Clare Marie Ferguson's Blog
A Message from Abel / 12.12.08, 03:01 PM
The week of Thanksgiving I was sorting food in the food pantry at Breakthrough. We were collecting food donations for the more than 175 turkey baskets going out to the Garfield Park community for the holiday. Cranberry sauce, stuffing, green beans, cake, sweet potatoes… and then I find it mixed in with all the cans and boxes. Some one donated a used canister of icing. Really? An open, half empty thing of icing? Who would want that? As I think to myself about what must be going through some one’s mind to donate this, I think about Jesus’ commandment to love your neighbor as yourself. Whatever you would want for yourself, do for others. Or in this situation, think of whatever wonderful Thanksgiving foods you would like to eat, and give that for some one else. I thought of the phrase “Something is better than nothing.” But is it really? Is that love? Or a selfish action to justify that you’re a good person? In Genesis 4 both Cain and Abel gave sacrifices to God, but only one was pleasing to the Lord. Abel gave from his best; Cain gave from whatever he had left.
So for about a week or so I was feeling pretty good that I had picked out this terrible mindset that some faceless donator had, but somewhere with in the past week God smacked me pretty hard with my own self righteousness.
The “Something is better than nothing” attitude doesn’t just show itself in food donations. It shows itself every day I go through the motions at Breakthrough without acting through love to the people around me. It surfaces when I think just “doing” Mission Year is good enough, or when I focus on my “to do” list, and not people. Is it really honoring for me to be physically present, but not be motivated by Christ in how I interact with people? God is pleased with our joyful obedience, not reluctant obligatory action. Giving every ounce of ourselves in love for people, because after all that IS Christ’s example.
By FAITH, Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. Hebrews 11:4
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clare marie! good word. it speaks to my soul. thanks!
By Ruth / Dec 18, 01:39 PM / #
Once again, word prolific. I can see ClareMarie that Our Father is using you in mighty ways.
Did you know that as an experienced preacher and teacher myself that I value your sermons. That’s what they are my dear friend. I sincerely hope and pray that Our Father uses you to evangelize, preach and/or teach someday.
With the heart of an Angel and the power of Christ Jesus you can and will move mountains Sweetie.
Love, Marvin – Your Bro In Christ.
P.s… Like the Apostle Peter, Our Father tends to get on me for pride as well as self-righteousness.
As you read John 17, The actual “Lord’s Prayer”, Our Father – (manifested in the flesh) first prays for Himself (v.v.1-5), then for the Apostles (v.v.6-19), then He includes those (us) afar off (v.v.20-26).
Notice in John 17:6-19, what He says about His Disciples…
6. I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; AND THEY HAVE KEPT THY WORD. 7. Now THEY HAVE KNOWN THAT ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER THOU HAS GIVEN ME ARE OF THEE. 8. For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; AND THEY HAVE RECEIVED THEM AND HAVE KNOWN SURELY THAT I CAME OUT FROM THEE, AND THEY HAVE BELIEVED THAT THOU DIDST SEND ME.
9. I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10. And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; AND I AM GLORIFIED IN THEM. 11. And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: THOSE THAT THOU HAS GIVEN ME I HAVE KEPT, AND NONE OF THEM IS LOST, but the son of perdition (Judas); that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13. And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14. I have given them thy word; and THE WORLD HATED THEM, BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT OF THIS WORLD, even as I am not of the world. 15. I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17. Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18. As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19. And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.So you see my dearly beloved ClareMarie, If you see with eyes wide open, Our Father never says that these boys were/are/will be sinless. And they have yet to deny Him 3x, abandon Him at the foot of the cross, still be plagues with doubt, fear and pride…
Praise God Our Father, Lord, Saviour, Enabler, Strength and Comforter for His Grace.
There but for the Grace of GOD go I…
By Marvin Cecil Gonzalez / Apr 13, 11:54 AM / #