Eternity Unleashed...

Welcome little one
your smile reflects light
The Light
of The One who made you!
Your mouth
shares Jesus' smile
Your hands
open wide to friends
and enemies alike
to share Jesus' hug
Your gentle ways
and quickness to forgive
echo The Love of eternity
and grace unbound
Welcome little one
greatest among wo/men
for in your innocence
you love God &
you love neighbor
with wild abandon
You will even run to the stranger
For you are not afraid
You are not afraid...
It would never occur to you
to betray the Savior;
You only wanted to play
to bounce on his knee
Get thrown in the air
SOARING
With arms outstretched
as He blessed you.
Running away
Giggling
to share the good news
about The One who loves...
with wild abandon.
Welcome little one
bearer of Christ
Immortal one
Eternity unleashed.


This Spoken WORD was inspired by the following scripture in the Holy Bible:

Luke 9:43b-48 (NRSV)

Welcoming little ones

While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, "Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands." But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, and said to them, "Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest."

INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta

20 BUCKS...

It really annoys me
When you talk about
Giving to the church
It annoys me further
When you speak
Of the tithe
Nobody actually tithes,
Right?

I mean…

I give out of my abundance
What you deserve
The doors of MY church
Stay open
We pay our staff
And the heat is on
We even do BIG EXTRAS
Like caring for the homeless
And visiting the sick

So, why are you getting
On me about my 3%?
3% of my income is a
RATHER LARGE SUM
If I do say so myself

I see you commending that
Stupid little widow;
She put two pennies in the plate!

Every week I put her entire monthly salary
In this plate
And you have never once told me
GOOD JOB!

Out of my abundance
I share what you deserve and
what I think you really need
And 20 bucks a week
Ought to do it.



This Spoken WORD was inspired by the following scripture from the Holy Bible:

Mark 12:41-44 (NRSV)
A widow's offering

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, "Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on."

INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta

REAL LOVE...

I have been tended
by many hirelings
They said they loved me
but when the going got tough
They got going
shoving me into the mouth
of the wolf
on the way out of the door
They had no claim on me
no investment
no care
Just hirelings...
talking a good talk
but failing to walk a good walk
when I needed them most
Thank God
for the Good Shepherd
who never left me
never forsook me
Never thrust me
into the mouth of a
ravenous beast
to save his own hide
Instead, he protected me
valiant
courageous
brave
unto death...
Now I know who loves me
The one who chose to die
rather than let me go
Now that's real love
That's my Shepherd.


This Spoken WORD was inspired by the following scripture from the Holy Bible:

John 10:11-21 (NRSV)
Jesus, the good shepherd

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand, who is not the shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and runs away - and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. The hired hand runs away because a hired hand does not care for the sheep. I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd. For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father."

Again the Jews were divided because of these words. Many of them were saying, "He has a demon and is out of his mind. Why listen to him?" Others were saying, "These are not the words of one who has a demon. Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?"

INVITATION

If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta

GET OUT!

Welcome!
Welcome!
Come on in...
I welcome you as Christ.
Yes, you may have some water
Here it is
clean
and out of the tap too.
What did you say?
Food too?
Well, I hadn't planned to feed you,
but, I welcome you as Christ,
so, let's see what I can do
Here's noodles, butter, and bread
its the best I have
for the likes of you
What did you say?
Oh no you didn't!
My bed...
you want to sleep in my bed?
Now this is getting ridiculous...
You know,
you're not actually Christ, right?
Not a prophet
Not a...
well, not a...
well, I guess did say I would welcome you as Christ
But, this is getting ridiculous...
You want to share my family
my stuff
my home
my food
my water
my bed?
What did that Jesus say?
Lose my life
to find it...
I like my life,
thank you very much
and I'm sure I don't want to lose it
And carry a cross?
that's just not my thing
Can I write you a check?
How much?
What!?
Too much! Too much!
What's in it for me?
What's the reward?
I just can't get with this...
Lord,
GET OUT!


This spoken WORD is inspired by the following scripture from the Holy Bible:

Matthew 10:34-42 (NRSV)

The cost of discipleship

"Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword.
For I have come to set a man against his father,
and a daughter against her mother,
and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
and one's foes will be members of one's own household.

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever does not take up the cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Those who find their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it.

"Whoever welcomes you welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. Whoever welcomes a prophet in the name of a prophet will receive a prophet's reward; and whoever welcomes a righteous person in the name of a righteous person will receive the reward of the righteous; and whoever gives even a cup of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple - truly I tell you, none of these will lose their reward."


INVITATION
If you have questions about how to become a friend and follower of Jesus, please see the devotion entitled, “Come to Jesus” @ http://bit.ly/JVhaLta