Some churches are really strong on answering the call to life, but pay less attention to Christ’s call to death. Others are pretty good at life prevention, doing a great job of answering the call to deny any bit of self satisfaction.

I recall one preacher who would thump the pulpit vehemently as he made me feel guilty for even eating breakfast that day. And I can recall another preacher who always made me feel better about myself, but it never seemed to last. So which gospel is the real gospel? How can people teach such opposites from the same bible? Because Jesus calls us to both death and life.

Jesus was not so one sided. He calls us to deny our human nature: “If anyone comes to Me and does not hate... even his own life he cannot be My disciple." (Luke 14:26) Yet He calls our spirit to live: “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. Whoever believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:37 38)

Used with permission by:

FreshBread

Hayden Andrews

The Word for Today
With Bob Gass

---

Quality Workmanship Neither hammer...axe nor any iron tool [was] heard while it was being built. - 1 Kings 6:7 NAS

A hotel guest called room service one morning and ordered two undercooked eggs, cold bacon, burned toast and lukewarm coffee." The waiter replied, "That could be difficult, sir." "Well," the man replied, "It's been no problem so far!" Seriously, the quality of your work tells people who you are: The Wall Street Journal says, "Your value to society comes when someone says, 'Let me see your work.' Your glib tongue may open a door or two...but the real test of your worth can be measured by the care you give to the job: a budget to plan; a solo to play; a report to draft; a leaky sink that needs fixing. Pay attention to details. Sweat the small stuff." We serve a God whose name is called "excellent." Consider the workmanship involved in the tabernacle (Ex 25-40). Or Solomon's temple: one of the wonders of the world with its "windows with artistic frames," and stones so precisely quarried that they fit into place on site, so that "neither hammer...axe nor any iron tool was heard...while it was being built."

One Christian leader writes, "What's true of grand music, writing, art and construction, is true of the way some still practice medicine, law, architecture, teach, type, preach, play instruments, cook, fix cars, coach, sell insurance, run a business, a home, a school, a restaurant, or a ministry. It makes them stand out, a cut above the average. It's not for the money, glory or fame it may bring. It's a matter of pride and commitment. Nothing less satisfies."

SoulFood Bible Readings: Dan 11-12, Matt 4:1-11, Ps 144:9-15, Pr 10:22-23

---

Tell your friends about The Word For Today e-mail service. If you've been encouraged by The Word for Today, then your friends will be too. NZ - Click here, UK - Click here.

---

This message from The Word for Today came from Rhema Broadcasting Group Incorporated in association with The Vine, New Zealand. "The Word for Today"® is copyright © Bob Gass Ministries.

Used under 'limited copy' permission by:

UCB

Hayden Andrews

Why do we need to deny ourselves and carry our cross each day? It wasn’t always this way. In the Garden, in the original paradise that God created, it was all about life. There was no road of self denial, no cross to carry. God told man he was “free to eat from any tree in the garden” except the one that was the doorway to sin and death. Nothing was off limits other than the poison tree. And in the life to come, there is no call to death, either. God will wipe away every tear. People will be able to eat from the Tree of Life without limit.

But in this world, since sin entered the picture, we have a fallen nature that must die. There is no dressing up this flawed nature! The Pharisees tried to do that, cleaning the outside of the cup while inside it was filthy, as Jesus says. The whole cup must die. Only then we can receive a new nature that will live forever.

So heaven issues two calls to mankind: to deny ourselves, and to embrace the life that God has for us. Paul tells us to behold “the kindness AND the severity of the Lord.” An eagle will only fly with two strong wings, and in this life, we will only experience a mature Christian walk if we practice the call to life and death. We need both. Satan knows this, and will therefore work very hard to keep us away from this balance.

Used with permission by:

FreshBread

Hayden Andrews

 

Read Acts 1:1-14

No doubt the disciples would gladly have gone forth at once to begin the work of preaching and saving men. It would seem, too, as if they were prepared to go, for they had been in training with Christ for three years. Now that He was risen and ascended to heaven, why should they wait longer? We think of them as eager to begin their work. But they were not yet ready. We lean that waiting sometimes is out first duty. It is easier to be active than to wait, but sometimes everything depends upon our ability to be patient and not to move. When Christ wants us to wait, though it may seem to be a waste of time, we can always serve Him best by simply waiting. Indeed we can serve Him then in no other way. Many a good life is marred and its usefulness wrecked by impatience; it is the patient man to whom blessings come.

A story is told of a Christian woman who had been active for many years, busy in ministries for Christ, who at last was laid aside in wasting consumption. Yet she was as quiet in her waiting as ever she had been in her most active years. One day her pastor said to her: “I cannot understand your quietness and peace these days. In former times, when you were well, you were ever going somewhere on some ministry of love, and were never still a moment. But now you seem to be as contented and restful here in your bed, when you can do nothing, as ever you were in your busy days.” She replied: “When I was well, I used to hear Jesus say, continually, ‘Go and do this or that,’ and I always went quickly and obeyed Him. But now I hear Jesus say each hour, ‘Lie here and cough,’ and I know that it is His will for me, and I do it as sweetly as I can.” She had caught the secret of the restful life.

The waiting was not idle-there was a purpose in it. There was a promise of divine power. “Wait for the promise.” They were not yet ready to go out to work; they were not prepared to preach Christ’s gospel until they had received the divine gift. There is a good lesson here for very many of us. Ofttimes we are in too much of a hurry to get to active work. We do not think of preparation for it.

Used with permission by: The JR Miller Archive
Article Source: devotional-hours.jr-miller.com/vol-8/1-christs-ascension-2.html

Hayden Andrews