Listening to God John 6:66-69

John 6:66-69

".Many of [Jesus'] disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore. So Jesus said to the twelve, 'You do not want to go away also, do you?' Simon Peter answered Him, 'Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life. We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.'"

Many of Jesus' disciples chose to leave Him. Why? They had a hard time accepting some of the things Jesus taught.

As you grow in your faith, you may be tempted to turn away because Jesus' lessons are difficult. When that temptation comes, don't turn away from God. Think about life - there is nowhere else to go! No other way of life meets you at your point of deepest inner need. No other way of life has its foundation in truth. No other way ends in meaning and purpose.

You must learn to trust God with the great times AND the hard times, the easy lessons and the difficult lessons!

Remember, with Jesus, there is no middle ground - no grey area. Either He is Lord of your life or not!

The more that people understand the power of Jesus' message, the more they divide into two camps - honest seekers and followers who want to understand more; and those who reject Jesus because they don't like what He teaches. Simon Peter saw that Jesus' words, however challenging, led to life.

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and in our Audio Lounge.

What Worship Does

What Worship Does

“You who fear the LORD, praise Him!”
Psalm 22:23 NKJV

Worship humbles the smug and lifts the deflated.

Worship adjusts us, lowering the chin of the haughty, straightening the back of the burdened.

Worship properly positions the worshiper. And oh how we need it! We walk through life so bent out of shape. Five-talent folks swaggering: “I bet God’s glad to have me.” Two-talent folks struggling: “I bet God’s sick of putting up with me.” So sold on ourselves that we think someone died and made us ruler. Or so down on ourselves that we think everyone died and just left us.

Treat both conditions with worship.

1 of 365 devotionals in Grace for the Moment, Volume 2 Originally printed in Cure for the Common Life

Living for God

Living for God

Matthew 5:13-16

"You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven."

Let your light shine!

What light? The life of Jesus Christ in you! Jesus repeatedly pointed to Himself as the light of the world (Matthew 4:16; John 8:12; 9:5; 12:35). Now He says to the disciples and to us today, "You are the light of the world".

How can this be true? Because Jesus is now living in you! Jesus is still on this earth, carrying out His ministry to people. If this is true, then where is He? What is His body? We are! Believers around the world are called in Scripture: "the body of Christ" (Ephesians 4:12). Jesus wants to shine His light on people around you. That's why He's put you in that job, that course, that neighbourhood.

Jesus is calling you today to let Him shine through you.

Written by John North of Ambassadors For Christ. You can hear John Weekday mornings at 6.05am on FM103.2 and as an mp3 download in the Audio Lounge.