"Let love of brethren continue. Do not neglect to
show hospitality to strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without
knowing it" (Heb. 13:1-2).
Hey Gang: I have a fabulous promise for you this morning,
one that can make your day a heap sight better and it comes straight from the
Master’s mouth: “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid?” (John 14:27). Should we place
this promise in the commandment file? I believe when we take things in
our own hands it grieves the Father.
We might say "that’s easy for Him to say, I mean He
doesn’t know what I am going through". O but He/Jesus does! Note this instruction (above) that He gave to
His disciples on the eve of his crucifixion. It was meant to give them
comfort and reassurance, in what would be the darkest hour of their
faith.
Christ added yet another assurance in the same verse: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I
give unto you.” When presented at the Temple, the prophet Zacharias
said of the coming Messiah, “That he would grant unto us, that we being
delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in
holiness and righteousness before him, and the days of our life” (Luke
1:74-75).
Did you know the most effective treatment program for criminal
violators is to make them face their victims, apologize and make restitution
for their crime, When questioned why this was so effective, the common answer
was "It cleared my conscience and it made me feel so good it motivated me
to change my behavior.”
Several years ago one of my Board Members shared a problem he
was dealing with and, I might add, he was having no success. It seems his
daughter was locked into deep depression and every attempt to help her fight
her way only added to a deeper depression. His frustration came through
loud and clear.
A suggestion was made that he might want to consider taking her
back to college and leave her so she had to fend for herself. This he did! On the day they arrived on campus, they found
her roommate very ill with mononucleosis. An amazing transformation began
at the moment she entered the apartment and saw her ‘roomie’ in what she
perceived was worse shape than she and she began to nurse the roomie back to
health. I might add the recovery bordered on the miraculous.
In these verses we find one of the primary reasons that Jesus
came to earth and died for sinful humankind – that we might walk with God
without fear and enjoy his peace all the days of our lives. There is no
question that Satan is going to throw road blocks in our path but, how
neat to know that we have a God who will neither leave us or forsake us, who
knows every hair on our head, every flower that grows and every bird that
flies. Wow, thank you Lord for that assurance.
Soooo, my friends, if you are having a tough time this
morning, seek out someone who is worse off than you and be a Good Samaritan to
them. You will feel better and God will reward you for your love and
mercy and compassion. When Jesus taught, "Blessed (Happy) are the
merciful, for they shall receive mercy" (Matt.5:7), He was not just uttering
words- but giving a Law of Reciprocity.
Blessings,
Gramps
No comments:
Post a Comment