SEEK FIRST YOUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY JULY 15, 2023.

SUBJECT: SEEK FIRST YOUR SPIRITUAL NEEDS!

Memory verse: "One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek, that I may dwell in the house of the LORD, all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple." (Psalm 27 vs 4.)

READ: Luke 10 vs 38 - 42: 

10:38: Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house.

10:39: And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. 

10:40: But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.”

10:41: And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things.

10:42: But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen the good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

INTIMATION:

We should have our priorities right, knowing that the spiritual, which controls the physical, should take precedence in all we do. It is good to care for our physical needs. However, the spiritual needs of man are always more important. One must not use the service of physical needs as an excuse to neglect the spiritual food that is more important. It is for this reason that Jesus advised us thus, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6 vs 33.) God will take care of those who seek Him first. 

To seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness means to put God first in your life, making Jesus the Lord and King of your life. He must control every area —your work, play, plans, relationships. You must fill your thoughts with His desires, to take His character for your pattern, and to serve and obey Him in everything. Emphasis here is that we should desire the Will of the Father be done on earth in our hearts, as it is in heaven. God’s righteousness comes through one’s submission to His will. Seeking the kingdom of God, therefore, must be always be first.

People, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these can quickly become most important to you, if you don’t actively choose to give God first place in every area of your life. Our greatest desire should be to live in the presence of the Lord each day of our lives. Sadly, this is not the greatest desire of many who claim to be believers. Many substitute commitment and obedience to God with busywork in form of Christian services, especially in the church, which, to a large extent, is self-serving—wanting to be seen as workers in His vineyard while their heart is far away from Him.

Consider Mary and Martha in the passage we read today, on this occasion they were both serving Jesus in their house, the One they both loved. But Martha was very busy with the household chores while Mary sat at the feet of Jesus listening to His teaching. Martha didn't realize that in her desire to serve, she was actually neglecting her guest. As at the time Jesus was present in the house, Martha’s priorities were wrong. She was busy doing a needed and good work. However, the situation demanded a change in her priorities because the end of Jesus’ ministry was drawing near. It was a time to listen to Jesus for the last time.

It is good to care for the physical needs of the hour. However, the spiritual needs of man are always more important. One must not use the service of physical needs as an excuse to neglect the spiritual food that is more important. In this case, Mary sensed the finality of the hour, and thus she concentrated on what Jesus had to say. Her priorities were determined by what was most important at the time. 

Though Martha’s works were good but were not to her best interest. She got so busy that she found it hard to relax and enjoy her guests. Her service to Jesus degenerated into mere busywork that was no longer full of devotion to Him. The personal attention she gave her guests should be more important than the comforts she tried to provide for them. She was overwhelmed by her wrong priority of placing physical needs above spiritual needs. 

Our work for the necessities of life takes second place to that which is above this world. When material things are in their right priority, they become spiritual in the sense that we consider such to be blessings from God. When material blessings are used for the work of God, then they are a blessing to many. The rich man who continually focuses his material blessings toward the propagation of the gospel is a blessing to the kingdom of God. 

What is really important to you? Is the kingdom  one of your many concerns, or is it central to all you do? Are you holding back any areas of your life from God’s control? As Lord and Creator, He wants to help provide what you need as well as guide how you use what He provides. Only in seeking first the kingdom of God can one maintain the correct priorities of the Christian life. It is when one places God first in all things that God takes care of the one in all ways. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to adequately prioritize my needs, placing You and my spiritual needs first in my life, that I may serve the interest of Your kingdom first in my life’s activities, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Ministry — More Important Than Life

 “But 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.” (Acts 20:24)

According to the New Testament, “ministry” is what all Christians do. According to Ephesians 4:11–12, pastors have the job of equipping the saints for the work of ministry. But ordinary Christians are the ones who do the ministry. 

What ministry looks like is as varied as Christians are varied. It’s not an office like elder or deacon; it’s a lifestyle devoted to making much of Christ and meeting the needs of others. 

It means that we “do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith” (Galatians 6:10). Whether we are bankers or bricklayers, it means that we aim at advancing other people’s faith and holiness to the glory of God. 

Fulfilling your ministry is more important than staying alive. This conviction is what makes the lives of radically devoted people so inspiring to watch. Most of them speak the way Paul did about his ministry here in Acts 20:24: “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.” Doing the ministry that God gives us to do is more important than life.

You may think you need to save your life in order to do your ministry. On the contrary, how you lose your life may be the capstone of your ministry. It certainly was for Jesus — only in his thirties. 

We need not fret about keeping ourselves alive in order to finish our ministry. God alone knows the appointed time of our service. He will decide when our death is not an interruption of our ministry, but the last act of our ministry.

Henry Martyn was right when he said, “If [God] has work for me to do, I cannot die.” In other words, I am immortal until my work is done. Therefore, ministry is more important than life.

THE BEST WAY TO SAVE YOUR LIFE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JULY 14, 2023. 

SUBJECT: THE BEST WAY TO SAVE YOUR LIFE! 

Memory verse: "He who finds his life will lose it, and He who loses his life will find it.” (Matthew 10 vs 39.)

READ: Matthew 16 vs 24 - 26:

16:24: Then said Jesus to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

16:25: For whoever desires to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

16:26: For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

INTIMATION:

The best way to save your life is to cling to Jesus instead of the world and its values; pledging our whole existence to His service which is our real purpose of life. Clinging to the worldly values and lifestyle may cause us to forfeit the best from Christ in this world and in the next. Adherence to, and loving this worldly values (leisure, power, popularity, financial security, etc.) at the expense of your commitment to Christ, and what He desires of you is really unsafe. 

The rewards of this worldly values and lifestyle is really empty compared to what Christ offers. The best way to save your life, therefore, is to loosen your greedy grip on earthly rewards so that you can be free to follow Christ. In doing so, we will experience the immeasurable benefits of following Christ and are assured of living in eternity with Him. 

If one desires to live after the world in order to save his life, then he will lose it. If one denies Christ in order to save himself, in the end he will lose his life. The one who gives himself to the Lord will gain eternal life in the end. Those who crucify themselves, and allow Jesus to control their lives, will live eternally with Him.

The value of one’s soul is beyond comparison with anything of this world. If one owned all that is of this world, such would not profit toward the salvation of his soul. If we truly comprehend the value of our eternal salvation, we would not trade anything of this world for it. If we understand the glory that will be revealed to us, we would understand the foolishness of clinging to this world in a manner that would divert us from Jesus. 

When we don’t know Christ, we make choices as though there were no afterlife. In reality, this life is just the introduction to eternity. How we live this brief span determines our eternal state. What we accumulate on earth has no value in gaining eternal life. Even the highest social or civic honors cannot earn you entrance into heaven. Jesus wants us to follow Him rather than to lead a life of sin and self-satisfaction. He wants us to stop trying to control our own destiny and to let Him direct us. This makes good sense because, as the Creator, Christ knows better than we do of what real life is all about. He asks us only to lose our self-centered determination to be in charge, submitting to Him, and this is by no means self-hatred.

Many people spend all their energy seeking pleasure. Jesus said, however, that worldliness, which is centered on possessions, position, or power, is ultimately worthless. Whatever you have on earth is only temporary; it cannot be exchanged for your soul. If you work hard at getting what you want, you might eventually have a pleasurable life, but in the end you will find it hollow, empty, and all is vanity (Ecclesiastes 12 vs 8). Therefore, make the pursuit of God more important than any selfish pursuit. Follow Jesus, and you will know what it means to live abundantly now, and to live in eternity with Him as well.

One must keep in mind that ambitions to acquire worldly treasures do not profit toward the edification and growth of the soul that must be spiritually prepared for eternal dwelling. There is no spiritual profit in spending one’s life in the acquisition of the things of the world, when in the end, the things of this world will be destroyed and one is left with a life that has been wasted on acquiring material things. 

If this present life is most important to you, you will do everything you can to protect it. You will not want to do anything that might endanger your safety, health, or comfort. By contrast, if following Jesus is most important, you may find yourself in unsafe, unhealthy, and uncomfortable places, you may even risk death, but you will not be afraid because you know that Jesus will raise you to eternal life with Him at the last day. Nothing material can compensate for the loss of eternal life with Christ. Do not use your life on earth merely to please yourself, rather you should spend your life serving God and others.

Those who have committed themselves to Jesus will not only receive the abundant life in this life, they will also receive eternal life in the new heavens and earth to come. It is senseless to profit that which is of this life at the expense of that which is beyond this life. It is senseless because no man with the goods of this world can make an exchange for the heaven that is to come. If any would seek first the satisfaction of earthly desires in order not to glorify God in this life, he would perish eternally. If one does not give his life to Jesus, then he will not receive that which will preserve his life into eternity.

Prayer: Abba Father, by You all things consist. My utmost heart desire is to live and move and have my being in Christ. Give me the grace to embrace Christ in all my ways, and empower me to do all things to please Him, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE BELIEVER’S ERROR OF SELF-CONDEMNATION!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JULY 13, 2023.

SUBJECT: THE BELIEVER’S ERROR OF SELF-CONDEMNATION! 

Memory verse: "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8 vs 1.)

READ: Second Corinthians 5 vs 17 - 19:

5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; Behold, all things have become new.

5:18: Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

5:19: that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing 

their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

INTIMATION:

Guilty conscience is a deep feeling of self-reproach which stems from a belief that one has done wrong. Consequently, this results to self-condemnation under the weight of our sins. Such conscience or self-condemnation hinders our faith life in Christ. This problem of guilt feeling results in the inability of the believer to stand in the Father's presence without the sense of guilt, condemnation or inferiority. With such complex, the believer harbors doubt in his or her mind. And obviously, the doubter cannot ask in faith, and consequently, receives nothing from the Lord (James 1 vs 6 - 7). 

It is noteworthy that a believer has the right to stand in the Father's presence and make his or her petitions known to Him without any sense of condemnation. Here are few things that every believer should know: The believer is actually a “new creation”—brand-new person on the inside. The Holy Spirit gives the believer new life, and he or she is not the same anymore; “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." (Second Corinthians 5 vs 17.) 

Believers are created, and living in vital union with Christ, and have received into their spirits the life and nature of God. The old things of his nature of sin and disobedience, spiritual death, union with Satan, and slavery to sin have passed away. Consequently, the new creation is the product of God, created in Christ Jesus. The new creation is born from above, born of the Holy Spirit, through the Word. And the new thing stands un-condemned before the Father, and reconciled with the Him. 

The moment that we become new creations, we become the righteousness of God. The righteousness of God means the ability to stand in the Father's presence without sense of guilt, condemnation or inferiority. We are at that moment sons and daughters of God by His adoption. 

At conversion the believer do not merely turn over a new leaf; he or she begins a new life under a new Master—Jesus Christ. The Master has sacrificed His life for the believers to make them right with the Father: “For He has made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21.) 

When we trust in Christ, we make an exchange: He takes our sin and makes us right with God. Our sins were laid on Christ at His crucifixion. His righteousness is given to us at conversion. It would be an abnormal thing if He should recreate us, impart to us His own nature, and leave us under the blighting curse of condemnation, unable to stand in His presence without the sense of guilt and inferiority. 

Sin has been preached to us so long and we have been told so often that we are unworthy and unfit, and this has kept us with a sense of inferiority which has been destructive to a faith life. It is noteworthy that no man can work with God as long as he is under condemnation, and we should realize that God has given us His own righteousness in Christ Jesus so that we can fellowship with Him. God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

The Scripture says this about Jesus, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3 vs 18.) All have sinned and all stand condemned already before God. However, by God’s mercy and love, He made a way of escape from this condemnation by sending His Son as a propitiation for our sins, and only those who believe in the sacrificial death of Jesus for our sins are not condemned. 

People often try to protect themselves from their fears by putting their faith in something they do or have: good works, skill or intelligence, money or possessions. But only God can save us from the one thing that we really need to fear—eternal condemnation. We believe in God by recognizing the insufficiency of our own efforts to find salvation and by asking Him to do His work in us. When Jesus talks about unbelievers, He means those who reject or ignore Him completely, not those who have momentary doubts. 

Prayer: Abba Father, inexplicable and undeniable gift of salvation, thank you so much for the unparalleled privilege of Your adopting me as Your son, an heir, and joint heir with Christ. Thank You, O Lord my Father, for the privilege of imputing to me Your righteousness in Christ, that I can stand before You without any sense of condemnation or inferiority, in the mighty Name of Jesus I have given thanks, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

What Moves You to Minister?

 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8)

Faith has an insatiable appetite for experiencing as much of God’s grace as possible. Therefore, faith presses toward the river where God’s grace flows most freely, namely, the river of love.

What other force will move us out of our contented living rooms to take upon ourselves the inconveniences and suffering that love requires? 

What will propel us . . . 

to greet strangers when we feel shy?

to go to an enemy and plead for reconciliation when we feel indignant?

to tithe when we’ve never tried it?

to speak to our colleagues about Christ when we are timid?

to invite new neighbors to a Bible study?

to cross cultures with the gospel?

to create a new ministry for alcoholics?

to spend an evening driving a van?

to invest a morning praying for renewal?

None of these costly acts of love just happens. They are impelled by a new appetite — the appetite of faith for the fullest experience of God’s grace. We want more of God. And we want this more than we want our private, disturbance-free security and comfort. 

Faith loves to rely on God and see him work miracles in us. Therefore, faith pushes us into the current where the power of God’s future grace flows most freely — the current of love. 

I think this is what Paul meant when he said that we should sow to the Spirit (Galatians 6:8). By faith, we should put the seeds of our energy in the furrows where we know the Spirit is at work to bear fruit — the furrows of love.

GIVE OUT OF GRATITUDE TO GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JULY 12, 2023.

SUBJECT : GIVE OUT OF GRATITUDE TO GOD!

Memory verse: "So let each one give as He purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver." (Second Corinthians 9 vs 7.)

READ: Second Corinthians 9 vs 6 - 11:

9:6: But this I say, He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

9:7: So let each one give as He purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

9:8: And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may have abundance for every good work:

9:9: As it is written, “He has dispersed abroad, he has given to the poor: his righteousness endures  forever.

9:10: Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown  and increase the fruits of your righteousness,

9:11: while you be enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.

INTIMATION:

Christians should give of their own free will without reluctance and without feeling compelled to give. They should be moved to give out of gratitude and the grace of God in their lives. Therefore, they should seek to see how much they can give, not how little they can give. Since Christians are grace-motivated, they should give out of thanksgiving to God for saving them by His grace. Grace-motivated Christians are thus cheerful givers, and spiritually grow every time they have the opportunity to give.

A giving attitude is more important than the amount given. The person who can give only a small gift shouldn’t be embarrassed. God is concerned about the motive with which a person gives from his or her resources. God Himself is a cheerful giver. Consider all He has done for us. He is pleased when we who are created in His image give generously and joyfully. Do you have a difficult time letting go of your money? It may reflect ungratefulness to God.

Believers are called to be generous because of the example of the Lord of life. A stingy Christian should be an extinct specie. Generosity proves that a person’s heart has been cleansed of self-interest and filled with the servant spirit of Jesus Himself. That is why acts of generosity result in God being praised. Do neighbors see generosity in your actions?

Christians shouldn't fall for any kind of coercion to give. That is tantamount to given of necessity. The only giving that is acceptable to God is that which you purpose in your own heart and give cheerfully—not grudgingly or of necessity. You aren't going to buy prosperity from God, or force Him into blessing you, just like you don't need to pay Him protection money to keep the curse of the law out of your life. Give as a response of joy and love for God. And let your giving be a matter of rejoicing rather than duty.

Any giving tagged to receiving any specific thing in return is tantamount to bartering with God. For instance, when  a preacher says things like "if anyone gives a specific amount within the next ten minutes then God is going to open the heavens and pour out all kinds of blessings" or “the first 100 people that will give’xxx’ amount will receive a specific blessing from God.” These are not, in any way, an exercise of faith. It is giving of necessity, giving to receive a specific thing.

We should pray for the grace of giving. Too often, stewardship of money is given a different status than other aspects of discipleship. Most believers would not want their growth in faith, knowledge, or love to stop at a certain level. Yet many decide a fixed percentage of their money to give and stay there for life. True discipleship includes growing in the mature use of all resources, therefore, your giving should expand as well. God can give you the desire and enable you to increase your capacity to give. Don’t ever miss such opportunity for growth. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to the world out of Your love for it, and the gifts You have always bestowed on us Your children cheerfully. Endure with the grace to give out of gratitude for all You have done, is doing, and yet to do for me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

Faith Expels Guilt, Greed, and Fear

 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5)

Paul is aiming at love. And one of the essential sources of this great effect is sincere faith. The reason faith is such a sure source of love is that faith in God’s grace expels from the heart the sinful powers that hinder love.

If we feel guilty, we tend to wallow in self-centered depression and self-pity, unable to see, let alone care about, anyone else’s need. Or we play the hypocrite to cover our guilt, and so destroy all sincerity in relationships, which makes real love impossible. Or we talk about other people’s faults to minimize the guilt of our own, which love does not do. So, if we are going to love, the destructive effects of guilt must be overcome.

It’s the same with fear. If we feel fearful, we tend not to approach a stranger at church who might need a word of welcome and encouragement. Or we may reject frontier missions as a vocation, because it sounds too dangerous. Or we may waste money on excessive insurance, or get swallowed up in all manner of little phobias that make us preoccupied with ourselves and blind us to the needs of others. All of which are the opposite of love.

It’s the same with greed. If we are greedy, we may spend money on luxuries — money that ought to go to the spread of the gospel. We don’t undertake anything risky, lest our precious possessions and our financial future be jeopardized. We focus on things instead of people, or see people as resources for our material advantage. So love is ruined.

But faith in future grace produces love by pushing guilt and fear and greed out of the heart. 

It pushes out guilt because it holds fast to the hope that the death of Christ is sufficient to secure acquittal and righteousness now and forever (Hebrews 10:14). 

It pushes out fear because it banks on the promise, “Fear not, for I am with you. . . . I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). 

And it pushes out greed because it is confident that Christ is greater wealth than all the world can offer (Matthew 13:44).

So when Paul says, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from . . . sincere faith,” he is speaking of the tremendous power of faith to overcome all the obstacles to love. When we fight the fight of faith — the fight to believe the promises of God that kill guilt and fear and greed — we are fighting for love.