Troy a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Morning Devotional.
Thomas: Willingness To Die; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; Matt 10:3b (KJV)
Thomas was willing to die for Jesus (Jn11:16) because he had complete faith in Him. Thomas had such an intense love for his Savior that he felt he could not live without Him. If Christ was willing to face certain death in Jerusalem,(Jn 11:7-9) so was Thomas. As Herbert Lockyer wrote, "Thomas, come life, come death,was resolved not to forsake his Lord, seeing he was bound to Him by a deep and enthusiastic love."
Thomas and the other diciples had virtually no comphrension of Jesus`s death,resurrection, and ascension(Jn 14:1-5). Yet Thomas took the initiative to encourage all of them to go with Jesus to Jersusalem and face whatever awaited them there (Jn 11:16). As a pessimist, Thomas anticipated the worst result; yet he was willingto go with Jesus. His pessimism makes his words and subsequent actions all the more courageous.
Thomas had no illusions about coming events. He did not flinch in the face of potential danger, preferring death rather than disloyalty to Christ. What Thomas feared more than anything was a permanent seperation from his Lord, and his love for Christ made that fear unbearable. Jesus understood Thomas`s heartfelt concerns and therefore assured him-as well as all who would ever read these words- that He could be trusted for salvation: "I am the way, and the truth, and life"(Jn 14:6).
ASK YOURSELF; Pessimsts say they are actually just realist-- that seeing the glass half empty is the only way to accurately describe it. If you`re more of an optimist, what value could you glean from those more blunt? If a pessimist, what could you learn from those more hopeful?
Amen
Troy
Morning Devotional.
Thomas: Willingness To Die; Thomas, and Matthew the publican; Matt 10:3b (KJV)
Thomas was willing to die for Jesus (Jn11:16) because he had complete faith in Him. Thomas had such an intense love for his Savior that he felt he could not live without Him. If Christ was willing to face certain death in Jerusalem,(Jn 11:7-9) so was Thomas. As Herbert Lockyer wrote, "Thomas, come life, come death,was resolved not to forsake his Lord, seeing he was bound to Him by a deep and enthusiastic love."
Thomas and the other diciples had virtually no comphrension of Jesus`s death,resurrection, and ascension(Jn 14:1-5). Yet Thomas took the initiative to encourage all of them to go with Jesus to Jersusalem and face whatever awaited them there (Jn 11:16). As a pessimist, Thomas anticipated the worst result; yet he was willingto go with Jesus. His pessimism makes his words and subsequent actions all the more courageous.
Thomas had no illusions about coming events. He did not flinch in the face of potential danger, preferring death rather than disloyalty to Christ. What Thomas feared more than anything was a permanent seperation from his Lord, and his love for Christ made that fear unbearable. Jesus understood Thomas`s heartfelt concerns and therefore assured him-as well as all who would ever read these words- that He could be trusted for salvation: "I am the way, and the truth, and life"(Jn 14:6).
ASK YOURSELF; Pessimsts say they are actually just realist-- that seeing the glass half empty is the only way to accurately describe it. If you`re more of an optimist, what value could you glean from those more blunt? If a pessimist, what could you learn from those more hopeful?
Amen
Troy
