Category: devotional

The Salt of the Earth

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

   “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it become salty again?  It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men” (Mathew 5: 13.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

   In ancient time’s salt was a very important commodity used to preserve meat; it was also a common ingredient included in many medicinal remedies.  And yet despite its numerous applications, salt was most often utilized to flavor foods; a tiny pinch and an otherwise bland dish would become rather tasty.  In this parable, Jesus likens every believer to salt; those who remain flavorful are those who continue to fulfill their primary purpose; these individuals consistently seek to serve their fellows, love others, and give to those in need.  Unfortunately, some who start out strong in the faith will eventually lose their saltiness and become self-centered and ungodly; the zeal that once drove them to accomplish good words fades away. If we begin serving ourselves and not others, our usefulness to God will become compromised.

   The statue of liberty is one of America’s most widely recognizable icons; an enduring symbol of freedom to all nations.  And yet ‘Lady Liberty’ has changed considerably over the years.  On the day of her dedication in 1886, her polished copper surface was a vibrant spectacle of orange and bronze; a truly marvelous sight to behold.  However, when copper interacts with the atmosphere it corrodes; and over time, her shiny exterior has grown dull, muted, and green.  The Statue of Liberty is still a magnificent example of ingenuity and craftsmanship; and yet she is no longer as magnificent as she was on the day of her dedication.

  Similarly, numerous Christians dedicate themselves to Jesus Christ, and initially they shine quite brilliantly.  Their zeal for what is good and their desire to spread the gospel is unparalleled.  As they serve, the love of The Lord is manifest in them; drawing others toward God.  Sadly however, over time, as other things displace their faith, selfishness arises; reigning in their hearts.  They become dull and muted; incapable of being used to accomplish God’s work.  May we never grow dull; may we continually put the Lord first in everything we do; and may we tirelessly strive to accomplish His will in this world.

   “Heavenly Father, fill us with Your Holy Spirit and give us opportunities to lovingly serve others.  We yearn to be pleasing to You in all things; that you might use us to further Your Kingdom.  May we always be zealous and flavorful; and may we never grow dull.  If we have turned from Your path, convict us and correct us.  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!

Tithing

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

   And Jesus sat across from the treasury, and observed the people throwing their money into the treasury.  And many who were rich cast in much.  And there approached a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which makes a farthing.  And he called his disciples to Himself and said to them, “Truly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in much more than everyone who has given to the treasury; for they cast in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in all that she had, her whole livelihood” (Mark 12: 41 – 44.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

  Generosity is an essential tenant of the Christian faith.  God has commanded every follower to use their resources to bless others.  Giving to God what belongs to Him is known as tithing; a tithe is an offering of the first fruits of one’s increase; for example, a person who earns $100 dollars is instructed to give $10 dollars to the church; or in many cases, to use it as charity in the lives of the less fortunate. In this scripture, as Jesus watched the money box, he observed many wealthy individuals putting in huge sums of money; yet along came a poor widow who couldn’t afford to tithe, and still she gave what she had; she gave when she couldn’t; she gave when it hurt. Still she trusted in the Lord, and in turn, Jesus honored her sacrifice above all others.  [Note: Although ten percent is customary, the more we give, the greater the blessings we will inherit.] 

   Despite giving larger quantities of money, many of the wealthiest people in America are actually the least charitable, proportionately (this is not always the case; some wealthy people do give quite generously.)  However, a study published in Newsweek found that ‘most church members give far less than 10 percent;’ most actually give under 2 percent.  ‘Further, it seems that the poor give a far greater portion of their income than the rich.  Actually, families that earned $10,000 dollars gave 5.5 per cent of their income to charity.  Families that earned between $50,000, and 60,000 dollars gave only 1.7 per cent of their earnings.’  It seems that the poor are often, but not always, the most generous givers.

  Giving when it hurts is not always easy; nor is it completely logical; but it is praiseworthy.  When we give from our abundance we honor God; when we give from our poverty we learn to completely trust in Him.  The blessings of faithful charity are abundant; those who give in love, receive the gifts of the Spirit; as they draw nearer to God they experience peace, faith, and hope; the generous inherit an eternal possession that can never be taken away.  May we give when we can, and practice charity even when it hurts; and may God honor our sacrifices.

  “Lord Heavenly Father, we desire to honor You with our possessions.  Help us to give to those in need; may we tithe continuously and may we receive the blessings of our faithful generosity.  We trust You Lord; help us to never withhold any of our resources from You.  May we give when we can, and may we give when it hurts.  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!

Complete Forgiveness

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

    “Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you, rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him. And if he sins against you seven times in a day and seven times in a day returns to you, saying, ‘I repent,’ you shall forgive him” (Luke 17: 3-4.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

    Withholding forgiveness from others is dangerous; for the Lord has said, “if you do not forgive, your Father in heaven will not forgive your sins.” Jesus uses a ‘seven’ to describe the number of times a disciple is obligated to forgive others. In the Hebrew culture, numbers carried very profound symbolic significance; the number seven represents completion; in turn, the obligation to forgive is limitless, infinite, or complete. Since the fall of creation, until the present day, men and women have fervently sought God’s forgiveness; none whose hearts were sincere have ever been denied (for God is incredibly merciful.) We are also called to be like God; and so we must forgive without exception.
    One day a group of missionaries and local Christians gathered together in New Guinea to share communion and to fellowship. As they sat down, one of the older missionaries noticed another man’s fleeting expression of horror and disgust; which was quickly replaced with an expression of peace. The missionary whispered to his friend, “What was it that troubled you?” He replied, “The man who just came in to share communion, murdered my Father; for a moment I didn’t think that I could handle it. But then I realized that he has been washed and forgiven by the same precious blood.” The men then shared communion together, in love.
     To what extent should we forgive others? Jesus has taught us to forgive without stipulation or condition. We, who have been forgiven so much, have no right to withhold forgiveness from others. Search your heart; if you find hatred discard it; if you discover resentment let it go. Forgive those who have harmed you and bless them and pray for them. Allow the Holy Spirit to help you, and your anger will ‘give way’ to peace, and your bitterness will turn to joy.
    “Lord Heavenly Father, forgive us of our sins. May we be like You; may we sincerely forgive others. If we have refused to forgive anyone, please reveal it to us now. If we harbor anger or resentment of any kind, expose it; fill our hearts with mercy, that we might better serve You, and worthily magnify Your Holy name. 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!