Archive for January, 2022

The Least of These

JESUS SPEAKING

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'” (Matthew 25: 31 – 40)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

When Jesus returns, He will establish His perfect Kingdom upon the Earth. Those who have been obedient will inherit everlasting life; whereas the disobedient will experience eternal judgement. In this scripture Christ establishes a remarkable truth. When we feed the hungry, give water to the thirsty, show hospitality toward strangers, clothe the naked, and visit those who are sick and in prison, we are exhibiting a genuine love for God. Acts of kindness toward others are equivalent to the displays of affection we direct toward Jesus Christ Himself. In short, serving others and serving God are identical. The degree of love we exhibit toward others is an exact reflection of our love for God.

Concerning affection, a little boy once declared that he loved his mother “with all his strength.” He was asked to explain what he meant by “with all his strength.” He said: “Well, I’ll tell you. You see, we live on the fourth floor of this tenement; and there’s no elevator, and the coal is kept down in the basement. Mother is busy all the time, and she isn’t very strong; so I see to it that the coal hold is never empty. I lug the coal up four flights of stairs all by myself. And it’s a pretty big hold. It takes all my strength to get it up here. Now isn’t that loving my mother with all my strength?”

This little boy’s affection for his mother was remarkable. Similarly, we as believers possess a monumental adoration for our Eternal Father. When we love God with all our strength, we will love and serve others in a similar manner. Today there are endless opportunities to serve The Lord, by simply serving and providing for the needs of our fellows. We can serve our families, our friends, our coworkers, our acquaintances, and even complete strangers. In so doing, the presence of God will be revealed in us, and the light of Christ will shine forth for all to see.

“Lord Heavenly Father, You are an awesome and amazing God; worthy of all honor and glory. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we might love You with all our strength and remain obedient to Your will. May we serve You by serving our fellows; knowing that our love for them is equivalent to our love for You. We cherish You Lord, we praise You, and we thank You; and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name we pray. Amen.” God bless all of you!

Miracles Happen

JESUS SPEAKING

‘As He went of Jericho with His disciples and a great multitude, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the road begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” So Jesus stood still and commanded him to be called. Then they called the blind man, saying to him, “Be of good cheer. Rise, He is calling you.” And throwing aside his garment, he rose and came to Jesus. So Jesus answered and said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to Him, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.” And immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus on the road. (Mark 10: 46 – 52.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

As Jesus journeyed along a road, a blind man began calling out to him; a lowly beggar who possessed great faith. Jesus responded by healing him. In an instant his eyes were restored; once again permitting him to see the world. With his vision renewed, how did he respond? He didn’t use his eyes to run away, to return home, or to chase after some selfish pursuit. Instead we read that he followed Jesus down the road. Supernatural events and miraculous healings most often serve a singular purpose; to allow those who have been healed to follow Jesus Christ more precisely.

Today, the Mayo Clinic, which is located in Rochester Minnesota, is one of the largest and most respected medical facilities in the entire world. Interestingly enough, this massive hospital began as a private practice in 1864; founded by a family doctor named William Worall Mayo. His two sons, who were also physicians, would eventually take control of the clinic; prompting it to increase in size and prestige over the course of several decades. “The Mayo Brothers,” as they are commonly referred to today, were experts in healthcare and conscientious observers of the process of disease, sickness, and death. One of the brothers, named William Mayo Jr. was once quoted as saying, “I have seen patients that were dead by all standards. We knew they could not live. But I have seen a minister come to the bedside and do something for him that I could not do, although I have done everything in my professional power. But something touched some immortal spark in him and in defiance of medical knowledge and materialistic common sense, that patient lived!”

Miracles are not a thing of the past; instead, they are a blessing in our present day. These supernatural events are happening all around us every day; in and through the lives of those who are faithful. God alone possesses the power over sickness and death; there is no disease He can’t heal, and no sickness He cannot eradicate. As we journey through this life, may the Spirit of the Living God dwell within us. May we be used as vessels for healing and transformation. May we remain steadfast; that our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ might never waiver.

“Lord Heavenly Father, only you are righteous and just and true. We know you are still healing those who are broken, and we admire Your wonderful works without ceasing. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we may remain faithful; use us to accomplish Your will in this place, as we bring healing to the sick and hope to those who are hopeless. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen!” God bless all of you.

Actions Matter

JESUS SPEAKING

    “But what do you think?  A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, ‘Son, go work today in my vineyard.’  He answered and said, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he regretted it and went.  Then he came to the second and said likewise.  And he answered and said, ‘I go, sir’ but he did not go.  Which of the two did the will of his Father?”  They said to him, “The first.”  Jesus said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that the tax collectors and the harlots enter the kingdom of God before you” (Matthew 21: 28-31.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

    There are two kinds of people; those who do and those who don’t.  Despite their many years of biblical study, the priests and religious leaders had failed to obey God; they preached about righteousness but were unsuccessful in achieving it.  They confused knowledge with wisdom (knowledge is the comprehension of truth; whereas wisdom is the application of it.)  While the intelligent were refusing to be obedient, many prostitutes and tax collectors were receiving salvation.  These social outcasts possessed very little knowledge of scripture; yet what little they did possess, they chose to apply.  The gospel is not just a thought or a good intention; it is an action.

   In the spring of 1862 a confederate Major General named ‘Stonewall Jackson’ fought a famous military campaign in a valley near the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  His tactics were unorthodox and his troop movements unpredictable (he utilized speed and stealth to attack his union counterparts.)  Concerning speed, he reportedly marched his 17,000 men nearly ‘646 miles in 48 days’ (approximately 13 miles a day.)  Traveling at this furious pace, they met many natural obstacles (such as hills and streams.)  At one point, they encountered a river too treacherous to cross.  Jackson told his engineers to draw up plans for a bridge; he then summoned his wagon master and informed him that they urgently needed to cross the river.  The wagon master began to gather together every rock, fence rail, and log he could find; before sunrise the next day, the wagon master approached General Jackson and said, ‘The artillery and wagons have crossed the river sir.’  General Jackson replied, ‘Where are the engineers, and what are they doing?’  The wagon master replied, ‘they are in their tent, drawing up the plans for the bridge.’

    Knowledge is useless unless it is implemented to accomplish a task.  We are called to be ‘doers of the word, and not hearers only.’  The Christian life is a life of action.  When God commands us to love our enemies, we must love them.  When He instructs us to give to the poor and needy, we must open our wallets (and purses.)  When we are directed to pray for those who persecute us, we must drop to our knees.  Keep the commandments of God and you will be blessed; obey Him and you will experience peace; follow Him and you will know joy; eternal joy; everlasting joy; joy without end.

“Lord Heavenly Father, give us the strength to live out Your commandments.  May we receive Your words and accomplish them.  May we be ‘doers of Your word and not hearers only;’ may our actions bring others to repentance, and may we love our neighbors without restraint or indignation.  We love You Father, and we praise You and we thank You; and we ask and pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you!


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