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But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness Gal 5:22 |
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| Archived Manna: | |
Dear
Friend,
If you do not already have a habit of gathering daily manna the first thing in the morning (we can look at the example given to us in Exodus 16 and find the pattern for collecting daily manna), make it a habit. Establish your life and your schedule to allow you the necessary time to do your daily collection first thing every morning to give you the strength to make it through the day. And remember that today’s manna will not be sufficient for tomorrow; tomorrow’s manna must be collected tomorrow morning. Sunday, June 18, 2017
Today's Passage : Today's Passage: Subject: Being Important Bible Verse:John 3:22-30 (ESV) "After this Jesus and his disciples went into the Judean countryside, and he remained there with them and was baptizing. John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming and being baptized (for John had not yet been put in prison). Now a discussion arose between some of John’s disciples and a Jew over purification. And they came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, he who was with you across the Jordan, to whom you bore witness — look, he is baptizing, and all are going to him.” John answered, “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven. You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but I have been sent before him.’ The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is now complete. He must increase, but I must decrease.” " Message:
After John the Baptist baptized Jesus, he continued to work his mission (until he was arrested and beheaded by Herod). But Jesus then traveled up the road and, in effect, set up shop in competition. The crowds which had previously come to John for baptism began to go to Jesus, instead; and John’s disciples became jealous.
John did not mind; he was delighted to see people finding salvation. He was less interested in being important than in seeing people find salvation.
This was probably the last time in recorded history that a minister was happy to see his flock go somewhere else. It is a terrible truth, that most leaders of churches count their success, and even their self-worth, in part by how many heads come into their church on Sunday.
All of us measure ourselves in terms of how well those close to us are doing: our friends, our families, our neighbors. It is a natural instinct. If my neighbor drives an old beaten up car, and I have a two-year-old Honda Accord, I will have a natural instinct to feel a little more successful, more comfortable. But if my neighbor has a brand-new Mercedes, I might feel a little sheepish, at least to the point where I have to remind myself, consciously, that one’s automobile has no bearing on one’s self-worth.
Every day, we should examine our sins and ask God for forgiveness. And when we do so, it can help both our spiritual life and our earthly life to take a minute and examine how envy has snuck into our thinking. Do you feel intimidated or slightly angry at someone who is much richer or better-looking than you? Or feel a slight smugness, a tendency to patronize someone who is not as smart as you or wears unfashionable clothes? These feelings are the product of envy.
We are all sinners and will never be rid of temptation to sin in our lives. But also, we are all perfect in Christ. Other people are our brothers and sisters, our fellow men; and if we have found Christ, it is inconceivable that we are better or worse than them. It is important for us to work this concept in our prayers every day, for envy will constantly sneak up and creep into our lives if we do not actively guard against it.
Meditation : [Christ is the revelation of God’s wisdom.] Prayer : God our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and Spirit of God amidst us, direct our way unto you. Make us to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you; to the end we may establish our hearts unblameable in holiness before you, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints. Amen |
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