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To maximize your joy and thankfulness in Christ, it is necessary to consider the depth of depravity from which He saved you. Jesus put this concept simply in Luke 7:47 – “He who is forgiven much loves much.” Paul writes about his own experience of self-reflection leading to Christ-praise in 1 Timothy 1:12-17. The Apostle Paul’s testimony stirs our hearts because of the sharp contrast he draws between his past rebellion and the abundant grace of Christ. Paul was a blasphemer, a persecutor, a man whose name was feared by the early church. Yet, by the mercy of God, this chief of sinners became a great apostle.

When I was a religious hypocrite, I used to study the signs of the Lord’s second coming for the purpose of assuring myself it wasn’t close. In opposition to all my end times study and hypothesizing stood the simple message of Matthew 24:36-44 that the Lord will return at a time nobody expects or knows – SO BE READY. I really didn’t like that passage!

It’s been a long week (or several weeks). As I sit down for my time with the Lord this morning, I feel beaten down, worn out, discouraged, and yes, old. It’s time to do a little preaching to myself (what David calls meditation in the Word). I turn to one of the darkest books in the Bible, Lamentations, and find where (chapter 3:19-33) Jeremiah, when he was beaten down, worn out and discouraged, preached to himself. While this is just me preaching to me, maybe it will help you preach to you at some point:

I was reading an article from another Christian blog recently where the author was extolling the virtue of experiencing God through nature. I was whole-heartedly on board up until the last paragraph where the article suggested that if you struggle connecting with God through the Word, connecting with God by nature is a good alternative.

This is a note to me and to all those who spend too much of their time frustrated by their spiritual mistakes and not enough time enjoying their spiritual successes. In Luke 6:43-45, Jesus tells us that every tree is known by its fruit, and that our words/deeds are the fruit that shows what kind of tree lies at our heart.