For The Love Of Jesus

Picture in your mind a tall ladder leaning against a wall.   Now think about your life as a process of climbing that ladder.  Wouldn't it be a tragedy to get to the top of the ladder and find you placed it against the wrong wall?  One life to live and you missed it!  If you knew that all you had was a relationship with Him, would you be totally and completely satisfied?  Many people would say, "Well, I would like to have that relationship, but I sure would like to do something" or "I sure would like for Him to give me a ministry or give me something to do."  The Scripture leads us to understand that Jesus is saying.  "I want you to love me above everything else.  When you are in a relationship of love with Me, you have everything there is."  To be loved by Jesus is the highest relationship, the highest achievement, and the highest position in life.  That does not mean you will never do anything as an expression of your love for Him.  Jesus will call you to obey Him and do whatever He asks of you.  However, you do not need to be doing something to feel fulfilled. You are fulfilled completely in a relationship with Jesus.  When you are filled with Him, what else do you need?

Read the following hymn by Rhea F. Miller look at the BOLD words that may compete with JESUS.

I'd rather have Jesus that silver and gold

I'd rather be His than have riches untold

I'd rather have Jesus than houses and land

I'd rather by led by His nail-pierced hand

I'd rather have Jesus than men's applause

I'd rather be faithful to His dear-cause

I'd rather have Jesus than world-wide fame

I'd rather be true to His Holy Name

He's fairer than lilies of rarest bloom

He's sweeter than honey from out the comb

He's all that my hungering spirit needs

I'd rather have Jesus and let Him lead.

REFRAIN

Than to be the king of a vast domain

Or be held in sin's dread sway

I'd rather have Jesus than anything

This world affords today.

LOOK WHAT PEOPLE WILL DO FOR THE LOVE MONEY...

HOW FAR WILL YOU GO FOR THE LOVE OF JESUS?

Prayer For The Oppressed (Black Lives Matter) To Jesus

A Prayer for Protection Psalms 64 
(International Standard Version) 
64 Hear, God, as I express my concern; protect me[a] from fear of the enemy. 2 Hide me from the secret plots of the wicked, from the mob of those who practice evil, 3 who sharpen their tongues like swords, and aim their bitter words like arrows, 4 shooting at the innocent from concealment. Suddenly they shoot, fearing nothing. 5 They concoct an evil scheme for themselves; they enumerate their hidden snares; they say, “Who will see them?”[b] 6 They devise wicked schemes, saying, “We have completed our plans, hiding them deep in our hearts.” 7 But God shot an arrow at them, and they were wounded immediately. 8 They tripped over their own tongues, and everyone who was watching ran away. 9 Everyone was gripped with fear and acknowledged God’s deeds, understanding what he had done. 10 The righteous rejoiced in the Lord, because they had fled to him for refuge. Let all the upright in heart exult. 

 Proverbs 14:31-32 
 International Standard Version 
 31 Whoever oppresses the poor defies their Creator, but whoever is kind to the needy honors them. 32 The wicked person is thrown down by his own wrongdoing, but the righteous person has a place of safety in death. 

 Proverbs 22:16 International Standard Version 16 Whoever oppresses the poor to enrich himself and whoever gives gifts to the wealthy will yield only loss.

Rebuilt Temple

EXPLORE why God withheld His blessing from His people; SENSE times when our own ambitions are contrary to God's plans for us; DECIDE that we sill do exactly as God has commanded.  Haggai 1:1-4, 7-10, 12-15

Haggai 1:1-4New International Version (NIV)

A Call to Build the House of the Lord

1 In the second year of King Darius, on the first day of the sixth month, the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai to Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and to Joshua son of Jozadak,[a] the high priest:

2 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’”

3 Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: 4 “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”

Haggai 1:7-10New International Version (NIV)

7 This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.8 Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. 9 “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. 10 Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops.

Haggai 1:12-15New International Version (NIV)

12 Then Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the whole remnant of the people obeyed the voice of the Lord their God and the message of the prophet Haggai, because the Lord their God had sent him. And the people feared the Lord.

13 Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. 14 So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God, 15 on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.

In Focus

Darren was alienated from his family at age 22.  He and his parents argued because of his drinking and refusal to work.  He had moved in with various friends or acquaintances until his family no longer knew how to contact him and his friends no longer wanted him around.  Now at age 40, he had turned his life around married, and fathered three children who had never seen their grandparents.  However, Darren's parents never stopped loving him and never stopped trying to find him.  One day in a mall with his family, Darren saw a childhood friend.  After some catching up, the man said, "You must know that your parents are concerned about you.  They are older now.  Your dad has been ill, and it has been a difficult time for them financially and physically.  They have held on to the house in case you ever return, but it is clearly too much for them."  Darren was ashamed and said, "I have been away so long, and there are many hurt feelings between my parents and me.  To this the man responded, "You can still come back home."  But Darren went on, "I thought I would come back to my parents when I had accomplished something and made a life for myself.  However, when that happened, I told myself that I would come back when I had made enough money.  Then the Lord blessed me with money, and I said I would come back when the Lord blessed me with children.  But I never came back."  Then the man asked him, "Do you think it is right for you to live in a mansion while your parents struggle to live?  Do you suppose it is good for you to have your children while your parents lose the opportunity to be with their own child?  Do you suppose it is good for you to have wealth while your parents have spent every dime they had looking for you?"  Darren admitted his shame, and as soon as he left the mall, he went to his parents' house, still very nervous about what would happen next. Is this you, do you need to go back home? Lean on the Lord and make amends with your mother, father or both on this Mother's Day make it one to celebrate!