Jesus Manifested

Scripture

We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

~2 Corinthians 4:9-10, NASB

Quote

The only thing that enables me to enjoy the disagreeable {suffering, hard times} is the thought of letting the life of Christ manifest itself in me.

~Oswald Chambers

I served on a Grand Jury last week and I came home with a burdened heart. I had to hear a lot of things that I didn’t want to hear. I live a sheltered life by design. I watch no news and very little TV. I spend my time in my little building, visiting, doing ministry projects, working in the yard and garden, and going to church. Law enforcement officers don’t have that luxury and neither do the judges. I appreciate what they do but I have no desire to take their place. But the burden I brought home was not limited to the drugs, crime or child abuse going on in Morgan County. The burden I carry has to do with my fear that I made a wrong impression. There were 17 others on the panel and I am afraid that my impatience was evident at times. Plus I let it be known on day one that alcohol and drugs are the root of the problem. One person in particular took issue with that statement. I did work at limiting my comments but there were times when I just could not be silent. After the first day, I walked away thinking, “No one there likes me.” It reminds me of the Rodney Dangerfield story. Rodney’s son was battling a moment of self-pity; he said, “Dad, no one likes me.” Rodney said, “Shut up boy, everyone has not meet you.” The thing that really bugs me is–did they see Christ manifested in me? If I had to guess, I would say no.

How do you make lemonade? How do you make it like Gerri Cole {great, fantastic, out of this world lemonade}? You squeeze the juice out of the lemons. You squeeze then until there is nothing left except pulp. How does God manifest Christ in us? By putting us in the vice, the squeeze, the narrow place, a straight or a place of restriction. The biblical word for this is distress. There is something about suffering that mortifies the flesh and allows Christ to be seen in us. Hey, I can see this happening in others but I don’t see it in me. The older I get the more I narrow my interest and I can tell you what I want most; to make Christ manifest in me and to be free of sin. I hate sin! Yes, I hate my sin much more than I do yours. All sin is stupid. All sin is hurtful and destructive and I want to be done with it. I understand, this will happen when eight of you carry me down the aisle. I have a new definition of wretchedness–it is being miserably sick of sin.

Extra

I can’t afford a counselor so I dump on you: forgive me, I will try to limit it to once a month or you can just send me a bill. Big Mama probably want pay it but you can send it. Good to be back in the saddle yesterday and I praise the LORD for good attendance and a good service.

I am so far behind I can’t see straight and I hope you don’t need me today because Holly has me booked. She is a lot like me in most ways but there is one area where she took after Big Mama: there is no peace until you do what she wants. I want call it nagging; just a constant reminder. Something like a drip in a leaky roof. There I go again: do you think Jesus would have said something like this about one of his sisters or His mother. Actually, I think He would! I could be wrong.

I got up to see ole Gregg on Saturday. He looks pretty good and is getting to eat a little. He was also at worship last night. Don’t forget to pray Gregg everyday. I also visited Joyce Chaney. Joyce has a problem with fluid; other than that there is no change. Her children are doing a great job of taking care of her at home. I do praise the LORD for that; you don’t see that much these days.

I hope you have a great day and a great week. I want to dedicate this blog to Pastor Teddy Turrentine in Grand Bay, Alabama and the CEO of GRACE MINISTRIES which is touching the lives of hundreds daily. Who would have thought that God would take a Danville boy and use him to touch the lives of so many. God is great and He is good, amen! Teddy reads the blog everyday. It is folks like Teddy that keep me going. Floyd I want you to notice that I did not brag on you or Mandy because you just scan it, you don’t read it!

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