God Works for You

I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. (Psalm 121:1–3)

Do you need help? I do. Where do you look for help?

When the psalmist lifted up his eyes to the hills and asked, “From where does my help come?” he answered, “My help comes from the Lord” — not from the hills, but from the God who made the hills. “My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.”

So, he reminded himself of two great truths: One is that God is a mighty Creator over all the problems of life; the other is that God never sleeps. “He who keeps you will not slumber.”

God is a tireless worker. He never wearies. Think of God as a worker in your life. Yes, it is amazing. We are prone to think of ourselves as workers in God’s life. But the Bible wants us first to be amazed that God is a worker in our lives: “From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you, who works for those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64:4).

God is working for us around the clock. He does not take days off and he does not sleep. In fact he is so eager to work for us that he goes around looking for more work to do for people who will trust him: “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). 

God loves to show his tireless power and wisdom and goodness by working for people who trust him. The sending of his Son, Jesus, was the main way the Father showed this: “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve” (Mark 10:45). Jesus works for his followers. He serves them. The gospel is not a “help wanted” sign. It is a “help available” sign.

This is what we must believe — really believe — in order to “rejoice always” (1 Thessalonians 5:16) and “[give] thanks always and for everything” (Ephesians 5:20) and have “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding” (Philippians 4:7), and “not be anxious about anything” (Philippians 4:6), and hate our lives “in this world” (John 12:25), and “love [our] neighbor as [ourselves]” (Matthew 22:39).

What a truth! What a reality! God is up all night and all day to work for those who wait for him.

How to Hate Your Life

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” (John 12:24–25)

“Whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” What does that mean? 

It means, at least, that you don’t take much thought for your life in this world. In other words, it just doesn’t matter much what happens to your life in this world. 

If men speak well of you, it doesn’t matter much.

If they hate you, it doesn’t matter much.

If you have a lot of things, it doesn’t matter much.

If you have little, it doesn’t matter much.

If you are persecuted or lied about, it doesn’t matter much.

If you are famous or unheard of, it doesn’t matter much.

If you have died with Christ, these things just don’t matter much. 

But Jesus’s words are even more radical. Jesus is calling us not just to endure experiences we don’t choose, but to make a choice to follow him. “If anyone serves me, he must follow me” (John 12:26). Where to? He is moving into Gethsemane and toward the cross. 

Jesus is not just saying: If things go bad, don’t fret, since you have died with me anyway. He is saying: Choose to die with me. Choose to hate your life in this world the way I have chosen the cross.

This is what Jesus meant when he said, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24). He calls us to choose the cross. People only did one thing on a cross. They died on it. “Take up your cross,” means, “Like a grain of wheat, fall into the ground and die.” Choose it. 

But why? For the sake of radical commitment to ministry: “I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God” (Acts 20:24). I think I hear Paul saying, “It doesn’t matter what happens to me — if I can just live to the glory of God’s grace.”

THE LOVE OF MONEY VERSUS TRUST IN GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MAY 20, 2021.

SUBJECT : THE LOVE OF MONEY VERSUS TRUST IN GOD!

Memory verse: “Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy” (First Timothy 6 vs 17).

READ: First Timothy 6 vs 6 - 10:

6:6: Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

6:7: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 6:8: And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

6:9: But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

6:10: For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. 

INTIMATION:

Looking at the world around us, we can see that money has tremendous power. It obviously enables us to do things we can't otherwise do, and it gives us a certain level of respect and great confidence. For instance, when a rich man walks into a room, his financial status gives him authority that a poor person in the same room doesn't have. 

Then Scripture buttressed this point in Ecclesiastes 10 vs 19; 7 vs 12 when it says, "Money answers all things." And ".....Money is a defense." The danger is that unless you are careful, you will begin to trust more in the power of money than you do in the power of God. This calls to mind the slang 'Money speaks' for those you trust in the power of money. We throw money at our problems, but just as the thrill of wine is only temporal, the soothing effect of the last purchase soon wears off and we have to buy more. 

Scripture recognizes that money is necessary for survival, but it warns against the love of money. Money is dangerous because it deceives us into thinking that wealth is the easiest way to get all we want. The love of money is sinful because we trust money rather than God to solve our problems. Those who pursue its empty promises will one day discover that they have nothing because they are spiritually bankrupt.

The last verse in that passage is very interesting. It says that your heart is where your treasure is; which means you can tell where a person's heart is by where their money (treasure) goes. This Scripture illustrates the point Jesus was making with the rich young ruler when He told the man to sell all of his goods. (Mark 10 vs 21.)  Jesus was saying, "If you really love and trust Me more than your money, then put your treasure in heaven." The man wouldn't do it because his treasure and his heart were on earthly riches. 

Jesus never asked him to sell and bring the money to Him. He has no need for it. Jesus loved him (Mark 10 vs 21) and wanted to show him the right path of life for him to walk in (Psalm 16 vs 11). Of course, we know that the Lord would have blessed that man back with even more than he gave away (Proverbs 19 vs 17), so God wasn't trying to take from him. Jesus was just trying to get the man to put his total trust and dependence on God.

Do not let the love of money drive the real thing out of you—the love and trust in God! Live a life of contentment and godliness which is greatly gainful. The Scripture admonishes us, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13 vs 5.)

God has given us a promise “never to leave nor forsake us.” So, why don’t you put your absolute trust in Him whom nothing is impossible with nor difficult for? Those things money can’t get you are only possible with Him, and never difficult for Him! The apostle Paul admonishes in our memory verse, “not to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.” 

Prayer: Abba Father, You have given us all that pertains to life and godliness. Endue me with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You, that I may know the hope of Your calling, and the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in us that believes, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

What Makes Jesus Rejoice

In that same hour he [Jesus] rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.” (Luke 10:21)

This verse is one of only two places in the Gospels where Jesus is said to rejoice. The seventy disciples have just returned from their preaching tours and reported their success to Jesus. 

Notice that all three members of the Trinity are rejoicing here: Jesus is rejoicing, but it says he is rejoicing in the Holy Spirit. I take that to mean that the Holy Spirit is filling him and moving him to rejoice. Then at the end of the verse it describes the pleasure of God the Father. The NIV translates it, “Yes, Father, for this is what you were pleased to do” — what you rejoiced to do!

Now, what is it that has the whole Trinity rejoicing together in this place? It is the free, electing love of God to hide things from the intellectual elite and to reveal them to babes. “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children.” 

And what is it that the Father hides from some and reveals to others? Luke 10:22 gives the answer, “No one knows who the Son is except the Father.” So, what God the Father must reveal is the true spiritual identity of the Son. 

When the seventy disciples return from their evangelistic mission and give their report to Jesus, he and the Holy Spirit rejoice that God the Father has chosen, according to his own good pleasure — his own rejoicing — to reveal the Son to babes and to hide him from the wise. 

The point of this is not that there are only certain classes of people who are chosen by God. The point is that God is free to choose the least likely candidates for his grace.

God contradicts what human merit might dictate. He hides from the self-sufficient wise and reveals to the most helpless and unaccomplished. 

When Jesus sees the Father freely enlightening and saving people whose only hope is free grace, he exults in the Holy Spirit and takes pleasure in his Father’s election.

So, when we see this — in fact, when we know that we are among the chosen children — we too join the rejoicing.

THE DECEPTIVE POWER IN RICHES!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 19, 2021.

SUBJECT : THE DECEPTIVE POWER IN RICHES!

Memory verse: “And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again and said to them, “Children, how hard it is for those who trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!” (Mark 10 vs 24.)

READ: First Timothy 6 vs 17 - 19:

6:17: Command those who are rich in this present age not be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy.

6:18: Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share,

6:19: storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

INTIMATION:

In imagining that their wealth is their strongest defense, rich people are sadly mistaken. Riches cannot provide safety because there are too many ways for it to lose its power. For instance, the government may cease to back it; thieves may steal it; inflation may rob it of all value. Eventually, in many circumstances your wealth can lose its power. But God never loses His power. He is always dependable and ever faithful.

People recognize that riches give them power. It enables them to put food on the table and pay their bills. The power in riches have been given various names: 'purchasing power,' ‘bargaining power,’ ‘economic power,’ negotiating power,’ and so on. So, people see giving their riches away as loosing power. Therefore, they think they are loosing in life by giving out their riches.

Jesus laid emphasis on the teaching of money and riches because of its importance to our daily lives, and our relationship with God. Churches don't preach on them today in the way and manner Jesus did, apparently because of fear of the perception of the congregants. The times something is said from the pulpit about money and riches is to motivate the congregants to give toward funding ministries or projects. But this subject is very important for our Christian race.

Let us revisit the story of the rich young man. After the man walked away unwilling to part with his money, the Lord said, "How hard shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God! And the disciples were astonished at His words. But Jesus answered again, and said to them, children, how hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter the kingdom of God!" (Mark 10 vs 23 - 24.)

You could say it this way, "How hard it is for rich people to be born again." That's quite a statement, because people often see riches as blessings from God indicating God’s approval. That was why the disciples were astonished at Hesus’ remarks. But Jesus clarified His statement thus, "How hard is it for them that trust in riches to enter into the kingdom." He isn't saying that riches itself makes it difficult to be saved. He is saying that having lots of riches can trick people into putting faith in their riches because of the associated powers in it. Instead of putting their trust in God who gives them the power to get the wealth. However, riches aren’t the problem, but how you trust in the associated powers is the issue.

The parable of a certain rich man told by Jesus in Luke 12 vs 20 - 21, says, “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided? So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.” In the parable God called the rich man who trusted in his plentiful harvest a Fool! So is everyone who trusts in uncertain riches. The rich man died even before he could begin to use what was stored in his barns.

Planning for retirement—preparing for life before death—is wise, but neglecting life after death is disastrous. If you accumulate wealth only to enrich yourself, with no concern for helping others, you will enter eternity empty-handed. Jesus challenges us to think beyond earthbound goals and to use what we have been given for God’s kingdom. Faith, service, and obedience are the way to become rich toward God.

Where do you look for security and safety, in uncertain wealth or God who is always faithful? All of us will say, "Oh yes, I'm trusting in the Lord," but you have to do more than just say it. As the apostle James said in his epistle, "Faith without works is dead" (James 2 vs 26). Someone who is really trusting in the Lord will prove it by giving out of their resources. 

See, the danger with riches is that you can get to where you trust in what riches can do, that is, relying on its inherent powers to work for you more than you trust in God. Then, when you come upon a problem that riches can't solve, you will feel like the earth is crumbling beneath you. God will still be there to help you, but you would have learned to trust in His ability to deliver you. This is the major reason why giving is important: because learning to trust God starts with your riches.

The psalmist in Psalm 18 vs 2 says, “The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” Unlike riches, God’s protection of His people is limitless and can take many forms. God is the supreme controller of all circumstances. In Him all finalities rest. The Scripture, in Lamentations 3 vs 37 notes, “Who is he who speaks and it comes to pass, when the Lord has not commanded it?” Only with God’s approval will your riches provide a safe haven for you. Therefore, put your trust in Him that controls all circumstances.

Prayer: Abba Father, in You all things consist. You are my shield and buckler. May I never put my trust in any other thing but You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. 

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Light Beyond the Light

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1–2)

Jesus Christ is refreshing. So, seek the things that are above. Don’t replace Christ this summer with trifles. Flight from Christ into Christless leisure makes the soul parched. 

At first it may feel like freedom and fun to skimp on prayer and neglect the word. But then we pay: shallowness, powerlessness, vulnerability to sin, preoccupation with trifles, superficial relationships, and a frightening loss of interest in worship and the things of the Spirit. 

Don’t let the coming of summer make your soul shrivel. God made summer as a foretaste of heaven, not a substitute. 

If the mailman brings you a love letter from your fiancé, don’t fall in love with the mailman. Don’t fall in love with the video preview and find yourself unable to love the coming reality.

Jesus Christ is the refreshing center of summer. He is preeminent in all things (Colossians 1:18), including vacations and picnics and softball and long walks and cookouts. He invites us this summer, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). 

Do we want it? That is the question. Christ gives himself to us in proportion to how much we want his refreshment. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). 

Peter’s word to us about this is, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19–20). Repentance is not just turning away from sin, but also turning toward the Lord with hearts open and expectant and submissive.

What sort of summer mindset is this? It is the mindset of Colossians 3:1–2, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

It is God’s earth! It is a video preview to the reality of what the eternal summer will be like when “the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23).

The summer sun is a mere pointer to the sun that will be: the glory of God. Summer is for seeing and showing that. Do you want to have eyes to see? Lord, let us see the light beyond the light.

DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 18, 2021.

SUBJECT : DELIGHT YOURSELF IN THE LORD!

Memory verse: “Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth, and feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father. The mouth of the Lord has spoken. (Isaiah 58:14.)

READ: Psalms 37 vs 4 - 5; 145:19:

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

37:5: Commit your way to the Lord, Trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.

145:19: He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him, He will also hear their cry and save them.

INTIMATION:

The Scripture tells us to delight in the Lord and commit everything we have and do to Him. To delight in Him means to experience great pleasure and joy in His presence. This happens only when we know Him well. Thus, to delight in the Lord, we must know Him better than normal. The knowledge of God’s great love for us, that love that drove Him to give His only begotten Son as a propitiation for our sins, will indeed make us delight in Him.

He created you and has put in place everything you require to live for Him, according to His purposes. You can only know and have access to His limitless provisions when you delight in Him—strive to know Him and His ways better. Remember He said we should do this first—seek to know Him and His purposes for us first, and all other things you need, including your desires, will be added to you without struggle: “Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For all these things the Gentiles seek. For your Heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.” (Matthew 6 vs 31 - 33.)

Steep your life in God’s reality of living through the wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of Him, never worrying about missing out. Then you will find that all your everyday human concerns will be met. Before all else, strive after God’s way of doing and being right. It’s by God’s grace that we exist. We never entered into any agreements to be created by Him. It’s all His doing, and for His purposes. Therefore, if He has done all by Himself, and for His purposes, it’s obvious that to live and do rightly—living according to His preordained purposes—You must know Him and His ways thoroughly. It’s your quest and thirst to know Him and His ways, that commits Him into revealing Himself to you. 

Therefore, delight yourself in the Lord, put Him first in all you do—let Him take the driving seat in your life. Resolve to set aside time each day to read and think about God’s Word, reminding yourself of it day and night, and God will be your constant companion, ensuring your success in carrying out His purposes. You may not succeed by the world’s standards, but you will be a success in God’s eyes—and His opinion is most important. 

The Lord gave this insight to Joshua, when He said to him, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in It day and night, that you may observe do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1 vs 8 - 9.)

God Himself taught Joshua the principle and strategy of ensuring a prosperous living, gaining good success, and having the pleasure of God’s companionship at all times. God said that to ensure the aforestated, Joshua must put Him first:  (1) Constantly read and study the Book of the Law—God’s Word, (2) ensuring his obedience to God’s law—doing according to all that is written in it, (3) always being strong and courageous; not being afraid nor dismayed.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of You, that the eyes of my understanding being enlightened that I know the hope of Your calling, and the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in those that believe, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!