Being a Good Neighbor

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2 Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. — 2 Timothy 4:2 NLT

We have been commanded to “love our neighbors”.  How do we do that?  Let’s consider this fact: If you are a Christian, you have a free gift that your neighbor needs.  If you love your neighbor, why don’t you talk to them and offer them that gift.  After all, as an anonymous person once said: “The Gospel has come to you because it is on its way to someone else.”  Since that is true, we need to keep it going until it circles the globe.  Since it is free to you and to them, this should be an easy task. The reason it is sometimes so awkward is that our neighbors don’t know that we care about them.  And as it has been said, many times, “They don’t care what you know, until they know that you care.”  So, let them know you care and share a free gift with them, the Good News of Jesus Christ and His love for them.  And, as Paul told Timothy: “go, whether, it is an opportune time or not”.  In simpler terms, make time to care and the returns on your time will be worth much more than anything else you could have done.

Post 09-21-2016
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You Can Never Get Too Much!

even-smaller-bug-light126 As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.”  27 And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, 28 for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant[d] between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. 29 Mark my words—I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” — Matt. 26:26-29 NLT   (Read Matt 26:1-30)

Earlier, that day, Jesus had been anointed with alabaster perfume at the house of Simon, the leper.  He told those that criticized the woman’s act of kindness that she had anointed His body in preparation for burial.  Later, Judas goes to the leading priests and offers to betray Jesus. Then, sometime later, the disciples asked Jesus about the preparation for the Passover meal.  Jesus gave them the instructions and they went into town to prepare the room and the meal.  As evening approached, they were all seated around the meal and Jesus informed them again that He must die.  He also informed them that one of them would betray Him.  Judas rightly assumes that he is the one of whom Jesus speaks.
Jesus then blesses the bread, explains its significance and gives it to the disciples to eat.   After that, He blesses the wine, explains its significance and gives it to the disciples to drink.  Each time we take Communion, we participate in the Last (or Lord’s) supper with Jesus and His disciples.  We are instructed to continue to do this in remembrance of Him until He returns to take us all home. There we will sit at the banquet table and do this again as we participate in the wedding feast that He has prepared for us. How often should we partake of the Communion?  As often as the Holy Spirit directs each of us to do so.  A good guideline in anything concerning Jesus is that you can never get more than you need and we sure don’t want to have too little of His goodness.
Post 03-24-2016