OzThoughts Tuesday 31st March 2009.

OzThoughts Tuesday 31st March 2009.

In today’s short reading from Luke’s Gospel, once again a trap is set for Jesus by religious leaders. Jesus has an answer ready for them and we read it left them speechless.

Luke 20:19-26 (The Message)
19The religion scholars and high priests wanted to lynch him on the spot, but they were intimidated by public opinion. They knew the story was about them.
Paying Taxes
20-22Watching for a chance to get him, they sent spies who posed as honest inquirers, hoping to trick him into saying something that would get him in trouble with the law. So they asked him, "Teacher, we know that you're honest and straightforward when you teach, that you don't pander to anyone but teach the way of God accurately. Tell us: Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar or not?"
23-24He knew they were laying for him and said, "Show me a coin. Now, this engraving, who does it look like and what does it say?"
25"Caesar," they said.
Jesus said, "Then give Caesar what is his and give God what is his."
26Try as they might, they couldn't trap him into saying anything incriminating. His answer caught them off guard and left them speechless.

So what does this say for us? Can I suggest it says to keep your life in balance to meet both your civic or secular obligations as well as your personal spiritual ones.

Paul also writes to the Philippians about getting things into the right focus. Now, he is a Christian, many of the things he counted as important he now counts for nothing compared with what he has in Christ. It’s worth taking the time to read what he says particularly in verses 15 and 16.

Philippians 3:7-16 (The Message)
7-9The very credentials these people are waving around as something special, I'm tearing up and throwing out with the trash—along with everything else I used to take credit for. And why? Because of Christ. Yes, all the things I once thought were so important are gone from my life. Compared to the high privilege of knowing Christ Jesus as my Master, firsthand, everything I once thought I had going for me is insignificant—dog dung. I've dumped it all in the trash so that I could embrace Christ and be embraced by him. I didn't want some petty, inferior brand of righteousness that comes from keeping a list of rules when I could get the robust kind that comes from trusting Christ—God's righteousness.
10-11I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it.
Focused on the Goal
12-14I'm not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don't get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I've got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I'm off and running, and I'm not turning back.
15-16So let's keep focused on that goal, those of us who want everything God has for us. If any of you have something else in mind, something less than total commitment, God will clear your blurred vision—you'll see it yet! Now that we're on the right track, let's stay on it.
Prayer: (Using our Song Book as our Prayer Book):
[Listen: Band: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music3/mus_4035.mp3
or
Piano: http://www.salvoaudio.com/audio/music/mus_1755.mp3 ]

I bring to thee my heart to fill;
I feel how weak I am, but still
To thee for help I call.
In joy or grief, to live or die,
For earth or Heaven, this is my cry,
Be thou my all in all.

Chorus
Christ is all, yes, all in all.
My Christ is all in all.

Around me in the world I see
No joy that turns my soul from thee;
Its honors fade and fall;
But with thee, though I mount the cross,
I count it gain to suffer loss,
For thou art all in all.

I've little strength to call my own,
And what I've done, before thy throne
I here confess, is small;
But on thy strength. O God, I lean,
And through the blood that makes me clean,
Thou art my all in all.

No tempest can my courage shake,
My love from thee no pain can take,
No fear my heart appall;
And where I cannot see I'll trust,
For then I know thou surely must
Be still my all in all.
Authors: Herbert Howard Booth (1862-1926) (verses),
W.H. Williams (chorus)
The Salvation Army Song Book: Song Number: 489
[ In preparation for Easter read a Christian book during Lent which is now. ]


````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

Thank you for your prayers and support for OzThoughts Internet Ministry.

To unsubscribe send an email (without a message) to :
OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com.au

If you invite friends to subscribe they do it by sending an email (without a message) to :
OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.au (Tell them to check their junk box for the reply if it does not seem to come).


`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
You can also receive OzThoughts from the following groups (which you are welcome to join):

SalvationArmy3: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/salvationarmy3/

Poems from the Lord by Ailsa Yates: http://groups.msn.com/PoemsfromtheLordbyAilsaYates



Subscribe: OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.au

Unsubscribe: OzThoughtsInternetMinistry-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com.au

OzThoughts
Writer (Only): OzThoughts@yahoo.com.au