Alive

December 4, 2015

Alive

“The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.”

Romans 8:11

Today is my birthday and I am more alive than ever before. That is not to deny my share of aches and pains, or that I am not nearly as agile and limber as I was some years ago. Feeling alive has nothing to with chronological age! Feeling alive has everything to do with expressing gratitude to God for giving life to my mortal body through His indwelling Holy Spirit.

Jesus was very much joyfully alive as he proclaimed the coming of God’s Kingdom. He stood in sharp contrast to the pious Pharisees and their dour expressions of self-righteousness. Jesus still stands in sharp contrast to the self-conscious religious people in today’s culture. If he had but one message to his followers today, I wonder if it wouldn’t be, “Lighten-Up!”

Lighten-up isn’t an invitation to not take seriously the commands and teachings of Christ. Lighten-up is an invitation to not take ourselves so seriously that we miss the joy of being God’s beloved children who get to dwell eternally with Him by grace. I have found two ways to keep this truth ever before me.

First, I find it helpful to spend time in Luke 15. These three parables about God’s joy for His children are quite compelling for me. Secondly, I, like Paul, am convinced that the ONLY thing that truly matters in life is my relationship with Jesus. (See Philippians 3) As long as I am seeking to know Christ, and to live in such a way that Christ becomes visible in my mortal flesh, everything else takes its proper place in my life. Robin Mark’s song, All For Jesus, is also very helpful in keeping me on the right path:

Jesus, all for Jesus,

All I am and have and ever hope to be.

Jesus, all for Jesus,

All I am and have and ever hope to be.

All of my ambitions, hopes and plans

I surrender these into Your hands.

All of my ambitions, hopes and plans

I surrender these into Your hands.

For it's only in Your will that I am free,

For it's only in Your will that I am free,

Jesus, all for Jesus,

All I am and have and ever hope to be.

  

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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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 in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available 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.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

He Still Hadn’t Found What He Was Looking For

December 3, 2015

He Still Hadn’t Found What He Was Looking For

“I’ve obeyed all these commandments,” the young man replied. “What else must I do?”

Matthew 19:20

Matthew’s Gospel doesn’t give us many details about this young man. All we know is that he was searching for eternal life, and was acutely aware that even though he had kept all the commandments of God, he still hadn’t found what he was looking for. Have you ever been there? I have, and I remember the time Jesus set me free as though it were yesterday, when in fact it was almost twenty-six years ago.

I knew I was in a state of burn-out because I was convinced that no matter how hard I tried, for me the Christian life was impossible to live. I wasn’t as bold as the young man in Matthew’s Gospel; I knew I had tried to keep the commandments but I knew perfectly well that I had fallen short. Jesus’ prescription for the young man was simple: “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Regrettably, the young man was too attached to his way of living, and would not surrender to Jesus’ offer of new life.

As for me, on that Sunday morning in chapel at my Tres Dias weekend, almost twenty-six years ago, I said yes to Jesus and accepted his offer to join him on the adventure of a lifetime as I seek the life in Christ as my way of life. Jesus’ way of life is all about grace as we learn to trust that God is working in us, giving us the desire and the power to do what pleases him. (Philippians 2:13)

“Let the redeemed of the lord say so” (Psalm 107:2). It has been about 9,490 days since I found what I was looking for, and I continue to rejoice and give thanks to God for His faithfulness; I continue to say so!

How about you? Have you found what (who) you are looking for?

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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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 in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available 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.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Seeing the Kingdom of God

December 2, 2015

Seeing the Kingdom of God

“Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.”

Matthew 9:29

“Two blind men followed along behind (Jesus), shouting, “Son of David, have mercy on us!” They went right into the house where he was staying, and Jesus asked them, “Do you believe I can make you see?” “Yes, Lord,” they told him, “we do.” Then he touched their eyes and said, “Because of your faith, it will happen.” Then their eyes were opened, and they could see! (Matthew 9:27-30).

What did they see? For sure they saw Jesus and other people. They also saw ‘stuff’, and I am sure they were in awe in seeing the countryside when they left the house. But did they see something else? When Jesus had his encounter with Nicodemus in John 3, Jesus told him, “I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God.” What does it mean to see the Kingdom of God?

Primarily, I believe it means to see what Jesus sees. Also, the Kingdom of God is only visible through eyes of faith. The Gospels don’t tell us much more about the two men and their new-found vision, but what we do learn suggests they may have received their sight but not the Kingdom of God. After their eyes were opened, “Jesus sternly warned them, “Don’t tell anyone about this.” But instead, they went out and spread his fame all over the region” (Matthew 9:30-31). It takes obedience to the teachings of Jesus to establish our faith with which we can see the Kingdom of God.

In this Season of Advent, we look forward to the coming again of Jesus in final victory. Can you see the signs of his coming again? With eyes of faith we can see signs that the Kingdom of God is preparing for the return of Jesus. God doesn’t want you to miss seeing the signs; if your vision isn’t clear maybe you will find time to spend in Psalm 139:

Search me, O God, and know my heart;

    test me and know my anxious thoughts.

Point out anything in me that offends you,

    and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

                                                                                Psalm 139:23-24

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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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 in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available 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.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

Almost Out Of Hope

December 1, 2015

Almost Out Of Hope

And he will stand to lead his flock with the Lord’s strength,

in the majesty of the name of the Lord his God.

Micah 5:2-5

We are now in the Christian season of Advent. This English word comes from a Latin word meaning “coming” and as used in the Christian calendar it designates the four Sundays before Christmas during which Christians reflect on the meaning of the second coming of Christ, and prepare for the Christmas season (Twelve days from Christmas to the Epiphany, January 6). The first and the final coming of Christ are connected because it is through our belief in the first coming of Jesus – his birth and his life, death and resurrection – that gives us faith and hope in his promised coming again in final victory.

The Old Testament Prophet Micah announced God’s promise that He would send Jesus who “shall stand and feed his flock in the strength of the LORD, in the majesty of the name of the LORD his God.” (Micah 5:4) This promise of God came to Micah during one of the worst times in the history of Israel. Like Israel, today we are living through a very difficult time, and like Micah’s Israel we may be almost out of hope. The Season of Advent stands over and against the enemies of hope.

The Season of Advent gives us an alternative to the fear cause by terrorism and the anxiety caused by crumbling Christian traditions within our country. For the next month, if we just take the time to look with eyes of faith, we will be surrounded by signs of hope. Even though the celebration of Christmas has become very secularized as our culture tries to turn our Joy to the World into just a winter festival, for the fully devoted followers of Jesus, we can see signs of hope in every cluster of mistletoe, every wreath and all the lights adorning homes and businesses.

God’s promise is that Jesus, our Messiah, is our strength, our security and our peace. Nothing can separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Let us rejoice in all the signs of his presence with us throughout this Advent Season.

“Look! The virgin will conceive a child!

    She will give birth to a son,

and they will call him Immanuel,

    which means ‘God is with us.’”

                                                            Matthew 1:23

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.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also 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 in paperback and Kindle.

·        The second edition of  First Think – Then Pray is available 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.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.