The Devotional - #018

A Thought for the Day – 018

Do not be a slave to your children but be a servant. Why encourage your child to be foolish and bring grief to his or her mother. Fathers are to be the spiritual leader of the family. Therefore God has called you to be wise. There is a treasury of wickedness in all of us that leads to death. Be wise and chose the righteousness found only in Christ the LORD and live. Proverbs 10:1-2

Comments and challenges

There are some hymns that are so unworthy to sing, these hymns play on our emotions rather than assist us in drawing close to God. The irony of this thought and of the song in mind is the hymn; “Just a closer walk with Thee” I will say that it is a popular hymn among celebrities to sing it when they are having a religious moment during one of their performances. The hymn is so off the mark that even the writer does not identify his or her self.

Partial excerpt from Wikipedia: The author of "A Closer Walk" is unknown. Circumstantial evidence strongly suggests it dates back to southern churches of the 2nd half of the 19th century, possibly even earlier. The song became better known nationally in the 1930s when these churches held huge musical conventions. Then in the 1940s, a boom of recordings developed, ranging from Southern gospel, brass bands and jazz and this is one of those songs that survived by ending up is some church hymnals.

The desire to have a closer walk with Jesus comes from our flesh and not from the Spirit whom we have if we are God’s children. If we are children of God then we are at peace with Him, we are also filled with the Holy Spirit. Of course there is the possibility of sin in our life and then there is “no peace” but if that being the case, we know how to regain the peace of God by agreeing with God that we have sinned, 1 John 1:5-10.

The apostle Paul reminds us of his effort to overcome a thorn in the flesh. 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 and how the LORD Jesus used this weakness in Paul to enhance Paul’s awareness of God’s grace. As far as we know, Jesus did not remove the weakness from Paul but did give him the sufficient grace to endure his infirmity. The power of Christ resting on Paul is much different than the message of the hymn in that the infirmity does not drive Jesus to Paul to help with his physical problem, but that the grace of God sustains Paul in Christ.

Thus the apostle can say with confidence that he takes pleasure in life’s weaknesses knowing that in reproaches, needs, persecutions and distresses comfort is ongoing and constantly available from abiding in Christ and not from begging. So, maybe some of us are thinking, “On the scale of one to ten with ten being the strongest intensity, where does all this make a difference in our relationship with Jesus Christ?”

Responsibility, yes I said; RESPONSIBILITY. As a saint of God, or as some might be more comfortable with; as a child of God we are accountable to abide in Christ and in this you and I cannot get any closer to Him. Thus we will not be ashamed at His coming (which is soon). Notice 1 John 2:24-29 and 1 John 3:1-3. We are commanded to practice righteousness. Think on these things and our God; Thee God of all grace will perfect you in Christ through your infirmities by grace.

From scripture references please CTRL+ click on the following website: http://www.biblos.com