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Luke 6:22 - Blessed are you when men hate you, and ostracize you, and insult you, and scorn your name as evil, for the sake of the Son of Man. NASU
I wanted my friends to experience this same forgiveness, and that is when I became the recipient of a totally new type of blessing. A blessing that I was not prepared to receive. The blessing I refer to is the one where people will hate you, ostracize you, and insult you because you tried to share the Gospel with them. There will be parties you would have always been invited to attend before, but you will no longer receive an invitation to them. There will be face to face meetings which cause you to walk away and wonder, "What just happened?" You will be insulted, you will be called names, your past will be remembered by your friends, and you will be labeled as "judgmental." Yes, I was totally confused. I thought for sure my family and friends would have been glad to find out what I had discovered. But instead, I was blessed in a way I was not prepared to receive.
I couldn't remember one insult or even care that some people hated me on the day I baptized my father and my mother. But come to think of it. I can't remember any insult, ostracizing or being hated that came to my mind as I baptized other people into Christ either. So yes, I really feel blessed that I have been able to tell others about Jesus Christ, my LORD and Savior. I have been blessed exactly the way God said I would. I have been hated, ostracized and insulted because I am a believer in Jesus Christ.
I can tell you this: the older you get, the less any of it matters and the more important it is to be friends with Jesus. Think On These: When we let God guide, He will provide. Fear not tomorrow. God is already there. Our faith deals with what God says - not what learned men say. 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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Heb 5:1-3 - For every high priest taken from among men is appointed on behalf of men in things pertaining to God, in order to offer both gifts and sacrifices for sins; he can deal gently with the ignorant and misguided, since he himself also is beset with weakness; and because of it he is obligated to offer sacrifices for sins, as for the people, so also for himself. NASU
FIRST, I would like to give a BIG Shout Out of Congratulations to one of my Pump Up Readers, TROY STEINER. He was named the new Head Wrestling Coach of Fresno State. He will do a tremendous job for the Bulldogs. I rejoice with Troy and his entire family.
Therefore, not just any man was qualified to be a HP and not just any man is qualified to be a coach. A High Priest was appointed by God "on behalf of men in things pertaining to God." In other words the HP was to help men or priest learn about God. He was to teach them how to serve and honor God. Likewise, coaches are appointed by their leagues, schools and universities to teach boys, girls, men and women about the sport they coach as well as how to be a good person, honor the sport in which they compete and honor the God who gave them their abilities.
I believe the really great coaches have learned this lesson. They understand the trials and temptations of their athletes because they also have been athletes. They know when to be tough and demanding of their athletes and when to "deal gently" with them. My son-in-law, Cary Kolat, tells of the time he lost in the finals of his freshman year at the Division One NCAA Wrestling tournament. He was given a plague for taking second place. Once he was off the platform he threw the plague in a trash can and sat down in the hallway. Coach Dave Shultz picked the plague out of the trash and gave it back to Cary with some kind words. Dave knew how "to deal gently" with Cary at the correct time. It is all about timing my friends. A great coach will pick and choose his moments. He knows when to be direct, or tough and when to challenge an athlete to be their best. He also knows when to "deal gently" with his athletes.
He knows when we need reprimanded and when we need compassion and the reason He knows all of this is found in: Heb 4:14-15 - Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. NASU Jesus is able to sympathize with us. He was a human like us. He went through trials, temptations and tribulations like we have. The only difference is He never sinned while going through them. Jesus is our HP. If you have sinned confess tyour sins to Him and ask for forgiveness. If you know someone who has walked away from their relationship with Jesus tell them to talk with Him. He is able to sympathize with us. Think On These: Criticism should always leave a person with the feeling that he has been helped. A pat on the back can cause a chin to go up and shoulders to go back. 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. Hebrews 4:2 - “For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard.” NASB
So, let me ask you a very sincere heartfelt question. Do you have "faith" in the Gospel?
According to the Word of God here is the answer to that question from I Corin. 15:1-4: "Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,…"NASU This is the Gospel my friends: Jesus died for our sins; He was buried, and resurrected on the third day. When He died on that cross some very important spiritual things took place. Jesus' blood atoned for our sins and because of this atonement we can be seen in the eyes of God as JUSTIFIED. The word "Justified" means to be "Just as if I've never sinned".
I heard a preacher once ask this question, "Do you realize if you were the only person that ever sinned Jesus would have still come to the cross of Calvary and died for you?" Or are you on the side of the ones who have heard about Jesus death, burial and resurrection, but you can't accept those facts? Let me say this, "Heaven isn't for everyone. Heaven is for those who have FAITH in Jesus' death, burial and resurrection." Remember the Good News isn't the Good News for you if it is not believed.
Think On These: Facts do not cease to exist just because they are ignored. The hardest thing about facts is to face them. Fact is fact and feelings are feelings and never does the second change the first. 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. John 6:15 - So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. NASU
Jesus’ plan was to come and usher in the Kingdom of God as a spiritual King and not an earthly one. The people who were following Jesus had other plans for Him. They wanted Him to be their earthly King. They intended to take Him by force and make Him their King according to John 6:15. However, the Kingdom of Heaven was coming, and Jesus was the One who would usher it in. Matt. 4:17 - From that time Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." NASU So Jesus departed from their company.
This doesn't mean their goals wouldn't be worthy goals. It means their goals are not your goals. These people wanted Jesus to be their earthly king, but Jesus didn't want to be their earthly king. Would being their earthly king have provided a great service? Absolutely! Accomplishing His goal accomplished the greater service.
Who is trying to get you to abandon your goals and accomplish their goals? There is an old saying, "If you want to defeat them, distract them." You can be sure the devil was trying to distract Jesus, and he will be trying to distract you from accomplishing your goals. If you set goals for yourself, and your friends want you to be involved in actions that will not help you accomplish your goals, then you need to do what Jesus did and depart from them. It doesn't mean you won't see them again. It just means accomplishing your goals is more important than their friendship at this time.
What is trying to distract you from accomplishing your goals? You need to identify possible distractions and then safeguard yourself against them. Remember some of the objects of distraction will appear like they are going to benefit you and others, and they may, but don’t forget your original goals. Jesus being an earthly king would have been beneficial, but no way does it compare with the benefits of Him being our Spiritual King. Think On This: Never neglect the details. When everyone's mind is dulled or distracted the leader must be doubly vigilant. - Colin Powell 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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