He who receives you receives me, and he who receives me receives the one who sent me – Matthew 10:40

Jesus uttered this statement when He sent out His disciples to preach the Good News of the Kingdom. He made it plainly clear that anyone who receives His disciples are, actually, receiving Him and those who receive Him are, in reality, receiving the heavenly Father.

Jesus always gave honor to His Father, the One who sent Him to the world. He did whatever the Father has asked Him to do. He never rebelled against or dishonored the Father. He did this as a good example for us to follow. As Christ ascended into heaven, He appointed His disciples to represent Him in all the nations. Through them, year after year, many became His disciples.

Now, as Christ’s disciples, you and I are His representatives on this earth. Whoever receives us receives Christ and whoever receives Christ receives the Father. Whoever rejects us rejects Christ and the Father (Luke 10:16).

In Matthew 10:41-42, Jesus declared that those who receive a prophet would receive a prophet’s reward and those who receive a righteous man would receive a righteous man’s reward. Likewise, even those who give a cup of cold water to His disciples wouldn’t fail to receive a reward.

These divine utterances give us an unmistakable picture of the immense value that the Lord gives to His disciples. Remember: when your friends, relatives or family members accept you as a Christ disciple, they will be blessed because of you. But, if they reject you, they are not rejecting you but Christ and the Father.

God wants us to accept one another with all of our strengths and weaknesses. Also, we must give honor to everyone in proportion to their positions in the Church and outside as well. This is a significant truth of God’s Kingdom and is exceedingly important in the Body of Christ, the Church.

Paul mentions in Galatians 4:14 that the Church in Galatia welcomed him as they would welcome Christ Himself. But we see an entirely opposite picture in Exodus16:8 where the Israelites grumbled against God’s representative, Moses. Moses told them that they were actually grumbling against God, not him.

You need to honor those whom God has appointed with different responsibilities in the Body of Christ. You must receive and regard them in proportion to their God-given positions. As you do so, you position yourself to receive the due reward.

Furthermore, you need to appropriately honor officials in government, business and different professions. The Bible asks us, not only to honor them, but to pray for them as well so that we can have a quiet and peaceful life (1 Timothy 2:1-2).

I encourage you to apply this golden principle in your day-to-day life. Also, remember that you are representing Christ on this earth. So recognize your value and boldly reveal your identity as His disciple to the world!

- – - written by Ancy Joe from www.gloriousliving.net

Watch Rifqa Bary giving her testimony in May of 2009 while Rifqa was in Ohio.

Do you know her? No? Read on!

Who is Rifqa Bary?

Fathima Rifqa Bary is an American teenager of Sri Lankan descent who drew international attention in 2009 when she ran away from home and claimed that her Muslim parents might kill her for having converted to Christianity. Two independent investigations in Ohio and Florida found no credible evidence that her life was in danger.

Ms. Bary’s case has become a focal point in a culture clash between Evangelical Christians and Muslim Americans. Muslim sources say it is motivated by Islamophobia; Christian sources say they fear for Bary’s life because they believe Islamic Sharia law mandates honor killing for apostasy.

Full Story:

Fathima Rifqa Bary is the 17 year old daughter of Mohamed and Aysha Bary, Muslim immigrants from Sri Lanka. She grew up in Columbus, Ohio. Rifqa’s attorney John Stemberger claims the Bary family are members of the Noor Islamic Cultural Center (NICC) near Columbus, Ohio. In an official statement, NICC denies they are familiar with Rifqa or her family and states that their records only show Rifqa attended their Sunday School three times in 2007.

Rifqa ran away from home in July 2009 to the home of a Christian pastor in Florida whose wife she had met on Facebook. She had been with Reverend Blake Lorenz and his wife Mrs. Beverly Lorenz for three weeks before they contacted child welfare authorities. Her case drew attention when she appeared on television and declared that her father “said he would kill me or send me back to Sri Lanka,” describing herself as the intended victim of an honor killing. Brian Williams drove her to a bus station where she purchased a ticket under an assumed name for her bus ride to Orlando.

Her parents say they have never threatened to harm her. Her father, a jeweler, told a reporter that “Honestly, we didn’t know why she left.” And that as to the death threat described by his daughter, “She doesn’t know what she’s talking about,” and “I want her to come back home. I love my daughter whether she’s Christian or anything else. I want my daughter back.”

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I don’t know more. But I saw one thing! Her Testimony, in this video clip. This is amazing!

This girl has an amazing faith to our Lord. This is a Great example of God working through people to get His word spread throughout the world. Amen sister! God Bless you, Rifqa.

The Buzzard:

If you put a buzzard in a pen that is 6 feet by 8 feet and is entirely open at the top, the bird, in spite of its ability to fly, will be an absolute prisoner. The reason is that a buzzard always begins a flight from the ground with a run of 10 to 12 feet. Without space to run, as is its habit, it will not even attempt to fly, but will remain a prisoner for life in a small jail with no top.

The Bat:

The ordinary bat that flies around at night, a remarkable nimble creature in the air, cannot take off from a level place. If it is placed on the floor or flat ground, all it can do is shuffle about helplessly and, no doubt, painfully, until it reaches some slight elevation from which it can throw itself into the air. Then, at once, it takes off like a flash.

The Bumblebee:

A bumblebee, if dropped into an open tumbler, will be there until it dies, unless it is taken out. It never sees the means of escape at the top, but persists in trying to find some way out through the sides near the bottom. It will seek a way where none exists, until it completely destroys itself.

People:

In many ways, we are like the buzzard, the bat, and the bumblebee. We struggle about with all our problems and frustrations, never realizing that all we have to do is look up! That’s the answer, the escape route and the solution to any problem! Just look up!

Sorrow looks back, Worry looks around, but faith looks up!

Live simply, love generously, care deeply, speak kindly, and trust in our Creator who loves us.