JESUS SPEAKING

               Therefore they said to him, “What sign will you perform then, that we may see it and believe you?  Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’”  Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven.  For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”  Then they said to him, “Lord give us this bread always.”  And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life.  He who comes to me shall never hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6: 30-35.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                After leaving Egypt in a mass exodus, the Israelites wandered around in the desert; they lacked the two most basic essentials for life; food and water.  God however, who had led them in to the wilderness provided for all of their needs.  The Lord made water spring from the dry, arid soil.  Also, every day, God sent down a strange dew from the sky that settled on the desert floor; the people were able to eat it and were filled (because the Israelites didn’t know what it was, they named it “manna,” which translated, means “what is it?”  Later it became known as ‘The bread from heaven.’)  Jesus referred to himself as the ‘bread from heaven;’ for he was sent to provide life to those who would receive him.  Each person in this world is wandering in a desert; everyone is thirsty; everyone hungers for spiritual sustenance.  Every man woman and child has a hole inside of them that can only be filled by God.  Most try to fill that hole with other things; drugs and alcohol, sex, careers, material possessions; yet such pleasures only satisfy for a moment; they are fleeting; they can never produce a lasting peace.  Jesus Christ however, can fill the empty space where God is meant to dwell; only he can provide eternal satisfaction and everlasting life.

                Before I became a Christian, I was hopelessly addicted to cigarettes.  I smoked first thing in the morning and before bed; I smoked before meals and after meals; I smoked in my car and in my house; I smoked everywhere (I often left the movie theatre halfway through the movie to have a cigarette.)  I was obsessed with nicotine products; I used them for comfort and security; one cigarette would bring me a momentary measure of peace; when that peace ran out, I had to smoke another; the serenity never lasted more than an hour; I was a slave to my addiction.  After receiving Jesus Christ, I found a lasting peace; a peace that was not fleeting.  The God shaped hole in my heart had been filled; I no longer needed to fill it with anything else.  The cigarettes began to lose their power over me.  Soon, I no longer needed them.  With God’s help, I was one day delivered from my nicotine addiction.

                Everyone has a God shaped hole inside of them that can only be filled by Jesus Christ.  Those who refuse to accept him will never know true peace.  Those who receive him, will be set free from their addictions and from the bondage of sin and death; their hearts and minds will be renewed and their lives will be transformed.  They will experience everlasting joy, and they will one day dwell in the house of the lord forever [If you have never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior and would like too, please contact me, and we can discuss how you can make that decision today.]        

                “Lord Heavenly Father, we desperately desire new life.  Fill our hearts with Your Holy Spirit.  May we receive Your Son and submit our lives to Your leading.  Help us to be fully committed to You; set us free from our vices and addictions.  Give us Your peace; the peace that surpasses all understanding; may we never again thirst or hunger for anything but You.  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 he said to them in His teaching, “Beware of the scribes, who desire to go around in long robes, love greetings in the marketplaces, the best seats in the synagogues, and the best places at feasts, who devour widows’ houses, and for a pretense make long prayers.  These will receive great condemnation” (Mark 12: 38-40.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

            Jesus warned his children to be wary of the Pharisees who had been abusing their positions of religious authority in order to amass large quantities of wealth.  Outwardly they appeared Godly; they wore the robes of holy men; they made long prayers in public for all to see; yet privately they would seize every opportunity to abuse those who were helpless.  Jesus said that they “devour(ed) widow’s houses.”  Widows were very easily exploited.  As a mandatory condition for marriage, a man had to build a house for his bride.  When the husband passed away, the wife would inherit the home.  With no source of income, widows would often be forced to sell their homes in order to survive.  Many of the religious Pharisees who outwardly claimed to be Godly would exploit the widow’s circumstances; paying far less for the property than it was actually worth.  Many, including these widows were victimized because they trusted in the outward appearance of Godliness.  Jesus warned that such vile individuals would one day be judged for their misdeeds.

            Many years ago, I was working as a sales representative for a tile company.  I had recently become a Christian, and the other employees were aware of my conversion.  Suddenly, in walked a man who was the Pastor of a world famous church located just up the street.  He and his wife made a small purchase; he then pulled around to the back to pick it up.  As I headed to the loading dock with the sales slip, one of my co-workers (who was not a Christian) contemptuously remarked, “Isn’t that your pastor friends car; the one that costs over a hundred thousand dollars?”  Sure enough; there it sat, washed and waxed; in all of its splendor.  I felt contempt, anger, and sadness in my heart; knowing that he had likely been using God’s name for his own personal profit.  [Concerning judgment, the words of Christ were eventually realized; a few years later, this man and his family lost everything.  His mega church, with all of its expensive buildings, statues, and complexes went bankrupt; the church dissolved in few short months, and the entire establishment was sold to another institution.]  

            In his earthly ministry, the Lord Jesus Christ staunchly warned his followers to avoid hypocrites; especially religious hypocrites who would seek to exploit others and to use God’s name for personal profit.  As Christians we are not to be deceived by the superficial appearance of Godliness.  Rather, we must test everyone to see if what they do is truly of God.  If what a pastor, a teacher, or a preacher says on stage is not synonymous with who they are in private, then it is likely that they are Pharisees and cannot be trusted.  

            “Lord Heavenly Father, please reveal to us any areas in our lives where we are being hypocritical, and help us to change.  May we always accurately represent You in every area of our lives.  May we be loving, giving, and caring, in public and in private.  Help us to recognize false teachers and religious hypocrites, that we may guide others away from them and toward You.  We love You Father, and we praise You, and we ask and we pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.

JESUS SPEAKING

            Now it happened, on a certain day, that he got into a boat with his disciples.  And he said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.”  And they launched out.  But as they sailed he fell asleep.  And a windstorm came down on the lake, and they were filling with water, and were in jeopardy.  And they came to him and awoke him, saying, “Master, Master, we are perishing!”  Then he arose and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water.  And they ceased, and there was a calm.  But he said to them, “Where is your faith?”  And they were afraid, and marveled, saying to one another, “Who can this be?  For he commands even the winds and water, and they obey him!” (Luke 8: 22-25.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

            The Sea of Galilee is the lowest (below sea level) freshwater lake in the world.  Because it is right next to the Mediterranean Sea, warm and cool air meet, creating fierce storms that arise almost instantaneously.  Jesus and his disciples were crossing this sea when a violent squall arose and threatened to capsize their vessel.  As the Lord peacefully slept in the back of the boat his disciples began to panic.  Fear had caused them to forget who was riding with them; neither could they recall that just moments earlier Jesus had said, “Let us cross over to the other side of the lake.”  After being roused from sleep the Lord calmed the wind and the waves and asked them, “Where is your faith?”  Fear and faith are natural enemies.  The presence of one often signals the absence of the other (and vice versa.)  People become fearful because they lose faith in the God who dwells within them; a God who will never leave them, nor forsake them.  As David wrote in Psalm 23, many years ago, “I shall fear no evil, for you are with me.”

            Some time ago, I had many interactions with a man who frequented the coffee shop where I studied.  He often appeared to be under a great deal of stress; he seemed fearful, upset, unsettled, and distracted.  One day, he leaned over to me and said, “Can you give a scripture, or something from the bible that will help me to remember that ‘God will never give me more than I can handle?’”  I recalled for him the story of Jesus calming the storm.  The disciples feared that they were going to capsize and drown, but God kept them from perishing.  I told the man that the size of the waves and the level of desperation were unimportant; rather what truly mattered was who he had in the boat with him.  I said that if Jesus was in his heart, he would always stay afloat.

            Today, our lives are like vessels floating on the sea.  Sometimes the seas are tranquil, and sometimes the seas are stormy; those who invite Jesus to accompany them on their journey will receive the promise; for the Lord has vowed that every true believer will make it to the other side.  No one traveling with the Son of God will slip beneath the waves.  He will calm the wind; He will still the seas; He will give you a “peace that surpasses all understanding.”  When you feel fear, remember His promises; and you will finish the race; you will keep the faith; and you will live, because the Lord is with you.

            “Lord Heavenly Father, we ask that Your Son would guide us; that he accompany us on our journey through life.  Protect us from the storms that might arise along the way; increase our faith; may we never fear knowing that You are with us.  Give us Your love, Your peace, and Your wisdom.  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.