ADJUSTING OUR LIFE TEMPLATE

ADJUSTING OUR LIFE TEMPLATE!

Isa 30:21

21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.

           Once again the Hebrews had forgotten what God had done for them and turned to the feeble strength of Egypt to help fight the Assyrians. Isaiah’s advice was to remain true to the “template” or pattern God had set for them.

           What is your geographical template? Exactly where does God want you to be? God wanted Joseph in Egypt so he could rescue his family from famine. There was zero chance he would ever go there unless God arranged circumstances to make it happen. Along the way Joseph suffered LOSS. He lost his coat of many colors, his cordial relationship with his brothers, and his freedom. He almost lost his life! But he finally arrived in Egypt.

           What is your chronological template? Exactly when does God want you where he wants you? Timing is very important to God’s plan for your life. Queen Esther was born “for such a time as this.” Joseph spent two additional years in prison on trumped up charges because the time wasn’t right. At the appropriate time he was told to hurriedly shower, shave and dress for a meeting with the king.

           What is your attitudinal template? We are urged to give thanks in everything but do we? Of course not. We complain and scheme against the perfect plans of God. But, when Joseph finally revealed himself to his hateful brothers, he explained that it was God that brought him to Egypt. Joseph understood his life template.

Gen 50:20-21

20 But as for you, ye thought evil against me; but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.

21 Now therefore fear ye not: I will nourish you, and your little ones. And he comforted them, and spake kindly unto them.

Dear Lord, I want to be where, when, and how you want me. AMEN

A MERRY HEART

A MERRY HEART!

Prov 17:22

22 A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

Prov 12:25

25 Heaviness in the heart of man maketh it stoop: but a good word maketh it glad.

           The connection between our mental health and our physical health can be observed but not explained. It is proverbial. It stands alone as truth. Heaviness, which is the Hebrew word de’agah, means “anxiety; fear; and sorrow.” A sick body can produce a troubled mind and a troubled mind can make one physically sick.

           In Second Corinthians 2:2, Paul commented on the strained relationship which existed between he and the Corinthian church. He had sharply rebuked them for sin and that rebuke had caused pain. The Amplified Bible explains it this way:

2 Cor 2:2

2 For if I cause you pain [with merited rebuke], who is there to provide me enjoyment but the [very] one whom I have grieved and made sad?

AMP

Heb 12:12

12 Wherefore lift up the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees;

Dear Lord, let me be an encourager today. AMEN

AMAZING JESUS

AMAZING JESUS!

Luke 4:33-37

33 And in the synagogue there was a man, which had a spirit of an unclean devil, and cried out with a loud voice,

34 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art; the Holy One of God.

35 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. And when the devil had thrown him in the midst, he came out of him, and hurt him not.

36 And they were all amazed, and spake among themselves, saying, What a word is this! for with authority and power he commandeth the unclean spirits, and they come out.

37 And the fame of him went out into every place of the country round about.

           The New Testament is full of events in which Jesus is acting just like God. People were “astonished” (Greek: ekplesso “to strike out” = it was as if they had been punched) at the teaching abilities and scholarship of this carpenter. He taught as if he were personally acquainted with the writer!

           Jesus had an almost frightful connection to the unseen spirit world. He not only perceived that demons were present but communicated with them. In every case the spirits responded to Jesus as if He were their superior. The people were “amazed” (Greek: thambos “rendered immovable” by astonishment; momentarily frozen in place). Who was this man who could not only speak with the demons but command them? The Pharisees logically, but wrongly, assumed that Jesus was a demon himself and was able to cast out demons by the prince of demons. But the chain of command reached much higher than the prince of the devils.

Matt 9:34

34 But the Pharisees said, He casteth out devils through the prince of the devils.

           Well, the “fame” (Greek: echos “loud uproar and rumor”) of Jesus spread. The result would be the same if the Dairy Queen was rumored to be giving away free ice cream! Everyone wanted their personal problems solved before this curious spell expired and Jesus once again became just a man. There was a rush and a crush.

           Moreover, they wanted to secure Jesus as a franchise. They tried to keep Him for themselves. Verse 42 says that they “stayed” Him (Greek: katecho “to hold down fast” or to restrain from leaving). Isn’t that what we do ourselves? We treat Jesus like a dwindling commodity and we become selfish rather than sharing Him with the “other cities” of the world.

           We are an interesting people. We are amazed when God acts godlike but when He does we want to keep the magic for ourselves. Too often we simply don’t understand that Christ’s mission is to the world and that we are only a very fortunate but small part of His purpose.

Christ Receiveth Sinful Men (Erdmann Neumeister)

Sinners, Jesus will receive! Sound this word of grace to all

Who the Heavenly pathway leave, All who linger all who fall.

Sing it o’er and o’er again, Christ receiveth sinful men!

Make the message clear and plain; Christ receiveth sinful men!

Dear Lord, why am I surprised when you act like the God you are? Help me to share the blessing of salvation with others today. AMEN