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I am thankful to be alive. I am thankful for the opportunity to speak to you. When my pastor told me he wanted me to speak, I immediately begin to meditate and seek God for what I should speak about. Each moment that I sought God, I found myself thinking about Mother Martha Johnson. Mother Martha was one of the women that belonged to our church. I first learned that she died this past Sunday when it was announced. It was deeply saddening, because she is one of the people that I was praying for God to heal. I personally carry a prayer list of people that I pray for. I learned that she was sick one day in Sunday School when one of the brothers mentioned that Mother Martha was sick. I am terrible with names. So, I didn’t know who Mother Martha was or what she looked like. All I knew was that a lady named Martha belonged to our church and she was really sick. It wasn’t until this past Monday evening that I learned what she looked like. I learned what she looked like when my wife told me that Mother Martha is the woman that I nicknamed “Mama.” When my wife told me that Mother Martha was “Mama,” I was disappointed in myself, because I never knew what Mama’s name was. I didn’t know her name. So, I gave her a name that fit her personality which is “Mama.” I do apologize, because giving people names is a bad habit I picked up while working at a prison. However, I observed her a lot. I knew “Mama” as a sweet woman. She was very quiet and graceful. She had a sweet anointing that you could not fake. Over the years, I learned that you don’t get that type of sweet anointing over night. No, there is a crushing and molding that one must go through to get that type of anointing. I remember one night we were traveling to hear our pastor preach in the delta, and in that particular service I saw Mama get happy. I knew that God was ministering to her spirit, because she was crying. She was praising God with her mouth, and she praised God in a dance. As I continued to think about her in that moment, I began to be happy for her. I couldn’t be sad any longer, because I began to think about heaven. When it comes to the believer, the Bible teaches us that “To be absent from the body, is to be present with the Lord.”
Personal Reflection
One of the scary things about today is that many people in today’s world have no concern for eternity or heaven. During my years as a boy, Heaven was the one thing that I loved to hear my grandfather talking about. He would talk about the streets made of gold. He talked about the twelve pearly gates, He talked about the twenty-four elders casting down their crowns. And he talked about how the angels cried Holy day and night. It was amazing just to hear him talk about heaven. All I could do is think in my mind “Lord Jesus, I’ve got to get there.” And when you really think about it, We have to get there. We have got to make it to that city called heaven.
I’m concerned about the people of today, because heaven is not on their mind. Many people are no longer concerned about the Jesus of the Bible. The world has gotten so bad that the historians and theologians of today have identified this present period in time as the Post-Christian Era. It’s an era of time where the generations are no longer relying on the foundation of Christianity to guide their lives. As researchers study each generation, they are finding that the numbers of Christian believers are decreasing. The world around us is rejecting the Jesus of the Bible, and they are worshipping themselves. There is a new movement that is becoming more and more prevalent in the world, and it’s called the New Age Movement. Many of the people in this particular movement embrace spirituality, but they don’t embrace the Jesus of the Bible. One evening I was listening to a Christian documentary on a new age thinker who became a Christian, and he explained how that before he became a Christian that he had no desire to get to know Jesus Christ, but he desired the power to become a Christ. I am glad he has changed his life, and he is a Christian now. However, I quoted what he said to let you guys know about the demonic powers that are behind these type of movements There are factions in the New Age Movement that believe that they can acquire new wisdom and higher levels of consciousnesses by channeling spirits. People are rejecting Jesus, but they are channeling demons in order to attain more. For some, their focus is attaining wealth. For others, their focus is attaining wisdom. Some channel evil spirits to attain fame and power. Many of the demonic practices that the new age thinkers are embracing come from the ancient Hindu religion. Yoga is also one of the practices that has roots in the Hindu religion. In Matthew 24:12, Jesus said that “because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.” What is iniquity? The word Iniquity means lawlessness. So, Jesus is warning us in the scripture that the love of many shall wax cold, because of the lawlessness in the land. Our land is so lawless that we enslave minorities and poor people, and we justify it by calling it mandatory minimum prison sentencing. Our land has become so lawless that the destruction of our families and homes have resulted in the murder of our unborn children. Our land has become so lawless that a woman can abort a baby in New York City right before its birth. Our land has become so lawless that they have taken congregational prayer out of the public school system. Our land has become so lawless, that they are removing the Ten Commandments from the court houses across the nation. Our land has become so lawless that the police can kill teenage black boys without a second thought. Our land has become so lawless that black boys can kill black boys without a second thought. What has happened to the love that we once had? Well, there is one thing for certain, and that is that the love of many has waxed cold. Jesus told us that these things would happen. Jesus also told us the people would love the creature rather than the Creator. Jesus told us in His word that men would be lovers of themselves. The goal of many people in this present world is to attain more. How can I get more? How much more work can I do? How many houses can I have? How many cars can I have? How great can I be? How much money can I make? How much wisdom can I attain? How much power can I have? They have rejected Jesus, and they have made idols out of themselves. This type of thinking reminds me of one of the parables of Jesus. Luke 12:16-21 says, 16 And he (Jesus) spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: 17 And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? 18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. 19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. 20 But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? 21 So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.
Conclusion
So many people in this world have the same mindset as the rich man in this parable, but they don’t have too. We don’t have to yield to demonic systems. God has His own system, and that’s the system we must live by. The Bible says, “Be ye not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The God of the Bible wants to give us treasures and rewards. Treasures and rewards are what we receive when we diligently seek God. When we seek for Jesus in the Scriptures, God rewards us. When we apply the biblical counsel of Jesus to our lives, God rewards us. Seeking Jesus is the key. Seeking Jesus is the key. Jesus is the greatest treasure we could ever have. Jesus is the Son of the Living God. Jesus is the Bread of Life. Jesus is our Living Water. Jesus is our solid Rock. I’ve found out that the key to life is seeking Jesus. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the Life. The Bible says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these other things will be added unto you.” Jesus is the righteousness of God, and He has come to establish the kingdom of God in you. The Bible says, “He that comes to God, must believe that He is. He’s a rewarder to those diligently seek Him. Seek the Lord while He may be found. Because the day is drawing nigh when none can repent. The Bible teaches us that “Life is but a vapor. Just little while, and it’s gone away. I love the song “Hold to God’s unchanging hands.” The song says, "Hold to God’s unchanging hands. Build your hopes on things eternal, Oh Hold to God’s unchanging hands. Time is filled with swift transitions, nought on earth unmoved can stand. Build your hopes on things eternal. You better Hold to God’s unchanging hands."
Let us pray
Heavenly Father,
Thank you for blessing us to see another day. Help us to be mindful of our eternity. Help us to seek after you and be mindful of you. Thank you for caring for us and sacrificing for us. Remind us that a relationship with you is the greatest reward to attain. In Jesus mighty name we pray, Amen
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