To Know

My father was a man of quiet strength, unquestionable integrity, and deep commitment--to his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his friends of all ages, those he worked for--both those in authority over him and those he served, and his Savior. Perhaps a little shy--never timid. If something needed to be said or done, he said or did it as inconspicuously as possible. Often he shed tears at the singing of a hymn or the teaching of a message. He served the church in anyway asked of him from teaching to serving on a board to cleaning the building. His favorite verses were the following:
"And the witness is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son does not have the life. These things have I written unto you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life."

Never tell me that what you know does not impact the man or woman that you are becoming. My father had and lived each day "the life." The Life that he knew with confidence lived within Him.

____________________

Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another."

Those "anothers" are followed by a period--not a list of exceptions.

What do all men know about you?

__________________


The Spiritual Mind:
"I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus, my Lord . . . that I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection and the participation in His sufferings, being conformed to His death"

The three evidences that I "count all things loss" and value above all else knowing Him: the power of His resurrection in my walk, joy when considered worthy to suffer for His sake, daily being conformed to His death.

"For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain."

"For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ."

"I can do all things through Him who strengthens me."

____________________

The Principle of Ownership:
"Or do you not know that your body is a temple--a sanctuary, the holy of holies--of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own! For you have been bought with a price: therefore glory God in your body."

To know Him as your Redeemer, as the One who has purchased you--all of you--with His blood is to be intensely, personally, daily--moment by moment His living sacrifice. That is true worship.

__________________

"And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose,"

Since you know that is true, never stop saying what you know to be true about Him, never be blinded by the momentary but trust and obey the One who makes all things beautiful in His time. Be thankful that He is the One who defines "good." No matter what; "Do good and serve others with a heart of love."