perfect love and keep on praying

graphics hunt

As I am doing my devotion for Lent, a burden is continually laid upon my heart. The same resounding message that keeps ringing in my ear is "time is short, pray hard".

Luke 22 talks about the last hours of Jesus. After he had his last supper with his disciples, he went up to the Mount of Olives to pray. Verse 40 says"...pray that you will not fall into temptation..." but when he came back from from his prayer, he found his disciples sleeping. He again reminded them to pray so that they will not fall into temptation. I feel the anguish of Jesus and the intensity of his feelings. He prayed so earnestly that his sweat fell like droplets of blood.

 Jesus was very focused upon his mission, he knew that the hour was near for him to die. Verse 42, "...Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done." Jesus was here on earth not to have a successful ministry, he came to seek and save the lost, he came for sinners like me. His blood was shed on the cross so that we can have eternal life. We need a sacrifice that was perfect so that our sins can be redeemed. And Jesus was that Lamb of sacrifice, he was without sin.

We are living in the last hours, let us get up and pray unceasingly. In the last days many hearts will grow cold, Matt 24:12, "...Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold..." 

Sometimes it may be very hard to understand the necessity of this sacrifice. Why must God allow man to sin and then send Jesus to die on the cross for us? This is the will of God that sometimes it is too complex for our human minds to comprehend. I think he wants us to see the consequences of our sins or wrong doings and he also wants us to know that despite our imperfections, he still loves us. This is perfect love.

And he provided a way for us to be saved,
Acts 16:31,"Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved, you and your household." 

There are many who are living broken lives, so broken that they find no hope in living. Let us pray for them and share this message of hope with them. Jesus did not come for the "rich", he came for the "poor", he came for those whose spirits are broken. If you are loosing hope and feeling discouraged, go to Jesus. If you feel despair and meaningless in this life, go to Jesus. He is our perfect love, he came for you and me. He came to save us and to give us hope.

the wedding banquet, are you attending?

123RF

The season of Lent has already started last week, I'm on the Youversion (Android) 40 days of Lent reading plan. Today I was reading Matthew 22. This is the second time the Lord brought me to this passage since last week. Matthew 22 is about the wedding banquet. Matt 22:1-3, Jesus said."...The kingdom of heaven is like a king who prepared a wedding banquet for his son. He sent his servants to those who had been invited to come but they refused to come."

It really convicted me about where I put my time and resources. Luke 12:34 says,"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few...where am I when the Lord needs me? Am I investing my time and money in the Lord's kingdom or on things on this earth that really doesn't matter to God? How many people out there are still living in darkness? Are we inviting them to the house of the Lord? Or are we also like one of the invited guests who are just too busy to care about the kingdom of God. Busy with our family, busy with kids, busy with building our houses, busy with career or work?

Matt 22:1-14 says " Many are invited, but few are chosen." Even the man who came to the wedding banquet but was not clothed in wedding clothes were thrown outside "where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (v13). All our righteous acts are like filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6), the only way to be saved is through the Lord's righteousness.

It really spoke to me about not taking our salvation for granted. Many are believers of Christ but few are followers of God. Do not allow the things of this world to consume me but to follow after the things of God.

The Lord has prepared a big celebration at the wedding banquet, all are invited, are you going?

^{John 12:25-26,"} Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life.  Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me."

glorious departure

files 32

The glorious departure of Elijah really spoke to my heart. In 2 Kings 2, he went to heaven in a whirlwind with chariots and horsemen. Isn't that an awesome sight? As compared to King Ahaziah, who was unfaithful to God and worshiped the god of Baal, he had a miserable death, as prophesied by Elijah in 2 Kings 1. Even on his death bed, King Ahaziah did not repent to God, his heart was hardened.

In Elijah's case, he did not even die, he was taken to heaven in a glorious way. Elijah's life was a true inspiration of obedience and faithfulness to God, we see miracles and powerful manifestation of God's presence in his life. We see the wrath of God towards those like King Ahaziah, who was disobedient to him yet we see how gentle and loving God is towards Elijah.

As believers of Jesus Christ, we will have a glorious departure from this earth. Jesus Christ our Savior is the way to God.

‭‭John‬ ‭14:6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.’

.