Author: servantone1

Gratitude

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING
                Now it happened as he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee.  Then he entered a certain village, there met him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off.  And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, master, have mercy on us.”  So when he saw them, he said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the preists.”  And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.  And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell down on his face, at his feet, giving him thanks.  And he was a Samaritan.  So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed?  But where are the nine?  Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?”  And he said to him, “Arise, go your way.  Your faith has made you well” (Luke 17: 11 – 19.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                Jesus healed ten lepers physically; yet just one leper was healed spiritually.  Only the Samaritan’s heart had been fully restored.  Filled with thankfulness and true appreciation, he returned to the messiah to worship and glorify the one True and Living God.  Often the greatest indicator of genuine faith is gratitude.  Most who have been healed spiritually (and physically), cling to Jesus; they make him the foundation upon which they build their lives.  Those whose hearts have been mended are continually filled with love for God; a love that is expressed through prayers of thanksgiving, songs of worship, acts of kindness, daily bible reading, and obedience to the teachings of Jesus Christ.

                Many years ago, before God performed a miracle in my heart, I was the resident of two mental institutions.  Daily I contemplated suicide, and attempted it on one occasion (but the attempt failed.) For years I was a slave to drugs and alcohol, cigarettes, fornication, and every manner of evil readily available to me (In scripture, Jesus healed a man possessed by demons; the man had been cutting himself; I too had been cutting myself and burning my skin with lit cigarettes.)  When I finally met Jesus Christ, he cast out the demons that dwelled within me.  My mind, my body, and my soul were healed.  Today, my heart is filled with peace and love; love for God; love for others; and love for myself.  The Holy Spirit lives in me; in Christ, I am a completely new creation.  Having received a miracle, I return to the Lord every day to thank Him.  I speak to Him in prayer; I read His word; I live out His commandments, and obey His teachings.  As is the duty of every Christian, I also make an effort to spread the message to others; that they too might be healed and receive the Spirit of God.

                Has the Lord done a work of healing in you?  Have you been transformed by the Spirit of the Living God?  If Jesus Christ has touched your life, then may gratitude pour from your heart.  May you give God glory, and honor, and praise.  Obey His commandments and love your fellows.  Read His word and offer up prayers of thanksgiving.  Reach out to those who are in bondage; tell them about the wonderful miracle that the Lord has performed in your life.  May God guide you; may He continue to sanctify you, and may His peace never leave you; from this day forward, until the day of His return [Note:  If you have never experienced the miracle of salvation, contact me; I would love to discuss how you might do that today.]

                “Lord Heavenly Father, we thank You for all of Your wonderful works, and for the gift of salvation.  You have transformed us; You have healed us; You have given us new lives.  May we remain ever grateful; may love rule in our hearts and minds; and may we continually praise, honor, and worship Your Holy name.  Father, we love You, we thank You, and we praise You; and we ask and pray all of these things in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.”  God bless all of you.

Help Wanted

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

                Then Jesus went around to all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.  But when he saw the multitudes, he was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep without a shepherd.  Then he spoke to his disciples saying, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Mathew 9: 35 – 38.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                Vast numbers of people had traveled great distances to be healed, to see miracles, and to hear Jesus speak.  As he looked upon the sea of lost and broken souls, his heart swelled with compassion.  These men and women, having been denied the truth for so long, had become spiritually malnourished.  Many weary souls eagerly devoured the gospel; and with it they received salvation through faith in God’s only Son.  Jesus, realizing the enormous task that lay ahead, instructed his disciples to pray that the Father would send more workers in to the fields; that countless others might be delivered from death.

                Many in the world today are unfamiliar with agricultural practices; yet during the time of Christ, farming was a close and intimate part of daily life.  Modern farmers often utilize large machines to gather their crops; ancient farmers however, had to harvest their wheat by hand.  When the grain had ripened, nearly every member of the household was needed to aid in collecting the produce.  Often even an entire family wasn’t enough; farmers would then hire seasonal laborers to assist them in accomplishing their goals [Note:  A proper harvest was such an essential part of first century living, that even warring armies would call a truce during the reaping season; the soldiers could return home to work in the fields; when the harvest had concluded, the men would resume their armed conflicts.]

                Today, there are billions of lost souls wandering the earth; seemingly unaware that God has sent His only Son that they might have eternal life.  Those who believe and receive the message are in turn called to be messengers.  True Christians must share in the labors of Jesus Christ, by delivering the gospel to those who are starving for truth.  The fields are vast, the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few.  We must pray to God to send more workers to aid in gathering up His crop.  As you labor for Christ, may compassion fill your heart; may love reign in your soul; and may God use you to convey His message to those who are in need.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, may we share in Your labors; may we be filled with mercy and love; may we continually seek to deliver the gospel message to those who are perishing.  We pray that You would send more workers in to the fields; that Your harvest might be plentiful.  May the lost be found, may sinners repent, and may salvation be received by those who believe.  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.

Being impartial

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

                Now the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him.  And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination to God” (Luke 16: 14-15.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                What the world considers valuable and what God considers valuable are often in direct opposition.  Most esteem beauty, wealth, fame, power, and intellect above Godliness, compassion, love, humility, and genuine mercy.  The Pharisees (religious leaders) hearts were wicked; they demonstrated extreme partiality toward the powerful, wealthy, affluent, and well-educated.  Jesus however, fellowshipped with repentant prostitutes and tax collectors; he reached out to the lame, and befriended many outcasts.  He refrained from showing any form of ungodly partiality; rather, he continually honored and esteemed only those things God deemed worthy.

                In the Old Testament, we read of a time when it became necessary to anoint a new king to rule over the nation of Israel.  The Lord commanded the prophet Samuel to travel to Bethlehem, where he was instructed to choose a king from among the Sons of Jesse.  Upon arriving, Samuel laid eyes upon Eliab (one of the eldest sons); Eliab was mature, healthy, and strong.  The prophet, being mislead by worldly values, proclaimed, “Surely the Lord’s anointed is before him!”  God replied to Samuel, saying, “Do not look at his appearance or his physical stature, because I have refused him, for the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”  After God had rejected seven of Jesse’s eldest sons, it appeared there were none left.  Samuel asked if all his Sons were present; Jesse replied, “Well there remains yet the youngest, and there he is, keeping the sheep.”  When David, the youngest and weakest of Jesse’s son’s appeared, God said, “Arise and anoint him, for this is the one.”  [In time it became clear why God chose David; he was wise and loved God with his whole heart; his faith remained unshakable and his courage unfading.]

                In all cultures it is common to show partiality toward those who are wealthy, good looking, and affluent; yet to highly esteem such attributes is to oppose God.  The apostle James wrote, “For if there should come in to your assembly a man with Gold rings [and also] a poor man in filthy clothes, and you pay attention to the one wearing fine clothes and say to him, “You sit here in a good place,” and say to the poor man, “You stand there,” or “Sit at my footstool,” have you not shown partiality among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?”  Therefore, every true believer must make an effort to avoid valuing worldly things.  With God’s help, we can be impartial; we can see through His eyes; we can become lovers of truth; men and women who adore kindness, cherish compassion, and embrace mercy.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, guide us, and lead us in to the paths of righteousness.  Give us clean hearts, that we might avoid partiality, and love what is truly good.  May we turn away from worldly pursuits, and walk in Your ways; may we love what You love; may we value what You value; and may we live as You have lived.  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.