Jesus Has Our Back

 

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Daily Thoughts

 

January 14, 2025

Jesus Has Our Back

 

So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe.

Hebrews 4:14

Read Hebrews 4:14-16

 

The group, Alcoholics Anonymous, is modeled after God’s plan for Christian communities.

First, all within the group know they are alcoholics, and with all in the group being similarly situated, the members find comfort. So also, in Christian communities, where all have sinned and face temptations. Even so, we know we are among friends. In AA, there is a specific twelve-step format to help the members confront and deal with their addiction. In Christian communities, God is working to form Christ within us and empower us to overcome temptations. In AA, there is transparency and accountability among the members. Throughout the history of Christian churches, there have been small groups to both encourage and to hold one another accountable as they seek the life in Christ.

           

There is, however, one compelling difference between self-help groups like AA and Christian communities. God has provided his people with a Great High Priest, Jesus his Son.

 

“This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” (Hebrews 4:15-16)

 

My Takeaway: That, my friends, is very Good News.

 

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(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.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Temptation is an Opportunity for Victory

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Daily Thoughts 

January 13, 2025

Temptation is an Opportunity for Victory

Then the devil went away, and angels came and took care of Jesus.

Matthew 4:11

Read Matthew 4:1-11

When Jesus was in the wilderness, he experienced the same temptations, in the same sequence, as did the people of Israel when they entered the wilderness after escaping from Egypt. Jesus was tempted regarding hunger, testing God and false worship. Unlike Israel, Jesus was faithful. (See Exodus 16, 17 and 19-32)

We are called to be a part of God’s people, to do God’s work in the world, thus we will face the same temptations, as did Israel and Jesus when they were in the wilderness. 

At their core, these temptations are not about things I really want to do but know I should not. They are temptations to be someone other than the person God calls me to be. These are temptations to deny I am a child of God. Jesus overcame the Devil’s temptations by being fully committed to his Heavenly Father, and by being empowered by his Father’s grace. So also, we can overcome our temptations. The temptations we encounter are opportunities for us to experience victory in Christ!

My Takeaway: I want to live my life by trusting in Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me. Every day I am tempted to deny my life in Christ and trust in something else to meet my needs. Like Jesus, I can turn to scripture and affirm that I am a child of God. So can you.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(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.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Jesus Along Side

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Daily Thoughts 

January 10, 2025

Jesus Along Side

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” And they left their nets at once and followed him.

Mark 1:17-18

Read: Mark 1: 12-20

Jesus began his public ministry by announcing, “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” (Mark 1:15) While the people of Israel were desperate for God to rescue His people, the people had to make a choice. The people had to recognize they had many competing loyalties. They trusted their ancestry, their land, their Temple, their laws and even, at times, their God, provided He did what they wanted him to do. But Jesus was calling them (and us) to something new God was doing. He was inviting them to come into His new Kingdom. But first they had to cut their ties to their loyalties and put their faith and trust in Jesus.

That is not easy to do. In today’s passage, Peter, Andrew, James and John cut the ties to their old loyalties and followed Jesus. How did Jesus connect to the people? How did he gain their trust, trust in him enough to cut their ties to their way of life?

I believe he did it then, and does it today, by becoming one with them. I’m not sure which truth about Jesus marveled his followers the most. He was fully divine, as evidenced by his many miracles.  He was also fully human, as evidenced by the friendships he made with the people. Jesus connected with the people on a level that made him vulnerable to being hurt. He still does. This personal connection led Jesus’ followers, such as the Apostle Paul, to proclaim that everything in his life was junk compared to knowing Christ Jesus.

My Takeaway: As I pondered today’s reading, I thought of all the many ways Jesus has personally broken into my life and made himself known to me. My personal experiences with Jesus cause me to continually ask, “Do I find my security, my identity in Christ alone, or do I still have competing loyalties? How about you?

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(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.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Trust

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Daily Thoughts 

January 9, 2025

Trust

“Are you the Messiah we’ve been expecting, or should we keep looking for someone else?”

Matthew 9:38

Read: Matthew 11:2-9

I have often noted that the religious leaders resisted Jesus’ proclamation of the Kingdom of God because Jesus did not meet their expectations of the Messiah. They weren’t the only ones who felt that way. Our passage for today opens with the disciples of John the Baptist going to Jesus. John sent them because he was disappointed in Jesus. John was worried that he was wrong about Jesus because Jesus was not meeting his expectations of the Messiah.

I need to remember this, because if I am honest, there are times when Jesus does not meet my expectations.

I confess that there are times when I am impatient with the ways of God. I wish God moved faster to answer prayers, punish injustice and renew the face of the earth. My impatience is accompanied by anxiety and worry.

Oswald Chambers has helped me understand that when I am worrying, it is because I am not nourishing the life of Christ in me. Worrying means there is something over which I cannot have my own way. Worry (or disappointment) is evidence of my personal irritation with God. Ouch!

The purpose of prayer is to nourish the life of Christ within me. Worrying means I am more focused on circumstances than I am on becoming the person God created me to be.

Oswald Chambers is well known for his classic devotional book, My Utmost for His Highest. His book, If You Will Ask – Reflections on the Power of Prayer, is one of the best books on prayer I have read. The little book is available from Amazon.com in both text and kindle.

My Takeaway: I want to trust that God is working in (me), giving (me) the desire and the power to do what pleases him, and that God, who began the good work within (me), will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Philippians 2:13, 1:6) I want to trust God will attend to the circumstances of my life in His time.

(Gene Edward’s book, The Prisoner in the Third Cell, is an excellent study of the struggles John the Baptist experienced during his imprisonment.)

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(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.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Sticking To It

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Daily Thoughts 

January 8, 2025

Sticking To It

He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.

John 3:30

Read: John 3:26-30

Our human nature invariably compares our lives with the lives of others. The world’s culture teaches people to determine their worth, their value, their success based on how well they compare themselves to others. C.S. Lewis said that one of the challenges to the followers of Jesus is to learn to play great parts without pride, and small parts without shame.

God is working His plan of redemption and has a part for every one of His children. From God’s perspective, each part is essential. As John the Baptist models for us, our response to God’s grace in assigning a part to us, is to accept the part, and do our very best to fulfill God’s role for us.

Our roles in God’s plan of redemption change over time. John the Baptist spent many years as a student, preparing for his role. The day came when he was the only voice for God in Israel. The scriptures tell of masses of people making pilgrimages out into the wilderness to hear John, and to be baptized by him. Then the day came when God revealed the Messiah to John, and John’s role changed as he passed the torch to Jesus. John’s message to Israel diminished, while Jesus became the voice for God in Israel.

I believe we all have similar experiences in life. For parents, there was a time when we were the voice of authority for our children. When our children became adults, our role changed to that of counselor or advisor – when asked. As a pastor, there was a time when I was casting God’s vision for the congregation, when I was God’s voice to the congregation. Then it was my time to retire, and my role diminished, and I passed the torch to the next pastor to carry on the work of God.

My Takeaway: Two points in our passage today caught my attention. First, there is an invitation to reflect on our lives. How well are we flowing with God’s plans for our lives? Are we following His plan, His agenda, or are we pushing forward with our own agenda? Secondly, John finished what he started. May I, as the Apostle Paul put it, fight the good fight, finish the race, and remain faithful. (2 Timothy 4:7)

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(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.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Pointing to Jesus

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Daily Thoughts 

January 7, 2025

Pointing to Jesus

“I am a voice shouting in the wilderness,

‘Clear the way for the Lord’s coming!’”

John 1:23 (Isaiah 40:3)

Read John 1:19-30

In Biblical times, the nation of Israel lived in anticipation of God doing something mighty to save His people. When the religious leaders heard about a strange man preaching in the wilderness, they were anxious to learn more about him. Was he just another messianic pretender, was he a new prophet of God, was he a former prophet sent back by God? John made it clear to the religious leaders that he was none of those; he had been called by God to announce the arrival of God’s Messiah.

In his encounter with the religious leaders, John the Baptist quotes Isaiah 40. It will be worth your time to take a few minutes to read that chapter. When you do you will discover a treasure trove because, “The grass withers and the flowers fade, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8).

John models for all of us the importance of living our lives within the role God has designated for us, or as Paul put it, “For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor. 4:5). Note that the opposite inference is just as important. While I should not think more highly of myself than I ought to, neither shall I think I am insignificant in God’s grand plan of redemption. Therefore, “O Zion, messenger of good news, shout from the mountaintops! Shout it louder, O Jerusalem. Shout, and do not be afraid. Tell the towns of Judah, “Your God is coming!”” (Isaiah 40:9).

My Takeaway: And when you shout, remember,

“He gives power to the weak

    and strength to the powerless.

 Even youths will become weak and tired,

    and young men will fall in exhaustion.

 But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.

    They will soar high on wings like eagles.

They will run and not grow weary.

    They will walk and not faint.”

                                                                        Isaiah 40:29-31

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(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.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God Never Fails

Meditations for Seeking the Life in Christ

Daily Thoughts 

January 6, 2025

God Never Fails

But now, since you didn’t believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time.”

Luke 1:20

Read Luke 1:8-20

Scholars believe the Gospel of Luke was written between 60 and 70 A.D. I find it interesting that even after sixty years, the story of Zachariah’s response to Gabriel was still being told. There was no effort to make Zachariah look better by hiding his unbelief. This is important to me because it affirms that God chooses to work through real people. God did not call Agnes Gonxhe Bojaxhiu because she was saintly. He called her because he knew that as she trusted God with her whole life, the world would come to know her as Mother Teresa.

Zachariah’s story also affirms to me that God requires accountability from His followers. Zachariah had been a follower of God for many years, but he almost missed God’s greatest blessing. Through Zachariah and Elizabeth, God was preparing the way for his Messiah, and he was not going to be denied. However, after being struck mute by Gabriel, Zachariah was pretty much reduced to a bystander for nine months, as he could no longer perform his priestly duties in the Temple.

My Takeaway: God has a plan of redemption for the world, and all the followers of Jesus have a role to play in God’s plan. I cringe at the thought of the assignments I have missed, the good deeds I have left undone. As I am comforted that God never fails, that He will not be denied, on this Day of Epiphany, I pray Jesus will be made so manifest in me I will not leave his assignments for me undone.

Sē’lah

My book on prayer,

First Think, Then Pray

is now available on Amazon Kindle.

 

(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.

 

Copyright © 2025 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.