Idolatry Leads to Death

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        “Therefore when you see the ‘abomination of desolation,’ spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place, then let those who are in Judea flee to the mountains. Let him who is on the housetop not go down to take anything out of his house. And let him who is in the field not go back to get his clothing. But woe to those who are pregnant and nursing babies in those days. And pray that your flight may not be in winter or on the Sabbath. For then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been seen since the beginning of the world, nor ever shall be” (Mathew 24: 15 – 21.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        Throughout Christ’s ministry he spoke of a day when great destruction and tribulation would befall the nation of Israel, and the world; (the prophet Daniel also spoke of such a day.) In the future there will be an unmistakable sign preceding the tribulation of all nations. This sign will appear within the reconstructed temple itself. An evil man will erect an object, image, or shrine in the ‘Holy of Holy’s;’ an abomination that many will come to worship in the place of God. Deep within the heart of every human being, there is a pedestal; a peak; a position of absolute supremacy; a space reserved for what every person loves the most. When the Lord occupies this position He is in His rightful place. Those who idolize their creator also walk in genuine fellowship with Him. Many however, replace God with other things; and in so doing, they commit the sin of idolatry; a sin that always precedes some form of imminent destruction.

        In the Old Testament there lived a rich and powerful ruler named Belshazzar who dwelled within the seemingly impenetrable city of Babylon (the walls of this city were rumored to be 300 feet high and 80 feet thick.) His Father Nebuchadnezzar had sacked Jerusalem decades earlier, stealing the gold and silver artifacts from within the Jewish temple. These relics sat inside of the Babylonian treasury for years, until one evening, Belshazzar held a great feast. We read, “Then they brought the gold vessels that had been taken from the temple […] and the king and his lords, his wives, and his concubines drank from them; they drank wine and praised the gods of gold and silver, bronze and iron, wood and stone” (Daniel 5: 3 – 4). Belshazzar did not worship the living God; rather he preferred precious metals. That night a haunting vision appeared before him. The king asked Daniel the prophet to interpret its meaning. Daniel prophesied saying “And you have praised the gods of silver and gold […] and the God who holds your breath in his hand and owns all of your ways you have not glorified […] Your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” The sentence for his idolatry was carried out that very night; an invading army conquered the city and killed King Belshazzar. [Note: From the historical accounts it is believed that a giant river flowed through the city of Babylon. While Belshazzar was feasting, the Persian King Darius used a dam to divert the flow of the mighty river; his army then cleverly followed the dry riverbed under the giant walls, and conquered the vibrant metropolis in a single night.]

        Idolatry is dangerous and inevitably leads to destruction. Those who desire preservation must avoid putting anything in the place of God. The Lord must come first; before money, a career, a relationship, a business, or a hobby, etc. When we elevate God into His rightful position in our hearts, then we are truly free; when He is the most important person in our lives, then everything falls in to place. Love God and you will find peace; put Him first and you will experience everlasting life; for “where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”

        “Lord Heavenly Father, may we love You with our whole hearts. May we always worship You in Spirit and in truth, and may we never forsake Your ways. If any form of idolatry has entered our lives, may you uproot it and cast it in to the sea. May we be purified, and once again comprehend the goodness of humility and faith. 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.

Gratitude

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        Now it happened as he went to Jerusalem that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. Then as he entered a certain village, there met him ten men who were lepers, who stood afar off. And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” So, when he saw them, he said to them, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was, that as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God, and fell on his face at his feet, giving him thanks. And he was a Samaritan. So, Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? But where are the nine? Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And he said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well” (Mathew 17: 11 – 19.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        Leprosy is a debilitating bacterial disease that has existed for thousands of years; it causes fingers, toes, and other extremities to rot away, horribly disfiguring its victims. Despite modern treatments, Leprosy remains highly contagious. As a result, the infected have been ostracized since the days of Christ; lepers were forced in to isolated colonies outside of the cities. When traveling, they were required to maintain great distances between themselves and the healthy; when entering crowded areas, they were obligated to yell out, “unclean, unclean,” as a warning for others to keep a safe distance. The lepers who approached Jesus stood “afar off;” and pleaded with him to heal them. Although nine of the lepers were Jewish, one leper was a Samaritan (The Jews considered Samaritans half breads; because when Alexander the great conquered Israel hundreds of years earlier, he settled a portion of the land (known as Samaria) with Greek citizens and retired soldiers; they mingled with the Jewish people, but were unable to completely adopt Hebrew customs and traditions. The Samaritans were so hated that many Jews would travel around Samaria when journeying to Jerusalem; the only people more hated than Samaritans were lepers.) Jesus ordered the lepers to go and show themselves to the priests (In Jewish society, the priests were charged with diagnosing leprosy; if someone was healed, the priests had to examine them before they could return home to their families.) As they journeyed, all ten lepers were outwardly healed; but only one was inwardly healed. The dirty Samaritan, filled with gratitude, returned to praise and honor Jesus Christ.
        There was once a prominent doctor who was a devoted golfer. His longtime caddie had a club foot (a deformity in which the foot bends inward, making it difficult to walk.) ‘Doc Gordon,’ as he was known, often traveled south for the winters to continue his golf game. One winter, he decided to take his caddie with him; during their trip, the doctor operated on the man’s foot and he was made completely whole. Soon after they returned, the doctor became ill and passed away. One day, the caddie was carrying another member’s bag; at every hole he stopped to pluck a flower, until eventually he had gathered a very beautiful bouquet. The member was curious and asked the caddie about his new girlfriend. He replied, “Oh no, I don’t have a girlfriend. These are for Doctor Gordon. I go to his grave twice a week and place these flowers there.” Over his lifetime, Doctor Gordon had helped thousands of sick people; he had corrected many physical ailments and prolonged the lives of numerous individuals. Yet, only one patient was truly thankful; the young caddie continued to praise and honor his deceased friend and benefactor because his heart was filled with gratitude (This illustration was a parable taken from another source; whether the characters were real, is not certain.)
        Jesus Christ has healed and given life to so many people, but only those whose gratitude is a daily expression, have truly experienced a miracle. There are several ways to show your gratitude for God; prayers of thanksgiving; testifying of His greatness; gathering together with other believers; worship and singing; acts of love on His behalf; service work; care giving; charity, etc. Have you received the gift of healing and eternal life? Gratitude is a fruit of true salvation; those who understand the value of what they have been given, honor and praise God every day (Note: If you have never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and savior, please contact us and we can discuss how you can do that today.)
        “Lord Heavenly Father we praise You; we honor You; and we thank You for our salvation. We are unworthy servants, and yet You love us. Thank You for healing us and protecting us; thank you for Your kindness and provision. You are truly an awesome and amazing God. May our hearts be filled with gratitude; may we be compelled to speak to others of Your greatness, and may we be filled with Your Holy Spirit. We love You Father, and we honor You; and we ask and pray all of these things, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.

God is Calling You

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

      Then he said to another, “Follow me.”  But the man said, “Lord, let me first go and bury my father.”  Jesus said to him, “Let the dead burry their own dead, but you go and preach the kingdom of God.”  And another also said, “Lord, I will follow you, but let me first go and bid them farewell who are at my house.”  But Jesus said to him, “No one having put his hand to plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God (Luke 9: 59-62.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

      The calling of God demands immediate and unwavering obedience.  The priority of the first man in this scripture was to attend the burial of his father.  Jesus beckoned him to focus on the living, not the dead (the man’s Father was likely an unbeliever.)   In the end, the man decided to attend a funeral, rather than follow Jesus Christ.  The second stranger Jesus spoke with yearned to return home to say farewell to his relatives; thereby placing his family ahead of his dedication to God.  Jesus then uses an agricultural illustration to make an overall point.  When driving an ox and plow, a farmer’s eyes remain focused on the field ahead; looking back can only distract the driver from his necessary work.  The world today is full of diversions, obstacles, and enticements.  Not everyone is being called to become a missionary, or a priest, or a pastor.  But we are all called to be disciples.  The more important truth is that distractions are dangerous; because they can sometimes prevent us from accomplishing God’s will.

      According to the national highway safety commission, 80% of all car crashes involve driver distraction.  These statistics proved true for a man named Stephen in 1983.  One sunny morning he hopped in his new Mercedes Benz; with the top down and the wind in his face; he had set out for an important appointment.  As he drove up the coast of Southern California, he passed by a certain beach.  His attentions unexpectedly turned to a young blonde woman wearing a bikini.  As she passed his vehicle, his mind, heart, and eyes, followed along with her.  The image of a complete stranger took priority over the road, his destination, and even his new wife Sandy.  He suddenly smashed into the back end of a Chevelle that had come to a complete stop in his lane.  Although Stephen’s body remained uninjured, his pride, and the front end of his Mercedes weren’t quite as lucky.  When driving, the road ahead must take precedence over everything else. To reach our destination, we must abandon trivial distractions.

      Jesus Christ has called many; still, a great multitude have refused to respond in the serious and immediate manner required for discipleship. If you have felt called by the Lord, let go of this fading existence and grab hold of the plow.  Make God the priority.  Preach the gospel to all those you meet; accomplish the work of the Lord and avoid distractions.  This life is a passing dream; keep your eyes, mind, and heart, focused on God; and you will certainly reach your destination.

      “Lord Heavenly Father, we ask that You would be our number one priority.  May our eyes be continually focused upon You.  Take control of our lives and be our Master.  Help us to avoid distractions.  Give us the wisdom and strength to finish what You have started; until the day that we enter Your eternal Kingdom.  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.