JESUS SPEAKING

                ‘Jesus and his disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi.  On the way he asked them, “Who do people say I am?”  They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, one of the prophets.”  “But what about you?” he asked.  “Who do you say I am?”  Peter answered, “You are the Christ.”  Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about him’ (Mark 8: 27-30.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                Many people were confused about the nature and purpose of Jesus during his earthly ministry.  He did not immediately reveal his identity as the Son of God, and the savior of the world; instead he allowed others to discover his identity for themselves.  Many believed Jesus was a Holy man like John the Baptist who remained pure and ministered to the lost; others believed he was a worker of extraordinary miracles like Elijah who rained fire down from heaven and raised the dead; still others who heard him speak believed he was a prophet whose words were a message from God.  He was far more than just a minister, a miracle worker, and a prophet.  When the disciples were asked who he was, they proclaimed him to be the Christ.  ‘Christ’ was a title reserved for the promised savior. [Note:  The word ‘Christ’ is the Greek translation of the Hebrew word ‘messiah,’ which means ‘anointed one,’ or ‘Chosen of God.’]  Throughout the Old Testament, God promised that He would send a redeemer to His people; Jesus Christ was (and is) the fulfillment of that promise; he came to save mankind from the sins that had sentenced them to certain death, and eternal separation from God.  His work upon the cross signaled the completion of God’s promise (indeed today, anyone who professes Jesus as the Christ, is forgiven by the blood that was shed upon the cross.)

                During world war two, the Jewish people that were unable to flee Nazi controlled Europe, found themselves surrounded by death.  They were slowly stripped of their rights, their property, and eventually their lives.  As the Jews were herded in to concentration camps, it appeared there was no way out; death was an inevitable certainty.  But there was a slight glimmer of hope.  Those within the camps knew there was a war going on.  If the Nazi’s were defeated, they would keep their lives.  In 1944, the Germans began to retreat from Poland.  As the Russians advanced, they liberated the first ‘concentration camp,’ and many Jews tasted salvation.  As the Russian, American, and British forces made their way to in to the heart of Germany, they freed hundreds of thousands of sick and malnourished Jewish prisoners from the jaws of death.

                Throughout history, death has been the enemy of all people.  People die when they are young; they die when they are old.  It has been said that only two things are certain, “Death, and taxes.”  This is true, for all those who believe Jesus is just a man (or a prophet; or spiritual guru.)  Those who desire to live will find hope in him, and know that he is the Son of the Living God, and the savior of mankind.  When we call Jesus the ‘Christ’ he enters in to our hearts and lives and delivers us from death.  In him we will live forever; in him we will receive the promise of God; in him we will know the goodness of God’s salvation.  There is a question you need to answer; a question that has been asked throughout every generation, to every person who has ever lived; and that question is now being asked of you, “Who do you say I am?”  Who is Jesus Christ to you?

                “Lord Heavenly Father, we come before You today, and we profess that Your Son is the Christ, and that through him we have our salvation.  Help us Father to never lose sight of the hope that we have in him.  Help us Lord to present this question to others in love, that they too, might know what it means to be free from death, and to be wholly forgiven for our sins and transgressions.  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

                      “A good man out of the good treasure of his heartbrings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”  (Mathew 12: 35-37.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                Words originate in the heart.  The heart is a place hidden from sight, deep within every human being.  The motivation for every action and the inspiration for every word ever spoken had its beginning in the heart.  Words can be damaging or constructive; they can tear people down or build people up; they can deceive or express the truth; they can inspire fear or promote faithfulness.  Jesus was aware of the power of words and warned his followers to choose them carefully.  The disciples were commanded to guard their mouths and use words in moderation.  In referring to excessive speech, Jesus used the word ‘idle.’  ‘Idle’ speech was filled with inactive, unnecessary, or useless words (being talkative often leads to sin, in much the same way as excessive alcohol consumption leads to drunkenness, infidelity, and automotive catastrophe; similarly, overconsumption of food produces diabetes, heart disease, and obesity.  Excessive speech leads to slander, gossip, and exaggeration (lies.)  [Note:  Slander entails spreading lies about another person; in the Hebrew culture, an accused slanderer would be hauled before a judge; witnesses would establish the words of the accused and the judge would determine the sentence.  Jesus made use of this cultural practice to illustrate God’s future judgment of all mankind.  Someday, everyone will have their day in God’s divine courtroom, where every excessive word and slanderous remark will be revealed (those who have been saved by the blood of Christ will not be condemned by their words (according to God’s wisdom), but they will be confronted with every account of their idle talk.)]

                I grew up in a small town where ‘everyone’s business’ was ‘everyone’s business.’  In our isolated community there was no shortage of extremely notable gossips.  I observed that each of them shared one common trait; they talked too much.  One of my close friends was a gossip.  He (like all gossips) would briefly talk about the weather, or about himself; but within minutes, fear of silence, and the scarcity of appropriate content would lead to sin.  In order to keep his mouth going, he would move from socially acceptable, to socially reprehensible topics.  He singlehandedly spread gossip like wild fire; within the flames of that fire he wove a tapestry of perversion and socially damaging information.  His foul words revealed a heart that was filled with evil expressions and sick innuendos.  [Note: we are all guilty of gossiping from time to time; none of us is completely innocent.]

                Excessive speech leads to gossip, slander, and evil speaking.  Today, every word that comes out of our mouths is a reflection of what resides within our hearts.  A clean mouth is the expression of a clean heart.  We must choose our words carefully, knowing that our mouths can sin against God and others.  We can choose to use our mouths to build others up, or to tear others down.  Our words can serve God, or oppose Him.  May our words be clean, and may our mouths always be instruments of God’s divine love.

                “Lord Heavenly Father, give us clean hearts; make them pure and Holy, that our speech may be appropriate and proper for expressing Your love to others.  Control our tongues and bring them under the control of Your Spirit.  Make our words to be few, and protect us from the inherent evils of excessive speech.  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

                “He who believes in me, believes not in me, but in Him who sent me.  And him who sees me sees Him who sent me […] He who rejects me, and does not receive my words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.  For I have not spoken on my own authority; but the Father who sent me gave me a command, what I should say, and what I should speak” (John 12: 44-50, condensed.)   

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                No telephones existed in the ancient world; no telegraphs, and certainly no computers.  The only way to communicate a message across any great distance was by letter or emissary.  An emissary was a person who was given a message to bring from one leader to another.  The messages they were given to communicate had to be repeated word for word; all of the words the messenger spoke were considered the words of the king who sent him.  The kings emissary was treated exactly as the king himself would have been treated if he had visited in person.  If the king’s emissary was treated poorly, it meant that they did not respect the king.  Jesus, although distinct in person from God, was God.  He was God’s one and only son and solitary messenger (emissary.)  He had all of God’s authority; all of God’s power, and all of God’s words.  Every word he spoke, God Himself spoke.  Every miracle he performed, God performed; every emotion he expressed, God expressed; every act of love he showed, revealed a loving God and caring Father.

                When Jesus walked the shores of the Sea of Galilee, he was treated in one of two ways.  Some respected him, invited him into their homes, and honored him as God.  Others treated him as just another man and believed he was crazy and demon possessed; those who hated him didn’t realize that by persecuting him, despising him, and rejecting him, they were persecuting, despising and rejecting God Himself.  When they nailed Jesus to cross they crucified God.  Today Christ is still being accepted and rejected; some are crucifying him while others are calling him ‘King,’ ‘Lord,’ and ‘God.’

                How are you treating Jesus Christ today?  Have his words found a place in your heart.  Have you accepted his sacrifice, and his message; have you called him master, and Lord.  In so doing, you accept the one true and Living God.  But if you reject Jesus and deny him, you deny God Himself.  If you have never submitted your life to Jesus Christ, and you would like to make that choice today you can.  Accepting him is easy; go to a quiet place, and be still.  Pray that he would come in to your life, and in to your heart; confess your sins to God and ask him to forgive you in the name of His son; profess your acceptance of His sacrifice upon the cross, and turn to Jesus and make him your new teacher.  By accepting him, and following him, you are accepting and following the living God.  [If you have taken that step, then you need to follow up; you need to get a bible and begin reading it daily; you need to get plugged in to a bible believing church in your area; most importantly, you need to begin following the commands of your Lord and master, for you are now an emissary of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Living God.]

                “Lord Heavenly Father, we accept Your Son and his message.  We call him master and Lord.  Give us the strength to be his disciples, and to be Your messengers in this world.  Father direct us and guide us, and give us the knowledge of Your will.  Also, Father, give us Your words to speak, and may we accurately transmit them to everyone You put in our path.  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.