ASSOCIATE WITH UNBELIEVERS TO TURN THEM TO CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 31, 2022.

SUBJECT: ASSOCIATE WITH UNBELIEVERS TO TURN THEM TO CHRIST!

Memory verse: "But go and learn what it means: ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9 vs 13.)

READ: Mark 2 vs 15 - 17: 

2:15: Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.

2:16: And when the scribes and the Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

2:17: When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

INTIMATION:

Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and no sinner is beyond His saving power. During His earth walk, He gladly associated Himself with sinners because He loved them, and because He knew that they needed to hear what He had to say. He spent time with all manner of people—poor, rich, bad, good, etc. Therefore, as ambassadors of Christ, our ideal witnessing for Him is reaching out to those who have need for His saving grace, no matter their kind. We too, must befriend those who need Christ, even if they do not seem to be ideal companions. Are there people you have been neglecting because of their reputation? They may be the ones who mostly need to see, and hear the message of Christ’s love in, and from you.

However, this fact of associating with unbelievers to turn them to Christ has inadvertently been contrasted by many with the apostle Paul’s sayings in Second Corinthians 6 vs 14 - 16: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belgian? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols....” The apostle Paul advises that believers and unbelievers cannot be joined together effectively for a common purpose, such as; business partnership, marriage, etc, because of the difference in their beliefs. 

“Unequally yoked” means to refrain from aligning oneself with another wherein Christian principles and values are subjugated to the moral behavior of unbelievers. It would be a mismatch, and such can weaken the believer’s commitment, integrity or standards, especially for new converts, and those not yet deeply rooted in Christ. In a broader sense, the Christian should certainly not bind himself or herself to any non-Christian who would lead him into compromising his or her principles.

The apostle Paul had earlier explained that this does not mean isolating oneself from unbelievers which is against Christ’s leading: “I wrote to you in my epistle not to keep company with sexually immoral people. Yet I certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you need would need to go out of the world.” Paul even urges believers to stay with their unbelieving spouses: “But to the rest, I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him” (First Corinthians 7 vs 12 - 13). 

The apostle Paul made it clear that we should not disassociate ourselves from unbelievers—otherwise we could not carry our Christ’s command to tell them about salvation (Matthew 28 vs 18 - 20). Rather, we are to distance ourselves from the person who claims to be a believer, yet indulges in sins explicitly forbidden in Scripture by rationalizing his or her actions. By rationalizing sin, a person harms others for whom Christ died and dims the image of God in himself or herself.

He wanted believers to be active in their witness for Christ to unbelievers, but they should not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise their faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties.

Also, Paul did not want single believers to enter into marriage with unbelievers. Such marriages cannot have unity in the most important issue in life—commitment and obedience to God. Because marriage involves two people becoming one, faith may become an issue, and one spouse may have to compromise beliefs for the sake of unity. Many people discount this problem only to regret it later. Don’t allow emotion or passion to blind you with someone who will not be your spiritual partner. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to be a visible expression of Christlike character to the people around me. Endue me with the humble spirit to witness effectively for You in my day to day activities, even in my association with unbelievers, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Something to Boast About

 

By grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8–9)

The New Testament correlates faith and grace to make sure that we do not boast in what grace alone achieves.

One of the most familiar examples is Ephesians 2:8. By grace, through faith. There’s the correlation that guards the freedom of grace. By grace, through faith.

Faith is the act of our soul that turns away from our own insufficiency to the free and all-sufficient resources of God. Faith focuses on the freedom of God to dispense grace to the unworthy. It banks on the bounty of God.

Therefore faith, by its very nature, nullifies boasting and fits with grace. Wherever faith looks, it sees grace behind every praiseworthy act. So it cannot boast, except in the Lord. The author of grace.

So Paul, after saying that salvation is by grace through faith, says, “And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9). Faith cannot boast in human goodness or competence or wisdom, because faith focuses on the free, all-supplying grace of God. Whatever goodness faith sees, it sees as the fruit of grace.

When it looks at our “wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,” it says, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Corinthians 1:30–31).

BUILD UP YOURSELF IN THE WORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MAY 30 , 2022.

SUBJECT: BUILD UP YOURSELF IN THE WORD! 

Memory verse: "So now, brethren, I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and give you an inheritance among all those who are sanctified." (Acts 20 vs 32.)

READ: Second Timothy 3 vs 16 - 17:

3:16: All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

3:17: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

INTIMATION:

The Word of God is the means by which God instructs those who seek to be His children. One cannot be a disciple of Jesus unless he is guided in life by the inspired Word of God. God’s Word is profitable for motivating repentance in one’s life and direction of his behavior. Obedience to the Word of God will deter one from the wrong direction of life. Study of, and meditation, on the Word of God will mold one’s mind for correct thinking and behavior. 

Our conquest is ensured in our building up ourselves in the Word of God by doing all that is required of us in the Word. Today’s memory verse was the apostle Paul’s recommendation to the believers when he was leaving the church at Ephesus. He may never see them again and he commended them to the Father. He turned them over into the hands of love, and he said, ‘I not only do this, but I commend you to the word of His grace.’ The apostle Paul's epistles are the words of His grace, and so the whole New Testament makes up the Book of the Word of the Father's grace.

If the apostle Paul is to be here with us now, he would say, "I want you to study it. I want you to prove yourself capable of doing the Word." There is ability in the Word as you study it to put you over and make you a conqueror. To merely know the Word has no real value in it unless it becomes a part of your life in practicing it. As you begin to live the Word, then it becomes a part of your very being—enters into your blood, into your very system. Consequently, the strength and ability of God becomes a part of you, and you would be overwhelmed by “the exceeding greatness of His power toward you who believe, according to working of His mighty power.” 

The apostle Paul entrusted the Ephesian elders to the guidance of the revealed word of God. It would spiritually build them up if they allowed God to work in their lives through the word. If they remained faithful to the word of God, they would receive the result of their faith which was the salvation of their souls in heaven. God’s people must be entirely dependent on the Word of God for direction. Neither subjective emotional experiences nor traditions should be allowed to be the foundation upon which disciples of Christ base their faith. 

Since the Word of God will be our only standard by which we will be judged, then it is imperative that we direct our lives according to what is written. One must come to the Scriptures with the attitude that within them lies wisdom and answers to all problems of life. With such an attitude toward the Scriptures, one will benefit from his or her study of God’s Word. The fact that the Scriptures are sufficient to guide one to eternal dwelling, implies that one must trust in God’s speaking to him through the revealed Word of God.

Prayer: Abba Father, build me up in Your Word, and give me the wisdom and knowledge of the riches of my inheritance in Jesus Christ that is revealed in Your Word, and the exceeding greatness of Your mighty working power toward those who put their trust in You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

OH NO HAD I KNOWN

 

When God Goes Against His Will

 

But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death. (1 Samuel 2:25)

The sons of Eli the priest would not obey their father when he rebuked them for their sin. There are three implications of this text for our lives.

1) It is possible to sin so long and so grievously that the Lord will not grant repentance.

That is why Paul said that after all our pleading and teaching, “God may perhaps grant them repentance” — not, “will grant them repentance” (2 Timothy 2:25). There is a “too late” in the life of sin. As it says of Esau in Hebrews 12:17, “He found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.” He was forsaken; he could not repent.

This does not mean that those who truly repent even after a whole lifetime of sinning cannot be saved. They certainly can be, and will be! God is staggeringly merciful. Remember the thief on the cross. Jesus said to him, “Today you will be with me in paradise” (Luke 23:43).

2) Sometimes God does not permit a sinning person to do what is right.

“But they would not listen to the voice of their father, for it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.” Listening to the voice of their father was the right thing to do. But they would not. Why? “For it was the will of the Lord to put them to death.”

The reason given for why they did not obey their father was that God had other purposes for them, and had given them up to sinning and death. This shows that there are times when the will of God’s decree is different from the revealed will of God’s command.

3) Sometimes our prayers for God’s revealed will to be done will not be done because God has decreed something different for holy and wise purposes.

I suppose that Eli prayed for his sons to be changed. That is how he should have prayed. But God had decreed that Hophni and Phinehas not obey, but rather be slain.

When something like this happens (which we do not ordinarily know ahead of time) while we are crying out to God for change, the answer of God is not: “I don’t love you.” Rather the answer is: “I have wise and holy purposes in not overcoming this sin and not granting repentance. You do not see these purposes now. Trust me. I know what I am doing. I love you.”

BE A SERVANT-LEADER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MAY 29, 2022.

SUBJECT: BE A SERVANT-LEADER!

Memory verse: "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave.” (Matthew 20 vs 27.)

READ: Luke 22 vs 24 - 27: 

22:24: Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. 

22:25: And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise leadership over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.' 

22:26: But not so among you, on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. 

22:27: For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves."

INTIMATION:

The world's system of leadership is very different from leadership in God's kingdom. Worldly leaders are often selfish and arrogant as they claw their way to the top. In the ancient world, leaders exercise authority over their subjects. Even in their high-handedness, as their subjects worship them, they ironically called themselves “Benefactors,” that is “Friend of the people.”

But among Christians, the leader is to be the one who serves best. No matter your style of leadership, you need a servant's heart. Always ask the people how you can serve better. And pray for the servant's spirit to indwell you.

Jesus' teaching, and servanthood turned the world upside down. By the world's standard and interpretation, being a leader is being in a position of authority, and power, which serves as a tool to gain control over others. But Jesus, in the contrary, did the opposite; He possesses all the powers and authority in heaven and on earth, but chose to serve others. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 20 vs 28, “...The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life a random for many.”

Jesus, during His earth walk, did all He preached—leading by example. He was always ready to serve. For instance, He offered Himself for service almost immediately He told the disciples about service in the passage we read today. As they were leaving Jericho, two blind men demanded His service to care for them. Even when the crowd that followed Jesus were rebuking them to keep quiet, they cried out the more for His service. Jesus stopped, called them, asked them of the service they required of Him, and offered His service to them by restoring their sight according to their request. (See Matthew 20 vs 29 - 34.)

Jesus also held children in His arms, healed the sick, washed the disciples' feet, and ultimately died for the sins of the world. Following Jesus means receiving this same power to serve. As believers, we are called to be servants of Christ, and others. As He served, so shall we serve.

Jesus described leadership from the perspective of service. He showed that a real leader, of which He is One, should have a servant's heart—endued with the spirit of servanthood. In our memory verse, Jesus said, ‘A leader should serve the people, instead of being served by the people.’ Such leaders are known as servant-leaders, and they appreciate others' worth and realize that they're not above any job.

The spirit of servanthood is a godly spirit that identifies a child of God. For instance, in Genesis 24 vs 18 - 21, the spirit of servanthood in Rebekah erupted in her when Eliezer beckoned on her to help serve him and his camels. She gladly, and quickly drew water for them. The pots used then for carrying water were large and heavy. It takes a lot of water to satisfy a thirsty camel—up to 25 gallons per camel after a week's travel. 

Seeing Rebekah go to work, Eliezer knew this was a woman with a heart for doing far more than the bare minimum, the heart of a child of God. This should be our attitude at all times. Do you have a servant spirit? When asked to help or when you see a need, go beyond the minimum.

Prayer:Abba Father, You created me to serve You, and others. Endue me with the spirit of servanthood, that I may gladly serve You, and others, according to Your Will, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Payout for Patience

 

“As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive.” (Genesis 50:20)

The story of Joseph in Genesis 37–50 is a great lesson in why we should have faith in the sovereign, future grace of God.

Joseph is sold into slavery by his brothers, which must have tested his patience tremendously. But he is given a good job in Potiphar’s house in Egypt. Then, when he is acting uprightly in the unplanned place of obedience, Potiphar’s wife lies about his integrity and has him thrown into prison — another great trial to his patience.

But again things turn for the better, and the prison keeper gives him responsibility and respect. But just when he thinks he is about to get a reprieve from Pharaoh’s cupbearer, whose dream he interpreted, the cupbearer forgets him for two more years. Another painful trial to his patience.

Finally, the meaning of all these detours and delays becomes clear. Joseph is raised up to be the leader of Egypt, second only to Pharaoh. He ends up saving from starvation the very brothers who sold him into slavery. Joseph says to his long-estranged brothers, “God sent me before you to preserve for you a remnant on earth, and to keep alive for you many survivors. . . . As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive” (Genesis 45:7; 50:20).

What would have been the key to patience for Joseph during all those long years of exile and abuse? The answer is: faith in God’s sovereign, future grace — the sovereign grace of God to turn the unplanned place and the unplanned pace into the happiest ending imaginable.

That’s the key to our patience as well. Do we believe that God is working for us in the strangest and most painful turns of our lives?