What does “ordinary people” mean? We want the happiness of people needing people, but we fall prey to enshrining the needs of someone other than God as the bedrock of our happiness. “Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD” (Psalm 144:15 KJV). We live in exceptional times, or as Charles Dickens wrote, “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times,” in A Tale of Two Cities (1859). Our sense of “happiness” and “ordinary people” must be tied to the LORD, for Hollywood’s “Ordinary People” (1980) or Broadway’s “People” (1964) [“needing people”] are only a facsimile of the truly blessed people Jesus described. “Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3). These are the ordinary people, who are the happiest people on earth. Only when our heartfelt sympathy is defined by the LORD, then Charles Dickens’ Sydney Carton’s sacrifice for the happiness of another becomes at all significant. “It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done.” LORD, may our motivation and aspiration be of Thee, and may the world receive the benefit. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Believe Jesus
What Is A Christian?
Willingness to obey Christ is to be a Christian. “If any man [Greek, tis, anyone] will do His will, he shall know” (John 7:17 KJV). Anyone who is willing to do God’s will, that is the key to being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. Whether we like it or not, we possess the status of being in the image of God by virtue of His creating us that way, but we can only possess Christlikeness through our willingness to do His will. “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). His desire for us has always been we would desire Him as much as He desires us. The Holy Spirit was given by Christ to cause us to be willing. For us, believing (Acts 16:31), repenting (Acts 3:19), confessing Jesus as Lord (Romans 10:9), giving up everything (Luke 14:33), being baptized as a loyalty oath (Acts 2:38) are certainly necessary, but a willing heart is our greatest gift to Him and His chief enjoyment of us. LORD, make it so. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Asking God As Friend
We come to God in the first place because He is our Father, but we are emboldened to pray because He is our Friend. Friends help friends. “And He said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves” (Luke 11:5 KJV). We know that our Friend is well able to give us what we need because He is God Almighty. Even Jesus made it clear we are His friends. “Ye are My friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you” (John 15:14). Here, prayer graduates to intercession for others.
Disposable Planet
Jesus does not look at us as a disposable planet filled with disposable people. “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 KJV). This is an incredible statement. Only genuine love can talk like that, but only God Almighty can deliver it to everyone, not just to the church goers. He has handed us a supernatural solution. “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:29-30 KJV). But, can we receive it?
We Need A Miracle 