USE YOUR MONEY WISELY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JULY 20, 2022.

SUBJECT: USE YOUR MONEY WISELY! 

Memory verse: "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys." (Luke 12  vs 33.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 19 - 21:

6:19: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

6:20: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

6:21: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

INTIMATION: 

The key to using money wisely is to see how much we can use for God's purposes, not how much you can accumulate for yourself. How do you treasure your possessions? Does your money free you to help others? Does God's love touch your wallet? If your answer is yes, then you are using your money wisely, and is storing up lasting treasures in heaven. 

We are to make wise use of the monetary opportunities we have. If we use our money to help those in need or to help others find Christ, our earthly investment will bring eternal benefit which should be the utmost heart desire of every child of God. When we obey God’s Will, the unselfish use of our possessions will follow. 

What does money mean to you? Although Jesus said “Sell what you have and give alms,” this does not mean that all believers should sell all their possessions. Most of His followers did not sell everything, although they used their possessions to serve others. Instead, this advice shows us that we must not let our possessions or money keep us from following Jesus. We must be ready to use our money for service to God, the interest of His kingdom, help others in need, and humanity at large. 

We must remove all barriers to serving God fully. If Jesus asked, could you give up your house? your car? your level of income? your position on the ladder of promotion? Your reactions may show your attitude toward money—whether it is your servant or your master, whether you are using your money wisely or not.

Jesus contrasts the physical and temporary things of this world with the eternal, spiritual 

things that will endure the destruction of the physical. He contrasted heavenly values with earthly values when he explained that our first loyalty should be to those things that do not fade, cannot be stolen or used up, and never wear out. If one has many things of this world, his thoughts, worry, and usually desires, will be focused on this world which will one day pass away. 

If one’s mind is on those things that are above, then his thoughts, desires and ambitions are on spiritual things. We should not be fascinated with our possessions, lest they possess us. God alone deserves to be our master. Either we store our treasures with God, focus our eyes on Him and serve Him alone—or else we do not serve Him at all. 

Treasures that we possess on earth can easily be consumed or taken from us. Because we know they can soon be taken from us, we worry about them. By concentrating on those things that are above this earth, one places earthly things in the right perspective. The crown of righteousness in heaven awaits those who have forsaken the treasures of the world.

When material things are in their right priority, they become spiritual in the sense that we consider such to be blessings from God. It is not that material things are wrong. When material things are used for God’s work, then they are a blessing to many. 

God blesses you so as to be a blessing to others. God said to Abraham, "...I will bless you; and you shall be a blessing" (Genesis 12 vs 2). This is a very important truth. How then do you manage the blessings God entrusted with you? Are you serving Him with them? Are you blessing others with your talent, money, possessions, etc., or are you greedy and selfish with them? Use your possessions wisely to serve God, the interest of His kingdom, and humanity.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to manage Your resources entrusted to me properly, that I may serve You and others and the interest of Your kingdom with them to earn Your approval, and enter into Your rest, in Jesus’ most precious Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Grace for Every Need

 

Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant. (Psalm 86:16)

Future grace is the constant plea of the praying psalmists. They pray for it again and again to meet every need. They give us a beautiful model of daily dependence on future grace for every exigency.

They cry out for grace when they need help: “Hear, O Lord, and be merciful to me! O Lord, be my helper!” (Psalm 30:10).

When they are weak: “Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant” (Psalm 86:16).

When they need healing: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am languishing; heal me, O Lord” (Psalm 6:2).

When they are afflicted by enemies: “Be gracious to me, O Lord! See my affliction from those who hate me” (Psalm 9:13).

When they are lonely: “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted” (Psalm 25:16).

When they are grieving: “Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am in distress; my eye is wasted from grief” (Psalm 31:9).

When they have sinned: “O Lord, be gracious to me; heal me, for I have sinned against you!” (Psalm 41:4).

When they long for God’s name to be exalted among the nations: “God be gracious to us and bless us . . . that your way may be known on earth” (Psalm 67:1–2).

Unmistakably, prayer is the great link of faith between the soul of the saint and the promise of future grace. If ministry was meant by God to be sustained by prayer, then ministry was meant to be sustained by faith in future grace.

THE GREATEST TRUST AND TEST GOD PUT BEFORE US IS MONEY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY JULY 19, 2022.

SUBJECT: THE GREATEST TRUST AND TEST GOD PUT BEFORE US IS MONEY! 

Memory verse: "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" (Luke 16 vs 11.)

READ: Luke 16 vs 9 - 13:

16:9: And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

16:10: He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much.

16:11: Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

16:12: And If you have not been faithful in what is another man’s, who will give you what is your own?

16:13: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

INTIMATION:

Every resources available to us are gifts from God that He has entrusted to our care and management. These include our time, energy, intelligence, opportunities, relationships, possessions, and all other gifting from God. We are stewards of whatever God gives us. 

The greatest test and trust God put before us is money, hence one quarter of the teachings of Christ during His earth walk was on money. Most people fail to realize that money is both a test and a trust from God, and the greatest. God uses money to teach us to trust Him. God watches how we use money, and also how trustworthy we are with the money available to us. 

God says there is a direct relationship between how you use your money and the quality of your spiritual life. How you manage your money ("worldly wealth") determines how much God can trust you with spiritual blessings ("true riches"). Let me ask you: Is the way you manage your money preventing God from doing more in your life? Can you be trusted with spiritual riches?

Our use of money is a good test of the lordship of Christ. (1) Money belongs to God, not us; let us use our resources wisely. (2) Money can be used for good or evil; let us use ours for good. (3) Money has a lot of power; let us use it carefully and thoughtfully. We must use our material goods in a way that will foster faith and obedience to God. 

You can get a lot about a person’s character by the way he or she handles money. The wicked person steals under the guise of borrowing. The righteous person gives generously to the needy. Wicked people, therefore, focus on themselves, while righteous people look to the welfare of others. 

The greatest lesson in the passage we read today is in Luke 16 vs 9, Jesus said, “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.” The shrewd and unjust steward was even commended by the master, because he had dealt shrewdly by making friends with possessions entrusted to him. 

Jesus noted that “The sons of this world (the unbelievers) are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light (believers or Christians)” (Luke 16 vs 8). How? The unbelievers are a lot more better than Christians at making friends with their possessions. Philanthropy (goodwill toward mankind, voluntary promotion of human welfare) is far much practiced by unbelievers than Christians in our society. But this is an error; Christians, as followers of Christ, should be better stewards of the resources God entrusted them with. They should be selfless rather than being selfish. 

It is also important to note that our integrity is often put in line in money matters. God calls us to be honest even in small details we could easily ignore. Heaven’s riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. But if we are not trustworthy with our money here (no matter how much or little we have), we will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God’s kingdom. See that you maintain your integrity in all matters, whether big or small. 

Jesus contrasted heavenly values with earthly values when he explained that our first loyalty should be to those things that do not fade, cannot be stolen or used up, and never wear out (Matthew 6 vs 20). We should not be fascinated with our possessions, lest they possess us. God alone deserves to be our master. Either we store our treasures with God, focus our eyes on Him and serve Him alone—or else we do not serve Him at all. 

God’s people should not live for money, because money will be worthless in eternity. And they should keep on guard constantly against greed, a sin that is always ready to take over their lives. Some people are so obsessed with money that they will change their God-given standards and lifestyle to get it. If money is a controlling force in your life, it must be curbed, or it will harm others and destroy your relationship with God. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to manage Your resources entrusted to me properly, that I may serve You and others and the interest of Your kingdom with them to earn Your approval, and enter into Your rest, in Jesus’ most precious Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

His Timing Is Perfect

 

Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may find grace for a well-timed help. (Hebrews 4:16, my literal translation)

I know this precious verse is usually translated, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” But that is a paraphrase — a true one — to show that God shows up just when we need him. But the literal focus is on how timely the help is.

All ministry is in the future — a moment away, or a month away, or a year, or a decade. We have ample time to fret about our inadequacy. When this happens, we must turn to prayer.

Prayer is the form of faith that connects us today with the grace that will make us adequate for tomorrow’s ministry. Timing really matters.

What if grace comes too early or comes too late? The traditional translation of Hebrews 4:16 does not make clear a very precious promise in this regard. We need a more literal rendering to see it. The promise is not merely that we find grace “to help in time of need,” but that the grace is well-timed by God.

The point is that prayer is the way to find future grace for a well-timed help. This grace of God always arrives from the “throne of grace” on time. The phrase “throne of grace” means that future grace comes from the King of the universe who sets the times by his own authority (Acts 1:7).

His timing is perfect, but it is rarely ours: “For a thousand years in [his] sight are but as yesterday when it is past” (Psalm 90:4). At the global level, he sets the times for nations to rise and fall (Acts 17:26). And at the personal level, “My times are in [his] hand” (Psalm 31:15).

When we wonder about the timing of future grace, we must think on the “throne of grace.” Nothing can hinder God’s plan to send grace when it will be best for us. Future grace is always well-timed.

God’s Grace in Spiritual Gifts

 

As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace. (1 Peter 4:10)

When we use our spiritual gifts, we are stewarding grace — not yesterday’s grace, but today’s, arriving in every moment of need. And this future grace is “varied grace.” It comes in many colors and shapes and sizes. This is one of the reasons spiritual gifts in the body are so diverse. The prism of God’s gifts in your life will refract shades of divine glory that would never come through my prism.

There are as many future graces as there are needs in the body of Christ — and more. The purpose of spiritual gifts is to receive and dispense the future grace of God to those needs.

But someone may ask, “Why do you take Peter to refer to future grace? Doesn’t a steward manage a household store that is already on hand?”

The main reason I take Peter to refer to future grace is because the next verse illustrates how this works, and the reference there is to ongoing supplies of future grace. He says, “Whoever serves, [let him serve] by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11). The word is “supplies,” not “supplied.” As you serve, serve in the power of the ongoing supply of God’s grace to do what you need to do.

When you fulfill your spiritual gift to serve someone tomorrow, you will be serving “by the strength that God supplies” — and the supply will be tomorrow, not today. “As your days, so shall your strength be” (Deuteronomy 33:25).

God goes on, day-by-day, moment-by-moment, supplying the “strength” in which we minister. He does this because the ongoing, inexhaustible supplier of power gets the glory. “Whoever serves, [let him serve] by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.”

PRAISE AND THANK GOD CONTINUALLY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY JULY 18, 2022.

SUBJECT: PRAISE AND THANK GOD CONTINUALLY! 

Memory verse: "So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations." (Psalm 79 vs 13.)

READ: Psalm 69 vs 30 - 31; 92 vs 1 - 3:

69:30: I will praise the name of God with song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. 

69:31: This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which have horns and hooves.

92:1: It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. 

92:2: To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night,

92:3: On an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with harmonious sound.

INTIMATION:

Praise is an act of worship, commending or given honor to; when you express yourself in such manner, it is praise. Thanksgiving is acknowledging a goodness. We can count the few things that make us feel better than receiving heartfelt praise and appreciation from someone else. God loves it, too. He is pleased when we express our adoration and gratitude to Him. We praise God for who He is, and thank Him for what he has done. We acknowledge God when we shout our praises, appreciate His status as our Creator, accept His authority in every detail of life, enthusiastically agree with the guidance He gives us, and express our thanks for His unfailing love.

Praise and thanksgiving are forms of sacrifice to God. The Bible in Hebrews 13 vs 15 says, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." These sacrifices are ever pleasing to God. Our lips should confess God’s name in praise. It is a sacrifice that can be offered anywhere and anytime. A “sacrifice of our lips” today would include thanking Christ for His sacrifice on the cross and telling others about it. Offer Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise. Acts of kindness and sharing are particularly pleasing to God, even when they go unnoticed by others. 

The psalmist, in Psalm 30 vs 12, says, "To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God. I will give thanks to You forever." "I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34 vs 1.) In the Bible, praise and thanksgiving to God is emphasized over 350 times, to indicate their usefulness in our relationship with our Maker.

Amazing things happens when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God. When we give God enjoyment, our own hearts are filled with joy! The Lord inhabits the praises of His children (Psalm 22 vs 3). God comes in His might to answer to our prayers when we worship Him in praise and thanksgiving. For instance, the apostle Paul and Silas suffered persecution, and were imprisoned in Philippi. The Bible recorded in Acts 16 vs 25 - 26: "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed." 

The praises of Paul and Silas brought God to the scene in His might and power. The earth quaked at His presence, and the foundation of the prison was greatly shaken. The prison doors were opened. Can anything resist the Almighty? Certainly not.

Thanks should be on our lips every day. We can never say thank you enough to our parents, friends, leaders, and especially to God. When thanksgiving becomes an integral part of your life, you will find that your attitude toward life will change. You will become more positive, gracious, loving, and humble. Have you worshipped God in all other forms and nothing seem to happen? Praise Him, and He will personally come in His might and power to attend to your prayers. No matter our circumstances, we should praise God. 

Those you praise God always are assured of enjoying His presence at all times, and consequently the fullness of joy! We enjoy what God has done for us, and when we express that enjoyment to God, it brings Him joy and also increases our joy. Yet, in your typical day, how many times do you hear God’s name used profanely? Christians should turn the frequency of the use of His name toward praise! Praise God early in the day before the rush, then again in the hurried middle, and at the end as business winds down. It is pleasing to Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to continually offer the sacrifice of my lips to You, and thank You for Your ever unchanging faithfulness in my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Power to Profess Christ

 

With great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. (Acts 4:33)

If our ministry is to witness to Christ tomorrow in some unsympathetic situation, the key will not be our brilliance; the key will be abundant future grace.

Of all people, the apostles seemed to need least help to give a compelling witness to the risen Christ. They had been with him for three years. They had seen him die. They had seen him alive after the crucifixion. In their witnessing arsenal they had “many proofs” (Acts 1:3). You might think that, of all people, their ministry of witnessing, in those early days, would sustain itself on the strength of the past glories that were still so fresh.

But that is not what the book of Acts tells us. The power to witness with faithfulness and effectiveness did not come mainly from memories of grace; it came from the new arrivals of “great grace.” “Great grace was upon them all.” That’s the way it was for the apostles, and that’s the way it will be for us in our ministry of witnessing.

Whatever added signs and wonders God may show to amplify our witness to Christ, they will come the same way they came for Stephen. “And Stephen, full of grace and power, was doing great wonders and signs among the people” (Acts 6:8). Grace was arriving from God for all that Stephen needed — eventually all that he would need to die.

There is an extraordinary future grace and power that we may bank on in the crisis of special ministry need. It is a fresh act of power by which God “bore witness to the word of his grace” (Acts 14:3; see also Hebrews 2:4). The ever-arriving grace of power bears witness to the ever-given grace of truth.