Open your eyes to the world around you
- The Power of Thanksgiving
- Open your eyes to the world around you
- The Principle of Personal Responsibility
- How To Walk in Integrity
- Don’t Judge By Mere Appearances
…not just your eyes, but your heart, your arms, and your pocket book!
Monday mornings on this blog, as I promised you in My 2010 Blog Posting Schedule, are dedicated to posting summaries of my Sunday Sermons.
Yesterday, during the morning service, which we now call ‘Family Gathering’ I spoke on the subject of generosity.
The misfortunes of others should be an opportunity for us to show the love of God.
As I sat down on Saturday evening to put finishing touches to this sermon, my mind drifted to the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Haiti.
Haiti
The Red Cross estimates 45,000 to 50,000 people were killed in Tuesday’s magnitude-7.0 earthquake in Haiti. While workers are burying some in mass graves, countless bodies remain unclaimed in the streets and the limbs of the dead protrude from crushed schools and homes. A third of Haiti’s 9 million people may be in need of aid.
In times like this, we need to remind ourselves that we live in an imperfect world.
We also need to remind ourselves that there’s more to this world than our personal needs.
In times like this, we must open our eyes, our hearts, our arms, and our pocket books, to the world around us.
Don’t blame the victims…
Rather show God’s love.
This is not a time to condemn or blame the victims. It is easy to say, “Hey, this is the judgment of God on so and so.” It is easy to say someone is going through hell because they sinned and so on…
But according to Jesus Christ, the misfortunes of others should be an opportunity for us to show the love of God.
Human suffering demands the demonstration of God’s love
John 9:1-7
1As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”
3“Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
6Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7“Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.
Jesus saw a need, and rather than enter into a theological debate, He chose to meet that need. Such is the pure love of God.
We may not know all the answers as to why certain disasters and calamities occur, and while it may be beneficial for us to have those details, we can in the least do all we can in the moment to alleviate the sufferings of the afflicted.
Human suffering demands the demonstration of God’s love, not accusations and religious wrangling.
You may not be able to miraculously open a blind eye, but you can pray for the comfort of the afflicted.
You can encourage those who are giving time and efforts to help others.
You can donate some dollars too!
Loving Jesus
Jesus taught us that when we love the needy and suffering in His name, we are loving Him.
Matthew 25: 37 – 40
37“Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? 38When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? 39When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’
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.’”
We need to open our hearts and our arms to the hungry, the naked, the shivering, little children, disabled people, sick people, afflicted people, and show them the love of Jesus.
They many never repay you but their souls are worth it.
I believe that Jesus loves all men the same, regardless of the color of their skin, their religion, or the status of their bank account.
This is how to let our light shine before men, that they may give glory to God.
It’s time to begin to reach out in His name, in whatever ways that we can.
We can pray daily for the needs of others, and those who are sacrificing time and efforts to reach the worlds most desperate peoples.
We can write checks and send donations to help.
We can give our own time and energy to help.
But Jesus wants to care, to demonstrate His love to an imperfect and suffering humanity.
Have a wonderful week!!
Sarah Clark (12)
chummy (11)
Nkechinyere (3)
carri (2)
Deborah Alinda (2)
*tears* you know WD, I’ve learned so much this weekend about all of this, and truly taught the value of compassion and understanding. Being there for someone who really needs us by showing them what Love is through Jesus Christ. I know sometimes I feel helpless, but knowing that I can do something by praying, by asking for friends to join in prayer can heal their souls and their hearts. Not only in prayer, but by being their for them by talking to them and listening to them, helping them can be the greatest fruits that we all can bare. God is truly amazing how he uses people through his love.
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Pastor WD Favour Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 6:41 am
Yes, Sarah, there’s so much we can do if we are serious about caring…just as you’ve written. Your tender and caring heart is such a treasure and I pray that the Lord will continue to make you a blessing to those who are desperate and in need.
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Rily touchd by dis. Wishd i had more 2 give. Thank u Lord 4 my life. Wil kip prayin 4 haitians.
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Pastor WD Favour Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 6:38 am
Henry, prayer from a compassionate and caring heart is the greatest gift you can give. Never underestimate your capacity to touch the world through prayers. Keep praying for Nigeria too…we need all the prayers we can get in our beloved country. Thanks for your comments.
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We are called to love and care for those who may be difficult to love. Some people may have difficulty looking pain and suffering in the eye. Search for the image of God in every person you encounter may this overshadow all else. May we all reach out a hand to those in need in this suffering world.
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Pastor WD Favour Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 6:53 am
Becky, you just touched a cardinal pillar of my personal belief, which is that there is the image of God in every individual. The awareness of this truth and actively searching for this image in even the most difficult people enables us to rise above difficulty of loving them. Thanks for your very insightful comment.
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Sometimes i want to physically embrace God in appreciation for the unbelievable blessings flowing in my life but unfortunately i cannot see/feel Him. Now i know where to find Him (Mat. 25:37-40).
No doubt, payment for this is in heaven. Nevermind this person u loving may not at all appreciate or even may despise u, or steal u property and empty the house – just keep on keeping on do not look down, look up! A big eternal reward awaits.
In the same way, (Luke 14:12-14)
Then Jesus said to his host, ‘ when you give a lunch or a dinner, do not invite your friends or brothers or relatives or your rich neighbours – for they will invite you back, and in this way you will be paid for what you did. When you give a feast, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame and the blind; and you will be blessed, because they are not able to pay you back. God will repay you on the day the good people rise from death.’
Prayer: (Oh Lord, give us the grace to be faithful to your word. Grateful in Jesus name, Amen.)
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Pastor WD Favour Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 6:56 am
Deborah, your comment really moved me, particularly since I know your personal story. And this is the essence of Christ’s teaching, looking beyond people to see the God in them – just as Becky wrote in her comment. You said it right, ‘do not look down, look up!’ A very big Amen to your prayer, and thanks for this comment.
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Beautiful Pastor WD! I feel so blessed and abundant with everything that I have in my life. My heart and soul is there with people in Haiti. Thank you for this message!
Lana-DreamFollowers Blog´s last blog ..I Don’t Believe In Religion But I Talked To God Today
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Pastor WD Favour Reply:
January 19th, 2010 at 6:58 am
Thanks Lana! God has given us so much that we can share with others. Again, I really enjoyed the revelation you shared in your last post… still thinking about it all. lol.
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It’s extremely humbling to be chosen to express God’s love to the needy and suffering. Truth is, we are all chosen, but do we always hear the call? It can come at the most inopportune time and we say we don’t have time. We can be so busy that we don’t even hear the message. We can have good intentions but procrastinate and never get to it. We can just be plain complacent. After all, someone else will pick up the slack, right? Wrong! No one can pick up “your” slack. No one can do what you can do. When we don’t do our part the world experiences a void that we create. No matter how big or how small our parts are in any given situation it’s important and we just need to do it! Expressing the love of God is a beautiful thing … as is expressing our love to God by blessing and helping others in need.
Shileen´s last blog ..Do You Value Yourself?
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