Crowning himself king

This picture was taken of the painting of The Coronation of Emperor Napoleon I and of the Empress Josephine in the Notre-Dame de Paris, from the book Exploring World History part 2, by Ray Notgrass, 2014, p 580

“As the pope approached Napoleon with the crown, Napoleon took the crown and placed it on his own head. Napoleon did not want to answer to anyone.” Ray Notgrass, Exploring World History part 2, 2014, p. 580

He crowned himself king.

As arrogant as this action speaks to us of the pride of Napoleon, we dare not pass it off as merely one man’s error.

For arrogance is simply the offspring of self being allowed to rule within one’s heart.

We might fool ourselves or others, as to the extent we allow self to rule.

But God is never fooled.

Not only is He always aware of the complete standing of one’s heart, He is also seeking to teach us what is there as well.

Our teachability comes from who sits upon the throne of our heart.

“While Judas called Jesus ‘Rabbi’ (Matt. 26:49), there is no record that he used the term ‘Lord’. It has always been possible to claim allegiance to God without ever handling over the soul’s title deed…How many attend church regularly and give Jesus intellectual assent, but not their hearts? How many call Him King, only to assume their own thrones?” Charles Stanley, The Life Principles Bible, Nelson Bibles, 2005, page 1257

Have I crowned myself king?

Or do I allow God to rule my heart?

The Lord knows the truth and we should be honest within ourselves as to that truth as well.

Because God doesn’t share lordship.

Either we grant Him the place He deserves our we don’t, it’s never a partial thing.

Luke 16:13 KJV — No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

“That faith alone is true which rests on God alone, that confidence which relies but partly on the Lord is vain confidence.” C. H. Spurgeon

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your Word. Lord, please continue to show me my heart and the motivations there. Lord, I want You to rule and reign. I want my life to bring You glory. I want my actions, attitudes, and words to be honorable before You. Lord, I know You have everything in Your hands. Your ways are perfect and blessing comes from You. Please continue to teach me how to walk in today letting You be King, for You are the King of all kings. I love You, Jesus. Amen.

Two days before Christmas

Picture from taken of the book One Wintry Night by Ruth Bell Graham and illustrated by Richard Jesse Watson.

Jesus is the Christ.

Luke 2:11 KJV — For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Jesus is the Son of God.

John 11:27 KJV — She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.

Jesus is the Son of man, born of a virgin.

“Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”
Matthew 1:23 NKJV

Jesus is the unblemished Lamb of God.

John 1:36 NKJV — And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, “Behold the Lamb of God!”

Jesus is the Light of the World.

John 8:12 NKJV — Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”

Jesus is a teacher.

John 1:38 NKJV — Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, “What do you seek?” They said to Him, “Rabbi” (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), “where are You staying?”

Jesus is the Savior.

Acts 13:23 NKJV — “From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior—Jesus—

Jesus is the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Revelation 17:14 NKJV — “These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”

Jesus is a friend.

John 15:15 NKJV — “No longer do I call you servants, for a servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I heard from My Father I have made known to you.”

John 15:13 NKJV — “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

He also told us how to be His friend.

John 15:14 NKJV — “You are My friends if you do whatever I command you.

To be the friend of God…

What an incredible privilege!

And Jesus is the Way.

He leads us.

He gave us His commandments.

And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these. Mark 12:30-31

And He provides the perfect example of these.

His life is our standard and inspiration.

Praise God!

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for all Your love. Thank You that You call us friends. Please help us to live today unto You and to follow Your example. Lord, You alone are the only one who can teach us how to live, the way to walk. You are so good, so patient, so gracious, so loving. Thank You. Amen.

Four days before Christmas

Bethlehem,

the place of Jesus’s birth.

It’s a place which is rich in Biblical history.

Israel (Isaac’s son) buried his wife Rachel there.

Genesis 35:19 KJV — And Rachel died, and was buried in the way to Ephrath, which is Bethlehem.

One of the men who judged the children of Israel was from Bethlehem.

Judges 12:8 KJV — And after him Ibzan of Bethlehem judged Israel.

And one of the most beautiful romance stories in history is set in Bethlehem.

Ruth 1:22 KJV — So Naomi returned, and Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter in law, with her, which returned out of the country of Moab: and they came to Bethlehem in the beginning of barley harvest.

If you’re unfamiliar with this story, please take the opportunity to read the book of Ruth.

This sets the stage, because a baby boy named Obed was born there.

He’s the grandfather of another baby boy, named David.

Through this boy, God grew a man, a king, and a nation.

Now therefore, thus shall you say to My servant David, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “I took you from the sheepfold, from following the sheep, to be ruler over My people Israel. And I have been with you wherever you have gone, and have cut off all your enemies from before you, and have made you a name like the name of the great men who are on the earth. Moreover I will appoint a place for My people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own and move no more; nor shall the sons of wickedness oppress them anymore, as previously, since the time that I commanded judges to  be over My people Israel. Also I will subdue all your enemies. Furthermore I tell you that the Lord will build you a house. And it shall be, when your days are fulfilled, when you must go to  be with your fathers, that I will set up your seed after you, who will be of your sons; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build Me a house, and I will establish his throne forever. I will be his Father, and he shall be My son; and I will not take My mercy away from him, as I took it from him who was before you. And I will establish him in My house and in My kingdom forever; and his throne shall be established forever.” ’ ”
I Chronicles 17:7‭-‬14 NKJV

The Lord spoke through the prophet Micah.

Micah 5:2 KJV — But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.

Jesus is the Son whose kingdom will never end.

And He is the king of Kings, the lord of Lords.

Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war. His eyes were like a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns. He had a name written that no one knew except Himself. He was clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses. Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 19:11‭-‬16 NKJV

Let us never forget,

Jesus is a babe no longer.

He is a king.

He’s kingdom is everlasting.

And one day He’s coming back.

Let us come and adore Him!

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for being our Savior. Thank You for giving us Your Word. Thank You for being Lord! Please help us to remember Who you are and what You have done. Please teach us how to honor You in all we do. Thank You. Amen.

I have…

“I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; ” Ps. 40:10b

As these are the words written by King David.

They inspired me.

My own story of salvation and grace is not one dot in time,
but an on going rhythm of life.

Yet when I first began the journey,
I was about 4 yrs old.

My Sunday School teacher, whom I loved dearly, was telling us about following God.

I remember her saying following God was to let Him be in charge of your life and it would mean Jesus was King.

My latest and favorite games at the time involved dressing up in sheets and pretending to be part of a royal court.

When I heard the news that Jesus would be my King, I couldn’t be more thrilled.

At home I asked my Mom to help me have Jesus as King.

We kneeled down and prayed.

Sometime later I heard several messages from a pastor at Vacation Bible School explaining the need for Jesus and I began to worry I didn’t do it correctly the first time.

So I went back every day to the place where the children were to pray and earnestly prayed for Jesus to save me.

I know my presence was a little confusing to at least one of the adults because I kept praying for salvation.

They seemed to think once was enough,  but failed to share with me any Bible truths on walking in the knowledge of salvation.

The period of concern over my saved or not saved issue passed (most likely due to the teaching of my mother who patiently explained it several times).

I spent my childhood telling other kids at school about Jesus and His love for them.

Often I did so and then acted in a manner which showed I may believe Jesus loved them but I didn’t.

However, I truly wanted other people to know Jesus.

Then we moved.

I was barely 13 and was ready for some changes.

I was thrilled to live in the country instead of the city.

To have animals and the ideal of growing our own food and being free from the need to buy things. (Which shows how little I understood how to farm!)

My father became sick and we went through a turmoil and uncertainty of how to deal with the everyday.

I had to learn to cook and clean and do outside chores.

My faith struggled as I strove to make sense of the difficulty we were living in.

Yet years went by and my King became second to the pursuit of the ” love of my life”.

After all, I was supposed to find this guy so we could live “happily ever after”.

(Don’t laugh too hard, I really believed it.)

I made so many messes trying to be what each new boyfriend asked that I lost my self.

I kept thinking if I would just change they would stay and solve all my problems.

The funny thing is I still went to church and read my Bible and prayed but my King was no longer allowed to rule my life.

So I got married at the tender age of 20 and discovered we had no idea how to live let alone doing it “happily”.

I was in need of salvation again.

Not from marriage,
but from myself.

I had wrecked emotions and skewed perspective because I had tried to do what I thought best and was suffering because of it.

And He did.

Jesus saved me.

Not by radically removing me from the consequences of my sin but by walking me through them.

He still is.

And I still need Him desperately.

Often I find times of trial or difficulty,
but I know He is King.

He will save me.

Because He loves me dearly,
and proves it daily.

So I can say:
“I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation.”

How about you?
What’s your story?
I’d love  to hear it.