"Show me
the path where I should go, O Lord; point out the right road for
me to walk. Lead me; teach me; for you are the God who gives me
salvation. I have no hope except in you." (Psalm 25:4-5, TLB)
"Don't
be hot-headed and rush to court! You may start something you can't
finish and go down before your neighbor in shameful defeat. So discuss
the matter with him privately. Don't tell anyone else, lest he accuse
you of slander and you can't withdraw what you said." (Proverbs 25:8-10,
TLB)
"No one sews a patch of
unshrunk cloth on an old garment. If he does, the new piece will pull
away from the old, making the tear worse. And no one pours new wine into
old wineskins. If he does, the wine will burst the skins, and both the
wine and the wineskins will be ruined. No, he pours new wine into new
wineskins." (Mark 2:21-22, NIV)
Observations:
I asked
myself what are the words/phrases repeated in these verses.
-
Old (3)
-
New (4)
-
Wine (4)
-
Wineskins (3)
Yesterday, I learned Jesus
speaking about fasting so the people who questioned Jesus regarding the
disciples of John and disciples of the Pharisees could understand
why his disciples did things differently.
Today, I see Jesus explaining
the disciples’ actions in terms of two examples: cloth and wineskins
Interpretations:
I asked
myself why those words were repeated!
Usually when words are repeated,
there is significance attached to them.
I asked
myself what the significance was!
The point that came to my mind
was that we cannot mix our old life with our new life. Jesus came to
give new life to the people. The disciples of Jesus could understand
that but the disciples of John and disciples of Pharisees were still
stuck in their old traditions and ways.
Implications:
I saw important implications for
our own lives.
When we come to Jesus, we are
given new life in Christ. This however does not mean, we did not have an
old life. Our new life in Christ must be mixed with the new things that
Christ offers us. However, if we decide to mix our Christian life with
the life we used to live when we were not Christians, there would be a
bigger mess. Once someone becomes a follower of Christ, people have
different expectations of them! If the person goes back to their OLD
ways, then they are worst of now than they were before because they
tasted the Good News and have decided to go back to their old ways.
People will start thinking, he/she is supposed to be a Christian and
this is how they are acting. They are supposed to be different and they
are not!
Jesus was making a point to the
disciples of the Pharisees and disciples of John that his disciples are
doing things differently because they have Jesus with them. With Jesus
on their side, they are living a new life and it would be disaster to
mix the new life with the old life. He was also making the point
regarding the act of fasting. Since Jesus was with them they did not
have to fast at that moment but a time would come when they would fast.
This is exposited more in yesterday's devotional.
I ask you
now dear friends, how do you see your life?
Dear friends, your life may seem
good or bad to you. Your life may seem the same old life or a new life.
I do not know how you see your life. The way you see your life is
dependent on what you emphasize to be important in your life. However
you have perceived your life to be, I have Good News for you. Yes, I do
friend! Jesus is His Name and He wants to give you a life with no shame.
No matter where you have been or what you have done, a new life in
Christ is available for you! You can have a new life in Christ and allow
Him to work in your life. He will make the difference and help you
through your life.
Even if you have messed up as a
follower of Christ and gone back to your old ways, Jesus still loves you
and has His arms open wide for you to come to Him. You are never out of
His love; you are never out of His reach. Come to Him as you are.
I know I am excited to have
Jesus Christ in my life. There have been times I have messed up badly
that would even make me shudder that I call myself a Christian. But you
know what, Jesus in His grace and mercy let me know that on my own, I
will mess up and go back to my old ways. Instead, I need to constantly
put on the new self and crucify the old self with His help as I lean on
Him. You can do that too! Do not be discouraged when you mess up for our
Lord and Savior is there to forgive us and help us through. Yes, He is
friend!
There is now no condemnation to
those who are in Christ Jesus for the power of the life giving Spirit
has freed us from the law of sin and death! (Romans 8:1)
LIFE
By Ramesh Reddy
Where is this generation headed,
can we say we know ?
Are we doing what is right,
doing what God wants us to do ?
What happened to the beaver ?
Shame to seem him gone,
gone with the wind,
having all his morals and values
dried up like sun-baked clay.
Now are we battered, bruised, and burned
seeing shows depicting immorality causing restlessness
like pain in the back ?
Are we going to a shrink ?
What good will that do ?
It will only shrink our pockets
as our minds get shrunk
like delicate fabric
in improper washing.
What happens to our sanity
as our anxiety rages
like thundering sea waves ?
We want to know answers,
answers to the questions of life.
Do we end up in our self-world
dreading in despair,
despair that brings us to the edge
like an uncontrolled automobile
about to fall off the edge of a cliff.
We have our own hopeless life to live,
life that seems to end in misery.
Where does our hope come from,
hope that can lead us to a blessed life,
life that brings us perfect peace ?
We can only have true contentment,
contentment in our hearts,
only if we find peace,
peace that will end strife
when we come to know the
PRINCE OF PEACE
Who is this Prince of Peace ??
J esus, the Savior of the world.
E verlasting peace comes from knowing him.
S urely goodness and mercy will follow
U nconditionally all the days of our lives
S trengthening us to do what God wants us to do.
Amen!
May you know the wonderful new
life, Jesus Christ offers you! Amen!
“Lord
Instills Faithfully Emancipation!”/How do
you see your life?
Prayer:
Dear Jesus, thank you for the new life you offered to the disciples and
let the disciples of John and Pharisees see that they were holding on to
their old life. Lord, many times it is so easy to go back to the old way
of doing things. I know you don’t want that for our life for the thief
comes to steal, kill, and destroy but you have come to give life in all
its fullness giving us abundant life. Help us to take the abundant life
you offer us and to hold on to you. I am so sorry for my sin. Please
forgive me of my sin. Come into my heart Jesus and make my heart your
home. Thank you Jesus we are never out of your love and out of your
reach. So right now Jesus, I ask you to live in me Jesus and I pray that
I will live for you and serve you the rest of the days of my life. I
want the new life you offer me. Help me Jesus. Thank you for your help.
Thank you for dying for our sin and cleansing us with your precious
Blood. Wash us and we will be whiter than snow. I thank you Jesus! I
acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you Jesus for
being my Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you for the new life you give
us! Thank you for hearing us and answering us Jesus! In Your Name I Pray
Jesus! Amen!
If you would like to invite Jesus
Christ into your heart and make Him a daily part of your life, you can
this very moment. You will never be alone. You can claim God's promises
for you in the Bible and see them come true, before your eyes, in His
wonderful timing. You don't have to wait for a special time to come to
the Lord. You can come right now as you pray this prayer, meaning it in
your heart.
Prayer: Dear Jesus, I am a sinner Lord.
I am so sorry for my sins. I confess my sins to you. I confess the wrong
things I have done and messed up my own life. I need you Lord right now
and in the years to come. I have gone my own way and have not found what
only you can give me. You alone have the words of Eternal Life. You
alone love me unconditionally for who I am. Thank you Jesus! I turn
myself to you Oh Lord in this Fall of October 2005. Please forgive me of
all my sins and come into my heart. I accept
you Jesus into my heart. Thanks Jesus for coming into my heart. Thanks
for forgiving me of all my sins. Thanks for giving me a new identity in
you. I acknowledge you as my Lord and Personal Savior as I believe in my
heart that you died and came back to life to save me now and forever. I
give myself to you and ask you to be in control of my life. Fill me with
the Holy Spirit. Thank you
Jesus in the coming days we can do things together. Thanks for being my
Lord and Personal Savior. Thank you Jesus you have heard my prayer and
answered me. Thanks Jesus for changing me and helping me through life's
storms and winds. Thank you Father God for Jesus Christ who you sent for
us! In Your Name I Pray Jesus! Amen!
Friend, you may feel something
or you may not but this you can be assured that the Lord Jesus has come
into your life and will give you a new beginning! Amen!
Get yourself involved in a
campus Bible study, fellowship, and most of all find a Bible believing
church and be involved to grow in your Christian walk with the Lord.
They all need to be supplements for your own precious time with the Lord
in prayer and meditating on His Word. If you need a Bible, please let me
know!
If you
need anyone to talk to, pray with, or study the Bible with this Fall of
October 2005, you can email me at
reddy4hisglory2004@yahoo.com or call me at 412-720-4579.
Love in Christ,
Ramesh
Next Devotional:
How do you see your L.I.F.E?
Express your view