Have you forgotten?

Why Are You Following Jesus?

            “And a great multitude followed him, because they saw his miracles which he did on them that were diseased.” (Jn. 6:2)

Why do you follow Christ? In the beginning of chapter 6, we see these followed him because of the miracles of healing he had done. Just a bit further on in the chapter, we find those who followed him because of the miracle of the loaves and fishes which fed the hungry. Does the reason one follows Christ matter, as long as one IS following him? What does it really matter? Read on in chapter 6; we see in verse 26-27 that Jesus rebuked them for their motive for following him. So it must matter. But why? Continue reading John’s account: as Jesus spoke, those who followed for the afore mentioned motives “went back, and walked no more with him.” Apparently, those motives were not strong enough to carry one through in following the Lord.

But, beginning in verse 67, when Christ asks his disciples if they would “go away also”, we see a proper motive for following Christ. Peter’s reply shows a different motive, a different focus in his following: “To whom would we go?” Art not thou the all in all? Is there any beside thee? “Thou hast the words of eternal life” and naught else can satisfy our hearts created for eternity. “We believe and art sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God”, the Lamb of God that cleanseth away our sins and maketh our sick souls well.

Christ himself is the only sure motive for following Christ; a knowledge that he is all in all, a longing for his words of eternal life, a belief in him as the Son of God. The motive must be hunger after himself alone, not merely a desire for what he can do for you.

So, why do you follow Christ?

The Lord's In His Heaven; Illustrated Quote

Restlessness: Illustrated J. R. Miller Quote

The Way to Save Man: A Modern Parable

by Leah S. Carpenter

There once was a man who felt called to be a sort of savior for man and he set about his task with hearty good will, despite disparaging words and looks from all living that saw him.

His work was in the cemeteries among the dead. As he proceeded with his work, his reputation was sullied, to say the least; he was considered a lunatic by the kindest. It was difficult work, resulting in bleeding and blistered hands, a weary back and aching arms, but he bore all cheerfully for the sake of saving some—or even all, for such was his goal. His work was so important, and there was so little time!

He dug up the caskets, lifted them out of the hole or pit they were in, and proceeded to open the casket. He dug quickly, calling any and all to help him if they would; sadly, no one chose to help him.

When he had opened the caskets, he spoke to the dead within, saying, “I have set you free from death; all you have to do is will to live. Do you wish to remain dead, or will you choose life?”

There was no answer: silence reigned now as it did before the casket was opened. He proceeded to plead with them.

“I have done all the work necessary to free you from death! Will you make my work void? I have sacrificed my reputation, my comforts, my all, to set you free. I have left the good life I had to work for your salvation. Won’t you please choose life?”

Still silence. He continued to plead for a time, but there were others to be rescued, so he had to move on. Yet the scene was repeated each time, with no variation. And never did any of those whom he sought so diligently, and worked so hard, to rescue ever live again.

Doesn’t it seem strange that with so much of the work already done, the dead did not live? The man grieved so over their hardness of heart. Why would they not choose to live!? The work was already done for them. The gift of life had been given free; all they had to do was choose it. But they wouldn’t; none of them ever willed themselves to receive the gift of life he had given. Finally, he moved to a new field to work.

He decided to work with children and to adopt some children for his own. However, all the children available already had a father, and though the father may not be good, yet they didn’t seem to desire any better. Nevertheless, he sent word around that he wanted some children—mere babies to be born into his family, as it were, or such as would become as little children and be willing to be guided by him in all things, so that the marks of their first family would be erased. He wanted children that he could teach and train so that they would never be any but his children.

Oh, he wasn’t in the least cruel, and he would surely never forbid them to know who their first—that is, natural—father was, but he wanted to raise them so that they would never desire to return to their first father. But he wanted to give them the choice.

He, therefore, also made public a list of ten easy rules which they must all live by, so the children could make intelligent, informed decisions about whether they wanted to live with and for him. The rules were very simple, and only such as would make them into his nature, and add to their truest happiness. Besides that, he also listed what would be their inheritance,—and a goodly one it was—a portion of which they would receive as soon as they became his.

But, alas, he failed here, too, for the children who were old enough to think were content with who they were, and saw no need or reason to change. Besides, the family they were in allowed them to do anything and everything they wanted to do, and life was pleasurable. And what did this new father do but begin by giving a set of rules!?

No, none of them chose him as their father, for they couldn’t see, with their pleasure-blinded eyes, that the life he offered was better than the one they led. Even the inheritance meant nothing to them, for it was so goodly of an inheritance that they didn’t know its worth, nor how to desire it. And the babies were too little to understand and make a choice, so he failed there as well, for he wouldn’t take them against their will.

Some, indeed, he took, but as soon as they were old enough, their other siblings convinced them to join them in a life of pleasure, and they left his roof for their natural father’s house and ways, and so were never truly his at all.

Ah! what grief of heart was his. Was there none who would, under any circumstance, choose him and his life? But he never found any that would. His whole life had been wasted, his plans thwarted by man. He had lived, and sacrificed, in vain, for he would not make the choice for them, and none would choose him of their own will.

Finally, he looked around him to find any children that he would like to have as his own. Having found some, and offering to them anew what he had offered to all before, he found that they still rejected his adoption. By this time, however, he loved them so much that he could not let them go, so he began to work in ways to bring them to himself.

He first made them to see that their family—including themselves—was not only dead but doomed because of their family traits. The only escape was if they received his help and became part of his family. As they came to understand this, they were quickened enough to realize their need and to cry out for help from someone. He then worked by drawing them closer and closer to him so that they received an intense desire to be his, to have his traits and his new life, and they couldn’t help pleading with him to take them into his family.

When they asked, they were taken into his family immediately, given the family clothing and the family spirit, so that all old desires and loves were changed. Their new father ruled in their hearts by the new spirit, molding them into his image as if they were clay and he were the potter.

So they were given a choice, but they were freed from the bondage of their first father by the working of the new father in changing their will. Their hearts were forever humble and filled with love toward him who had rescued them from death, even as they rejected his offer of life.

Ah! here, at last, was the answer to saving man.  

(Special thanks to Sarah Kanz for editing :-))

The Necessity of Daily Prayer from J. R. Miller's "Living Victorious"

"But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret, will reward you openly." Matthew 6:6
     In the Christian's devotional life, prayer has an essential place. The godly men of the Bible were all men of prayer. Jesus, who showed us in Himself the ideal Christian life--had regular habits of prayer. He who would live the Christian life well, must regularly commune with God!
     It is important, however, that we understand clearly what it is to pray. It is not enough that at stated times we go over certain forms of prayer. We only pray, when we speak to God what is in our heart as a desire, a longing, or a burden.
     Jesus teaches that we are to pray to God as our Father. We must come to Him, therefore, as His redeemed children--with the genuineness, the simplicity, the confidence of children. When we stand at God's throne of grace and speak the name "Father" and ask for a child's blessing--we are sure of instant welcome. 
     Many people think of prayer only as coming to God with requests. They only tell Him their needs. They never bow before Him nor speak to Him, unless there is something they wish Him to do for them.
     What would you think of a friend of yours who never came to you nor talked with you, except when he wanted to ask some favor of you? True friendship finds many of its sweetest moments, when there is no help to ask--but when only love's communion fills the happy time. It should be so in our relation with our heavenly Father. If we care to be with Him only when we have a favor to ask of Him--then there is something lacking in our love!
     We are not to suppose that when Jesus spent whole nights in prayer, He was making requests all the time. He went away from the trying, struggling, troublesome life of the busy days among the people--to find shelter, rest, and renewal of strength, in sweet converse with His Father. Just so, most of the time we spend in prayer should be given to communion with God.
    A minister relates that one Saturday morning, when he was in his study preparing his sermon, his little child opened the door and came in, stealing softly to his side. Somewhat impatiently, the father turned to her and asked, "What do you want, my child?"
"Nothing, papa," the child replied. "I only want to be with you."
     This is oft-times the only desire of the true Christian when he comes to pray. He has no requests to make--he just wants to be with his Father!
     The most profitable season of devotion, is that in which there is also meditation upon God's Word. It is related of a godly Christian who was known to spend much time in his prayer-closet, that a friend once secreted himself in his study to learn something of his devotional habit. The godly man was busy all the evening at his work. At eleven o'clock he put away his books and pen and opened his New Testament. For a whole hour he bent over its pages, reading, comparing, pondering the sacred words. Sometimes he would linger long over a sweet verse and his heart would glow with rapture. When the clock struck twelve, he closed the book and sought his bed. He was not once on his knees during all the hour. He offered no petition in words. He had spent the whole time in communing with God in His Word, breathing out his love, his adoration, his longings and desires--and receiving into his heart the assurances, the encouragements, the promises, the joys of the Father's love.
     There could be no better way of devotion than this! Praying alone, without meditation on the Word of God, meets only one phase of our need. We talk to God when we pray. But it is quite as important that God talks to us--and He will only talk with us, when we open the Scriptures and wait reverently to hear what He will say to us.
     What is the HELP that we are to receive from prayer? First of all, prayer holds us close to Christ. We breathe Heaven's air when we commune with Christ. Life in this sinful world is not easy. It has its struggles, its duties, its difficulties, and its sorrows--which exhaust our strength. Hence we need continually to return to Christ to have our grace renewed. We cannot live today, on yesterday's food; every morning we must pray for our daily bread. Nor can we be faithful, strong, happy and helpful Christians today--on yesterday's supply of grace. We need to pray daily. Thus our life is kept from running down, and we are held near our Master all the while.
     The true Christian life also grows--and it can only do so by daily communing with God. Our life should never run two days on just the same level. The days should be ladder rungs lifting our heart ever a little higher, nearer to God, into purer air, into loftier experiences, into holier consecration.
     Prayer brings God down into our life. It was when Jesus was praying, that He was transfigured. True prayer always transfigures! One who lives habitually with Christ, becomes like Christ. Our earthly affairs become means of grace, if Christ is with us. Prayer lifts all the experiences of our life and lays them in the hand of Christ--who makes them all work together for our eternal good!

Shared from Gracegems.org daily devotionals.

Reading "Doctrinal" or "Bible Help" Books

      I have been enjoying some very worthwhile books the last two years, books that have blessed my heart and enriched my life. Books that have caused me to look more at Christ, and that have shown me more of God than I have seen heretofore. In the past, I didn’t like to read “religious” books such as those by Charles Spurgeon, Andrew Murray, A.W. Tozer, etc., because I had the Bible, and shouldn’t be turning to man’s teaching. I had people in my life that nearly scoffed at such books, and certainly didn’t encourage reading them, because one ought to read the Bible! I do not recall what caused me to begin reading “such books”, but I “fell in love”, as the saying goes, with J.R. Miller (You that know me knew that name would come in sooner or later, didn’t you? :-)), and I have expanded my reading from there, especially after reading an A.W. Tozer book recommended to me by our assistant pastor. As my understanding of God and adoration for Christ increased through the readings, my love for, interest in, and understanding of, the Scriptures grew. I still had the slight niggling of worry because, after all, I didn’t need those books: I had the Bible. Let me say here that I never replaced my daily Bible reading with the other authors; I still faithfully read the Holy Scriptures. But I was enjoying these books, and learning from them. Then I began wondering…why was it not just okay but even necessary to hear the preaching of the Word when we could just read it? Why was it fine to listen to teaching on the Word when we ought (?) to “just read it”? Why was it fine to read articles in homeschool magazines and church-based papers, if it wasn’t fine to read books that taught the Word? Furthermore, God’s Word says he gave “some teachers”: so what is so wrong about writing preaching and teaching down, printing it, and passing it on in book form for the coming generations? Aren’t these books merely the preservation of the preached or taught word? Another argument against them was that “They are written by man, so you can’t trust them. Stick to reading the Bible”. True, one must take everything to the Light of Scripture, but we must do that with every sermon we hear. More than that, we must do that with all our own opinions and convictions of the Scriptures themselves. But by all means, be teachable! So now I thoroughly enjoy them, read them without a guilty conscience, and reap the good from them I can. Meanwhile, I’m growing in love for the Lord and his Word.
      Elementary? I know.
      I’m currently reading my first Andrew Murray book, “With Christ in the School of Prayer”, as well as listening to his “Absolute Surrender and Other Addresses”. Since January 2012, I’ve read many J.R. Miller books, “Discover Your Destiny” by Cary Schmidt, “Just Do Something: A Liberating Approach to Finding God’s Will” by Kevin DeYoung (Not recommended without reservation!), “Because He Loves Me” by Elyse Fitzpatrick, “The Pursuit of God” by A.W. Tozer, “Better Not” by John Heyl Vincent, and others, while I’ve also listened to more than those. I also count the many, many, many A.L.O.E. books I’ve read, as they are so rich in lessons in spiritual life. So, what good books have you been reading lately?