Matthew 5:6 Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.
Have you ever known Christians who are always hungering after the truth?
One of the simpler joys in my life is shopping. Going to the supermarket isn’t just a trip to grab some food or household items, it’s an adventure with the Lord. I always look for certain people I know – the ones who stay all day at the store – looking for someone to talk to. I always try to find the same people at the checkout, building those friendships, getting to know people and sharing the Lord when the opportunity comes.
It’s a time to find the Christians in the store and encourage them, to spread some joy, some hope, a word of encouragement or a prayer. We are all in the same boat – we all want encouragement. We all want someone to come along side us – to tell us to hang on, to trust Him. Have you ever said no when someone wanted to pray for you? We all want prayer! We all want to be closer to the Lord. What a joy it is to meet God’s people when out and about doing errands.
It is in these times that I have been blessed to know some great saints. These folks are always thinking about the Lord, meditating on His Word. What joy it gives me to be shopping and have them say “ what do you think this passage means?” or “the Lord showed me this as I was studying.” Hunger. They hunger for His Word because they hunger for Him. They hunger for living right for Christ, for being set apart in this world. They hunger for a place far better than what we know, a homeland of righteousness and glory because the Lamb sits upon the throne and those that He purchased with His own blood are worshipping Him. We have a promise that those who hunger shall be filled. We may not get all the answers that we are seeking, but we will be brought closer to Him. We will learn to trust Him more, to love Him more.
Hunger is satisfied with Jesus. In Him we have everything we need for life and godliness –
2 Peter 1:3 His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
When we take the time we can actually be a part of the Lord blessing His people. You have the ability to say a word, to listen, to pray – we are the people of God! The Lord can use you to uplift a brother or sister. Saying a kind word or a prayer - a few moments of your time – He can use it to change someone’s life.
If someone were thirsty, would you give him a drink?
If someone were hungry, would you feed him?
If someone needed a kind word, a smile, a prayer, would you take the time?
Wouldn’t you want someone to take the time for you?
Hunger. Hunger is wonderful when it is a hunger for God and His kingdom. Brothers and sisters – take the time - build one another up in the Holy Faith.
Blessing,
Pastor Tim
Thursday, March 20, 2008
The Harvest Field
Matthew 9:36-38 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”
There were those who had a spiritual hunger. They knew that there was something missing in their lives. They saw Jesus and came to Him. Jesus told the disciples to pray for laborers. The picture is one of a plentiful harvest but few to do the work. The same holds true for today.
We live in a world where people try to fill the void in their lives with everything and anything. They don’t realize that they need Jesus. Some have never been told the gospel, let alone who Jesus is. There is much work to be done. The opportunity to serve is everywhere. The need is great. We need to pray for the Lord to raise up laborers, but there is something else we can do. It is one thing to pray that the Lord raises up men and women to do His work, it is another thing to pray “Lord use me to do the work”. We have the privilege to serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. How often do we hear about Christians being slaves to Christ? A slave serves their master. Who is a greater master than the Lord is? Why is it that so many have given their life for the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ? They realized that they serve a living Savior, He is their Master, that time is short and that there is work to do.
Let’s be bold brothers and sisters. Let us seek to please God. Let’s serve our Master diligently.
Hebrew 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
I have been challenged in my life to sacrifice time to do things I didn’t think I could. Recently the Lord challenged me with ministering to a group of people in an assisted living home. I didn’t think I had the time. I thought I was too busy. What would I have to give up in my precious schedule? Well, I took the chance and did it. One day a week turned into two days a week. Now I look and say ‘How could I have not served?” I have met some of the most wonderful people I have ever known. I have seen people hunger for the Word of God. I have been blessed by being able to be a part of these people’s lives. What did I give up in order to do serve? I gave up the ability to waste time during those hours of volunteering. I gave up sitting around, doing nothing. I gained friends. I gained the ability to touch people with the love of Jesus. I gained the privilege of telling people that Jesus loves them, that He cares for them, that he knows them and wants to be a part of their everyday lives. I gained the joy of looking into people’s eyes and telling them that through the blood of Jesus Christ they can have the forgiveness of sins and spend eternity with the Glorious and Awesome God, Lord of Heavens and Creator of all things. Yet in all that I do to serve, God turns around and blesses me more than I could bless those whom I try to serve.
There are so many ways to serve the Lord. Time is short and the need is great.
Are we willing to pray?
Are we willing to be the laborers?
Blessings in Him,
Pastor Tim
There were those who had a spiritual hunger. They knew that there was something missing in their lives. They saw Jesus and came to Him. Jesus told the disciples to pray for laborers. The picture is one of a plentiful harvest but few to do the work. The same holds true for today.
We live in a world where people try to fill the void in their lives with everything and anything. They don’t realize that they need Jesus. Some have never been told the gospel, let alone who Jesus is. There is much work to be done. The opportunity to serve is everywhere. The need is great. We need to pray for the Lord to raise up laborers, but there is something else we can do. It is one thing to pray that the Lord raises up men and women to do His work, it is another thing to pray “Lord use me to do the work”. We have the privilege to serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. How often do we hear about Christians being slaves to Christ? A slave serves their master. Who is a greater master than the Lord is? Why is it that so many have given their life for the furtherance of the gospel of Jesus Christ? They realized that they serve a living Savior, He is their Master, that time is short and that there is work to do.
Let’s be bold brothers and sisters. Let us seek to please God. Let’s serve our Master diligently.
Hebrew 10:24-25 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.
I have been challenged in my life to sacrifice time to do things I didn’t think I could. Recently the Lord challenged me with ministering to a group of people in an assisted living home. I didn’t think I had the time. I thought I was too busy. What would I have to give up in my precious schedule? Well, I took the chance and did it. One day a week turned into two days a week. Now I look and say ‘How could I have not served?” I have met some of the most wonderful people I have ever known. I have seen people hunger for the Word of God. I have been blessed by being able to be a part of these people’s lives. What did I give up in order to do serve? I gave up the ability to waste time during those hours of volunteering. I gave up sitting around, doing nothing. I gained friends. I gained the ability to touch people with the love of Jesus. I gained the privilege of telling people that Jesus loves them, that He cares for them, that he knows them and wants to be a part of their everyday lives. I gained the joy of looking into people’s eyes and telling them that through the blood of Jesus Christ they can have the forgiveness of sins and spend eternity with the Glorious and Awesome God, Lord of Heavens and Creator of all things. Yet in all that I do to serve, God turns around and blesses me more than I could bless those whom I try to serve.
There are so many ways to serve the Lord. Time is short and the need is great.
Are we willing to pray?
Are we willing to be the laborers?
Blessings in Him,
Pastor Tim
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)