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Letting Go and Grabbing Hold

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

     “Again, the kingdom of God is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.  Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.” (Matthew 13: 45-46)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

     The message of “The kingdom of God,” is priceless; it is a treasure more valuable than gold and silver, and more precious than diamonds.  For contained within it is the love of God and the gift of eternal life.  As Jesus preached the message, a fortunate few recognized the truth and were willing to trade in everything they possessed to receive the Lord’s everlasting gift.  Many believers willingly sacrificed great wealth, time, relationships, homes, and positions of prestige in order to take hold of the true riches of God’s everlasting kingdom.  As believers, we too are called to let go of any worldly idols in order to fully embrace Christianity.

    Interestingly enough, some people make a living letting go of one thing so they can grab hold of another.  Trapeze performers for example, swing effortlessly back and forth, high above the hard concrete floors.  For these men and women, timing and precision can mean the difference between living and dying.  The individual who risks their life to spin through the air must know when to let go of their swing and when to grab hold of their partner dangling from the opposite swing.  So too, the gospel is a message about ‘letting go’ and ‘grabbing hold;’ no one can ‘grab hold’ of the Kingdom of God unless they fist ‘let go’ of whatever idols they are clinging too in this world.  For the believer, the pursuit of empty rewards must end, and the pursuit of heavenly rewards must begin.

     Sadly, during the Lord’s public ministry, thousands simply passed by Him as He spoke; they chose to cling to their own lives rather than grab hold of God and the new life He was offering them.  Today, the Lord is still speaking; His message is still being proclaimed throughout the world.  And yes, even today many still choose the temporary pleasures of this life over the eternal peace of God.  Most refuse because the Christian life is not easy.  There are many trials and hardships that accompany genuine faith.  Although self-sacrifice and self-denial aren’t popular, they are necessary.  May we all choose to let go of selfish pursuits and grab hold of and embrace the free gift of God.

   “Lord Heavenly Father, we come before You and ask that You give us the strength to avoid selfish pursuits; we long to serve others, and to sacrifice our lives to accomplish Your desires.  May we receive Your kingdom with gladness, and may we let go of anything that is hindering us from completely submitting to Your perfect will.  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!

The Tenth Commandment

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

    Then one from the crowd spoke to Jesus saying, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”  But he said to him, “Man, who made me a judge or an arbitrator over you?”  And he said to them, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12: 13 – 15)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

  Jesus fervently warned his followers to avoid covetousness.  Those who covet strongly desire the belongings of others; as a result they lack the proper gratitude for what they have been given.  Due to the destructive nature of this particular sin, God gave mankind the tenth commandment; which states: “You shall not covet (desire) your neighbor’s house, you shall not covet (desire) your neighbor’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.”  Covetousness is dangerous because it leads to a number of other sins such as theft, adultery, and murder, etc.

  In ancient times, King David was an extremely powerful man who possessed great riches.  In error, he had countless wives and concubines at his disposal to satisfy his physical needs.  Yet, one evening, while walking along the rooftop of his palace, his eyes beheld a woman who was bathing naked.  Her name was Bathsheba; the spouse of a military commander named Uriah.  David immediately began to covet her, and he eventually committed the act of adultery.  He was soon informed that Bathsheba had conceived and was pregnant.  After numerous attempts to cover up his disgraceful deed, David finally had Uriah murdered in battle; thus enabling him to take Bathsheba as his wife.  King David was later judged for his sin and the penalty was severe.

   As faithful servants, we must be careful to maintain a spirit of gratitude, and to take pleasure in what the Lord has given us.  In so doing, we will fulfill the tenth commandment and avoid covetousness.  May we never desire the possessions of others; may we always remain grateful for what we have been given; and may God grant us true contentment and everlasting peace.

   “Lord Heavenly Father, we thank You for Your many blessings.  Fill us with unending gratitude and genuine appreciation.  If we have broken the tenth commandment convict our hearts and help us to change.  May we never desire the possessions of others; but instead take pleasure in the gifts that You have given 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!

Stay Focused on Today

~ servantone1

JESUS SPEAKING

     “Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about its own things. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” (Matthew 6: 34)

INSPIRED THOUGHTS

Apprehension, fear and anxiety are destructive emotions that cause turmoil in the hearts and minds of most human beings. Although the majority of our worries revolve around some real (or imagined) future difficulty, they usually cause us distress in the present. Such uncertainties can steal our joy and distract us from the work that God has currently called us to accomplish. Therefore, Jesus commands every believer to live in the moment and to focus wholly and completely upon the blessings, cares, and concerns of today.

In the Old Testament book of Exodus we are given a wonderful illustration that emphasizes the importance of living in the moment. After leaving Egypt and passing through the Red Sea, the Jewish people wandered around in the wilderness for forty years. Every day God miraculously fed them by causing a delicious bread to condense and accumulate on the desert floor. However, no one was allowed to collect and store excess amounts of bread (except on the day prior to the Sabbath.) Instead, they were only permitted to eat what was necessary to sustain their daily lives. Violating this law meant focusing on tomorrow’s needs and concerns. [Note: In the New Testament, when asked how one ought to pray, Jesus reiterated this doctrine; we are told to ask God to “give us this day our daily bread.” Not our weekly, monthly, or yearly bread; but rather, “our daily bread.”] Fear of tomorrow serves only to distract us from the obligations, joys and blessings of today.

When we focus on the present, we are fully able to accomplish God’s will. As we place our trust in the Lord, we will begin to know peace, and to cherish every second of every day. To live now is to live for God; knowing that His love is a present gift and not some future possibility. 

“Lord Heavenly Father, help us to live in the moment and to rely upon You for our daily needs. May our concerns and our cares be firmly rooted in the present. If our hearts are filled with fear and anxiety about the future, remove them, that we may be joyful, loving, and better able to serve You today. 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!