Attitudes of a Believer according to Jésus (and Spurgeon)

It's been a long time since I last blogged. If you're reading this, I must tell you this very important thing: there are great blogs out there, why are you reading mine? You now understand my lack of blogging.


With that being said, I've just read some vital gospel-verses and HAD to share them with you.


This is what I read (from the mouth of Jesus):

"But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me, a sinner!' I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the [Pharisee]. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted." (Luke 18.13-14)

I don't know if lights are going on in your mind. But tonight, as I read this, something clicked. "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" If you are a believer, do you talk to God that way? Frankly, I rarely do. But Jesus' comments are devastating for those of us who do not say: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!"
Why is that? Because, Jesus goes on to say: "this man went down to his house justified (right with God), but not the Pharisee." Do you see how crucial it is that we have this kind of attitude? We must realize that God would be just to punish us with eternal hell for our sins. That is what we deserve. Only when we realize this and cry out to God in anguish: "God, be merciful to me, a sinner!" can we be washed clean, justified by our merciful Judge.


I pray that Jesus' words alone would convince you. But since I just recently read a sermon by Charles.H. Spurgeon, I thought I would quote him.

"As we read in history of one who was met with a pardon just when the rope was round his neck, just so does God deal with poor souls; when they feel the rope about their necks, acknowledge that God's sentence is just, and confess that if they perish they cannot complain, it is then that sovereign mercy steps in and cries, "I have blotted out like a cloud thine iniquities, and like a thick cloud; thy sins which are many are all forgiven thee."

I'm a beggar

February 16, 1546

Martin Luther scribbled his last words on a piece of paper before dying. Reading these words tonight put joy again in my heart. Frankly I am tired. I've been undisciplined (again) and am in serious need of sleep. In this condition I distrust my negative feelings, sometimes even depressive, I ignore them and choose to remind myself of the joy I've known.

"We are beggars! This is true."

Last words of Martin Luther

These words stirred joy in my heart, for I read great truth here. Again and again I am reminded that I don't draw my strength and joy from the right source. I'm a rebellious sinner who has been shown everlasting grace by a great, glorious and holy God. I come without conditions as a beggar to receive grace, grace and ever-abundant grace. To remember from what God saved me and to what I have been saved is enough to eternally fill me with joy, if only I let Him do so.

What of Jesus?

I had a very encouraging conversation with a classmate a few days ago. She claims to be a believer. As she told me her story, she explained that her parents were devout Catholics, but that she'd rejected God at the age of 17.

I was so excited to hear this and I gladly started asking her questions. She explained what it was that led her back to the belief that God exists. It is then that I grew curious as she described the God she believed in.

Her God didn't seem to match up with the God I knew from the Bible. Hers was more a God of common sense, as if Kant had been her mentor in her search for the divine.

The realization finally hit me, we hadn't agreed on the basics! In my eagerness to hear her story, we never spoke of sin and of Jesus. That is why I ask the question, "what of Jesus?" Is he really at the center of our lives and talk? Do we understand that all truth in the universe is defined on how they accept Jesus? 

Is God An Eternal Spoil-Sport?

What is your idea of God? Many people, especially in France consider him to be a grumpy old man that is always telling you what you can't do. He doesn't really care about you, he just can't stand seeing you have fun? Is that how you view him? I once also saw him this way.

I read Proverbs 8 verse 35 & 36 recently that says:

"For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord. But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death."

The truth contained in those sentences made me nearly fall out of my chair. Here is God telling us something entirely contrary to what we assume about him! Far from being the eternal spoil-sport, he wants our greatest good and tells us how to obtain it. What he defines as 'sin' isn't simply to ruin our fun, but to protect us. By rebelling against him, we hurt ourselves!

So lets admit that our hearts desire all kinds of things of lesser value than God. Let's ask Him to give us Himself for our eyes to marvel at. But you will realize quickly that while we may say we desire the Light, we can't stand its brightness and prefer to settle for lesser things, that certainly have less value, but don't require so much of us. But we're made BY God FOR God, so who are we kidding? We won't be happy until we have Him! Desire God and stop hurting yourselves!