This morning I came across a passage in the scriptures that has always puzzled me. Jesus tells a parable in Matthew chapter 22 about a king who gave a feast. He invited some who would not come so he went and invited others who did come. When the king came in to greet the guest he found one who did not have on a wedding garment and he was thrown out of the party. In fact, he was cast into outer darkness.
This morning as I read this portion of scripture it seemed to come alive to me in a way that I had never thought of before. My mind jumped to Revelation 19:8 where Jesus said that the "fine linen is the righteousness of saints." Some translations say the righteous acts of the saints. I then realized what Jesus was talking about here. He was referring to those who will stand before him in the day of judgement and think that everything was alright when in fact it was not. He said that many will say to him in that day "Lord, Lord", but he will say "I never knew you". The reason is simple. Their lifestyles did not match up with their professions of faith.
Jesus was very adamant about telling his disciples not to be like the pharisees. His main rebuke of them was "they say and do not". (Matthew 23:3) It was that old adage again, "do as I say and not as I do." James tells us to be "doers of the word and not hearers only". (James 1:22) I know that we are saved by grace through faith but there comes a time when our actions must match what our lips say we believe. I want to be saved, don't you? Therefore I must strive to live Holy in this unrighteous world. "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." (Phillipians 4:8)
God Bless,
Rev. Sullivan Jones
12/25/12
A Christmas Sunrise
I awakened early this Christmas morning from having a wonderful dream. Now I know that there are people who put too much stock in dreams. However, I have been living for God long enough to know that He does speak to us through dreams and I believe that this was one of those times. I would like to share it with you.
In the dream I was on a camping trip with several people who were not Christians. As I lay in my bed roll I could hear the Lord calling my name. I awakened before dawn to watch a beautiful sunrise. As I watched it I had an awesome sense of joy and was thinking, "only God could create something like that". I thought that it was happening and when I did truly awaken it was with a beautiful sense of peace. I also awakened to hear a beautiful sound; it was raining a steady downpour, the kind that makes one want to just lay in bed and listen to it.
This morning it was as if God linked the the rain and the sunset in my mind. There are times in all of our lives when we experience drought. The spiritual droughts are far more trying than physical drought. But God in his grace knows how to send the spiritual rain on our lives. He knows how to rejuvinate things that we have thought were long dead.
I had the thought this morning that God could have created a dry earth but He does everything just right. He sends the rain to gently water the flowers to life again. We all like the gentle rains that are so soothing to the soul. Sometimes the rain is more forceful than we would expect it to be because it is needed to wash away impurities. In the natural world we can always see a parallel to the spiritual. Everytime we experience a rainfall we can be reminded that God fulfills his promises. He told Noah that as long as the earth remained the seasons would continue. He would never leave the earth in winter without the sun to warm it up again or in summer without winters rains to cool it off.
Everytime we experience a sunrise we can again know that God has smiled upon us. Just as surely as the sun rises in the natural world it will again rise in our lives. It is no wonder that the sun rises every 24 hours. God tells us in his word in the book of Lamentations that his mercies are new every morning. I believe he put the sunrise there to remind us of that promise.
This is the morning we call Christmas morning. Today we are celebrating God's most precious gift to the world. We are celebrating the fact that He came as a baby so that we can all experience a Sonrise. Truly Jesus is the light of the world. If you are in need of a sunrise in your life just reach out to him today. He will water the disillusionment of your spirit and revive your courage. He will bring back the lost hope of a future. He will restore your sense of self-worth or purpose. He will be whatever you need him to be. He is the Light of life!
Merry Christmas,
Rev. Sullivan Jones
In the dream I was on a camping trip with several people who were not Christians. As I lay in my bed roll I could hear the Lord calling my name. I awakened before dawn to watch a beautiful sunrise. As I watched it I had an awesome sense of joy and was thinking, "only God could create something like that". I thought that it was happening and when I did truly awaken it was with a beautiful sense of peace. I also awakened to hear a beautiful sound; it was raining a steady downpour, the kind that makes one want to just lay in bed and listen to it.
This morning it was as if God linked the the rain and the sunset in my mind. There are times in all of our lives when we experience drought. The spiritual droughts are far more trying than physical drought. But God in his grace knows how to send the spiritual rain on our lives. He knows how to rejuvinate things that we have thought were long dead.
I had the thought this morning that God could have created a dry earth but He does everything just right. He sends the rain to gently water the flowers to life again. We all like the gentle rains that are so soothing to the soul. Sometimes the rain is more forceful than we would expect it to be because it is needed to wash away impurities. In the natural world we can always see a parallel to the spiritual. Everytime we experience a rainfall we can be reminded that God fulfills his promises. He told Noah that as long as the earth remained the seasons would continue. He would never leave the earth in winter without the sun to warm it up again or in summer without winters rains to cool it off.
Everytime we experience a sunrise we can again know that God has smiled upon us. Just as surely as the sun rises in the natural world it will again rise in our lives. It is no wonder that the sun rises every 24 hours. God tells us in his word in the book of Lamentations that his mercies are new every morning. I believe he put the sunrise there to remind us of that promise.
This is the morning we call Christmas morning. Today we are celebrating God's most precious gift to the world. We are celebrating the fact that He came as a baby so that we can all experience a Sonrise. Truly Jesus is the light of the world. If you are in need of a sunrise in your life just reach out to him today. He will water the disillusionment of your spirit and revive your courage. He will bring back the lost hope of a future. He will restore your sense of self-worth or purpose. He will be whatever you need him to be. He is the Light of life!
Merry Christmas,
Rev. Sullivan Jones
12/19/12
The reason for Christmas
I woke up this morning with a song in my mind. It is called "She laid hold on the word" and it tells the story of the woman who was healed from an issue of blood. It is found in Luke 19: 43-48 and is a powerful story of what faith can do. I found the song on youtube and had to listen to it several times. I could just feel the strength of those words pouring into me. There is something about the word of God that give strength when we need it the most. The word of God is not just printing on a page. It is alive and powerful and able to touch us. (Hebrews 4:12)
We are in the season we call Christmas when we celebrate the birth of our Saviour; more than celebrating just his birth we are also celebrating the reason he came. Jesus is the living word that came down from heaven so long ago. I believe the underlying reason that He came was to heal us. This healing includes not only our bodies but our minds, souls, and hearts as well. He came to heal broken relationships and to comfort the lonely. In short, whatever healing one needs, Jesus came to be the answer.
If you know of a situation that needs healing today, claim this promise from scripture. Exodus 15:26 says "I am the Lord that heals you". If you know someone who needs healing, whether emotionally or physically, share this scripture with them today. Let them know that Jesus still heals. Share the real meaning of Christmas. Jesus heals!
God Bless,
Rev. Sullivan Jones
We are in the season we call Christmas when we celebrate the birth of our Saviour; more than celebrating just his birth we are also celebrating the reason he came. Jesus is the living word that came down from heaven so long ago. I believe the underlying reason that He came was to heal us. This healing includes not only our bodies but our minds, souls, and hearts as well. He came to heal broken relationships and to comfort the lonely. In short, whatever healing one needs, Jesus came to be the answer.
If you know of a situation that needs healing today, claim this promise from scripture. Exodus 15:26 says "I am the Lord that heals you". If you know someone who needs healing, whether emotionally or physically, share this scripture with them today. Let them know that Jesus still heals. Share the real meaning of Christmas. Jesus heals!
God Bless,
Rev. Sullivan Jones
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