In Hebrews
6:10 we are told: "For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour
of love, which ye have shewed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to
the saints and do minister." The apostle Matthew (Matt 25:35-46; KJV) recorded
how Jesus expects us to minister to people, whether it be to the sick, the poor
or those in prison etc. Jesus finished up by saying that whatever we do we do
it unto him. So, when we are showing love or kindness to someone we think we
are doing it for that person but we are actually doing it for Jesus.
Jesus
gave a similar instruction in Matthew 10:42 (see also Mark 9:37-41), where it
says that if we give a cup of cold water to a: "little one", it is as
if we are giving it to Jesus. This lines up with the instructions we get in the
Bible to: "love thy neighbor as thyself" (Mark 12:31).
In 1
Corinthians 13:4 the apostle Paul said said that love is kind. In Ephesians
2:10 Paul taught us that we are recreated for good works. In the epistle of the
apostle James we are reminded that faith without works is dead (James 2:20) and
that true religion is taking care of those less fortunate than ourselves (James
1:27).
This
is what love is all about - kindness in action, acting out the love that God
has put inside of us (Rom 5:5). Look for ways to show a little kindness today
and make someone's day.
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others.
“Rejoice
greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King
coming unto the: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass,
and upon a colt the foal of an ass." (Zech 9:9; KJV). At the culmination
of his ministry on the earth, our King of Kings, Jesus, rode triumphant into
Jerusalem, holding the keys to our salvation, death on a cross and resurrection
to life. What power, what victory, what contrasts.
His triumphant entry was not in a chariot of
gold surrounded by warriors but he came sitting on a lowly donkey with his
bewildered disciples around him. He did not come as an earthly conquering king
to destroy the Roman oppression as many expected (John 6:15). He came humbly,
to do his Father's will (John 5:19), and to win back dominion from satan and
all the spiritual forces of darkness (Col 2:15).
This
was a victory in the spirit realm that won forgiveness for us (Col 1:14), restored
authority over satan and all his minions (Luke 10:19), and gave us eternal life
with him (1 John 2:25). Zechariah foresaw it (Zech 9:9), Matthew reported it as
fact (Matt 21:3) and the people rejoiced: "Blessed is he who cometh in the
name of the Lord" (Matt 21:9).
Christ,
humbled to the point of death on a cross (Phil 2:8), won more than any mighty
army of men ever achieved. Let's walk in that victory and authority and impact
our world for good.
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book: “On the Way: Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and
also to see more encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to
others.
In
Mark 4:35-39 (KJV) we read about how Jesus spoke to a storm, He said:
"Peace, be still" We then learn that immediately there was a:
"great calm". Jesus then reprimanded his disciples for their lack of
faith. Notice that Jesus didn't pray for the storm to stop, he just told it to.
Jesus has authority over nature and we have the same authority as well.
In
Mark 11:14 Jesus spoke to a fig tree and then in verse 23 of that same chapter he
told us that we could speak to a mountain and tell it to move. If we assume
that any obstacle in our lives is a mountain, then according to this verse we
can simply speak to it and it will move. This sounds very simple; however, we
need to speak to our mountains out of a heart of faith because: "out of
the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh" (Matt 12:34). Even before
Jesus said we can speak to mountains, he said, "have faith in God"
(verse 22) and this is the key.
God
has given faith to all of his people (Rom 12:3). If you don't feel like your
faith is where you would like it to be spend a few minutes each day meditating
on verses to do with faith; this will serve to increase your faith: “So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Rom 10:17). As your faith
grows you can step out in faith and see the results, guaranteed!
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Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible
based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.
In Exodus,
the nineteenth chapter, the people of Israel were to see their God at mount
Sinai. The awesome might and presence of God was heralded by thunder and
lightning, thick clouds and a loud trumpet (V16). The Lord descended in fire
and smoke, causing the mountain to quake (V18) and God spoke (V19). In all of
this, one thing struck me in verse 23; the people were separated from God, only
Moses came into Gods presence as their mediator.
This
gulf between God and man was only broken by Christ’s sacrifice on the cross
(Heb 10:19-20). As he died the veil in the temple was torn from top to bottom
(Matt 27:51), by Gods hand, signifying that we were no longer separated from his
presence. As Christians, in our new relationship with Jesus Christ, we now have
direct access to God, to his throne room and his very presence (Heb 4:16). We
can come boldly into the throne room of grace.
Christ
dwells in us as the Father dwells in Christ (John 17:23). We are Children of
God the Father (1John 3:2); we can ask the Father anything in Jesus name as
long as it is according to his will (1John 5:14-15). This is the kind of
intimate relationship that we have with the God of Mount Sinai. Think about
that!
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Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible
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Have
you ever stopped to consider what words come out of your mouth on a daily
basis? In Proverbs 18:21 (KJV) it says, "death and life are in the power
of the tongue". That verse also implies that we will eat the fruit of our
words, good or bad. What we say is really what we believe in our hearts (Matt
12:34). This is well illustrated by the confession we made when we were born
again (Rom 10:9-10). We confessed belief in Christ with our words and asked him
to be Lord of our life. This was only of value if it reflected the faith of our
heart.
Jesus
said that if we believed we could speak to the issues and challenges in our
life (mountains) and they would move (Matt 17:20). If we believe we will
receive what we ask for, it will be ours (Mark 11:24). Job said the things he
feared had come upon him (Job 3:25). If we speak and confess evil we will reap
a harvest of evil. Ask God to put a guard over your mouth (Psalm 141:3) so that
only God's word is your confession over your life and that of others - and see
the results.
As
we speak God's word it builds our faith to receive the promises from His word
(Rom 10:17). That's what I want, how about you?
Please pass
this on. All rights reserved.
Check out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way: Basic Christian
Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more encouraging Bible
based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.