Thursday, September 22, 2016

UNPROFITABLE SERVANTS

Today’s Reading: Luke 17-18

Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion on the right-hand side).

 

This is a millstone from the time of Christ that was uncovered in Capernaum on the north shore of the Sea of Galilee.

GOOGLE MAPS – To see where Reynold took the photo, click HERE.

Key Verses: Luke 17:2 & 10

It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones…

So likewise you, when you have done all those things which you are commanded, say, ‘We are unprofitable servants. We have done what was our duty to do.’

 

Imagine the millstone pictured above hung around someone’s neck. Imagine that person with the weight of that stone being cast into the sea. Jesus presented very graphic word pictures. Jesus goes on to teach that if someone sins against us seven times in one day and says to us, “I repent,” we are to forgive that person. All this is humanly impossible. No wonder the disciples said to Jesus, “Increase our faith.” Jesus’ response to this request is as follows: First, take the tiny mustard seed faith we already have, and take authority over the mulberry tree and its roots. Get rid of any unnecessary thing that would take up space in our lives so that we’ll have more room for an increased level of faith. Second, consider ourselves “unprofitable servants.” Being small in our own eyes will leave more room for an increase of faith. Check out 1 Samuel 15:17 and 2 Corinthians 12:7-10.

PRAYER FOR TODAY:

Lord God, I’m getting rid of anything that would clutter up my life. Please help me to identify the “mulberry tree.” Also, Lord, I humble myself before You and consider myself an “unprofitable servant.” Please fill the additional space now available with an increase in my faith in You. Thank You Lord! In the Name of Jesus I pray, Amen!

100 PERSONAL WORDS:

I will never forget one of our frequent guests on the 100 Huntley Street telecast, the late Dr. John Wesley White. He was a native of Saskatchewan, an associate evangelist with Billy Graham, and a PhD from Oxford University. The very first time on air with me he looked into the camera and said to the viewers, “God has given you a guarantee that if a person will simply pray, ‘God be merciful to me, a sinner,’ that precious person will be made right with God.” I believe that millions have been justified as a result of humbly praying that prayer (Luke 18:13-14). Another guarantee from God is found in 1 John 1:9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

Yours for the sure knowledge that we are justified before God by believing and acting upon His Word  (“Mustard seed” faith is simply enough faith to do exactly what God tells us to do in His Word!!!),

David (the man who goes way over his 100 words, particularly in the P.S. below)

P.S. Here’s more on the historical accuracy and reliability of the Scriptures. The writer of 14 books of the Greek language New Testament Scriptures, the Apostle Paul, had a name change. Before his conversion to Jesus Christ (Acts 9), he was known as Saul of Tarsus, the fiercest enemy of the new movement of believers in Jesus Christ. He was educated by Rabbi Gamaliel, who was the grandson of Rabbi Hillel, perhaps the most famous Rabbi of all time. Saul had access directly to the High Priest. He asked for, and received, letters of authority to imprison, and even kill, followers of Jesus (Acts 7:58, 8:1).  He approved of the stoning execution of the early church deacon, Stephen. As a person of obvious Jewish religious power, he would have followed closely all the events over the three years of Jesus’ ministry and been aware of Jesus’ teaching, crucifixion, and reported resurrection. His rage was no doubt fuelled by the frustration at not being able to refute any of Jesus’ miracles, particularly Jesus’ resurrection from the dead!!! Therefore, after Saul of Tarsus’ conversion, we find Saul/Paul verifying all the historical records in his writings and teaching!!! Luke, the historian of a 60-70 year period from the birth of Jesus onward, was the constant travelling and ministry companion of the Apostle Paul. It is my firm conviction that if all Luke wrote was not accurate, and if the dozens of places in Paul’s writings where he references Jesus’ life were not reliable, Luke and Paul would have been contradicted by the Jewish historian Josephus, or one of the other contemporaries of Paul with whom he had been educated who had not been converted to Christ. No such contradictions exist!!! Think with me about these P.S. comments. My young friend, Dr. Jeremiah Johnston, has a goal in life – making Christians into thinkers and thinkers into Christians. You can visit his website here.

12 thoughts on “Thursday, September 22, 2016

  1. Please pray for our new pastor Fr. Reg at St. John Fisher Church, Brampton, and for the revival of our Catholic Charismatic Prayer Groups all over and our churches too. God bless you all.

  2. Thank You Jesus, for bestowing Your wisdom upon us. Thank you Reynold, Ron and David, for the message and prayer with photo and symbolism of the millstone. Saul is the perfect example of a sinner so evil and corrupt who was changed transformed and renewed completely because of the power of Jesus Christ into Paul, the greatest of prophets and leaders. Thank You Jesus!!! Continued prayer for you, David, and fellow saints in the Lord.

    “Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor my eyes lofty.
    Neither do I concern myself with great matters,
    Nor with things too profound for me.
    Surely I have calmed and quieted my soul,
    Like a weaned child with his mother;
    Like a weaned child is my soul within me.
    O Israel, hope in the Lord
    From this time forth and forever.”
    Psalm 131 NKJV

    Never Going Back, Brock Human, United Pursuit
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PWKux2gYn00

  3. David, Ron, Reynold: All you do and say through these blogs daily are certainly food for thought…thank you for your faithfulness. God Bless you!!
    Thank you fellow saints, be blessed this day.

    Just one to share: Somehow I did not see these scriptures before in the same light, even though I read them many times before:
    Luke 17:28 “Likewise also as it was in the DAYS OF LOT; they did eat, they drank they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;”
    Luke 17:34 “I tell you, in that night there shall be TWO MEN IN ONE BED, the one will be taken, and the other shall be left”.
    17:35 “TWO WOMEN shall be grinding together, the one shall be taken, and the other left.”

    • Is it not important to compare other passages and interpretations of scripture when dealing with passages that don’t appear to have a traditional understanding (NIV, CJB, NAS). Also refer to passages such as Romans 1, etc.)
      Father, help us all to understand your word.
      Blessings

  4. Precious Brother David… may the blessing of the Master rest upon you, and His Spirit infuse you with His love, life, joy, and overflowing health — His victory manifest in you! You are His treasure, His gift to His family here on His earth.

  5. Yes Lord forgive me for I have sinned! I am sorry! I ask for Your forgiveness! Thank you Lord for hearing my prayer! Thank you for the forgiveness of all my sins! As far as the east is from the west! Thank you Lord, thank you.

    Lord I need Your help to forgive the person who treated Shawn very badly! And yes Lord it was a Christian who was very mean spirited and I know this person! Help me Lord to forgive this person, this person is in their 70’s and should really not be fretting about what the neighbour is building but instead, go over and give a helping hand! Lord I ask You to enter this person’s heart and change his attitude and I pray the Holy Spirit will convict this person to apologize and ask to be forgiven by Shawn!

    Thank you Lord that I found a group to crochet with on Wednesdays. That will be good for me,.again, thank you Lord.

    Please continue to pray for Livvy, that all her cancer on her pancreaes will be removed completely, also please pray for healing for Eva, that all her cancer will be gone also! Thank you Lord, thank Lord also for healing Landon and his appendix surgery, he is recovering Thank you Lord, In Jesus Name We Pray amen

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