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The Light of the Gospel of the Glory of Christ

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From an account in Matthew 9:27-31

When someone’s not qualified to lead another, we say it’s “the blind leading the blind.”
The Bible gives an account of such an occurrence, but of a very positive kind.

One day two blind men were following Jesus, knowing that the vision which they sought…could surely be realized through His miracles, which they had heard
He’d wrought.

“Have mercy on us, Son of David!” was their heartfelt, earnest cry for His touch.
When He entered into the house, they may have wondered if He’d even heard
them much.

But they were bold to enter the house then, where at the time, Jesus was staying–
They were ready to receive the healing, for which they’d both been praying.

“Do you believe that I’m able to do this?” Jesus questioned the pair;
They answered Him, “Yes, Lord,” for they knew–that He’d done great miracles everywhere.

So Jesus touched their eyes, saying that according to their faith it was done;
Then their eyes were opened to see perfectly—a new life for each had begun.

Though they’d been blind, they’d helped each other, on a pathway of which they felt sure. Their faith in Jesus and readiness to receive brought about their miraculous cure.

Though Jesus charged them to let no one know, they couldn’t help sharing their story–
Of how Jesus Christ had given them sight, and they gave to Him all of the glory.

There have been testimonies in these days, too, of people receiving their sight–
I praise God to hear of it and for His heart to heal those who face any health fight.

There’s darkness of an even greater kind, that seeks to keep people from following Christ’s way; In such cases, they need someone who’s spiritually-sighted, to lead them to the Light of day.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”  John 8:12

“While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.”  John 9:5

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lamp stand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.” Matthew 5:14-15

“In whose case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”  2 Corinthians 4:4

“Therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:38

“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” Proverbs 4:18

For miracle testimonies of today, just to name a few ministries, refer to:
http://www.cbn.com
http://www.awmi.net
http://www.oralroberts.com

Questions on Authority and the Chief Cornerstone

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from Luke 20:1-18

One day Jesus was teaching the people in the temple courts, proclaiming to all the good news…. when the chief priests and teachers of the law and the elders came up to question His views..

“Who gave you this authority?” they asked, for He’d just driven out all who would buy or sell.  He’d said they’d made the temple a den of thieves, rather than a house where prayer could dwell.

Jesus answered them back with a question of His own about whether they could recognize…if John the Baptist’s ministry was of his own initiative–or was it divine in God’s eyes?

Before they answered, they debated among themselves on which answer would be best.  If they said it was from heaven, they knew He would ask why they then hadn’t believed John was blessed.

But if they said John was acting only on his own, they feared they would actually be stoned… for all the people felt that John had been a prophet, and such an answer wouldn’t be condoned.

So their final reply on where John had gotten his authority was that they really didn’t know–  Then Jesus answered them that neither would He reveal the source of His ministry’s flow.

************************

Jesus went on to tell the story of a man who planted a vineyard and decided to rent it out.  He journeyed to a distant land for some time, but sent one of his servants back on the route…

to collect his share of the harvest one day; but the renters beat him, and he returned in lack.  The vineyard owner sent a second, then a third servant, who also received the same kind of an attack.

So he came to consider that he would send his only son–surely, they’d give respect in that case–   Well, they not only beat him, but they killed the heir as well, thinking then they might own the place.

Jesus asked what they thought the owner would do to those who had done this thing…. He said he would come to destroy them in turn and give the vineyard to others whom he would bring.

This upset the chief priests, teachers, and elders as they realized he was speaking of them in the story.  Some said no one would do such a thing, but Jesus brought up scripture that spoke to them of His glory….

What was the meaning, then, He asked, of “The stone which the builders rejected–
this became the chief corner stone” — Of course, therein His own life and ministry were reflected.

You see, the Jewish nation was the vineyard; the chief priests and others like them were tenants of the land.  Through the years they’d not heeded God’s servants, the prophets–now His Son they were rejecting on every hand.

This parable speaks of God, the Father, who sent His prophets, then His Son, Jesus Christ, the Messiah and Lord–  As in the parable, He’ll return through His Son–and those who’ve put faith in Him will have great reward….


 Maranatha!  Our Lord is coming!

P. A. Oltrogge

“The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner stone.”  Psalm 118:22

Out of the Ashes

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A pause from the poetic for some prose…
by J. Vetter

Only a year ago, a tornado swept through our town, and trees became missiles of destruction. They slammed against houses, fences and vehicles with an angry vengeance.

This morning I took the time to investigate the new walking trail that was built in our area. Joy crowded into my heart and it overflowed with gratitude as I recognized that the pathway had been created with the remains of those fallen trees. Then, at the end of the trail, the joy that I felt gave birth to overwhelming revelation of new life!  There, amidst the trees, an outdoor chapel had been built. There was a simple wooden cross, a pulpit, and there were six wooden benches.

Even though no one was standing behind the pulpit, I heard a message spoken loudly and clearly into my spirit.  It was “Never give up! Never give up!”  In spite of what may look like devastation, God declares, “There will be new life – trust Me!  Learn to expect the good, for I know how to bring it about.  Take your eyes off the distraction of loss and begin to expect the beauty of renewal.”

The Lord has much to say about being one who overcomes.  I personally believe it thrills God’s heart when we choose to allow Him to rebuild what has been devastated or broken.  It may not look the same; but in fact, often it can be even better.  I’m thinking, for example, of the times people have had a water pipe break or some other kind of flooding.  At first, it’s just a mess, and not very many people start out being thankful. However, after the insurance company pays for new flooring and restoration, it’s easy to forget the sense of frustration about the incident.

If only we could always see a snapshot of the finished project!  But wait–God has something to say about that–how about, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (Hebrews 11:1)

I remember reading about a woman whose son was severely injured. She was praying for his healing and happened to look up and out of her kitchen window and saw a vision of him riding his bike over the lawn. Time went by, and he was healed.  One day, she actually saw that exact picture of him on his bike, just as she had seen in the earlier vision.

Many a person, when keeping faith in the Lord, has found that the loss of a job has yielded an even better one or a new situation that is more satisfying for them.

Sometimes, as in a personal experience of my own, a loss can be very hard–the loss of a precious loved one. Yet, I can give thanks for having had the joy of having known and loved that one, knowing the comfort that he is with Jesus; and I have found peace through Him, which passes all understanding.

If difficulties strike, I believe we can keep our hearts from being overwhelmed. In Psalms we read, “From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” (Psalm 61:2)  From the vantage point of that “Rock,” our Lord Jesus Christ, we are able to rise above any negative circumstance.

And Nicodemus Came Also

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“Now there was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews; this man came to Him by night and said to Him, ‘Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to Him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? He cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born, can he?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who is born of the Spirit.’ Nicodemus answered and said to Him, ‘How can these things be?’ John 3:1-9 (from John 3:1-21)

Photo by Zaimoku

Photo by Zaimoku

And Nicodemus Came Also
(God’s continual creative flow of new birth…)


Sometimes a photograph captures a scene
of overwhelming beauty like none you have seen;
The Lord has created so many beautiful things…
for us to enjoy, with the sense of awe that they bring.

The arrival in springtime of little young lambs;
new shells on the seashore from oysters and clams…
the arrival of a baby that makes a family grow–
all are a part of the Master Designer’s creative flow.

Blossoming cherry tree branches leaning over a lake;
a rainbow after rain or the first winter snowflake…
early fog around a mountain or a newly formed stream–
all point to the Creator and His “new birth” theme.

A Rabbi named Nicodemus wondered, “How can these things be?”
when Jesus said he must be born again by water and the Spirit to be free.
Of course, Jesus meant spiritually, not physically being born twice.
Thankfully, the Bible indicates, that Nicodemus took Jesus’ advice.

Nicodemus thought for himself, being bold to question what he’d been taught–
If you can’t say with assurance your faith brings you what it ought,
then learn from the example of a Rabbi back in Jesus’ day…
Take hold of the Gospel of Christ and receive new birth as you pray.

P. A. Oltrogge

“So there arose a discourse in the multitude because of Him (Jesus). And some of them wanted to seize Him, but no one laid hands on Him. The officers therefore came to the chief priests and Pharisees, and they said to them, ‘Why did you not bring Him?’ The officers answered, ‘Never did a man speak the way this man speaks.’ The Pharisees, therefore, answered them, ‘You have not also been led astray, have you? No one of the rulers or Pharisees has believed in Him, has he? But the multitude which does not know the Law is accursed.’ Nicodemus said to them, (he who came to Him before being one of them), ‘Our Law does not judge a man, unless it first hears from him and knows what he is doing, does it?’ They answered and said to him, ‘You are not also from Galilee, are you? Search, and see that no prophet arises out of Galilee.’ And everyone went to his home.” John 7:43-53

“And after these things, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. He came, therefore, and took away His body. And Nicodemus came also, who had first come to Him by night; bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. And so they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where he was crucified, there was a garden; and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had yet been laid. Therefore on account of the Jewish day of preparation, because the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.” John 19:38-42

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” 2 Corinthians 5:17 NKJV

If one is suffering, we all suffer

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Many of  you are aware that the Bible speaks of believers in Jesus as being “one body–Christ’s body.”  Here is a segment on the topic:

“But now there are many members, but one body.  And the eye cannot say to the hand, ‘I have no need of you’; or again the head to the feet, ‘I have no need of you.’  On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary, and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness, whereas our seemly members have no need of it.  But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked, that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.  And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.  Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”  1 Corinthians 12:20-27

 

If One is Suffering, We All Suffer….
a prayer
 

There are some in the body of Christ right now who are suffering very much;
We ask, Lord, that You visit them with Your divine and healing touch.

We agree with Your Word that says You give Your mighty angels charge
Over any situation–what seems small, and what we know is large.

Since we realize we are all one body in the Lord’s church across the world,
We pray for those who are suffering from evil darts the devil’s hurled.

We pray for those who are persecuting them for their faith in Jesus, the Lord–
That You will open their eyes to find You’re the God of love and not the sword.

P. A. Oltrogge

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and every one who loves is born of God and knows God.  The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.  By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”  1 John 4:7-10

Gideon and “The Lord is Peace”

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“And the angel of the Lord appeared unto him, and said unto him, the Lord is with thee, thou mighty man of valor.” Judges 6:12

After seven years of persistent attacks, there was an outcry to take a stand
by Israel against the Midianites and others who were plundering their land.
Inside a winepress of those days where grapes were usually pressed,
a young man, Gideon, was threshing some wheat that he’d managed to possess,
when the angel of the Lord came to Him there, calling him mighty and brave–
and that it would be through him, that the people of Israel would be saved.

Gideon hoped for a “sign” that this was from God, then went to prepare some food–
meat, unleavened bread, and broth were the generous items he pursued.
He returned with the gifts for his visitor, presenting the things he’d brought;
he set them out upon a rock, contemplating the sign that he’d sought.
The angel of God touched the offering with his staff, and flames consumed it all–
Then Gideon knew he’d gotten his sign and that it was the angel of the Lord who’d come to call.

At that, the angel disappeared–the encounter wasn’t of long duration;
yet Gideon wondered if he could be the one to lead the fighting for the nation.
Realizing that he had actually seen the angel of the Lord face to face,
he built an altar there to God–“The Lord is Peace” he named the place.
The first thing God required of Gideon was to build another altar to take the place,
of Baal’s–worshiped there among the Israelites, much to their disgrace.

At a time when no one would hinder them, Gideon led ten men into the night,
and they tore down the altar of Baal, and a so-called sacred grove and idol on the site.
Then a firm, strong altar was built by the men to the true God on that ground,
and they offered a sacrifice to the Lord there before anyone had come around.
In the morning, the townsmen saw the change and found out that Gideon was to blame, so they went to Gideon’s house where his father, Joash, met them in his name.

Baal’s altar had been on Joash’s land–he’d strayed from the true God and His ways;
but he’d had a change of heart and responded with questions he wanted to raise.
“Are you taking Baal’s side?” he asked, “If he’s really a god, can’t he contend?
Let him punish my son, if he’s able…” and he thereby brought their anger to an end.
So Gideon had accomplished, by this action, what was of first priority to the Lord–
turning the people back to God, before he could lead them with any battle sword.

Then the Midianites and Amalekites began to assemble, camping in the valley;
the Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, and he blew the trumpet rally.
But he still sought further clarification that God had called him to lead the way–
that victory for Israel was assured–they wouldn’t just be keeping the enemy at bay.
So he put out a fleece of wool on the threshing floor used there for the wheat–
“Let it be wet with dew in the morning,” was a sign he asked God to meet.

“And let the ground be dry beside it” was Gideon’s further stipulation,
which God met for him because He understood his need for confirmation.
Gideon wasn’t yet totally convinced, so he asked God still again–
“This time let the fleece be dry–and let the ground about it be wet then.”
So, once again, God caused the situation to be as he had asked,
He knew Gideon needed certainty before undertaking the leadership task.

Some things we can say that are lessons, in this Bible account, that we can heed–
anything that’s an “idol” to us needs to be torn down before we can hope to succeed. Then, we need to keep faith in Jesus–in all of our ways, acknowledging Him–trusting for the peace that He gives, or not–finding our way by His Spirit within. And since there are very many scriptures where God says we’re people of valor to this day, we’ll know that we can do all things through Christ, going forth with confidence after we pray.

P. A. Oltrogge

If you’re not familiar with the rest of the story, Gideon went on to lead the Israelites to victory over enemies that the Bible says were “as numerous as locusts, and their camels were without number, as numerous as the sand on the seashore.” This he did with only 300 men, to the glory of God, who was with him!

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Chief of Sinners

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Photo by Larry Johnson

Photo by Larry Johnson

You may remember an old hymn line which goes, “Chief of sinners, though I be, Christ was crucified for me…” So that is the theme of this poem and comes from that which was written by Paul in 1 Timothy 1:15. When we’ve done things contrary to God’s ways, we may feel this way; but we have a Savior in Jesus, who became sin and became a curse for us on the cross. It seems to me that though Jesus lived a sinless life, one could say that, at that point, on the cross, Jesus was the chief of sinners, as He took upon Himself the sins of all, for He died for all. Through His act of obedience to His Father, we now have peace with God and He, who humbled Himself to death on the cross, is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Psalm 139:23-24 NIV

Search me, and see if there is any offensive way–

I know that it’s there, for it’s surfaced in a fray.

Anger, resentment, judging others and more–

things such as these, my conscience can’t ignore.

I know I need God’s Word to a greater degree;

but from any condemnation, Jesus has set me free.

He became my substitute, for God knew that I’d fail,

and the blood of Jesus has more than paid bail.

My righteousness is established by that blood;

He’s made me a new creation–a forgiven, fresh bud.

The fruit of the Spirit will flourish–and I’ll bloom,

as I seek first the One who was raised from the tomb.

I’ve immediate peace when I confess any sin,

for the Spirit of the Eternal Judge resides within.

P. A. Oltrogge

1 Timothy 1:12-16 (PHILLIPS)
My debt to Jesus Christ

“I am deeply grateful to our Lord Jesus Christ (to whom I owe all that I have accomplished) for trusting me enough to appoint me his minister, despite the fact that I had previously blasphemed his name, persecuted his Church and damaged his cause. I believe he was merciful to me because what I did was done in the ignorance of a man without faith, and then he poured out his grace upon me, giving me tremendous faith in, and love for, himself. This statement is completely reliable and should be universally accepted:—’Christ Jesus entered the world to rescue sinners.’ I realize that I was the worst of them all, and that because of this very fact God was particularly merciful to me. It was a kind of demonstration of the extent of Christ’s patience towards the worst of men, to serve as an example to all who in the future should trust him for eternal life.”

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” 1 Timothy 1:15 KJV

“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 NKJV

“There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” Romans 8:1 KJV

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’–in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:13

“But if we walk in the light, as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
1 John 1:7-9

“My little children, I am writing these things to you that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2

“For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, in order that all may honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father who sent Him.” John 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” Galatians 5:22-23

“Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails….” (from 1 Corinthians 13)

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.” Lamentations 3:22-23 NRSV

II Corinthians 5:17
Romans 6:10-14

Have you “seen” Jesus?

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In Jerusalem, there was a devout man named Simeon, back in New Testament days,
Who’d been waiting for the promised Messiah, in order to give Him praise.

The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon and had revealed that he wouldn’t die
Until he would get to see that One, who was the object of his heart’s cry.

One day the Spirit led him to the Temple and there he saw a child,
Whom He knew, by the Spirit’s prompting, to be the One born undefiled.

Mary and Joseph were amazed to hear what Simeon then said about their boy–
Jesus would cause many in Israel to fall, but to many others He would bring joy.

Simeon warned that many would oppose Him–the deepest thoughts of hearts would be revealed; A sword would pierce Mary’s very soul–a reference to the cross,
to which He’d yield.

Simeon said Jesus was sent as a sign from God, to reveal Himself and be a light
To every nation upon the earth — “the glory of God’s people Israel” was His birthright.

Just as Simeon was speaking with Mary and Joseph, another given to prophecy
came by–Anna, who never left the temple, but stayed day and night, raised her
praises high….

How about you? Have you “seen” the Savior, as these people did who were old?
Assurance and peace was theirs, having seen Jesus, whose life became the greatest story ever told!

P. A. Oltrogge

“Now Lord, Thou dost let Thy bond-servant depart in peace, according to Thy word; For my eyes have seen Thy salvation, Which Thou has prepared in the presence of all peoples. A light of revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.”
Luke 2:28-32

(Luke 2:21-38 for the entire account of Simeon and Anna)

Our Christian Walk is Really a Marathon

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Stepping away from the poetic for a moment, I’d like to share an encouraging article, written by a friend….
P. A. Oltrogge

Our Christian Walk is Really a Marathon
by J. Vetter

Perhaps that’s where I first went wrong–believing walking with the Lord was just that–only a walk. Lately, it seems like the speed has increased, and I have to run to keep up! There have been a few times I’ve “hit the wall” too. So I searched out what it means to run a marathon.

First, you need to train–not just any way you want to, but by listening to experts and following a schedule. Then, you need to eat the correct foods, drink appropriately, and learn to pace yourself.

But the most important thing is realizing you will “hit the wall” sometime during your race; and that doesn’t mean it’s over. It means if you keep on going, you will make it! Others go through this and still finish the race.

Legend has it that marathons got their beginning when a Greek messenger was sent from the town of Marathon to Athens, announcing that the Persians had been defeated in the Battle of Marathon. He ran the entire distance without stopping, and then burst into the assembly exclaiming, “We have won!” before collapsing and dying.

We, too, have a message–that we have won–and to proclaim it fully, we have to die to only focusing on ourselves or the problem or, better put, the magnitude of our race.

One of the walls we hit in our Christian race is discouragement. There are times when we feel nothing is changing and our prayers are not being answered. Perhaps an affliction increases its grip with a fury that cries “unfair.”

Another wall is believing the lie that we really can’t make it. I listened carefully to the interview with Captain Chesley “Sully” Sullenberger as he described what he felt when he realized his plane was about to crash land in the Hudson River (January, 2009). His initial reaction was that he couldn’t believe this was happening to him. However, on the heels of that thought, he also proclaimed, “I was sure I could do it.” He was a man confident of his training and his experience. Because he was at the helm, 155 people survived that day. Incidentally, he also gave credit to the crew, passengers, and the first responders by sharing his belief that the miraculous outcome was a team effort.

We may think our race is just our own, but the Christian race is also a team effort. We’ve got to take a drink from that brother or sister on the sidelines. We’ve got to cheer and encourage others in their race and be able to accept words of encouragement from others along the road. One of the interesting aspects of participating in a marathon is that few people enter expecting to win. Their goal is to finish.

Another stumbling stone is fear. Perhaps the fear of making a mistake. A friend shared a quote with me. “A person who never makes any mistakes seldom makes anything else (new).” I believe a person who is afraid of making another mistake won’t make any significant steps further in his race. That’s why we are told in scripture to forget the past.

Sometimes during our struggles, we forget the message of Hebrews 12:2-4, “Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how He did it. Because he never lost sight of where He was headed–that exhilarating finish in and with God–He could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. And now He’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourself flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility He plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls!” (Message Bible)

Race on!

Good Samaritans, through prayer

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Supporting financially or serving in various Christian outreaches in our world are important ways of acting as good Samaritans of today. Some things are occurring in hard to reach areas or situations, and we may not all be able to physically go to areas where aid is needed, so may this serve to remind that earnest prayer is a powerful and vital way of being a good Samaritan, too.

Jesus told the story of a man left half dead,
Having fallen among thieves, who stripped and beat him, Jesus said.
There was no one to help the man until a priest came by;
But he saw him and continued on, not caring if the man would die.
After that, another, called a Levite, came upon the site,
But he, too, hurried on, with no regard to this man’s plight.
Then came a certain Samaritan, who, despite his journey’s goal,
Forgot his own plans and took steps to see that this man would be made whole.
He bandaged up the man’s wounds, applying oil and wine–
“Every life is important,” he must have thought, “What if it were mine?”
He took the man to an inn and cared for him the rest of the day;
The next morning he paid the innkeeper to do so, in order to be on his way.
“If more than that is needed,” he said, “I’ll repay you when I come back;”
His compassion was deep, and he needed to see that he’d recovered from the attack.
Jesus finished the story and asked who’d been the man’s neighbor of the three.
A lawyer answered, “The one who showed mercy to him”–and, likewise, so should we…
Not pass up opportunities to help any who need our care;
But instead, on a daily basis, of such times, may we be quickly aware.

(postscript to the above…)

Before Jesus told of this story, the same lawyer had put Him to a test–
“What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He thought that he knew this best.
Jesus pointed him to the Law—to love God with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind;
And then to love your neighbor as yourself—these two, really, are intertwined.
If someone says they love God, whom they’ve not actually seen with their eyes,
Yet is merciless or hates his brother whom he’s seen, the Bible says that he lies.
Jesus emphasized that loving God was the great and foremost command;
But, again, He said that these two laws always go hand in hand.
By this, Jesus taught of God’s perfect plan–
Love God and love your fellow man.
But there’s only been one who has ever fulfilled God’s laws in a perfect way–
Jesus Christ, Himself, who has been our example, Teacher, Savior and Lord,
From then until this present day.

P. A. Oltrogge

1 John 4:20, 21 “If someone says, ‘I love God,’ and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should love his brother also.”

Matthew 22:37-40 “And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and foremost commandment. And a second is like it, You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.’”

Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.”

From Luke 10:29-37 and Luke 10:25-28
From John 13:13-15