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John 12:3-8 - Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair;… But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, "Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?" Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, "Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me." NASU
Mary anoints Jesus with $24,000 worth of perfume. John says, "Costly perfume of pure nard…" What a display of love. What an act of selfless giving. What have I ever given to Jesus that was that costly? Nothing! Wow! Mary loves Jesus with a love that is truly amazing, and totally superior to any of my minor acts of love. But what does she receive for her self sacrificing act of love? She receives criticism and ridicule. The disciples treat her with indignation. Their actions remind me of what John said about Cain: 1 John 3:11-12 - we should love one another; not as Cain, who was of the evil one and slew his brother. And for what reason did he slay him? Because his deeds were evil, and his brother's were righteous. Many times I have seen Christians harassed from evil people and John informs us why this has happened because the motive of the person who is doing the harassing is evil.
Isn't it amazing today how one Christian can do something for the Lord out of pure love, like Mary and this very same act will be called into question by other disciples? I can tell you right now from 35 years of experience in the local church I would rather have a congregation full of Mary's than even one Judas. She loves and it was evident by what she gave. Judas was filled with greed. He was a thief and gave nothing to help the cause. There are two lessons here for us the first is to be careful who you allow to influence you in life. Be influenced by loving and giving people and not greedy hateful people. The second lesson is don't allow criticism to stop you from doing good to others. Be like Mary and do all the good you can for Jesus and His creation. Jesus said, what Mary was doing was the right thing for her to do. Can you hear God telling you what you are doing is the correct action? Think About This: A Christian is the one who makes it easier for other people to believe in God. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word
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John 13:3-6 - knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come forth from God and was going back to God, got up from supper, and laid aside His garments; and taking a towel, He girded Himself. Then He poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. NASU
John 13:6-7 - So He came to Simon Peter. He said to Him, "Lord, do You wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, "What I do you do not realize now, but you will understand hereafter." NASU 1 Peter 5:5 - "You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another,…" NASU
If you would ask Peter where he learned about being clothed with humility, I think he would say in the upper room on the night when Jesus took a towel and girded Himself and washed the disciple's feet. When Jesus washes the feet of the disciples the lesson He was teaching was about "Humility". We don't have to wash a person's feet to show humility. There are many times in our life when we can show humility. How do you accept a promotion or a victory? How do you accept a defeat or a demotion? We can display "humility" in life without washing a person's feet as we should be doing. There is a very old saying that has been repeated many times by parents and coaches: "Win with Humility, Lose with Grace, and do Both with Dignity." I have to admit I saw this saying with a slightly altered ending that made me smile: "Win with Humility, Lose with Grace, but Don't Lose." If only it were that easy in life to not lose. Seriously, I would have to admit some of my greatest lessons I have learned have come by what I would classify as losses. The second lesson is one I have found very valuable and that is we don't always understand what is going on around us at first. Be calm. Don't jump to conclusions. Give the situation some time. Jesus was washing the disciple's feet and Jesus tells Peter you don't understand what I am doing right now but you will. Give it some time and you will see what I am doing. WOW! Who can relate to that message? I know I sure can. There have been so many times in my life where God did the exact opposite of what I wanted and had prayed for. God has shown me time and time again if I am His servant then I will trust Him and accept that when my prayer is answered with a "No" it is my best interests God has in mind. He has a better plan for you and me and that we can be sure of. Think About These: Stay Humble or Stumble. The best way to be right or wrong is humbly. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Deut. 25:17-18 - "Remember what Amalek did to you along the way when you came out from Egypt, how he met you along the way and attacked among you all the stragglers at your rear when you were faint and weary; and he did not fear God…" NASU
Descendants of Amalek will attack God's people. The reason why they would attack God's people is they have "no fear" of God. God was leading the children of Israel out of the Egyptian bondage they had been under for over 400 years and during their exodus, Amalek and his warriors attacked the weaker ones who couldn't keep up with the other Israelites. There are Amalekites attaching Christians today. As we are wandering in the wilderness traveling to our Promised Land aka Heaven. We are being attacked. We have had our worship services canceled by the Government. Then the government gave in a little and gave us permission to congregate once again. They said, "We weren't allowed to sing." What they were really saying is "You can't sing praises to God." You can gather together but you can't sing praises to God. What? Why? The answer is we might die. What the government doesn't understand is Christians are NOT afraid to die. There is no other way we can find out that our faith has not been useless. Our faith is what is valuable to us. Our faith is what has gotten us through tough times before and to be honest with you this virus is not the toughest challenge I have ever faced in my life. It wouldn't even make it on my top 10 list of challenges in my life.
Prov.1:7 - The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction. I would like to explain the Hebrew word for "fear". It means to have "reverence for or awe of" someone. When I look at the stars at night I am in awe of God who created them. The Psalmist put it this way: Ps. 19:1 - The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. NKJV A friend of mine and I were once discussing this passage about the "fear" of God. After listening to his interpretation of this passage I shared having the fear of God is not like a 10-year-old who is fearful of his drunken father who has arrived home to beat the mother or children as he thought. Having the "fear of God" in your life is able to bring you to and understanding of how dynamic and powerful God is. It is to have a "reverence" for Him.
I love how Joshua said it many years ago: "Now, therefore, fear the LORD and serve Him in sincerity and truth; …choose for yourselves today whom you will serve: whether the gods which your fathers served which were beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." Think About This: Knowledge knows a fact. Wisdom knows what to do with that fact. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Gen. 42:21-22 - Then they said to one another, "Truly we are guilty concerning our brother, because we saw the distress of his soul when he pleaded with us, yet we would not listen; therefore this distress has come upon us." Reuben answered them, saying, "Did I not tell you, 'Do not sin against the boy; and you would not listen? Now comes the reckoning for his blood." NASU
There had been a famine and Jacob sent his sons to Egypt to buy grain. When Joseph sees his brothers he recognizes them but they don't recognize him. Joseph places them in prison and accuses them of being spies. He leaves them in prison for three days and tells them they must leave one of their brothers in prison, travel home, and bring their younger brother to Egypt to prove they aren't spies.
The two best ways I know to overcome a guilty conscience if you have hurt someone:
After their father, Jacob, dies the brothers send a message to Joseph asking him to forgive them. Gen. 50:16-17 -"Your father charged before he died, saying, 'Thus you shall say to Joseph, "Please forgive, I beg you, the transgression of your brothers and their sin, for they did you wrong."' And now, please forgive the transgression of the servants of the God of your father." The brothers asked Joseph for forgiveness and it was granted to them.
I am not perfect now but thank God I am not what I used to be nor am I what I want to be. I want to do what 2 Pet. 3:18 says, "Grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." Christians are like a sign I read that says, "Under Construction: God isn't finished with me yet." We are under construction. God is working on us and will continue to work on us.
People have told you, "Let it go." You wish you could but everything you have tried isn't working. So what should be done in those situations? I would say, "You need to remember what God has done for you and that is He Has Forgiven You, so forgive yourself."
I like this saying, "When the devil wants to remind you of your past, remind him of his future." Romans 16:20 - "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus be with you." If you want to dwell on something then dwell on what God has done for you and what He will do to the devil. Think About This: Your conscience is not the voice of God; it is a gift from God. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word |
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