JESUS SPEAKING

                And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, “The Teacher has come and is calling for you.”  As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.  Now Jesus had not yet come into the town, but was in the place where Martha met Him. Then the Jews who were with her in the house, and comforting her, when they saw that Mary rose up quickly and went out, followed her, saying, “She is going to the tomb to weep there.”  Then, when Mary came where Jesus was, and saw Him, she fell down at His feet, saying to Him, “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.”  Therefore, when Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her weeping, He groaned in the spirit and was troubled.  And He said, “Where have you laid him?”  They said to Him, “Lord, come and see.”  Jesus wept. Then the Jews said, “See how He loved him!”  And some of them said, “Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?” (John 11: 28-37.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS   

                Many days earlier, Mary and Martha sent word to Jesus that their brother Lazarus had taken ill and was in grave danger.  Despite his great love for Mary and her family, Jesus did not set out for Bethany until Lazarus had been dead for four days; (he purposefully allowed Lazarus to die so he could raise him from the dead.)  When Jesus arrived Mary and Martha were weeping over the loss of their brother.  Jesus was filled with compassion and empathy; his heart was grieved and he began to weep with them.  His tears were not shed for Lazarus (for he knew that he would soon be resurrected); instead, Jesus cried because he shared the pain of those who mourned.  Concerning compassion, God has no equal; He is filled with it.  Compassion is defined as “a feeling of deep sympathy and sorrow for another who is stricken by misfortune, accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate their suffering.”

                One day I happened by a man named Eric.  He was sitting outside of a coffee shop, slouching in a chair; he looked more dead than alive.  His skin was pale and clammy and he was sweating profusely.  His clothes were ragged and he badly needed a shower.  I saw his pain and my heart was moved with compassion.  I sat down and began to talk with him.  He informed me that he was withdrawing from heroine and was very sick.  I took him out to eat and gave him some clean clothes.  I also spent some time ministering to him.  Later, as his condition worsened, I took him to the hospital.  I sat with him in the emergency room for hours; I accompanied him in to see the doctor.  He was treated and released.  Before dropping Eric off, I bought him his needed prescription, and made sure he had enough food for the evening.  Nearly a year later, Eric showed up at the coffee shop to say hello.  He told me that after our interaction, he had nearly died and was hospitalized for an extended period of time.  He thanked me for my efforts, and said that without my assistance, he might not be alive.  He was grateful that (“even when his friends had abandoned him”) someone had cared enough to help.  Although Eric thanked me, I reminded him that it was God who deserved the credit; for it was God who had filled my heart with compassion; and in turn; it was the Lord who had moved me to action.  Without God’s Spirit, mercy, and love, I would have kept walking, just like everyone else.

                Jesus Christ is filled with compassion; his followers share his emotions, concerns, and cares.  In turn, he moves human beings to great acts of kindness and mercy.  The closer to God we grow, the more compassion we feel for those who are hurting.  God carries the wounds of the world around with Him every day.   When a person is beaten, the Lord feels every strike.  When someone is sick, our Father feels their pain.  When an individual is hurting, God inspires others to comfort them.  Wherever mercy and love abound, the Spirit of God is at work.  Where there is indifference and a lack of compassion, there is an absence of God within the human heart.  There are so many broken people in this world who need to be loved; the Godless and indifferent pass by the afflicted without stopping to consider them; yet there are many who are compelled by the Holy Spirit to act.  May God’s compassion lead you to action; may you feel what God feels; may you see with His eyes; may you be filled with mercy, and may God use you to relieve the suffering of others.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, we desire to know You and to be filled with compassion.  Inspire us, that our hearts may be sensitive to those who are hurting.  Give us the strength to be kind to those who are in need.  May we love our families, our friends, and even our fellows.  May we be used to express Your mercy to those who need to know that there is a God who loves them.  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

                “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.