By Paul Hume
Scripture Reading: Ezek. 44:15-31; 2 Cor. 5:14-17
For centuries men believed that the sun was not the center of our solar system. They thought that the sun revolved about our planet, and the Earth was the center of our universe. Since the 16th century and the discoveries of Copernicus, men have recognized that the sun, not the Earth, is the true center of our solar system. The Earth, as everyone now knows, revolves once a year about the sun. We have a system which is "sun-centered."
By nature we are intensely self-centered. Even after becoming saved, we still tend to be self-centered. Only as we "grow in grace," and experience the working of the Lord in breaking us from our innate selfishness do we gradually move from being self-centered to being Son-centered! This is why the ministry of the sons of Zadok in Ezek. 44:15ff is so unique. Did you notice it? "They shall enter into My sanctuary, and thy shall come near to My table, to minister UNTO ME, and they shall keep My charge."
The Apostle Paul therefore declares that as the result of the "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17), "they which live, should not henceforth live unto themselves, but UNTO HIM which died for them, and rose again." This is God-centered living: living to please HIM; living to know more of HIM; living to make HIM known to others; living to do HIS will. Is this your heart's desire? Or are you still in "prison"--the prison of self?
"0 the bitter pain
and sorrow,
That the time could ever be,
When I proudly said to Jesus,
All of Self and none of Thee.
But He sought me, I beheld Him,
Dying on the accursed tree,
And my feeble heart said faintly,
Some of self and some of Thee.
Higher than the highest mountain,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered,
None of self and ALL OF THEE."
That the time could ever be,
When I proudly said to Jesus,
All of Self and none of Thee.
But He sought me, I beheld Him,
Dying on the accursed tree,
And my feeble heart said faintly,
Some of self and some of Thee.
Higher than the highest mountain,
Deeper than the deepest sea,
Lord, Thy love at last has conquered,
None of self and ALL OF THEE."
Into my heart
Into my heart, into my heart,
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;
Come in today, come in to stay;
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus;
Come in today, come in to stay;
Come into my heart, Lord Jesus.
Out of my heart, out of my heart,
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus;
Shine out today, shine out alway;
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus.
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus;
Shine out today, shine out alway;
Shine out of my heart, Lord Jesus.
Daily Smile:
A little boy came home with his parents from church
one Sunday. He seemed a little depressed, so his mother asked him if
something happened in Sunday school class that he would like to talk
about. He told his mother "Well, we were singing songs and the teacher
made us sing about a poor bear named Gladly that needed glasses and I
can't stop thinking about him. She said he was cross-eyed and I feel
bad for him.
The mother couldn't understand why the teacher would teach such a song in Sunday school, so she decided to call her. To the woman’s amazement, the teacher said she only taught hymns that morning. Then the teacher began laughing out loud and said to the mother, “I know what Jeffrey’s' talking about! We learned the hymn 'Gladly The Cross I'd Bear'".
In The News:
Philippines Typhoon Death Toll Still Rising
The death toll is continuing to rise from a powerful typhoon that flooded much of the southern Philippines, CBN News reports. More than 280 people have been reported dead, at least 151 of those in the worst-hit province of Compostela Valley, and more than 50,000 have been forced to flee from flooded villages. "The waters came so suddenly and unexpectedly, and the winds were so fierce -- that compounded the loss of lives and livelihood," Compostela Valley provincial Gov. Arturo Uy told Reuters. Officials fear the death toll from Typhoon Bopha will increase as rescue crews and soldiers reach other hard-hit areas that had been isolated by landslides and flooding.
Church Cancels 'Charlie Brown' Over Atheist Outrage
A Little Rock church has canceled a matinee performance of "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown" for local school children after critics complained the show was too religious and therefore violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution, Fox News reports. Students at Terry Elementary School had been planning to attend a school-day field trip to watch a stage version of the holiday classic hosted by Agape Church. The event was strictly voluntary and teachers sent home letters explaining the purpose of the trip. However, a parent objected and contacted the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers, a self-described community of atheists, agnostics and humanists. When the group told a local TV station they had received legal advice on pursuing a possible lawsuit against the school district, Agape Church took the school matinees off the table. "It is not our desire to put hard-working, sacrificial teachers and cast members in harm's way," said pastor Happy Caldwell. A spokesperson for the school district said school officials had nothing to do with the cancellation of the program, but that they had consulted with their legal team and determined the trip was appropriate. Caldwell praised what he called the "courageous stand" that the school's principal took in "not succumbing to the pressure of one complaint voice" and said it was clear the film did not post a constitutional threat, adding that the school children were more than welcome to attend weekend performances of the show.
The death toll is continuing to rise from a powerful typhoon that flooded much of the southern Philippines, CBN News reports. More than 280 people have been reported dead, at least 151 of those in the worst-hit province of Compostela Valley, and more than 50,000 have been forced to flee from flooded villages. "The waters came so suddenly and unexpectedly, and the winds were so fierce -- that compounded the loss of lives and livelihood," Compostela Valley provincial Gov. Arturo Uy told Reuters. Officials fear the death toll from Typhoon Bopha will increase as rescue crews and soldiers reach other hard-hit areas that had been isolated by landslides and flooding.
Church Cancels 'Charlie Brown' Over Atheist Outrage
A Little Rock church has canceled a matinee performance of "Merry Christmas Charlie Brown" for local school children after critics complained the show was too religious and therefore violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution, Fox News reports. Students at Terry Elementary School had been planning to attend a school-day field trip to watch a stage version of the holiday classic hosted by Agape Church. The event was strictly voluntary and teachers sent home letters explaining the purpose of the trip. However, a parent objected and contacted the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers, a self-described community of atheists, agnostics and humanists. When the group told a local TV station they had received legal advice on pursuing a possible lawsuit against the school district, Agape Church took the school matinees off the table. "It is not our desire to put hard-working, sacrificial teachers and cast members in harm's way," said pastor Happy Caldwell. A spokesperson for the school district said school officials had nothing to do with the cancellation of the program, but that they had consulted with their legal team and determined the trip was appropriate. Caldwell praised what he called the "courageous stand" that the school's principal took in "not succumbing to the pressure of one complaint voice" and said it was clear the film did not post a constitutional threat, adding that the school children were more than welcome to attend weekend performances of the show.
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