JESUS SPEAKING

                “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified.  I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed.  But if it dies, it produces many seeds.  The man who loves his own life will lose it, while the man who hates his own life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am my servant also will be.  My Father will honor the one who serves me” (John 12: 23-26.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                Jesus Christ lived a completely selfless life.  He continually denied his own wants and desires in order to serve and love others.  Eventually he was whipped, beaten, and crucified so that many could come to know and be reconciled to the almighty and everlasting God.  Because Jesus died, millions have received the gift of life.

                Often one of the first words a toddler learns is “mine.”  Small children tirelessly seek out self-gratification, because from birth, selfishness is inherent in human beings.  Many however are eventually ‘reborn,’ as the children of God.  The Lord then enables them to display signs of true spiritual maturity.  Those who are genuinely mature consistently deny their own wants and desires in order to love and serve their’ fellows.  The apostle Paul was one of the greatest examples of selflessness and Christian maturity the world has ever known.  After persecuting the church for many years, he converted to the faith.  He denied his own desires for a wife and family, knowing that as a single man he could more effectively spread the gospel message throughout the nations.  He traveled from city to city calling ‘nowhere’ his home.  He willingly embraced the hatred of the masses; he received many beatings, and was formally scourged (whipped) on numerous occasions.  One day he was stoned to death, and his lifeless body was disposed of outside the city; suddenly he sprang to life; he did not flee as most would have; instead he marched back in to the city to continue preaching.  Ultimately, after many years of bringing others to Jesus, he was imprisoned and executed for the faith.  Paul continues to be a wonderful example of self-denial and genuine Christianity to millions around the world.

                Like Paul, those who seek to follow Jesus Christ must deny themselves and embrace a life of selflessness.  Every Christian must actively put to death their own desires so that others might see the true love of God.  We are called to serve others in church, at work, in our homes, and out in the community.  We must continually elevate the needs of our fellows above our own.  Denying ourselves will produce much fruit for the Lord.  Selflessness isn’t easy but it is always rewarding; for those who die in this life, will one day live forever in God’s eternal kingdom.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, may we die so that some might live.  May we continue to serve others, love others, and provide for others.  Give us the strength to lay aside our own wants and desires in order to fulfill Your perfect will.  May our hearts and minds be devoid of selfishness, that we, by our actions, might draw many to 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

               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.