Tag: the words of Jesus Christ

Making God the Priority

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

     Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word.  But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone?  Therefore, tell her to help me.”  And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.  But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10: 38 – 42.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

     After eagerly welcoming Jesus into her home for the evening, Martha began feverishly serving her new guests.  In traditional Jewish culture, the women were responsible for preparing the meals.  Therefore, Martha became upset when she observed Mary sitting at Christ’s feet, intently listening to His every word.  She attempted to correct her sister, but the Lord corrected her instead.  Unlike Mary, Martha had failed to put God first; ahead of all of her other duties.

     In the 1500’s, a German Monk named Martin Luther sparked the protestant reformation (a movement that sought to restore the church to biblical truths, rather than manmade religious traditions.)  As the leader of this movement, he was an extraordinarily busy man.  However, despite his many responsibilities, he would arise every morning to spend time in prayer; conceding that on his busiest days he needed God even more.  He once said, “I have so much to do today that I’m going to need to spend three hours in prayer in order to be able to get it all done.”

     Like Martin Luther, we must make God our number one priority.  The amount of distractions in this life are seemingly infinite. The busier we are, the less time we have to complete our daily tasks.  On our busiest days we can act like Martha and make less time for God and more time for our chores.  Or, we can choose to behave like Mary and make God our top priority.  By reading scripture, praying, and seeking God’s will first thing in the morning, we are making the right decision.  If God is our priority, everything else will fall into its proper place. And the peace of the Lord will remain in us, as He accomplishes His work through us.

     “Lord Heavenly Father, help us to make You the most important thing in our lives.  May life’s busiest moments never distract us from focusing on Your goodness.  Teach us and love us; pour Your Spirit out into our hearts, that we might be used to effectively accomplish Your will in this place.  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 Resurrection

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

     “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage. But those who are counted worthy to attain that age, and the resurrection from the dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage;nor can they die anymore, for they are equal to the angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection. But even Moses showed in the burning bush passage that the dead are raised, when he called the Lord ‘the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ For He is not the God of the dead but of the living, for all live to Him” (Luke 20: 34 – 38.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

     The resurrection from the dead is a central tenant of the Christian faith.  Jesus Himself rose from the dead, revealing that everyone who has faith in Him will never die.  Instead, although the body may temporarily perish, the believer’s spirit continues onward in God’s eternal kingdom.  When the Almighty establishes a new heaven and a new Earth, every faithful soul will receive an eternal body.  A body that doesn’t grow old; every disease will be obliterated, and death and suffering will cease to exist.  Pregnancy will no longer be necessary either; marriage will become a thing of the past.  Everyone will live in perfect fellowship with one another, and with the God who created them.

     To prove that there is life after death, Jesus quotes an Old Testament scripture.  In Exodus 3: 6, God says to Moses, “I am […] the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob” (present tense.)  He doesn’t say I was the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (past tense.)  Although Abraham Isaac and Jacob had physically perished, they were, and are still now, spiritually alive; living peacefully in God’s eternal kingdom.

     There comes a time when every human being must make the journey from this life to the next.  For those who believe, death is not the end; it is merely the beginning.  Faith in Jesus Christ is the vessel that carries us into the presence of the almighty and everlasting Father.  May your faith remain strong as you are transformed into the image of your savior; and may God comfort you as you eagerly look forward to your eternal future with great hope and joy.

     “Lord Heavenly Father, we faithfully await the resurrection from the dead.  We know that you have prepared a special place for us in Your eternal Kingdom, and we look ahead to that day with great pleasure and overwhelming gladness.  Sanctify us and fill us with Your Holy Spirit, that we might do Your works and accomplish Your will right here in this place.  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 we pray.  Amen.”  God bless all of you!

Humility

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING:

      “Blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mathew 5: 3.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS:

      In this scripture, the phrase “poor in spirit” refers to the attribute of humility (a precious treasure that creates joy in the hearts of all those who possess it.)  Practicing humility means acknowledging that God is the giver of all good things.  The Lord provides us with our food, shelter, clothing, careers, relationships, and every other necessity of daily living.  He has complete power over all of creation; the very air we breathe is a gift from Him.  Although the humble offer God many praises, the prideful prefer to acknowledge themselves; mistakenly believing that everything they possess is the product of their own intelligence and hard work.

      An ancient ruler known as Nebuchadnezzar was once the mightiest king who had ever lived.  His reign over the Babylonian empire began in 605 B.C.  Like most powerful men, humility wasn’t one of his greatest attributes; he demanded that his subjects worship him in the manner of a God.  One day as he leisurely strolled through his palace, he spoke, saying, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for a royal dwelling by my mighty power and for the honor of my majesty?”  Before he was finished speaking, a voice came from heaven saying, “The kingdom has departed from you […] your dwelling shall be with the beasts of the field.  They shall make you eat grass like oxen; and seven years shall pass over you, until you know that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men, and gives it to whomever He chooses” (Daniel 4: 30 – 32.)  Indeed, because the Babylonian King had failed to give God the credit for his possessions, he slipped into madness and began acting like an ox for seven years; eating grass in the fields.

      As believers, we must not make the same mistake.  Instead, we must acknowledge that all good things come from God; that every possession is a blessing and a gift.  Those who desire to enter God’s kingdom would do well to continually honor Him.  Practically, Christian humility can be expressed through prayers of gratitude offered to God daily; we can also say grace before meals and praise the Lord in our private time and during worship services.  Tithing is another acknowledgement of God’s goodness.  Ultimately whatever form of thankfulness we choose to offer, it should come from the heart; and from a deep appreciation for everything that God has so graciously given us.

      “Lord Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your many gifts and provisions; for our food, our clothes, and our homes (to name a few.)  We recognize that all good things come from You.  Help us to maintain a spirit of gratitude and humility.  Cleanse our hearts of pride, that in lowliness we might better serve You and our fellows.  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!