Editors note: This is part of the devotional I had with the Lord this morning/afternoon of August 25, 05 that I wanted to share with you all! If the questions or statements can be used as Bible study guides or discussion questions feel free to use them.

Quiet Times: (Psalm 85, Proverbs 25, and Mark 7:24)

“Jesus left that place and went to the vicinity of Tyre.He entered a house and did not want anyone to know it; yet he could not keep his presence secret.” (Mark 7:24-25, NIV)

Observations:

I asked myself what Jesus did.

Jesus left that place where He was.
Jesus went to the vicinity of Tyre.
Jesus entered a house and did not want anyone to know it.

Interpretation:

I asked myself why Jesus did not want anyone to know it.

When Jesus entered a house, I believe Jesus entered that house to have some privacy after rebuking the Pharisees and teachers of the law and explaining a parable to His disciples. More than that, I believe Jesus was not there to promote Himself. This was not His intention ever, for multiple times throughout the Gospel of Mark, Jesus does not want others to reveal the healing He had done in their lives. If it was about Jesus getting the credit, He could have proclaimed His credentials but His purpose was to proclaim the Kingdom of God and for people to believe in God through the One God sent. At one point when Jesus told a leper who was healed not to proclaim what happened, the leper who was healed proclaimed it anyway. Because of that Jesus left that region.

It has never been about Jesus getting the credit. Even though He did not want credit, credit was given to Him because he could not keep his presence a secret.

I asked myself why Jesus could not keep his presence a secret.

After everything Jesus had already done, His Name would have become a household name everywhere even as far as Tyre and Sidon. There have been times when people traveled from all regions to see Jesus. Jesus could not keep His presence a secret because there was magnetism to Jesus’ personality and actions. When Jesus spoke or acted, it attracted others even if He did not want it to attract others at certain times.

I asked myself why it is significant.

It is significant because Jesus’ words and actions attracted people and they gave Jesus the credit for the teachings and miracles. They knew how much Jesus could help them and wanted to see Jesus. Even though Jesus did not want certain things to be spread which would have given Him the credit He deserved, He received it anyway. People knew they could turn to Jesus for help! That is exciting to know!

Implications:

I saw important implications for my own life. When I do something for others or speak to others about any issue, I should not do it to expect credit from others. I should not do anything to receive the praises of men.

"Let another praise you, and not your own mouth; someone else, and not your own lips." (Proverbs 27:2, NIV)

To receive credit for myself should not be my goal ever. Whatever I do, I should do it for the glory and honor of the Lord so that He can be glorified and souls can come into the Kingdom of God. When I read through the whole Bible recently because I was convicted to, one verse stood out:

"But life is worth nothing unless I use it for doing the work assigned me by the Lord Jesus --- the work of telling others the Good News about God's mighty kindness and love." (Acts 20:24, TLB)

I share this with you because when we follow our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, He will let us know what we should do. We should do that without expecting credit from anyone. When Jesus came to earth, He came to do the will of the Father and to save souls. Through it He received credit even though He did not go for it. I realize that when we do things for the honor and glory of the Lord, it is possible to get credit for it but that should not be our motive as it was not Jesus’.

I ask you now dear friend, do you wait for your credit?

Dear friend, from a human point of view it can be exciting to wait for our credit. Yet, we learn from Jesus that His purpose for doing things was not to get self-credit but for the credit to go to Father God. So, when we do things for others, we should do it so our Heavenly Father gets the credit, so that He is honored and glorified. That should be our motto for doing things. It should be, so all the credit goes to the Lord.

Friend, does it mean there won’t be any recognition for you?

Not necessarily, for it is possible that your words and deeds can attract people to you but then you need to make sure they do not stay there but are attracted to Jesus. John the Baptist came to proclaim and prepare the way for Jesus Christ to start His ministry. When people were flocking to John the Baptist, John the Baptist’s response was Someone who is greater than I is coming, someone whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop and untie. John the Baptist was pointing people to Jesus Christ so Jesus can get the credit. At one point, John the Baptist told the crowds, Look the Lamb of God comes who takes the sin of the world.

After John was put in prison, Jesus began His ministry and Jesus gave credit to John the Baptist and told the crowds how important he was. John the Baptist did not take credit for himself but received it from Jesus Christ.

Friend, this can be the hardest thing to do not to look for credit to ourselves but when we are followers of Jesus Christ, we tell Jesus that we give up our own credits and want to do things that will bring the Lord credit. Wherever the Lord places us, we can use that as an opportunity to bring honor and glory to the Lord whether it is in a career He places us to be in, academia He places us to be in, a relationship He places us to be in, etc. The focus should be Christ my friend. In the process if we get credit so be it but if it comes it is because of the Lord wanting to recognize us. That’s how I feel.

May you love the Lord Jesus so much that your goal in life is to get credit from the Lord Jesus for being a good and faithful servant and not man! May Christ’s love and presence permeate your heart, mind, soul, and strength giving you the sustenance to live the Truth and proclaim the Truth for Christ’s redemption everyday delivers inspirational truth! Amen!

“Christ’s Redemption Everyday Delivers Inspirational Truth!” (C.R.E.D.I.T)/”Do you wait for your C.R.E.D.I.T?”

Prayer:
Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for loving us so much. Thank you for the works you have done in our lives. We trust in your unfailing love; for you alone are God Eternal throughout Heaven and earth above. So, we come to you now Lord and lift your Name on High. Thank you so much Jesus for dying for our sin and coming back to life to save us. Thank you for shedding your cleansing blood on the cross for us. We are sorry for our sin and take the forgiveness you offer us as we confess our sin and repent of them. Forgive us when we do things to get self-credit. We are sorry Lord. Please help us to be focused on you and do things for your honor and glory. Let our lives be a reflection of you working in us and through us. Lord, we thank you for your forgiveness and the blessings you have for us. Help us to know what to do to receive the blessings you have for us. Fill us with the Holy Spirit Oh Lord. Thank you so much Jesus. I pray for the one right now who is hurting and needs your healing touch in their lives. Touch them Oh Lord by your power and grace. Bring your healing to them in a mighty powerful way. Thank you so much Jesus. We entrust this time to you and ask you to reign in us. Thank you for being our Lord and Personal Savior! Thank you that you have heard us and answered us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

Make this your prayer. Don’t let the enemy deceive you into thinking you need all the answers before coming to Christ. Let me just assure you though you may not have all the answers right now before coming to Jesus, He will answer them slowly. Yes, He will for I know our Redeemer will! Amen!

Prayer:
Jesus, I thank you for being the Bread of Life. You are the Living Bread of my life. Thank you for coming from Heaven and giving your life for the life of the world. You sacrificed yourself for humanity. Thank you Lord when we eat of you symbolically making you part of our life, digesting what you teach us by following you, we can be living Eternally, and the fruit that comes will reflect and resemble your life. I want that Father God. I want that Lord Jesus! I want that Holy Spirit! I know of a lot of people who partake of Holy Communion where the bread represents your body broken for their sin and the juice represents your blood shed for their sin. When we partake of Holy Communion, we are reminded that we are remembering you. I want to remember you always Lord Jesus. But for me to remember you always, I need to know you and acknowledge everything you said you are. So right now I acknowledge that you are my Lord and Personal Savior who died and rose again to give me life from sin. So right now, I come to you and say how sorry I am for my sin and living a life on my own. I repent of my sin and ask you to forgive me of my sin with your cleansing blood which I accept. Wash me and I will be clean from this infection of sin. Come Lord Jesus and please become part of my life as you live in me and I will live for you. I thank you Jesus for coming into my heart and making my heart your home. Thank you for living in me Jesus and I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I do need your Spirit to reside in me and work in me and through me so I surrender all that I am and will be to you. Whatever your will is for me, please give me the strength and willingness to bear it and rejoice in you. Thank you so much Jesus. I thank you Jesus for becoming my Lord and Personal Savior. I thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and have answered me. I thank you that I am your child Oh God. I thank you for becoming my only Way, Turth, and Life to Eternal Life. In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!

(You can start your Christian adventure by reading the Gospel of John)

Friend you may feel something or may not feeling anything but do not go by your feelings. When you ask Jesus to come into your life, He will and does. He will take over from here as you depend on the Lord and let Him work in you and through you! This is exciting friend! May each one that came to know Jesus be filled with His Holy Spirit forever more and those that know Jesus come to know Him more and more! Amen!

Love in Christ,
Ramesh

P.S.. If you need someone to talk to, pray with, or have a Bible study, you can email me at reddy4HisGlory2004@yahoo.com and we can set up a time that is convenient for you! You can also call me at 412-720-4579

NEXT DEVOTIONAL:
Will you ask Jesus to S.A.V.E your loved ones?

Express your view

AUGUST 2005

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