Choose the Better Life by Rick Warren “Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” (Revelation 3:20 CEV) When I was a kid, my mom fed me SpaghettiOs. I thought it was the best food ever! Then I discovered In-N-Out burgers. I then went from the good life to the better life. SpaghettiOs were good, but a juicy In-N-Out burger is much better. You might think you have a good life right now, but if you could have an even better life, wouldn’t you want to know about it? Unfortunately, what keeps us from grabbing hold of that better life is an irrational sense of self-sufficiency. We think we’re doing fine on our own. Psalm 10:4 says it like this: “The wicked people are too proud. They do not look for God; there is no room for God in their thoughts” (NCV). Just like the innkeeper in the first Christmas story (Luke 2), we don’t believe we need more guests. We think we have everything we need. There’s only one problem with that arrogance: You miss the very reason God created you. God made you so that you might have a relationship with Him. You’ll never fulfill His purpose for your life, which is far grander and more significant than you ever imagined, unless you are plugged in to God, your true power source. But the good news is that it’s not too late. You can have a relationship with Him no matter what has happened in your past, no matter how many times you’ve rejected Him before. God made it so simple that anyone can understand. It’s only three words: Invite Him in. Jesus said, “Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear My voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together” (Revelation 3:20 CEV). Jesus is knocking at your door. Take hold of the better life by letting Him into your life. Make Him the boss of your life. It’ll change everything. Power Verses: Amplified Bible Revelation 3:19-21, 19 Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]. So be enthusiastic and in earnest and burning with zeal and repent [changing your mind and attitude]. 20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me. 21 He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne. Psalm 10:4, 4 The wicked one in the pride of his countenance will not seek, inquire for, and yearn for God; all his thoughts are that there is no God [so He never punishes]. Just A Thought: Let us examine ourselves by the rule of His word, and pray earnestly for the teaching of His Holy Spirit, to take away our pride, prejudices, and worldly lusts. Sinners ought to take the rebukes of Gods Word and rod, as tokens of His love to their souls. Christ stood without; knocking, by the dealings of His providence, the warnings and teaching of His Word, and the influences of His Spirit. Christ still graciously, by His Word and Spirit, comes to the door of the hearts of sinners. Those who open to Him shall enjoy His presence. If what He finds would make but a poor feast, what He brings will supply a rich one. He will give fresh supplies of graces and comforts. In the conclusion is a promise to the overcoming believer. Christ Himself had temptations and conflicts; He overcame them all, and was more than a conqueror. Those made like to Christ in His trials, shall be made like to Him in glory. All is closed with the general demand of attention. And these counsels, while suited to the churches to which they were addressed, are deeply interesting to all men. Reference: Matthew Henrys Concise Commentary Memory Verse: John 14:23, 23 Jesus answered, If a person [really] loves Me, he will keep My word [obey My teaching]; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home (abode, special dwelling place) with him. In Reflection: Christ promises that He would continue His care of His disciples. I will not leave you orphans, or fatherless, for though I leave you, yet I leave you this comfort, I will come to you. I will come speedily to you at my resurrection. I will come daily to you in my Spirit; in the tokens of His love, and visits of His grace. I will come certainly at the end of time. Those only that see Christ with an eye of faith, shall see Him for ever: the world sees Him no more till His second coming; but His disciples have communion with Him in His absence. These mysteries will be fully known in heaven. Reference: Matthew Henrys Concise Commentary Sent from my Verizon 4G LTE Smartphone
Posted on: Wed, 24 Dec 2014 16:37:51 +0000
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