So that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe.

(Philippians 2:15 NIV)

If ever we are to be blameless, undeserving of censure in the sight of God who sees down to the motives of our motives, it must be by the supernatural power of God. That is the meaning of the Cross . . . I cannot only have God's marvelous work done in my heart, but I can have the proof of it in my life.

Oswald Chambers

Daily Meditations by Pat Nordman ©

June 2

"They are like children sitting in the market place and calling out to each other, `We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not cry.'" Luke 7:32.

"Men and women of this generation, you are like discontented offspring who don't want to dance to another's tune, but you want others to play your game of criticizing. You were angry with John because he would have nothing to do with your selfindulgent feasts; you disdained Me because I could not abide your hypocritical fasts and your licentiousness.

"What do you want, my perverse and contradictory children? Can you not have both Christian abstinence and Christian participation? Of course! True, I was not an ascetic as was John, but it was my will that John did what he did. But you are not to follow John. You are to follow Me, and I chose to participate in my Father's good gifts. My Father's gifts are 1) sanctified with gratitude; 2) controlled with moderation; and 3) beautified with benevolence."

"Every worthwhile gift, every genuine benefit comes from above," (James 1:17) so let us not only not forget but also enjoy the Father's benefits. Jesus and John demonstrate two different approaches to life but with the one aim to do God's will. John, the last prophet of the old dispensation of law, gave way to Jesus who brought in the new order of the gospel. The one demanded outward righteousness; the other requires inward purity.

John was solitary and Jesus was sociable. It was that simple and delightful and acceptable. It is too easy for us to misjudge another because that person is either one. Our Creator purposely made us divergent and distinguished. The Pharisees of all ages have trouble accepting this.

Pat Nordman ©

Excerpts from today's Spurgeon's Devotions
Spurgeon's Morning for June 2	Spurgeon's Evening for June 2
"For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh." - Galatians 5:17	"Good Master." - Matthew 19:16
In every believer's heart there is a constant struggle between the old nature and the new. The old nature is very active, and loses no opportunity of plying all the weapons of its deadly armoury against newborn grace; while on the other hand, the new nature is ever on the watch to resist and destroy its enemy.	Never could there be a better Master, for his service is freedom, his rule is love: I wish I were one thousandth part as good a servant.

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June 2 Psalms 106:1-107:43

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Today's Devotion

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But my mouth would encourage you; comfort from my lips would bring you relief.

Job 16:5 (NIV)

Redirection

by Cathy Vinson

"and when his eyes were opened, he saw no one..."

(Acts (9:8)

Let us be willing to be redirected, to open our eyes to see, and for a time, NOT SEE.

Tt is one thing to see no one when our eyes are shut, but when we open them and find no one, something unnatural is occurring; it is time for divine redirection.

This was certainly the case for Saul. The mere words "I AM JESUS" (9:5) instantanteously dispelled and dismissed every ounce of energy Saul had been so zealously pursuing. Consider that he had entered "every house" (8:3), dragging out its inhabitants. Can we picture in our own frame, the gaul necessary to barge into every home in our neighborhoods, disrupting any and every activity happening, and removing fathers and mothers even unto death? Such was the zeal of Saul. This, he believed, he was doing for God.

But now he was in no man's land. No direction..only to now realize his very passion had soared over repeated misgivings and promptings of the Holy Spirit. How many a man and woman had pled for mercy, for his repentance? Many had been his goads (9:5)!

What about you and me? Even we who believe in our present obedience have our own kicking back we are waging (9:5). It is Jesus we are dealing with. Wouldn't it be to our benefit to have eyes shut that could NOT see, to be left with no ability until "we are told what we must do" (9:6)?

One writer speaks of CEASING to love that we might learn to love again. It is this "again" that matters. Born "again." Christendom had been permitted to absorb the ravaging of savage Saul for the "again" man, Paul.

Let us be willing to be redirected, to open our eyes to see, and for a time, NOT SEE. Who knows that there is not a story yet to be known of our own redirecting.