Coffee With The Lord

Here’s a good question for “Christians” to ask themselves in this “me 1^st” world:  Am I using or abusing the freedom I have in Christ?  Am I flaunting or facilitating my freedom to serve others… This came to mind as I read Apostle Paul’s words this morning during my time of “Coffee with the Lord”…

Apostle Paul said, “Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I HAVE BECOME ALL THINGS TO ALL PEOPLE SO THAT BY ALL POSSIBLE MEANS I MIGHT SAVE SOME.  I DO ALL THIS FOR THE SAKE OF THE GOSPEL, that I may share in its blessings.” (From 1 Corinthians 9:19–23 NIV)

I want to use the freedom I have in Christ to serve others and effectively communicate the gospel to everyone I can! … Don’t you?

Wow! I’m looking forward to the wonderful future God has prepared for His people!! I read about it prophetically in the last part of Isaiah 65 this morning and savored every word!! (I’ve included a “taste” of it below from the New Living Translation” … Enjoy!!

“Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth, and no one will even think about the old ones anymore. Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation! … The sound of weeping and crying will be heard no more. No longer will babies die when only a few days old. No longer will adults die before they have lived a full life. No longer will people be considered old at one hundred! Only the cursed will die that young! … For my people will live as long as trees, and my chosen ones will have time to enjoy their hard-won gains. They will not work in vain, and their children will not be doomed to misfortune. For they are people blessed by the LORD, and their children, too, will be blessed. I will answer them before they even call to me. While they are still talking about their needs, I will go ahead and answer their prayers! … I, THE LORD, HAVE SPOKEN!” (from Isaiah 65:17-25 NLT)

Hey, this is not just an Old Testament prophet dreaming about the future for God’s people… The New Testament version of the same reality is found in Revelation 21-22!!! Definitely worthy of reading it too, reflecting on the reality it describes, and getting ready to “move there” one day when the Lord calls us “home!”

Hey, a time like this is coming for the people of God!! It’s going to happen… “THE LORD HAS SPOKEN!”

I have always been impressed by the number of times in the Gospel records that Jesus responds to a cry for “mercy!” … “LORD, HAVE MERCY!” (Cp. Matthew 9:27; 15:22; 17:15; 20:30-31; Mark 5:19; 10:47-48; Luke 17:13; 18:38-39)

This morning my Bible reading included Matthew 20:29-34 – the account of two blind men and their insistent cry for mercy! The crowd rebuked these blind men – told them to be quiet! But they cried out for “mercy” all the more!

Jesus stopped, called them, and asked “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus heard and heeded their request! In “pity” he healed them!

Oh, may I learn the power and effectiveness of a “cry for mercy” – the cry of the undeserving, the needy, helpless, the insistent, the believing! The Lord hears it!!! All the way from a cry out of any human need to a cry for forgiveness and salvation (Luke 18:13-14)!