January 12, 2014: Never Eat Alone
Matthew 9:1-17
Amplified Bible (AMP)
9 And Jesus, getting into a boat, crossed to the other side and came to His own town [Capernaum].
2 And behold, they brought to Him a man paralyzed and prostrated by illness, lying on a sleeping pad; and when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven and the penalty remitted.
3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This man blasphemes [He claims the rights and prerogatives of God]!
4 But Jesus, knowing (seeing) their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil and harbor malice in your hearts?
5 For which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven and the penalty remitted, or to say, Get up and walk?
6 But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins and remit the penalty, He then said to the paralyzed man, Get up! Pick up your sleeping pad and go to your own house.
7 And he got up and went away to his own house.
8 When the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear and awe; and they recognized God and praised and thanked Him, Who had given such power and authority to men.
9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s office; and He said to him, Be My disciple [side with My party and follow Me]. And he rose and followed Him.
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and [especially wicked] sinners came and sat (reclined) with Him and His disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and those [preeminently] sinful?
12 But when Jesus heard it, He replied, Those who are strong and well (healthy) have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick.
13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).
14 Then the disciples of John came to Jesus, inquiring, Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, [that is, abstain from food and drink as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?
15 And Jesus replied to them, Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
16 And no one puts a piece of cloth that has not been shrunk on an old garment, for such a patch tears away from the garment and a worse rent (tear) is made.
17 Neither is new wine put in old wineskins; for if it is, the skins burst and are torn in pieces, and the wine is spilled and the skins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.
They recognized God, and praised and thanked Him. (verse 8)
My desire is to reflect God. Do I always reflect God? No. At times, I fall flat in my feeble attempts to emulate Him.
I want people to recognize God when I minister. And what is ministering? Sometimes, ministering is praying with someone. Other times, ministering is giving food, clothing, or money to someone in need.
And then there are those times that ministering is merely being a friend. Listening. Hanging with someone.
I want to fellowship, sit back and relax, and simply offer a hand of friendship and a listening ear to hurting humanity as Jesus did (verse 10). This is when they begin to open up and pour their hearts out. This is when they feel the love.
I read somewhere that if one wants to be successful in business, never eat alone. What a great piece of advice. If one wants to draw people to Christ, never eat alone. Jesus, Himself, gave us this example.
"God help me! I am not doing enough! I am selfish at times. I want to give more. There's not much time. Your return is very soon. Even when I'm relaxing, I can relax with someone who's lonely. Someone who may feel that no one cares. I don't have to say a lot. Only be myself, relaxed and peaceful. And reflect Your love for them. Forgive me for being selfish with my time. You are so patient with me, Jesus. Thanks for revealing this to me through Your example. I want to be like You Jesus. But its hard. But I know I can do it because I have You living inside me. You are amazing, Jesus. AMEN."
Amplified Bible (AMP)
9 And Jesus, getting into a boat, crossed to the other side and came to His own town [Capernaum].
2 And behold, they brought to Him a man paralyzed and prostrated by illness, lying on a sleeping pad; and when Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralyzed man, Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven and the penalty remitted.
3 And behold, some of the scribes said to themselves, This man blasphemes [He claims the rights and prerogatives of God]!
4 But Jesus, knowing (seeing) their thoughts, said, Why do you think evil and harbor malice in your hearts?
5 For which is easier: to say, Your sins are forgiven and the penalty remitted, or to say, Get up and walk?
6 But in order that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins and remit the penalty, He then said to the paralyzed man, Get up! Pick up your sleeping pad and go to your own house.
7 And he got up and went away to his own house.
8 When the crowds saw it, they were struck with fear and awe; and they recognized God and praised and thanked Him, Who had given such power and authority to men.
9 As Jesus passed on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax collector’s office; and He said to him, Be My disciple [side with My party and follow Me]. And he rose and followed Him.
10 And as Jesus reclined at table in the house, behold, many tax collectors and [especially wicked] sinners came and sat (reclined) with Him and His disciples.
11 And when the Pharisees saw this, they said to His disciples, Why does your Master eat with tax collectors and those [preeminently] sinful?
12 But when Jesus heard it, He replied, Those who are strong and well (healthy) have no need of a physician, but those who are weak and sick.
13 Go and learn what this means: I desire mercy [that is, readiness to help those in trouble] and not sacrifice and sacrificial victims. For I came not to call and invite [to repentance] the righteous (those who are upright and in right standing with God), but sinners (the erring ones and all those not free from sin).
14 Then the disciples of John came to Jesus, inquiring, Why is it that we and the Pharisees fast often, [that is, abstain from food and drink as a religious exercise], but Your disciples do not fast?
15 And Jesus replied to them, Can the wedding guests mourn while the bridegroom is still with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.
16 And no one puts a piece of cloth that has not been shrunk on an old garment, for such a patch tears away from the garment and a worse rent (tear) is made.
17 Neither is new wine put in old wineskins; for if it is, the skins burst and are torn in pieces, and the wine is spilled and the skins are ruined. But new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both are preserved.
They recognized God, and praised and thanked Him. (verse 8)
My desire is to reflect God. Do I always reflect God? No. At times, I fall flat in my feeble attempts to emulate Him.
I want people to recognize God when I minister. And what is ministering? Sometimes, ministering is praying with someone. Other times, ministering is giving food, clothing, or money to someone in need.
And then there are those times that ministering is merely being a friend. Listening. Hanging with someone.
I want to fellowship, sit back and relax, and simply offer a hand of friendship and a listening ear to hurting humanity as Jesus did (verse 10). This is when they begin to open up and pour their hearts out. This is when they feel the love.
I read somewhere that if one wants to be successful in business, never eat alone. What a great piece of advice. If one wants to draw people to Christ, never eat alone. Jesus, Himself, gave us this example.
"God help me! I am not doing enough! I am selfish at times. I want to give more. There's not much time. Your return is very soon. Even when I'm relaxing, I can relax with someone who's lonely. Someone who may feel that no one cares. I don't have to say a lot. Only be myself, relaxed and peaceful. And reflect Your love for them. Forgive me for being selfish with my time. You are so patient with me, Jesus. Thanks for revealing this to me through Your example. I want to be like You Jesus. But its hard. But I know I can do it because I have You living inside me. You are amazing, Jesus. AMEN."
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