1 Corinthians 15: 54 – 58 Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord | and ALWAYS giving yourself fully to the work of the Lord, | knowing their labor is not in vain. (why will Elohim say knowing our labor is not in vain, because he knows we may feel our labor for him is in vain).
This was the church sermon today: Anything we do with an act of faith in Elohim whether it is praying, giving, ministering, healing, helping and fasting we ought to do it with steadfastness. Because even in difficult situations Daniel prayed and remained steadfast, trusting in God that he would not bow to the idol. Whatever situation we find ourselves in we can persevere knowing God’s promise and trust in him to deliver us. Jobs perseverance showed his steadfastness until God came to his rescue, we ought not to be led by the flesh, trusting in what we see how dire our situation saying this person hurt me and I am not coming to church, but we keep trusting in GOD to deliver us.
To be steadfast in tough situation one has to be prayerful, perseverance and trust in God which increases our faith in God, if we come through and do not loose heart.
Galatian 2 vs 9, 6 vs 9 Dorcas took care of widows until her last days, when she was resurrected by Peter. Before the Shummamite woman met Elijah, she encouraged herself in the Lord. 2 kings 4: 8 – 37. The child was brought back to life. These examples are some of the most hopeless situations that seem out of our control.
Reflections
wasn’t the road to gold, or riches but the road to calvary where we carry our cross to follow him (Yeshua). Matthew 16: 24 – 26, if we are to follow him, we have to take up our cross and follow him & when we do if its heavy for us, he still says “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30. When we are weary from being spat at like him and mocked as him, he takes our yoke and gives us light burdens that’s how merciful he is. And the beauty of our savior – Jesus. How many know for Jesus to carry the cross wasn’t easy, and he still chooses to bear our burdens when we are heavy laden, the beauty of a steadfast savior – abounding, persevering, immovable at the cross and should all be like Simon the Cyrene taking up our cross to follow him.
S – Galatians 5: 1
T – Ephesian 6: 13
E – Psalm 127
A – Psalm 103 : 12
D – James 4: 8
F – John 3: 16
A – Joshua 24: 15
S – Matthew 6 : 33
T – Proverbs 3: 5 -6
when we think about the steadfastness of the lords love towards, don’t we want to be as he is as he is so am I in this world. 1 John 4:17.
Luke 10 vs 2 starts with telling us that the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few, We ought to ask the lord of harvest to send forth more laborers to the field.
Matthew 25 Addresses the experts of the law and what they ought to do.
WE (ALL SERVANTS) of God going from JERUSALEM (place of peace) to JERICHO (A place where the moon is the only light there, a place where the walls should fall). so when any of us are attacked by robbers ( the robber that doesn’t come by the door or door is a thief, trying to rob us of our peace, we know the enemy comes to steal, kill and destroy. ) stripped of our clothes and beaten and taken away, leaving him/her half dead (hanging by half life and half death in sin).
So the half dead (represents God’s servant wounded), WE will need a Samaritan, not a priest, a Levites to take pity on us. Most parables Jesus speaks of are about a servant he sends to get the produce of the vineyard( parable of the vineyards) and the tenants would beat them and mock them and some of them are even killed. (the state of Yahweh Servant on working for him, the prophets, his son and other servants).
Why am I drawing this inference you may ask. When the Samaritan saw the half dead man going from Jerusalem to Jericho, he put bandages on his wounds** poured OIL and wine***. Put this man on a donkey and bring him to an inn **** and take care of him and we are to do so to others. The Samaritan gives two denarii and asks the innkeeper to look after him, so any additional expenses he would reimburse the innkeeper and this is what we are as neighbor’s.
He talks about Bethsaida where miracles were done yet they did not repent, they did not put on sackcloth to ask for forgiveness from Elohim.
Then we go to the parable of the ten virgins as the time draws near the case of the Samaritan pouring oil and wine on wounds may not be possible here. why? The 5 foolish virgins asked the wise ones for their oil, because they had been slumbering and sleeping; and thus had no oil, but they did not give them but instead went with the bridegroom and the door closed.
The general thought to keep in mind is if one is wounded it is curable; however if one is sleeping and thus does not have oil, it is not satisfactory and so Jesus said with the parable of God where he gave two talent and two bags of gold, except the one with 1 talent who went to bury his talent, Jesus casts him off.
Jesus closed off by saying ” he was hungry and we gave something to eat, he was thirsty and we gave him something to drink, he was stranger, we invited him in (evangelism) & he needed clothe and we clothed him (the good Samaritan), was in prison and you came to visit him(Jesus), he was ill and he looked after him (the Samaritan). Whatever you did for the least one of our brother and sisters of yours, you did for me. The edict is clear is if all we could do is to look after those who are ill, clothe them and visit those in prison, feed hungry soul who thirst for righteousness; we should do so.
In Jeremiah 10: 19 “Woe to me because of my [spiritual] brokenness!” [says Jeremiah, speaking for the nation.] “My wound is incurable.” But I said, “Surely this sickness and suffering and grief are mine, And I must bear it.” As in Jesus so is Jeremiah, But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Isaiah 53: 5, Jeremiah’s wounds were due to brokenness and it is incurable so he learned how to bear it as Jesus wounds were because of us. And thus he commands us to carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ Galatians 6:2. So, I was told I was building another man for another woman; and to this I say I am doing my fathers work. None of us and all of him. If all we can do is to put oil on the stranger’s wounds and take him to the innkeeper (JESUS), instead of leaving him half-dead, what would you do?
It is clear to me that as the days draws near no one will want to give out their oil to lazy people who are asleep, however would you overlook a wounded soldier?
Take home
We laugh about the 1 Kings 17:7-16, we talk about little oil from a monetary perspective mostly, but the state of the Zarephath woman is a spiritual state of not only from lack of money but inability to help oneself (a believer struggling with sin); as we know her husband was dead. Half of her was gone (as with the stranger in the Samaritan, he was half dead). She was at the place where if she gave her last bread and oil she would die. Many believers are in that spiritual state, not in a monetary perspective but a soul perspective and I ask if you would multiply the oil for the woman so she could come out of debt, would you pay your 2 denarii and bring oil, so you could get a stranger from a half dead state to life. If roles were exchange would we expect the same or differently. He doesn’t just bless the bread, brake the bread and give thanks for it, he blesses us, he breaks us so we can give thanks to him. He binds up wounds (internally), feed our hungry souls (soul we are blessed not just with bread but with the bread of life). Be an Elijah, Be a Samaritan today!
When we have a work to do And the task ahead seems bigger than you That’s when He steps in When you know in your heart that God’s command Takes more than can be done by man That’s when He steps in He sees you at the point of your need He sees you at the point of crossing your Red Sea In the moment you call When you’ve given your all He steps in, He steps in And He’ll say
What’s that you have in your hand I can use it, if you’re willing to lose it Take the little you have and make it grand I am El-Shaddai and I’ll more than supply your need
When all you have is oil in a jar That’s a reflection of where you are That’s when He steps in A little boy’s lunch of fish and bread Is all you have for the need ahead That’s when He steps in
Let Him take it and bless it and break it and give it He’ll multiply it in the moment you live it And in the moment you call When you’ve given your all He steps in, He steps in And He’ll say
What’s that you have in your hand I can use it, if you’re willing to lose it Take the little you have and make it grand I am El-Shaddai and I’ll more than supply I’ll supply I will supply your need
El – Roi the God who sees, El Shaddai – The God who provides
