Luke 15:17-21 - "But when he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have more than enough bread, but I am dying here with hunger! 18'I will get up and go to my father, and will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in your sight; 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me as one of your hired men."' 20 "So he got up and came to his father…. 21 "And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' NASU
He chose to leave his father's estate. He chose to squander his inheritance in a distant land. He chose to believe he could have more fun not living around his family. He chose to learn lessons at the School of Hard Knocks. He chose to make one poor decision after another and then it happened. He woke up. He had an aha moment. He came to his senses. He did some quick deducing of the facts and came to this conclusion: My father's hired servants have it better than I do. If you are suffering because of poor choices you have made in the past. Here is a novel idea: Come To Your Senses and Own Your Mistakes.
How many times have you done something wrong and kept it to yourself until finally you just had to confess it? Once the deed is confessed a great feeling of relief comes over us and we say to ourselves, "I don't know why I didn't do that sooner." There is a remedy for a guilty conscience and it is called "confession" of your mistakes.
What about you? Have you made some mistakes that you need to own? Is there a person you need to confess your mistakes to or maybe you simply need to confess your sins to God?
The father said it this way, 'Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; 23 and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and celebrate; 24 for this son of mine was dead and has come to life again; he was lost and has been found.' NASU So have you made some poor choices in your life? Do you need a second chance? Then let me suggest you follow the plan of the prodigal son by coming to your senses, going to the person you need to see and make the confession that will bring about the healing you so desperately need. By making the confession you will open up your life to forgiveness and a time of celebration. Think On These: There's more hope for a confessed sinner than a conceited saint. Few things in life are more difficult for some of us than admitting a mistake. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page, Twitter or Forwarding to a friend.
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Matt. 8:1-3 - When Jesus came down from the mountain, large crowds followed Him. 2 And a leper came to Him and bowed down before Him, and said, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." 3 Jesus stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately his leprosy was cleansed. NASU
It is now time for Jesus not to preach anymore but to put into action what He has preached. You see, I found out a long time ago, it is fairly easy to preach a sermon, but to live what you preach now that is when life becomes challenging.
Below are some of the lessons that Jesus had just finished teaching His followers. They were to be the light of the world and to let their lights shine. Matt. 5:14-16 - "You are the light of the world.... Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven." NASU When Jesus heals this leper He will have displayed His good works and glorified His Heavenly Father exactly like He told the followers to do in His sermon on the mount. The leper is asking, seeking and knocking on the Lord's door, and He has already said if you will do those three things, the door will be opened to you. Matt. 7:7-8 - Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. NASU You will notice Jesus teaches a lesson on how we are to treat people. We are to treat them the same way we want to be treated. Matt. 7:12 - "In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets."NASU Can you hear the followers murmuring in the background? What murmuring? The murmuring, "It's a leper. Is He going to help a leper?" It was believed by many that you were cursed with leprosy from God because of something evil you had done. When Miriam sinned against her brother Moses God struck her with leprosy. Numbers 12:9-11- So the anger of the LORD burned against them and He departed. 10 But when the cloud had withdrawn from over the tent, behold, Miriam was leprous, as white as snow. As Aaron turned toward Miriam, behold, she was leprous. 11 Then Aaron said to Moses, "Oh, my lord, I beg you, do not account this sin to us, in which we have acted foolishly and in which we have sinned. NASU Now a leper is coming to Jesus to be healed. Jesus taught them to treat people the way you want to be treated. He didn't say unless they are Babylonians, Moabites, or lepers. Jesus is close to the end of His message when He says, in Matt. 7:17-20 - "So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. " Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. "So then, you will know them by their fruits." NASU When Jesus heals this leper He is letting them know He is a good tree and He will bear good fruit.
Yet, he knew enough to come to Jesus for help. When you pray you need to be like this leper. You need to come to Jesus and inform Him that He can heal you from whatever problem you are carrying in life, if He so desires. You don't want to miss what the leper said to Jesus. "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." That my friends is FAITH. The leper had faith that Jesus could heal him and he wasn't afraid to say it. Hebrews 11:6 - And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him. NASU If you want results in your prayer life come with faith believing that if it is the Lord's will you will be healed. Think On These: Prayer doesn't need proof, it needs practice. If you are too busy to pray, you are too busy. Nothing lies outside the reach of prayer except that which is outside the will of God. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page or Forwarding to a friend. Luke 1:13 - But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John." NASU
We are not exactly sure when Zach started praying for a child, but we can surmise it has been some time. We know he is an older man (vs.7). We know he isn't 50 years of age yet because that is the age when the Levitical Priests had to retire. Numbers 8:23-25 - Now the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 24 "This is what applies to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall enter to perform service in the work of the tent of meeting. 25 "But at the age of fifty years they shall retire from service in the work and not work anymore. NASU I would imagine, though, he was very close to 50 years of age when God is going to answer his prayer for a child.
Also, He may answer your prayer with a "No" or a "Yes" or He even may answer yours like He did Zach - after many years of praying. When we pray we must realize that God is in control and will always answer our prayers at the appropriate time. When prayers are not answered the next day or the next week, it doesn't mean God isn't going to answer them. The Israelites prayed for over 400 years to be freed from their Egyptian captivity, but when the time was right God sent forth Moses and freed them. God's timing is always right. Notice what God says in Galatians 4:4 - "But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law,..." NASU
Before the birth of Jesus there must be the birth of John, who will become known as, John the Baptist. This is what Jesus says about John in Matt. 11:11- "Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist! NASU That is quite the compliment.
Have you been born again? If you really want to give yourself a Christmas gift, why not give yourself the greatest gift possible. Give yourself the gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. As stated above, Jesus compliments John the Baptist, but He also compliments those who have entered into His spiritual kingdom when he compares them to John in Matt 11:11- Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. NASU
The name Elizabeth means "God is my oath". The name John means "God is Gracious". When you put these names together it says, "God remembers His oath and is Gracious." He remembered His oath and sent us His Son who atoned for our sins and redeemed us. I pray you will not ever forget that Christmas gift. Think On This: The way you spend Christmas is far more important than how much you spend. Stay Pumped and Have a Merry Christmas, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page or Forwarding to a friend. Prov. 16:7 - When a man's ways are pleasing to the LORD, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him. NASU
A police car pulled into my driveway and the officer asked for the owner of the house. When I informed her that I was the owner of the house she said, "She received a report that there was a party going on and every one was drunk and very loud." I told the police officer, "This was a Sunday school picnic and there wasn't any alcohol on the property at all." She apologized and said, "Okay, I see what is happening." She then walked over to our neighbor's house and conversed with them. I don't know what she said but it didn't change how they treated us.
When I came to the neighbor who had called the police on us I asked her if she wanted her driveway cleared of the snow. She wanted to know how much I was charging and when I said it was free she said, "Yes". God sent the snow and I had peace with my neighbors from that day forward. The church received a check for $30. from them. Also, I was at the Howard County Fair later that year. My neighbor's had a fish sandwich stand which they towed to a lot of the fairs around the area. I heard someone yelling my name and it was my neighbors. They gave me a free fish sandwich and lemonade from their stand. We talked for about 20 minutes that night. If I were working in my yard they would come over and talk with me. I had peace with my enemies and it was all because God honored His Word and answered my prayer.
Think On These: Man is that foolish creature who tries to get even with his enemies and ahead of his friends. Kindness is the ability to treat your enemy decently. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page or Forwarding to a friend. Acts 10:30-31 - Cornelius answered: "Four days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me 31 and said, 'Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. NIV
I wonder what went through Cornelius' mind after that conversation with an angel. I am fairly sure he was not giving to the poor to be noticed by God. Yet, that is exactly what happened to him. He gave to the poor and God noticed him. I am fairly sure that when we give to the poor we do not give thinking "Well, God is watching me so I will give a large sum to this poor person." When we give we do so to help this person. I am quite sure that if we think about it for a moment there was a time when someone helped us. Now it is our turn to return the favor.
In the Old Testament times when the Israelites lived in an agricultural society God told them not to harvest all of their crops. They were to leave the edges of their fields alone and the poor people could come and glean the edges of their fields for free. In other words, the poor people had to do something to help alleviate their poor condition. They were given an opportunity to better themselves by harvesting crop that was left in the field for them by the land owner. They could use this harvested crop to feed their families or sell the crop and bring money into their own pockets to support their family. This type of living is supported by the Apostle Paul in the New Testament when he writes in 2 Thes. 3:10 - For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. NASU
I have been asked if I give to the people who are at the stop lights begging for money. My answer is "No." But I will tell you who I do give money too. I give to the ones working in the restaurants. I know the ones working there are definitely not rich. A lot of them are working there as a second job. They are trying to make ends meet. Some of them are in school during the day and working there at night. God's plan is to help those who are indeed working to try and get ahead in this life and I see waiters and waitresses doing exactly that. When I leave them a very nice tip I see this as a way to give to the poor.
Acts 10:4 - The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. NIV Proverbs 14:21 - But happy is he who is gracious to the poor. NASU Prov. 22:9 - He who is generous will be blessed, for he gives some of his food to the poor. NASU
Prov. 19:17 -One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed. NASU Think on These: Poverty is often the sidekick of laziness. A man is truly poor, not when he has nothing, but when he does nothing. Stay Pumped, Gary A. Serago Minister of God's Word Share this Pump Up with others by Sharing on Your Facebook Page or Forwarding to a friend. To Read Other Pump Ups You Can Go To My Website. www.SeragosPumpUps.com |
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