Tag: Jesus Speaks

A True Servant

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        But Jesus called them to himself and said, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. However, it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant. And whoever desires to be first shall be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many” (Mark 10: 42 – 45.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        As children we are often taught that dominance is better than submission, and that a higher social status means a better life. Many therefore seek to acquire positions of great power and authority. Yet Christ’s teachings are in direct opposition to such worldly principles. Those who follow Jesus must deny what they’ve been taught, in order to embrace the doctrines of genuine faith and divine humility. Only by abandoning the desire for greatness, can we completely and lovingly serve others.

        For years, young men from across the country have flocked to my home church; seeking to practice pastoral ministry. Many hopefuls were initially referred to a pastor named Romain; who employed a special technique designed to separate the qualified from the unqualified. As the prospects approached, he would hand them a broom and instruct them to sweep a portion of the church. Although many were obedient, some, feeling insulted, became upset. One common response sounded something like this; “I came here to be a pastor, and to teach the bible; not to sweep floors.” Pastor Romain knew then that they lacked a servant’s heart; they had not come to serve in humility, but rather, to acquire power and authority.

        Those who follow the Son of God must abandon the desire for worldly greatness in order to pursue lowliness and humility. By seeking to serve others rather than to be served, we become the men and women God has called us to be. We can serve in our church, at home, in the community, and at work. We can serve our families, coworkers, friends, neighbors, and even complete strangers. Only through sacrifice and selflessness can we truly be molded in to the image of our great Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

        “Lord Heavenly Father, inspire us to pursue and embrace humility. May we strive to serve others in sincerity and singleness of heart. Provide us with opportunities to place the needs of others ahead of our own; that in so doing, we might be living examples of Your great mercy and everlasting affection. 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.

Demonic Possession

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        “When an evil spirit comes out of a man, he goes through dry places seeking rest; and finding none, he says, ‘I will return to the house from which I came.’ And when he arrives, he finds the house swept clean and put in order. Then he goes and takes seven other spirits, more wicked than himself, and they go in and live there. And the final condition of that man is worse than the first” (Luke 11: 24-26.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        Evil spirits, although often considered to be a myth, are very real. They dwell within the hearts of those who deny God. When an individual receives Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, all demonic apparitions are expelled; the child of God is set free; the chaos and devastation of evil living subsides; the believer ceases to engage in self-destructive behaviors; their hearts are purified, and their minds are quieted. The dispossessed demons however, are not satisfied unless they are causing misery and pain. So, they often return to their previous hosts, stronger and more determined than ever. They tirelessly seek to turn the faithful away from God; sadly, some fall victim to their schemes and reject the Holy Spirit. Without the Lord’s protection, the blasphemer is again invaded by demons and their lives plummet back into destruction (a destruction far greater than any they had previously known.)
        I once met a man who had been a pastor for many years. After he had received the Holy Spirit, his life began to change in wonderful ways. He experienced an immense peace and began to preach the gospel with great enthusiasm. He served the Lord for some time before suddenly renouncing the faith. Soon after his denial of Christ, he joyfully began engaging in strange sexual deviancies with multiple partners; he also started smoking and boasted of his severe daily dependence upon alcohol. Additionally, as an atheist, he actively attempted to turn others away from the faith. I would occasionally see him out in the community from time to time; and he appeared to be physically and mentally deteriorating (a condition I could only attribute to demonic possession.) The words of Christ are true, in that this man’s situation is likely worse today than it would have been if he had never received the Lord.
        Demons are very real; they roam the earth, trying to possess those who are weak. Individuals who receive the Holy Spirit are no longer capable of being possessed. Unfortunately, some believers do eventually reject the Holy Spirit; in turn they are possessed and their lives plummet into even greater chaos. Maintaining our close relationship with God through prayer, bible reading, fellowship, and obedience, is the best defense against evil spirits [If you have never received the Spirit of God and you would like too, please contact me and I can lead you in a prayer of acceptance and faith.]
        “Lord Heavenly Father, give us more of Your Holy Spirit. Deliver us from the evil one and protect us from demonic attacks. Remain in us and continue to work through us; give us the strength to endure; may we never turn away from You; may we always continue in Your ways; and may we never return to the bondage of sin and death. 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.

Gossip

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        The high priest then asked Jesus about his disciples and his doctrine. Jesus answered him, “I spoke openly to the world. I always taught in synagogues and in the temple, where the Jews always meet and have said nothing in secret” (John 18: 19-20.)

INSPIRED THOUGHT

        After being arrested, the Lord was taken before the Jewish leaders to be interrogated. They sought to find something in his teaching by which to condemn him. Jesus was considered a Rabbi; Rabbi’s spoke publicly; they gave everyone the opportunity to ask questions and to cross examine them (In fact, the religious leaders sent many servants in disguise to ascertain the nature of Christ’s doctrine.) Jesus never said anything in secret that he did not also profess openly. Speaking in secret is a sign of ungodliness (Gossip for instance is a type of destructive, private communication. The Lord never gossiped, and he never slandered; instead, he spoke the truth publicly and without remorse.)
        One day a group of pastors began to talk. They all agreed that those who confessed their sins on a regular basis were more joyful. So the four men decided that they should meet and confess their sins to one another. Upon meeting, the first pastor confessed that he routinely called in sick so he could attend the theatre. The second pastor confessed that in the evenings he liked to smoke cigars. The third pastor confessed that he had a major gambling problem; he often flew to Las Vegas where he would lose large sums of money. The final pastor refused to confess. But the other pastors pressed him until finally he made his admission. He said, “Well, I confess that I really like to gossip, and I can hardly wait to get out of here.”
        Although this fictional illustration is humorous, Gossip is not. Jesus never engaged in gossip, and his followers should strive to be like him, ‘in thought, word, and deed.’ Everything we say must stand up under scrutiny. Our private communication must be congruent with our public communication; if what we say cannot be printed on the front page of the newspaper, perhaps we have no business saying it. Speak openly; speak truthfully; speak lovingly; and you will never be ashamed.
        “Lord Heavenly Father, help us to avoid gossip; may we speak openly; may we never speak out of hate or contempt, but out of love. Fill our hearts with Your Holy Spirit, and may our mouths always speak the truth. May Your words be our words; may Your thoughts be our thoughts; may Your desires be our desires. May we glorify You in ‘thought, word, and deed.’ 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!