FEBRUARY 04 THE JESUS QUESTIONS JQ#02 “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you …and if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?” (Matthew 5:46-47)

FEBRUARY 04  THE JESUS QUESTIONS   JQ#02  “For if you love those who love you, what reward have you …and if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others?” (Matthew 5:46-47)

LIVING FOR JESUS  Daily Prayer to JESUS    

JESUS, as I come before You today I come seeking nothing but to be in Your Presence which You so Graciously shower onto us when we bow before You. Lord I am reminded of reading an Oswald Chamber’s quote some years ago that I did not understand until today when I awoke and felt the peace of knowing You were with me when I laid down in my bed and You are right here waiting for me to awake and open Your Word! The Oswald quote said something like “When we stop seeking God for His blessings, then we can start seeking God for Himself!” and today I know deep in my soul that Your Presence is the Greatest Blessing that can be bestowed on mankind and is what makes the Hope of Heaven so Significant! Forgive me, a sinner, and I plead daily for Your Mercy and Grace!    AMEN

THE JESUS QUESTIONS

JESUS asked the JQ#02 Question directly after JQ#01 to help focus us on the Truth of God that God has intended from the very beginning to include man in His Master Plan as demonstrated by God’s own Actions towards His New Creation — “The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden…Then the LORD God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.” (Genesis 2:8-15) Jesus reminded us with JQ#01 that God’s Purpose for mankind was for man to be “salt” and “light” and in order for “salt” and “light” to perform their purpose that they must be used to benefit others. “Salt” must be consumed by others because unless it is “consumed” it will not impart its flavor. Jesus also made the point that if it is not used to benefit others that “salt” will lose its flavor and will be “good for nothing” which is bad enough but Jesus added that once tasteless salt is thrown out it will then be “trampled underfoot by men.” (Matthew 5:13) To continue His Point about having the responsibility to use our God given natural abilities to be beneficial to others, Jesus then adds that if we “light a lamp and put it under a basket” that the light will not benefit anyone but if our light is put “on a lampstand” that the light “gives light to all who are in the house.” (Matthew 5:14-15) Jesus makes it clear that mankind is to use our talents to benefit others as our personal responsibility to the One that Created mankind for Jesus instructs us: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven” (Matthew 5:16) Therefore JQ#01 was to bring our attention to the giving of ourselves to help others and Jesus then follows that Lesson with JQ#02 which continues the focus not only on helping others but we are to imitate God’s “Love” for us by loving others equally undeserving as ourselves!  Jesus then sets the Standard for our “conduct” with this command: “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Matthew 5:48) So we are to let our light shine on others as God has shone His Light on us and we are to “Love” others as graciously as God has Bestowed His “Love” on us — and in doing these things we will become more like the PERFECTION that GOD IS!!!! Jesus gets our attention and then He Teaches some of the most Profound Details on our journey to be like God as we continue studying His Lessons contained in Matthew 6:1-24 on how we are to treat others and glorify God as we attempt to “be perfect”!!!