Friday 12/14/12 The Story 15

Please read to the end.  Please, please.

Good Morning, Dear Father in Heaven.  I love You, thanks for waking me and helping me get started this day.  May I use this day to serve You in all I do.  In Jesus' Name, I pray.  Amen.

Good morning, brothers and sisters.  I want to get right to the message today.

The Story, Day 15.

Let me start with a homework assignment ... Before reading this message, please get your Bible out and read Matthew 25:31/46.  This story is called in the Bible "The Sheep and the Goats."  I am just going to pick some verses.

Matthew 25:35 -  "For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in."  (NIV)

Matthew 25:40 - "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'"  (NIV)

Matthew 25:41 - "Then He will say to those on His left, 'Depart from me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.  42 For I was hungry and you gave me NOTHING to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me NOTHING to drink, 44 I was a stranger and you did NOT invite me in.'"  (NIV)

Matthew 25:45 - "He will then reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did NOT do for one of the least of these, you did NOT do for me.'"  (NIV)

Again as I start this message it would come together better for you if you indeed read Matthew 25:31/46 from your own Bible.  You know so many, many pastors and others preaching the Word, when they talk about being saved, have people close their eyes, the ask others to raise their hands if they wanted to come to the Lord.  Next they are asked to step out in faith and are told they just need to ask in faith and they will be forgiven and saved.  Hold on a minute, while that is how you come to the Lord and how you get saved, if you want to go to heaven, it goes a lot deeper than that.  You must go to work for the Lord!  Sorry, folks, I did not make the rules, and I am not the final judge, but as I read my Bible and see scriptures like those, "who do not work, should not eat," it brings me to mind that while we should work if we are going to eat, we do need to take care of those who cannot work, and also those who might have lost a job and are not working for a short period of time.

The Bible is very clear, and it is in the words of Jesus, that if we want to go to heaven, we must do the things listed in Matthew 25:35/36, where we are told to take care of the hungry and thirsty, etc., and if we did that, it would be as if  we did that for Jesus Himself.  It also goes on to tell us if we do NOT take care of the hungry and thirsty, etc., that would also be the same as NOT taking care of Jesus.

Now please follow me on this, when He separates the people, it will be like sheep and goats, and the sheep will go on His right and the goats on His left.  Then Jesus tells those on His left, and that would be all those who did NOT feed the hungry, provide water for the thirsty, or clothe the naked, that they should "depart from me, you who are cursed, into the internal fire prepared for the devil and his angels."  Brothers and sisters, I cannot make it clearer than Jesus did, in fact, the only thing I might do is say it this way.   These are my words, the way I tell it.  If we do not work for Jesus, if we are not doing what He asks of us, I would say it like this.  Brothers and sisters, if you are not working for Jesus as pointed out in the Bible, you are going to be going to hell.  And then telling folks they do have the option to change their ways for Jesus, remember, is the same, He still forgives if we have never helped before and you turned people away.  You can ask to be forgiven, be saved, and then get up and get to work for Jesus.  Brothers and sisters, there are not many people out in the world today that can do nothing at all as in working for the Lord.  I know today we have people who have computers, pay for internet service, have big, big TV's and have nothing to eat.  We need to help them if they have nothing to eat.  Also people can work for Jesus by just living for Him and setting examples.  People can feed the hungry, help the thirsty, and give a home to a stranger by doing things like this.

Remembering Jesus is the same, so He wants these things done, but I am sure He knows how different the world is today.  So a stranger might find a meal, something to drink, a place to sleep and get clean clothes, etc., at a place like the Salvation Army.  So you help the places like the Salvation Army, but putting coins or dollars in those kettles when you hear the bells ringing.  None of us can do it all.  I have a dear friend, Tom Sansoni, and also Pastor Kevin Brown from Lighthouse Baptist Church, who go to prisons, and I believe Pastor Larry  Hale from Glenvale Church of God also goes there.  Also those same people help gather food for the needy and also spread the word.  Again, people are all called by God to do different things in different ways.  All can do something!!

I think I got my point across.  Time to get ready to be Santa tonight and tell the real story to the children through the eyes of Claus!

Dear Lord, thank You for forgiving all who ask You in faith, and please, Lord, help them, and also me, with my assignments from You.  Sometimes it takes me awhile to get it, but thanks for helping me.  Watch over this line, please, and all who use it.  Keep all clear and safe.  In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Folks, I started this message early today, and now I am pushing to get it out about ten hours later.  Please pray for Dolores and me as we at our age keep pushing on for Jesus.  Hey, we are just getting started, but some days this time of year we get very tired.  Pray for our ministry team, Pam, Grant, Wanda, Dolores, and me, plus all who are coming tomorrow to help, and all who are coming tomorrow for food.  It is our really big day.  Again, to all who help, thanks, it is appreciated.  Now go forth and keep sharing those blessings.

Love ya, Pastor Dan.  READ ON, PLEASE.

Normally a news junkie, I did not hear about the school shooting until about two hours ago when it was brought to my attention by a school teacher while we were in Santa's House.  Please pray for the families of all those killed in this shooting.  Late news is telling us that 20 school children were murdered and seven others were also killed.  Please, please pray.  Please ...