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Brandon Bracey's Seed Devotions!
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| Aug 09, 2008 10:21 pm |
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Women With Issues Series Part 6 FINALE Mary Magdelene By Brandon Bracey. |
Brandon Bracey
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Title: Mary Magdelene: Witnessing God's Work In Our Lives
Scripture: NKJV: John 20:18," Mary Magdelene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things to her."
A Microscope can be seen as one of the most amazing instruments ever made. Microscopes are able to magnify objects too small to be seen by the unaided eye. There was something I noticed about myself today. Sometimes I look at a particular circumstance in my life through what seems like a very strong microscope. I remember taking Hebrew at Seminary and there was one particular teaching assistant who always let me know when I was not doing well on my tests. When I would get low grades the teaching assitant would always write remarks on my paper that said something like," Brandon you can do much better than this!" He would say it in what seemed to me like an evil, threatening tone of voice. All of a sudden I would get all bent out of shape, threaten to quit Seminary, and go to my older friend down the hall for personal counseling sessions. The teaching assistant worked in the library so I would not go in the library just so I could avoid this person! This put checking books out of the question! This situation had definitely magnified in my mind! Well, over the course of time I came to realize that the teaching assistant was simply trying to encourage and inspire me to be better in Hebrew and we are now friends. I did not have to go through all I went through. I just made a decision that I would take a simple situation and then look at it through what I call my mind-o-scope and make it big
But this may also be what many people do in the world. When someone hears that they have Cancer, they may cry and panic and assume that the world is coming to the end. They may forget all about divine healing and God's grace. Or someone's child may be acting up in school, and the person may get all upset without even seeing what is the root of the problem. This is what I like to call looking at things through a microscope. Often we can make something so much bigger than it truly is.
Mary Magdelene was a woman who became famous through plays and movies such as Jesus Christ Superstar. Often in these plays she was portrayed as a sensuous woman, and as a reformed prostitute. However, as far as I know the Bible portrays her a little differently. Mary Magdelene came from Magdala, which was a city on the Sea of Galilee. One day Jesus drove seven demons from Mary Magdelene, and after being healed by Jesus she dedicated her life to him. The Bible tells us in the Gospels that a crowd of women left their families to follow Jesus in Matthew 27:55-56. Mary Magdelene was one of the women who helped finance Jesus's Ministry. When Jesus was crucified in Jerusalem, Mary was there. Not only did Mary observe where Jesus was buried, but she also went as soon as she could to care for his body. Mary Magdelene was the first person to see Jesus raised from the dead, and as recorded in Matthew 20:18, the first to spread the word. At the awesome miracle of the ressurrection of Jesus, Mary was priviledged to be the first witness to see it.
I have to wonder what was going through Mary's mind when she witnessed the Resurrection. I would guess excitement, shock, and joy all at the same time! I personally may have even fainted and taken the spotlight away from Jesus! But in all this, Mary was a witness to God's work. I noticed that God works in our lives too, but not necessarily in the way we may expect.
God does not always work in our lives the way we expect because often we humans look at things through circumstances and microscopes. Mary Magdelene witnessed the miracle of the resurrection of Jesus, and if we are not careful we can constantly look for the big miracle without seeing God's wonderful work in our in the issues that we may face daily. We often look at things through circumstances, but God looks at the bigger picture. We are thinking," I need to be healed now", but God is thinking," How can I get the glory out of this situation?" We may be thinking," My kid has gone nuts! God do something!" But God is thinking," How can I mold this child through his experiences to become the person of God that I have called them to be?"
This is really a message of God's grace being sufficient, more so than it is a message of God's work in our lives. If we are not careful we can miss God's work in our lives by magnifying situations. God is truly at work everyday in our lives even when it seems like the road is rough. Yes, God works in our lives when we are sick. It's so wonderful to see how God has used wonderful men and women of God who have been born with some sort of ailment for wonderful things. It's also wonderful to see God move to promote someone on a job when everyone in the office is stabbing them in the back and they dread going to work everyday.
These are acts of grace from God, which can be defined as undeserved acceptance and love received from another. Isn't it wonderful to know that God loves us so much that God works in our lives through good and what we may perceive not-so-good times? It's also very assuring to know that we can call upon the gracious assistance of God in times of need. The Bible says in Psalm 4:1," Hear me when I call, O call of my righteousness! You have relieved me in my distress; Have mercy on me, and hear my prayer!" Praise God for answered prayer! God loves us so much and is so gracious to us that he opens his ear to our sincere prayers.
I would like to add that we can see God's grace through Israel's undeserved love and mercy in getting to the Promised Land as found in the OT through Exodus to Joshua, Jonah's dealings with God's merciful concern to save the wicked Ninevites in the Book of Jonah, and also Hosea powerfully conveying God's undeserved mercy and grace with the image of the prophet's love for the faithless Gomer in the Book of Hosea. God's grace shines through all throughout the Bible.
In the Book Of Romans, Paul was sure to say in Romans 3:23 that no person could earn God's acceptance. A person has to be willing to accept God's acceptance through Jesus Christ, since grace is God's way of salvation, which is completely unearned.
In order to continue receive grace, we must be sure to trust in God. We must trust that God know's what's best for us at all times. Proverbs 3:5-6 says ," Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." We may not understand everything that's going on when God is working in our lives, but when we trust him we can rest assured that everything is going to be alright!
Along with trust you need to have faith in God. In Matthew 14:22-31 there was a situation where Jesus rebuked Peter for his little faith when it came to walking on water. Jesus said in Matthew 14:31," You of little faith... why did you doubt?" God's grace was sufficient for Peter to walk on water and when you have faith in God you have the victory that overcomes the world!
Friends, let's rejoice in the work God as doing, and take time to stop and witness God's work in our lives. As we witness God's work, we should also say Thank You because if it had not been for the grace of God where would we be! Thank you so mch for joining me for this wonderful Women's Series! God has blessed us mightily and to God be the glory! God Bless You All And Amen!
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for this wonderful Women's Series and thank you for wonderfully working through my life. Through the good and bad, your grace is truly sufficient. You have always seen me through when I trust in you! You are an awesome God and I truly adore you! In Jesus name I do pray, Amen.
If you would like to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life please pray with me:
Heavenly Father, thank you for sending your only begotten Son to die on the cross for my sins. Lord Jesus I ask you to forgive me of all sin and come into my heart. I make you Lord and Savior of my life. Thank you Jesus for saving me. Amen. If you have just prayed this prayer congratulations! Jesus is now Lord and Savior of your life and you have a new beginning! Please email me at: Brandon_Bracey00@yahoo.com so I can assist you in your new beginning!
Permission To Distribute With Full Recognition Given To Author.
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