Pastor Buddy’s Blog

Getting to know the Master…

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Journal,

Christian Challenge has a daily devotional site for anyone who wishes to subscribe. The devotions are provided by our dear brother in the Lord, Jim Ross. To subscribe to the devotions go to this site:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cci-devo/

Today Jim shared a devotion that I’d like to pass on to my readers. It is titled, ‘Getting to know the Master’ —

“Now having been questioned by the Pharisees as to when the kingdom of God was coming, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God is not coming with signs to be observed; nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or, ‘There it is!’ For behold, the kingdom of God is in your midst.” - Luke 17:20-21 NASB
 
“When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. “A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” - John 10:4-5 NASB

 
A suggestion, shared by my pastor in a “Disciple’s Heart” class without any fanfare, has been one of the single most important ideas to come into my life. I had been told to read the Bible before, but something in this request made it different. The next day I started my journey at Genesis 1:1. At first my mission was to be obedient to my pastor, but as I continued to read through the days, months, and years I heard my Master calling from within the words……through impressions, ideas, and feelings mostly.
 
One thing that came to me was a sense of the Presence of the Lord when I prayed to Him, read His Word, or listened to my pastor. And with each day that Presence grew stronger……………..with each reading of the Word of God I get to know Him better as He revealed Himself to me.
 
A lesson I’ve learned through all of this is that most things He’ll reveal to me only when I’m ready and being ready means actively trying to seek His Face through His Word …………..getting to know Him. I can’t count the number of times I’ve had my perspective shifted when I’ve read a scripture again. God was in my “midst” but I just couldn’t sense Him…………………then…………there He was.

And the more I “hear” His “Voice” the easier it is getting to distinguish Him from others who take His Words and pervert them in some way…..some of these being very clever…. all of them leading from the Shepherd to another flock.
 
Love in Jesus,
 
Jim

Thanks Jim for a wonderful devotion.

Now for a word from one of my favorite preachers, and a song by one of my favorite gospel groups…  Don’t be surprised. You knew I was going to do this.  :)

Ok, how do I say this without sounding so negative. Well here goes…

Have you ever wondered what happened to the message of the cross? Seems like it has become unpopular today to preach the cross. Seems no one wants to die to themselves. After all, why die when a person can have power, and authority, and prosperity, and never have to go to the cross.

Several years ago I was accosted by a Charismatic preacher for preaching on the second coming of Jesus Christ. He let me know that I was out-of-step with the message of the day. Of course I had a few short words for the gentleman.

But on the world scene, it does make you wonder if Billy Graham is not one of the last of the great preachers. Here we have a man such as Billy Graham who has reached untold millions of people with the simple but powerful message of the cross. Here we have a man who lives a relatively simple life with what we would call modest means by today’s standards.

Then on the other hand you have major pulpits in the land not to mention television preachers who are amassing fortunes, collecting air planes, living in fabulous mansions, prancing about like rock stars, and all the while preaching distorted messages of the gospel, and people seem to love it?

Yep, sure makes you wonder.

Guess folk get tired of hearing me say that I have only one message to preach. I can preach it a thousand ways but it will always be the message of the cross. There is no greater message. That one message takes us from the death side of the cross on into the life side of the cross, and then on to a future glory that is reserved for all true believers. And it all happens with simple faith in Jesus Christ.

Ok, nuff said.

May the Lord shine on you with all His love, and may you discover in all its fulness the life side of the cross.

And just in case you forget, you can’t get to the life side without passing through the death side. Yep, the old song said it well enough, ‘For the old rugged cross made the difference.’

Much love is stored at the cross. Why not go for it!

Think about it.

Buddy