Scripture

I no longer call you slaves, because a master doesn’t confide in his slaves. Now you are my friends, since I have told you everything the Father told me.

~John 15:15, NLT

Quote

Being a servant can be a matter of shame or pride; it depends on who you are serving.

~J.I. Packer {Knowing God, p.36}

We talked recently about the complexity of knowing another human being, but there is one relationship even more complex, and that is knowing God. Packer says that knowing God involves at least four things: [1] Reading and studying God’s word and recieving from it what the Holy Spirit imparts to you, [2] Studying God’s nature and character as His word and works reveal, [3] Being obedient to His revelation, and [4] Recognizing and rejoicing in the relationship you have with Him. Father/son, master/slave, king/subject–these are all relationships and in these relationships there is a greater and a lesser in wisdom and authority. God is infinitely greater than we are and if He chooses not to be known, we would know nothing. There are not that many people that I admire, but I admire Donald Trump’s courage. Would I like to get to know Trump better? I think I would but it doesn’t matter how much I want to know him; it will not be possible until he wanted to know me. I think the odds are extremely high that Jack Bailey will never talk to Donald Trump. I could throw Franklin Graham in the mix. Of course, in days gone by my tops would have been Churchill, Reagan and Thatcher. You and I both know that these VIP’s are not going to give me a call.

The good news is–Jesus wants to be known by you. He already knows you but if you are open to the truth, He will help you get to know yourself better and to get to know Him. There is no more delightful or exhilarating feeling than to know that the CREATOR wants to know you the creature. It would be like a peasant getting a visit from the king or getting invited to dine at his palace. Such a thing does not seem reasonable or possible and yet it is beause of God’s amazing grace. We should feel enormously privileged. No wonder God said through Jeremiah, “Let him who glories glory in this, that he understand and knows Me.” 

Seriously, if Trump called me to meet with his staff or to pray with them before the meeting, do you think I would accept? I would pay my own way. Do you think I would keep it to myself? No, I would be worse than Barney Fife and leak that infomation every where I went. I would work it into every sermon. At least with new congregations and faces. I would not be able to keep that to myself, I would glory in it. Well, I met with Jesus every morning and I should glory in it infinitely more. Grace means God takes the initiative. There is no way we could have a relationship with Him had He Himself not made such a thing possible.

Extra

Very thankful to be functioning again. The bad tooth has an abscess under it and when the doctor pulled the tooth, the abscess hung on. He said he had never seen that happen before. I feel much better. I plan to visit today and be at mid-week worship tonight.

I think some of you got rain last night and we got a shower Monday night. Unfortunately a heat wave is on the way. Thank God for good shelter and A/C.

Have a great day and thanks for reading the blog.

P.S. June has never had a dream in her life. She has never had indigestion. My former land lord Ray Edwards lived 80 years and never had a headache. I have crazy dreams every night. Some are night mares. Last night I was going on a mission trip to France, of all places. I had signed up against June’s will and I was at the airport in Atlanta trying to get my ticket sorting out. Our flight was delayed. I didn’t realize who I was going with until I got to ticket counter and saw Eddie. Then I saw Freddie and a host of Friendship Baptist Church members. Then  I realized I was going with GRACE MINISTRIES. I never saw Bro. Teddie and Eddie was busy and would not help me. When it came time to check my baggage. I looked at the woman and said, “I don’t have any. My wife always does my packing and she did not pack anything and I forgot to pack for myself. Could I get my money back. I can’t go without clothes.” She was nice and refunded my money but when I got ready to leave the airport, I could not find my car. Most of the dream was the horror of losing my car and not having a way home. Do we have any dream interpreters out there?