Category: Jesus Speaks

Faith is Meant to Grow

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

   Now as they heard these things, He spoke another parable, because He was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.  Therefore, He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.  So, he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’  But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’  “And so, it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.  The first one came and said, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’  He said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, you are given authority over ten cities.’  And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’ Likewise, he said to him, ‘You also will rule over five cities.’  “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief; for I feared you, because you are a stern man.  You collect what you did not deposit and reap what you did not sow.’  In turn he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant.  You knew that I was a stern man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.  Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’  “And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’  But they said to him, ‘Master, he already has ten minas.’”  He replied, ‘I say to you, that to everyone who has, more will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.  But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me’” (Luke 19: 11-27.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

   Contrary to the beliefs of many who followed him, Jesus had no intention of immediately setting up God’s kingdom upon the earth.  He used a parable to express his impending departure, and eventual return.  A parable is a short story designed to make listeners think; through thoughtful contemplation, they can discover the deeper spiritual truths.  Every parable has characters, and every character represents a real-life counterpart.  In this parable, the nobleman who went into a far country to become king symbolizes Jesus, who ascended into heaven and now reigns with divine authority.  Like the nobleman, he also promised to return.  The rebellious citizens who hated the nobleman, exemplify all those who have refused to accept Jesus Christ as their messiah.  The faithful servants he gathered together before his departure were his disciples/followers.  In the parable, he gives them each a different amount of money.  The money represents the measure of faith Christ has given to every believer.  One day the Lord will return and call together his servants; and each one will have to give an account of his (her) stewardship.  In this parable, there were two servants who increased what they had been given; they represent those who have put their faith to work; they have done good deeds, served others, and have attempted to spread the gospel message.  Those who do the same will receive great riches when Christ returns.  However, the unjust steward did nothing with his faith.  When the king returned, the unwise servant was stripped of his possessions and numbered with the transgressors.  Every believer receives a measure of faith; and Jesus expects great things from his followers; those who have been faithful can expect to inherit eternal life.  Those who have selfishly squandered what they have been given are headed for destruction.

     The surface of the earth is covered in garment of green.  Aside from bushes and grass, there are thousands of different kinds of trees; and every tree is unique and remarkable.  However, there is one tree that never fails to inspire awe and wonder; that tree is the mighty redwood.  These behemoths can tower to heights of over 300 feet; their trunks can reach widths of 20 – 26 feet (…wide enough to drive a car through.)  Currently, the tallest living redwood is recorded to be 379 feet tall; over ‘70 feet taller than the Statue of Liberty.’  The oldest living redwood is believed to be 3,500 years old; it was born while Moses was leading his people out of Egypt.  These trees are so large in fact, that it can be difficult to imagine their humble beginnings.  A redwood seed is just 1mm wide (or 0.0393700787 of an inch.)  Like these mighty coniferous monsters, every living thing comes from a small seed.  Some seeds grow up to be large, and others remain small; but one thing can never be debated; every seed is designed to grow.  Faith is a seed planted in the hearts of men and women by the hand of God.  If that seed doesn’t grow, it has failed to accomplish its purpose. 

   Every believer has received a measure of faith; a small seed that must grow; as it grows, the lives of the faithful blossom with it; increased faith means increased kindness, increased obedience, and increased service to God and to others.  When our King returns he will be looking for more than just the seed he planted; he will be looking for a mighty tree; a towering example of divine love in the midst of a dark and desolate forest.  Do not be an unwise servant who tucks away what God has given you.  Instead, allow the faith of God to grow within you.  Push forward, onward, and upward; may you grow with God; may your good works increase; may others come to know Jesus Christ because they have seen your life; and may you receive the eternal blessings of our great king and mighty God.

     “Lord Heavenly Father, we desperately desire for You to increase our faith.  Help us to grow in Your likeness; help us to do astonishing and mighty works for You.  Give us the direction, encouragement, and strength we need to accomplish Your will.  Without You we can do nothing; help us to remain faithful servants; men and woman who are ready to bring You a great increase.  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!

Continue Praying

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

     And he said to them, “Which of you shall have a friend, and go to him at midnight and say to him, ‘Please, lend me three loaves; ‘for a friend of mine has come to me on his journey, and I have nothing to set before him’; and he will answer from within and say, ‘Do not trouble me; the door is shut, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot rise and give to you’? I say to you, though he will not rise and give to him because he is his friend, but because of his persistence he will rise and give him as many as he needs. So I say to you ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Luke 11: 5-10.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

     In Middle Eastern culture, welcoming visitors in to your home meant providing for all of their needs. Guests were given food, shelter, and protection. Failure to do so was considered a great disgrace. In this parable, a tired and wearied traveler arrived at his friend’s home late in the evening. The host, lacking the proper sustenance, approached his neighbor, hoping to acquire some food. The sleeping man, irritated by the untimely appeal, denied his initial request. However, the neighbor’s persistence eventually paid off. In this parable, the request for food is a reference to prayer. The unrelenting neighbor symbolizes those who pray without ceasing; and the man who supplied the food represents God, who enjoys and rewards those who tirelessly continue in prayer.
     At the age of 23 an inquisitive youth from Gloucester, spied an advertisement in a Boston newspaper that read, “Wanted: young man as an understudy to a financial statistician. P.O. Box 1720.” He responded to the ad by way of letter; but he received no reply. He wrote a second letter, and then a third; still no reply. So he made his way down to the post office and requested the name of the owner of Box 1720; but the clerk refused. He then met with the Postmaster, but he too refused (claiming it was illegal to provide him with that information.) The young man remained determined; he arose early in the morning, hopped on the first train to Boston, and entered the post office. He stood patiently with his eyes fixed on box 1720. After quite some time, a man appeared; he opened the box, grabbed the mail and left. The young man followed him to his brokerage firm; he entered and asked to speak to the manager. He told the manager that he had written three letters, before going to the post office where he was refused any further information. The manager asked, “But how did you find out that I was the advertiser?” The youth replied, “I stood in the lobby of the post office for several hours, watching Box 1720. When the man came in and took the mail from the box, I followed him here.” The manager said, “Young man, you are just the kind of persistent fellow I want. You’re hired.”
     Similarly, God rewards those who are persistent in prayer. All too often, our prayers are erratic and inconsistent. Although we make our requests known to God, we frequently get discouraged when He doesn’t answer them immediately. In turn, many simply stop asking. If we have need of something, we must relentlessly make our requests known to God. We may not receive the blessing on the 1st day, the 10th day, or even the 100th day; but if we are persistent, it will come. We must never stop asking, never stop seeking, and never stop knocking. God is listening; and He is willing and able to give us the desires of our heart.
     “Lord Heavenly Father, hear our prayers. We stand at the door and knock; we will not relent until You bless us. May we remain persistent in our prayers; may we be graced with patience and the strength to endure. Transform our hearts and minds; provide for our needs; and fill us with the fullness of Your mercy and love. We adore 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.

A Difficult Question

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

      “If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both me and my father” (John 15: 22 – 24.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

      Jesus Christ preached throughout Israel for nearly three years before being crucified. He preached in the cities; in the wilderness; in the temple; in homes and on street corners; passing the message along to every capable Israelite. He became so well known that he had to travel from place to place by boat; to avoid being thronged by the crowds. Yet, despite seeing the miracles and hearing God’s message of repentance and forgiveness, many rejected him. Others chose to avoid hearing him all together; willfully embracing ignorance. Still, voluntary ignorance is the same as complete rejection; and therefore, not an acceptable excuse. On the contrary, those who were never made aware of the message, for whatever reason, are not under condemnation.
      During my many years of evangelism, I have interacted with numerous skeptics, agnostics, and atheists, who have used a common question to challenge God’s perfect justice: “If you can’t get to heaven without accepting Jesus Christ; what about the child in Africa who dies without ever having heard the gospel? Are they going to go to hell?” The answer is no. God does not condemn the naive. Those who are ignorant are innocent. Yet those who have heard, “have no excuse for their sin.” Many today refuse to open a bible or even enter a church; believing that by not accepting or rejecting Jesus they will avoid condemnation. They are wrong; voluntary ignorance is the same as complete rejection.
To this very day, the Followers of Jesus Christ continue to preach the gospel. Some accept him; some deny him; still others simply refuse to investigate. God forgives those who are genuinely naïve but condemns the willfully ignorant. There are very few places on Earth where Christ’s message has yet to be heard. Perhaps some remote tribe in the Amazon hasn’t encountered the gospel yet; or maybe a young child living in India remains ignorant?
      Our God is righteous and Holy; He commits no evil or injustice. We can therefore discern from this scripture that the genuinely ignorant are not eternally condemned. Once again, His word has provided the answer to a difficult question. Dive into the bible and you will find every answer you seek. Meditate upon His precepts and He will use you to preach the gospel; to illuminate the uninformed, and to bring hope to the hopeless. Through you, many will come to know His goodness, His mercy, and His love.
      “Lord Heavenly Father, we recognize Your perfect justice and acknowledge Your goodness and righteousness. May we, as believers, be equipped to answer every question we are asked. Empower us through Your Holy Spirit; may we be bold; may we illuminate darkened minds and preach the gospel to the ignorant. May we be Your messengers in this place. 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!