HOLD ME JESUS: IT'S HARD BEING A SUFFERING SERVANT SLAVE!

MEDITATION MONDAY

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I am often "knee deep" in people's lives. Occasionally, if not more often, I am neck deep. Just this month...that would be 15 days...I have either had someone tell me what they were thinking / feeling / experiencing which included these 12 things:

1. Overwhelmed
2. Life doesn't make sense
3. Small faith
4. Insomnia
5. Anxiety
6. Non-surrender
7. Unsubmissiveness
8. Resistance
9. Captive / enslaved
10. Brokenhearted
11. Self doubt
12. Hopelessness

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As I listened to our three playlist songs for this week yesterday and followed along with the lyrics, I was amazed that the songs addressed every one of these 12 things. I look at the 12 things and I know that I cannot overcome any of them on my own and neither can you. Oh, how I need a Savior who is My Very Own Personal Prince of Peace, My Very Own Personal Deliverer, and My Very Own Personal Redeemer!

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Yesterday morning, my husband, Steve preached another sermon from Isaiah in a series of sermons on HOPE AND COMFORT. Steve emphasized our WALK! He used examples of the correct way to walk, jog, or run to keep from getting shin splints and other injuries. He connected the physical walking with our SPIRITUAL WALK which he says includes SUFFERING, HOPE, SERVICE, OBEDIENCE. (So as not to confuse you, I'm sure you can link up to his sermon in a few days on the sidebar and get his multitude of connections made from the physical to the spiritual. For our purposes here, I will give you some of it to meditate on today!).

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INTRODUCTION:

• Where are you putting your confidence? Money? Health? Relationships? Materialism? (most toys wins) Self? Eat, Drink, and be Merry?
• I John 2:6 says, "the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked."
• Where did Jesus put His confidence?

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1. CHRIST SUFFERED - WE SUFFER: Isaiah 53 includes more than 12 things, but here are 12 things about Jesus:

1. nothing in His appearance that we should desire Him
2. despised and rejected by men
3. a man of sorrows
4. familiar with suffering
5. despised
6. took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows
7. afflicted
8. pierced
9. crushed
10. oppressed and afflicted
11. led like a lamb to the slaughter
12. poured out his life unto death

We are called to be like Jesus...called not to be happy but to be holy! The Bible shows us that bad things happen to good people! What do we do when the "bad" comes?

1 Peter 2:20-21 "But how is it to your credit if you receive a beating for doing wrong and endure it? But if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God. 21 To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps."

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2. CHRIST GIVES HOPE - WE HAVE HOPE!

• God Acts 24:14-16 "However, I admit that I worship the God of our fathers as a follower of the Way, which they call a sect. I believe everything that agrees with the Law and that is written in the Prophets, 15 and I have the same hope in God as these men, that there will be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked. 16 So I strive always to keep my conscience clear before God and man."
• Christ 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 "We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."
• Our Salvation 1 Thessalonians 5:8 "But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet."
• Our Righteousness Galatians 5:5-6 "But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope."
• Jesus' 2nd coming Titus 2:12-14 "...while we wait for the blessed hope-the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ..."
• Resurrection 1 Peter 1:3-4 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you..."
• Eternal Life Titus 1 "... in the hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised long ages ago..."

3. CHRIST SERVED - WE SERVE!

Take the position of bowing, praying, washing feet, serving...

• Philippians 2:5-8 "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross."
• Mark 10:42-45 "And calling them to Himself, Jesus said to them, "You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. 43 "But it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; 44 and whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. 45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.""

4. CHRIST OBEYED - WE OBEY!

John 5:30-31 "I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me."

Romans 6:17-19 "But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness."

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Our Hope is NOT in suffering!

Our Hope is NOT in serving!

Our Hope is NOT in being a slave!

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"...in order that what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, might be fulfilled, saying, "Behold, My Servant whom I have chosen; My Beloved in whom My soul is well-pleased; I will put My Spirit upon Him, And He shall proclaim justice to the Gentiles. 19 "He will not quarrel, nor cry out; Nor will anyone hear His voice in the streets. 20 "A battered reed He will not break off, And a smoldering wick He will not put out, Until He leads justice to victory. 21 "And IN HIS NAME the Gentiles will HOPE."

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IN CONCLUSION, Steve showed a video clip of Stanley Shipp in our living room about 7 years ago, talking to Audrey and Jessica who were both in their teens. He was telling them that the only life worth living is to be a SUFFERING, SERVANT, SLAVE! It is then, that we are walking as Jesus walked....Need Him to hold you right now? Need Him to carry you? Need Him to Deliver you? Need Him to Redeem you? He will! Come back each day this week as we talk about how this transformation happens...

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Watch this amazing video clip and see how great a love a father can have for his child. This is my favorite story to show how we are to show our love through servanthood:

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