Devotional
The following is a devotional written by James E. Seymour, Jr. of Faith Word, Ltd. We hope that it helps you.
BEN HUR & US
Although I have seen the epic movie Ben Hur many times, I watched it again today. If you have never seen this movie, it is a wonderful story about a wealthy Hebrew man - Judah ben Hur, who is lied to by a friend, put into slavery, watches his mother and sister get lyprosy, and almost loses the love of his life.
A sad story you say? Well, he meets Jesus in Nazareth on his way to the be a galley slave and is given a cup of water by Jesus. He saves a Roman admiral and becomes adopted as his son so that he is now a Roman citizen.
Much later in the story, after this young man returns to Jerusalem, he finds out that his boyhood friend has become the regional dictator. His home is in shambles with his mother and sister missing. The father of his love has been tortured by the Romans. He has so much hatred for his old friend - now the Roman dictator.
I will not give thee details of the rest of the story other than the fact that later, Judah ben Hur sees Jesus going to crucifixion. He gives a cup of water to the Jesus, who had done the same thing for him much earlier in the story.
The end of the movie is what I think is so wonderfully beautiful, for when the storm comes when Jesus dies on the cross, you see his blood spilling into a stream which passes the cavern in which Hur's mother, sister, and love are hiding from the storm. By Jesus's blood spilled for them and us, the mother and sister are cleansed of the leprosy and the hatred of Judah ben Hur is now replaced by love.
In the course of our lives, there are many things that impact us for both good and evil. We can go down either road - the one of good or the one of evil. The teachings of Jesus clearly tell which to do and how to live the good life. It is our choice.
Why let something that someone else has done to us in the past fill us with bitterness and hatred? Why should we have our love robbed from us? Why let Satan win?
We all need to realize the price that Jesus paid for each one of us. We must fully understand that He defeated Satan and rose to be with His Father in Heaven.
We can enjoy perfect health, protection from oppression, and total prosperity. Jesus died for our sins and our love and belief in Him as our Savior does bring these gifts to us. We must believe and have faith based on love. Nothing else will work.
Jim Seymour
Faith Word, Ltd.
October 16, 2005
BEN HUR & US
Although I have seen the epic movie Ben Hur many times, I watched it again today. If you have never seen this movie, it is a wonderful story about a wealthy Hebrew man - Judah ben Hur, who is lied to by a friend, put into slavery, watches his mother and sister get lyprosy, and almost loses the love of his life.
A sad story you say? Well, he meets Jesus in Nazareth on his way to the be a galley slave and is given a cup of water by Jesus. He saves a Roman admiral and becomes adopted as his son so that he is now a Roman citizen.
Much later in the story, after this young man returns to Jerusalem, he finds out that his boyhood friend has become the regional dictator. His home is in shambles with his mother and sister missing. The father of his love has been tortured by the Romans. He has so much hatred for his old friend - now the Roman dictator.
I will not give thee details of the rest of the story other than the fact that later, Judah ben Hur sees Jesus going to crucifixion. He gives a cup of water to the Jesus, who had done the same thing for him much earlier in the story.
The end of the movie is what I think is so wonderfully beautiful, for when the storm comes when Jesus dies on the cross, you see his blood spilling into a stream which passes the cavern in which Hur's mother, sister, and love are hiding from the storm. By Jesus's blood spilled for them and us, the mother and sister are cleansed of the leprosy and the hatred of Judah ben Hur is now replaced by love.
In the course of our lives, there are many things that impact us for both good and evil. We can go down either road - the one of good or the one of evil. The teachings of Jesus clearly tell which to do and how to live the good life. It is our choice.
Why let something that someone else has done to us in the past fill us with bitterness and hatred? Why should we have our love robbed from us? Why let Satan win?
We all need to realize the price that Jesus paid for each one of us. We must fully understand that He defeated Satan and rose to be with His Father in Heaven.
We can enjoy perfect health, protection from oppression, and total prosperity. Jesus died for our sins and our love and belief in Him as our Savior does bring these gifts to us. We must believe and have faith based on love. Nothing else will work.
Jim Seymour
Faith Word, Ltd.
October 16, 2005