Month: November 2024

The Danger of Idolatry

~ servantone1 ~ 1 Comment

JESUS SPEAKING

        “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothing. But woe to those who are pregnant and nursing babies in those days. And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been seen since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be” (Matthew 24: 15 – 21.)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

        Throughout Christ’s ministry he spoke of a day when great destruction and tribulation would befall the nation of Israel, and the world; (the prophet Daniel also spoke of such a day.) In the future there will be an unmistakable sign preceding the tribulation of all nations. This sign will appear within the reconstructed temple itself. An evil man will erect an object, image, or shrine in the ‘Holy of Holy’s;’ an abomination that many will come to worship in the place of God. Deep within the heart of every human being, there is a position of absolute supremacy reserved for what every person loves the most. When the Lord occupies this place all is well.. However, those who put other things in this position are guilty of idolatry; a sin that often precedes some manner of destruction.

        In the Old Testament there lived a rich and powerful ruler named Belshazzar who dwelt within the seemingly impenetrable city of Babylon (the walls of this city were rumored to be 300 feet high and 80 feet thick.) His Father Nebuchadnezzar had sacked Jerusalem decades earlier, stealing the gold and silver artifacts from within the Jewish temple. These relics sat inside of the Babylonian treasury for years, until one evening Belshazzar held a great feast. We read, “Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple […] and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them; they drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone” (Daniel 5: 3 – 4). Belshazzar worshiped precious metals rather than the living God. That night a haunting vision appeared before him. The king asked Daniel the prophet to interpret its meaning. Daniel prophesied saying “And you have praised the gods of silver and gold […] and the God who holds your breath in his hand and owns all of your ways you have not glorified […] Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” The sentence for his idolatry was carried out that very night; an invading army conquered the city and killed King Belshazzar. [Note: From the historical accounts it is believed that a giant river flowed through the city of Babylon. While Belshazzar was feasting, the Persian King Darius used a dam to divert the flow of the mighty river; his army then cleverly followed the dry riverbed under the giant walls, and conquered the vibrant metropolis in a single night.]

        Idolatry is dangerous and inevitably leads to destruction. Those who desire preservation must avoid putting anything in the place of God. The Lord must come first; before money, a career, a relationship, a business, or a hobby, etc. When we elevate God into His rightful position in our hearts, then we are truly free; when He is the most important person in our lives, then everything falls into place. Love God and you will find peace; put Him first and you will experience everlasting life; for “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

        “Lord Heavenly Father, may we love You with our whole hearts. May we always worship You in Spirit and in truth, and may we never forsake Your ways. If any form of idolatry has entered our lives, may You uproot it and cast it into the sea. May we be purified, and once again comprehend the goodness of humility and faith. 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.!

Transparency

~ servantone1 ~ Leave a comment

JESUS SPEAKING

The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples and His doctrine. “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet, and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you ask Me? Ask those who have heard Me what I said to them. Indeed they know what I said.” (John 19: 20 – 21)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

After being arrested, Jesus was interrogated by the religious leaders who sought to discover some hidden sin in His teachings by which He might be condemned. In response, Jesus reminded them that He had always taught publicly; proclaiming the truth with complete transparency. Rather than trying to keep His doctrines hidden, He made Himself available for public examination and scrutiny.

Shortly after marrying my wife, we decided to implement an important policy in our relationship that would promote healthy transparency. We agreed that our phones and computers would remain open and available for inspection at any time upon request. My wife can view my internet history or my text messages without enduring any contempt or anger from me; and vice versa. In such a way we are accountable to one another, and nothing is relegated to secrecy. This type of transparency should exist within every Christian ministry, relationship, and congregation.

All Christians are called to a higher level of transparency and honesty. After all, we are called to follow the example of our Lord and Savior who was completely transparent and honest. There is no need to keep righteousness and truth hidden. Anything that we believe must remain secret, almost always contains some manner of sin. May we remain committed to honesty and integrity, in keeping with the teachings of our Lord.

“Lord Heavenly Father, fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we may remain devoted to speaking the truth in love. May we be zealous for Your word and strive to communicate the message of salvation to all those we meet. Watch over us and protect us in this endeavor. We love You Father, we thank You, and we praise 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!

Why We Love Others

~ servantone1 ~ Leave a comment

JESUS SPEAKS

“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)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

According to Jesus, loving and serving others is equivalent to loving and serving God Himself. When we feed the hungry, we are feeding the Lord; when we visit the sick, we are visiting the living God. Because we share Christ’s heart, we can avoid being cruel and focus on loving our fellows. This supernatural affection is the product of our genuine faith. Words can be deceptive; but actions rarely lie.

Superman is one of the most well known comic book characters of all time. He is essentially invulnerable to physical harm. And yet his relationship with his parents (who are weak) renders him susceptible to pain and heartache. Thus his enemies remain fixated on discovering his identity so that they might harm his loved ones and make him suffer. Similarly, the One True and Living God is all powerful and cannot be diminished, defeated, or harmed in any way; in turn Satan attacks those He loves; tempting mankind to sin, which leads them into suffering and pain; this grieves the Spirit of the Lord. For this reason all genuine Christians seek to spread the gospel and to provide for those in need; because this is pleasing to God.

If we truly share God’s heart then we will strive to love and to serve others. May we show compassion as we seek to provide for those in need. As we reach out to the lost, may we speak the truth without compromise, knowing that every kind act we accomplish is a display of God’s genuine affection for mankind. May all those we meet feel the love of God and be drawn toward Your Son and the joy of eternal salvation.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we thank you for Your unmerited provision and kindness. As we walk through this world may we love others with Your heart and see them through Your eyes. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we might better accomplish Your will at all times. 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!