Monthly Archives: November 2016
The Arctic Is Seriously Weird Right Now
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-arctic-is-seriously-weird-right-now/
Posted from WordPress for Android by Steve Larsson
Heavenly Rewards November 25
46 Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
The New King James Version. (1982). (Mt 24:46). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
[The stadium] is packed today. Since Friday, [Mark] McGwire has hit not one or two home runs, but three. For thirty-seven years, no one could hit more than sixty-one homers in one season; now the St. Louis slugger has hit sixty-eight. And he isn’t finished.… The fans are on their feet before he comes to bat; they stay on their feet long after he crosses the plate.…
Not everyone can be a Mark McGwire. For every million who aspire, only one achieves. The vast majority of us don’t hit the big ball, don’t feel the ticker tape, don’t wear the gold medal, don’t give the valedictory address.
And that’s OK. We understand that in the economy of earth, there are a limited number of crowns.
The economy of heaven, however, is refreshingly different. Heavenly rewards are not limited to a chosen few, but “to all those who have waited with love for him to come again” (2 Tim. 4:8).
8 Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.
The New King James Version. (1982). (2 Ti 4:8). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
When Christ Comes
Lucado, M., & Gibbs, T. A. (2000). Grace for the moment: inspirational thoughts for each day of the year (p. 358). Nashville, TN: J. Countryman.
November 12: Exclusivity
1 Kings 15:25–17:24; Mark 9:38–10:16; Proverbs 4:1–7
We often think that God needs us—that we are His arms rather than His agents. When we see our work as integral to God’s kingdom, thinking that God needs us, our vision, our doctrines, or our ideas in order to further His kingdom, we might be guilty of something else entirely. These feelings are often motivated by our own feelings of inadequacy. We can sometimes be more concerned with proving ourselves than honoring God.
When the disciples learned that others were casting out demons in Jesus’ name, they tried to prevent them. “We saw … and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us,” they told Jesus (Mark 9:38). But Jesus only rebuked them: “There is no one who does a miracle in my name and will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. For whoever is not against us is for us. For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in my name because you are Christ’s, truly I say to you that he will never lose his reward” (Mark 9:38–41).
The disciples needed to be reminded that they had been chosen, but they were not exclusive agents. Having had difficulty casting out demons themselves, the disciples may have been jealous of this man’s ability. But Jesus reminded them that even the smallest task completed in His name—even giving someone a drink of water—is work done for His kingdom that will be rewarded.
Although He doesn’t need our help, Jesus invites each of us to be part of His plan. He desires our involvement if we do so obediently and willingly, with no thought to how great our actions will be weighed. When we accept that offer and join in His work, we are following Him and making mJesus invites each of us to be part ouch of Him. We won’t be distracted by ourselves.
How open are you to the idea that God can work in ways that don’t depend on us?
REBECCA VAN NOORD
Barry, J. D., & Kruyswijk, R. (2012). Connect the Testaments: A One-Year Daily Devotional with Bible Reading Plan. Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press.
Jesus Is Alive 
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