JESUS SPEAKING

                “When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none.  Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’  And when he comes, he finds it empty, swept, and put in order.  Then he goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter and dwell there; and the last state of that man is worse than the first.  So shall it also be with this wicked generation” (Mathew 12: 43-45.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                The human body is a home; it is a resting place for the soul.  Evil spirits can invade the body and cause destruction and suffering; but these harmful spiritual entities can be expelled.  When a demon is exercised, the possessed experience restoration; overwhelmed by the Spirit of God, they begin to live healthy, fulfilling lives.  The dispossessed demons however, dwell in torment; they are only satisfied when they are causing human misery; many demons do return and attempt to re-possess their former victims; their unsavory efforts fail however when they discover the presence of the Holy Spirit.  Yet there are many who deny God after they have been cleansed.  They blaspheme the Lord, and push the Holy Spirit out of their hearts.  When the demons return there is no one to oppose them; they invade the individual, and their once orderly lives are plummeted in to a state of even greater chaos; the evil is overwhelming; the depravity is appalling; and the pain is unimaginable.

                One day in the coffee shop I was telling a woman about the love of God; suddenly a man interjected.  He claimed that God was evil and then began quoting scriptures to support his opinion (he was extremely knowledgeable about the bible.)  He revealed that he had once been a Pastor; he had invited the Holy Spirit in to his heart and had been transformed.  At some point he lost faith; he turned away from his maker; he expelled the Spirit of the Lord from his life; and (I believe) he was immediately possessed by an evil spirit.  His life plummeted in to perversion and depravity; he was living with a woman he professed to be his wife; yet they were both engaging in sexual intercourse with other partners.  He had no job, and no car; he had begun to smoke cigarettes, and was not ashamed to tell me he was getting drunk every night.  The most disturbing phenomenon however, was that he was actively attempting to turn others away from their faith in Jesus Christ. 

                Many are knowingly, or unknowingly, possessed by evil entities.  When the Holy Spirit enters the heart, it expels every demon.  Yet not everyone continues in the Lord.  Many turn away from Him; they kick God out of their hearts and lives.  In turn, they spiral downward in to corruption and depravity.  If you believe, remain in the Lord and never let him go; allow him to protect you from evil spirits; may He always be your guide; may you never lose faith, and may He dwell in your heart forever.

                “Lord, may no demon ever live within us.  May our hearts be pure, and our minds always be satisfied with righteous things.  May we never blaspheme Your name; may we continually serve You in the Spirit.  We pray for those who have made the mistake of departing from Your presence.  May they come to repent and be cleansed of their evil ways.  We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.   

JESUS SPEAKING

            Then the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him.  And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.”  So he spoke this parable to them, saying:  “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?  And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing.  And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’  I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance” (Luke 15: 1-7.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                The religious leaders despised Jesus because he ate with sinners and social outcasts.  The priests and teachers of the law were absolutely obsessed with ritualistic purity.  Most avoided talking too, or even brushing up against those they deemed ungodly [The Jewish people customarily ate food in extremely intimate ways.  They shared cups and dipped bread in to communal bowls; eating supper meant sharing saliva; therefore they believed that whoever you dined with, you became one with.  In turn, sins were readily transferred from one person to another.  For example, they believed that eating with a prostitute made them prostitutes; eating with a murderer made them murderers.]  The Pharisees avoided fellowship with sinners. Jesus however saw them as God’s children; he fellowshipped with them; ate with them; and loved them; in turn many lost sheep did repent and receive salvation.

                One day a man approached me for help.  He had been a recovering alcoholic for years, but had fallen back in to his old lifestyle.  His clothes were ragged and he smelled rancid; he appeared sick and his hands were shaking badly.  I prayed with the man, bought him some food and gave him a bible; I also helped him enter a treatment center.  At one point I even had to drive his car.  When I approached the vehicle and opened the door, a plume of awful stench struck my nostrils.  He had been passing out in and urinating all over the front seat.  I didn’t want to endure the horrible smell; nor did I desire to sit in human waste.  But God spoke to my heart; I instantly understood that getting dirty was, and is, a necessary part of spreading the gospel.  I sat in that urine; I drove that car; and in turn, I reached a man for Jesus Christ.

                Jesus himself wasn’t afraid to get dirty.  He ate with, lived with, and reached out to sinners.  His most important mission was to save the lost; our mission is the same as his.  We shouldn’t be afraid of getting dirty; nor should we push sinners away; instead we must invite them in; we must embrace them and love them.  They are God’s children; they are His precious possession; they are the treasure; they are the prize.  No matter how filthy or evil a person might be, God never stops seeking them; He never gives up, and He never grows tired.  He is full of mercy and grace, and in Him all repentant sinners can find rest for their souls.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, may we always seek the lost.  May we never be afraid of getting dirty.  May all come to repentance and reconciliation.  Give us strength and wisdom to reach out to others.  Provide us with more of Your Holy Spirit.  May we have countless opportunities to testify of Your Son; that the world may know of Your gracious gift of salvation.  We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.”  God bless all of you.

JESUS SPEAKING

                “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.  Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for my sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Mathew 5: 10 – 12.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                From the time of the resurrection until today, true believers have always been verbally and physically persecuted for their faith.  Of the original 12 disciples, 11 were violently murdered, and the twelfth was imprisoned for life.  Throughout the centuries, the body of Christ has suffered affliction; millions have been martyred; many more have been discriminated against, despised, and socially ostracized.  Jesus said, “Remember the words I spoke to you: ‘No servant is greater than his master.’  If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.”  Because persecution is a sign of genuine obedience, many are able to take pleasure in adversity; in the midst of hardship the faithful are not without a sense of peace; for to endure pain for Christ is to experience great joy, and to suffer and die for him is to understand what it means to truly live.

                Throughout the fourth century, the Roman Empire was still actively persecuting professing Christians.  In the year 320 A.D. a group of believing soldiers from Rome’s twelfth legion paid the ultimate price for their faith.  The Emperor Licinius decreed that every Roman soldier was obligated to offer sacrifices to the pagan Gods.  Forty Christian men refused to obey his command; in turn, they were immediately ordered to disrobe; they were then marched naked on to a frozen lake.  They were informed that they could return to shore at any time, as long as they were willing to obey (the officers had even prepared hot baths for those who chose to relent.)  Freezing, the exposed soldiers huddled together and began to sing songs and to praise God (in their hour of suffering, they expressed overwhelming joy.)  One by one, they perished.  Sadly, a single solitary man did relent; but astonishingly another soldier who had been observing the spectacle was so moved by what he had seen that he instantly gave his life to Jesus Christ; he removed his clothes and walked out on to the ice to join his dying brothers.

                Persecution is a part of genuine faith.  Those who oppose God, will oppose those who follow Him.  Obedience can produce much suffering.  When we suffer for righteousness, we can rejoice and be glad knowing that we are serving the Living God.  We must take up our cross; we must speak the truth; we must love without question, and give without stipulation.  We must walk by faith and avoid compromise.  In so doing, God will strengthen us in the hour of our greatest need; He will comfort us; He will give us victory; and we will inherit the riches of His Eternal Kingdom.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, as we undergo trials we pray for strength; fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may rejoice in suffering and persecution.  May we always praise Your Name; in good times and in bad.  May we never compromise; may we never be conformed to the image of this world.  May we live for righteousness and may we die for virtue.  Father, we love You, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.