God’s Desire

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JESUS SPEAKING

On his way to Jerusalem, the inhabitants of a Samaritan village refused to allow Jesus to stay there for the evening. We read, “And when His disciples James and John saw this, they said, “Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them, just as Elijah did? (an old testament prophet) But He turned and rebuked them, and said, “You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.” And they went to another village.” (Luke 9: 54 – 56)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

The primary purpose of Christianity is to seek out and save the lost. Succumbing to a spirit of hatred, the disciples had discovered some pleasure in the idea of destroying their enemies. For this reason, Jesus rebuked them. He also reminded them that He came to save sinners and to turn them away from eternal damnation. Therefore, everything we do in the name of Christ must be done in love.

All those who believe in Jesus and follow God will ultimately share His heart. We read in Ezekial 33: 11, “‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, oh house of Israel?”‘ We also read in Proverbs 24: 17 – 18, “Do not rejoice when your enemy falls. And do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles. Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him.”

Our duty as believers is to share the heart of God. In accordance with His divine mercy, He sent His Son into the world to save those who are lost; to turn sinners away from evil, and to offer them eternal salvation through repentance and the remission of sins. May we never take pleasure in anyone’s destruction; or find joy in their sufferings. Instead may we accomplish all things in love, according to His mercy.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we praise You for Your compassion and grace. Cleanse our hearts of all unrighteousness. May we continue to hate sin, as we spread the gospel message to sinners. Help us to love those who are lost and to always speak the truth, that Your kingdom would grow larger with every passing moment. 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!

The Purpose of Prayer

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JESUS SPEAKING

And being in agony He prayed more earnestly. Then His sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground. When He rose up from prayer, and had come to His disciples, He found them sleeping from sorrow. Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.” (Luke 22: 44 – 46)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

Shortly before Jesus was arrested and crucified, He withdrew from His disciples and began to pray. When He returned, He found them sleeping. He instructed them to rise up and pray so that they might avoid falling into temptation and sin. When difficult times arise in our lives, temptation is sure to follow. And yet if we continue in steadfast prayer we can resist any temptation and experience victory.

For those who sail the high seas, any nasty bit of weather can cause death and destruction. In recent years however, a tool known as a “sea anchor” has been used to prevent many disasters. A ‘sea anchor’ is essentially a large parachute that is deployed into the ocean and attached by rope to the vessel’s bow. It creates hydrodynamic drag that prevents the boat from drifting, turning, or being tossed around by large waves. This simple invention has made enduring difficult storms on the ocean much easier.

Like most ships at sea, we too will endure many storms in this life. There may be moments of difficulty in which the temptation to sin seems overwhelming. And yet just like deploying a “sea anchor,” we must enter into prayer with our Lord. In so doing, He will steady us and give us the strength to withstand the wind and the waves. Prayer is a tool designed to overcome temptation. May we turn to prayer during life’s most difficult moments.

“Lord Heavenly Father, as we encounter and endure the trials of this life, may we engage in prayer and be strengthened. May Your Spirit steady our souls and strengthen our hearts and minds, that we may resist the temptations of sin and remain obedient to Your will. 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!

Correction Within the Church

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JESUS SPEAKING

“Moreover if your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault between you and him alone. If he hears you, you have gained your brother. But if he will not hear, take with you one or two more, that ‘by the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.’ And if he refuses to hear them, tell it to the church. But if he refuses even to hear the church, let him be to you like a heathen and a tax collector.” (Matthew 18: 15 – 17)

FAITHFUL THOUGHTS

Jesus reveals a simple mechanism for addressing sin within the Christian Church. Everyone who commits sin must first be approached privately, and given the opportunity to repent and apologize. If they refuse to repent, then a small group of faithful Christians must repeat this process; once again emphasizing the necessity for repentance. If they still refuse, then the matter must be revealed to the entire congregation, which represents their final opportunity to change. If they again refuse to repent, then they must be ejected from the Church and are no longer members of the Body of Christ.

When God called Moses to lead his people out of the land of Egypt, Pharaoh refused to comply. In response, God turned the Nile river into blood (a rather frightening spectacle.) And yet the ruler refused to repent. In fact, Pharaoh was given nine more opportunities to obey God, but each time his heart remained stubborn. As a result, Egypt endured nine additional plagues. After the final calamity, Pharaoh relented, allowing the Jews to flee toward the Red sea. Still Pharaoh eventually regretted releasing them and in one last act of defiance, he mustered his army and chased after the Israelites to destroy them. God parted the RED sea; creating a way for His people to escape. Blinded by hatred, Pharaoh and his men attempted to follow after the Jews, but were destroyed when the RED sea collapsed in on them.

Like Pharaoh, individuals within the Church that refuse Godly correction are bound to experience hardship and eventual destruction. God, in His wisdom has ordained a mechanism for addressing sinful behaviors within the body of Christ; a method that can lead to correction, repentance, and reconciliation among believers. May we all be willing to confront others, and also to receive correction whenever we have behaved in a manner that is not consistent with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

“Lord Heavenly Father, as Your servants we desire to accomplish Your will in every area of our lives. May we be willing to address sin within the Church. May we confront others in love, and be willing to receive correction when we are confronted by our fellows. Give us humble, faithful hearts that are always willing to endure sound doctrine. 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!