Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. And he has given us this command: Anyone who loves God must also love their brother and sister.
1 John 2:9-11
I had this elderly friend named Olga. You would have loved her as I do. She is in Heaven. She went to Montgomery College. At first, I didn’t know what to think about her. I knew she was a nice person, because she would always smile and talk nice to me. I would go my own way working. I would see her on her days she had class’s. I see her at Walmart, and we would talk and walk around the store together, before I had to walk home. She would actually ask the Lord Jesus first before she did anything. I thought this is so awesome. Olga had a light that I never seen in a Christian. I talked with her about this. She told me this part of the bible: It reads in:
Matthew Chapter 22:37-40; And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend on all the Law and the Prophets.”
Olga told me this means that you should ask the Lord Jesus first anything before you do it or speak it. The Lord Jesus was her neighbor, friend and brother first. So, she told me go home and read Luke Chapter 14: So, I did.
It reads in Luke 14:
Jesus at a Pharisee’s House (The Pharisee’s hated Jesus because Jesus was for the sinner)
One Sabbath, when Jesus went to eat in the house of a prominent Pharisee, he was being carefully watched. There in front of him was a man suffering from abnormal swelling of his body. Jesus asked the Pharisees and experts in the law, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath or not?” But they remained silent. So, taking hold of the man, he healed him and sent him on his way. Then he asked them, “If one of you has a child or an ox that falls into a well on the Sabbath day, will you not immediately pull it out?” And they had nothing to say. When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when you host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (Meaning if sitting with the poor, powerless and those who are broken just like me. Then the Lord Jesus will bless you and bless them)
Then Jesus said to his host, “When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or sisters, your relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.” (Ask the Lord Jesus and Keep giving in love and blessing your neighbor)
“The Parable of the Great Banquet”
When one of those at the table with him heard this, he said to Jesus, “Blessed is the one who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” Jesus replied: “A certain man was preparing a great banquet and invited many guests. At the time of the banquet he sent his servant to tell those who had been invited, ‘Come, for everything is now ready.’ “But they all alike began to make excuses. The first said, ‘I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.’ “Another said, ‘I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.’ “Still another said, ‘I just got married, so I can’t come.’ “The servant came back and reported this to his master. (So these people refused the Lord Jesus as their neighbor and denied Him. They thought themselves better than the Lord Jesus)
Then the owner of the house became angry and ordered his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and alleys of the town and bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind and the lame.’ “‘Sir,’ the servant said, ‘what you ordered has been done, but there is still room.’ “Then the master told his servant, ‘Go out to the roads and country lanes and compel them to come in, so that my house will be full. ( So the Lord Jesus invited all those who loved Him and didn’t deny Him)
I tell you, not one of those who were invited will get a taste of my banquet.’” (So those who denied the Lord Jesus will be envious of the goodness the Lord Jesus shows to them who do love Him.)
The Cost of Being a Disciple
Large crowds were traveling with Jesus, and turning to them he said: “If anyone comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, even their own life, such a person cannot be my disciple. And whoever does not carry their cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. (This is powerful, because it is not saying that you should hate everybody. These verse are stating that you love the Lord Jesus first in everything. Then you proceed to love others. I have heard people say: What kind of bible are you reading? It says to hate my family! I won’t do this! This is not so! You need to love God first and then love others)
“Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it? For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’ (So you start out loving the Lord Jesus and then you give up on Him,)
“Or suppose a king is about to go to war against another king. Won’t he first sit down and consider whether he is able with ten thousand men to oppose the one coming against him with twenty thousand? If he is not able, he will send a delegation while the other is still a long way off and will ask for terms of peace. In the same way, those of you who do not give up everything you have cannot be my disciples. ( What the Lord Jesus is saying here is come to Him first then confide the needs to Him first.)
“Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is fit neither for the soil nor for the manure pile; it is thrown out. “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.”
(So salt is considered a healing source. So, the Lord Jesus is salt and light. So, confiding in the salt and listening to the answer in the light makes all right! Ignoring what is heard is gone)
“So, loving the Lord Jesus first to confide in Him. Put Him first in all that you do. “
“Trust in the LORD with All Your Heart” Proverbs 3:5
My son do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments; for they will add length to your days, years and peace to your life. Never let loving devotional or faithfulness leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. Then you will find favor and high regard in the sight of God and man. Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD and turn away from evil. This will bring healing to your body refreshment to your bones. Honor the LORD with your wealth and with the first fruits of all your harvest; then your barns will be filled with plenty, and your vats will overflow with new wine. My son do not reject the discipline of the LORD, and do not loathe His rebuke for the LORD disciplines the one He loves, as does a father the son in whom he delights.
Olga was a mentor to me in her way. Isn’t this the way we end up listing to others God sends in our path? What we listen to if it is not salt and light it is not of God.
Olga said. The pastor talks of how we have to give our 10%. She said she didn’t have money to give when she first started going to church. People still treated her right. She said everyone who gives seed at church will watch it flourish. Whether it is love, time or money. It starts with loving the Lord Jesus and trusting Him. Wow! I love yours and my Lord Jesus who belongs to all of us.
It reads in John 12:12-18; The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna! “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!” Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him. Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him.
{Let’s Pray}
Dear Blessed Lord Jesus, I thank You and praise You that I can confide in You first in all I say and do. I thank You and praise You for all the brothers and sisters in Your Precious Name that are Your salt and light. Bless them all today as they dwell with You. Lord Jesus I could never do all that You do. So, I will keep learning to listen and be still till You tell me to move. I am believing for all those who have suffering, hurts and Hangups Jehovah Rapha that they will know that You are right there with them fighting their battles. Lord Jesus keep a hedge of angels around them and bring miracles to their prayers. Let them all stay close to You. I love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Your Precious Name Jesus Amen.
{Power Verse}
Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he trustfully dwells beside you.
Proverbs 3:29
HAVE AN AWESOME PALM SUNDAY! HOPE YOUR EASTER IS BLESSED! LOVE YOU!
"Only Life Changes" 