Thought #24 — The address of God

Part of the series “40 Thoughts of Jesus.” View all previous here, but first learn how the purpose works here.   What are you looking for? John 1.38 First, notice how Jesus loved asking questions. Reading His words in the Gospels, you realize that often times He would speak to someone or to a group of people asking a question. This was not accidental. When you think about the answer to a question, it forces you to think. This means that Jesus wanted, and still wants, people to think. God does not want believers who do not think, because that would not glorify Him. He wants intelligent worshipers. (Notice how we always ask some questions here at the end of every Thought. Those who have been answering these questions have surely benefited more over each Thought.) Once you’ve considered this, now think about the question He has made above, “What are you looking for?” Think about your answer. Many people do not know how to answer this question. Not everyone is looking for things that are very significant in life. There are those who are just going through the motions, day by day, breathing, eating, drinking, going from here to there, sleeping — but not really looking for a more significant existence. While there are others who are desperately seeking and putting all their strength in the pursuit of — the wrong things. Fame. Money. A wrong relationship. Recognition from their friends. And so many other things that seem important, but are not. The two young men to whom Jesus asked this question replied with another one, “Master, where do You live?” That is an intelligent pursuit. When you find out where the Master lives and you find Him, you find out another treasure: that in fact, He wants to live in you. Application: Think about what you’ve been searching for in life, where do you focus your energy, and if this search is worth your efforts. What have you been looking for? Have you found the Master yet? Have you already become His own address? Leave your comment.

Thought #23 — This is the time, here is the place

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Posted: 02 Jul 2014 05:40 AM PDT Part of the series “40 Thoughts of Jesus.” View all previous here, but first learn how the purpose works here.   Repent, because the kingdom of heaven has come near! Matthew 4.17 This was one of the first messages that Jesus transmitted to His listeners. It contains two main thoughts: (1)  Repent — the Greek word He used (μετανοέω metanoéō) indicates change of mind followed by a change of behavior. It means, “Changing your situation by changing your thoughts”. Jesus challenges us to think different so that our life can be different. Those who are living in the wrong path, in the path of self-destruction, far from God — are living that way because their thoughts are twisted. Repentance begins in the mind, with a change of thought, and it ends with an action, with a change of behavior. Without both changes, there is no repentance. (2) The nearness of the kingdom of God — Nearness here is not only of time, but of place as well. The kingdom of God has come near to you, in other words. It is right there, right in front of you. It means opportunity, the appropriate moment, the time and place to make the most of the chance. Not everyone receives this opportunity. There are people who would give everything for the opportunity you’ve been given, to know the Thoughts of Jesus throughout these 40 days. But this chance has not come to them as yet. God has come close to us. He comes near to us in many different ways to give us the chance of salvation and to know a better life. However, in order to seize this opportunity, we have to change our thoughts and actions. “Change your way of thinking and acting, because I am here, right next to you.” This was one of the first messages from Jesus. Refusing to change your thoughts and actions, disregarding the fact that God has come near to you, means you are sending Him away, pushing Him away from you and wasting a great chance that may never come back. “No Lord, thanks for the visit, but I am fine the way I am. I want to stick to my way of living and thinking. I would rather not be disturbed, please.” You can rest assured He will answer you and He will go towards the one who wants Him. Application: God is near to you through this text. It was Him who brought you here. Make the most of this chance and change your way of thinking and acting. Do it now. Do you perceive God coming near to you through these 40 Thoughts? Have you been changing your way of thinking and acting as a result of what you’ve been learning? In what way? Leave your comment.

Thought #22 The upside down world

Part of the series “40 Thoughts of Jesus.” View all previous here, but first learn how the purpose works here.

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You still lack one thing: Sell all that you have and distribute it to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow Me. Luke 18.22

Jesus was talking to a very, very rich young man. It was not common for a young man to be rich; therefore, it is presumed that he had inherited his riches from his father. He knew how much an inheritance was worth, but he did not know how much a conquest was worth, for he never had to work hard to conquer anything. This young man also wanted to inherit eternal life, and this longing led him to Jesus.

However, when Jesus was straightforward and pragmatic in the answer, the young man heard what he did not want to hear and walked away sad. Actually, he did not come looking for an answer. He came looking for easiness.

But there is no easiness in the world of Jesus. Compared to the world we live in, the world of Jesus is upside down and back to front. Everything is backwards. In the world of Jesus, the last is the first, the greatest serves the smallest, and he who gives is happier than he who receives. In the world of Jesus the weak is strong, the persecuted are blessed, and the enemies must be loved. He, being rich, made Himself poor; having authority, decided to submit Himself; being a master, washed the feet of His disciples. The world of Jesus is really upside down to those who live outside of it.

Just as that rich man, many are those who do not want such a turnaround in the lives. They do want something from Jesus, but do not want their way of living to be challenged. They want things that they can only get by entering into the world of Jesus, but do not want to leave behind the things of their world in order to obtain these things. They want easiness. That is why, when they find out that the way requires sacrifice, they go away, downcast, right back into their own world.

He explained that in a different way:

“Whoever tries to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it” — Luke 17.33

Application: When Jesus proposes something to you that will turn your life upside down, accept the proposal. Actually, the end result will be you getting right side up.

Has Jesus ever turned your life “upside down”? Have you been hesitant to do what He asks of you for fear that it will not work? What do you think would have happened should that young man have done what Jesus told him? Leave your comment.

Thought #21 — A hard blow

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Posted: 29 Jun 2014 08:14 PM PDT Part of the series “40 Thoughts of Jesus.” View all previous here, but first learn how the purpose works here.   You have heard that it was said, Do not commit adultery. But I tell you, everyone who looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. Matthew 5.27-29 I was a teenager when I came across this thought of Jesus for the first time. I felt like all the other men who have already read this must have felt: the worst adulterer on the face of the earth. After all, the life of a teenage boy is pretty much about looking at and lusting for every woman that is not his mother, his grandmother or Ms. Malevolent — that school teacher that not even Frankenstein wants to have as a friend. (For some reason, every school has a Ms. Malevolent. Something out of this world.) “But why?” – I’d ask, sounding like the child that would like to eat the desert before the lunch but his mother won’t allow him. I could not understand why Jesus would have to strike us men with such a hard blow. And I struggled with that for a long time. Eventually, I understood that the idea is “do not start something you can’t finish” or “do not start what will wind up in a way you’ll regret”. And that applies for both men and women, for when He elaborated on the thought, He spoke about plucking out the eye or cutting off the hand so they will not lead you into a full-blown mistake. Cutting the evil by its root is always the best strategy. If you are not going actually to go to bed with that person, then why lust for her in your heart? Just so you’ll suffer? To emotionally detach yourself from your spouse? To give birth to this desire, then actually commit adultery and finish with your marriage? Isn’t it better not to lust? Notice, though, that Jesus did not condemn looking, but rather lusting. He who has eyes, inevitably looks at and notices another person. But it stops right there. If just noticing escalades into lusting, then it is better to “pluck out the eye”, as it says. In other words, then it’s better not even to look. Application: Identify the small actions or thoughts that induce you to bigger mistakes. Cut them off by the root. What do you need to “pluck out” of your life that is inducing you into bigger mistakes? Have you ever had problems in your relationship because your partner got upset with your looks at people of the opposite sex. Leave your comments

Thought #20 — The model Family

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Posted: 28 Jun 2014 08:02 PM PDT Part of the “40 Thoughts of Jesus” series - start reading from #1 here…   The Son is not able to do anything on His own, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, the Son also does these things in the same way. For the Father loves the Son and shows Him everything He is doing. John 5.19,20 A perfect family would function as the Divine Family – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. In God’s Family, the Father is the example to the Son. Everything the Father does, He also shows and teaches the Son. There are no secrets. No trick under the sleeve. No motive for suspicions. The Son, on His end, aiming to be like the Father, does everything He sees the Father do. He feels so loved and safe in the love of the Father that He decides to do nothing on His own. He trusts that the will of the Father will always be better than His own will. “My Father! If it is possible, let this cup pass from Me. Yet not as I will, but as You will.” (Matthew 26.39) The Holy Spirit fulfills the role of the Helper in every situation. His role in the Bible is the same one used to describe the role of the wife in the life of the husband — a “helper”. In the human realm, evidently, no family is perfect. However, everyone should have the Divine Family as their model. Parents should seek to be an example to their children in everything. Teaching through their own example, they can better prepare their children for life. Children must follow the good example of their parents, respect them and honor them. Husbands must be good caretakers; wives, good helpers. This kind of family is becoming rare to find because of the selfishness and the lack of God. But you may, by practicing the Thoughts of Jesus, build up your family in the image of the Divine Family — even if your family of origin has not been a good example to you. Application: Since there is no perfect family, strive to fulfill your role towards everyone else in your family, even if they do not fulfill their own. Be the image of God in your house. Where and how could you better fulfill your role in your family? If you do not live with family members, is there someone close to you that’s like family to you? Have you been treating this person well? In your shoes, how do you think that Jesus would treat your family members? Leave your comment.

Thought #19 — Did you see Superman in a miniskirt?

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Thought #19 — Did you see Superman in a miniskirt? Posted: 27 Jun 2014 08:02 PM PDT Part of the “40 Thoughts of Jesus” series - start reading from #1 here…   …they are the ones who hear the word, and the cares of this world, the deceitfulness of riches, and the desires for other things entering in choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. Mark 4.18,19 One of the things that have always intrigued me: people who are incredibly intelligent at some things who cannot understand the words of God. They understand trigonometry and algebra. They program computers. They play an instrument by ear only. They talk to plants (and some swear they can also hear them). They learn other languages​​. But they take no notice of what God says. Jesus explains why. When we pay attention to certain things, we overlook others. For example. Imagine a very busy pedestrian street. You are sitting somewhere where you can see people going from one side to the other, and you decide to count how many of them are wearing some white clothing. The girl wearing a white shirt, one. The lady wearing a white shawl, two. The boy wearing white tennis shoes, three… While you are attentive to everyone wearing something white, you become blind to all other colors and even people’s faces. At that moment, even if Superman walked past you wearing a red miniskirt and wiggling, you wouldn’t notice him. This is for real! This is that happens with the words of God. They bring power, direction, peace, strength… solution to all our longings. But as we look at which celebrity has a new boyfriend, the score of that game, or how we can get richer, more beautiful and younger, we pay no attention to what God is telling us. For example: did you notice the expression “enter in” in the Thought of Jesus above? Stop for a moment and think of what it means. There are many things entering in and choking the words of God. Hundreds. Thousands. It is up to us to choose what we are going to pay attention at. Application: See if your concerns have been dominated by the desire to keep what you have, to earn more, to feel this or that through material possessions or experiences. Replace them with time to understand and practice the words of God. Did you notice the expression “enter in” before or only after I mentioned it? Are you anxious about anything right now that is making you leave the things of God for later? How can you make the words of God win the competition for your attention? Leave your comments.

Thought #18 — Sewage coming out of the faucet

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Posted: 26 Jun 2014 08:02 PM PDT Part of the “40 Thoughts of Jesus” series - start reading from #1 here…   Why do you have such evil thoughts in your hearts? Matthew 9.4 Jesus was accompanied by some people that always thought the worst of Him. For those people, if He forgave the wrongs of someone, He was blaspheming against God. If He cast out a demon from someone, it was because He had the chief of demons with Him. If He mingled with thieves and prostitutes, surely He was stealing and sleeping with prostitutes as well. You probably know people like that. We from Universal, certainly do. Having evil thoughts in the heart is a disease. I don’t mean to say it’s possible for someone to never have a bad thought. Far from it. We’re human. We all have bad thoughts,including myself. However, the disease I am talking about is when someone constantly has evil thoughts towards others or towards himself. It has become a habit, an addiction that one has and does not even notice. Imagine opening the faucet of your bathroom sink and only sewage comes out. Then you go to the kitchen, open the sink and what comes out? More sewage. How would it be living in a house like this? Madness? Uninhabitable? Right, but this is how a person who keeps evil thoughts lives. The mind is our source of ideas, decisions, direction, and solutions. But if it is putrid like a cesspool, full of evil thoughts, what will come out of it? Do not say you cannot control your thoughts. You have the power to do it. Be vigilant over what comes into your mind through your eyes and your ears. Pay attention to what you do with what is already in there, because sooner or later, it will come out. As you progressively absorb the Thoughts of Jesus, your own are automatically being purified. Application: Be vigilant over your thoughts. Rebuke the evil ones. Make room for the good ones. Repeat the process. Do you have an issue with evil thoughts? Where do they come from? What can you do to cut off their source? If you used to have an issue with this and you were able to overcome, tell us how you did it and you will help others.