Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

January 12
Monday


BEYOND HELP?

READ:
Luke 23:33-43
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Jesus said to him,
"Assuredly, I say to you,
today you will be with
Me in Paradise."
__Luke 23:43
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A 110-year-old Israeli Bedouin shepherd was admitted to a Beersheba hospital while experiencing a heart attack. In spite of his age, doctors worked hard to save him. The man was thought to be the oldest heart patient ever to be treated successfully with anticlotting drugs. A hospital spokesperson reported that the Bedouin returned to his tent in the Negev Desert to tend his goats.

The care given to this 110-year-old man faintly echoes the way Jesus responded to those people we consider beyond help. His ability and willingness to go beyond social barriers to help lepers and social outcasts went far beyond the normal expectations of what a good person would do.

Even in the agony of His own suffering, Jesus reached out to a dying man everyone else regarded as beyond help. The man was a criminal, condemned to die, and only hours from entering a lost eternity. In that moment, Jesus responded to the man's cry for help and said, "Today you will be with me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43).

Do you know someone who seems beyond help today? Perhaps you think you are without hope. The God of the Bible specializes in giving help to those regarded as so old, so guilty, or so weak as to be beyond help. __Mart De Haan
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`````````````````````Jesus seeks the lowly ones``````````````````
``````````````````````When others do not care;``````````````````
````````````````````His lovingkindness and His help```````````````
````````````````He longs with them to share. __D. De Haan`````````
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God's strength is best seen in our weakness.

*****************Today's Bible Reading __ Luke 23:33-43**********

33 And when they had come
to the place called Calvary,
there they crucified Him,
and the criminals, one on the
right hand and the other on
the left. 34 Then Jesus said,
"Father, forgive them, for
they do not know what
they do."

And they divided His
garments and cast lots.

35 And the people stood
looking on. But even the
rulers with them sneered,
saying, "He saved others;
let Him save Himself if He
is the Christ, the chosen
of God."

36 The soldiers also mocked
Him, coming and offering
Him sour wine, 37 and
saying, "If You are the King
of the Jews, save Yourself."

38 And an inscription also
was written over Him in
letters of Greek, Latin, and
Hebrew:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE
JEWS.

39 Then one of the criminals
who were hanged
blasphemed Him, saying, "If
You are the Christ, save
Yourself and us."

40 But the other, answering,
rebuked him, saying, "Do
you not even fear God,
seeing you are under the
same condemnation? 41 And
we indeed justly, for we
receive the due reward of our
deeds; but this Man has done
nothing wrong." 42 Then he
said to Jesus, "Lord,
remember me when You
come into Your kingdom."

43 And Jesus said to him,
"Assuredly, I say to you,
today you will be with Me in
Paradise."

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

"I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He
may abide with you forever" (John 14:16). The ultimate Helper is
God the Holy Spirit. The name given Him by Jesus is a Greek word
meaning "someone called alongside to help." __Dennis Fisher