Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Thursday, 19 October 2017 "A Child's Hope" by Jonathan Trees - Matthew 18:1-10

Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living - WordAction - The Foundry Publishing House of Kansas City, Missouri, United States - The Global Church of the Nazarene for Thursday, 19 October 2017 "A Child's Hope" by Jonathan Trees - Matthew 18:1-10
Matthew 18:1 At that moment the talmidim came to Yeshua and asked, “Who is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?” 2 He called a child to him, stood him among them, 3 and said, “Yes! I tell you that unless you change and become like little children, you won’t even enter the Kingdom of Heaven! 4 So the greatest in the Kingdom is whoever makes himself as humble as this child. 5 Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me; 6 and whoever ensnares one of these little ones who trust me, it would be better for him to have a millstone hung around his neck and be drowned in the open sea! 7 Woe to the world because of snares! For there must be snares, but woe to the person who sets the snare!
8 “So if your hand or foot becomes a snare for you, cut it off and throw it away! Better that you should be maimed or crippled and obtain eternal life than keep both hands or both feet and be thrown into everlasting fire! 9 And if your eye is a snare for you, gouge it out and fling it away! Better that you should be one-eyed and obtain eternal life than keep both eyes and be thrown into the fire of Gei-Hinnom. 10 See that you never despise one of these little ones, for I tell you that their angels in heaven are continually seeing the face of my Father in heaven.

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A small shadow came near to me. Natalie greeted me every Sunday morning. I would give her a hug and ask about her mother. That morning she gave me a handwritten note" "Dear Pastor Jonathan, Thank you for being my pastor, and thank you for coming to pray with my mom." Her smile indicated she was eager for me to respond. I expressed my gratitude, and her face shined with optimism, faith, and appreciation. For a moment God revealed the worldview of a child. She brings a smile to me every week with her unbridled hope and trust.What were Jesus' disciples thinking when they asked Him in Matthew 18:1, "who, then, is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven?" When Jesus spoke about "becoming like little children" He was responding to their childish behavior. Being childish is not the same thing as having the hopeful perspective of a child.
If we could see through the eyes of a child, then we've begun to grasp Kingdom living. In fact, Jesus states that only this kind of faith will will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, to visualize what can be instead of what adults think won't ever be. That's the perspective of a child: unbridled belief and trust.

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Hymn for Today:

"Jesus Loves Me" by Anna B. Warner
1. Jesus loves me—this I know,
For the Bible tells me so;
Little ones to Him belong—
They are weak, but He is strong.
Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
2. Jesus loves me—He who died
Heaven’s gate to open wide;
He will wash away my sin,
Let His little child come in.
Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
3. Jesus loves me—loves me still,
Though I’m very weak and ill;
From His shining throne on high
Comes to watch me where I lie.
Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.
4. Jesus loves me—He will stay
Close beside me all the way,
Then His little child will take

Up to Heaven for His dear sake.
Refrain: Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
Yes, Jesus loves me!
The Bible tells me so.

Thought for Today:

For in union with the Messiah, you are all children of God through this trusting faithfulness; because as many of you as were immersed into the Messiah have clothed yourselves with the Messiah, in whom(Galatians 3:26-27}
Please pray:
That many people in Puerto Rico will come to know Yeshua as their Messiah and receive the fullness of the Ruach HaKodesh.
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