December 17th, 2025
by John Thweatt
by John Thweatt
So, what can we learn from what we have said about the incarnation up to this point?
1. We are not above doing anything for God. If Jesus could let go of His glory, if Jesus could empty Himself, if Jesus could take the form of a slave, if Jesus could allow Himself to be made in human likeness, if Jesus could be found in appearance as a man, if Jesus could humble Himself, if Jesus could become obedient unto death, and if Jesus could willingly go to the cross for us—can you name one thing that we could not do for Him?
2. We should live for an audience of one! It said that the Puritans lived their lives as if they were living for an audience of one. How many times do we live our lives for an audience of one? Jesus set the Father as His focus and never strayed. Even when the time came for the cross and in the flesh He did not want to go, He prayed, “Not my will but yours be done.”
There is only one opinion that matters—it is the opinion of God. I remember one time when my dad caught me smoking. He was talking to me about it and said something about having to hide to do it. I said, “Well, I respect you to much to do it in front of you.” I will never forget his reply, “John, what about God?”
Far too many times there are things that we will not do if our boss is around or if our preacher is around, or if our spouse is around, but have you considered the fact that God is watching? When we understand that fact that God’s manifest presence is where ever we are, it will change the way we act.
I want you to like me, but it is more important to me that Kim and the girls like me. I want Kim and the girls to like me, but it is more important that I live in such a way that I am pleasing to God. The Cross teaches me that I must live for an audience of one.
3. The Cross changes my view of God. The Christian view of God must be centered in the cross. Luther said, “Whoever looks upon the invisible things of God as they are seen in created things does not deserve to be called a theologian—but whoever sees the visible back of God as disclosed in suffering and the cross does deserve to be called a theologian.”
For Luther, the Church must learn to turn our eyes away from the things that are pleasing to us and force ourselves to look at the horribleness of the cross. At the cross we find God revealing Himself as humiliated, abandoned, powerless and dying for humanity. WE cannot reason our ways into the heavenly realms through philosophical speculation—we must approach God through the cross and see that he demands that we have the same attitude of Christ Jesus.
WE must see that God is calling us to love others as He loved us and that love is demonstrated through the cross. WE must see that God is calling us to love Him and that love is demonstrated through obedience and obedience is never better pictured than with the Son of God hanging on the cross.
1. We are not above doing anything for God. If Jesus could let go of His glory, if Jesus could empty Himself, if Jesus could take the form of a slave, if Jesus could allow Himself to be made in human likeness, if Jesus could be found in appearance as a man, if Jesus could humble Himself, if Jesus could become obedient unto death, and if Jesus could willingly go to the cross for us—can you name one thing that we could not do for Him?
2. We should live for an audience of one! It said that the Puritans lived their lives as if they were living for an audience of one. How many times do we live our lives for an audience of one? Jesus set the Father as His focus and never strayed. Even when the time came for the cross and in the flesh He did not want to go, He prayed, “Not my will but yours be done.”
There is only one opinion that matters—it is the opinion of God. I remember one time when my dad caught me smoking. He was talking to me about it and said something about having to hide to do it. I said, “Well, I respect you to much to do it in front of you.” I will never forget his reply, “John, what about God?”
Far too many times there are things that we will not do if our boss is around or if our preacher is around, or if our spouse is around, but have you considered the fact that God is watching? When we understand that fact that God’s manifest presence is where ever we are, it will change the way we act.
I want you to like me, but it is more important to me that Kim and the girls like me. I want Kim and the girls to like me, but it is more important that I live in such a way that I am pleasing to God. The Cross teaches me that I must live for an audience of one.
3. The Cross changes my view of God. The Christian view of God must be centered in the cross. Luther said, “Whoever looks upon the invisible things of God as they are seen in created things does not deserve to be called a theologian—but whoever sees the visible back of God as disclosed in suffering and the cross does deserve to be called a theologian.”
For Luther, the Church must learn to turn our eyes away from the things that are pleasing to us and force ourselves to look at the horribleness of the cross. At the cross we find God revealing Himself as humiliated, abandoned, powerless and dying for humanity. WE cannot reason our ways into the heavenly realms through philosophical speculation—we must approach God through the cross and see that he demands that we have the same attitude of Christ Jesus.
WE must see that God is calling us to love others as He loved us and that love is demonstrated through the cross. WE must see that God is calling us to love Him and that love is demonstrated through obedience and obedience is never better pictured than with the Son of God hanging on the cross.
Recent
Archive
2025
April
Rungs in the ladder of prayerThe Rung of ResidenceThe Prayer Rung of ComprehensionThe Rung of FullnessCommitment to PrayerChristlike in PrayerPrayer is the WorkHow to PrayPraying the ArmorHow to pray without ceasingPraying the PsalmsThree Kinds of PrayerWrite it DownGood Friday PrayerPraying with TozerPraying with Tozer part 2Praying with Tozer part 3Praying with John StottThree Keys to PrayerPraying with PaulPraying with PaulA Reason to Praise
May
Praying to Continue in the FaithPraying as I ReadKeeping in Step with the Holy SpiritA Page from my Prayer JournalLiving a Spirit Filled LifeSaturated in the Word as we Pray the WordAbounding in LovePraying for the LostFilled with the FullnessWalk by the SpiritLed by the SpiritLive by the SpiritKeep in Step with the SpiritSpiritual RhythmsLife is War so PrayChasing HolinessPrayer as a Wartime Walkie TalkieGod has given us everything we needChanged as we get to know GodDivine NatureAbba FatherAbba in HeavenHallowed be Your nameKingdom ComeYour will be doneGive us this day
June
Forgive UsAs we forgive othersDeliver us from evilAmenIntimacy and PrayerThe Manifest PresenceBoarder or ChildKnowledgeStrengthen me with PowerFullnessThat He May GrantA Work of the TrinityValley of VisionDoing what we're Created to DoThe Ultimate ArtistIntimacy with GodFour Circles of IntimacyFour Pictures of IntimacyI need to repent of my repentanceWe were made to worshipCome into His presence singingPray BoldlyWhy PrayDo You Pray?Equipment for PrayerPray and Expect God to Move
July
The Value of PrayerPress OnPray without CeasingRefuel DailyThe Trinity in our PrayersThe Difference Prayer MakesNo gaps in our time with GodEverything will ChangePrayer-Reading the BiblePrayer-ReadingTime in the PresenceEternal ThingsLearning to WaitPraying for the SickHow Important is PrayerPraying with HopeKeep it UpThe Church's Prayer BookChristlikeness requires Time with ChristDaily Walk with JesusGod-IntoxicatedHoly Spirit PossessionEvery Moment HolyThree Assumptions of JesusYour Father who is in secret.
Categories
Tags
CS Lewis
Chesterton
Continual Praise
Frank Laubach
Holy Spirit Controlled
How to Pray
How
Hybels
JI Packer
Listening to God
Living in His Presence
Oswald Chambers
PT Forsyth
Pray without ceasing
Prayer Journal
Praying the Scriptures
Praying with Paul
Presence of God
Samuel
Sermon on the Mount
Singing Prayers
Spirit Filled Living
The Lord's Prayer
The Lord\'s Prayer
The Lord\\\'s Prayer
The Lord\\\\\\\'s Prayer
Thought for Thought
Why Pray
Wonder
fasting
giving
intimacy with God
patience
prayer
praying for the lost
praying the Psalms
solitude
No Comments