Posts Tagged 'Jesus Speaks'

Moving Forward




      Desiring solitude, the Lord sent His disciples to the other side of the lake.  During their journey, a great wind began to oppose them; preventing them from reaching their destination.  Filled with compassion, Jesus walked across the sea to meet them.  After a fearful exchange, He was received into the boat.  The wind and waves immediately ceased, and the disciples were finally able to move forward.  Like that boat, many human beings have struck a point of stagnation; they have become trapped and are unable to move forward.  Unfortunately, most individuals are unaware that the key to progress is to invite Jesus Christ into their hearts.

      In the 1890’s, Melvin Trotter had reached just such an impasse.  The son of a drunken bartender, he began drinking and gambling at an early age.  After marrying, he started a career as a barber.  However, his rampant alcoholism made it difficult for him to hold down a steady job.  He eventually began leaving his family for weeks at a time.  One day, upon returning home, he was informed that his two-year-old child had died.  Believing he was responsible, he contemplated suicide.  At the funeral, while standing beside the coffin, he vowed never to touch another drop of alcohol.  Two hours later he was drunk again.  In desperation, he stole the shoes off the body of his lifeless child and headed to Chicago, where he sold them for another drink.  Drunk and penniless he was nudged into the Pacific Garden Mission, where he accepted Jesus Christ into his heart.  His life was suddenly transformed.  God gave him the ability to work, to love, to live, and to stay sober.  He was finally free to move forward.  He began leading others to Christ and eventually started his own rescue mission. Melvin would later say, “I had taken cure after cure.  I had taken everything known to science and had made resolution after resolution.  But just one glimpse of Jesus Christ, and I have never wanted a drink from that instant to this!”

      Like Mr. Trotter, many will come to experience periods of stagnation.  Facing obstacles that appear immovable, they will struggle to uncover a solution.  And yet, the only real remedy is to receive Jesus Christ; who can then eliminate the obstacle.  Upon entering the heart, He causes the wind and the waves to calm; only by His power can those who are trapped finally move forward.  May we all receive Jesus and be transformed by His mercy and grace.

      “Lord Heavenly Father, please soften the hearts of those who are suffering, that they would receive Your beloved Son.  By Your power, may they grow and learn, and be transformed.  As every obstacle is removed and every barrier is destroyed, may they be healed and continue moving forward.  We love You Father, we praise You and we thank You, and we ask and pray all these things, according to Your will, in Jesus Christ’s name.  Amen.”  God bless all of you! 

Pray with Expectancy




     ‘Faith’ is defined as a strong belief or trust in God’s abilities.  Only He can move mountains, heal the sick, and raise the dead.  Jesus therefore urges every follower to pray with a measure of expectancy.  We must truly believe that God is able to provide for each of our individual needs.  When we ask in faith, according to God’s will, and do not doubt, we can rightly expect to receive the desires of our heart.


     As a genuine believer, Hudson Taylor understood the principle of praying with expectancy.  He prayed with confidence; knowing full well that God would answer his prayers.  If we pray with that same measure of faith, we too will receive the blessings of the Lord.  May our hearts be devoid of doubt; may our requests be brave and bold; and may we fully expect our prayers to be answered according to the measure of our faith.

     “Lord Heavenly Father, You are an amazing and mighty God.  Create in us faithful hearts; hearts that are devoid of doubt; hearts that fully trust in Your ability to provide for our needs.  May we always pray with confidence, unwavering faith, and genuine expectancy.  We love You Father, we praise You, and 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!

Second Chances




      On the night that Jesus was arrested, nearly every disciple abandoned him.  As the armed soldiers escorted Jesus to the high priest for questioning, Peter followed at a distance.  When they arrived at their destination, Peter sat down and watched as an angry crowd condemned his master.  They hurled insults at him and spit on him; they also blindfolded Jesus and repeatedly struck him in the face.  As Peter observed the brutality of the mob, his heart began to fail; his confidence gave way to fear.  Three times he was asked if he was a follower of Jesus Christ; and three times he denied his affiliation.  He eventually ran off disgraced and ashamed.  After Jesus rose from the dead, he appeared to his disciples.   They shared a meal and fellow-shipped.  The Lord took Peter aside and didn’t condemn him for his denials.  Instead, he absolved him of sin and gave him a second chance.  He called Peter to lead and care for those who were giving their lives to God.

      In the late 1800’s there lived an ambitious inventor named Thomas Edison.  He is credited with inventing the battery, the phonograph, the telegraph, the movie projector, and many other well-known devices.  One of his greatest inventions was the first industrial light bulb (an item we still use today.)  As the story goes, it took Mr. Edison and an entire team of men, 24 hours to produce the first working prototype.  After the many long hours, Edison gave the bulb to a young boy to carry up the stairs to the testing area.  With the fragile device in hand, the nervous assistant cautiously made his ascent; every step was a carefully planned exercise.  Sadly, despite the child’s best efforts, he shattered the bulb.  The disappointed team began manufacturing another prototype.  Twenty-four hours later, the new bulb appeared.  Although the young assistant had failed the first time, Edison wisely understood that the boy deserved a second chance.  The youngster didn’t disappoint; he delivered the bulb to its destination intact.



When Tragedies Become Blessings








Loving Sinners




      Those who had committed the greatest offenses were also the most eager to receive forgiveness.  The majority of prostitutes, fornicators, and tax-collectors possessed no illusions of purity; in turn, they were capable of honestly evaluating themselves.  The religious leaders were blinded by pride; mistakenly believing they were righteous, they refused to accept God’s message of repentance and reconciliation.  The initial step toward real fellowship with God includes a genuine recognition of sin.  Many today are being crushed beneath the weight of guilt and shame.  Those who need healing the most are often the first to be rejected by the self-righteous.  And yet, although the world has forsaken the worst offenders, God has not abandoned them.

      Those who lived within the boundaries of the Roman Empire had little compassion for the sick and the infirmed.  There were few hospitals, and no retirement homes or assisted living facilities.  Poor sanitary practices often lead to outbreaks of disease that devastated entire towns, cities, and nations.  Those who became ill were usually abandoned by the healthy; many were left to die alone in the streets.  Still, as Christianity began to spread, so did attributes like mercy, compassion, altruism and love.  During a plague in Alexandria, Egypt, in 416 A.D., a group of Christians assembled to care for those who had fallen ill.  They became known as “The Parabalani” (“The Reckless Ones”) because in caring for the sick, they selflessly exposed themselves to infection.  As they ministered, they preached the gospel.  We might reasonably conclude that those who lay dying in the streets received salvation at a far greater rate than those were healthy.



The Key to Happiness


       And it happened, as he spoke these things, that a certain woman from the crowd raised her voice and said to him, “Blessed is the womb that bore you, and the breast which nursed you.”  But he said, “More than that, blessed are those who hear the word of God and ‘keep it’ (do it)” (Luke Chapter 11: verse 27 – 28.)


       The word ‘blessed’ can most accurately be translated into our modern word for ‘happy.’  Those who are ‘blessed’ possess a genuine measure of peace, joy, and contentment.  In this scripture, Jesus emphasizes two essential steps, that when followed, lead to legitimate happiness.  First, an individual must become aware of God’s commandments and teachings.  Secondly, they must apply His doctrines in their lives and the lives of those around them.

       Concerning happiness, Americans are more depressed than ever.  From 1999 – 2014, the use of antidepressant medications increased by nearly 64%.  Approximately one in every ten individuals is currently taking some form of antidepressant.  Many however, are not suffering from chemical imbalances (although some might be); rather, they are unhappy because they either do not know God’s word, or they know it but refuse to apply it.  Those who are, at present, practicing serious sins, are consistently less happy than those who are not.  For instance, approximately 1.5% of women who are married report experiencing some form of depression; yet 5.1% of women living with a man before marriage report being depressed.  Further, those who engage in a homosexual lifestyle are more than 200% more likely to commit suicide than their heterosexual counterparts.   Additionally, men who watch pornography daily are 3.5 times more likely to experience severe depression than the general population.  Simply put, those who avoid sin are happier than those who do not.

       God lovingly gave mankind guidelines; and when they are followed, they lead to satisfaction and joy.  When His statutes are ignored, those who are disobedient can expect to experience emotional instability, depression, and fear.  The formula for achieving lasting happiness is uncomplicated; simply read God’s word daily and apply his teachings in every area of your life.  In so doing you will be blessed; you will avoid the misery of sin, and you will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

       “Lord Heavenly Father, we desire genuine obedience.  May we read Your word daily and apply what we have learned in our lives.  May we act out Your commandments; may we love others; may we spread Your message; may we avoid sin, and in so doing, may we receive your eternal rewards.  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





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 about in the wilderness for forty years. Each 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 nourishment. Violating this law meant focusing on tomorrow’s needs and concerns [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 joys, blessings, and obligations of today. When we focus on the present, we are fully able to accomplish God’s will. As we trust in the Lord, we can begin to cherish every second, of every hour, of every day. To live now is to live for God; knowing that His love is a present gift and not a future possibility.        


Two messages a week will be sent to your email address.

Join 6,052 other followers