EXHORTATION FOR THE DAY (9th December 2014) Childs Play Jesus calls us oer the tumult Of our lifes wild, restless, sea; Day by day His sweet voice soundeth, Saying, Christian, follow Me! In our joys and in our sorrows, Days of toil and hours of ease, Still He calls, in cares and pleasures, Christian, love me more than these! Jesus call us! By Thy mercies, Saviour, may we hear Thy call, Give our hearts to Thine obedience, Serve and love Thee best of all. - Cecil F. Alexander Thank You, Lord God Almighty for yet another day, another chance, and new breath of life. Glory be to Your name. Amen. Good day my dearly beloved brethren in the Lord. After a surprise storm blanketed the Middle East with snow, a newspaper photo showed four armed men smiling as they built a snowman outside the battered walls of a military headquarters. The wintry weather also caused a protest to be canceled and delayed a debate over parliamentary matters of pressing importance. Men wearing long robes and women in traditional black dresses and headscarves were seen playing in the snow. There’s something about snow that brings out the child in all of us. Beloved, and there’s something about the gospel that beckons us to abandon our deep hostilities and feelings of selfimportance in favor of a childlike humility and faith. When Jesus was asked, “Who then is greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” (Matt. 18:1), He called a little child to come to Him and said, “Unless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (v.3). It has been said that age diminishes our imagination, hopes, and possibilities. The older we get, the more easily we say, “That could never happen.” But in a child’s mind, God can do anything. A childlike faith filled with wonder and confidence in God unlocks the door to the kingdom of heaven. God, give me the faith of a little child! A faith that will look to Thee. That never will falter and never fail, but follow Thee trustingly. My dearly beloved brethren, hear this: Faith shines brightest in a childlike heart. SHALOM! Matthew 18:1-11 AMP AT THAT time the disciples came up and asked Jesus, Who then is [really] the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And He called a little child to Himself and put him in the midst of them, And said, Truly I say to you, unless you repent (change, turn about) and become like little children [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving], you can never enter the kingdom of heaven [at all]. Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever receives and accepts and welcomes one little child like this for My sake and in My name receives and accepts and welcomes Me. But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in and acknowledge and cleave to Me to stumble and sin [that is, who entices him or hinders him in right conduct or thought], it would be better (more expedient and profitable or advantageous) for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be sunk in the depth of the sea. Woe to the world for such temptations to sin and influences to do wrong! It is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the person on whose account or by whom the temptation comes! And if your hand or your foot causes you to stumble and sin, cut it off and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life maimed or lame than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into everlasting fire. And if your eye causes you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away from you; it is better (more profitable and wholesome) for you to enter life with only one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the hell (Gehenna) of fire. Beware that you do not despise or feel scornful toward or think little of one of these little ones, for I tell you that in heaven their angels always are in the presence of and look upon the face of My Father Who is in heaven. For the Son of man came to save [from the penalty of eternal death] that which was lost. **@TVMI##
Posted on: Tue, 09 Dec 2014 06:13:45 +0000
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