GREATNESS IN GOD’S EYES!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JANUARY 02, 2025.

SUBJECT: GREATNESS IN GOD’S EYES!

Memory verse: "But he who is greatest among you shall be your servant.” (Matthew 23 vs 11.)

READ: Mark 10 vs 42 - 45:

10:42: But Jesus called them to Himself and saith to them, “You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them.

10:43: Yet it shall not be so among you; but whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.

10:44: And whoever of you desires to be first shall be slave of all.

10:45: For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

INTIMATION:

Our care for others is a measure of our greatness—our position of authority—in God’s eyes. In both our memory verse and the passage we read today, Jesus challenged society’s norms. To Him greatness comes from serving—giving of yourself to serve God and others. Service keeps us aware of others’ needs, and it stops us from focusing only on ourselves. Jesus came as a servant. The greatest person in God’s kingdom is the servant of all. God gives us authority, not for self-importance, ambition, or respect, but for useful service to God and His creation. 

Jesus is great, and a perfect example of lasting greatness in the eyes of God. During His earth walk, He said, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve” (Mark 10 vs 45). He was the model servant, and He showed is servant attitude to His disciples when He washed their feet (John 13 vs 1 - 17). Washing guests’ feet was a job for a household servant to carry out when guests arrived. But Jesus wrapped a towel around His waist, as the lowliest slave will do, and washed and dried His disciples’ feet. If even He, God in the flesh, is willing to serve, we His followers must also be servants, willing to serve in any way that glorifies God.

In contemporary society businesses, organizations, and institutions measure greatness by personal achievement. In Christ’s kingdom, however, service is the way to get ahead. Jesus said that true greatness comes from serving others. The desire to be on top will hinder, not help. Rather than seeking to have your needs met, look for ways that you can minister to the needs of others.

When a dispute arose among the disciples of Jesus as to which of them would be the greatest, Jesus brought a child before Himself, and said to His disciples, “Whoever receives this little child in My name receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me. For he who is least among you all will be great.” (Luke 9 vs 48.) In Jesus’ eyes, whoever welcomes a child welcomes Him. Ministering to the need of a less privileged person is the same as giving an offering to God. By contrast, harming others or failing to care for them is a sin, even if they are unimportant people in the world’s eyes. It is possible for thoughtless, selfish people to gain a measure of worldly greatness, but lasting greatness is measured by God’s standards. What do you use as your measure, personal achievement or unselfish service?

How much we love God can be measured by how well we treat others. Jesus’ example of giving a cup of cold water to a thirsty child is a good model of unselfish service (Matthew 10 vs 42). A child usually can’t or won’t return a favor. God notices every good deed we do or don’t do as if He were the one receiving it. Is there something unselfish you can do for someone also today? Although no one else may see you, God will notice.

Greatness is measured not by what you have but by your faith in God. Are you willing to follow Christ’s example of serving? Whom can you serve today? There is a special blessing for those who not only agree that humble service is Christ’s way, but who also follow through and do it (John 13 vs 17).

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of selfless service to You and others, just as Christ gave us example, that I may achieve greatness in Your eyes, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Cross Over to 2025

 

Grace for the New Year

 Grace for the New Year

By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Grace is not only God’s disposition to do good for us when we don’t deserve it. It is an actual power from God that acts and makes good things happen in us and for us.

God’s grace was God’s acting in Paul to make Paul work hard: “By the grace of God . . . I worked harder than any of them.” So when Paul says, “Work out your own salvation,” he adds, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13). Grace is power from God to do good things in us and for us.

This grace is past and it is future. It is ever-cascading over the infinitesimal waterfall of the present, from the inexhaustible river of grace coming to us from the future, into the ever-increasing reservoir of grace in the past.

In the next five minutes, you will receive sustaining grace flowing to you from the future, and you will accumulate another five minutes’ worth of grace in the reservoir of the past. The proper response to the grace you experienced in the past is thankfulness, and the proper response to grace promised to you in the future is faith. We are thankful for the past grace of the last year, and we are confident in the future grace for the ne

w year.

THE SIN OF EVIL DESIRES!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 01, 2025.

SUBJECT: THE SIN OF EVIL DESIRES!

Memory verse: "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.” (First Timothy 6 vs 9.)

READ: Matthew 5 vs 27 - 30:

5:27: You have heard that it was said by those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’

5:28: But I say to you that whoever looks on a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

5:29: If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out, and cast it from you; for it is profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

5:30: And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

INTIMATION:

A desire is a craving or longing for something. Some desires are evil or sinful and is frequently translated as “lust.” Some desires are good. For instance, the apostle Paul had the good desire to be with Christ; “For I am hard-pressed between the two, having a desire to depart and be with Christ, which is far better” (Philippians 1 vs 23). Just as the Lord’s desire concerning the last Passover; “Then He said to them, “With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.” (Luke 22 vs 15.)

For evil desires, or inordinate affections, the apostle Paul says, such should not be tolerated by believers because, “Those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passion and desires.” (Galatians 5 vs 24.) When we accept Christ as our Savior, we need to turn from our sinful ways and willingly nail our sinful nature to the cross. This doesn’t mean, however, that we will never see traces of its evil desires again. As Christians we still have the capacity to sin and sometimes sin, but we have been set free from sin’s power over us and no longer have to give in to it. We must daily commit our sinful tendencies to God’s control, daily crucify them, and moment by moment draw on the Spirit’s power to overcome them. 

“Lust” is a devilish desire. Jesus said “lust” is as good as the “deed” itself. For instance, the Old Testament law says that it is wrong for a person to have sex with someone other than his or her spouse (Exodus 20 vs 14). But Jesus said that the desire to have sex with someone other than your spouse is mental adultery and thus sin. Jesus was emphasizing here that if the act is wrong, then so is the intention. In the passage we read today, Jesus is condemning the deliberate and repeated filling of one’s mind with fantasies that would be evil if acted upon. Therefore, desires that will lead you to wrongdoing should not be accommodated. 

Some people may desire to be rich, which in itself, is not wrong or evil, but the desire to be rich at all costs will definitely build up ideas in their minds that will expose them to temptations, snares, and many foolish things that are harmful and destructive. For instance, somebody might desire to make wealth by all means, and will be harboring stealing, money rituals, or obtaining by false pretenses, and if such desires are acted upon, the person may be committing murder, and other heinous crimes that are evil in themselves. Sinful actions are more dangerous than sinful desires, hence desires should not be acted out. Nevertheless, sinful desires are just as damaging to obedience as the actions proper. Left unchecked, wrong desires will result in wrong actions and turn people away from God.

Jesus was speaking figuratively when He said you should get rid of your hand or your eye, He didn’t mean literally to gouge your eye, because even a blind person can lust. But if that were the only choice, it would be better to go into heaven with one eye or hand than to go to hell with the two. It takes the help of the Holy Spirit to resist any actions on our evil desires. The world is full of enticements. Daily we are confronted with subtle cultural pressures and overt propaganda. The only way to escape these destructive influences is to ask God to help crucify our interest in them.

Evil acts begin with evil desires. It isn’t enough to ask God to keep you away from temptation, make you stronger, or change your circumstances. You must ask Him to change you on the inside—at the level of your desires. The Scripture says, “Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it springs the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4 vs 23.) We should keep our hearts with all diligence, making sure we concentrate on those desires that will keep us on the right path. Make sure your affections push you in the right direction. 

Put boundaries on your desires: Don’t go after everything you see. And don’t get sidetracked on detours that lead to temptation: “Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things that are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things that pure, whatever things that lovely, whatever things that are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” (Philippians 4 vs 8.)

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to put boundaries on my desires, to concentrate on those desires that will keep me on the right path of obedience to You, and to always think of and meditate on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen. 

PRAISE  THE LORD!

Death Rehearsal

 Death Rehearsal

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. . . . So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:5–6, 12)

For me, the end of a year is like the end of my life. And 11:59 pm on December 31 is like the moment of my death.

The 365 days of the year are like a miniature lifetime. And these final hours are like the last days in the hospital after the doctor has told me that the end is very near. And in these last hours, the lifetime of this year passes before my eyes, and I face the inevitable question: Did I live it well? Will Jesus Christ, the righteous Judge, say “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21)?

I feel very fortunate that this is the way my year ends. And I pray that the year’s end might have the same significance for you. 

The reason I feel fortunate is that it is a great advantage to have a trial run at my own dying. It is a great benefit to rehearse once a year in preparation for the last scene of your life. It is a great benefit because the morning of January 1 will find most of us still alive, at the brink of a whole new lifetime, able to start fresh all over again.

The great thing about rehearsals is that they show you where your weaknesses are, where your preparation was faulty; and they leave you time to change before the real play in front of a real audience. 

I suppose for some of you the thought of dying is so morbid, so gloomy, so fraught with grief and pain that you do your best to keep it out of your minds, especially during holidays. I think that is unwise and that you do yourself a great disservice. I have found that there are few things more revolutionizing for my life than a periodic pondering of my own death. 

How do you get a heart of wisdom so as to know how best to live? The psalmist answers:

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. . . . So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:5–6, 12)

Numbering your days simply means remembering that your life is short and your dying will be soon. Great wisdom — great, life-revolutionizing wisdom — comes from periodically pondering these things.

The criterion of success, that Paul used to measure his life, was whether he had kept the faith. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7–8). Let this be our test at year’s end. 

And if we discover that we did not keep the faith this past year, then we can be glad, as I am, that this year-end death is (probably) only a rehearsal, and a whole life of potential faith-keeping lies before

 us in the next year.

THE BEATITUDES—THE CHRISTIANS WAY OF LIFE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY DECEMBER 31, 2024.

SUBJECT: THE BEATITUDES—THE CHRISTIANS WAY OF LIFE!

Memory verse: “To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He might be glorified.” (Isaiah 61 vs 3.) 

READ: Matthew 5 vs 3 - 12:

 5:3: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:4: Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5:5: Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

5:6: Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

5:7: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

5:8: Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

5:9: Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the sons of God.

5:10: Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

5:11: Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

5:12: Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven: for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. 

INTIMATION:

The Beatitudes can be understood in at least four ways: (1) They are a code of ethics for the disciples and a standard of conducts for all believers. (2) They contrast kingdom values (what is eternal) with worldly values (what is temporary). (3) They contrast the superficial “faith” with the real faith that Christ demands. (4) They show how the Old Testament expectations will be fulfilled in the new kingdom. These Beatitudes are not multiple choice—pick what you like and leave the rest. They must be taken as a whole. They describe what we should be like as Christ’s followers. 

Each Beatitude tells how to be blessed by God. Blessed means more than happiness. It implies the fortunate or enviable state of those who are in God’s kingdom. The Beatitudes don’t promise laughter, pleasure, or earthly prosperity. Being “blessed” by God means the experience of hope and joy, independent of outward circumstances. To find hope and joy, the deepest form of happiness, follow Jesus no matter what the cost.

Blessed could also be translated “happy.” Happiness in heart results from the application in life of the characteristics expressed in the Beatitudes:

(1) Poor in spirit: Happy are those who are not proud, conceited or arrogant concerning their spiritual relationship with God. One must recognize his humanity, his spiritual poverty and destitution. One must empty himself of self-reliance and learn to humble himself before God.

(2) Mourn: Happy are those who recognize their spiritual poverty, and thus, humbly grieve over their sinfulness. The humble person recognizes his spiritual poverty and thus mourns over his inadequacies before God. 

(3) Meek: When one mourns over his sin, his relationship with others changes. He becomes mild, gentle, lowly and unselfish in character. He is not arrogant or self-seeking. The meek will inherit the earth in the sense that they will enjoy the greatest that life has to offer. Because they understand the brevity of life and the temporary nature of material things, their concentration of thought is on that which is above.

(4) Hunger and thirst: Those who realize their sinful condition and mourn over their sin, hunger and thirst after the justification (righteousness) that can come only from God by His grace. They seek the knowledge of God through His word. It is the Word of God that will supply knowledge of how to be justified of one’s sin. God is the source of all righteousness.

(5) Merciful; Those who recognize their own spiritual poverty are merciful to others. They sympathize and have pity on others. They thus seek to relieve the suffering of others because God has had mercy on them in relation to their sin. Contrary to the legalistically proud who seek to judge, the meek have mercy. Their mercy will reap mercy from God.

(5) Pure in heart: Happy are those who do not seek evil, but are sincere. Without guile or a vile heart of evil motives, they do not seek to find evil in others. The pure in heart will understand the pure nature of God.

Peacemakers: Those who recognize their own sinfulness will seek peace of mind with others. Such are sons of God for they portray the spirit of God in their relationship with others. They are not contentious, nor do they have a spirit to argue with others.

Persecuted: Those who portray in their lives the above characteristics will be sons of God. Being such will bring persecution from those of the world who do not understand such behavior. Christians are persecuted because they refuse to walk in the darkness of the world. 

Persecution can be good because (1) it takes our eyes off earthly rewards, (2) it strips away superficial belief, (3) it strengthens the faith of those who endure, and (4) our attitude through it serves as an example to others who follow. We can be comforted knowing that God’s greatest prophets were persecuted (Elijah, Jeremiah, Daniel). The fact that we are being persecuted proves that we have been faithful; faithless people would be unnoticed. In future God will reward the faithful by receiving them into His eternal kingdom, where there is no more persecution.

Rejoice: This is the attitude of those who truly understand the inner nature of the Christian life. They are able to rejoice in persecution for they know that life exists beyond this world. The same evil envy that led to the persecution of the prophets of the Old Testament will also lead to the persecution of Christians who stand up for their faith. 

God’s way of living usually contradicts the world’s. If you want to live for God, you must be ready to say and do what seems strange to the world. You must be willing to give when others take, to love when others hate, to help when others abuse. By giving up your own rights in order to serve others, you will one day receive everything God has in store for you. 

Jesus said that God’s kingdom is organized differently from worldly kingdoms. In the kingdom of heaven, wealth and power and authority are unimportant. Kingdom people seek different blessings and benefits, and they have different attitudes. Are your attitudes a carbon copy of the world’s selfishness, pride, and lust for power, or do they reflect the humility and self-sacrifice of Jesus, your King?

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of Christlikeness; abhorring evil, cleaving to that which is good, loving one another, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation, continuing instant in prayer, distributing to the necessity of saints, given to hospitality, blessing those that persecute me, and not cursing them, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Outfitted and Empowered

 Outfitted and Empowered

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21)

Christ shed the blood of the eternal covenant. By this successful redemption, he obtained the blessing of his own resurrection from the dead. That is even clearer in Greek than it is in English, and here it’s clear enough: “God . . . brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus . . . by the blood of the eternal covenant.” This Jesus — raised by the blood of the covenant — is now our living Lord and Shepherd.

And because of all that, God does two things: 

he equips us with everything good that we may do his will, and 

he works in us that which is pleasing in his sight.

The “eternal covenant,” secured by the blood of Christ, is the new covenant. And the new covenant promise is this: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). Therefore, the blood of this covenant not only secures God’s equipping us to do his will, but also secures God working in us to make that equipping successful. 

The will of God is not just written on stone or paper as a means of grace. It is worked in us. And the effect is: We feel and think and act in ways more pleasing to God.

We are still commanded to use the equipment he gives: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” But more importantly we are told why: “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13).

If we are able to please God — if we do his good pleasure — it is because the blood-bought grace of God has moved from mere equipping to omnipotent transforming.