Make Me a Man After Thine Own Heart

In chapter 29 of the book named after him, a frustrated Job defends his integrity with the powerful words in verses 21-21.


"Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. Then I said, I shall die in my nest, and I shall multiply my days as the sand. My root was spread out by the waters, and the dew lay all night upon my branch. My glory was fresh in me, and my bow was renewed in my hand. Unto me men gave ear, and waited, and kept silence at my counsel."
This is the description of a godly man. This is what men are supposed to be. Yet, this week, God has showed me how few men like this there are. I've really been grieving that those who are called to protect and defend are cowering in the shadows. Those who are called to follow Christ, and only Him, have been lured away by the world and its temporal pleasures.

Rise up, O men of God!
Have done with lesser things.
Give heart, and mind, and soul, and strength
To serve the King of kings.

Men who are truly seeking the Lord with a whole heart are a dying breed. But I want to be one of them. I want to be one God's Mighty Men. I want to be a spiritual warrior who, by the strength of Jesus Christ, stands as a solid rock against the onslaught of the world. Whatever the cost, whether by life or by death, I want to bring glory to Jesus Christ.

Lord, make me your image-bearer and a man after your own heart, I pray!

Rend Our Hearts, I Pray!

"A tiny group of believers who have the gospel keep mumbling it over and over to themselves. Meanwhile, millions who have never heard it once fall into the flames of eternal hell without ever hearing the salvation story."
           - K.P. Yohannan


Heavenly Father, rend our heart for the lost today! I cannot love them like you, Lord! But you can love them through me! Empty me of any selfishness--any desire for my own protection or comfort--and fill me instead with Your love. I have this short span of life to touch the world and impact it for eternity. God, live through me to proclaim Your message. 


We see the fate of those without Christ. 
We see the glory and wonder of having Christ in our lives.
We see countless millions of people who have no hope.
And yet, we let our fears stop us from warning them of Hell and showing them Christ.


God, break our hearts for what breaks yours. 


Rak chazak amats, brothers and sisters! Spread the Gospel! Let's affect the world while we have a chance!


In Christ Alone,
Elijah


P.S. Give your thoughts. Please comment!

The Ancient War Cry

Please watch this video, which is an excerpt of a message by Eric Ludy.

WWJD?

The popular Christian slogan, emblazoned on bracelets, bumper stickers, and t-shirts is "What Would Jesus Do?" or WWJD? This seems to be just a little line to exhort Christians to behave more like their King. As I was reading my Bible this week, however, I ran across Galatians 2:20. It says:

"For I am crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the on of God who loved me and gave himself for me."

I would like to put forward that we, in our own human strength, can never be Christ-like. We have to die to ourselves and allow Christ to live through us. So perhaps, a better slogan would be WCCDTM: "What Can Christ Do Through Me?"

Flammable Materials?

In 1 Corinthians 3:11-15, we are told:
"For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire."


When I read this passage recently, I was really impacted by it. It struck me hard, bringing out the truth of Ecclesiastes 12:13. In this verse, one of the wisest men that ever lived--Solomon--realizes that to "fear God, and keep his commandments:...this is the whole duty of man." Does this hit you the way it did me? Everything we do that is not honoring to God is worthless! The reason we were formed, the reason we were given life was to glorify God! Sadly, in our selfishness and pride, we are distracted from our ‘whole duty’. But one thing we do not realize is that when we serve our own selfish desires and lusts, we are rebelling against the One Who made us. We must be willing to sacrifice our own rebellion and to give our lives to him. C.S. Lewis explains,

Christ says, ‘Give me all. I don’t want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, I have come to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there, I want to have the whole tree down’

     

Our own selfish desires fear surrendering to Christ because they know they will be killed. Indeed, we cannot serve Christ without presenting ourselves to God. As Romans 12:1 expounds: ‘I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.’ 

The questions I asked myself after reading 1 Cor. 3:11-15 were: Am I honoring God in my daily life? Am I building the structure of my life with precious metals, or old barn wood? And you, are you building your life with flammable materials? 

Ad Majoriam Dei Gloriam!
-Elijah

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Well, finally, after several months of considering starting a blog, I've done it! No...no, please hold your non-existent applause. Anyhow, thanks for visiting! I will try to post as much as possible, so check back often.

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Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam!
-Elijah