Tag: the words of Jesus Christ

Facing Corruption

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JESUS SPEAKS

Then He went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in it, saying to them, “It is written, ‘My house is a house of prayer, but you have made it a den of thieves.“ (Luke 19: 45 – 46)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Although Jesus would soon put an end to temple worship, He expressed a zeal for maintaining the purity of God’s house. As pilgrims arrived for the Passover festival, they were required to bring animals to sacrifice. The religious leaders however, chose to corrupt this process by forcing travelers to purchase animals from them in the temple; at outrageous prices, thus enriching themselves at God’s expense. Jesus restored order and purity by chasing these evil men and their livestock out of the temple.

One night many years ago, the television I was watching landed on a supposedly Christian station. Without giving it much attention, I walked around the apartment as a wealthy preacher expressed the fundamentals of a prosperity doctrine; a doctrine which claims that God wants to bless His followers with wealth and riches beyond measure, but first they must give money to the preacher before their blessing can be realized (this is different than tithing.) These corrupt individuals often prey upon vulnerable populations, such as the elderly. What I heard next was horrifying. The man began to pray, expressing his confidence that God was speaking to those who were watching. According to him, God was telling listeners to give to his ministry even if they were poor and couldn’t afford to donate. He continued, saying something to this effect; “And even if you don’t have money to give, you should reach into your pocket and take out your credit card and use it to give right now.” I promptly changed the channel in disgust.

The world is full of hypocrisy, corruption, and thievery. Some will seek to exploit Christ’s name and His message for their own personal profit. When confronted with such evil behavior, we shouldn’t shrink or fade away. But instead, like Christ, we must stand up and openly profess the truth; making every effort to purify what has been corrupted by man. May we be a light in the darkness, and an example of God’s goodness to everyone we meet.

“Lord Heavenly Father, may we always be zealous for You. Guide us through the power of Your Holy Spirit, that we might expose corruption and evil whenever and wherever we encounter it. May we submit to You and obey what is good and right, as we seek to spread the gospel message to the entire world. 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 Real Jesus

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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” (Matthew 11: 2-6.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

     Believing Jesus to be the long awaited messiah, John erred in assuming He would immediately usher in an earthly kingdom; thereby putting an end to the oppressive Roman rule. While in captivity, John had grown impatient; sending messengers to Jesus from his prison cell. ‘Was He truly the long awaited savior; or should they look for another?’ Jesus responded by quoting an ancient prophecy describing the Messiah’s good works. He would heal the blind, raise the dead, and preach the gospel to the poor; the very same acts that Jesus was accomplishing. The Lord then addressed John’s uneasy heart, saying, “Blessed are those who are not offended because of Me.” John was expecting a conquering messiah, not a messiah that would conquer sin through crucifixion. Like John, many today have an inaccurate perception of who the messiah actually is. Knowing the real Jesus is an absolute necessity if we are to properly follow Him.

     Shortly after my conversion, I decided I could no longer call myself a Christian unless I actually knew who Jesus Christ was. I needed to read the bible for myself; knowing that in so doing, many of my previously held beliefs would be challenged and transformed. In order to grab hold of the truth, I had to abandon my fuzzy perceptions of God. As I read the scriptures, I came to accurately know my savior. Still, instead of being disappointed, I was filled with awe and wonder. The real Jesus is far more spectacular than any messiah I could have ever imagined.

    Do you know the real Jesus, or are you clinging to some incorrect perceptions?  Have you invented a messiah, or have you discovered Him? Read His words; uncover His works; His message; and His truth; and you too will find something more amazing than you have ever known; and your life will never be the same.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we seek to know the real Jesus.  Place His words in our hearts, that we might walk as disciples; exhibiting obedience in all that we do. May we never run from the truth, but rather, may we embrace it. 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!

Eternal Treasure

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JESUS SPEAKING

“There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, and desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. Moreover, the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Lazarus in his bosom. Then he cried and said, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things. But now He is comforted and you are tormented.” (Luke 16: 19 – 25)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Using a parable, Jesus confirms the inevitable journey of every human soul after death. There are only two potential destinations; Heaven or hell. Heaven (also known as Abraham’s Bosom prior to Christ’s resurrection.) is a place of eternal comfort, while hell is a place of everlasting torment. The central premise of this story is the rich man’s immense error. He enjoyed a carnal existence; indulging in the passing pleasures of this world without contemplating his eternal resting place. Following his selfish heart, He ignored the suffering of Lazarus at his gate, and thus incurred a life of suffering without end.

According to the bible, there once lived two brothers named Jacob and Esau. Esau was the eldest, and thus would eventually inherit most of his dad’s wealth. And yet one day Esau came in from the field and was exhausted and hungry. His younger brother Jacob was cooking some stew. Esau begged him for a meal. Jacob offered him a dish, but only in exchange for Esau’s birthright. Esau was so focused on feeding his flesh in a passing moment that he was blinded from comprehending the value of his future estate. His present hunger was all that mattered to him. And so he relinquished his right to an entire fortune in exchange for a bowl of soup.

Like that bowl of soup, this life is no more than a passing moment; especially when compared to our eternal inheritance with God in heaven. If we lose sight of that splendid destination we will begin to live according to the flesh. But if we remain committed to our Lord and Savior, then we will sacrifice our desires in the present to secure our future glory. We will therefore exhibit the virtues of selflessness, generosity, purity, kindness, mercy, and humility. Only the good things we accomplish for Christ will last forever.

“Lord Heavenly Father, may we refrain from chasing after the passing pleasures of this life. Give us the strength to embrace selflessness, and thus accomplish good works in accordance with Your will. We are but humble servants; and so as we serve, may our hearts be glad and our minds be pure. 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!