My 11th Message

MY 11TH MESSAGE

THERE IS A TERM THAT IS VERY COMMONLY USED AMONG PEOPLE. THE WORD “LOVE” MAY SOMETIMES BE SAID SINCERELY OR SOMETIMES MEANINGLESS. THE SAYING: “ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER THAN WORDS” IS VERY POPULAR. IN AN IMMENSE WAY, IT’S TRUE. LET’S READ FROM LUKE CHAPTER 11 VERSES 5 THROUGH 13. IT STATES: “AND HE SAID UNTO THEM, WHICH OF YOU SHALL HAVE A FRIEND, AND SHALL GO UNTO HIM AT MIDNIGHT AND SAY UNTO HIM, FRIEND, LEND ME THREE LOAVES, FOR

A FRIEND OF MINE IS ABOUT TO COME AND I HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE HIM TO EAT? AND HE FROM WITHIN SHALL ANSWER AND SAY, DON’T TROUBLE ME: THE DOOR IS NOW SHUT, AND MY CHILDREN ARE WITH ME IN BED; I CANNOT RISE AND GIVE THEE.” THEN VERSE EIGHT SAYS: “I SAY UNTO YOU, THOUGH HE WILL NOT RISE AND GIVE HIM, BECAUSE HE IS HIS

FRIEND, YET BECAUSE OF HIS IMPORTUNITY HE WILL RISE AND GIVE HIM AS MANY AS HE NEEDETH. AND I SAY UNTO YOU, ASK, AND IT SHALL BE GIVEN TO YOU; SEEK, AND YE SHALL SHALL FIND; KNOCK, AND IT SHALL BE OPENED UNTO YOU.” NOW, LET’S READ VERSES 10 THROUGH 13: “FOR

EVERYONE THAT ASKS RECEIVETH; AND HE THAT SEEKS FINDS; AND TO HIM THAT KNOCKS, IT SHALL BE OPENED. IF A SON SHALL ASK FOR BREAD OF ANY OF YOU THAT IS A FATHER, WILL HE GIVE HIM A STONE? OR IF HE ASKS FOR A FISH, WILL HE GIVE HIM A FISH FOR A SERPENT? OR IF HE SHALL ASK FOR AN EGG, WILL HE OFFER HIM A SCORPION? IF YE

THEN, BEING EVIL, KNOW HOW TO GIVE GOOD GIFTS UNTO YOUR

CHILDREN: HOW MUCH MORE SHALL YOUR HEAVENLY FATHER GIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT TO THEM THAT ASK HIM?” NOW THINK ABOUT THIS: IF YOU WERE TO FIND YOURSELF IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE ONLY ONE GALLON OF MILK, ABOUT FIVE POUNDS OF MEAT, AND YOU DON’T GET PAID UNTIL TWO MORE WEEKS, AND A FRIEND COMES BY, WITH HIS SIX KIDS, A PREGNANT WIFE, AND ASKS, “WOULD YOU MIND HAVING US OVER FOR DINNER?” WHAT WOULD YOUR RESPONSE BE? OR, LET’S SAY YOU HAVE A CAR PAYMENT OF $350.00, YOU LIVE ALONE, YOU GET PAID EVERY TWO WEEKS AND YOUR NEXT PAYCHECK IS EXACTLY $350.00, AND YOU FIGURE THAT YOU HAVE TO LIVE ON PEANUT BUTTER, JELLY, BREAD, AND

WATER FOR THE NEXT WEEK BECAUSE YOU WON’T BE ABLE TO PAY YOUR CAR IF YOU BUY MORE FOOD. SUDDENLY, YOU RECEIVE A PHONE CALL AND YOUR BEST FRIEND SAYS HE IS IN A BIND AND HE URGENTLY NEEDS $50.00 BECAUSE HE HAS NO GAS, NO FOOD, AND NEEDS TO BUY TOILET PAPER. WOULD YOU SACRIFICE THE $50.00 AND FIND A WAY TO SETTLE IT... OR NOT? NOW, LET’S USE THE PARABLE. THIS PARABLE ILLUSTRATES SOMEONE. LET’S CALL HIM JASON. JASON’S MARRIED WITH CHILDREN. HE IS AT HOME ON A COLD WINTER NIGHT WITH HIS RED HEADED WIFE, MEG, HIS TWELVE CHILDREN, HEWEY, DEWEY, LOUIE, MARIO, LUIGI, JAN, PETER, CINDY, BOBBY, GREG, MARCIA, JASON JR., AND

JASON JR., JR. AND THEY’RE WARMLY TUCKED INTO THEIR FAMILY SIZED BED. HE WAS HAVING A HARD TIME SLEEPING BECAUSE FOR ONE, HE WAS COLD, AND SECONDLY, HIS 12 KIDS’ FEET WERE ALL OVER HIS FACE. HE FINALLY GOT WARM, SLEEPY, AND RIGHT WHEN HE STARTED TO FALL

ASLEEP, SOMEONE COMES KNOCKING AT THE DOOR. THEN, TWO OF THE YOUNGEST KIDS START TO CRY, HIS WIFE KNOCKS HIM OFF THE BED ON TO THE FLOOR BECAUSE HE IS THE “MAN” OF THE HOUSE AND HE IS TO OPEN THE DOOR AT ODD HOURS OF THE NIGHT JUST IN CASE THE PERSON AT THE DOOR HAS A RIFFLE, OR A BAZOOKA OR, SOMETHING, AND AS HE SO VALIANTLY GETS UP TO GO TOWARDS THE DOOR, HE STEPS ON A BOTTLE CAP, BUT NOT JUST ANY BOTTLE CAP. A BOTTLE CAP THAT’S MADE OUT OF HARD ALUMINUM BECAUSE IT’S FROM A BROKEN BOTTLE THAT HE JUST STEPPED ON WITH THE OTHER FOOT THAT WAS FROM MEXICO. HE MAKES HIS WAY TOWARDS THE DOOR AND WITH EXCRUCIATING PAIN, HE OPENS THE DOOR AND SEES ROGER STANDING THERE ASKING, “YOU GOT ANY BREAD TO SPARE?” WOULD JASON SAY VERY POLITELY, “I NEED A BAND AID, EXCUSE ME,” AND SLAM THE DOOR

IN ROGER’S FACE OR WOULD HE SAY, “COME IN, ROGER, AND HELP YOURSELF WHILE I HEAL MY FOOT.” SEE, JASON WOULD BE THE ONE THAT WOULD HAVE THE LAST WORD BECAUSE IT’S HIS HOUSE, HIS BREAD, AND, WELL, HIS FOOT. HE COULD HAVE SAID, “IT IS 2 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING. I’M COLD, YOU GOT THOSE TWO LITTLE BRATS CRYING BECAUSE OF YOUR BANGING ON THE DOOR, MY WIFE LOOKS FRIEKY IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, I STEPPED ON A BOTTLE CAP, ONE OF MY FEET IS BLEEDING BECAUSE OF THE GLASS I STEPPED ON WITH THE OTHER FOOT, AND IT’S ALL BECAUSE YOU WANT SOME BREAD?!? GO HOME ROGER!” INSTEAD, HE CHOSE TO SAY, “SURE, TAKE AS MUCH AS YOU NEED, GOOD LOOKING!” THAT’S A FRIEND THAT LOVES AT ALL TIMES EVEN WHEN IT’S COLD, OR RAINY, OR 2 O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING. ANALYZE THIS: AT THAT TIME, JASON DIDN’T HAVE TO TELL ROGER HE