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Luke 4:24-27 - And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. "But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. "And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." NASU
He goes back to His home town of Nazareth and enters the synagogue. There He reads from the book of Isaiah. When He is finished reading, He informs them this prophecy of Isaiah has been fulfilled in their hearing it. He is truthfully telling them He is the Messiah, the Christ or the Anointed One. We know they didn't believe Him because He quotes their response, "…Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well." They have heard about His miracles in Capernaum, but they want to see some personally before they are going to believe in Him. It is going to take more than Jesus reading scripture and saying, "This is now fulfilled…" for them to become believers that He is the Messiah.
His second reference is II Kings 5 where the Prophet of God, Elisha, heals a Gentile Captain of the hated Syrian Army from his leprosy. What enrages the people of Nazareth is Jesus' comparison and conclusion. He informs them that there were many widows in Israel during the 3 1/2 years of famine, but God never sent any of His prophets to help them. Then Jesus steps it up a notch when He said, "There were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." This had to anger them severely. You want to talk about being stabbed in the heart with the truth. God helped the Captain of the Hated Syrian Army, but He never healed one Israelite who had leprosy. Yes, that would have to sting. I have had people tell me they don't believe Jesus would ever hurt anyone's feelings. I always think they can't be talking about the same Jesus I know. Because the One I know who was and is the Son of God, would hurt your feelings if you were living the wrong way.
They were so enraged by His comments they literally want to kill Him. I guess you could say, "Jesus really angered those people." If you want to anger people tell them the truth. Think On These: The man who follows the crowd will never be followed by the crowd. Truth often hurts, but it's the lie that leaves the scars. 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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Luke 15:13-14 - "And not many days later, the younger son gathered everything together and went on a journey into a distant country, and there he squandered his estate with loose living. 14 Now when he had spent everything, a severe famine occurred in that country, and he began to be impoverished." NASU
The Bible text is a parable that Jesus is telling. The younger son's bad decision is to leave the protection and security that he has with his father. Jesus is telling all humans if you leave the protection of your heavenly Father, this is a bad decision. If you go out into the world and take on the devil and his cohorts you will get your butt kicked. So he goes out from the father's house and the next thing we see is he has "squandered his estate with loose living." In other words the world took everything he had and when he had nothing more to take, they were through with him. I can only speak for myself, but I would love to have the money back I squandered on loose living in my past. I can remember thinking my father was holding me back from going into the world and making my fortune. I left Ohio and headed to Florida where I was going to strike it rich. I came back homefour years later busted, and my ego was deflated.
"So he went and hired himself out to one of the citizens of that country, and he sent him into his fields to feed swine. 16 "And he would have gladly filled his stomach with the pods that the swine were eating, and no one was giving anything to him. 17 "But whenhe 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. What can be done when you have made a bad decision? First, he got a job. He took anything he could get. It wasn't a glorious job. It was anything but glorious. It was simply a job feeding pigs. Second, as he was working he was devising a plan to better himself. He wanted out of his dilemma. He wasn't looking for any freebies. The text says, "But when he came to his senses…." I think this is the real key to what he did. He had a change of ATTITUDE. When we first see him he is greedy and believes he is missing out on what the world has to offer. He wants his inheritance and he wants to be free. He wanted to hit the road. He saw living with his dad as very boring. This all sounds very familiar to me. It has been said, "Where your heart is your feet will follow." His heart was in another country and that is where he went. When he came to his senses he changed his attitude. The best decision we can make is to keep our attitude in check. Don't be greedy and don't think you are missing out on what the world has to offer. Third, he owned his mistake or bad decision. He decided to get up and go to his father and tell him he made a mistake. If you make a mistake own it. I'm sure it won't be your first nor will it be your last. Just own it.
When you make a bad decision the one thing you want to do is maintain a positive attitude. I didn't say you had to be happy about your losses or bad decision, but stay positive and find your way back to the Father. Think On This: The biggest fool of all is the one who refuses to profit from his mistakes. 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. Judges 6:12-13 - The angel of the LORD appeared to him and said to him, "The LORD is with you, O valiant warrior." 13 Then Gideon said to him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, 'Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian." NASU
Gideon was not valiant at this time. He was exactly the opposite. He was hiding from the Midianites as he was threshing the wheat. The Lord tells him to tear down his father's idols. Gideon was afraid to tear down his father's idols so he tears them down at night in order to not be seen. Gideon is told that the LORD is with him. Gideon says, "If the Lord is with us, why then has all this happened to us?"
Why is it when we are trying to live for the LORD we find ourselves being conquered by something? What is your Midianite? What keeps barging into your life and kicking down your strongholds?
There is the answer to why the Midianites had been conquering the Israelites. God was going to conquer them with Gideon and 300 soldiers, which He did and gave the Israelites 40 years of peace. Why are we constantly being conquered by temptations? God wants to use us in a mighty way to conquer them. Something that has defeated us in the past is going to be conquered by us when we allow God's Spirit to help us.
Look at what Gideon says to God "O Lord, how shall I deliver Israel? Behold, my family is the least in Manasseh, and I am the youngest in my father's house." Gideon is trying to tell God His plan is all wrong. Gideon believes God has abandoned the Israelites. When you start to believe God has abandoned you, forget about it. God doesn't abandon His children. He hasn't abandoned you. He is preparing you for a special trial and when you conquer it you will know that God was there helping you the entire time.
Whatever test God is allowing you to face remember this: If God brings you to it, God will get you through it.
In other words, God wants us to relax and trust Him no matter what situation challenges us. God is never wrong. God has faith in us that we can win by allowing His Spirit to help us. God wants to use us in a "mighty way" exactly like He did Gideon. Think On This: There are thousands of ways of pleasing God, but none without trusting Him. 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. 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 - "…there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me — to keep me from exalting myself! 8 Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. 9 And He has said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." NASU
God goes on to say that His Grace is sufficient for him. WOW! If one of the Apostle Paul's prayers was given a "No" answer what are the chances that some of our prayers may receive the same answer from God? Many times when we pray we are expecting a "Yes" answer from God and if God answers it with a "No" we have a difficult time excepting His "No" answer. One thing we should remember a "No" answer from God may lead to a more productive life.
He then said "Yes" and opened up doors for me to attend Eastern Christian College in 1979. After that He opened up doors for me to start a 20 year ministry in Glen Burnie and Severn, MD. I have often wondered what might have happened had God said "Yes" to my prayer to attend Ozark Bible College. All the friends I have made in Maryland would have never happened. All the people that I have baptized into Christ would not have happened, at least by me. Let me repeat this - One thing we should remember a "No" answer from God may lead to a more productive life.
He really does give us what we need. All one has to do is think about Jesus Christ and how God gave His Son to make it possible that all of our sins are forgiven. If God has said "No" keep your eyes and ears open for the "Yes" answer that He has coming your way.
God said "No" to David being permitted to build the temple for Him, and God said "No" to Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. Since God has said "No" to those Bible Greats we shouldn't be too surprised when He says "No" to us. It is what God will do with us after He says "No" that really counts. Think On This: Keep your chin up and your knees down. 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. Genesis 9:14 - "And it shall come to pass,…" KJV
On the other hand, if everything in your life is a mess, chaos is surrounding you on all sides and it is challenging you to get out of bed so that it can hit you in the mouth and knock you down again, just remember these six words "and it shall come to pass."
How do you endure the hard times? It is called "mental toughness." You have to believe that you can outlast the difficulty that you are facing. When tough times hit you and it knock you down, picture yourself getting back up. Every time it knocks you down you get back up. All you have to do is get up one more time than it knocks you down and you win.
I've seen members battle with the loss of their jobs, financial bankruptcy, the loss of their health and the loss of the health of their loved ones. I've seen some battle the loss of their spouse, to the loss of a child, the loss of their parents, to the loss of their home. As you can see, the tough times are not created equal, and everyone faces something that they wish they could avoid. A man who did some work for me said, "Gary, what I have found in life is this: What doesn't kill you will only make you stronger." I believe the longer you live the more you will see that statement is true.
If you have been reading my Pump Ups then you are mentally tough. Do you hear me? You are mentally tough. You can ENDURE these tough times. I know you can. I believe in you. All you have to do is get through today. Tomorrow is when everything will begin to change for you.
Think on These: When things get rough, remember: It is the rubbing that brings out the shine. Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them. 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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