November 5, 2024

Bob Maas
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare."
Isaiah 55:1-3
"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled."
Matthew 5:6
No matter how many years I have been following Jesus, I continually look back and thank God for the gift of eternal life. His life began in me when I was born again and He set me free from the bondage of the kingdom of darkness. All I had to do was receive a free gift that He offers everyone.
I didn’t do anything to make it happen because I’m not smart enough, clever enough or strong enough. God sent a messenger with the truth about the Gospel and the first time I heard him I got angry. I thank God that the messenger of good news didn’t give up on me even though I rejected what he had to say.
Eventually, God opened my eyes so that I became aware of what He did through Jesus Christ and the faith it took for me to believe had its origin in Him. I can’t even take credit for that. I was a slave to sin, deceived into making choices to seek pleasure in other things instead of Him. I am grateful that He removed the blinders so that I could see the truth of my depravity and the purity of Christ.
Now, my desire is to delight myself in the Lord because by surrendering to Him I am able to see what He wants to accomplish. I pray that God will help me to be continually mindful that the culture of His Kingdom is righteousness, peace and joy.