COURAGE TO TELL THE TRUTH!

"The man answered , "Now that is remarkable! You don't know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. Nobody has ever heard of opening  the eyes of a man born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing."" John 9:30-33

I love this story! The courage of this man to tell the truth about what Jesus had done in his life despite the doubts and insults of the Pharisees is courage born in faith.

The Pharisees, like all legalists, get hung up on technicalities. But, the real issue is power. Power over others and the illusion of power over their own lives. They tried to set the rules and interpret the Bible in ways that made them righteous by their actions. Jesus came and threatened (in their eyes) everything they thought about God and themselves! They couldn't get to Jesus yet so they went after the man whose eyes Jesus had opened. 

Sometimes telling the truth about Jesus will get you ridiculed and ostracized. The cool thing is that after the Pharisees threw the out the man whose sight was given to him, Jesus found him (John 9:35ff). After every battle, look for Jesus because he will find you. 

Father, give us the courage to tell the truth about Jesus no matter what others may think. Praise be to you in us today! 

NOT ASHAMED OF YOU

"Both the one who makes men holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So, Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers." Hebrews 2:11

I kind of felt sorry for my younger brother because he had to enter every class with a teacher who knew he was my brother. He was every teachers dream, while I was every teachers recurring nightmare.  I was not until we were in High School that I got my act together. Then only a few teachers would say, "You're his (spoken with disdain) brother..." By then I had given my life to Christ and was leading Bible studies and then my brother took up guitar and led worship. He would lead the worship and I would teach the Bible study. God redeemed us both and made us holy in his site. 

Jesus, has made us, who were formerly not so holy and possibly the "foolish" (see I Corinthians 1:20-2:5) of this world into the wisdom of God! I think that is amazing! How God has got me as far as he has gotten me is probably more miraculous than I can even imagine. That God is not ashamed of me is...beyond my ability to express!!! 

Think about that for a minute. We all have done things we not only wish we did not do, but, things we probably don't want anyone else to know. Peter, denied Christ three times at the most crucial moment in history! Yet, Jesus was not and is not ashamed to call him his own. 

Jesus is not ashamed to call you his brother! That is why Jesus is supreme! That is why he is the way, the truth, and the  life! 

Jesus is not ashamed to call you his brother...

Thank you, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for making me holy and making me a part of your family! Thank you for not being ashamed to call me your brother! Praise be to you in us today!