Location, Location, Location...

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Come near to God and he will come near to you.

James 4:7, 8

What is it they say matters in real estate? Location, Location, Location! Do you know that location matters with God also?

What is my proximity to God? How often I have wished that God would come near to me - prayed that God would come near to me – and wondered why it did not happen. James says that must come near to God in order that he will come near to us. And we can come near to God only as we submit ourselves to him.

Again, if we are submitted to God we can resist the devil. How much time and energy have I expended in my Christian life trying not to do what I ought not to do? Too much. That resistance by will power is futile – the human will is not sufficient to overcome the enemy. If I will submit myself to God and become obedient to Him, I will resist the devil and he will flee. Submitted, I can come near to God and he will then come near to me. In His presence I will begin to think and act differently.

Would you live differently if you lived across the street from your pastor? I think we all would. In the same way, if we choose to come near to God we will live differently. Today, as you decide where you will make your home, choose to be near God. Remember… Location, Location, Location!

The cusp...

In the same way, any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple.

Luke 14:33

The other evening I was speaking to some friends about our faith and the Spirit seemed to give me an analogy that I had never considered before. I always thought that I was somewhat unique in that when I pass over a high bridge it always creates in me a curiosity to know what it would be like if I jumped over the edge! In fact, I intentionally avoid high bridges because I don't particularly like that feeling, and probably don't completely trust myself! As it turns out I am not unique in this -apparently many people have the same sensation.

What an analogy to discipleship! How often do we avoid that spiritual person or the Word or church meetings or quiet time because we can hear that still small voice of God pleading with us to jump over the railing? Are we also uncomfortable with that feeling? I began to wonder, what if six or eight men from Calvary jumped over the railing together? What kind of an impact would we have on our world? What if thousands of Christians all over this country, all over the world, jumped over the railing today? Could the world ever be the same?

If God is speaking to your heart today as He is mine, pray with me:

Almighty God,I can feel your Spirit engaging mine. I know you are calling me to a deeper, more intimate, relationship with you. I can feel you urging me gently toward the railing, and by faith I know what's on the other side. Help me jump over that railing and leave all I know behind. I want to trust you completely with my life.

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure...

"The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

"Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it.”

Matthew 13:44-46

These are two very short and simple parables that Jesus related to the disciples, but for all their simplicity they are some of the most powerful passages in the Bible. They express something that we all too easily forget in the day by day struggles we face in this life – the value of what is ours through Christ Jesus!

The explosive message that is contained in the short passages quoted today is this – when we clearly recognize the value of the kingdom of heaven we will gladly pay any cost to make it ours. See the actions of the subjects of the parables. Are these people who begrudgingly sold their belongings to purchase the found treasures? It is apparent that they can clearly see that whatever the cost, that which they have found is of greater value than whatever they have to redeem to get it.

We have all heard stories from time to time of someone who finds a vintage automobile or aircraft or whatever sitting in a barn under some tarps somewhere which they bought for a song and which is worth many times what they paid. In fact, they probably could not afford to pay market value for the item they bought. When was the last time you thought of the kingdom of heaven in these terms? None of us has to pay market value for what Christ has given us – he has already paid it on the cross. He is offering us a bargain!

Lord-

Let me not forget the value of the kingdom of God which is my inheritance through you. If I have let the things of this world compete with your kingdom for my affection, remind me of the value of what you have given me. Remind me that all I could ever store up or collect for myself in this life is of relatively little value, and that I am the recipient of a remarkable bargain if you accept this in exchange for what you offer.