Tag: www.jesusspeaks.com

The Presence of Prophecy

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

          Then he gathered the twelve, and said to them privately, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.  For he will be delivered to the gentiles and will be mocked and spitefully treated and spit upon.  They will scourge him and kill him.  And on the third day he shall rise again” (Luke 18: 31-33.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

          Although Jesus foretold of his impending death upon the cross, his suffering had been described in detail for hundreds of years.  Throughout the centuries, the Old Testament prophets, (inspired by God) wrote about the arrival of God’s solution to sin; a sacrifice that would once and for all put an end to the iniquity that separated the divine creator from his fallen creations (Jesus Christ, was and is that sacrifice.)

          One major prophetic scripture comes from the book of Isaiah; a book written between 740 and 680 B.C.  Chapter 53 is particularly interesting because it describes the suffering of Jesus in great detail (hundreds of years before the crucifixion occurred.)  We read, “Surely he has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.  But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed.  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.  He was oppressed and afflicted, Yet he opened not his mouth; he was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.  He was taken from prison and from judgment, and who will declare his generation?  For he was cut off from the land of the living; for the transgressions of my people he was stricken. And they made his grave with the wicked — but with the rich at his death, because he had done no violence, nor was any deceit in his mouth. Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he has put him to grief.  When you make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.  He shall see the labor of his soul, and be satisfied.  By his knowledge my righteous servant shall justify many, for he shall bear their iniquities.  Therefore I will divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul unto death, and he was numbered with the transgressors, and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors”

          Only God knows the future; only the creator can foretell of events before they occur.  Accurate prophecy is a characteristic, unique to the Holy Bible.  No other book or set of sacred writings have ever correctly predicted anything.  The scriptures are the Lord’s reliable revelation; they can be trusted.  As you read the word, remember, you are not simply reading a book compiled by men, but a book authored by God Himself.  May it inspire you, lead you, and transform you.

          “Lord Heavenly Father we praise You and thank You for providing us with the Holy Bible.  As we read it, may we approach it with reverence and respect.  Speak to us through Your word; with every sentence read, and every page turned, may our hearts be transformed; may we become more like You and Your wonderful Son.  We love You Father, we thank You, 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.

Finishing Strong

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

          “And whoever does not bear his cross and come after me cannot be my disciple.  For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it — lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish?’ (Luke 14: 27-29.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

          Following Jesus Christ is not easy.  Fleshly desires don’t just go away; selfishness and lust are lifelong companions; they are indulgences that must be denied daily.  The price for our eternal existence is death in this life; death to self-centered living.  The wants and needs of a disciple are superseded by the wants and needs of others.  The cross is a symbol for every believer; it is a symbol of selflessness; it represents the victory of God’s will over self-preservation.  Shortly before dying on the cross, Jesus said, “It is finished.”  His life (and death) exemplified complete servitude.  Every disciple who follows Jesus must follow him to the very end.  There are no points for almost; no congratulations for half-way; and no reward for those who don’t finish.  The calling of God is a race that must be concluded; a work that demands completion; a journey with only one destination.

          Some time ago, I was volunteering at a non-profit agency.  When my time there had come to an end, the staff took me out to lunch; I told them I was leaving to attend seminary.  Immediately someone pointed to the quiet man eating across from me; I was made aware that he used to be a pastor.  He and I began to talk a little bit; he had been a minister for nearly his entire life, and had recently left the congregation.  He was rather unexcited to speak about it and so the subject quickly changed.  Later, I was privately informed of why he left the church; he had given in to homosexual temptations and was living with another man.  After so many years of faithful service, he had walked away to indulge in the lusts of his flesh.  My heart was grieved for him.  On my last day, I went to his office to leave him a note; on a yellow sticky I wrote, “Finish the race” (a phrase an ex-pastor would have easily understood.  Note:  The phrase comes from 2 Timothy 4: Verses 6-8.  Shortly before being martyred, Paul the Apostle wrote, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that Day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.”)  I signed my name and put the note on his computer; (right next to a framed picture of he and his lover.)  He had spent his whole life serving God and others, only to forsake his maker just near the end.

          Before making the decision to follow Christ you should sit down and consider the cost.  A life of complete selflessness requires a great deal of sacrifice.  You must turn away from sin and deny your own wants and needs daily.  You must esteem everyone else as more important than yourself; and you must continue this life until the very end.  Are you willing to pay this price?  The cost of eternal life is high, but the reward is far greater than anything you could ever imagine.

          “Lord Heavenly Father, we come before You and commit ourselves to a life of service and selflessness.  We desire to do Your will; we seek to esteem others above ourselves.  We lay down our lusts and take up Your cross.  Please give us strength to complete the task that we have started.  Perfect us by the power of Your Holy Spirit, that we might finish the race, and one day be able to say, “It is finished.”  We love You Lord, 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.

Unity or Division

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

          “Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and every city or household divided against itself shall not stand” (Mathew 12: 25.)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

          Division produces strife, which in turn, creates weakness.  There are many forms of conflict, but the most damaging is by far, ‘internal conflict.’  Hatred among friends is often more damaging than hatred among enemies.  Divisiveness breaks the bonds between husbands and wives; it sets parents against their children; it destroys relationships and tears families apart; it defeats armies, and conquers entire nations.  The body of Christ is a divine family and a Holy Nation; made perfect in unity and peace.  Among God’s children, resentment, hostility and hatred have no place; for they lead to division; and division leads to destruction.

          Throughout its brief history, the United States has been involved in many military confrontations.  Despite the numerous wars waged in foreign lands, the bloodiest of all conflicts was fought on American soil.  In the 1860’s the U.S. erupted into a Civil War, which claimed nearly 620,000 lives and produced millions of crippled war veterans.  The property damage was astronomical, and the cost of the war exceeded 6 billion dollars (the city of Atlanta was burned to the ground.)  Railroads were destroyed, homes (and businesses) were vandalized, and whole crops were set ablaze.  As a nation was torn in two, its families also felt the sting of division and opposition.  There are many historical accounts of siblings fighting against one another in battle.

          Much like 1860’s America, the church has historically experienced great disunity.  There have been divisions regarding: differing methods of baptism; the observance of certain holidays; adherence to dietary restrictions; the structure of authority within the church (the recognition of a Pope); priestly marriage; confessional; child baptism, etc.  These divisions have caused weakness to infect the body of Christ.  To avoid division, it is the duty of every believer to place the emphasis upon a common faith in Jesus Christ; and to avoid arguing over ‘uncertain things.’  We are united in our mutual faith, our acceptance of His sacrifice, our desire for obedience, and our hope in His future return.  Love those who love the Lord; fellowship with the body of Christ; draw near to your eternal brothers and sisters; and may nothing divide you or set you apart, for you “are all one in Christ Jesus.”

          “Lord Heavenly Father we desire to be one with our brothers and sisters.  May the things that divide us be removed; that we may love those whom you have made Holy.  Forgive our divisiveness and cleanse our hearts of hatred and resentment.  Strengthen and unite Your body; that we might stand firm in the midst of hardship, and overcome the trials and the tribulations of this life.  We love You Father, we praise You, and we thank You; and we ask and we pray all of these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you.