Years ago during the height of our "Pizza" ministry, two little ones were found sleeping behind a dumpster in the rear of a downtown, Christian Bookstore. Their presence created quite a shock to the owner of the store...actually scared him and shook him up pretty bad.
I happened to walk in to the store later that morning, the owner greeted me with a very disturbed heart. His story was simple but compelling..."I can't believe it, I came in to work this morning and found two small children huddled behind our store's garbage dumpster trying to keep warm. And I yelled at them and said YOU BETTER GET OUT OF HERE!...What is this world coming to?"
I could tell he was waiting for my response knowing our ministry was to "street kids", but I remained silent while staring hard into his elderly eyes. He broke the silence..."Jeff, why couldn't you have been here you would have known what to do." (I guess that was to shift the blame that may have been felt in the silence). I asked just two questions and our conversation was over but it made a lasting impact on the man for years to come - "Were they cold?" and "Were they hungry?" His response was nothing but tears in his eyes...but later on I would here of small missions of rescue to these type of youngsters that would get them into the warm and get breakfast or a meal into bodies of the abandoned.
Why is it so easy to look the other way or chase away the Riff-Raff? Oh to have some spiritual common sense when comes to the needs of the abandoned. To see that these moments are opportunities to minister to and to feed JESUS.
Matthew 25:40 - And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. LEAST -this is an estimation of man by man, not by God.
Every time we allow ourselves to despise, overlook, discourage, or DISPOSE of an outcast...we have allowed an opportunity to love Jesus slip right out of our hands.
This is kind of a difficult time in the history of our nation, perhaps the history of the world ... Human traffic, bondage and refuse is creating a coldness in the souls of God's people. We will proclaim the buzz word of the day "Church without Walls", but we are adding more bars, padlocks, security systems, guards and self defense measures to our personal ministries. HEY! if you think I'm talking about a the securing of a physical building WRONG! I'm talking about what is going on in our hearts towards the unlovely ones whom Christ died for. The unprofitable, the stench-filled, the unkempt, the troubled-minded, the needy...again if you are thinking...homeless...the rich can be very destitute of Heaven. Just because someone appears well off means absolutely nothing in the economy of the Kingdom.
John 4:35 - Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold , I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.
(allow His perspective to permeate your vision, see things His way...through His Word) Don't just assume away an opportunity to allow Him to reach others through you. Don't settle for the dumpster approach to people.
HLFA,
Jeff
Departures and Arrivals -- DON'T GET STUCK!
Just the word "LIFE" speaks movement...constant flux...continuous change. Life without change is death (separation from movement Think of the pretty box that people focus on in the funeral home.). Life seems to be a series of Departures and Arrivals. Those who tarry too long at the gates will end up in despair or depression. ("I am the way, the truth, THE LIFE..no man comes to the Father but by(with) Me"...Jesus spoke these words ..Can you see the departure and the arrival ... "I am the Lord your God, I change not , therefore Ye sons of Jacob are not consumed!" ...His un-changeableness keeps us from death.)
For years I have heard people chanting the mantra that ... "Change is difficult" ... and I think the truth be known, it is only truly difficult for those... who are threatened by and stare at the departure and the arrival gates; or change is difficult for those who don't trust the one controlling the movements at the gates.
Why is it that those moving through the gates appear to have more purpose than those waiting?
HOLD ON JEFF! SLOW DOWN YOUR LOSING ME!
A Bible Principle to consider ... God's unchangeable direction of those who trust Jesus for LIFE, will faithfully change them as they move through the departures and arrivals WITH HIM.
In the middle of change? Stay close to the moving ....and the One directing the movement
2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over , that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said , I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
The Story of the Departure of Elijah and the arrival of Elisha is amazing...2 Kings 2 ...read it devotionally, let mind a soul munch on it. All the different levels of emotions are experienced by the different players.
Focus on the movements ...the Story begins in Gilgal (means a wheel, rolling - this makes it a perfect place for a departure...If only Saul after being anointed king by Samuel here had MOVED, his story may have been different ...this small thought is dedicated to our Pastor...see if he catches it).
There is a lot to consider here, so let's go with just a few things to help us along.
1. Do not dread the departures and arrivals.
2. Someone is at the gate ...Encourage those moving with love.
3. While moving or being moved don't fall prey to the temptation to quit.
4. At the gate ... request a double portion of breath of those moving on.
5. LIVE in don't loath change by Loving the One Who changes not because "He is Life".
Revelation 21:5 - And he that sat upon the throne said , Behold , I make all things new. MOVE, though WAITING on the LORD...MOVE, toward His LOVE and LIVE!
HLFA,
Jeff
For years I have heard people chanting the mantra that ... "Change is difficult" ... and I think the truth be known, it is only truly difficult for those... who are threatened by and stare at the departure and the arrival gates; or change is difficult for those who don't trust the one controlling the movements at the gates.
Why is it that those moving through the gates appear to have more purpose than those waiting?
HOLD ON JEFF! SLOW DOWN YOUR LOSING ME!
A Bible Principle to consider ... God's unchangeable direction of those who trust Jesus for LIFE, will faithfully change them as they move through the departures and arrivals WITH HIM.
In the middle of change? Stay close to the moving ....and the One directing the movement
2 Kings 2:9 And it came to pass, when they were gone over , that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said , I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me.
The Story of the Departure of Elijah and the arrival of Elisha is amazing...2 Kings 2 ...read it devotionally, let mind a soul munch on it. All the different levels of emotions are experienced by the different players.
Focus on the movements ...the Story begins in Gilgal (means a wheel, rolling - this makes it a perfect place for a departure...If only Saul after being anointed king by Samuel here had MOVED, his story may have been different ...this small thought is dedicated to our Pastor...see if he catches it).
There is a lot to consider here, so let's go with just a few things to help us along.
1. Do not dread the departures and arrivals.
2. Someone is at the gate ...Encourage those moving with love.
3. While moving or being moved don't fall prey to the temptation to quit.
4. At the gate ... request a double portion of breath of those moving on.
5. LIVE in don't loath change by Loving the One Who changes not because "He is Life".
Revelation 21:5 - And he that sat upon the throne said , Behold , I make all things new. MOVE, though WAITING on the LORD...MOVE, toward His LOVE and LIVE!
HLFA,
Jeff
What In The Prayer Blazes?
Leviticus 16:12
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:
What an awesome picture of prayer!
Let's get a little allegorical, giving our connection with our Heavenly Father the full benefit of passionate faith:
(first take the time to connect a few dots ...go get your Bible and read these passages...Rev. 8:4, Rom. 8:26, Heb. 4:15 -16)
Picture in your heart the outright boldness of the love the Father has for you... because of Jesus ...Picture in your heart His passionate desire to hear your prayers, but not only hear your prayers, but answer yourprayers in such a way that you will know that the prayer was answered by Him.
The path of an answered prayer is a thing we will only fully see on the other side of the veil(Heaven) but every once and a while He lets us peek in so we become more in awe of Him.
Yesterday ...I had a day off. In the midst of this day off, I was trying to organize my newly established office. Sorting through historical documents(stuff I piled up for years), I stumbled across a letter from one of my tender-hearted teens (from a youth Ministry situation), in that letter was a source of encouragement that she thought to give me while I was going through Cancer Surgery and Chemo...(roughly 1995) I read that letter then, but something was hidden from my heart until now,.. then .... her one powerfully bold Bible passage that she held up with heart ablaze with passion and her hands dripping with mingled incense ... She claimed my healing with this passage before the Lord. She placed me in this passage to persuade God I was worth healing... She loved me before God because she felt I had caused Her to love Jesus more.
Psalm 91
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high , because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
After 16 years, I finally was able to see the Love that God had put in and through this young teen ...SHE PRAYED, HE HEALED!
Please do not misunderstand this communication:
God has caused you to love and pray for someone before His throne today...don't give up...keep praying!
God has caused someone to love and pray for you before His throne today...don't give up...He Cares!
Don't let Satan rob you of this knowledge ... AND the reason we pray is because ...
HE ever lives to make intercession for us.
Hebrews 7:25 ; Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Wow ... glory in His Care For You!
HLFA,
Jeff
And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:
What an awesome picture of prayer!
Let's get a little allegorical, giving our connection with our Heavenly Father the full benefit of passionate faith:
(first take the time to connect a few dots ...go get your Bible and read these passages...Rev. 8:4, Rom. 8:26, Heb. 4:15 -16)
Picture in your heart the outright boldness of the love the Father has for you... because of Jesus ...Picture in your heart His passionate desire to hear your prayers, but not only hear your prayers, but answer yourprayers in such a way that you will know that the prayer was answered by Him.
The path of an answered prayer is a thing we will only fully see on the other side of the veil(Heaven) but every once and a while He lets us peek in so we become more in awe of Him.
Yesterday ...I had a day off. In the midst of this day off, I was trying to organize my newly established office. Sorting through historical documents(stuff I piled up for years), I stumbled across a letter from one of my tender-hearted teens (from a youth Ministry situation), in that letter was a source of encouragement that she thought to give me while I was going through Cancer Surgery and Chemo...(roughly 1995) I read that letter then, but something was hidden from my heart until now,.. then .... her one powerfully bold Bible passage that she held up with heart ablaze with passion and her hands dripping with mingled incense ... She claimed my healing with this passage before the Lord. She placed me in this passage to persuade God I was worth healing... She loved me before God because she felt I had caused Her to love Jesus more.
Psalm 91
14 Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high , because he hath known my name. 15 He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. 16 With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation.
After 16 years, I finally was able to see the Love that God had put in and through this young teen ...SHE PRAYED, HE HEALED!
Please do not misunderstand this communication:
God has caused you to love and pray for someone before His throne today...don't give up...keep praying!
God has caused someone to love and pray for you before His throne today...don't give up...He Cares!
Don't let Satan rob you of this knowledge ... AND the reason we pray is because ...
HE ever lives to make intercession for us.
Hebrews 7:25 ; Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Wow ... glory in His Care For You!
HLFA,
Jeff
True or False - Borrowed With a Thought
These are statements that have been flying around for a long time but today one caught my eye ... I picked out a few(there were 26 but to save your patience I captured a sampling ...the one that caught my eye is Highlighted/ underlined/ italicized -- trying to make it stand out)
Can you guess which of the following are true and which are false?
(Answers are below.)
1. Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.
3. A pack-a-day smoker will lose approximately 2 teeth every 10 years..
4. People do not get sick from cold weather; it's from being indoors a lot more.
5. When you sneeze, all bodily functions stop, even your heart!
8. Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until they are 2-6 years old.
9. The average person over 50 will have spent 5 years waiting in lines. (or waiting, period!)
10. The toothbrush was invented in 1498.
15. Your feet are bigger in the afternoon than any other time of day.
16. Most of us have eaten a spider in our sleep.
23. The first Harley Davidson motorcycle built in 1903 used a tomato can for a carburetor.. \
26. If coloring weren't added to Coca-Cola, it would be green.
They are all TRUE
Now go back and think about #9! (actually the original message floating around wanted you to think about number 16????? definitely life changing.
I really thought this was awesome when combined in devotional thought with two Bible passages:
"the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD." Lev. 27:32
Can you guess which of the following are true and which are false?
(Answers are below.)
1. Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.
3. A pack-a-day smoker will lose approximately 2 teeth every 10 years..
4. People do not get sick from cold weather; it's from being indoors a lot more.
5. When you sneeze, all bodily functions stop, even your heart!
8. Babies are born without kneecaps. They don't appear until they are 2-6 years old.
9. The average person over 50 will have spent 5 years waiting in lines. (or waiting, period!)
10. The toothbrush was invented in 1498.
15. Your feet are bigger in the afternoon than any other time of day.
16. Most of us have eaten a spider in our sleep.
23. The first Harley Davidson motorcycle built in 1903 used a tomato can for a carburetor.. \
26. If coloring weren't added to Coca-Cola, it would be green.
They are all TRUE
Now go back and think about #9! (actually the original message floating around wanted you to think about number 16????? definitely life changing.
I really thought this was awesome when combined in devotional thought with two Bible passages:
"the tenth shall be holy unto the LORD." Lev. 27:32
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength;" Isaiah 40:31
The activity we get most impatient with and stack up the most stress ...waiting ... could very well be a Divine appointment ...5 years of 50 will be spent waiting...Wow!!! come on pick up on the math ...
5 is a tenth of 50 ...... a tenth .... waiting is a tenth of out life .. .waiting is holy(set apart for a purpose) unto the Lord (set apart for Him) wait upon the Lord ... re-newing our strength.
Calm down the waiting is the Lord's ...it belongs to Him
When you have to wait ...calm down ...wait on the Lord.
See what He has for you in the Waiting.
What are you waiting for today?
Draw close to Him in knowing ...your waiting is Holy unto Him.
Wait on the the Lord, the waiting belongs to Him.
Get it! And be loved!
HLFA,
Jeff
The activity we get most impatient with and stack up the most stress ...waiting ... could very well be a Divine appointment ...5 years of 50 will be spent waiting...Wow!!! come on pick up on the math ...
5 is a tenth of 50 ...... a tenth .... waiting is a tenth of out life .. .waiting is holy(set apart for a purpose) unto the Lord (set apart for Him) wait upon the Lord ... re-newing our strength.
Calm down the waiting is the Lord's ...it belongs to Him
When you have to wait ...calm down ...wait on the Lord.
See what He has for you in the Waiting.
What are you waiting for today?
Draw close to Him in knowing ...your waiting is Holy unto Him.
Wait on the the Lord, the waiting belongs to Him.
Get it! And be loved!
HLFA,
Jeff
Home Safe???
Background: Woke up Saturday morning to find a text on my now charged cell phone ...Home Safe?
"How can you do that?"
I heard these (almost insulting) words that brought me back to consciousness, and rescued my left front tire from the embarrassment of running over the middle yellow line noise makers. (And sparing us the night in the ditch or possibly the hospital or worse on this side of the veil).
I know what she meant, less than two miles from home and I was ready(even though driving) to drop into a deep sleep. I had lost all concern for anyone remotely connected to me, who might be counting on the potentially uncertain fact that WE would arrive home safely. Yes, WE...she was counting on it also, especially being the passenger, and especially being the wife.
Although I'm not narcoleptic...I can sit down in a comfortable chair and be asleep in 30 seconds (a great assist when doing power naps, but not a wonderful feature when driving)... so you CAN SEE why my "beautifully sensitive to weird steering wheel movements" and beautiful (on top of that) wife is such a great "help meet".
Narcolepsy in our faith can be dangerous if we have wrestled with and resisted the truths of God's Word for great lengths of time... (quit your wrestling and let Him love you) I still find many ... MANY... not understanding Who provides and protects our salvation, and who is unworthy of it; Who has offered eternal life as a GIFT, and who will never be able to earn it, though not having to; Who is the only WAY, only TRUTH, only LIFE (no man comes to the Father but through Him) and who is still satisfied with .... trying to find another way, thinking there is another truth, struggling to make it to a better life ...alone.................NOT GONNA HAPPEN!
Without Jesus ... the eternal answer to "Home Safe?" ...is sadly and hopelessly ... no.
Trust His simple and soul satisfying words found in I John 5: 11-15
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask , we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
"How can you do that?"
I heard these (almost insulting) words that brought me back to consciousness, and rescued my left front tire from the embarrassment of running over the middle yellow line noise makers. (And sparing us the night in the ditch or possibly the hospital or worse on this side of the veil).
I know what she meant, less than two miles from home and I was ready(even though driving) to drop into a deep sleep. I had lost all concern for anyone remotely connected to me, who might be counting on the potentially uncertain fact that WE would arrive home safely. Yes, WE...she was counting on it also, especially being the passenger, and especially being the wife.
Although I'm not narcoleptic...I can sit down in a comfortable chair and be asleep in 30 seconds (a great assist when doing power naps, but not a wonderful feature when driving)... so you CAN SEE why my "beautifully sensitive to weird steering wheel movements" and beautiful (on top of that) wife is such a great "help meet".
Narcolepsy in our faith can be dangerous if we have wrestled with and resisted the truths of God's Word for great lengths of time... (quit your wrestling and let Him love you) I still find many ... MANY... not understanding Who provides and protects our salvation, and who is unworthy of it; Who has offered eternal life as a GIFT, and who will never be able to earn it, though not having to; Who is the only WAY, only TRUTH, only LIFE (no man comes to the Father but through Him) and who is still satisfied with .... trying to find another way, thinking there is another truth, struggling to make it to a better life ...alone.................NOT GONNA HAPPEN!
Without Jesus ... the eternal answer to "Home Safe?" ...is sadly and hopelessly ... no.
Trust His simple and soul satisfying words found in I John 5: 11-15
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. 14 And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: 15 And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask , we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.
ASK for the important request of your heart ... if you haven't .. Ask if you haven't and trust ....
"Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, I know I can't save myself from the consequences of sin ...
"Jesus, I know that I am a sinner, I know I can't save myself from the consequences of sin ...
I'm trusting your death on the cross as payment for my sin, and believe that your rose from
the grave to secure me ...for you... because of you, someday I will be Home Safe...
Thank you Jesus for Saving me! Amen."
Thank him if you've asked ...and by His word ...KNOW you have eternal life...because of Jesus.
Dedicated to loving friends that want to know we've arrived home safely.
HLFA,
Jeff
the grave to secure me ...for you... because of you, someday I will be Home Safe...
Thank you Jesus for Saving me! Amen."
Thank him if you've asked ...and by His word ...KNOW you have eternal life...because of Jesus.
Dedicated to loving friends that want to know we've arrived home safely.
HLFA,
Jeff
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