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.  Everyone was 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 and sent messengers to him to ask if he truly was the messiah.  Jesus simply responded by quoting an Old Testament prophecy that stated 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 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 had 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 truly 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.  I knew I had to read the bible; I also knew it was going to change 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 expectations.  Have you invented a Jesus for yourself, or have you come to know the real Jesus?  Read his words, get familiar with his works, his message, 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 within 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 in Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.”  God bless all of you. 

Marriage Defined

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

                “Have you not read that he who made them at the beginning ‘made them male and female’ and said, ‘For this reason a man shall heave his father, and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh?’  So then they are no longer two but one flesh.  Therefore, what God has joined together, let not man separate” (Mathew 19: 4-6.) 

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

                What is marriage?  According to Jesus Christ, marriage is an eternal bond between one man and one woman; two persons become one […] complete; inseparable; and indivisible.  Divinely ordained unions are the work of God alone; (not the work of men.)  If the creator is not involved in the marriage, then he did not create the marriage.  Many today appear to be married; they live together; bear children; even wear wedding rings; but unless the marriage is built upon the solid foundation of Christ, the relationship is a performance; a charade; an act; an outward display that lacks an inward truth.  Eternal love can only be known in the presence of an eternal God.

                Gay marriage is one of the most hotly debated topics of our day.  Although scholars and well intentioned social advocates have debated it fervently, God does not debate or compromise on matters of right and wrong.  The debate was over before it started.  No matter how accepting society might become, God’s design makes no place for homosexual relationships.  No same-sex couple will ever truly be married.  Should the sanctity of marriage be rigorously applied only to those professing to be gay? Certainly not; heterosexual couples who deny God are not truly married either; for there is no eternal bond (their commitments to one another will last only as long as their bodies draw breath.)

                We commonly hear that marriage is “between a man and a woman;” and so it is; but more accurately, “marriage is between a man, a woman, and God” (Three persons, not two.)  When God is removed, there is no substitute.  Those who are gay or non-believers might be committed to one another, but they are not, nor will they ever be truly married.  Not according to the one who created and is intimately involved in every eternal bond. 

                “Lord Heavenly Father, we recognize the sanctity and sacredness of marriage; we thank You for it, and we praise You for defining what it is.  For those of us who are married, we pray that You would be at the center of our relationships.  For those of us who are single, we ask that You guide and direct us to our eternal spouses.  May we share in what You have ordained and made Holy.  Also Lord, if anyone is in a same-sex relationship, or a relationship that denies You, we pray that they would see the truth, and turn away from sin, and turn toward 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.

The Rapture

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

            “And as it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of man (Jesus Christ):  For they ate, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and the flood came and destroyed them all […] even so will it be in the day that the Son of man (Jesus Christ) is revealed.  In that day, he who is on the housetop and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away.  And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back.  Remember Lot’s wife.  Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it.  I tell you in that night there will be two men in one bed; one will be taken and the other will be left.  Two women will be grinding together; the one will be taken and the other left.  Two men will be in the field; the one will be taken and the other left” (Luke 17: 26 – 27, 30 – 36.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

            The event Jesus describes in this scripture has collectively become known as ‘the rapture.’  In a moment, in the blink of an eye, God will gather up his faithful believers from around the world before pouring out His wrath upon the earth.  Co-workers, relatives, friends, and complete strangers will vanish in an instant.  Those who are left behind will face God’s judgments.  How can we be prepared for the rapture?  By loving eternal rewards more than worldly possessions (wealth, homes, jobs, belongings, etc.)  Jesus asks us to consider Lot’s wife; a woman who was ill-prepared for God’s deliverance.  In the Old Testament, she and her family were lead out of the wicked city of Sodom and Gomorrah just prior to its destruction.  Sadly she disobeyed God’s command, by turning around and looking back upon the city with fondness and affection.  As a result she was turned in to a pillar of salt.

            Like Lot’s wife, many people throughout history have mistakenly loved worldly possessions more than their own lives.  One day as my dad and I were driving through the town where I grew up, we happened by a certain building.  He informed me that decades earlier the building had caught on fire.  The owner foolishly rushed in and went to the basement to collect some of his valuables.  Unfortunately he became trapped inside.  He desperately tried to crawl through a basement window; but it was too small for him to fit through.  Unable to help, onlookers could do nothing but watch as he perished in the flames.  He died because he valued his possessions more than his own life.

            Similarly, many value their belongings more than their eternal lives.  Those who have found great comfort in their worldly possessions are therefore ill-prepared for the coming kingdom.  As believers we must be ready for ‘the rapture;’ an event that could occur at any moment.  To be completely prepared is to love God more than anything else.  We must make truth more important than trust funds and make people more valuable than possessions.  As our values change we will come to embrace the rapture and look forward to it with great joy and overwhelming anticipation.

            “Lord Heavenly Father, help us to value the things that are truly important.  Prepare our hearts and minds for the rapture; may our thoughts be continually focused upon Your coming Kingdom.  Strengthen us by the power of Your Holy Spirit that we might accomplish your will and bring honor and glory to your Holy name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.