PART THREE

The scriptures tells us God’s people the right way to handle our faults: Jas. 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much. The Holy Bible tells us this also:

Gal. 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. So we can easily see from God’s word, the ingredients of true helping in this matter, ie. Self examination and reciprocity, in mutual confession and prayer for mutual healing; meekness in confrontation for restoring another in the spirit of meekness, and learning to avoid this same temptation, having seen it‘s impact on another.

 Beloveds, again I went over God’s word regarding helping others as His word correctly interpreted is the only sure path that we can have in loving Him and carrying out His will in our lives. when we truly set about to help someone, there is ongoing negotiation between the parties regarding what is needed and what actually can be given. There also comes a time when the parties agree that the help is no longer needed, or perhaps the level of care is beyond the capacity of the helper and referral is necessary. The true helper will not provide help beyond the time it is needed or beyond his or her

capacity to do so.

She or he can release the person helped without guilt. Sometimes the very person helped reciprocates in the same way in time of the helpers need, although that was not the helpers motive for helping in the first place. Understanding that while there is no absolute guarantee, my beloveds, those who have been helped by others, are sometimes grateful and appreciative and want to give back. We, nevertheless, have to undertake giving with wisdom and discernment.

The main reason for helping the saints and others is out of love for God and others, and also He commands us to be compassionate to those in need. The Holy Bible states:

James 2:15- 20 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17 Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. 18 Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will show thee my faith by my works. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20 But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? ²¹

Mt. 25-46Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:

42For I was an hungered, and ye gave me no meat; I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:

43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.

44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?

45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.

46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. It goes without saying that the scriptures offers great wisdom and discernment in helping others to avoid being taken advantage of. Let’s stop here for now, and Lord Jesus willing I hope to see you here next time. Until then the Lord keep and bless you holy brothers and sisters in the love and peace of God.

Love

Serola

Blessed be the name of the Lord who is our truth, and the final and sole standard for His people. I pray that we His people will stand on God’s word alone, correctly interpreted, and not the shifting standards of a lost and dying world, and He surely will by His power.

Dear children of light sometimes when others are critical of us, there can be a kind of automatic defensive stance, whether the criticism is fair or not. The Holy Spirit is our defense against unfair criticism, and it is He that will use the same to instruct us in righteousness if the criticism of us is true. For this reason we do not have to fear criticism from friend or foe.

Dearly beloveds, yet, the scriptures warns us that there are people who have a critical spirit towards everyone, and who cannot get through the day without putting someone down. They use criticism to make themselves feel superior to others. Some of them take every opportunity to stand over the body of Christ as a whole judging and condemning the saints, claiming to know of some fault of the world wide body of saints: “they don‘t read the scriptures, pray, give enough” . etc.

No saint is to allow or tolerate an abusive judging person to have dominion in their lives. This kind of criticism is unrighteous judging, which is hurtful to the body, and offensive to God, we must take care not to engage in this. When anyone messes with the saints, they’re messing with Jesus, and He will deal with such. How we treat one another and others is important to God, and therefore must be of great concern to His people also.  Yet His love always impels us not to react in the flesh, but  to follow Jesus, according to  His word, rightly divided. We will stop here for now my beloveds. Until next time, God willing walk in the joy and love of Jesus, and God bless your mouths to pour out  His light and wisdom to yourselves and others.

love

serola

Thank God the Father and lord Jesus, for He is our merciful, loving and kind High Priest over the house of God. Thanks to you, Lord Jesus, who commands us to come ever boldly to your throne, where you are always ready to receive and help us. Thank you God, for you cannot lie, neither is there in you any falsehoods, nor any darkness at all, and all of your promises are sure and surety to every saint. You are love, truth, light, and the only path that we can follow to glorify and honor your Holy Name, and produce the evidence that your love is in us, and to show forth our love to you and all men.

Amazingly Lord, we could not and have not done any thing to deserve this great gift of your salvation. It is the gift that you alone give to those who believe and trust on your name. Therefore, Lord you alone deserve the honor, glory, majesty, power, might, dominion, love offerings, total worship and praise for ever, world without end, Amen.

Dear saints a lady who professed to be a Christian said to me one day “You do not have to help people, or get involved in their problems. It’s best to look after yourself, and not be concerned about others”, she continued. Furthermore, she rather bragged how she kept to herself, and how this was the best way to live, because “people are crazy and difficult, so it’s best to avoid them”. She noted how she even took employment in a field that greatly limited contact with others, to avoid people.

She had made this comment to me in response to my telling her of the difficulties some of our neighbors were having. I had expected her to offer up prayers with me in their behalf. I know that I could have yielded to the temptation to throw Holy Bible verses at her that would contradict her attitude, but said nothing at all in response to her statements.

Dear children, neither did I take her criticism of me lightly. I have learned, as so many other saints, by the grace of God, to not fear criticism, but to go boldly up to God’s search light, that I might, be shown to see my own heart, and whose interest were being served in my doings, as only what we do for Christ will have any eternal value and be pleasing in His sight.

 Jesus was giving me the opportunity to examine myself, to correct any wrongful motives in helping, and also the opportunity to determine if I was really serving Him, or myself in a wrongful way or not. Then, and only then would I have a clear picture and sure direction, on how I should proceed in the way that would honor our God and Saviour. I am certain, dear children that there are unrighteous ways and motives for helping others. Some help others sacrificially, because they want to control another person, and mixed in with this is a need to feel worthwhile and of value, through having another person be in need of them.

While outwardly, this kind of helping can seem compassionate, ultimately it is not. Well, brothers and sisters, you might well ask, why should helping anybody be questioned at all? We do know that there are many people who really do help others. A neighbor may help another who is sick. Another may help a new mother, who has just come back from the hospital with her new baby, others may donate time, and money in helping others. The world is made a better place, because people, especially the saints, choose to help people when the need arises, out of genuine compassion and concern. We will stop here for now, and God willing I hope to see you here again next time. Until then, keep loving and trusting God, He will always lead you and me on the pathway of true life in Him.

Love

serola

Blessed be the God of our Salvation, who has forever delivered us, washed us, brought us out of darkness, and made us children of light. He is our peace, rescue, and anchor of the souls of the saints. Therefore, rest we in His finished work, world without end, amen.

Dear brothers and sisters, in my city, there is an organization that prints a little newspaper that is given to the homeless to sell. The homeless get to keep a portion, and another portion is given back to the organization to help keep it running. Their purpose is to help give some measure of dignity to the homeless, through allowing them to work, and gain funds without having to resort to outright begging for a living. Dear saints, it is common to see these homeless people in many parts of my home city.

I saw such a person, and as I approached on my way elsewhere, the look of fear, anxiety and desperation, that I first saw on her face deeply troubled me. It was late in the day, and I noticed people briskly passing her by, with no interest in purchasing the papers she was trying to sell, as though she were invisible, and again, dear children, it troubled me.

She asked very politely, humbly, as I approached would I like to purchase a paper? I asked her name, she told me, along with the fact that she had been out many hours, but had found few people interested in purchasing her papers. She said she had only about two dollars earned. She said that she had put in applications for work at various places, but they told her that due to her not being able to fill them out properly, they could not employ her. She lamented although she continued to expend great effort, a lifetime problem of being unable to learn to read or write, which had rendered her unlikely to be accepted by employers.

I thought she might be hungry, and offered to buy her a meal. She refused, not wanting a handout from anyone, even though she had not eaten that day.

I explained that Jesus would want her to eat, and that He would want me to help her if I could. She confessed that she believed in Jesus and loved Him with all her heart. I confessed this same thing to her, and encouraged her that although we did not share any biological parentage, Jesus’ blood made us family along with all those who believe on His name.

She seemed shocked, surprised, and stood for a time in stunned silence.

Again, I told her how not only was Jesus always with her, but that on earth He had given her a place in His family on earth, and she and I were family.

She asked if she could go to church with me, and I of course was grateful to do so. Afterwards, as she was now willing, I took her to get something to eat. She looked at me expressed her gratitude, and I let her know that she was welcome, but gave thanks to Jesus for allowing us to meet, and then we parted.

After I got home, something kept bothering me about the way she had looked at me. I thought to myself, “girl let it go, it’s probably nothing of importance”. But, I just could not let it go, and continued to explore the source of my concern. Then it came to me, she had looked up to me with such reverence, of a kind that said, she was less, because she had little, and that I was more, because I had more. Oh I know it was not intentional on her part, or mine.

I could well understand how a person under grueling poverty, devalued by society, scorned and rejected everywhere, not knowing where the next meal was coming from, and having no stable place to stay could arrive at such a conclusion about themselves. But thanks be to Jesus, we have not so learned Christ.

Satan, could not tempt me to desire power over another person, or take advantage of one so vulnerable. Some desire to dominate and have power over others, but thanks be to God, my desire, along with that of all the saints was and is for Him alone to be first in my life and in all things that He empowers me to do.

Lord, I pray, that you will continually help us to see one another through the eyes of your love, and not that of a pagan and lost society. Help us Lord not to lead estranged and narrowed lives based on race, creed, color, economic , or educational status, or anything else which create divisions within your body. Help us to correctly live and understand your word, as true unity can only be based on the scriptures correctly understood and lived. Help us to love you, one another, and others that the world may know that we truly belong to you. God willing, I hope to see you here next time. Until then, saints keep loving Jesus through whom you will be able to see clearly how to love and follow Him. Refuse to settle into a comfort zone, reach out to others, and share the gospel everywhere.

Love

serola