Coffee With The Lord

Just thinking today about unsung heroes… wonderful people, simple saints, those who love the Lord with all their heart and others (regardless of their ethnicity, culture, station in life, education or lack of it, wealth or lack of it, their religious background or anything else) and serve them in the name of Jesus without fanfare, notoriety or media attention (and sometimes with appreciation).  But God notices!  I read about them this morning in my Bible reading…

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne.   All the nations will be assembled before him, and he will separate people one from another like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.  He will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.  Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in,  I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.’  Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or naked and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’  And the King will answer them, ‘I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for Me!’” (Matthew 25:31–40 NET)

That’s right… Righteous, godly, loving, caring unsung heroes serving in Jesus’ name around the globe… worthy of the highest honor!  Today I salute you!  And one day the Living Lord of Glory will honor you before the assembled host of heaven and the assembled nations of the world and the entire universe!

On the other hand there are those whose religion (whose Christianity) is in name only… (read the next verses…)

Going to do a little personal paraphrasing today… Hope it’s a blessing! One of my very favorite passages (and one of the best known) in all the Bible… Psalm 23

“The Lord is my guardian and guide… Because of that I have everything I need!  He leads me to places where I find bounty,blessing and peace.  He restores and refreshes me when I am physically, emotionally, and spiritually spent!  He leads in the way I ought to go so that my life is honoring to Him.

“Even when I face challenges and circumstances in my daily walk with Him that seem as dark as death itself… I don’t have to be afraid!  I know that You are with me Lord!  You are there to what a shepherd does… guiding and guarding all the way.

“Even when enemies surround me you have a wonderful way of providing a table filled with bountiful blessing!  If I’m wounded you have just the salve I need to bring healing!  My cup of blessing overflows!  And I’m confident of this fact… Your goodness and steadfast love (yes, your covenant love) will be there for me every day I live… and beyond this life?  The confident hope of spending eternity with you in Heaven!”

Yes, I just LOVE that Psalm… Hope I did it justice!   It was part of my Bible reading today.  Sometimes it just helps to do a personal paraphrase…  Oh, and “The Lord IS my Shepherd!!” 

I got up this morning, looked at the headlines, and felt deep, deep concern!  Then had “coffee with the Lord” and read these words…

“His disciples came to him privately and said, ‘Tell us… What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?’  Jesus answered them, ‘Watch out that no one misleads you… You will hear of wars and rumors of wars. MAKE SURE THAT YOU ARE NOT ALARMED, FOR THIS MUST HAPPEN, BUT THE END IS STILL TO COME.  For nation will rise up in arms against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.   ALL THESE THINGS ARE THE BEGINNING OF BIRTH PAINS.  They will hand you over to be persecuted and will kill you. You will be hated by all the nations because of my name.  Then many will be led into sin, and they will betray one another and hate one another.  And many false prophets will appear and deceive many, and because lawlessness will increase so much, the love of many will grow cold.  BUT THE PERSON WHO ENDURES TO THE END WILL BE SAVED.  And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached throughout the whole inhabited earth as a testimony to all the nations, AND THEN THE END WILL COME!’”  (Matthew 24:3–14 from the NET Bible)

Seems like really good advice to me!  Glad I read it!