HE KNOWS OUR THOUGHTS

 

HE KNOWS OUR THOUGHTS Then a paralytic was brought to Him, carried by four men. Since they were unable to get to Jesus through the crowd, they uncovered the roof above Him, made an opening, and lowered the paralytic on his mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, “Son, your sins are forgiven.” But some of the scribes were sitting there and thinking in their hearts, “Why does this man speak like this? He is blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?” At once Jesus knew in His spirit that they were thinking this way within themselves. “Why are you thinking these things in your hearts?” He asked. “Which is easier: to say to a paralytic, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, pick up your mat, and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...” He said to the paralytic, “I tell you, get up, pick up your mat, and go home.” And immediately the man got up, picked up his mat, and walked out in front of them all. As a result, they were all astounded and glorified God, saying, “We have never seen anything like this!”  Mark 2:3-12 Jesus sees into people’s hearts and knows everything about them. He saw faith in the men who brought their friend to be healed. Then He saw into the paralyzed man’s life, recognizing that his greatest need wasn’t healing, but forgiveness of sins. Jesus also knew the secret thoughts of the religious leaders. They reasoned in their hearts, and Jesus knew their thoughts. At another time, Jesus stopped in the middle of a crowded road and looked up at Zaccheus and told him to come down from the tree, because Jesus knew that Zaccheus was ready to change his life and follow the Lord. Knowing that Jesus sees everything should both restrain and encourage us. We can’t hide anything from Him, so we should be careful in how we live. But it should also inspire us, because He knows when we try, even when we fail. He knows when we’re sincere, even when we make mistakes. He knows our heart even when others may criticize and make false assumptions. Jesus knows all the truth about us. The LORD does not see as man does. For man sees the outward appearance, but the LORD sees the heart. 1 Samuel 16:7 by J.R. Miller

OUR PURPOSE AT THIS TIME

 

OUR PURPOSE AT THIS TIME For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this? Esther 4:14 Esther was a Jewish refugee from a dreadful war, living in a foreign land. When the King of Susa decided to find a new queen for himself, many beautiful young women were brought to the palace for consideration. And out of hundreds of lovely young women, King Ahasuerus chose Esther as his queen. Esther’s position as queen was not a coincidence. She was placed there by divine providence, specifically to save her people from a scheming madman who wanted to annihilate the Jews. As unlikely as it would seem, a young woman was chosen by God to foil Haman's plans and bring about his downfall. We live under the same providence of God; because nothing in our lives is accidental. If we are faithful to God, He will place us where He wants us to be, and in every circumstance, He has a purpose for us. When we encounter a person in need or face a situation of sorrow, we should ask ourselves, “Perhaps God sent me here at this moment to help.” God’s providence often brings us into specific circumstances or relationships for a reason. Esther, a humble Jewish girl, became queen in a foreign land, not by chance but by God’s design. When the moment came, she was ready to fulfill her purpose. In the same way, when God brings us into new circumstances, it is because He has a purpose for us there. We must always be ready to do the work He has set before us. by J.R. Miller

THE SCARIEST VERSE IN THE BIBLE

THE SCARIEST VERSE IN THE BIBLE REVELATION 21.8 But for the cowardly, unbelieving, sinners, corrupted, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their part is in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur which is the second death.” Here, Revelation throws in one last warning for unbelievers. It’s a stark, severe warning that is meant to make an impression. All through this book and the revelations in it, God is trying to save people from eternal judgment. He’s never been eager to send anyone to hell: rather, God is intent on saving you from the lake of fire! That list of sins is something that all of us should be familiar with, because some of the entries are surprising. And we certainly don’t want to do any of them! It’s also a good verse for witnessing. We hear so many lies all around us: so we can ask people, “Did you know the Bible says all Liars will go to hell?” Most of the world doesn’t seem to believe there are any consequences for lying! But what should really make us pause are the first two: cowards and unbelievers. Those two are sins of omission, rather than sins of commission. Sins of omission are the things we fail to do, rather than the things we’ve done. Anyone, then, who knows the right thing to do, yet fails to do it, is guilty of sin. James 4:17 The cowardly: have you ever failed to help someone who needed it? Did you fail to step in when someone was being bullied? Did you walk away when someone needed assistance? Jesus does not give us a pass for such failures. Jesus the Good Shepherd does whatever He needs to do for the sheep. He is our example in courage, selflessness and humility. And unbelievers! If we die before accepting Jesus as our Savior, then it’s too late. To procrastinate on this decision is an insult to God. And every time we choose to put it off, we harden our hearts a little bit more. Eventually, a hardened conscience cannot hear God at all. Unbelief is a struggle for some Christians as well. The Apostle James addresses the back-and-forth wavering of someone who finds it difficult to walk in Faith. Doubts and unbelief are something we need to resist in order to please the LORD.  But he must ask in faith, without doubting, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:6-8 In our modern age, people are able to shrug off shame. They do everything that’s on that list above, and have no regrets. The verse in Revelation 21:8 is a very ominous warning. In these last days we should do our part to make sure people know about it. We’re almost finished with this study of Revelation! Continued next Thursday! IMAGE CREDIT: The image of the Lake of Fire, generated by SeaArt.ai and edited by C.A. Stevens.

 

DISCERNMENT VS. JUDGMENT

 

DISCERNMENT VS. JUDGMENT When words are many, sin is unavoidable, but he who restrains his lips is wise. Proverbs 10:19 Let’s not confuse discernment with judgment. I’ve seen too many times where what was called “discernment” was actually judgment in disguise. It’s heartbreaking how quickly some believers will tear down their own brothers and sisters, claiming they’ve discerned an “evil spirit”... often based solely on appearance, a facial expression, or a single image. That isn’t discernment. True discernment doesn’t come from what our eyes see. It comes from the spirit and the heart. And context matters! Sharing an image without context, and then assigning meaning to it. It can mislead others to adopt your interpretation. That crosses into manipulation, and manipulation is something God clearly does not like. When we tear down fellow believers, we step out of love. If someone’s content or presence doesn’t sit well with you, it’s okay to step away. What isn’t okay is spreading negativity, assumptions, or false accusations. A genuine spirit of discernment is rooted in the Holy Spirit and the living Word of God, not in outward appearances or a frozen moment in time. Especially not from a single photo. Instead of accusing, we are called to examine our own hearts. Bring concerns to God without judgment and without the influence of the outside world. And rather than pointing fingers or shouting warnings, choose prayer. Raven Hyers on Facebook

LITTLE DEEDS OF LOVE

 

LITTLE DEEDS OF LOVE Indeed, if anyone gives you even a cup of water because you bear the name of Christ, truly I tell you, he will never lose his reward. Mark 9:41 It’s amazing that God takes note of something as small as giving a cup of water to a thirsty believer. This shows how dear His people are to Him—so much so that He remembers and rewards even the smallest kindness done to one of them. The mention of a cup of water here suggests that the promise applies to small, everyday acts of kindness, not just grand gestures. Too often, we withhold these simple acts of help and love. God fills our hearts with His gifts of love, not for us to keep locked up, but to give out freely. We would call a person selfish who refused to offer a cup of water to someone who was thirsty, yet many of us do this constantly. It’s not physical thirst we neglect to quench; but the thirst of hearts yearning for kindness. Kindness is the right word for these small acts. Kindness is love flowing out in little ways of gentleness. We should live our lives as perpetual blessings to others, always looking for ways to help. All we need for this ministry is a heart filled with love for Christ, for if we truly love Him, we will also love others, and love will find ways to express itself. A heart filled with gentleness cannot help but pour out blessings. By J.R. Miller