PONDER INVITATIONS
By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.
Kyfingers@aol.com
TEXT:
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!
John 7:37 Jesus stood and cried, saying ... if any man thirst let him COME unto Me, and DRINK ...
John 21:12 Jesus said unto them, "COME and DINE!"
I have been pondering INVITATIONS.
Last night, an ninety year old woman invited Linda and I over for soup beans (pinto) and cornbread. So Linda got home from work, we loaded up, and headed for downtown Smiths Grove. (Smiths Grove has more cows than people.)
We were received as a King and Queen at Dana’s house. The home grown tomatoes and corn cut off the cob and fried, the cornbread, were all wonderful.
But the best part was the lovely fellowship and the time growing closer!
While we were there, I found that one of Dana’s neighbors had no food and her kids were hungry.
So I drove back to the church and loaded up some food and then to the grocery store. Linda and I invested in some of the perishable foods.
I walked by the ice cream and thought get some ice cream? I said, NO! The Holy Spirit convicted me, what if it were your grandsons, would you want someone to buy them ice cream? So, in goes the ice cream.
I backed my pickup truck to the lady’s door and started unloading the food. Some from me, and some from the love gifts given to the church.
The mother of the children came to the door and her jaw dropped, she said, I don’t go to your church.
I said, that’s OK. She started crying very hard.
I invited her to church and said, Jesus loves you.
Later, Dana ran the left over pea salad to her. Dana said, the lady was still crying and all the kids were gathered around the stove cooking.
I thought about trying to analyze the problem and excuse my obligation, but I made the choice to focus on the hungry kids. I am so glad for God’s mercy that overlooks my faults.
I was very glad for the invitation to dinner at Dana’s house. Dana is our oldest living member at 90.
I pondered that invitation, and how that invitation opened a door to ministry for Jesus.
I then ponder the invitations of Jesus!
Most invitations have a requirement to come!
If we come, we are nearer to the person!
To "come" means: to draw nearer, to move toward, move with a purpose, to advance, to go forward, rise in rank.
To accept an invitation takes some planning and effort. We need a moving away from the highways and hedges, and come toward the goal.
Let me add something here: We so specialize in clean fingernails in today’s society.
I know a lady that has glued on 18 carat gold fingernails, and some have a diamond in them.
WOW! I am impressed!
I guess we focus on clean fingernails because everybody can see them.
What brings tears to the heart of God is DIRTY MINDS! Dirty minds can never be as close to the heart of God, as those regenerated by the Blood of Jesus.
I HAVE FOUND SEVEN PERSONAL INVITATIONS OF JESUS FOR US TO "COME" IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.
1. JESUS INVITES US TO COME TO HIM!
Matthew 11:28 Come unto me, all ye that labor and
are heavy laden, and I will give you rest!
Wow, what an invitation! But the in vitation is
conditional on you, you must come.
Cast your burdens on the Lord, He can handle any
problem that comes our way.
When it is over your head, it is under His Feet!
2. JESUS INVITES US TO COME AND SEE!
IN JOHN 1:39... THERE WAS A QUESTION FROM SOME
PEOPLE. THEY WANTED TO KNOW MORE ABOUT JESUS.
So Jesus invited them: COME AND SEE...
The more the communication lines are open, the
better. The closer they walked with Jesus, the more
satisfaction they found in daily living!
3. JESUS INVITES US TO COME AND DRINK!
John 7:37 Jesus stood and cried, saying ...
if any man thirst let him COME unto Me, and
DRINK ...
Jesus knows our humanness, He understands our
nature, Jesus has provisions and provides for us.
As a deer panteth! Accept the Living Water!
4. JESUS INVITES US TO COME AND DINE!
John 21:12 Jesus said unto them, "COME and DINE!"
The men had been working/ fishing all day.
They were tired and hungry.
Jesus can meet the needs of body and soul!
There is something that brings us closer together
when we eat one with another.
5. JESUS INVITES US TO COME AND TAKE UP THE CROSS!
Mark 10:21, a young man with great potential comes
to Jesus.
This young man’s focus has been on success and
things.
Jesus warns him, sell what you have, GIVE, and COME
and TAKE UP the Cross.
Today we must avoid thespirit of materialism and
pleasure gods.
We cannot have God on our own terms! There is a
cost, will you GIVE?
6. JESUS INVITES US TO COME APART!
Mark 6:31, ministry had been pressing hard on the
men of God.
Jesus knows that if we don’t come apart we will
come a part.
Burnout is the effect of a lack of personal contact
and spiritual refreshment.
You cannot drain gas out of empty tanks.
There are some WOES, in our goes.
7. JESUS INVITES US TO COME AND BE BLESSED!
Matthew 25:34, COME ye Blessed of My Father,
INHERIT the Kingdom PREPARED ... God has a PROMISE.
There is a prepared place for His prepared people.
His touch starts as soon as we COME.
You are a KING, PRIEST, heir, a new creature.
Don’t despise your inheritance.
Jesus is COMING, with or without your invitation.
The last time, Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem. They spit and mocked HIM.
Not so next time, He will be on a white horse, in great victory.
Let us invite Him, EVEN SO COME QUICKLY LORD JESUS.
Rev. 22:20-21. His invitation still stands for you.
Rev. 22:17 Come, the Spirit says: COME.
I accept, will you?
His servant,
Wade Martin Hughes, Sr
Kyfingerss@aol.com
