Ever feel bottled up? Ever go to work and just not feel like doing anything, or being unable to concentrate?
Welcome to the club.
I've had those days too, and got another one like that today, so I thought maybe I'd blog about it.
Check out Luke 4:17-21, emphasis added:
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17 "And there was delivered unto him the book of the prophet Esaias. And when he had opened the book, he found the place where it was written,"
18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,"
19 "To preach the acceptable year of the Lord."
20 "And he closed the book, and he gave it again to the minister, and sat down. And the eyes of all them that were in the synagogue were fastened on him."
21 "And he began to say unto them, This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. "
It's so nice to be know that He came to preach deliverance to the captives, even nicer to know that He delivered many people, and continues to do so. Jesus may be the one that opens it up to us, but we need to be the one's that grab hold of it. I'll never forget the message that bro. harold hoffman taught me, "You need to proclaim liberty to the captives, even if you are one of the captives."
So here's a fellow captive telling you that Jesus can set you free. He's done it time and time again for me, and I know that I can receive it if I can just step away from this world and focus on the spirit for a bit. The world dilutes us, like bad fruit does to good fruit, and without the master, we're all just going to rot.
I'm glad I know the master. If you don't know Him, I'd be glad to introduce you.
Friday, November 17, 2006
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Learning To Love
My wife is just now getting over an infection that has been going on for a month or more. I can honestly say that I have actually enjoyed being able to wait on her while she's been resting, staying in bed for probably a good 26 out of 30 days. Sounds a little odd, I'll agree, but read on.
I know when Jesus said it was good to be a servant He didn't only mean when someone was sick, but I can't say that it hasn't helped to open my eyes a little more. I love my wife very much, and to be able to take care of her needs, I find fulfillment in that, especially when she is unable to take care of herself. I can't help but think that somehow, God is opening my eyes more and more to see how I should be to everyone. He's already talked to me about it before, but now I can see it taking form, where I can actually feel myself getting ready to utilize it.
Probably about a year or two ago, I knelt in prayer in church, and I was asking God what my ministry was. This was prior to becoming a Sunday School teacher or ever having a desire to play the guitar. He told me, and I won't ever forget it, is that my ministry is to Love. I even followed that up with what would be my 3rd teaching from the pulpit, specifically on Love.
God working in me, He led me to scriptures in the Bible, ministered to me at a life changing Youth Rally, and opened my eyes so much more to what I should be doing. And until recently, much longer after He's told me and showed me all of these things, I think I am now starting to get it.
Here's a few of my favorite scriptures, depicting how important loving others really is (emphasis added for the key parts of the scripture) :
Song Of Solomon 8:6
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"Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame."
Matthew 22:25-40
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35 "Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,"
36 "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"
37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
38 "This is the first and great commandment."
39 "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
40 "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
So as I learn to love more, I thank God for helping me to see with my own eyes how love should be. There are many more scriptures concerning love, but I'll let you dig for them. It's like a treasure hunt, these little nuggets of gold that God gives us :)
I know when Jesus said it was good to be a servant He didn't only mean when someone was sick, but I can't say that it hasn't helped to open my eyes a little more. I love my wife very much, and to be able to take care of her needs, I find fulfillment in that, especially when she is unable to take care of herself. I can't help but think that somehow, God is opening my eyes more and more to see how I should be to everyone. He's already talked to me about it before, but now I can see it taking form, where I can actually feel myself getting ready to utilize it.
Probably about a year or two ago, I knelt in prayer in church, and I was asking God what my ministry was. This was prior to becoming a Sunday School teacher or ever having a desire to play the guitar. He told me, and I won't ever forget it, is that my ministry is to Love. I even followed that up with what would be my 3rd teaching from the pulpit, specifically on Love.
God working in me, He led me to scriptures in the Bible, ministered to me at a life changing Youth Rally, and opened my eyes so much more to what I should be doing. And until recently, much longer after He's told me and showed me all of these things, I think I am now starting to get it.
Here's a few of my favorite scriptures, depicting how important loving others really is (emphasis added for the key parts of the scripture) :
Song Of Solomon 8:6
---------------------
"Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame."
Matthew 22:25-40
---------------------
35 "Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,"
36 "Master, which is the great commandment in the law?"
37 "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind."
38 "This is the first and great commandment."
39 "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself."
40 "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
So as I learn to love more, I thank God for helping me to see with my own eyes how love should be. There are many more scriptures concerning love, but I'll let you dig for them. It's like a treasure hunt, these little nuggets of gold that God gives us :)
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