God Pursues the Lost

May 20, 2024 ~ servantone1 ~ Leave a comment

JESUS SPEAKING

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing! See! Your house is left to you desolate; and assuredly, I say to you, you shall not see Me until the time comes when you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”‘ (Luke 13: 34 -35)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Like a mother protecting her young, God’s affection for Israel was unparalleled. He displayed remarkable patience, relentlessly pursuing them throughout the generations. And yet despite His vigorous efforts, the Jewish people rejected Him. Rather than embracing repentance, they chose to kill the prophets who were sent to them; eventually orchestrating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Most assuredly, those who reject God’s message will suffer.

Many years ago, I felt compelled to minister to a man who was struggling with drug addiction and alcoholism. He was making ends meet, working at a local grocery store. He couldn’t drive because His license had been suspended after crashing his vehicle while intoxicated. I showed him the love of God, assisting him in many ways. I also preached the gospel to him, emphasizing his obligation to repent and remain sober. Additionally, I brought him along with me to many Christian events, where we served others in the community. After a short period of progress, he began to spiral out of control again. He eventually shut me out of his life; severing our communication. A bit of time passed, until one day I was informed of a great tragedy. He had gotten his license back and purchased a car. However, one evening he was driving while intoxicated and struck a woman walking along the sidewalk; the woman was killed. He suffered for his crime; spending a number of years in prison.

The Lord is patient and kind; manifesting His affection for even the worst sinners. Even today God’s messengers are carrying the gospel throughout the world. This simple message has never changed. Man’s obligation is to repent and to be reconciled to God through His son Jesus Christ. Since God requires change, sin must be abandoned and a new life must be embraced. Anyone who refuses to change will suffer. But those who choose rightly will know unending joy and peace.

Lord Heavenly Father, may we experience your great love and be transformed by it. May we avoid being stubborn and choose obedience. In turn, may we continue as Your messengers; carrying the gospel to all those who are lost in darkness. You alone God possess the power to turn darkness into light; and to save others that are suffering in sin. 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!

“What is Truth?”

May 13, 2024 ~ servantone1 ~ Leave a comment

JESUS SPEAKING

Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would fight, so that I should not be delivered to the Jews, but now My kingdom is not from here.” “Pilate therefore said to Him, “Are You a king then?” Jesus said, “You say rightly that I am a king. For this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears My voice.” Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?” (John 18: 36 – 38)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

After being arrested, Jesus was interrogated by Pontius Pilate (the Roman Governor.) (Since being conquered, the Jews were forbidden from adopting the title of ‘king.’) During their conversation, Jesus identified Himself as the leader (king) of a kingdom that would one day rule over the Earth; thus putting an end to Satan’s reign. He continued, revealing the primary purpose for His arrival. He came to “bear witness to the truth,” adding that all who were of the truth would hear His voice. Being a seasoned and cynical politician, Pilate scoffed at the prospect of the existence of genuine truth before leaving the room.

The one immutable characteristic of genuine truth is its unchanging nature. Something is true if it remains constant and devoid of fluctuation over time. For example, 2 + 2 = 4. Every generation throughout history has known this to be a fact. Without question, all real truth proceeds from God, who is the embodiment of truth. In Him there is no deceit. Therefore, we should expect the Bible to be the world’s most accurate history book. And indeed it is. As archaeologists continue to unearth the past, every detail from the Bible is corroborated with astonishing accuracy. Although secular scientists have attempted to disprove the biblical accounts of history and creation in Genesis, they have utterly failed. As Godless men seek to discover truth beyond the boundaries of their creator, they err in all things. For example, supposedly learned men from every generation have estimated what they believe to be the age of the Earth; but every new estimate contradicts the previously accepted date. And as we have discussed, something that is constantly changing is by nature, untrue. God’s truth however has never changed; He created everything in 7 days. His account remains steadfast. Thus God’s word is the only pure source of truth.

This world is corrupt and those who are faithless are given over to lies and deceit. Many are being led astray by supposed learned men. And yet in the midst of the deception the word of God is being preached, and Jesus Christ is saving souls. Many are turning to the truth and becoming members of God’s eternal kingdom; a dominion that will one day reign over the entire earth. May we continue in Christ’s truth and place our trust in God rather than man.

“Lord Heavenly Father, we know that Your truth is unchanging and eternal. May we embrace Your scriptures and faithfully follow Your Son. You are the only source of genuine truth; and so we trust everything that You have revealed to us. Increase our faith and help us to proclaim these truths to all those we meet. 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!

What is Most Important!

May 6, 2024 ~ servantone1 ~ Leave a comment

JESUS SPEAKING

“The first of all commandments is: ‘Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” (Mark 12: 29 – 31)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Loving God completely is the foundational principle upon which all of Christianity rests. Those who follow Christ are commanded to prioritize their affections for God ahead of their desires for anything else. And thus, a considerable effort must be made to discover God’s will in every situation, and to obey His wishes accordingly. Simply put, if we love God first, then everything else will find its proper place.

Many years ago there lived a traveling evangelist named Doctor Wilbur Chapman. His earthly ministry proved to be quite fruitful; apparently God used him to win many souls for Christ. As a general guidepost, he held fast to a single motto he called, “My rule for Christian living.” He explained further, saying “The rule that governs my life is this: anything that dims my vision of Christ, or takes away my taste for bible study, or cramps my prayer life, or makes Christian work difficult is wrong for me, and I must, as a Christian, turn away from it.” Everyone who yearns to follow Christ must eventually learn this simple rule.

Like Dr. Chapman, those who are called to be Christians must first love God with all their heart, soul, mind and strength. Without implementing this principle, it is impossible to serve the Lord in any meaningful way. And so we must practice this selfless existence by minimizing distractions and prioritizing Godly pursuits. We can pray, worship the Lord, read His word, consider His wonders, and serve Him by serving others.

“Lord Heavenly Father, may we possess an affection for You in our hearts that dominates every aspect of who we are and how we live. May we abandon what is unfruitful and focus on loving You completely. May we bend ourselves to Your will, that we might be used to accomplish Your wonderful works. And may we preach the gospel with zeal, as we guide many into Your kingdom. 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!