BACK TO THE HEART OF TRUE RELIGION.
James 1: 27 “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”
The Bible says love can be seen and touched- it is tangible. It may be as big as the Good Samaritan’s care for an injured man as recorded in Luke 10:30-37 or as small as a cup of cold water given in Jesus’ name as mentioned in Matthew 10:42. Real love takes action. We are commanded not to love in words or in tongues but in action and in truth. There is a joy and happiness most of us have not been part of and if we do not change the way we act now, it may not be part of our experience. The joy of being there for a needy person, the happiness of standing for the vulnerable, the blessings of being a solution to another person’s problem. For some, they might have been on both ends of this experience—the receiving and the giving. If you have not, believe the people that have been on the two sides of the experience, there is more joy in giving and even going without at times if need be, than receiving and possessing.
“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world. 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, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit 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 needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ “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.” Matthew 25:34-40
Give as Christ gave to you in your needs. Love as Christ loved you. Be to the helpless a helper indeed. Love should be the reason and a compelling force, because you cannot love without giving.
2. BACK TO THE HEART OF TRUE RELIGION
James 1: 27 “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”
I FOUND THIS STORY WRITTEN BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR, AND FEEL STRONGLY IT WILL HELP. I THEREFORE PRESENT IT FOR OUR CONSIDERATION. READ CAREFULLY.
An orphan was selling small items door to door to live and pay for his education. One day, he was so hungry and had little strength left because he had just gone three days without eating and without his items being sold. He then decided: “At the next door, I have to ask for food, I’m hungry.
He arrived at the door and knocked: A beautiful girl came out and said, “What’s wrong?” Seeing the girl, who was almost the same age as him and very beautiful to see, he was ashamed to ask her for food and recanted:
“Hello sister!” _ “Hi my brother!” _ “Hey, hey, … mmmm, I’d like to ask for water if possible.” The girl who was staring him straight in the eye said simply, “Sit down, I’m coming.” She entered the house to return a few moments later with two large cakes and a large goblet of milk and a glass of water on a large platter: “We haven’t prepared the food yet, please accept this to quench your hunger momentarily … and … here is your water you asked for.” The boy failed to say, and said very softly: “Thank you very much Sister!”. After he has finished eating and drinking, he asks: “My sister, what’s your name!” _ “My name is SUZA LIMBE! … well … SUZANELIMBE!”. “How did you know I was hungry?” “Two reasons: The first” The eyes are the mirror of the heart “always said my grandmother, the mouth is not the only means of communication, the eyes have more powerful means of communication than the mouth. My brother, the eyes send strong messages that the mouth cannot. Second: my parents always educated me saying, “Always give bread and milk to anyone who asks for tea,” There you are. “_ “And you what’s your name?” _ “Alfred … my name is Alfred.” _ _ “Now you can peacefully wait for the food ….” “No…. No… no, please, that’s enough, even very good enough for me, let me go!” _ “Ok! I am honoured, And…. I wish you good continuity then!” “Thank you for your generous heart, always do good and the heavenly God will return it to you one day.”
Years passed, all of SUZA’s parents died and she only stayed with her little sister. SUZA became ill and the doctors diagnosed first-beginner uterine cancer: “SUZA, if you can afford it, you have to have the operation; and especially in one of the large specialized hospitals. If the operation is done well, you have the chance to survive.” Suggested the Doctor. “I only have 300,000f, will that be enough?” “I don’t know, but you have to take a chance.” _ SUZA and her sister left for the big city.
When she arrived at the hospital, in view of the emergency, the doctors operated on her first and then the bill came later. This amounted to 2,500,000f. SUZA had neither the rich family nor the friends who could lend her this colossal sum and she did not have any material possessions which she could either pledge or sell to get this money. She spent almost two weeks in the hospital for lack of money. She didn’t know what to do.
One morning, a nurse comes to give him an envelope containing the exit ticket and a letter. She started by crying when she saw the exit ticket, then she opened the letter which was written as follows: _ “Hello sister!” _ “Hi my brother!” _ “Hey, hey, … mmmm … I’d like to ask for water if possible.”_ “Sit down, I am coming …… We have not prepared the food yet, please accept this to calm your hunger momentarily …. And … here is your water that you asked for.” _ “Thank you! Continue to do good; one Day, Almighty God will reward you.” _
She remembered the whole story and cried out loud. His sister did not understand anything at all and asked him: _ “But SUZA what’s wrong, why are you crying without telling me?” _ SUZA replied very gently: _ “Do good to everyone, even to strangers, one Day Almighty God will return it to you.”
At the end of the letter it was written: _ “On the 1st of next month, you start work here at the hospital, at least if you agree.” _ “Your intervention costs were paid by * a glass of milk * ………… Doctor Alfred.
She cried and took the job. She was completely healed.
Fellow pilgrims, do good to everyone, even to strangers, even if your own did not turn out like that of SUZA. One-day Almighty God will give it back to you. Remember, there is a chaotic day to every mortal.
“They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’ “He will reply, ‘I tell you the truth, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’ Matthew 25: 44-45.
3. BACK TO THE HEART OF TRUE RELIGION
James 1: 27 “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”
I FOUND THIS STORY WRITTEN BY AN ANONYMOUS AUTHOR, AND FEEL STRONGLY IT WILL HELP. I THEREFORE PRESENT IT FOR OUR LEARNING. HAPPY READING.
Whose Father is He?
A beggar came asking for food. I told him to come around to the back door and asked him to sit on the floor while I went in to bring the leftover food.
I brought him food and said, let’s pray. Now repeat after me, “Our FATHER in Heaven”. He said, “Your Father in Heaven”. I said. “No, say OUR FATHER in Heaven”. He again said, “Your Father in Heaven”!
This extremely Irritated me! I asked why do you say ‘Your’ father when I say ‘Our’ FATHER?’
He said, “Sir, it is like this. If I say Our FATHER, then we both become brothers. If we are brothers, you would invite me in through the front door and not the back; you would ask me to sit at your dining table not on the floor; you would also not give me stale food! Sir, somehow it is not possible that we are sons of the same father”!
He may be your Father, but he cannot be OUR father!
Whose FATHER is He? It took a beggar to teach me the truth.
GOD becomes our FATHER when we treat one another as brothers and sisters.
“If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God’s love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.” 1 John 3:17 AMP.
Can we say as a Church or as Christians that we have God’s love? We do not intend to make any body guilty or seat in a judgement seat and condemn anyone; but let us state the reality in an unpolished way for once. We have clients in our villages that belong to a local Christian assembly and surrounded with Christians, that we take food to them from our office to eat and survive with their children. We have clients that we have to take from the community to the hospital for malnutrition. We have orphans that we discussed with the leaders of the Church and relations to raise only five thousand as part of the apprentice cost, that we received ‘yes we will do’ and the person has graduated without a penny from them. Some of the clients are surrounded with tutors and lecturers in colleges. May we not make the love of Christ disappear from our society in Jesus name.
4. BACK TO THE HEART OF TRUE RELIGION
James 1: 27 “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”
This story not only stole my heart, but convicted me and showed me where to find true happiness- still from an anonymous author. I therefore present it for our learning. Please read and ponder and act.
A radio presenter asked his millionaire guest, in an interview “What made you happy in life?” The millionaire said: I have gone through four stages of happiness in life and finally I understood the meaning of true happiness. The first stage was to accumulate wealth and means. But at this stage I didn’t get the happiness I wanted. Then came the second stage of collecting valuables and items. But I realized that the effect of this thing is also temporary and the lustre of valuables doesn’t last long. Then came the third stage of getting big projects. Like buying a football team, buying a tourist resort, etc. But even here I didn’t get the happiness I had imagined.
The fourth stage, a friend of mine asked me to buy wheelchairs for some disabled children. As a bosom friend requesting that kind of thing for the first time from me, I quickly bought the wheelchairs. But my friend insisted that I go with him and handover the wheelchairs to the children. I got ready and went with him. There I give these wheelchairs to these children with my own hands. I saw the strange glow of happiness on the faces of these children. I saw them all sitting on chairs, moving around and having fun. It was as if they had arrived at a picnic spot.
But I felt real joy when I started to leave and one of the kids grabbed my leg. I gently tried to free my leg but the child stared at my face and held my legs tightly. I bent down and asked the child: Do you need anything else? The answer that this child gave me not only made me happy but also changed my life completely. This child said “I want to remember your face so that when I meet you in heaven, I will be able to recognize you and thank you once again”.
Impacting life is the real happiness! Impacting life is the real happiness!! Impacting life is the real happiness you have been longing for!!!
5. BACK TO THE HEART OF TRUE RELIGION.
James 1: 27 “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”
Do we have charity or display of love and concern that are out of a pure heart today? Do we have gifts that are given to the poor people without selfish motives? Do we have gifts today that are not given for fame and recognition? Do we have gifts today that has not robbed off on the dignity of the receiver? Do people receive favour from us and are not enslaved physically or emotionally? Can people still see us at the same level if we are frequently aiding them? Let us be specific- can a girl child that is not related to us receive any gift without string attached today? Our actions should be pure, if we hope to be recognised by God as real givers. We must learn to give our gifts according to the pattern of God. God’s standard is constant and we should learn to key in properly. We must refuse according to our text, to let the world corrupt us.
There are these categories of actions: those that are good, those that are bad, and those that are doubtful; and we ought to be most cautious of those that are doubtful, for we are in most danger of these doubtful actions, because they do not alarm us as they may be harmless in most cases. And yet they unresponsively lead to greater wrongdoings.
God said, we should be of help to others. Surprisingly, you will discover that we are better off when we help others. We bless ourselves by helping others. John Keeble once said: “When you find yourselves overpowered with sadness, the best way is to go out and do something kind to somebody or other.” Thousands who today are sitting daily in the gloom of a self-created misery, would soon lose it if they began to care for others. One old-fashioned writer says concerning this, “When I dig a man out of trouble, I turn the hole he leaves behind him into a grave in which I bury my own trouble.”
We should imbibe the culture of helping others and we will discover we will be happier and peaceful.
6. BACK TO THE HEART OF TRUE RELIGION
James 1: 27 “Pure and lasting religion in the sight of God our father means that we must care for orphans and widows in their troubles, and refuse to let the world corrupt us.”
It is impossible to love Christ without loving others, the Love of Christ has a compelling force and it drives us to love as Christ. Christ singled out love- when He said ‘if you love, then people will know that you are my disciple’. You then do not need a sticker to identify yourself, just love like Christ and that will be enough proof.
Romans 5:6 reveals that: “Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t, wait for us to get ready. He presented himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway.” (THE MESSAGE).
Jesus identified with the defenceless and the vulnerable. When His disciples made effort to keep the children away from Him, He said they should not hinder them from coming to Him. He reached out to the despised ethnic group, making the good Samaritan the hero of His parable. He offered hope to the searching Samaritan woman at the well. He protected and forgave a woman trapped in adultery. Although we were utterly helpless, Christ gave His life for all of us.
Let us individually try to answer the following questions with all honesty it deserved: who are you defending? Doyou recognise people in your life who need someone to stand with them? Do you see vulnerable persons and take off your eyes and say ‘not my problem’?
When we defend the helpless, the vulnerable, the marginalised, and give them chance to realise their potential; we are acting like Christ. When we show them love, even in a small way or significant way; we reflect the very heart of Christ. Let our resolve be to love others as Christ.
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