God has given us many things: our talents, our resources, our time, our children, our jobs, our interests. They belong to Him. God has given them to us as a gift. They are ours to use, but He can ask for them back at any time.  At any time  He can request that what He has given be returned in some fashion. He can do this because He is the true owner; we are trustees.

The true believer knows that the value of what we have is multiplied when it is placed in the Lord’s hands. The man gave his donkey, even though it was valuable to him. But look at how much more valuable it became when placed in the hands of Jesus. His donkey was had a part in fulfilling prophecy. His donkey transported the Lord of All Creation. His donkey (and its owner) have been remembered for two thousand years because of their simple act. None of this would have been possible if the man had refused to give what He had.

What we have is never more valuable than when we place these things in the capable and strong hands of Jesus. So, here’s the question? What is God asking of you? How can you “invest” what He has given you? What does He want you to give? A talent, some time, some money, a willingness to obey? I can’t tell you. It may be simple, it may be great . . . but what we do know is that the true disciple gives what the Master asks for.

There were 2 groups of people that Sunday. There were the Enthusiastic. These people screamed ’Hosanna” on Sunday and at the end of the week, said nothing, or even, “Crucify Him”. These are the people who follow the crowd. They will sing the hymns, clap their hands, serve on boards and committees but never make a commitment to Jesus. They are going to go whichever way is popular, whichever way is the most fun or which “ministers to them most”. Their chief concern is not following Christ; it is being “where the action is.”

And then there were the Committed. These are the folks who trust Christ as Savior and as Lord. He is the Master of their lives. What He commands they will do. Where He sends, they will go. What He asks for, they will give.

So, which group are you in? You see, the issue this Palm Sunday is the same as the first Palm Sunday. Jesus declares Himself to be the long awaited King that will redeem those who trust Him. The declaration is the same . . . and so is the choice. Will you receive Him as King and Savior or will you simply stand on the sidelines? You see, it is really not about a man’s donkey . . . it is about a person’s heart.                             (PAT COOK)

THE YOUNG ISRAELITE SLAVE GIRL
(2 Kings 5: 2-3)
This young girl did not think about her own personal difficult situation. She used her situation to point others to God.

When you are in a bad situation, you have a choice. You can be bitter, or you can be used by God. You can pout, or you can point people to the Lord. We do not have to be of great standing, highly educated, well read and well respected to be witnesses of God’s love, His grace, and His healing. We just have to be willing to speak up. That’s all it takes.

THE KING OF ISRAEL (2 Kings 5: 5-6)

The King of Israel was very upset when Naaman arrived. He thought the King of Aram was asking him to do something impossible. The King of Israel thought that this would lead to big problems, maybe even war. The leader of God’s people did not turn to God for help. He didn’t see this challenge as an opportunity for God to show His mighty power. The King depended on himself, and he knew he would fall short.

When you have a problem, what do you do first? Do you try to handle it on your own? Do you worry and get discouraged? Your first response should be to bring your problems to the Lord. He has the power that no one else has. Your challenges are opportunities for the Lord to show His mighty power (2 Corinthians 12:9).

NAAMAN (2 Kings 5: 9-10)

Naaman didn’t like what he heard. He was used to being treated like a king. He was insulted that Elisha did not come out to meet him face to face. Naaman thought that Elisha would make a big show of his healing. Naaman did not understand that the healing miracle would bring glory to God, not Naaman. Even though Naaman was covered in leprosy, with no hope of a cure, he stormed off in anger. Wisely, Naaman’s servants calmed down their master, and encouraged him to do what Elisha said. So Naaman went to the Jordan River and dipped into it seven times. After Naaman’s seventh dip, his skin was healed!

Naaman had to learn that God did not heal him because he was an important leader, or because he had valuable gifts to give. The Lord healed him because God is good, and God wants people to know Him.

When you come to God, you must do things His way. He ALWAYS knows best. He helps you because He is good, and He wants people to know Him. We try to fit God into a little box that we can understand, but we can never fully comprehend the workings of the Almighty God! We want to see signs of God working, so that we know He is doing something. But true faith is the certainty that He is at work in our lives, even when we do not see any signs of Him working.                                        (SOURCE UNKNOWN)

It is so easy to let things overcome us. Even our problems can become idols to us. We can get to the place where they take the place of our love for God.

Lois K. Blanchard pictures Christ as still walking the streets today. She asks these pointed questions:

“If Jesus came to your own home to spend a day or two — If He came unexpectedly, I wonder what you’d do? I know you’d give your nicest room to such an honored Guest, and all the food you’d serve to Him would be the very best.

And you would keep assuring Him you’re glad to have Him there – That serving Him in your own home is joy beyond compare; but when you saw Him standing there, could you go to the door, with arms outstretched to welcome Him, your Heavenly Visitor?

Or would you have to change some things before you let Him in? Or hide some magazines and put the Bible where they’d been?

Would family conversation be continued at its pace? And would you find it hard at each meal to say a table grace?

Would you be glad to have Him meet your very closest friends? Or would you hope they’d stay away until His visit ends?

Would you be glad to have Him stay forever, on and on? Or would you sigh with great relief when He at last was gone?

It might cause some embarrassment the things that you would do, if Jesus came to your own house to spend some time with you.”

Loving God redefines all priorities.

What time was yours, what energy was yours, what resources were yours, they are now given unselfishly to Him. You did that for your spouse when you first fell in love.

There is a huge difference between infatuation and commitment
If the only time you spend with God is on Sunday mornings – that’s religion, not love.

He is committed to you, are you committed to Him?           (KEITH EDWARDS)

Peter, the believer, hears from God. Cornelius, the non-believer, feels God is drawing him. God puts the two of them together, and lives are changed. Cornelius becomes the first Gentile convert to the faith, and brings with him his entourage of family and workers. Because Cornelius responded to God’s call, and Peter responded to God’s call, lives were changed. This is what a person would call a divine appointment.

Divine appointments are what we call specific times where it seems God brings together people for one to help the other in a step of faith. It’s not so much that we schedule them, but that God does. A person with a godly answer to a person who is needing that, right at that moment.

The Bible calls us to be ready, for whatever may come our way. Titus 3:1 tells us, among other things, to “be obedient, to be ready to do whatever is good…” 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” And 2 Timothy 4:2 says, “Be prepared in season and out of season.”

But that doesn’t mean we wait around for some miraculous vision to arrive, telling us exactly what to do next. No. Both Cornelius and Peter were in prayer, talking to God, when their directions arrived. It’s not about standing around, watching the sky, waiting for an angel to reveal what’s next. It’s about doing what you should be doing, and allowing God to change the course a little.

The Gospels are full of these “divine appointment” type of interruptions in Jesus’ schedule. Do you remember Jesus’ visit to Zacchaeus’ house, the widow at Nain whose son was healed, and the man let down through the ceiling by his four friends who was both forgiven and healed? Each of these stories involved an “interruption” in Jesus’ plans, yet Jesus chose to listen to the people and look beyond the surface and reach out with God’s grace. Jesus could be interrupted; shouldn’t we be willing to be interrupted also? Do you allow Jesus to interrupt your schedule?

Would you be willing to let Jesus interrupt your day? Would you pray something like, “Lord, I’m willing to do whatever You want. I want to be part of what You want to do today. Holy Spirit, use me to glorify Jesus.” Cornelius listened. Peter listened. Will you listen? (PAT COOK)

In the Christian life, we are so often weighed down by our own selfish desires, petty ambitions, amusements or attractions which are temporal instead of eternal. We focus on the skin of the person next to us rather than the soul. We judge by the eyes instead of valuing the person. In short, we don’t reflect the image and glory of God.

How do we partake of this cleansing? You don’t “do” it as much as endure it. God is the One who oversees this process in your life.

He sends you into the fire and takes you out according to his pleasure. And He does it for His glory.

What does He use to accomplish this? Adversity. Trouble. Rejection. Failure. The afflictions that come our way. In short, anything bad that we encounter, God is able to use to free us from the crust, grime and dirt of this world and our own selfishness, and change us more into the likeness of Jesus.

Here’s a good story to go along with it:

Some time ago, a few ladies met in a certain city to read the Scriptures and make them the subject of conversion. While reading the third chapter of Malachi, they came upon a remarkable expression in the third verse: “And He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

One lady’s opinion was that it was intended to convey the view of the sanctifying influence of the grace of Christ. Then she proposed to visit a silversmith and report to them what he said on the subject. She went accordingly and without telling the object of her errand, begged to know the process of refining silver, which he fully described to her.

“But sir,” she said, “do you sit while the work of refining is going on?” “Oh yes, madam,” replied the silversmith, “I must sit with my eye steadily fixed on the furnace, for if the time necessary for refining be exceeded in the slightest degree, the silver will be injured.”

The lady saw at once the beauty, and comfort too, of the expression: “He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.”

Christ sees it needful to put His children into a furnace. His eye is steadily intent on the work of purifying, and His wisdom and love are both engaged in the best manner for them. Their trials do not come at random: “the very hairs of your head are all numbered.”

As the lady left the shop, the silversmith called her back, and said he had still further to mention, that he only knows when the process of purifying was complete, by seeing his own image reflected in the silver.

Beautiful example! When Christ shall see His own image in His people, His work of purifying will be accomplished. (AUTHOR UNKNOWN)