Harry Whitt on the Journey with Jesus
The Unlikely Messiah
Hollywood tries to portray Jesus as a robed and sandaled Fabio. But according to scripture there was nothing about His appearance to attract us to Him, “He has no form or comeliness; And when we see Him, There is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2 NKJV).
SPIRITUAL BURDEN
As a child and young man growing up in church, I often heard people use the word “burden” quite often. Pastors would say they had a burden for their church. Friends would speak of “carrying a burden” for a family member. I don’t hear people use the term much anymore but I am very familiar with the term and the experience. I would define “burden” as a deep concern planted by the Holy Spirit to motivate us to prayer and action.
CURE-ALL-PILL FOR HELL’S ILLS – Just say that phrase three times real fast. Yep, it could be a tongue twister for sure. If it was an infomercial, they would be hawked for $19.99 for a thirty-day supply plus shipping and handling; and if you call in the next thirty minutes they would double your offer, just pay separate shipping! NO, I am not peddling pills. It is just a phrase with a truth behind it.
Salt of the Earth
“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Matthew 5:13 NKJV).
SALTINESS OF CHRIST – Jesus used salt as an analogy to show the importance of being a true disciple. Salt without its saltiness is contaminated salt. In the time of Jesus, salt was derived as it is today from the sea or from salt deposits in the earth. The salt we buy today is consistent and mostly free from contaminates but salt in the times of the New Testament was not so pure.
Paradox of Faith
One of the definitions of paradox is a “statement that seems to say two opposite things but that may be true” (Merriam—Webster Dictionary).
I would assume most Christians struggle with their faith and with their prayers; however, many would be afraid to admit it in the company of perceived spiritual giants.
Obscurity
The subject of obscurity has dogged my steps for some time for reasons only God knows. I know this sounds strange in a blog that could potentially be read by thousands of eyes but I would like to share my heart on this subject. I think we need to rightly divide two statements made by Jesus. In one He said, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matthew 6:1 NKJV). In the second one, He said, “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16 NKJV).
Old Boots and Old Friends
Old boots are much like old friends. They started out maybe a little stiff and came across somewhat stand-offish.. At first they may not have seemed a perfect fit but the more time I spent with them the more we molded into one. As we walked the roads together, we became a team of one.
A Clean Heart and a Steadfast Spirit
King David had a moral crisis when he lusted after and committed adultery with a beautiful woman named Bathsheba. He complicated and multiplied his sin by deceit and murder after it was revealed to him that she was pregnant with his child. The husband of Bathsheba, Uriah, was a trusted soldier of David’s who was numbered in the elite thirty-seven of 2 Samuel chapter 23. Uriah was ordered from the front lines for the sole purpose of obscuring his wife’s pregnancy as a product of adultery. When Uriah refused to keep company with his wife while his men were roughing it on the battlefield, David took the sin to an even lower level of murder. He wrote orders for Uriah to be put in the most dangerous position of battle guaranteeing his death. This strong faithful soldier faithfully carried his own sealed, death sentence to the commander of the army. Yes, he died in battle and David brought Bathsheba into his palace as his wife.
Abraham and Isaac: A Foreshadow of our Father and Jesus
Abraham had been called out by God to leave his relatives and move to an unknown land. God chose Abraham and made some strong and far-reaching promises to him and his descendants. This is the promise quoted in Genesis 12:2-23 (NKJV), “I will make you a great nation; I will bless you And make your name great; And you shall be a blessing. / I will bless those who bless you, And I will curse him who curses you; And in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”
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Following Jesus with No Options:
I hate picking out colors of paint because there are just too many options. Some foreign restaurants I have eaten in, only give you a choice of available meat and you have no option with the side dishes; you get what they usually serve. When it comes to the side dishes, you either eat it or leave it. Of course, I usually eat it!
When it comes to being a true disciple of Jesus Christ, why do some folks think they have options?
