The Power Of Jesus And His Teaching

Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash!  Jesus      

Over the decades, I have had the privilege of providing Pastoral Care and Counseling to people whose lives seemed to be out of control.  I used the best of Psychology, and I used the best of Sociology as tools in my ministerial tool chest. I did so  to help folks find the freedom, hope and life they so earnestly sought; however, the very underpinning of it all, which guided my everyday love for helping others, is found in Jesus' teachings.

No, I did not grab a captive audience and become Mr. "Answer Man," as if I was something special.  I simply surrendered to God because I wanted to  love those who needed help with as much unconditional love  as God would give me to give away. I really tried to walk a mile in their shoes so as to feel what they felt. I did all I could to convince them that I really did care for them... because I did. I rarely ever reacted to anything they said.  I did this so they would feel free to talk about anything, no matter what they had buried in their souls.  I reflected their thoughts and feelings, their wants and their dreams to them. I wanted them to  hear what they were saying or not hearing that they were saying.

Most importantly I tried to guide them to the ancient wisdom of a loving God who would help them build their house on a solid rock foundation...if they would learn and apply the teachings of what He had to offer.

That is not to say that there were not some discussions where I challenged folks with things they did not want to hear but needed to hear.  And I am not saying that I did not, at times, ask them to do things that they did not want to do. Indeed, I have spent many sleepless hours because God laid them on my heart, and so I would be awakened to pray for them... even as they struggled.

But joy would come, when a break through would come.  Peace would come, when I saw peace on the face of the one who finally would know the truth so as to have the truth set them free. Satisfaction would come, when I saw them gradually (or not so gradually) become more content or satisfied with their lot in life.

What made the difference?  In answering this, I would be the first to say that "God works in mysterious ways His mercies to perform."  There is a lot I don't "get" about the miracles of God in the lives of one of His children. But what I do "get" is that the Lord has given of Himself as the gift of life, and once we receive this supernatural/precious gift... once we surrender to Him... He teaches us the truth that sets us free.  We no longer walk in the mire and muck of the quicksand of life.  We walk on His solid-rock foundation. Sometimes slipping and a sliding we go, but we still are on the rock.

Now you can read this today, and you can take the teachings of Jesus, today, and do one or two things with what He reveals.  You can put it into practice.  Or you cannot.  If you put His teachings into practice, you will be...

 

Blessed 2day...Especially 2day

SoJourner