Loving Your Neighbor

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

         “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered him saying: “A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. Now by chance a certain priest came down that road. And when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. Likewise, a Levite, when he arrived at the place, came and looked, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was. And when he looked upon him, he had compassion. So he went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine; and he set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn and, and took care of him. The next day, when he departed, he took out two denarii, gave them to the innkeeper, and said to him, ‘Take care of him; and whatever more you spend when I come next time, I will repay you.’ So, which of these three do you think was neighbor to him who fell among thieves?” And he said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise” (Luke 10: 29 – 37.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        Samaria was a community of pagan individuals living within the borders of the nation of Israel (just north of Jerusalem); as non-Hebrews, they frequently engaged in immorality and idolatry; for this reason, they were despised by most religious Israelites. In fact, when traveling, many orthodox Jews would contemptuously journey around Samaria rather than through it. After Jesus had confirmed the importance of loving one’s neighbor, he was asked to define what constituted a neighbor. His reply came in the form of a story; in the narrative a man was beaten and left for dead on the side of the road; two religious Jews passed by, without stopping to help (one a priest, and the other a supposed man of God.) Soon after, a Samaritan happened by, and his heart was filled with compassion. In order to preserve the man’s life, he gave of his time, his money, and his resources. He showed true mercy and great generosity. Many today, like the priest and the Levite are so concerned with what lies ahead that they fail to stop and help those who are hurting and in need of assistance.
        Some time ago, during a cross-country meet in Minnesota, a young man named Mark Paulauskas was injured in the first half-mile of a two-mile race. He had been spiked by another runners’ cleats (a wound that would eventually require 20 stitches and a walking boot.) As Paulauskas cried out in agony, most of the other runners passed him by; they were focused more on the finish line than on the pain of an ailing opponent. Yet, one individual heard his cries and was moved with compassion. A runner named Josh Ripley willingly abandoned his vision of victory in order to stop and help; without hesitation he picked up Mark Paulauskas and carried him a half-mile back to the starting line. After handing his wounded competitor into the arms of the coaches, Josh Ripley sprinted off into the wilderness to complete his race. Although he didn’t win, he was victorious in the eyes of God.
         Our fleshly nature commonly causes us to become so focused on what lies ahead that we ignore those who are right beside us. If we are not careful we can pass by those who are hurting and ignore the call of God to ‘love our neighbors as ourselves.’ The world is cold and apathetic; yet in the midst of indifference, there are those who show great compassion and mercy; they give selflessly; they love unconditionally; they are examples of God’s Spirit in action; they are followers of Jesus Christ. They are friends; they are family; they are neighbors; and they are Christians.
         “Lord Heavenly Father, may we always show sympathy toward those who are hurting and in need. May we be relieved of indifference and filled with mercy. May nothing ever be more important than compassion, nor greater than love. Fill us to overflowing with Your Holy Spirit, that we might be examples of Your warmth in a world that is cold and apathetic. We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You, and we ask and pray all these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.

Religious Hypocrisy

~ servantone1

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 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 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 if they wished 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 friend’s car; the one that costs over a hundred thousand dollars?” Sure enough; there it sat, washed and waxed; in all 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 its expensive buildings, statues, and complexes went bankrupt; the church dissolved in a 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 people, 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 might be a Pharisee, who can’t be trusted [Warning: No one is perfect.]
       “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 thank You, and we ask and we pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.” God bless all of you.

The Real Jesus

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to him, “Are you the coming one, or do we look for another?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of me” (Mathew 11: 2-6.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        After baptizing Jesus, John came to believe that Jesus was the messiah they had been waiting for. He, like so many in Israel believed the Messiah would set them free from their oppressors. Therefore, most were waiting for Jesus to usher in an earthly kingdom that would put an end to Roman Rule. John (who had been imprisoned by Herod) was growing impatient with Jesus; he sent messengers to him to ask if he truly was the messiah. Jesus simply responded by quoting an Old Testament prophecy, stating that the messiah would cleanse lepers, heal the blind, raise the dead and preach to the poor. Jesus wanted John to know he was accomplishing all of these miraculous tasks. The Lord finally addressed John’s impatient heart, saying, “blessed are those who are not offended because of me.” Jesus had not met John’s expectations. John expected a conquering messiah, not a messiah that would conquer sin through crucifixion. The lord was encouraging John to accept him as he was. Many today, like John, have an inaccurate view of Jesus Christ. Knowing the real Jesus is essential to properly following him.
        Early on in my relationship with God I made the decision that I could no longer call myself a Christian unless I actually knew who Jesus Christ was; what he had said and done. I knew I had to read the bible; I also knew it was going to change my life and challenge my beliefs. In my heart, I had an unclear picture of God. I chose to let go of what I thought I knew, in order to grab hold of the truth. As I read, I began to know God personally and accurately. Instead of being disappointed, my heart was lifted up with wonder and amazement. The real God is far greater than any God I could have ever imagined.
        Do you know Jesus Christ? Do you know his words, or are you holding on to your own personal beliefs? Have you invented a Jesus for yourself, or have you come to know the real Jesus? Read his words; get familiar with his deeds, his message and his truth; and I promise, you will never be disappointed; instead, you too will find something more amazing than anything you have ever known, and your life will never be the same.
        “Lord Heavenly Father, we desire to know the real Jesus. We want to know Your Son and His message. Implant his words in our hearts and help us to be his disciples, that we might be pleasing to You Father. Help us to let go of our fear of the truth and give us a hunger and thirst to know our Messiah; your gift to us all. 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!