JULY 31, 2016

“If any man would come after me, let him deny himself." The disciple must say to himself the same words Peter said of Christ when he denied him: "I know not this man." Self-denial is never just a series of isolated acts of mortification or asceticism. It is not suicide, for there is an element of self-will even in that. To deny oneself is to be aware only of Christ and no more of self, to see only him who goes before and no more the road which is too hard for us. Once more, all that self denial can say is: "He leads the way, keep close to him.” 
― Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship

PSALM 62-64

David's entire being thirsts for God...

1You, God, are my God,

earnestly I seek you;

I thirst for you,

my whole being longs for you,

in a dry and parched land

where there is no water.(63:1)

ROMANS 1

Paul writes to the Romans in anticipation of his visit...

18The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 19since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. 20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

21For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 23and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.

24Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another. 25They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.

JOURNAL 

Romans is written before acts. It is the letter to the church that precedes Paul's visit. After reading through Acts it is interesting to see Paul's mindset. One of the things that stands out to me is how he makes it very clear that all mankind has no excuse not to know God. He reasons that since the beginning of the world man could see God in the natural environment. He then reasons that refusal to acknowledge this leads man to a live that is devoted to selfish sinful desires.

So taking this further...I can assume that obedience to God is an all or nothing thing. Either we are completely devoted to him or we are in rebellion. There really is no middle ground. This reasoning is affirmed my by this verse in Revelation.

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. - REVELATION 3:15-17