Gen 1:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.
Gen 2:2 By the seventh day God had finished the work he had been doing; so on the seventh day he rested from all his work.
God reviewed His work and was pleased with the outcome- we should always review what we have done and ensure the outcome is excellent.
Gen 2:3 Then God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it he rested from all the work of creating that he had done.
God then blessed the 7th day and rested. This reminds us the importance of rest. Always do an excellent job and rest. Don't avoid excellence and don't avoid rest. Both are essential.
Prov 18:9 One who is slack in his work
is brother to one who destroys.
God considers slack work similar to destruction. It would have been better if we did nothing at all instead of doing a slack job.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
We have this life and God reminds us that what we need to work at in this life can not be done in the after life. He reminds us that we should do the things we do with our hands with all our might. Putting our all in the works.
Prov 14:23 All hard work brings a profit,
but mere talk leads only to poverty.
God reminds us that there is gain in working hard. We profit from this.
Sunday, 31 March 2019
Saturday, 30 March 2019
Meditate on God's word
Joshua 1:8 Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.
This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth-Speech
But you shall meditate on it day and night-Mind and heart, knowledge from the bible
Then you can be cautious, careful, alert to do all that is written -Action led by God's word
Results
This verse acts as a great reminder of the power of God's word.
Joshua 1:8 says that these words of God should not depart from our mouths.
God speaks His truths, and I speak His truths too.
I hear Him and speak what He says, I think of His words and act on them.
What is it about this word of God?
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
The word of God is living and active- It acts
It is sharper than a double edged sword-It is powerful and has a supernatural ability to pass through the impossible places.
How the word of God acts is beyond what our minds can comprehend.
We are 'one piece' but the word of God pierces through our souls and spirits, joints and marrow.
This word of God discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
God's word is an indescribably powerful and it judges my thoughts and behind my thoughts it sees the intentions that drive me.
When we meditate on God's word, He starts changing us as He mirrors Himself in us through His word.
We allow Him to search us as we meditate on His word. He then shows us truths in us and changes us to be like Him if we allow Him.
Joshua 1:8 reminds us to act on what God's word says and speak what it says. This is achieved by continuous studying and pondering over the word of God. Then as He shows us His truths and we speak it, we also go ahead to do what His will is.
God assures us prosperity if we do this.
Help me Lord to meditate and act on your word. Let it be the fullness in me that comes out of me.
This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth-Speech
But you shall meditate on it day and night-Mind and heart, knowledge from the bible
Then you can be cautious, careful, alert to do all that is written -Action led by God's word
Results
- Your ways prosper
- You will have good success
This verse acts as a great reminder of the power of God's word.
Joshua 1:8 says that these words of God should not depart from our mouths.
God speaks His truths, and I speak His truths too.
I hear Him and speak what He says, I think of His words and act on them.
What is it about this word of God?
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.
The word of God is living and active- It acts
It is sharper than a double edged sword-It is powerful and has a supernatural ability to pass through the impossible places.
How the word of God acts is beyond what our minds can comprehend.
We are 'one piece' but the word of God pierces through our souls and spirits, joints and marrow.
This word of God discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
God's word is an indescribably powerful and it judges my thoughts and behind my thoughts it sees the intentions that drive me.
When we meditate on God's word, He starts changing us as He mirrors Himself in us through His word.
We allow Him to search us as we meditate on His word. He then shows us truths in us and changes us to be like Him if we allow Him.
Joshua 1:8 reminds us to act on what God's word says and speak what it says. This is achieved by continuous studying and pondering over the word of God. Then as He shows us His truths and we speak it, we also go ahead to do what His will is.
God assures us prosperity if we do this.
Help me Lord to meditate and act on your word. Let it be the fullness in me that comes out of me.
Friday, 29 March 2019
Selfishness
1 Cor 13:4-5
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Selfishness is a lack of love, because love doesn't seek it's own. Love is not easily angered and it keeps no record of wrong.
How I know that I am selfish
When we delight in evil, it is selfishness at work in us.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Selfishness is a lack of love, because love doesn't seek it's own. Love is not easily angered and it keeps no record of wrong.
How I know that I am selfish
- Impatience
- Unkindness
- Envy
- Boastful
- Proud
- Dishonouring others
- Self seeking
- Easily angered
- Keeping records of wrong
Verse 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
When we delight in evil, it is selfishness at work in us.
Verse 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
This is what love does, but selfishness is the opposite.
- It does not protect
- It always distrusts
- Always hopeless
- It doesn't persevere
Selfishness is a true lack of love for others
Mark 12:31 The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[a] There is no commandment greater than these.”
Jesus commands that we love our neighbours as ourselves. Not any less but as we would love ourselves.
God expects us to honour Him by treating others the way we would love to be treated in the various circumstances.
Phil 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves
God commands us to do nothing out of selfishness. Instead, He recommends that we be humble enough to value others above us.
We should give others priority above us. This is not slavery or abuse, but a choice we make to honour others.
1 Cor 10:24 No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.
This is what God desires that we do, seeking the good of others.
James 3:16 For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice.
Selfishness is the source of disorder and every evil practice
Rom 15:2 Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up.
Instead of being selfish, God requires that we be the ones to build our neighbours up.
Prov 11:24 A generous person will prosper;
whoever refreshes others will be refreshed.
Our focus should move from a self centered view to building and refreshing neighbours that God brings our way.
Gal 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.
To overcome selfishness, I have to be crucified daily with Christ.
God's altar
1 Cor 9:13 Don’t you know that those who serve in the temple get their food from the temple, and that those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar?
There are people who serve at the altar. They share and eat what is offered at the temple.
So who is eating from the altar where I am offering myself as a living sacrifice? Rom 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Forgiveness at the altar of God
One indicator that you are serving at God's temple is forgiveness and reconciliation. Matt 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
If I'm at the altar and God reminds me of sin against someone or unforgiveness, I should first address that. The altar of God is associated with with holiness and righteousness.
Holiness and righteousness at the altar of God
Gen 8:20-21 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Noah's offering shows the Lord delights in the sweet aroma of a clean offering before Him. The aroma was so pleasing that God said He would not curse the ground again because of man. In His grace, He says that we are inclined to do evil from childhood.
This encourages us to know that there is a sacrifice that has already been made at the altar of God that covers our sins and helps us present ourselves as living sacrifices. The Lamb of God who was slain, Jesus Christ. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Honour of God and rest at His altar
Rev 6:9-10
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
At the altar of God there is honour of God. Because He says He will avenge, we let Him avenge for us. We let God bear our pains.
Matt 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Jesus is inviting us to take up His yoke and find rest for our souls. Our souls need to rest. By taking Christ's yoke and burden and giving Him our weaknesses and burdens.
At the altar of God there is a trade. We take the righteousness of Christ, we bear His burdens and yoke and He gives us rest as He takes our burdens and weaknesses.
We don't achieve Christ's righteousness by working on ourselves, but by continually giving ourselves to Christ as our Lord and saviour.
Raising an altar for God
Ex 20:22-23
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. 24 “‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.
God actually asks that the altar be made of earth. Requiring it to be in the most natural possible state.
Verse 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.
It is interesting that we would dress stones to make them beautiful but for God's altar, He commanded that the stones be those that no tool has chiseled. In the original form. Genuineness.
Verse 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’
Be covered up. Our righteous covering is Jesus Christ. The altar has to be raised in Christ, no other way do we get covered from our nakedness, our sin.
Raise God's altar as a witness to serving Him
Joshua 22:1-34
10 When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.
24 “No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25 The Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the Lord.’ So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the Lord.
26 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the Lord.’
Gen 12:7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring[a] I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
There are people who serve at the altar. They share and eat what is offered at the temple.
So who is eating from the altar where I am offering myself as a living sacrifice? Rom 12:1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.
Forgiveness at the altar of God
One indicator that you are serving at God's temple is forgiveness and reconciliation. Matt 5:23-24 “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother or sister has something against you, 24 leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to them; then come and offer your gift.
If I'm at the altar and God reminds me of sin against someone or unforgiveness, I should first address that. The altar of God is associated with with holiness and righteousness.
Holiness and righteousness at the altar of God
Gen 8:20-21 Then Noah built an altar to the Lord and, taking some of all the clean animals and clean birds, he sacrificed burnt offerings on it. 21 The Lord smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: “Never again will I curse the ground because of humans, even though[a] every inclination of the human heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.
Noah's offering shows the Lord delights in the sweet aroma of a clean offering before Him. The aroma was so pleasing that God said He would not curse the ground again because of man. In His grace, He says that we are inclined to do evil from childhood.
This encourages us to know that there is a sacrifice that has already been made at the altar of God that covers our sins and helps us present ourselves as living sacrifices. The Lamb of God who was slain, Jesus Christ. John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Honour of God and rest at His altar
Rev 6:9-10
9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and the testimony they had maintained. 10 They called out in a loud voice, “How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?”
At the altar of God there is honour of God. Because He says He will avenge, we let Him avenge for us. We let God bear our pains.
Matt 11:28-30
28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
Jesus is inviting us to take up His yoke and find rest for our souls. Our souls need to rest. By taking Christ's yoke and burden and giving Him our weaknesses and burdens.
At the altar of God there is a trade. We take the righteousness of Christ, we bear His burdens and yoke and He gives us rest as He takes our burdens and weaknesses.
We don't achieve Christ's righteousness by working on ourselves, but by continually giving ourselves to Christ as our Lord and saviour.
Raising an altar for God
Ex 20:22-23
22 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Tell the Israelites this: ‘You have seen for yourselves that I have spoken to you from heaven: 23 Do not make any gods to be alongside me; do not make for yourselves gods of silver or gods of gold. 24 “‘Make an altar of earth for me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats and your cattle. Wherever I cause my name to be honored, I will come to you and bless you.
God actually asks that the altar be made of earth. Requiring it to be in the most natural possible state.
Verse 25 If you make an altar of stones for me, do not build it with dressed stones, for you will defile it if you use a tool on it.
It is interesting that we would dress stones to make them beautiful but for God's altar, He commanded that the stones be those that no tool has chiseled. In the original form. Genuineness.
Verse 26 And do not go up to my altar on steps, or your private parts may be exposed.’
Be covered up. Our righteous covering is Jesus Christ. The altar has to be raised in Christ, no other way do we get covered from our nakedness, our sin.
Raise God's altar as a witness to serving Him
Joshua 22:1-34
10 When they came to Geliloth near the Jordan in the land of Canaan, the Reubenites, the Gadites and the half-tribe of Manasseh built an imposing altar there by the Jordan.
24 “No! We did it for fear that some day your descendants might say to ours, ‘What do you have to do with the Lord, the God of Israel? 25 The Lord has made the Jordan a boundary between us and you—you Reubenites and Gadites! You have no share in the Lord.’ So your descendants might cause ours to stop fearing the Lord.
26 “That is why we said, ‘Let us get ready and build an altar—but not for burnt offerings or sacrifices.’ 27 On the contrary, it is to be a witness between us and you and the generations that follow, that we will worship the Lord at his sanctuary with our burnt offerings, sacrifices and fellowship offerings. Then in the future your descendants will not be able to say to ours, ‘You have no share in the Lord.’
- God's altar identifies us with God and fellow believers
- Altars set a precedence for generations to come
- Altars also call God as a witness in the things we do
Gen 12:7 The Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring[a] I will give this land.” So he built an altar there to the Lord, who had appeared to him.
- Altars are a sign that we worship God
- They also show that we believe in God. Our faith and hope is in God.
- God's altar should replace any other worship we were part of
- Altars identify us with God. We honour Him by sacrificing to Him
Wednesday, 27 March 2019
Living sacrifices, holy and acceptable
Rom 12:1-2
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Offering myself to God means giving my whole self to God. How? As a living sacrifice. Not one that is dead. Meaning that if I am on an altar of fire I don't die but continually give myself in my alive state
God's mercy and salvation
God's mercy is shown in John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Christ was made a sacrifice for us and died in our place, so that we may live through Him.
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
In His mercy, God let His son take our place of death and took away the condemnation that was meant to be our portion. He released His salvation to us. And we can only access this salvation by believing He sent His son who died in our place and is alive, so we no longer live for ourselves but for Him.
In light of this truth, we should no longer live in our old ways, for ourselves, but for Him. Giving ourselves as an offering to Him, an offering that He calls holy and pleasing.
Living for God, His purpose
Rom 12:2 We should not be conformed to the patterns of this world any longer. We should not continue living as though Christ was not our Lord and saviour.
2 Cor 5:15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Since Christ has already paid the penalty for our sins, we should live for Him. Putting away the old self and all the things we devoted our energies to before we accepted Christ as our Lord and saviour.
2 Cor 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
When Christ died for us, He reconciled us back to the father. He made a way for anyone who believes to walk back to the Father and be reconciled. His blood on the cross covers our sin and His righteousness is our clothing.
John 14: 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
After receiving this mercy from God, He commits to us the same message of reconciliation for us to share with everybody in this world.
2 Cor 15:20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Rom 12:1 -One way in which we offer our bodies as living sacrifices is by becoming Christ ambassadors and a channel for God to reconcile others back to Him through Christ.
2 Cor 15:20 -God uses us to carry the message of reconciliation to the world.
Eph 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Rom 12:1 reminds us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. One way to do so is by doing the works God created for us to do as per Eph 2:10. The reason He created us. His purpose for us in this life. These works He wants us to do were created in advance, we are the ones that need to get on board. Start living our purposes. Becoming living sacrifices.
Where then are these works God created for us to do?
2 Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
God's works are in us! We are clay works but something beautiful is in us, His works that He has put in us, His treasures. God works a beautiful work in us and through us as we offer ourselves continually as living sacrifices.
Caution on God's treasures in us
1 Cor 1:26-31
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[a]
verse 29, Acknowledging that nothing in us made God choose us
verse 30, we should only boast in God as His treasures shine in us. Treasures He has richly put in us in (2 Cor 4:7)
Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
It is God's grace working in us. He chose us for His glory. We should never look within to merit ourselves or disqualify ourselves. No. This is purely about God's work on the cross.
When we serve God, it is in obedience to His calling. Nothing in me should start feeling special and proud that I am serving God unless I am boasting in Christ.
We should also stop the self-righteous condemnations on ourselves and embrace God's grace by faith.
So help me God.
Amen
1 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Offering myself to God means giving my whole self to God. How? As a living sacrifice. Not one that is dead. Meaning that if I am on an altar of fire I don't die but continually give myself in my alive state
God's mercy and salvation
God's mercy is shown in John 3:16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Christ was made a sacrifice for us and died in our place, so that we may live through Him.
John 3:17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
In His mercy, God let His son take our place of death and took away the condemnation that was meant to be our portion. He released His salvation to us. And we can only access this salvation by believing He sent His son who died in our place and is alive, so we no longer live for ourselves but for Him.
In light of this truth, we should no longer live in our old ways, for ourselves, but for Him. Giving ourselves as an offering to Him, an offering that He calls holy and pleasing.
Living for God, His purpose
Rom 12:2 We should not be conformed to the patterns of this world any longer. We should not continue living as though Christ was not our Lord and saviour.
2 Cor 5:15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.
Since Christ has already paid the penalty for our sins, we should live for Him. Putting away the old self and all the things we devoted our energies to before we accepted Christ as our Lord and saviour.
2 Cor 5:19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
When Christ died for us, He reconciled us back to the father. He made a way for anyone who believes to walk back to the Father and be reconciled. His blood on the cross covers our sin and His righteousness is our clothing.
John 14: 6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
After receiving this mercy from God, He commits to us the same message of reconciliation for us to share with everybody in this world.
2 Cor 15:20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.
Rom 12:1 -One way in which we offer our bodies as living sacrifices is by becoming Christ ambassadors and a channel for God to reconcile others back to Him through Christ.
2 Cor 15:20 -God uses us to carry the message of reconciliation to the world.
Eph 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Rom 12:1 reminds us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. One way to do so is by doing the works God created for us to do as per Eph 2:10. The reason He created us. His purpose for us in this life. These works He wants us to do were created in advance, we are the ones that need to get on board. Start living our purposes. Becoming living sacrifices.
Where then are these works God created for us to do?
2 Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.
God's works are in us! We are clay works but something beautiful is in us, His works that He has put in us, His treasures. God works a beautiful work in us and through us as we offer ourselves continually as living sacrifices.
Caution on God's treasures in us
1 Cor 1:26-31
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[a]
verse 29, Acknowledging that nothing in us made God choose us
verse 30, we should only boast in God as His treasures shine in us. Treasures He has richly put in us in (2 Cor 4:7)
Eph 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God
It is God's grace working in us. He chose us for His glory. We should never look within to merit ourselves or disqualify ourselves. No. This is purely about God's work on the cross.
When we serve God, it is in obedience to His calling. Nothing in me should start feeling special and proud that I am serving God unless I am boasting in Christ.
We should also stop the self-righteous condemnations on ourselves and embrace God's grace by faith.
So help me God.
Amen
Tuesday, 26 March 2019
Remedy for jealousy
Phil 2:3 Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves,
What jealousy does is make us see ourselves as more deserving than others. The Story of Ahab and Naboth, in our article When jealousy takes over, death looms, shows how Ahab really wanted the vineyard to the point of not eating, so they kill a man just to get his vineyard.
Jealousy skews our views and perspectives, Ahab was willing to pay any amount of money for the vineyard. Ahab could have afforded any vineyard he wanted but instead he lusted after one resulting to murder.
That's why God is telling us to do nothing out of selfish ambitions. Instead, He requires that we be humble and consider others higher than ourselves. This perspective kills the need to want without self control.
Gal 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
One beautiful evidence of the Holy Spirit's fruit in our lives is self control.
Master of self needs.
1 Tim 6:6-10
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The art of being content is a blessing that results from the Spirit of God's fruit of self control.
1 Tim 6:9 shows that people desiring to get rich:
What jealousy does is make us see ourselves as more deserving than others. The Story of Ahab and Naboth, in our article When jealousy takes over, death looms, shows how Ahab really wanted the vineyard to the point of not eating, so they kill a man just to get his vineyard.
Jealousy skews our views and perspectives, Ahab was willing to pay any amount of money for the vineyard. Ahab could have afforded any vineyard he wanted but instead he lusted after one resulting to murder.
That's why God is telling us to do nothing out of selfish ambitions. Instead, He requires that we be humble and consider others higher than ourselves. This perspective kills the need to want without self control.
Gal 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
One beautiful evidence of the Holy Spirit's fruit in our lives is self control.
Master of self needs.
1 Tim 6:6-10
6 But godliness with contentment is great gain. 7 For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. 8 But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. 9 Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.
The art of being content is a blessing that results from the Spirit of God's fruit of self control.
1 Tim 6:9 shows that people desiring to get rich:
- Are prone to diverse temptations. Ahab wanted just one more vineyard....
- Are trapped. Ahab could not get his heart from the vineyard so his heart got heavy and his appetite left him.
- They fall into foolish and harmful desires. Ahab shares his anger and frustration with Jezebel his wife who asked about the change in behaviour and a scheme to eliminate Naboth was crafted resulting to his death.
Monday, 25 March 2019
When Jealousy takes over, death looms
The story of Ahab and Naboth
1 Kings 21:1-16
1 Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”
3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.”
4 So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”
6 He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
7 Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. 9 In those letters she wrote: “Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 13 Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
What a sad story of how a king able to afford any vineyard he could wish for gets fixated by this one vineyard whose owner was not willing to sell, to the point of not eating. Actually it sounds funny that the king wanted to plant vegetables.
Things get out of hand and Naboth is killed! Then Ahab gets up quickly to go take over the vineyard.
When we desire something that already has an owner and wish it were ours, we are indirectly wishing the rightful owner were dead. Naboth did die.
Prov 27:4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?
This story could seem far fetched, but how many times do I look at something and my eyes literally take ownership and my heart believes it would have been better with me?
Matt 6:22-23
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Dear God, we pray that Your light shall be in us so that we shall be full of light and that our eyes shall be healthy so that we may see as you would like us to see.
Forgive us for the many times we were as Ahab, lusting after Naboth's vineyard, when greed guided our actions and we were so jealous of what 'Naboth' had.
Forgive us for allowing things to go so far that we sinned against you who is our provider. Help us to worship you and honour you with everything we have.
Amen
1 Kings 21:1-16
1 Some time later there was an incident involving a vineyard belonging to Naboth the Jezreelite. The vineyard was in Jezreel, close to the palace of Ahab king of Samaria. 2 Ahab said to Naboth, “Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth.”
3 But Naboth replied, “The Lord forbid that I should give you the inheritance of my ancestors.”
4 So Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, “I will not give you the inheritance of my ancestors.” He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat.
5 His wife Jezebel came in and asked him, “Why are you so sullen? Why won’t you eat?”
6 He answered her, “Because I said to Naboth the Jezreelite, ‘Sell me your vineyard; or if you prefer, I will give you another vineyard in its place.’ But he said, ‘I will not give you my vineyard.’”
7 Jezebel his wife said, “Is this how you act as king over Israel? Get up and eat! Cheer up. I’ll get you the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.”
8 So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, placed his seal on them, and sent them to the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city with him. 9 In those letters she wrote: “Proclaim a day of fasting and seat Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 10 But seat two scoundrels opposite him and have them bring charges that he has cursed both God and the king. Then take him out and stone him to death.”
11 So the elders and nobles who lived in Naboth’s city did as Jezebel directed in the letters she had written to them. 12 They proclaimed a fast and seated Naboth in a prominent place among the people. 13 Then two scoundrels came and sat opposite him and brought charges against Naboth before the people, saying, “Naboth has cursed both God and the king.” So they took him outside the city and stoned him to death. 14 Then they sent word to Jezebel: “Naboth has been stoned to death.”
15 As soon as Jezebel heard that Naboth had been stoned to death, she said to Ahab, “Get up and take possession of the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite that he refused to sell you. He is no longer alive, but dead.” 16 When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard.
What a sad story of how a king able to afford any vineyard he could wish for gets fixated by this one vineyard whose owner was not willing to sell, to the point of not eating. Actually it sounds funny that the king wanted to plant vegetables.
Things get out of hand and Naboth is killed! Then Ahab gets up quickly to go take over the vineyard.
When we desire something that already has an owner and wish it were ours, we are indirectly wishing the rightful owner were dead. Naboth did die.
Prov 27:4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?
This story could seem far fetched, but how many times do I look at something and my eyes literally take ownership and my heart believes it would have been better with me?
Matt 6:22-23
22 “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,[c] your whole body will be full of light. 23 But if your eyes are unhealthy,[d] your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness!
Dear God, we pray that Your light shall be in us so that we shall be full of light and that our eyes shall be healthy so that we may see as you would like us to see.
Forgive us for the many times we were as Ahab, lusting after Naboth's vineyard, when greed guided our actions and we were so jealous of what 'Naboth' had.
Forgive us for allowing things to go so far that we sinned against you who is our provider. Help us to worship you and honour you with everything we have.
Amen
Sunday, 24 March 2019
Why do I become Jealous?
James 4:1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you?
It is sad that there are selfish desires battling in me. They could be so many that these desires battle in me seeking to be satisfied before the others. The desires are selfish in themselves and they are born from my selfish nature.
Verse 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.
I desire and kill-Wishing something was mine. Since the owner is still alive, it can only change ownership if the person 'dies'. We 'kill' by selfish desires.
Luke 20: 9-16
9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”
This is the parable of the tenants who beat up the servants of the vineyard's owner. But when he sent his son, they killed him.
Verse 14. The reason they killed him was to take over the vineyard.
Desiring something that has an owner is equivalent to wishing them dead.
Instead of jealousy, God commands:
It is sad that there are selfish desires battling in me. They could be so many that these desires battle in me seeking to be satisfied before the others. The desires are selfish in themselves and they are born from my selfish nature.
Verse 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.
I desire and kill-Wishing something was mine. Since the owner is still alive, it can only change ownership if the person 'dies'. We 'kill' by selfish desires.
Luke 20: 9-16
9 He went on to tell the people this parable: “A man planted a vineyard, rented it to some farmers and went away for a long time. 10 At harvest time he sent a servant to the tenants so they would give him some of the fruit of the vineyard. But the tenants beat him and sent him away empty-handed. 11 He sent another servant, but that one also they beat and treated shamefully and sent away empty-handed. 12 He sent still a third, and they wounded him and threw him out.
13 “Then the owner of the vineyard said, ‘What shall I do? I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him.’14 “But when the tenants saw him, they talked the matter over. ‘This is the heir,’ they said. ‘Let’s kill him, and the inheritance will be ours.’ 15 So they threw him out of the vineyard and killed him. “What then will the owner of the vineyard do to them? 16 He will come and kill those tenants and give the vineyard to others.”When the people heard this, they said, “God forbid!”
This is the parable of the tenants who beat up the servants of the vineyard's owner. But when he sent his son, they killed him.
Verse 14. The reason they killed him was to take over the vineyard.
Desiring something that has an owner is equivalent to wishing them dead.
Instead of jealousy, God commands:
- Submission to God and resistance to the devil. James 4:7 Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
- Drawing near to God. James 4:8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Humility-James 4:10 Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
- Stop slander-James 4:11 Brothers and sisters, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against a brother or sister[d] or judges them speaks against the law and judges it. When you judge the law, you are not keeping it, but sitting in judgment on it.
Don't take revenge, it is God's
Rom 12:19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: “It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord.
In obedience to God, I should not take revenge. God says that He will repay.
Rom 12:20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]
Instead of vengeance, God gives us an alternative. He says that we should repay evil with good . God assures us that when we do good to our enemies, it is same as piling hot coal on their heads! A weapon in deed.This is one beautiful way to deal with those who seek our worst.
Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
In v 21, God explains His ways further by assuring us that when we do good to those who offend us we are in fact overcoming sin! Wow God's ways...
In the literal sense, we are burning the enemy and of course under such circumstances they are weakened by our good deeds. When we revenge we are overcome by evil.
1 Pet 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing
This verse encourages me to let God revenge and focus on blessing my offenders because :
The emphasis God is making here is that we strive. There is work that we have to do to keep from being vengeful. It is striving to do good. If we have to strive then we know it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we will succeed in repaying evil with good.
Zech 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
This is another important solution that God gives us to keep us from being vengeful; consistent prayers and forgiveness. God reminds us to let go if we have 'carried' anyone in our hearts grudgingly, so that God can also forgive us.
Consistent prayers are needed in our lives. As often as we commune with God, He will remind us to forgive and let go of those who have offended us.
In obedience to God, I should not take revenge. God says that He will repay.
Rom 12:20 On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]
Instead of vengeance, God gives us an alternative. He says that we should repay evil with good . God assures us that when we do good to our enemies, it is same as piling hot coal on their heads! A weapon in deed.This is one beautiful way to deal with those who seek our worst.
Rom 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
In v 21, God explains His ways further by assuring us that when we do good to those who offend us we are in fact overcoming sin! Wow God's ways...
In the literal sense, we are burning the enemy and of course under such circumstances they are weakened by our good deeds. When we revenge we are overcome by evil.
1 Pet 3:9 Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult. On the contrary, repay evil with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing
This verse encourages me to let God revenge and focus on blessing my offenders because :
- This is God's calling on my life
- We will inherit a blessing
The emphasis God is making here is that we strive. There is work that we have to do to keep from being vengeful. It is striving to do good. If we have to strive then we know it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that we will succeed in repaying evil with good.
Zech 4:6 So he said to me, “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty.
Mark 11:25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
This is another important solution that God gives us to keep us from being vengeful; consistent prayers and forgiveness. God reminds us to let go if we have 'carried' anyone in our hearts grudgingly, so that God can also forgive us.
Consistent prayers are needed in our lives. As often as we commune with God, He will remind us to forgive and let go of those who have offended us.
And forgive us our trespasses
Forgiveness
This is one effective way of keeping our hearts from growing bitter.
Eph 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
We will forever be in need of forgiveness. First from God who bought us at a price and continues to forgive us since we are always in sin one way or another. we sin even in ignorance .
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
God reminds us that we are capable of hurting others. We sin against Him by hurting people.
Matt 25:40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
This knowledge, 'that we will also need forgiveness', should help us be merciful to others who offend us.
Matt 18:21-22 21. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive. In fact it seems the tolerance level was 7. This sounds awesome when we assume we are not the offenders. But when we put ourselves in the offender's shoe, we are inclined to want forgiveness so many times that we hope the other party does not remember our past offences.
Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
If it is forgiveness, then extend it in the measure you would love to experience.
Matt 18:22 Jesus tells Peter that he should forgive about 490 times. I am persuaded that Christ is talking of this count as a 'no count'. Saying that as many times as you are offended forgive.
Reason is:
Matt 18:35“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant)
Jesus notes that unless we forgive from the heart those who have wronged us, God will call us to account for our sins.
In the Lord's prayer, "Matt 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors," -We ask that God forgives us just as we forgive those who have wronged us.
God is showing us how forgiveness is an acknowledgement that we are also potential offenders and that we are indirectly asking God and man to forgive us when we offend them. We will surely need forgiveness.
The weight of the offence might not be same but the need to be forgiven and forgive will always be there.
Matt 18:35 says we should forgive from the heart. I believe the heart is where pain resides. When we are offended and hurting, we store these experiences in the heart.
Looking at this truth, we should release the offender as though we needed the forgiveness.
Prov 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
One way of guarding our hearts is by forgiving people.We should not carry any hurt or bitterness, vengeance desire or evil thoughts in our hearts.
Prov 4:23 Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.(GNT) We don't want to live our lives shaped by sin.
Forgiveness keeps bitterness at bay and humility closer.
This is one effective way of keeping our hearts from growing bitter.
Eph 4:32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
We will forever be in need of forgiveness. First from God who bought us at a price and continues to forgive us since we are always in sin one way or another. we sin even in ignorance .
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
God reminds us that we are capable of hurting others. We sin against Him by hurting people.
Matt 25:40 “The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’
This knowledge, 'that we will also need forgiveness', should help us be merciful to others who offend us.
Matt 18:21-22 21. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother or sister who sins against me? Up to seven times?” 22 Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times.[a]
Peter asks Jesus how many times he should forgive. In fact it seems the tolerance level was 7. This sounds awesome when we assume we are not the offenders. But when we put ourselves in the offender's shoe, we are inclined to want forgiveness so many times that we hope the other party does not remember our past offences.
Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.
If it is forgiveness, then extend it in the measure you would love to experience.
Matt 18:22 Jesus tells Peter that he should forgive about 490 times. I am persuaded that Christ is talking of this count as a 'no count'. Saying that as many times as you are offended forgive.
Reason is:
Matt 18:35“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother or sister from your heart.” (The Parable of the Unmerciful Servant)
Jesus notes that unless we forgive from the heart those who have wronged us, God will call us to account for our sins.
In the Lord's prayer, "Matt 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors," -We ask that God forgives us just as we forgive those who have wronged us.
God is showing us how forgiveness is an acknowledgement that we are also potential offenders and that we are indirectly asking God and man to forgive us when we offend them. We will surely need forgiveness.
The weight of the offence might not be same but the need to be forgiven and forgive will always be there.
Matt 18:35 says we should forgive from the heart. I believe the heart is where pain resides. When we are offended and hurting, we store these experiences in the heart.
Looking at this truth, we should release the offender as though we needed the forgiveness.
Prov 4:23 Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.
One way of guarding our hearts is by forgiving people.We should not carry any hurt or bitterness, vengeance desire or evil thoughts in our hearts.
Prov 4:23 Be careful how you think; your life is shaped by your thoughts.(GNT) We don't want to live our lives shaped by sin.
Forgiveness keeps bitterness at bay and humility closer.
Dealing with bitterness
1 Cor 13:4-6 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
God's description of what love is highlights what the lack of it causes.
verse 5. says love is not easily angered and that it does not keep a record of wrong.
Anger & keeping records of wrong can brew and build a lot of resentment and bitterness. Records of wrong are kept in the mind and pains stored in the spirit/ heart of a person.
Acts 8:23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.
Simon Peter addresses the sorcerer Simon and tells him that he sees his heart is full of bitterness and captive to sin.
Simon had converted from sorcery and Peter discerned bitterness that made Simon the sorcerer want the powers he was seeing at work in Peter and the other disciples.
Peter points out that bitterness makes one into a captive. It binds them. It makes one a prisoner and they become enslaved, and only sin comes out of such a heart.
The story of Cain and Abel displays the root of bitterness.
Gen 4:3-7 3.In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
verse 5 Cain became angry because God rejected his sacrifice and accepted Abel's. His face became downcast.
v 6-7
Bitterness is sin taking over our spirits because we have not ruled over it. Master anger, guard the anger we experience from resulting to sin.
Eph 4:26-27 26 “In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
God acknowledges that we will get angry but He says we must master anger. Anger should not spill over.
When anger is not put under control:
Sin enslaved Cain, the devil took charge, Abel was killed.
Bitterness!! It is bad, it causes death!
Dealing with bitterness
Eph 4:26 Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.
Managing anger keeps us from entering into bitterness. This is prevention
God's description of what love is highlights what the lack of it causes.
verse 5. says love is not easily angered and that it does not keep a record of wrong.
Anger & keeping records of wrong can brew and build a lot of resentment and bitterness. Records of wrong are kept in the mind and pains stored in the spirit/ heart of a person.
Acts 8:23 For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.
Simon Peter addresses the sorcerer Simon and tells him that he sees his heart is full of bitterness and captive to sin.
Simon had converted from sorcery and Peter discerned bitterness that made Simon the sorcerer want the powers he was seeing at work in Peter and the other disciples.
Peter points out that bitterness makes one into a captive. It binds them. It makes one a prisoner and they become enslaved, and only sin comes out of such a heart.
The story of Cain and Abel displays the root of bitterness.
Gen 4:3-7 3.In the course of time Cain brought some of the fruits of the soil as an offering to the Lord. 4 And Abel also brought an offering—fat portions from some of the firstborn of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, 5 but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. 6 Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 7 If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”
verse 5 Cain became angry because God rejected his sacrifice and accepted Abel's. His face became downcast.
v 6-7
- God tells Cain to do what is right and he will be accepted
- If you do wrong, sin encroaches and desires to have you.
- God warns Cain that he must rule over sin.
Bitterness is sin taking over our spirits because we have not ruled over it. Master anger, guard the anger we experience from resulting to sin.
Eph 4:26-27 26 “In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold.
God acknowledges that we will get angry but He says we must master anger. Anger should not spill over.
When anger is not put under control:
- Sin comes in and controls us
- We become ruled over by sin
- The devil takes over our actions
- We sin
Sin enslaved Cain, the devil took charge, Abel was killed.
Bitterness!! It is bad, it causes death!
Dealing with bitterness
Eph 4:26 Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.
Managing anger keeps us from entering into bitterness. This is prevention
Saturday, 23 March 2019
Hope in God, always Hope in God
Heb 12:2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
This sounds like a longing in Christ's heart-'For the joy set before him'
This longing, joy, made and gave meaning to patience and perseverance.
Is 40:31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Wow!
Did you know hope is like a recharge to our faith?
Hope in the Lord makes us receive strength to run but not tire, walk and not wear out.
Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
And who is our hope? Jehovah. He assures us to prosper us. God's prosperity and the world's prosperity are very different.
He assures us that He is not seeking to harm us.
He is asking us to hope in Him.
Rom 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Hope will never disappoint us.
Rom 5:33 Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
God reminds us that we rejoice in our suffering because we know that He is working through it to produce perseverance/ patience and thereby build on our character.
Amen
This sounds like a longing in Christ's heart-'For the joy set before him'
This longing, joy, made and gave meaning to patience and perseverance.
Is 40:31 but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
Wow!
Did you know hope is like a recharge to our faith?
Hope in the Lord makes us receive strength to run but not tire, walk and not wear out.
Jer 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
And who is our hope? Jehovah. He assures us to prosper us. God's prosperity and the world's prosperity are very different.
He assures us that He is not seeking to harm us.
He is asking us to hope in Him.
Rom 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Hope will never disappoint us.
Rom 5:33 Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance;
God reminds us that we rejoice in our suffering because we know that He is working through it to produce perseverance/ patience and thereby build on our character.
Amen
Does Love make it easy to wait? and what about fear?
Jacob's Story
Gen 29:20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
V.23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.
Heb 12:1-3 1.Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2.fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3.Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
He wanted us to have life eternal because He loved us too much to let us die.
Heb 12:2 Endurance becomes easier when we look and yearn for the joy ahead. When the joy ahead is spurred by love.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
When things are thick, love clears our eyes to see through Jesus' eyes. It covers a multitude of sin, it helps us overlook sin, offences.
Love is essential for patience to work.
Fear
One major enemy in waiting patiently is FEAR. We fear failure, lack, many things, that could keep us from receiving from God.
Fear can make waiting very hard because it crushes HOPE. Fear brings DOUBT. Fear paralyzes us killing our FAITH.
1John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Jesus' Love is the only perfect love. So the love of God in us is very powerful. It deals with fear accordingly. It drives out fear.
1 John 4:18 warns that fear comes from a view of punishment. We start questioning and wondering what makes us think we are any special to receive anything from God?
Fear makes us believe we are the worst and deserve to be punished.
When we allow fear to rule our Wait, it kills our faith in God, our waiting becomes suffering and we stop believing, hence we do not receive.
Fear makes us receive the punishment we start considering instead of what we hoped for.
God's love is a powerful tool that casts off fear.
Gen 29:20 So Jacob served seven years to get Rachel, but they seemed like only a few days to him because of his love for her.
V.23 But when evening came, he took his daughter Leah and brought her to Jacob, and Jacob made love to her.
- He is cheated of his 7 years of labour
- He is made to work another 7 years and he does it.
- He loved Racheal
- Love kept him there enduring the same experience for additional 7 years.
Heb 12:1-3 1.Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2.fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3.Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
- Run with perseverance
- Let go of burdens, weights
- Fix eyes on Jesus.
He wanted us to have life eternal because He loved us too much to let us die.
Heb 12:2 Endurance becomes easier when we look and yearn for the joy ahead. When the joy ahead is spurred by love.
1 Peter 4:8 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.
When things are thick, love clears our eyes to see through Jesus' eyes. It covers a multitude of sin, it helps us overlook sin, offences.
Love is essential for patience to work.
Fear
One major enemy in waiting patiently is FEAR. We fear failure, lack, many things, that could keep us from receiving from God.
Fear can make waiting very hard because it crushes HOPE. Fear brings DOUBT. Fear paralyzes us killing our FAITH.
1John 4:18 There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
Jesus' Love is the only perfect love. So the love of God in us is very powerful. It deals with fear accordingly. It drives out fear.
1 John 4:18 warns that fear comes from a view of punishment. We start questioning and wondering what makes us think we are any special to receive anything from God?
Fear makes us believe we are the worst and deserve to be punished.
When we allow fear to rule our Wait, it kills our faith in God, our waiting becomes suffering and we stop believing, hence we do not receive.
Fear makes us receive the punishment we start considering instead of what we hoped for.
God's love is a powerful tool that casts off fear.
Patience is work
Patience is work
Patience is not sitting around and doing nothing
Hab 3:17-18 17.Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18.Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Though the fig tree buds not, There are no grapes, No olives, No food, No sheep, No cattle......
When things are not as I would like, What should I do?
verse 18) Yet (Still, Even, Up untill)
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my saviour.
Rejoicing and being joyful is a picture of patience.
Our response to a situation is our patience displayed.
v19)The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Patience can be worked through:
Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Let us not be weary of doing good, In due time we shall reap a harvest.
While waiting continue doing good. This is not easy but don't stop.
God assures us we shall reap a harvest, we shall be rewarded.
Patience is work, Work is rewarded.
Patience is not sitting around and doing nothing
Hab 3:17-18 17.Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls: 18.Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Though the fig tree buds not, There are no grapes, No olives, No food, No sheep, No cattle......
When things are not as I would like, What should I do?
verse 18) Yet (Still, Even, Up untill)
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my saviour.
Rejoicing and being joyful is a picture of patience.
Our response to a situation is our patience displayed.
v19)The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.
Patience can be worked through:
- Adjusting my attitude to worship God: Be Joyful, rejoice
- Acknowledging the power of God and His ever present strength and His doing in our lives.
Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.
Let us not be weary of doing good, In due time we shall reap a harvest.
While waiting continue doing good. This is not easy but don't stop.
God assures us we shall reap a harvest, we shall be rewarded.
Patience is work, Work is rewarded.
God given vision
Have a vision that will outlive you
Hab 2:2-3 2.Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald[a] may run with it. 3.For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it[b] will certainly come and will not delay.
Have a vision, Write it down, Those after me will run with it
Hab 3:17-19 17.Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18.yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19.The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
It may not look like anything is happening but find joy in God.Praise God
Hab 2:3 God reminds us that although it may take a while to see some things He has laid in our hearts, it will come to pass.Wait for it
Our attitude while waiting is supposed to be one of joy. Hab 3:18
Hab 3:19 reminds us God is our strength.
When we wait, it is work. Waiting is not idling, it is work.
All our being fight with the natural desire to stop rejoicing and start complaining.
Hab 3:19 reminds us that our strength to wait, to rejoice in God and to see the vision (Hab 2:4), is in God
Our strength is in the most High God
Prov 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Col 3:23-24 23.And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24.Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Whatever I do, should be with all my heart as though doing it for God.
He holds the rewards
Hab 2:2-3 2.Then the Lord replied: “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald[a] may run with it. 3.For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it[b] will certainly come and will not delay.
Have a vision, Write it down, Those after me will run with it
Hab 3:17-19 17.Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18.yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. 19.The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. For the director of music. On my stringed instruments.
It may not look like anything is happening but find joy in God.Praise God
Hab 2:3 God reminds us that although it may take a while to see some things He has laid in our hearts, it will come to pass.Wait for it
Our attitude while waiting is supposed to be one of joy. Hab 3:18
Hab 3:19 reminds us God is our strength.
When we wait, it is work. Waiting is not idling, it is work.
All our being fight with the natural desire to stop rejoicing and start complaining.
Hab 3:19 reminds us that our strength to wait, to rejoice in God and to see the vision (Hab 2:4), is in God
Our strength is in the most High God
- He makes our feet like the feet of a deer
- He makes us to tread on heights
God's strength gives us supernatural and extraordinary abilities.
Prov 29:18 Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.
Col 3:23-24 23.And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men; 24.Knowing that of the Lord ye shall receive the reward of the inheritance: for ye serve the Lord Christ.
Whatever I do, should be with all my heart as though doing it for God.
He holds the rewards
Work and Prayers
Eph 4:28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
Work so that you can share with the needy.
Vision-When I work, my focus should not be on the selfish pleasures and desires but on a vision.
According to Eph 4:28, Vision is meeting needs of those who lack. e.g. through creating employment.
The reason this is important is because of a warning God has placed in the Bible.
James 4:1-4 1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Fights, Quarrels, Murder...
God is calling me to correct this attitude.
How? Combine work with prayers. Let God bless our works with His presence and vision.
Ask God, and receive for God's glory then use for God's glory
Work so that you can share with the needy.
Vision-When I work, my focus should not be on the selfish pleasures and desires but on a vision.
According to Eph 4:28, Vision is meeting needs of those who lack. e.g. through creating employment.
The reason this is important is because of a warning God has placed in the Bible.
James 4:1-4 1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people,[a] don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Fights, Quarrels, Murder...
God is calling me to correct this attitude.
How? Combine work with prayers. Let God bless our works with His presence and vision.
Ask God, and receive for God's glory then use for God's glory
Desires, lack and work
Eph 4:28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
God says that I should stop stealing and start working.
What I desire but lack, I should work to get it then share it out
What do I want?
Work can be through:
Moving from lack to plenty and sharing resolves anger.
Eph 5:10 and find out what pleases the Lord. Find out...(Read Scriptures).
Dear God, I am excited to hear from You. I am asking for strength and grace to obey your instructions. Amen
God says that I should stop stealing and start working.
What I desire but lack, I should work to get it then share it out
What do I want?
- Quality time with spouse?
- Business growth?
- Obedient children who love God?
- A relationship with Jesus that is real and relevant to others?
Work can be through:
- Studying the word
- Reading books
- Acting on what God leads me to do
- Waiting
Moving from lack to plenty and sharing resolves anger.
Eph 5:10 and find out what pleases the Lord. Find out...(Read Scriptures).
Dear God, I am excited to hear from You. I am asking for strength and grace to obey your instructions. Amen
Who is my neighbour?
Who is my neighbour?
Luke 10:27-29
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
A neighbour is the one who sees another in trouble and extends the mercy of God. In verse 37, Jesus tells us to go and extend mercy to others as the Samaritan did.
The Samaritans were not as highly classified as it were with the Levites and Priests. It would have been obvious to think that such would have helped the man in trouble to recover from his state but they didn't. The Samaritan did and saw to it that the victim was taken care of and even left security in case he needed more money before his return.
The concept of a neighbour as shown in verse 27 "Love your neighbor as yourself", is one that challenges us to be merciful to others in the way we would have wished that they treat us. Not necessarily because we know them (the Samaritan did not know the victim), but because we would love that we be treated well in the event that we find ourselves in such needy situations.
Verse 29 is a question to absolve responsibility. Who is my neighbour? This was a question asked by an expert of the law who wanted to test Jesus. He asked this to justify himself because he had answered to a question that Jesus had asked while he was still tempting Jesus.
Luke 10:25-26 25 Then one of the experts in the Law stood up to test him and said, “Master, what must I do to be sure of eternal life?” 26 “What does the Law say and what has your reading taught you?” said Jesus. (Philips version)
Verse 27-29, this expert answers and part of the answer is to love his neighbour as himself. He then seeks to absolve himself the responsibility of a neighbour which requires that we extend mercy to anyone in need that God brings our way. Most of the time we seek to 'mind our own business' and only intervene if it concerns us directly.
Being a neighbour is:
Luke 10:27-29
27 He answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind’[c]; and, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’[d]” 28 “You have answered correctly,” Jesus replied. “Do this and you will live.” 29 But he wanted to justify himself, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”
30 In reply Jesus said: “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he was attacked by robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. 31 A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. 32 So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side.
33 But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34 He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, brought him to an inn and took care of him. 35 The next day he took out two denarii[e] and gave them to the innkeeper. ‘Look after him,’ he said, ‘and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.’
36 “Which of these three do you think was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of robbers?”
37 The expert in the law replied, “The one who had mercy on him.” Jesus told him, “Go and do likewise.”
A neighbour is the one who sees another in trouble and extends the mercy of God. In verse 37, Jesus tells us to go and extend mercy to others as the Samaritan did.
The Samaritans were not as highly classified as it were with the Levites and Priests. It would have been obvious to think that such would have helped the man in trouble to recover from his state but they didn't. The Samaritan did and saw to it that the victim was taken care of and even left security in case he needed more money before his return.
The concept of a neighbour as shown in verse 27 "Love your neighbor as yourself", is one that challenges us to be merciful to others in the way we would have wished that they treat us. Not necessarily because we know them (the Samaritan did not know the victim), but because we would love that we be treated well in the event that we find ourselves in such needy situations.
Verse 29 is a question to absolve responsibility. Who is my neighbour? This was a question asked by an expert of the law who wanted to test Jesus. He asked this to justify himself because he had answered to a question that Jesus had asked while he was still tempting Jesus.
Luke 10:25-26 25 Then one of the experts in the Law stood up to test him and said, “Master, what must I do to be sure of eternal life?” 26 “What does the Law say and what has your reading taught you?” said Jesus. (Philips version)
Verse 27-29, this expert answers and part of the answer is to love his neighbour as himself. He then seeks to absolve himself the responsibility of a neighbour which requires that we extend mercy to anyone in need that God brings our way. Most of the time we seek to 'mind our own business' and only intervene if it concerns us directly.
Being a neighbour is:
- Obeying God's word by choosing to love others as ourselves. verse 27
- When an opportunity to show mercy arises, we consider how we would have loved to be treated if we were the victims and act that way. verse 27
- Going beyond human expectations to God's expectations as the Samaritan. It would have been expected that the priest and levite would have cared and not the Samaritan, the opposite happened
- Getting into risk of the unknown and trusting God to care for us in those moments of showing mercy as He has commanded us. verse 37
Friday, 22 March 2019
Jealousy
Gal 6:4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else,
- Test your actions
- Take pride in yourself alone
- Don't compare to someone else
Gal 6:5 for each one should carry their own load.
It's very interesting to know that God expects us to test our own actions. Why I'm I doing the things I do? What is my inspiration? From that, I should take pride in the person God has created me to be which should not be compared to any other person.
Gal 6:4-5 NKJV 4. But let each one examine his own work, and then he will have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another. 5 For each one shall bear his own load.
- Examine yourself
- Rejoice in yourself (Identity)
- Not in another's identity
We have very different loads, different works and different callings on our lives.
Knowing who has called me should help me take stock in light of His calling.
It is very easy to start comparing myself to others and admiring all the goodness of the Lord in them.
verse 4 Says that I should examine my actions. What is it in me that makes me admire other? Is it joy or jealousy?
James 4:33 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
We may find ourselves asking God for the things we have coveted in others. We ask with wrong motives.
James 3:14 But if you harbor bitter envy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth.
We are warned by God not to boast about bitter envy or selfish ambitions. And that we should also not deny the truth on this matter.
If in me I know that I am envious and selfish after examining my actions, I should acknowledge this sin before God, I should not deny the truth I have found out by pretending that jealousy is not driving me.
Ex 20:17 “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.”
Thursday, 21 March 2019
Praying for those going through painful situations
Psalms 23:4 Even though I walk
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
The first powerful truth is that God is with us in those moments when we are in deep dark valleys. Shadow of the valley of death.
Valleys don't have shadows that we can see because they are beneath the valley. Their shadows are literally under them same as when the sun is overhead and our shadows are beneath us.
A shadow of the valley of death must be a very deep and dark place.
God assures us of His presence in that dark place. It will not feel like it but He is there as He has said.
Jonah 4:2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.
Jonah lets God reveal His nature in these words as he spoke in anger:
Gracious, Compassionate, Patient,Loving, Forgiving, Merciful
Jonah 2:1-10
When Jonah was in the Fish belly, this is what the Spirit of God led him to pray
v2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
In deep distress he called God and He answered. In the deep realm of death he called God and He answered
3You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,[b]
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
In such a deep valley where only death loomed, God brought Jonah's life back from the pit
7 “When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
When Jonah's life was ebbing away, he remembered God. I love this, when life was almost over, crossing over from life to death, seeing and experiencing your every bone die...
In that moment of lost control, in that moment where there's a deep sense of helplessness and death, in that moment Jonah's spirit turns to God.
He put it this ways: "I remembered you Lord"
In that place of death and brokenness, he turned to the maker of his entire being. "My prayer rose to You, to Your holy temple."
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
In that moment of darkness as he turned towards God, he experienced such a deep love from God in an amazingly powerful way.
I believe it is the power of God that draws Jonah to this deep love that in his last breath he starts bubbling over with so much love from God.
He starts addressing the Nineveh people unknowingly! Oh what a powerful God.
In fact at that moment he wasn't think about running to Tarshish. The Spirit of God in him showed what a great love the Ninevites were missing. Such and amazing love of God.
In the depth of the shadow of death, the love of God becomes tangible. He turns us towards Himself. Our eyes gaze and behold Him. Our whole being is brought into the love of God and He is love showing us the depth of His love.
Songs of Solomon 8:6
Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy[a] unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.[b]
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
Now Jonah wants to sacrifice to his God with grateful praise. He wants to honour his vows before God. He wants to declare and shout it all out, salvation comes from God
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
It is at the darkest moment that the Lord gave Jonah such a deep revelation of who He is. The heart of Jonah turns with deep love and praise for God. His heartbeat for God becomes so strong and all this happens in that flash of death. He is about to die but the Spirit of God is speaking life.
The Spirit of God talked of what Jonah would do in the power of God's love.
Praise God!
through the darkest valley,[a]
I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.
The first powerful truth is that God is with us in those moments when we are in deep dark valleys. Shadow of the valley of death.
Valleys don't have shadows that we can see because they are beneath the valley. Their shadows are literally under them same as when the sun is overhead and our shadows are beneath us.
A shadow of the valley of death must be a very deep and dark place.
God assures us of His presence in that dark place. It will not feel like it but He is there as He has said.
Jonah 4:2 He prayed to the Lord, “Isn’t this what I said, Lord, when I was still at home? That is what I tried to forestall by fleeing to Tarshish. I knew that you are a gracious and compassionate God, slow to anger and abounding in love, a God who relents from sending calamity.
Jonah lets God reveal His nature in these words as he spoke in anger:
Gracious, Compassionate, Patient,Loving, Forgiving, Merciful
Jonah 2:1-10
When Jonah was in the Fish belly, this is what the Spirit of God led him to pray
v2 He said:
“In my distress I called to the Lord,
and he answered me.
From deep in the realm of the dead I called for help,
and you listened to my cry.
In deep distress he called God and He answered. In the deep realm of death he called God and He answered
3You hurled me into the depths,
into the very heart of the seas,
and the currents swirled about me;
all your waves and breakers
swept over me.
4 I said, ‘I have been banished
from your sight;
yet I will look again
toward your holy temple.’
5 The engulfing waters threatened me,[b]
the deep surrounded me;
seaweed was wrapped around my head.
6 To the roots of the mountains I sank down;
the earth beneath barred me in forever.
But you, Lord my God,
brought my life up from the pit.
In such a deep valley where only death loomed, God brought Jonah's life back from the pit
7 “When my life was ebbing away,
I remembered you, Lord,
and my prayer rose to you,
to your holy temple.
When Jonah's life was ebbing away, he remembered God. I love this, when life was almost over, crossing over from life to death, seeing and experiencing your every bone die...
In that moment of lost control, in that moment where there's a deep sense of helplessness and death, in that moment Jonah's spirit turns to God.
He put it this ways: "I remembered you Lord"
In that place of death and brokenness, he turned to the maker of his entire being. "My prayer rose to You, to Your holy temple."
8 “Those who cling to worthless idols
turn away from God’s love for them.
In that moment of darkness as he turned towards God, he experienced such a deep love from God in an amazingly powerful way.
I believe it is the power of God that draws Jonah to this deep love that in his last breath he starts bubbling over with so much love from God.
He starts addressing the Nineveh people unknowingly! Oh what a powerful God.
In fact at that moment he wasn't think about running to Tarshish. The Spirit of God in him showed what a great love the Ninevites were missing. Such and amazing love of God.
In the depth of the shadow of death, the love of God becomes tangible. He turns us towards Himself. Our eyes gaze and behold Him. Our whole being is brought into the love of God and He is love showing us the depth of His love.
Songs of Solomon 8:6
Place me like a seal over your heart,
like a seal on your arm;
for love is as strong as death,
its jealousy[a] unyielding as the grave.
It burns like blazing fire,
like a mighty flame.[b]
9 But I, with shouts of grateful praise,
will sacrifice to you.
What I have vowed I will make good.
I will say, ‘Salvation comes from the Lord.’”
Now Jonah wants to sacrifice to his God with grateful praise. He wants to honour his vows before God. He wants to declare and shout it all out, salvation comes from God
10 And the Lord commanded the fish, and it vomited Jonah onto dry land.
It is at the darkest moment that the Lord gave Jonah such a deep revelation of who He is. The heart of Jonah turns with deep love and praise for God. His heartbeat for God becomes so strong and all this happens in that flash of death. He is about to die but the Spirit of God is speaking life.
The Spirit of God talked of what Jonah would do in the power of God's love.
Praise God!
Wednesday, 20 March 2019
Dealing with Anger by addressing lack
Eph 4:26-31 26“In your anger do not sin”[a]: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 and do not give the devil a foothold. 28 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need.
29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.
Do not sin, Do not give the devil a foot hold,Do not speak evil, Do not grieve the Holy Spirit, Rid yourself of bitterness, rage, anger, browling, slander, malice (Paraphrased)
vs 28 We must stop stealing, work with our own hands and distribute to the needy what we make.
Linking anger to lack
We are angered by lack, unfulfilled need
vs. 26 & 27 Are unrealistic
How can I be angry and not sin? and not give the devil a foothold? and not grieve the Spirit of God? and speak kindly?
Unless a very supreme mighty "Person" helps me.
James 4:1-2 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.
There are desires that battle in me. These desires stir fights and quarrels among us
Eph 4:28 this lack causes us to steal.
God's recommendation on anger
- Eph 4:28 Work and earn the things you desire
- James 4:3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures.
- Eph 4:30 No grieving the Holy Spirit
- 1Tim 6:6 6 But godliness with contentment is great gain.
Ephesus Church-Going back to the first love
Rev 2:1-7 Is a letter to the church in Ephesus. A church that seems to be doing all the right things but one; Loving God as they did when they first believed.
Rev 2:4-5 (4) Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. (5) Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.
I can be very busy doing everything that is great and miss the main thing.
I can be very busy doing the right thing that I forget the critical thing; my love for God.
Loving God complements the rest of my tasks.
God says that I should repent and come back to the first love.
1. Consider how far you have fallen
2. Repent
God, reveal to me and rebuke me in the places I have fallen. Amen
Rev 2:4-5 (4) Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. (5) Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lamp stand from its place.
I can be very busy doing everything that is great and miss the main thing.
I can be very busy doing the right thing that I forget the critical thing; my love for God.
Loving God complements the rest of my tasks.
God says that I should repent and come back to the first love.
1. Consider how far you have fallen
2. Repent
God, reveal to me and rebuke me in the places I have fallen. Amen
Tuesday, 19 March 2019
Prayer and Fasting
The Spirit of God directs us on matters we ask for and on matters in God's heart that we did not know of.
Act 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
The disciples were given to worship and in the process the Spirit of God instructed the separation of Paul and Barnabas into different areas of ministry.
When we start a new task or give others a new task, we should commit them to the Lord.
Esther fasted with the Jews concerning her going to the king on behalf of the Jews. She was one of them and was strategically positioned at the palace at such a time when the Jews were to be executed.
Esther 5:2 When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
Another way of praying and fasting is to be still in God's presence and listen to His word, and enjoying His fellowship.
The disciples were given to worship and in the process the Spirit of God instructed the separation of Paul and Barnabas into different areas of ministry.
When we start a new task or give others a new task, we should commit them to the Lord.
Acts 14:23 Paul and Barnabas appointed elders[a] for them in each church and, with prayer and fasting, committed them to the Lord, in whom they had put their trust.
Paul and Barnabas did so by prayers and fasting after they appointed new elders to lead the churches they had been ministering to.
When we have a task that is a matter of life and death, we need to pray and fast and even ask others to join us in the same.
Esther 4:16“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Paul and Barnabas did so by prayers and fasting after they appointed new elders to lead the churches they had been ministering to.
When we have a task that is a matter of life and death, we need to pray and fast and even ask others to join us in the same.
Esther 4:16“Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.”
Esther fasted with the Jews concerning her going to the king on behalf of the Jews. She was one of them and was strategically positioned at the palace at such a time when the Jews were to be executed.
Esther 5:2 When he saw Queen Esther standing in the court, he was pleased with her and held out to her the gold scepter that was in his hand. So Esther approached and touched the tip of the scepter.
God answered these prayers and when Esther showed up at the palace uninvited, the king was so pleased with her.
Another way of praying and fasting is to be still in God's presence and listen to His word, and enjoying His fellowship.
Exodus 34:28 Moses was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights without eating bread or drinking water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the covenant—the Ten Commandments.
The only thing Moses was doing up the mountain was listening to God's commands and writing them down. He was not eating nor drinking for 40 days and nights.
Ex 34:29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had been with the Lord.
Having been with God and spending time with Him, Moses became like God. His face became radiant and he didn't know until he went to the Israelites and they were afraid to get close to him.
Enjoy the presence of God
The only thing Moses was doing up the mountain was listening to God's commands and writing them down. He was not eating nor drinking for 40 days and nights.
Ex 34:29 When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had been with the Lord.
Having been with God and spending time with Him, Moses became like God. His face became radiant and he didn't know until he went to the Israelites and they were afraid to get close to him.
v. 30 When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him.
Enjoy the presence of God
Prayers and Vengeance
Mark 11:24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.
I always have needs I want God to fulfill in my life. I should therefore commit them to God in prayers. What God requires of me is that I believe and He assures me that I have already received it.
v 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
I always have needs I want God to fulfill in my life. I should therefore commit them to God in prayers. What God requires of me is that I believe and He assures me that I have already received it.
v 25 And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins.”
When I stand praying, I should have a clear conscience before God. God tells me that He will remind me of grudges that I have held for me to repent and forgive my offenders.
If I forgive, I close the desire for vengeance in my heart. I should consistently pray so that I consistently forgive and keep a clear conscience and be at peace with fellow human beings
Prayers
Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
God is encouraging us to always allow His Spirit to lead us in the things we are praying for.
This will help me continually grow in my closeness with God as I keep in touch and pray through the Holy Spirit.
Alertness will help me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to please God.
If I forgive, I close the desire for vengeance in my heart. I should consistently pray so that I consistently forgive and keep a clear conscience and be at peace with fellow human beings
Prayers
Eph 6:18 And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.
God is encouraging us to always allow His Spirit to lead us in the things we are praying for.
- Pray in the Spirit- let the Spirit of God be the one who guides and leads us and directs us.
- Pray on all occasions- Allowing and enjoying consistent fellowship with the Holy Spirit. Every moment is a reason to pray.
- With all kinds of prayers and requests-God is encouraging us to talk to Him, to ask Him, to share our thoughts, to engage Him, to make Him part of our everyday and every moment.
This will help me continually grow in my closeness with God as I keep in touch and pray through the Holy Spirit.
Alertness will help me, by the power of the Holy Spirit, to please God.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
