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Which Jesus do you accept?
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The one of that guy or the one that they talk about?
Jesus said to "Learn of me, for I am meek and humble".
If he says he's meek and humble then that's what we should see in his life and that's what we do.
He was batised by John when John said I should be batised by you!
He was born in a stable, there was no room at the Inn. You would think the Son of God would come in with fanfare and trumpets and the finest of everything. No, born in a stable in a feeding trough.
He constantly talked about "taking the lower seat" and that's what he did.
Jesus is so humble, that you are free to reject him if you so choose.
When Jesus says "Learn of me"
The first things he says about himself is that he's meek and humble.
If you are not learning about he meekness and humility of Christ, then you simply are not getting to know Jesus.
You are off on somebody's mind trip about what they think Jesus is.
Read the story. Don't read proof texts.
Why do people take a verse out of the Bible and take another verse from somewhere else and paste them together to say something? Because using this method, you can make the Bible say something that it never did to begin with.
Try this on for size:
Judas went and hung himself.
Go thou and do likewise.
That's what pasting verses together can lead to.
Read the story, that's what it's about. The gospel is the life of Jesus.
And where ever the gospel is preached, you will read about the time the woman annointed him. Jesus said so.
You must be born again. Jesus said so.
But he's not Moses breathing down your neck (though one of his nick names is "the hound of heaven"...)Jesus is not a list of do's and don'ts. People think getting saved means you must stop sinning and doing anything at all that you enjoy now.
You do not have to do anything.
Jesus did it all and nailed it all to the cross.
Simply say thank you.
The rest is details.
Don't let people tell you to do this and that and that and this.
You get involved in activities that may be good, but they can be binding.
Then when you stop doing them you feel guilty.
Guilt is a killer. If you want a real perspective on this, read "The Silas Diary". There's one statement in there that speaks volumes.
Your conscience should be a goad to lead to what's right for you.
To steer you and guide you the way you should go. Guilt is something people can use to manipulate you. But you know that.
If you're not learning of the meekness and humility of Jesus, then you aren't learning about Jesus.
This is where most people and fellowships go wrong.
They take their first wrong turn right there. They leave the humility of Christ. And you end up with hierarchy's and cliques.
Pretty hard to avoid, huh? And who is perfect anyway? There's a saying, if you find a perfect church, don't you dare join. Because then it won't be perfect anymore.
Ask Jesus to show himself to you. That's the great thing. He will. He's not a puppet to do tricks for you. But he does love you and will help you.
One of my favorite verses:
Because I live; you will live also.
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.
When two farm workers are yoked together, like two oxen; one is usually older and more experienced and leads the way and bears the brunt of work. When you're yoked with Jesus, it's His work he's leading you in. You just follow.
His yoke is easy and his burden is light. And you will find rest for your souls.
I'll never forget one day taking out the flyering crew on 34th street past Macey's. A young fellow had his Bible raised and was shouting. (As soon as I hear preacher's yelling, I wonder, what's wrong with them?) I thought, Jesus, how can I help this young man?
I went over to him and got his attention.
I said to him, "Young man, Jesus gives a spirit of peace."
He screamed, "I HAVE PEACE!"
Well, I guess that's the end of the conversation... The flyering crew continued walking.
I looked back and he was reading in his Bible.
I looked back again, and he was gone.
There are times when we have hard times and things do not seem peaceful at all.
But if you meet a seasoned Christian and they don't seem peaceful...
As Jimmy would say, "Guess what?!"
They're not learning the meekness and the humility of Christ.
Get to know the meekness and humility of Christ. Your perspective is your responsibility.
If Jesus wants us to receive him as a child... wouldn't it stand to reason that's the way we should continue? As a child of God?
As you received Jesus (by faith)
so walk in him (by faith)
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