Christian Reflection and Prayer

Scripture

Hebrews 13:2-21 (New Century Version)

2 Remember to welcome strangers, because
some who have done this have welcomed angels
without knowing it. 3 Remember those who are
in prison as if you were in prison with them.
Remember those who are suffering as if you
were suffering with them.
4 Marriage should be honored by everyone,
and husband and wife should keep their
marriage pure. God will judge as guilty those
who take part in sexual sins. 5 Keep your lives
free from the love of money, and be satisfied with
what you have. God has said,
"I will never leave you;
I will never abandon you." — Deuteronomy 31:6
6 So we can be sure when we say,
"I will not be afraid, because the Lord is my helper.
People can't do anything to me." — Psalm 118:6

7 Remember your leaders who taught God's
message to you. Remember how they lived and
died, and copy their faith. 8 Jesus Christ is
the same yesterday, today, and forever.
9 Do not let all kinds of strange teachings lead you
into the wrong way. Your hearts should be
strengthened by God's grace, not by obeying rules
about foods, which do not help those who obey them.
10 We have a sacrifice, but the priests who serve in
the Holy Tent cannot eat from it.11 The high priest
carries the blood of animals into the Most Holy Place
where he offers this blood for sins. But the bodies
of the animals are burned outside the camp.
12 So Jesus also suffered outside the city to make
his people holy with his own blood.13 So let us go
to Jesus outside the camp, holding on as he did
when we are abused.
14 Here on earth we do not have a city that lasts
forever, but we are looking for the city that we will
have in the future.15 So through Jesus let us always
offer to God our sacrifice of praise, coming from lips
that speak his name.16 Do not forget to do good to
others, and share with them, because such
sacrifices please God.
17 Obey your leaders and act under their authority.
They are watching over you, because they are
responsible for your souls. Obey them so that they
will do this work with joy, not sadness. It will not
help you to make their work hard.
18 Pray for us. We are sure that we have a clear
conscience, because we always want to do the
right thing.19 I especially beg you to pray so that
God will send me back to you soon.
20-21 I pray that the God of peace will give you
every good thing you need so you can do what
he wants. God raised from the dead our Lord Jesus,
the Great Shepherd of the sheep, because of the
blood of his death. His blood began the eternal
agreement that God made with his people. I pray
that God will do in us what pleases him, through
Jesus Christ, and to him be glory forever and ever.
Amen.

Reflection:

By Faith:

We are providing hospitality to strangers and angels.
(13:2)
We are being sexually faithful to our marriage
(13:4)
We are no longer jealous of other people's possessions
(13:5)
We know that Jesus will never leave us or forget us.
(13: 5)
We do not fear other people.
(13:6)
We are citizens of heaven.
(13:14)
We praise our God continuously
(13:15)
We submit to true spiritual authority.
(13:17)
We believe that Jesus is our great spiritual Shepherd.
(13: 20-21)
We believe God is perfecting us to do His will.
(13: 20-21)

AS BELIEVERS IN CHRIST THIS WE DO BY FAITH

Scripture:

18"The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to preach good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to release the oppressed,
19to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor.
(Luke 4:18-19) NIV

Reflection:

Luke tells us in chapter 4, that the very
first thing that Jesus did when He walked
into the temple was to ask for the scroll and
He read, His mission statement to free the
oppressed. This is obviously major element
in the teachings of Jesus Christ to His
followers.  The total gospel is clearly
saturated with freeing the oppressed and
dealing with the poor.
We as Christians, as supposed followers
of Jesus Christ, have neglected this very
important element of the gospel message.
I am so very tired of evangelical Christians
who seem to proclaim, "that as long as we
go to heaven when we die, we have really
accomplished something."  The clear
message of many evangelical Christians
is, "saving people from eternal damnation
is what the gospel is all about".
They are so definitely wrong! 
Jesus Christ taught and lived radically
differently. 
"WE MUST TREAT PEOPLE NOW,
TODAY, WHILE ALIVE, FROM OPPRESSION,
AMONG OTHER THINGS, AND FROM POVERTY.
THIS MUST BE OUR PRIORITY!!!!   THIS MUST
BE OUR MISSION!!!
There are about 1.3 billion people living, right now,
on a dollar a day.  This, Christians, is not
necessary, and is not right.  It is not just, it is
not humane, and it certainly is not what Jesus had
in mind when He read His mission statement.
Christ want's us to remove poverty from the planet.
THIS SHOULD BE THE GOAL OF EVERY
EVANGELICAL CHRISTIAN!!!

AMEN!!!

Scripture:

For our struggle is not against flesh and blood,
but against the rulers, against the authorities,
against the powers of this dark world and against
the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Ephesians 6:12 NIV

Reflection:

I don't know where you are at in your life.  But
I do know that you are probably having struggles.
As sure as there is God and good in the world
and in our lives, there is also the devil and evil
in the world and in our lives.
Please remember this will you:
God is exponentially greater than the devil.
Satan is only a finite, created being; God is the
infinite, uncreated, multiple "omni" being. And
His power living in us enables us to stand against
the enemy.
As Christians, when we step into the destiny
God has prepared for us we can be assured that:

1. SPIRITUAL ATTACKS WILL COME AND,
2  GOD WILL PROVIDE EVERYTHING WE
NEED TO BE VICTORIOUS.

REMEMBER YOU HAVE VICTORY BECAUSE
OF GOD. 
YOUR A WINNER!!!!!!!!!!