Time with God - October 1
“Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear him. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, ‘This man receives sinners and eats with them.’”
You should be the kind of person that sinful people like to spend time with!
“Tax collectors” were the outcasts of society in those days. They were worse than “sinners”. They were the people who had turned their backs on God’s people and on God himself and were helping the oppressive Roman rulers gouge the people of Israel.
But the Lord wants you to notice that these obviously sinful people were drawn to Jesus. They wanted to listen to what he had to say. They knew that he spoke the truth and that some of it would be uncomfortable; but they also knew that they didn’t go away from their time with him feeling like dirt.
What they got from Jesus was not condemnation and rejection, but loving truth and warmth and hospitality. God wants people to get that from you too. He has purposely placed you in relationship with people who need him and he wants you to love them and care for them and show them hospitality and also to speak the truth in love.
Not condemning and rejecting, but loving and sharing.
Let’s ask God to give us Jesus’ heart for “receiving” others as he would.
For more relevant and biblical teaching from Pastor Greg Laurie, go to www.harvest.org
and
Listen to Greg Laurie's daily broadcast on OnePlace.com and weekly podcast on LifeAudio.com.
Watch Greg Laurie's weekly television broadcast on LightSource.com.
Kids today are growing up in a world that’s fast, loud, and often lonely, but Jesus offers
them a friendship like no other. In this warm and beautifully illustrated book, bestselling
author Sally Lloyd-Jones helps young readers see that Jesus is not far away. He’s close.
He listens. And He loves them more than they can imagine. Jesus, Our True Friend is a
powerful gift for children, families, and anyone who wants to pass on the love of Christ.
Request your copy today with your gift to Harvest Ministries.
