Tag: www.jesusspeaks.com

Being Prepared for His Return

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        Then Peter said to him, “Lord do you speak this parable only to us, or to all people?” And the Lord said, “Who then is that faithful and wise steward whom his master will make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of food in due season? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all that he has. But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is delaying his coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and be drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the unbelievers” (Luke 12: 42-46.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        Before ascending in to heaven Jesus promised to return one day in power and great glory; (it has been nearly 2000 years and his followers are still anxiously awaiting his arrival.) As he spoke to his disciples, he used a wedding parable to illustrate his future delay. Often, when the master of a household left to attend a wedding, he could be gone for days. His arrival was uncertain; he could return at 2:00 in the afternoon, or 2:00 in the morning (therefore the servants had to continually be prepared.) In this parable, the master represents Jesus Christ, who after being resurrected, left the earth and journeyed into heaven (promising to return one day.) The servant placed over the master’s household represents the disciples whom Christ left behind to guide and care for his church. Although the original disciples have gone to be with the Lord, God has placed new leaders into positions of authority. Some are just and wise stewards; others, however, have lost faith; they have become impatient with Christ’s return; causing them to mistreat God’s people. When Christ does return, he will reward those who have been faithful, and he will punish those who failed to serve in the absence of their master.
        In the United States, a brand-new industry known as ‘mystery shopping’ has become popular. Most employers find it beneficial to tour their own facilities. They must continually evaluate their products, their procedures, their equipment, and especially their employees. Employees, however, do not act naturally when their bosses are present; most tend to ‘put on a show;’ they work harder and more efficiently; and they become more positive and politer toward the customers and other staff members. This effect makes it nearly impossible for managers and owners to accurately evaluate their workers. In turn, many employers are now hiring individuals to pretend that they are customers; as they shop, they are secretly evaluating the employees. When the employees become aware that the owner is using mystery shoppers, it causes them to continually maintain a higher level of performance in the work place.
        Many believers are slack because their master is not present; but Jesus could return at any moment. A lack of faith in his second coming will lead to increased sin, and unrighteous living. To avoid disobedience, we must constantly expect His arrival; every second, of every hour, of every day. We must never lose hope; we must trust in His promise; and wait patiently. As we wait, it is our duty to continue to serve and love our fellows. When he does return, those who were faithful in his absence will receive eternal blessings and everlasting life.
        “Lord Heavenly Father, may our hearts be expectant, and may we continue to hope in Your return. Increase our faith that we might forever trust in Your promises. May we always desire to serve You and our fellows. Guide and direct our steps, that we may know with certainty, the duties and responsibilities that You have given to each us. 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.

Cutting Away Sin

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        “And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” (Mathew 5: 30)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        Sin is defined as any act of willful disobedience toward God. Sin is very serious because it separates us from our Heavenly Father. Because God loves his children, He desires for us to let go of our sinful practices, that we may be reunited with Him. Any grievous sins, such as fornication, adultery, lying, stealing, lewdness, etc, must be abandoned. In order that we may live, we must cut away these portions of our dead flesh.
        In April of 2003, an experienced mountain climber named Aaron Ralston was hiking alone in a remote mountain pass in Utah. While maneuvering through one of the crevices, a giant boulder dislodged and pinned his arm against the canyon wall; for days he attempted to free himself. He had not told anyone where he was going, so he knew that no one would be looking for him. When he had finally run out of water, Aaron was faced with a terrible choice […] He could severe his arm with an ill-equipped pocket knife; or he could keep his arm and simply lay down and die. The only thing standing between Aaron and the rest of his life were two bones, several muscles, and some tendons in his forearm. Aaron chose to break both bones in his arm; he then proceeded to saw through his own flesh with his dull knife. After nearly 127 hours of confinement, he left his severed arm behind and climbed out of the canyon. Until that day, Aaron had lived selfishly. He had been a ‘loner’ who continually pushed others away. Shortly after his experience he came to believe that the boulder had been waiting for him his entire life (that it was destined to transform him.) He said, “I left my hand behind in that canyon, but I gained my life back.” His experience allowed him to see what was truly important. He began to put the emphasis on personal relationships; he eventually married and started a family. He now travels the world telling other people about his inspiring story.
        Like Aaron, there are boulders in our lives; giant rocks that pin us down and keep us from knowing complete freedom. If we have entered again in to serious sin, and we have been separated from God then we have some cutting to do. Cut away the dead flesh, so that you may live. Ask God to reveal to you any sinful practices that have crept back in to your life and He will. How you respond to what you find, will determine your eternal destiny. May God help us all to make the right choice.
        “Lord Heavenly Father we recognize that sin can cause us to become separated from You. We know that we have received forgiveness through Your Son, but we recognize our responsibility to refrain from willful acts of disobedience. If we have become defiant, then please give us the strength to put these sins to death, that we may eternally continue to live for 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.

Divine Transformation

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

        And after these things he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And he said to him, “Follow Me.” And he left all, rose up, and followed Him. Then Levi gave him a great feast in his own house. And there was a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. And the scribes and Pharisees complained against his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5: 27-32.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

        Tax collectors in Israel were Jewish citizens who had ‘sold-out’ to the Roman Empire; and thus, turned against their own people. The Roman taxes were often severe, and tax collectors earned their living by over-taxing the people; in turn, they were passionately despised. The religious leaders were enraged because Jesus was eating with these types of sinners. Jewish meals were extremely intimate affairs; those who dined together dipped into the same bowls and drank from the same cups. Most Jews were very careful who they ate with because they falsely believed that sin could be transferred from one person to another through the sharing of food. The Son of God, however, was not concerned with being contaminated by the sins of others. Instead, his purity was infecting and cleansing the evil hearts of those who dined with him. The messiah’s purpose was to seek and to save the lost; to bring light into the lives of those who dwelled in darkness; he came to heal the sick and to restore to fellowship, those who had turned away from the paths of righteousness.
        In 1464 a block of Marble weighing nearly 9 tons was shipped to the Cathedral of the Santa Maria Del Fiore in Italy. From it, an artist was commissioned to carve a massive sculpture of a young King David. It is said the artist abandoned the project because the piece of marble contained too many flaws (or veins—veins in marble are weaker than the surrounding stone, which can cause it to crack and break.) So the defective block sat in the yard for nearly a decade; until another artist was commissioned to continue the work; apparently he also foresaw problems with the veining and walked away from the project. The scarcely carved stone block was again pushed to the back of the yard where the sun, wind, and rain beat down on it for nearly 25 years. Then in 1501 a 29-year-old sculptor named Michelangelo looked at the stone with optimistic intentions. To him, it wasn’t just some aged block of marble taking up space; neither did he reject it as a defective throw away, fit only for the trash heap. Unlike the other sculptors, Michelangelo saw the giant slab, not as it was, but as it could be. He accepted the commission to complete the work because, from it, he believed that he could create a masterpiece. In 1504, after nearly 3 years of work, the Statue of David was completed; immediately it was marveled over; even the harshest of critics were astonished by its timeless majesty. Today, the statue of David resides in Florence Italy, and is unquestionably one of the most beautiful marble sculptures ever created.
        Like Michelangelo, Jesus Christ is a master craftsman; his purpose is not just to take good people and make them better, but to take the worst people and transform them into divine works of art. As followers of Christ, our duty is to reach out to those who have been rejected. Rather than turning our backs on sinners, we are called to embrace them in love. We must not see sinners for who they are, but rather, for who they might become (with the assistance, love, and attention of an all-powerful Creator.) Reach out to the lost; make friends with the weak; dive into the trash heap and pull out those who have been discarded. He has sent us into the world to find the lost, and to bring hope to the hopeless. Are you willing to be an instrument in the hands of God; a tool He can use to accomplish a masterpiece?
        “Lord Heavenly Father, may we seek out those who are sick. Give us a heart for the outcast, that we would see possibility where others see only failure. We lay our lives at Your feet; may we be Your messengers; may we bring the good news of salvation and reconciliation to all those who dwell in darkness. We love You Father, we thank You, and we praise 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.