Jesus, Friend of Sinners and Sinless One 1-28-09

Good morning, Lord Jesus. Friend of sinners, face of God, King of glory, Christ of nations, come into every moment of my day, every area of my life, and every place of my world. … "For John the Baptist has come eating no bread and drinking no wine, and you say, 'He has a demon'; the Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Look, a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Nevertheless, wisdom is vindicated by all her children" (Luke 7:33-35). Everyone tries to put You in box. They want to worship the image of God they have hewn with their own hands and carved in their own image of who they think You should be. Forgive me when I have done the same. But You Are Who You Are. As You said to Moses, "I Am Who I Am" (Exodus 3:14). And we are to have no other gods before You, the One True God (Exodus 20:3). How arrogant of us, as Your created, to tell You, our Creator, who You are and how You should be? Your name and Your nature tell us You will not be defined by those You have created, no matter how much You love us and want to be near us. You do not change to fit our philosophies or sensibilities; You do not change to appease our sense of political correctness or social tolerance. "For I the Lord do not change" (Malachi 3:6). And You, the Lord God Almighty, have chosen in Your sovereignty and divine purpose to reveal Yourself to humanity in nature of the Son of Man and in the nature of the Son of God through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord -- "the Image of the invisible God" (Colossian 1:15). When we see You, Lord Jesus, we see the Father. As You said, "Whoever has seen Me has seen the Father" (John 14:9). And when we welcome You into our hearts and into our lives, we welcome the Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son to come abide within us (John 14:20). So open the eyes of my heart to see You and worship You as You truly are, not as who I would like You to be or think You should be to satisfy my sense of Your image. Give me the humility to know that You will always be just exactly Who You have always been. "Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday and today and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). And give me grace to be conformed to Your nature, more and more every day (Romans 8:29). You are my Savior, but You are also my model for life in this world, as I yield to Your example and Your leading as my one and only Lord. "And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent His Son as Savior of the world. God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world" (1 John 4:14-17). Lord, let me be more like You in this world every day. Let me be a friend of sinners, but growing in my freedom from sin and growing by Your grace into the nature and love of the Sinless One. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen. Be encouraged today! In the Love of Jesus, Tommy Hays Subscribe free by email to Messiah Ministries -- MessiahMin@aol.com -- "Preparing the Way of the Lord ... Ministering the Healing Love of God" www.messiah-ministries.org 2800 Tates Creek Rd; Lexington, KY 40502 Daily Archives: www.morningbymorning.blogspot.com Order our Ministry Resources or Contribute On-line at www.shop.messiah-ministries.org