by Jesus Christ has been released as an e-book on Amazon Kindle.