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The Humiliation of God

Christianity is the only major religion to have as its central event the humiliation of God.
–Bruce Shelley

While other religions focus on the exaltation of their central figure, Christ was fully God and yet humbly took on human nature, humbly came to earth as an infant dependent upon others, humbly allowed Himself to be arrested, humbly accepted being beaten and mocked and spit upon, and humbly chose to die on the cross. Only after being humiliated (treated with dishonor) by those He came to serve and ultimately by His act of dying on the cross did the King of the Universe exalt Himself and again take His rightful place of glory in Heaven. The central event of Christianity is the dishonor and humiliation of our great God, and it only occurs because He desires to bring us to Himself.

Have you considered how wonderful this news is, that the King of Glory loved you so much that He was willing to die for you?

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Quotes

You Have a Sacred Task Today

Your sacred task today:
The “layman” need never think of his humbler task as being inferior to that of his minister. Let every man abide in the calling wherein he is called and his work will be as sacred as the work of the ministry. It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it. The motive is everything. Let a man sanctify the Lord God in his heart and he can thereafter do no common act. All he does is good and acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For such a man, living itself will be sacramental and the whole world a sanctuary. His entire life will be a priestly ministration. As he performs his never-so-simple task, he will hear the voice of the seraphim saying, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.”
–A. W. Tozer

Every one of us who are followers of Jesus; no matter if our paycheck is cut by a school, a hospital, a church, or any other person or organization; is called to work at our jobs and lives as if we are working for the Lord Jesus. Because He truly is our Boss, our King, our Lord. There might be other who have a role of responsibility over us, but ultimately Jesus is the One who gives us our orders. He tells us to serve as light in darkness, as salt in areas with no taste, as people bringing His joy into places of sadness.

Who are you working for today?
Have you sanctified Jesus in your heart and life in such a way that you now can do no common act?

Categories
Quotes

The Importance of Justice Being Followed By Grace

The voice of the law should be brought forward, that men may be terrified and brought to a knowledge of their sins, and thereby be moved to sorrow…. But we must not stop here because that would be:
to wound only and not to bind up,
to strike and not to heal,
to kill and not to make alive,
to bring down to hell and not to bring back,
to humble and not to exalt.

Therefore the word of grace, and of the promised remission of sin, must also be preached, in order to teach and set up faith; since, without that word of grace… contrition, penitence, and all other duties, are performed and taught in vain.
–Martin Luther

What great wisdom from almost 500 years ago!