happiness | John Gaucher

This is a very good meditation from John G Butler on Discipleship.

Several Resolutions For Those Who Are Serious About Their Calling

William Law (1686-1761 A. D.) in his classic work, “A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life” puts forth some thought-provoking ideas for the committed follower of Jesus Christ:

“The devout… are people who do not live to their own will, or in the way and spirit of the world, but only to the will of God. Such people consider God in everything, and make every aspect of their lives holy by doing everything in the name of God and in a way that conforms to God’s glory.”

“[The Savior and His apostles] teach us:

To renounce the world and be different in our attitudes and ways of life (Ephesians 4:17-24)

To renounce all its goods (Luke 14:26-33; 18:22, 23; Philippians 3:7, 8)

To fear none of its evils… (Luke 12:32; John 14:1, 27; 16:33; Hebrews 13:5, 6))

To have no value for its happiness (Psalm 37:1, 2, 7; 73:2-20; Proverbs 3:31; 24:1)

To be as newborn babes who are born into a new state of things (1 Peter 2:2, 3)

To live as pilgrims in spiritual watching, in holy fear, and heavenly aspiring after another life (1 Peter 2:11; Hebrews 11:13-16; 1 Peter 1:15-17)

To take up our cross daily, to deny ourselves (Luke 9:23, 24; John 12:25, 26)

To profess the blessedness of mourning, to seek the blessedness of poverty of spirit (Matthew 5:3, 4)

To forsake the pride and vanity of riches… (1 Timothy 6:6-10, 17-19; Proverbs 23:4)

To live in the most profound state of humility (Jeremiah 45:5; Matthew 18:2-4; Romans 12:3, 16; Galatians 6:14)

To rejoice in worldly sufferings (Acts 5:41; Matthew 5:10-12)

To reject the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:15-17; Colossians 3:1, 2)

To bear injuries, to forgive and bless our enemies… (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36; Romans12:14-21)

To give up our whole hearts and affections to God (Deuteronomy 10:12, 13; 1 John 5:2-4)

To strive to enter through the straight gate into a life of eternal glory.” (Matthew 7:13, 14)

Facts of the Matter: Daily Devotionals.

My favorite moments of the day is in the morning, enjoying a cups of good Costa Rican coffee with my Bible. What a great way to start a day! Today as I hear the birds singing, I meditate on God’s Mercy. God’s mercy brings so much comfort to my soul. A.W. Tozer helps me grasp that God’s goodness is the source of mercy. The apostle Paul communicates us that God is the “Father of mercies” (2 Cor. 1:3). God’s goodness has a goal: “our happiness”. Yet because of sin, God’s Mercy is the one attribute that we need the most. When you are arrested by a police man, you desire grace more that justice. You hope for mercy. God is holding up His justice because He’s having mercy. Mercy cannot cancel judgment apart from atonement. So God’s mercy brought Christ to the cross. On Calvary, God was actively “compassionates” to men major problem—sin. To illustrate my point, I’ll use Israel when in captivity in Egypt. Abused by a Tyrant, they cry up to God for help. God looked upon their sufferings, pitied them, and came down to help them. His kindness leads Him to actively “compassionate.” The NT counterpart would be the story of the Good Samaritan. What was the greatest need of the beat up man? To find a person who would have mercy on him, a man that would actively compassionates for him. God’s mercy cannot cancel judgment, sin has to be punished. To exercise His mercy, God’s justice demand atonement. Jesus actively compassionates for us, He took our sins on himself, become our substitute, and died on the cross. Don’t be afraid to tell God your troubles. He knows all about your troubles. Come as you are to a merciful God! Then enjoy life as never before. Start the day with a good coffee, but especially meeting, hearing the sweet voice of God through the Bible.