'The kingdom of heaven is near.' The reward is Duty...
Retrieved HERE by PD [note -- these scriptures should always be read in context, so here it is]
1He called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out evil spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.
2These are the names of the twelve apostles: first, Simon (who is called Peter) and his brother Andrew; James son of Zebedee, and his brother John; 3Philip and Bartholomew; Thomas and Matthew the tax collector; James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus; 4Simon the Zealot and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him.
5These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: "Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. 6Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel. 7As you go, preach this message: 'The kingdom of heaven is near.' 8Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those who have leprosy,[b]drive out demons. Freely you have received, freely give. 9Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; 10take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.
11"Whatever town or village you enter, search for some worthy person there and stay at his house until you leave. 12As you enter the home, give it your greeting. 13If the home is deserving, let your peace rest on it; if it is not, let your peace return to you. 14If anyone will not welcome you or listen to your words, shake the dust off your feet when you leave that home or town. 15I tell you the truth, it will be more bearable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the day of judgment than for that town. 16I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.
17"Be on your guard against men; they will hand you over to the local councils and flog you in their synagogues. 18On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witnesses to them and to the Gentiles. 19But when they arrest you, do not worry about what to say or how to say it. At that time you will be given what to say, 20for it will not be you speaking, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you.
21"Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; children will rebel against their parents and have them put to death. 22All men will hate you because of me, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 23When you are persecuted in one place, flee to another. I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes.
24"A student is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master. 25It is enough for the student to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. If the head of the house has been called Beelzebub,[c] how much more the members of his household!
26"So do not be afraid of them. There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 27What I tell you in the dark, speak in the daylight; what is whispered in your ear, proclaim from the roofs. 28Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny[d]? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father. 30And even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. 31So don't be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.
32"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. 33But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven.
34"Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. 35 For I have come to turn
" 'a man against his father,
a daughter against her mother,
a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law -
36a man's enemies will be the members of his own household.'[e]
37"Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; 38and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. 39Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
40"He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me. 41Anyone who receives a prophet because he is a prophet will receive a prophet's reward, and anyone who receives a righteous man because he is a righteous man will receive a righteous man's reward. 42And if anyone gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward."
8 comments:
I don't know why these particular Scriptures were chosen, but a lot of power is coming forth from them.
One billion go hungry daily.
Christian hunger is the sweet pang of knowing Him.
Billions more must be sated with His Word.
Being a keeper of Faith is a tough assignment. I can touch and feel and see and smell everyone in my household... but have not those sensations for unseen things.
Often I wonder about verse 40, about the "rewards." Receiving others and giving cool water to, how can this simple act reverse the curse?
I am as clueless today as the day I first believed... yet I have faith in and love for my unseen Father, who gives me living water. It is so possibly "unbelievable."
Maybe human experience, or "scientific" observation like mine, is short sighted... no?
Pat
Well, faith is part of the fruit of the Spirit, right? Sooo...I mean, it's here in us, then...I don't try to be a 'keeper' of it, b/c I can't. "Christ in us, the Hope of glory"...I just expect Him to be here, within me, within us, causing good fruit to be produced. Also, over the years I've noticed again & again that Scriptures that talks about faith, read the faith "of Christ", not faith "in Him". I'm saying it's His faith is us, and if we are faithless, He is faithFUL because He cannot deny Himself.
And the whole mustard seed concept, too, ya only need a tiny bit to get started.
I'm not being cavalier about faith, but it can be approached from more of an angle of rest in Him.
Dear Mrs Cavalier:
Aha, Christ exceeds all human understanding: "Faith of Christ" -- now that makes a lot of sense, and takes away my antagonisms. Somewhat.
Think of it, to have faith as Christ, it would be another dimension in feelings. I have heard some old codgers talking about a future time when heart and mind are connected. A condition that nurtures all fruits of the spirit of Christ. We would truly feel each others pain, and happiness, and headaches, etc...
I sometimes feel like a Honey Bee in the instant he would let go of his stinger. In my present human form, in this era of techno-barbarism, I keep thinking I will have to someday sooner than not, charge some intruder who threats our household. Sort of a feeling that a Bully is circling outside...
Thinking it could happen makes me nauseous. And I think about it everyday. Not kidding... and because I know that I would have either no effect, or miss the point all together, and as usual make a big to do about nothing. Then I would die from the exertion, just like Mr Bee.
I cannot explain why I have begun to feel like this, but I will go get some therapy, I promise. Can you keep these discussions alive while I examine my high anxiety?
Thanks, you are helping much in this,
PD
We can keep these discussions alive for as long as you want, Patrick.
First, let me say...I may give the impression of being calm. At peace, etc., but - not true. Just about every minute of every day, anxiety wages war in me. So, truly, we fight the good fight. It's called 'fight' for a reason, right?! (If I had smiley-face access, one would be here!)
Years ago, a co-worker told me about a comment her brother made, about serving in VietNam. He said, you never knew who was the enemy. Or where they were. Your fellow soldiers included. She said, how awful to live in costant fear like that. She couldn't imagine it, but I could. I can't imagine feeling safe & secure as a daily diet. So...I have really strong motivation to expect God in Christ to be here for me. I have no other recourse.
Family, friends, & church have all 'been the enemy' & I don't expect or count on any of these, for help. I know that feeling that the Bully is circling around out there...I know it well.
Keep strongly in mind that we are part of a spirtual Body, & tho you may think you don't have a sense of things like that, you do, and we will 'feel' stuff, threatening stuff, b/c we're actually sensing activity in the realm of the spirit. This isn't weird, or "psychic" phenomena (which is to be avoided, as I'm sure you know, by the brethren). If by any chance you don't know this, and are IN ANY WAY messing w/horoscope, tarot cards, etc.,STOP ITAlso, I would think alot of family men carry that need to be ready on the turn of a dime to protect. You're a soldier, right? The point of impact here, as I see it, is your belief that you would have no effect, etc., Right here is where a new truth needs to be applied. This is a Ground Zero for you. And as God is my witness, if you are anything like me here, the only real,lasting remedy comes from the Word, where, whether you feel it or not, we are told about who we really are, because of Who He really is.
I could just not stop here, I am on a roll! but I fell asleep w/the fan on, and windows open, etc., & it's really chilly, I'm wrapped in blankets, fingers freezing! So I'm gonna fulfil my fantasy of a big, hot mug of coffee now! and, in the words of Schwarzennager (sp?), "I'll be back!"Your paradoxical friend,
Mrs. Cavalier
Well, I meant to return sooner...now that I'm here, though I've been digging down into the 'pockets' of my mind - I got nothin'.
I guess whatever I should've said, I already did, for now anyway...
But, it still applies: I'll be back!
Was thinking, to have said that 'every minute of every day' I battle anxiety was probably a stretch. I try to be accurate, & that statement wasn't quite so. Mostly every day, but not every minute...
Found myself brought to Isaiah 51:12, 13 - thought it applied.
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