Great Gift ToDAy!!!

God Gives Us Today

Scripture: “Then he said to them all: Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me.” Luke 9:23

She went to this really great concert a few weeks ago to see a Christian band play some incredible music.
She got there really early because she wanted to be one of the first to get in the door and over to the stage to see the band play.
 To get to the line, she had to walk by a young man standing on the corner next to the venue where the concert was being held.
 Well, he wasn’t just standing there. He was singing his heart out into a microphone and playing his amplified acoustic guitar. And he wasn’t just singing ANY song. He was singing songs by the band of which she was about to see on stage inside the venue.
 It was obvious that this guy probably didn’t have a ticket for the concert, and it was also very obvious that he was not a very good musician. She thought to herself “Wow, if I was part of this band, I would be offended by how awful this guy sounds!” she also thought “I hope I don’t have to listen to him the entire time I’ll be waiting in line here.”

Moments after those thoughts crossed through her mind, the music stopped and she was relieved.  She turned to look back at the street corner musician only to find him hanging out on that very corner with the lead singer of the band! And the singer, who’s name is Jon, was laughing with him and giving him a hug! Then Jon gave the street corner musician a ticket to the concert. It doesn’t end there. During the concert, Jon introduced the street corner musician to the entire crowd and invited him on stage to play a song with the whole band.
                                 
Jesus in Disguise:
While Jon introduced the street corner musician to everyone in the crowd, She found out that he was HUMBLED by the impact his music had made on this young aspiring musician. Jon’s music had such an impact that the musician put himself out in public, in the middle of a bigcity, to play music filled with messages of Jesus’ love because he wanted it to have an impact on all those who were listening, and didn’t care if he seemed foolish. Her heart broke when she  realized how selfish she was.
She only thought of herself and that she deserved “better” while waiting in line. Really, the street corner musician was being brave, taking risk and living out his faith. He was being a true disciple. She saw Jon as Jesus in disguise coming out to tell the street corner musician, “well done, my good and faithful servant.”

Being Sharpened:
I tend to have to learn things many times over again because my human nature always leaves me broken. But God’s nature leaves me alive. The experience of her at the concert was something that I have learned over and over again, but I always need reminding. It reminds me of the verse in Proverbs:As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17

Jesus sharpened my faith through Jon and the street corner musician from the story i heard from her.
This is Your Life - Are you who you want to be?
My favorite song by Jon’s band has lyrics that go like this:

“Yesterday is a wrinkle on your forehead.
Yesterday is a promise that you’ve broken.
Don’t close your eyes, don’t close your eyes.
This is your life and today is all you’ve got now, and today is all you’ll ever have.
This is your life. Are you who you want to be?”
When today is in the past and there may not be tomorrow, we only have today to do the work God has called us to do, and to be the person God wants us to be. Who do I want to be? I want to be more like Jesus - more like the person God wants me to be. Is your heart in the right place, are you who you want to be if today is “all you have?

 Let Jesus show up in you so you can be Jesus in disguise for others who desperately need Him.
 And when your heart is not in the right place, pray that God will sharpen you and that he would show up as Jesus in disguise for you. "


Have a nice weekend!!!!
Love Love!!!