Recent Blog Entries
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Isaac entreated Yahweh for his wife, because she was barren. Yahweh was entreated by him, and Rebekah his wife conceived. Genesis 25:21 WEBRebekah was barren and could not have children, but when her husband Isaac prayed for her, she became pregnant with twins. If you read the details, Isaac was for... -
Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where He prayed. Mark 1:34 NIVIt was early in the morning as I walked into my little prayer room. After praying for a few minutes I sat in the quiet solitude, mostly wondering how we we...
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Then he began to denounce the cities in which most of his mighty works had been done, because they didn't repent. 'Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works had been done in Tyre and Sidon which were done in you, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. Bu...
Strangers In The Night
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But he, desiring to justify himself, asked Jesus, 'Who is my neighbor?' Jesus answered, 'A certain man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he fell among robbers, who both stripped him and beat him, and departed, leaving him half dead. By chance a certain priest was going down that way. When he saw him, he passed by on the other side. In the same way a Levite also, when he came to the place, and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he traveled, came where he was. When he saw him, he was moved with compassion, came to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. He set him on his own animal, brought him to an inn, and took care of him. Luke 10:29 WEB
It was a narrow dirt road that the priest walked down 'by chance' on his way to Jericho, when he came across the man who had been beaten, robbed, and left for dead. Not wishing to be troubled in his busy day, he crossed to the other side of the road and continued on. Soon a Levite came down the road, saw the man, and passed by on the other side leaving him there to die. Then a Samaritan, considered a half-breed and despised by the Jews, came along and stopped to help the man. He bandaged him up and then took him to an inn.
Who is your neighbor? The one that God 'by chance' put in your path. It is easy to get overwhelmed when you think of the world's problems. How can you make a difference to those imprisoned in foreign nations? Other than prayer, most of us will not. But God places people in each of our paths that we can help, and then we get to choose whether to pass them by and carry on with our busy day, or take a moment to show them the love of Jesus.
Hebrews 13:2 tells us: 'Don't forget to show hospitality to strangers, for in doing so, some have entertained angels without knowing it.'
When you are busy, it is so easy to get upset at that unexpected knock at the door, to send that phone call to voicemail, to walk on past that person asking for help. Many today are beaten down, poor, naked and abandoned, and all while wearing a suit at work. No one can help everyone, but everyone can help someone. So be mindful of the one that God puts in your path, for they are your neighbor.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to see those that You put in my path clearly and give me the wisdom to help them. Get my attention and give the grace to do what needs to done, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray.
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I think I may have been both at one time or another, the man in need of help, and the man who passed on by. I'm not proud of it, but either I was too busy to see the man in need or I didn't want to get involved or I thought that man could have been potentially dangerous so stayed away. Either way, I did not do what I should have done. And nobody likes to be the one in need of help least of all to find that people tend to steer away from you when you are in that position. But I don't think it would be right to let their lack of action influence you or harden your heart against them. You have to put yourself in their shoes and ask yourself what you would do if you saw a man in dire need right in front of you, would you help?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, help me to see those that You put in my path clearly and give me the wisdom to help them. Get my attention and give the grace to do what needs to be done, in the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen <3 Thank you... In a hurting and broken world, hospitality is a refreshing change <3 Father help me be that change! Help me to show your unconditional kindness and love to those you put on my path. Amen
Jim and i both learned a hard lesson about this...about 5 or 6 years ago we were approached by two men asking for gas money. We didnt give it and later felt terrible and knew that we should have. Now when these encounters happen we quickly ask for the Holy Spirit to guide us and follow!! we still feel bad about our decision that day...
Don't beat yourself up, Julie, when faced with a sudden situation, we may sometimes make decisions that we might not have otherwise made if we had time to think about it. I know that for me, as an introvert, I do better when I can give something a bit of thought. I know you have taken the opportunity to bless others afterwards and, in the end, He also probably found someone else to bless those two men :).
So true, Pastor Dion. Thank you for putting that sweet lady in my path yesterday. Visiting w/her, I forgot what a crazy day it has been and that I was in a hurry (husband sitting in car waiting). She touched my heart and blessed my evening. Thank you God, for never leaving me and knowing what I need to make me better. Amen.
I felt like this man,3 years ago. I was hurting from a devastating divorce, trying to wrap my head around it,I had lost my job at Walmart due to computer glitches,my unmarried daughter had a baby at 18, and invited baby daddy to live with her in ouapartment,no responsibility! When i opposed they moved out.i was alone,jobless,scared.one day i went to the church id been going to,my car was running on empty,and my other daughter needed pickup from school 5 miles away.in desperation,i went to the church. I was repeatedly told by pastors wife that they could help only every 2 months and that id been given food pantry items less than that.it wasnt my timei had a breakdown after that,and went 8nto a facility for my mental health for 3 months,where we used the serenity prayer.God worked through a military facility, not through an estàblished church!
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