Reflections

JESUS – OUR PEACE

MEDITATION SPACE

REFLECTIONS

Let me seek You in longing, let me long for You in seeking;

Let me find You in love, and love You in finding.

Love and faith are at home in the mystery of the Godhead.

Let reason kneel in reverence outside.

It is most important that we think of God as Triune,

Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.

Only so may we think rightly of God and in a manner

Worthy of Him and of our own souls.

I raise my head to You, Sovereign Lord, because You are higher than me; my Lord!

I bow my head to You, O Master, because I am lower than You; your slave.

“how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God” - Heb. 9:14.

How does the blood of Christ purify our conscience? From dead works? To worship the living God?

In His incarnation the Son veiled His deity, but He did not void it. The unity of the Godhead made it impossible that He should surrender anything of His deity. When He took upon Him the nature of man, He did not degrade Himself or become even for a time less than He had been before. God can never become less than Himself. For God to become anything than He has not been is unthinkable. [Then how do we explain Philippians 2:6-8: “who though he existed in the form of Goddid not regard equality with God as something to be grasped, but emptied himself by taking on the form of a slave,by looking like other men,and by sharing in human nature.He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!”]

Humility, sacrifice, love of the highest degree! Love of the Father and love of man! It was the Father’s will for man’s well being that He was obedient to. “I am doing just what the Father commanded me, so that the world may know that I love the Father” (John 14:31). He knew that even though He died yet He would live. He is the resurrection and the life. As He says in John 11:25: "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will liveeven if he dies.”

You, O Lord, belong to everyone!

[Just as everyone belongs to you]

How selfish I have been in thinking

That you belong to me alone!

Thank you for making me realize this.

You have also made me realize that

I belong to you and, as such,

Belong to everyone, just as You!

You are so good, O Father!

Your goodness brings tears of joy to my eyes.

You are my life, O Father!

Never, never depart from me,

Otherwise I would die.

God is eternal and unchangeable love. In His sovereignty, He decided to treat man in grace. It is His love that motivates His grace. Righteousness and Justice stood in the way because of the sin barrier between man and God. In Love, God the Father sent His Son to the cross to die for the sins of the whole world. Righteousness and Justice are thus satisfied, the barrier is removed, and love and grace can be given to men.

Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is in your midst;
he is a warrior who can deliver.
He takes great delight in you;
he renews you by his love;
he shouts for joy over you."

Monday, December 24, 2001.

You seek us though You don’t need us.

We seek you because we need you.

Why do You seek us when You don’t need us?

Why do You care about us?

Why do You delight in helping us?

Jesus taught His disciples to call you “Father.”

We are also His disciples [though imperfect].

So we call you “Father.”

For those of us who travel alone through life,

You become very important because we need someone To talk to – to share with.

So, You can understand our deeper need of You?

And when You are silent and don’t seem to answer,

You can understand our desperation? Our helplessness?

So, we pray, don’t ever be silent! Answer us in some way.

We have no one to turn to but You.

People don’t really care; but You do!

Otherwise you wouldn’t have sought us!

We need you, O Father! Listen to us, and help us.

Don’t be silent. Cause us to realize your Presence always

And behold you glory! O Life! O Love! O Joy! O Breath!

Feed me with the Living Bread, the Living Fruit,

Give me the Living Water to drink that I may be spiritually filled.

Lion like a Lamb.

“I am gentle and humble in heart,” said the Lord-Lion-Lamb [the Serving-King!].

God serves man, but He is not man’s servant.

You are beautiful beyond description,

Too marvelous for words.

Too wonderful for comprehension,

Like nothing ever seen or heard!

Who can know your infinite wisdom,

Who can fathom your wonderful love,

You are beautiful beyond description,

Majesty, enthroned on high.

I stand, I stand, in awe of You

Holy God to Whom all praise is due

I stand in awe of You!

God has a voluntary relation to everything He has made; but He has no necessary relation to anything outside of Himself. His interest in His creatures arises from His sovereign good pleasure, not from any need those creatures can supply nor from any completeness they can bring to Him who is complete in Himself.

Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. [John 14:10-11.] God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things…by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross (Col.1:19, 20). (cf. “…Christ in you, the hope of glory” Col.1:27.)

Do you really want your life to count for something??

Do you really want to have a sense of genuine purpose and

meaning in your life??

Do you really want to be and do something truly great in you life??

THEN...Become a SERVANT!!

Think about it:

Who was the greatest man who ever lived?...Was it not Jesus Christ?

Did He not make a greater impact on the world than any other single person who ever live??

And how did Jesus do what He did? What was His approach? Listen to what HE said about Himself again in V. 28:

Mt. 20:28 “...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve

and to give His life a ransom for many.”

He did it by being a SERVANT!!

WANTED...SLAVE

“Someone who will work like a slave and never complain about long hours or poor working conditions; someone who will serve without pay or recognition; someone who will give constantly; who willingly relinquishes all earthly possessions; and never expects reimbursement for out of pocket expenses. Someone who can be constantly criticized and always return blessing for cursing; someone who can be mistreated; taken advantage of; abused; and never become angry or discouraged. Someone who is willing to die if necessary; and never take up his/her own self-defense; someone who will do anything he/she is asked to do and be willing to work without a specific job description.” If this fits your temperament and matches your career goals, you are the man for the job!

In God’s economy, true greatness is not achieved by power, position and human achievement. But by sacrifice, humility, surrender, obedience and total dependence upon Him.

Mt. 20:26 “...whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, (27) and whoever wants to be first must be your slave—”

GOD ALWAYS GIVES HIS BEST TO THOSE WHO LEAVE THE CHOICE WITH HIM!

Able to keep !

Yes, able to keep,

rough though the path be -

rugged and steep;

tender the heart that is caring for me,

mighty the grace,

sufficient for you.

Able to keep; my weakness He knows,

strong the temptation, crafty the foes,

God is my refuge, He is my shield:

power of Almighty never shall yield.

Able to keep ! how sure is the Word:

He is my keeper, Savior and Lord.

Never shall perish, one of His sheep,

Glory to God! He is able to keep...

"I was brought low, and he helped me." - Ps. 116:6.

It is blessed sometimes that the streams of creature comforts should be dry, in order to compel us to go to the fountainhead. When the fig tree does not blossom, and the field yields no meat, then a covenant God is precious to fly to. My soul, say, was not that assault of Satan sanctified, when it brought Jesus thereby to your rescue? Was not that cross sweetly timed, when it tended to wean you from the world? And would you have been without that sickness, when Jesus sat up by you, soothed you in your languor, and made all your bed in your sickness? Well was it for me that I was brought low, or I should never have known, in a thousand instances, the help of my God. Oh then, my soul, like Paul, learn to glory in your infirmities that the power of Jesus may rest upon you.

“The acts of the sinful nature (works of the flesh) are obvious: sexual immorality (adultery, fornication), impurity and debauchery (lasciviousness, depravity, morally corrupt); idolatry and witchcraft (sorcery); hatred (hostilities), discord (strife, variance), jealousy (emulations), fits of rage (wrath), selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; (murder) drunkenness, orgies (reveling, carousing, partying), and similar things… Those who live like this (practice such things) will not inherit the kingdom of God” [Gal.5:19-21].

“The fruit of the Spirit is love*, joy, peace, longsuffering (patience), kindness, goodness, faithfulness (reliability), gentleness and self-control… Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified (given up) the sinful nature (flesh) with its passions (strong physical desires of a sexual nature) and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited…” [Gal. 5:22-26]

(*5:22) Another way to punctuate this is "love" followed by a colon (love: joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control). It is thus possible to read the eight characteristics following "love" as defining love.)

Romans 8:28: And we know that all things work togetherfor good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose.

MORNING. - "And for their sakes I sanctify myself."-John 17:19.

Let your morning thoughts, my soul, be directed to this sweet view of your Saviour. Behold your Jesus presenting himself as the surety of his people before God and the Father. Having now received the call and authority of God the Father, and being fitted with a body suited to the service of a Redeemer, here see him entering upon the vast work; and in those blessed words, declaring the cause of it - "I sanctify myself." Did Jesus mean that he made himself more holy for the purpose? No, surely: for that was impossible. But by Jesus sanctifying himself; must be understood (as the Nazarite from the womb, consecrated, set apart, dedicated to the service to which the Father had called him), a voluntary offering - a holy unblemished sacrifice. And observe for whom: "for their sakes;" not for himself; for he needed it not. The priests under the law made their offerings, first for themselves, and then for the people. "But such a High Priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; and who needed not daily, as those high priests, so to offer. For the law makes men high priests which have infirmity; but the Son is consecrated for evermore."

My soul, pause over this view of your Jesus; and when you have duly pondered it, go to the mercy-seat, under the Spirit's leadings and influences, and there, by faith, behold your Jesus, in his vesture dipped in blood, there sanctified, and there appearing in the presence of God for you. There plead the dedication of Jesus; for it is of the Father's own appointment. There tell your God and Father, (for it is the Father's glory, when a poor sinner glorifies his dear Son in him) that He, that Holy One, whom the Father consecrated, and with an oath confirmed in his high priestly office forever, appears there for you. Tell God that your High Priest's holiness and sacrifice was altogether holy, pure, without a spot; and both his Person, and his nature, and offering, clean as God's own righteous law. Tell, my soul, tell your God and Father these sacred, solemn truths. And while you are thus coming to the mercy-seat, under the leadings of the Spirit, and wholly in the name and office-work of your God and Saviour, look unto Jesus, and call to mind those sweet words, for whose sake that Holy One sanctified himself; and then drop one more petition before you come away from the heavenly court: beg, and pray, and wrestle with the bountiful Lord for suited strength and grace, that as, for your sake, among the other poor sinners of his redemption-love, Jesus sanctified himself, so you may be able to be separated from every thing but Jesus; and as your happiness was Christ's end, so his glory may be your first and greatest object. Yes, dearest Jesus, I think I hear you say, -You shall be for me, and not for another: so will I be for you. Oh! You condescending, loving God, " make me Yours; that whether I live, I may live unto the Lord; or whether I die, I may die unto the Lord; so that living or dying, I may be yours."

EVENING. - "He shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe."-2 Thess. 1:10.

Among a thousand wonders that will be unfolded before the astonished world, at the great day of God, to call up the unceasing praises of the church of Christ to all eternity, there are two very blessed events which will take place, and which this scripture records; one is, how Jesus will be glorified in his own sacred person, in the view of his redeemed, when all his beauties are then displayed; and the other is, how Jesus will be glorified in them, from the saving change which his grace hath wrought in them. Let your evening meditation, my soul, be upon both. And first, think how Jesus, your Jesus, will then appear. You have indeed always known him, since he was first revealed to you by grace, as wonderful; and every act of his towards you, has fully answered to this name. For in all his perfections, offices, characters, and relations; in all things concerning and relating to him, every view of him is wonderful. But He that is now known by faith, will then become the object of sight; and think, my soul, what an object of sight will it be! Never, but in the person of Jesus, can there be any thing presented to the view of men, or of angels, of equal glory! God and man in one person can only be found in Christ. And God dwelling in flesh is only rendered capable by that union, and through that medium, of being seen. And think, if it be possible, how glorious, how unspeakably glorious, the human nature of Christ must be, and is, from its union with the Godhead: such as no excellency of angels can at all, even in the most distant degree, resemble. Pause over this contemplation; for such is your Jesus! and such will he appear, when he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and admired in all that believe.

When you have fully feasted yourself, (as far as your poor unripe faculties can take in the blessedness of it) by dwelling upon the contemplation of Jesus, as He is, and as he will then appear, in his own glorious person; go on, and consider that glory that shall be revealed of Jesus, in the saving change which he hath wrought in his people, whereby He will be admired in all them that believe. Oh! What a flood of glory will pour in upon the soul, and what endless praises will go forth to the great Author of the unspeakable mercy, when the vast volume comes to be opened and explained, of what Jesus hath fashioned in them; what he hath communicated to them; what everlasting blessings he has procured for them; and what glory, as their great Mediator he will have by then, through all the incalculable periods of the eternal world, in their living upon him and to him, and from him deriving all the accessions of light and life, and glory and joy, for ever and ever! My soul! Never, never lose sight of these blessed views: but add to that glorious account, that sweet testimony of Jesus, concerning this great day of God to his people: "On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you."-John 14:20. (Oh! Precious realization!)

MORNING.-"Then went king David in, and sat before the Lord. And he said, Who

am I, O LORD GOD! and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?

And is this the manner of man, O LORD GOD?"-2 Sam. 7:18,19.

The language of David, under the overwhelming views he had of divine goodness, as it concerned himself, is suited to the case of every child of God, as he may trace that goodness in his own history. Surely, every awakened soul may cry out, tinder the same impression,-" Who am I, O Lord God! and what is my house, that thou hast brought me hitherto?" My soul! ponder over the sweet subject, as it concerns thyself'. Behold what manner the love of God is from the manner of man. View it in each Person of the Godhead. What is the highest possible conception any man can have of the love of God our Father to us? Was it not, when, as an evidence of the love he had to our nature, he put a robe of that nature, in its pure and holy state, upon the Person of his dear Son, when he gave him a body in all points such as ours, sin only excepted, that he might not only in that body perfect salvation both by his obedience and death, but also, that he might be our everlasting Mediator for drawing nigh to the Godhead, first in grace, and then in glory? Tell me, my soul, what method, in all the stores of omnipotence, could God thy Father have adopted to convince thee of his love, as in this sweet method of his wisdom. God intimates, by this tender process, that he loveth the human nature which he hath created. And though, to answer the wise measures of his plan of redemption, he hath not as yet taken all the persons of his redeemed up to his heavenly court, yet he will have their glorious Head, their representative there, that he may behold Him, and accept the whole church in Him, and love them, and bless them in Him, now, and for ever. Oh! my soul, if this view of thy Father's love was but always uppermost in thine heart, what a ground of encouragement would it for ever give thee, to come to thy God and Father in him, and his mediation; who, while he is one in the divine nature, is one also with thee in the human, on purpose to bid thee come. And as for thee, thou blessed Jesus, thy love and thy delights were always with thy people. From everlasting, thy tendencies of favour have been towards them; thine whole heart is ours. All thy grace, in being set up as the covenant-head for us, and all the after-actings of the same grace in time; all that thou didst then, and all that thou art doing now,-all, all testify the love of our Jesus. And may I not say to thee, thou dear Redeemer, as David did, “is this the manner of man, O Lord God?” Yes, it is: but it is of the Glory-man, of the God-man, Christ Jesus. And no less, thou Holy Spirit, whose great work is love and consolation; what a thought is it to warm my soul into the most awakened contemplation and delight in the view of thy love, that though thou art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, yet dost thou make the very bodies of the redeemed thy temples, for thine indwelling residence. My soul, do as David did: go in before the Divine Presence; fall down and adore in the solemn thought "Who am I, O Lord God! and what is my Father's house?"

EVENING.-"A man in Christ."-2 Cor. 12:2.

My soul! thy last evening's meditation was sweet, (was it not?) in contemplating thy Jesus, as glorious in his own person, and as glorified in his people. Wilt thou add to that subject, for it is part of the same, for thy present thoughts, what is suggested in this motto, " a man in Christ?" Dost thou fully enter into the pleasing apprehension of what the phrase implies? Now, who shall fully describe it; or who is competent fully to conceive the whole extent of it? " A man in Christ," must imply every thing connected with a oneness, an union, a part of himself; yea, " a life hid with Christ in God." "A man in Christ" is as much a part in Christ's mystical body, as the head, or hand, or foot, is a part of that body to which those members belong. Hence, (which is indeed a sweet part of the subject) every one who is " a man in Christ," is, to all intents and purposes, interested in all that belongs to Christ, as the Christ of God. Hence also, it must as undeniably follow, that every member of Christ's body, the least, as well as the greatest, the humblest as well as the highest, becomes a part in him, is equally united to him, and participates in what belongs to him. The life of grace here, and time life of glory hereafter, being both derived from Christ, and enjoyed wholly from an union with him are therefore equally enjoyed; just as the smallest leaf or branch united to a tree becomes a part of that tree, as much as the largest branches. Dost thou enter, my soul, into an apprehension of these outlines of the subject? Art thou " a man in Christ," by regeneration, adoption, justification, and grace? Oh! then, turn over the transporting thought, with holy and unceasing delight, in thy constant meditation. Calculate, if thouart able, the blessed inheritance, to which thou art begotten by it, of grace here, and glory to all eternity. " A man in Christ," is accepted in Christ, justified in Christ, sanctified in Christ, and must assuredly be glorified in Christ. Oh! who that thinks of these things, and through the Holy Ghost is conscious of an interest in them, can suffer the exercises of a dying world to bring affliction into the soul? What a life of dignity, is " a man in Christ" brought into! He is brought nigh unto God, through the blood of the cross. What a state of security is " a man in Christ" placed in! " Because I live," (saith Jesus) " ye shall live also." And what an endless prospect of glory, hath " a man in Christ" opening before him; when Christ hath said, " Father, I will that they also whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold the glory which thou hast given me!" O the unspeakable blessedness of " a man in Christ!"

Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart as to Christ, not like those who do their work only when someone is watching--as people-pleasers--but as slaves of Christ doing the will of God from the heart. Obey with enthusiasm, as though serving the Lord and not people because you know that each person, whether slave or free, if he does something good, this will be rewarded by the Lord [Ephesians 6:5-8]

Jesus said, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

WOW!! What a verse! There it was! I had never seen it or really understood it before.

The reason I was “STRESSING INSTEAD OF RESTING” was because I had it all backwards. I had been more concerned about ACTIVITY than ABIDING. And Jesus said the first and only responsibility of the Christian is to “ABIDE IN HIM.I had been working, driving, going, serving, and achieving, rather that abiding and resting in Him.

Suddenly I saw it and I understood it. It was not my responsibility to produce fruit. I am a branch. It is my responsibility to stay vitally connected to the vine, and the life of the vine in me would produce the fruit. Branches do not produce fruit, they only bear the fruit.

Suddenly I began to see it everywhere in Scripture. Jesus did not intend for the Christian life to add to our stress levels...But to take away the stress. Jesus invites us to enter into life with Him that brings PEACE, not added PRESSURE.

Just listen to the way God’s Word describes genuine Christian living:

Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light” (Matt 11:28-30).

Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27).

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you (Isa.26:3).

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace (Ps.29:11).

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (Rom.8:6).

These verses were not really descriptive of much of my Christian life. My life was as a Christian anything but “PEACEFUL” and “RESTFUL.”

1 Cor 2:16 says clearly, “…but we have the mind of Christ.”

This means the Holy Spirit resides in us to help us:

· Think God’s thoughts.

· To see the world as God sees it.

· To view life the way God views our lives.

· To have the same attitude as that of Jesus about everything.

"Truly, our fellowship is with the Father,

and with his Son Jesus Christ."- 1 John 1:3.

Precious, blessed consideration! Art thou, my soul, at this time in the full enjoyment of it? Pause over the inquiry. Sometimes, for the want of this search of soul, and the neglect of it, deadness, or at least leanness, creeps in. Say then, my soul, how art thou dealing with thy God? and how is thy God dealing with thee? When were his latest manifestations? When did he take thee to his banqueting-house; or when didst thou sit under his shadow? Hast thou very lately heard his voice, saying, " Fear not, I am thy salvation?" The discovery of these things are among the sweetest exercises which flow from the indwelling Spirit. Go on further in the inquiry-how art thou dealing with thy God? When hadst thou fellowship and communion with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ? What petitions hast thou now awaiting for answers from the heavenly court? What grateful acknowledgments have lately gone up for mercies received? How is thine acquaintance there advancing? How art thou growing in grace, and in the knowledge of thy Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? If these things are neglected by thee, will not a strangeness between thy God and thee come on; such as is induced by earthly friendships, when absence and time, where there is no correspondence kept up, wears out remembrance? My soul, rouse up, and consider the vast importance of keeping up constant intercourse with thy God and Saviour. Precious Jesus! do thou keep the flame of love alive; manifest to my soul the certainty and reality of my union with thee, thou sweet Saviour, by causing this blessed communion to be constant, unceasing, and full of divine communications. Let thy Spirit call forth in me the exercise of the graces he hath planted; and do thou come forth in refreshing manifestations of love; so that, while prayers go up, blessings may come down; and while thou art graciously saying, " Seek ye my face," my heart may say unto thee, "Thy face, Lord, will I seek." Oh, the blessedness of such a life to break the power of sin; to revive and strengthen the spirits; to open and to enlarge to my view the discoveries of thy Person, thy glory, thy riches, thy suitableness, thine all-sufficiency. If, dearest Jesus, thou wilt mercifully keep this fellowship, this partnership, alive in my soul, how will my poor soul be living upon thee, and with thee; and how shall I be exchanging with thee all my leanness, poverty, wretchedness, and weakness, for thy fullness, riches, righteousness, and strength? Come, then, Lord Jesus, and " until the day break, and the shadows flee away, turn, my beloved, and be thou like a roe, or a young hart, upon the mountains of Bether."

"A nail in a sure place."-Isaiah 22:23.

My soul! through grace, thou hast long been enabled to hang all thy grand concerns for eternity upon the Lord Jesus; and will it not be a very refreshing subject for thine evening meditation, to see how eternally firm and secure all rest, with an unshaken and unchangeable confidence? Behold him as He is in himself, in his person, work, and righteousness; " Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and for ever." Next contemplate him as the source, origin, fountain, and support of all the great things of salvation. There is not a purpose of God, but is founded on Christ; not a promise, but is made, confirmed, and fulfilled in Christ; and not a dispensation in all the kingdoms of nature, grace, and glory, but comes from Christ and his own righteous government. Go on, under a third branch of meditation, and behold Jesus as a nail in a sure place, and that the persons, concerns, and blessings of his people all hang on him; from Him they derive all their spiritual strength, gifts, graces, authority, order, and appointment; on him they all depend for life, ability, power, and disposition to carry it on; and to him the whole glory of their services return, in an endless revenue of praise. Lastly, and above all, to crown thine evening meditation, on this nail in a sure place, behold the hand of God thy Father, both fixing him there, and proclaiming it to the souls of his people; "I will fasten him," saith Jehovah, "as a nail in a sure place; and he shall be for a glorious throne to his Father's house." Hail! Thou glorious almighty Mediator! Founded on such authority, and possessing in thyself such eternal principles, evermore will I hang my soul, and body, and spirit, with all I have, and all I am or hope to be, in time and to all eternity, on thee; for never can too great a stress be laid upon Jesus, nor too full a confidence be placed in him. How can a soul perish that hangs on God's Christ?

CHRISTIAN IN THE WORKPLACE

Ephesians 6:5

Slaves (servants), obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ.

1. Many slaves were Christians, and many worked for non-Christian masters during this period of time.

2. The New Testament does not deal with slavery as a social issue.

3. The application of this passage in modern times is to the employee, in contrast to those who are in management.

4. In this passage we are dealing with the results of Christian growth, and the emphasis is placed on the development of a mature spiritual life through edification, and the confident, stable mental attitude that results from living according to a divine frame of reference.

- All Christians are in full-time Christian service.

- There is no excuse for Christians to offer less than 110% of his effort for the people who are paying him. Jobs are provided by the grace of God; the prosperous nations with their capitalistic systems only exist by the grace of God.

- Respect for authority on the job is part of a Christian's full-time service for Christ.

- This does not mean that you shake with fear when the boss walks by. This refers to maximum exertion on the job, digging in and working until the job is finished, whatever it is.

"with sincerity of heart" the believer does his work.

- Mental attitude sin, toward the boss, towards other workers, or just in a general disgruntled frame of mind, will ruin a believer's ability to perform good work.

"as you would obey Christ" - all authority comes from the Lord. Therefore, your boss's authority comes from the Lord. A Christian must work as if he were working for the Lord Jesus Christ as his boss.

Ephesians 6:6

Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.

- A Christian is involved in his job with his complete soul, as well as his body.

- Every part of a Christian's soul is involved in his work.

- Self-consciousness: self-discipline and concentration on the job.

- Mentality - this refers to the two different functions of a Christian mind, perception, and divine viewpoint. Perception is the understanding part of the mind; and the soul's mentality contains the Word of God, the Plan of God, which keeps the believer in a stable mental attitude, free of mental sins.

- Volition - the Christian makes decisions, based on divine viewpoint, which are compatible with doing the best possible job as unto the Lord. When others are goofing off, you work! When others conspire, you refuse!

- Conscience - divine standards by which the Christian makes correct decisions.

- Emotion - a person's appreciation of the Lord will cause him to do his job as unto the Lord.

- A Christian does not advance himself! God does the promoting. In every sense, you are not promoted, or recognized, until God promotes you!. The Christian does his job as unto the Lord, and waits for the Lord to take care of the advancement.

- When a Christian understands this principle, and can have a relaxed life because he trust the Father to handle all promotion and prosperity, it will take him a long way toward being a master of the details of life.

"as men pleasers" - refers to people who try to please the boss, often at the sacrifice of the actual work.

"but as the servants of Christ" - on the job, we are the servants of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"doing the will of God" - This refers to a believer's duty to KNOW the plan and purpose of God for his life, and to DO it!

"from the heart" - "out from the soul".

Ephesians 6:7

Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not men.

- In God's plan, good thinking is thinking from His point of view, from a frame of reference coming from doctrine applied in the soul.

- With divine viewpoint, a Christian has divine standards, uses divine principles for making decisions and solving problems, is free from mental attitude sins, and has the motivation to learn and do the job as well as possible.

"serving the Lord, not men " - to serve, doing even menial tasks, as unto the Lord, associated with a good mental attitude.

Ephesians 6:8

Because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free.

"know" - the believer is edified, knows the "mind of Christ", and recognizes the divine principles involved in this passage.

"whatever good he does" - AGATHOS. Divine good; that which is produced by the Lord in the life of a Christian who is walking in the Spirit, living in the Word, occupied with Christ, and through whom God is producing "gold, silver, and precious stones".

- Good work on the job is a function of the control of the Holy Spirit and results in divine production. The Christian is witnessing on the job by performing to the best of his capability with a great mental attitude.

- A Christian who has an ordinary job, and does it "as unto Christ", is in the will and plan of God, and is performing a much greater service that any missionary or pastor who is laboring in the flesh!

“the Lord will reward” - The Christian on the job will be rewarded just as much as any elder, preacher, teacher, missionary, or full-time Christian worker. There is no hierarchy of jobs in the Christian life, not jobs that are more important, or more spiritual, than others.

Your attitude should be the same as that of Jesus Christ;

Who, being in very nature God, made Himself nothing,

taking the very nature of a servant – Phil. 2:5-7.

Slaves (servants), obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. Obey them not only to win their favour when their eye is on you, but like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. Because you know that the Lord will reward everyone for whatever good he does, whether he is slave or free. (Ephesians 6:5-8)

"And for their sakes I sanctify myself."-John 17:19.

MORNING - “‘Even if the mountains are removed and the hills displaced, my devotion will not be removed from you, nor will my covenant of friendship be displaced,’ says the one who has compassion on you, the LORD” (Isa.54:10).

Holy God to Whom all praise is due

THEN...Become a SERVANT!!

WANTED...SLAVE

Jesus said:

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you (Isa 26:3).

The LORD gives strength to his people; the LORD blesses his people with peace (Ps 29:11)

The mind of sinful man is death, but the mind controlled by the Spirit is life and peace (Rom 8:6).