'I seek not to please Myself but Him who sent Me.' John 5:30 NIV
When the light turns green, go! If you’re in sales, it’s crucial to know when to close the deal. Beginners often lose sales by ‘overselling’. They present their product and demonstrate how it meets their client’s needs. It’s priced right and the customer is ready to purchase, but the novice keeps on ‘selling’ until the customer becomes suspicious of his pitch and he loses the sale. Knowing when to ‘close’ is essential. Accurate aim is important, but you must know when to pull the trigger. Trust the steps you’ve taken and move forward; otherwise you’ll get stuck in a cycle of second–guessing. At some point in your search for God’s will, you must take that decisive and often intimidating next step. All your studying, praying, discussing, researching, checking and rechecking are fruitless if you don’t act. All the faith in the world will fail you if you stop short of doing something (James 2:17–18). Here’s a last–minute test:
(1) Have you submitted your will to God?
(2) Are you faithfully serving where He appointed you?
(3) Are you willing to do what He has revealed?
(4) Have you received and believed the Spirit’s leading?
(5) Are you trusting in His power to fulfil His directions? How did you do? Did you pass?
Then it’s time to move forward! Don’t wait until you feel fearless. Take that first, fearful step. Act your way into boldness, and fear will lose its ability to control or paralyse you. When the light turns green, God’s resources are available for your assignment. Now’s the time to move!
A BETTER COVENANT
Hebrews 7:22 by so much more Jesus has become a surety of a better covenant.
Hebrews 8:6 But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises.
Hebrews 12:24 to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.
Under an inferior Old Testament covenant God blessed Abraham greatly, and he has become great; and He had given him flocks and herds, silver and gold, male and female servants, and camels and donkeys (Genesis 24:35)! He saved and delivered His people from bondage in Egypt and brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none feeble among His tribes (Psalms 105:37) He also delivered David from his strong enemy King Saul from those who hated him. He also brought him out into a broad place; He delivered David because He delighted in him ( Psalms 18-19). He gave David gave his master's house and his master's wives into his keeping, and gave him the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, He also would have given him much more (Samuel 12:8)!
But foolish ignorant blind ones teach that God doesn't do such things any more under the new inferior New Testament even though God's word clearly states:
Romans 8:32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?
1 Corinthians 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
Galatians 3:13 Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"),14 that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
Yes under the New Inferior Covenant God's will is for total prosperity and redemption for His people and they alone by their faith limit what God can and will do for them!
Hebrews 11:32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets:33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions,34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens.
3 John 1:2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.
FORGIVENESS IS FOR THE UNDESERVING
Matthew 18:21 - Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”
Peter asked the Lord how often he should forgive his brother. The Lord’s answer to him was simple: Up to 70 times seven times. (Matthew 18:22) In other words, all the time!
“Well, Pastor, he does not deserve my forgiveness.”
Neither did you deserve God’s forgiveness.
There is not a single person alive or dead who did not break all 10 of God’s commandments. There is no such thing as a “partial sinner” or “great sinner”. All of us were great sinners when Jesus saved us. And when we realize that we are forgiven much, we will love much. (Luke 7:47)
“Pastor, how can you say that I have broken all of God’s commandments? I have never committed adultery.”
My friend, Jesus said, “If you lust after a woman in your heart, you have already committed adultery with her.” (Matthew 5:28) That is God’s standard. Man looks outward, but God looks inward at the heart. Moreover, if you break one law, you are guilty of all. (James 2:10) So everyone has broken all of God’s commandments. Everyone is a great sinner.
Now, you are no longer a sinner if you have received Christ as your Savior. You are a new creation. But you were a great sinner and God forgave you your huge debt through the death of His Son.
So if someone has wronged you, tell yourself this: “I did not deserve God’s forgiveness, but He forgave me through Christ. So I forgive this person also.” If you say something like, “He does not deserve it,” it makes no sense. Forgiveness is not for people who deserve it. If they deserve anything, it is punishment. But forgiveness means that you extend grace—undeserved favor—like how God extends undeserved favor to you.
Beloved, if you choose to hold on to bitterness, no one suffers but you. You lose your peace, then possibly your health. It is just not worth it. God says to you, “Let go. Forgive them their debts, just as I have forgiven you yours.”
Thought For The Day :
When we realize that we are forgiven much, we will love much.
GOOD GROUND THAT PRODUCES :
Still other seeds fell on fertile soil, and they produced a crop that was thirty, sixty, and even a hundred times as much as had been planted! - Matthew 13:8, NLT
In life, there are many kinds of seeds we can sow, but do you know what produces the best crop? The seed of God’s Word planted on the soil of our hearts. The more of the Word you take into your heart, the more abundant the harvest will be.
Our job, as believers, is to make sure we are good ground. The scripture tells us there are things that can choke the seed of the Word — the cares of this world and greed and selfishness act as thorns that stop the seed from growing. It also tells us that in order for the seed to take root, we need to stand strong during the difficult times when persecution and challenges come.
If you have hard or dry places in your heart today, God wants to soften those areas. He promised in Ezekiel that He will take out the stony, hard heart and replace it with a new heart, a heart that is good ground and open to Him. This is the heart that will produce an abundant harvest of blessing in every area of your life!
CHOOSE TO FOCUS ON ALL THAT IS GOOD
Mark 14:38 "Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak."
Temptation is linked directly to what we think upon (Heb. 11:15). Temptation has to be entered into. We can avoid temptation by avoiding thoughts that generate temptation (Prov. 23:7). Since it is impossible to not think, we cannot just try to reject the negative thoughts in this world, but we must choose to think on the positive truths of God. This is where prayer comes in.
In prayer, we have our minds stayed upon God and therefore, are not receptive to thoughts that conceive temptation. Temptation or sin must be conceived (Jas. 1:14-15). In the physical realm, the easiest way to avoid an unwanted birth is to avoid conception, so it is in the spiritual world.
It is easier to avoid being tempted by being in constant communion with God, than it is to overcome temptation once it has been conceived.
Paul admonishes the Philippian believers to reflect and meditate upon eight positive principles of thinking that will lead to a victorious Christian life (Phil. 4:8). These are things that are "true," that is: honorable, truthful and upright. Things that are "honest," that is: honorable, truthful, genuine, not characterized by deception or fraud. Things that are "just," that is: in accordance with what is right, or right conduct; any circumstance, fact or deed that is right. Things that are "pure," free from defilement or impurity.
Things that are "lovely," pleasing, agreeable, inspiring love or affection. A "good report," that is: a saying or report that is positive and constructive rather than negative and destructive. "Virtue," which is moral excellence, righteousness and goodness. "Praise," or what is praiseworthy; expressing one's esteem of a person and his virtues. We need to focus on the good in every area of our lives. Recognizing God's hand in even the smallest things will bring peace and keep our hearts and minds following hard after the Lord.
RIGHT BELIEVING PRODUCES RIGHT LIVING
These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God. - 1 John 5:13
Everyone who came to Jesus for healing was healed. Yet, there were those who were right in His presence that didn’t get healed. Who were they?
They were the religious folk who focused on right living outwardly, but didn’t have right believing inwardly—they didn’t believe in Jesus. They had a form of self-righteousness and didn’t see their need for the Savior. I am talking about the Pharisees. There is no record of any one of them getting healed in the Gospels. The ones who got healed and received miracles of provision, restoration and transformation from Him were people who simply believed in Jesus and His goodness. They weren’t perfect in their behavior, but they had right believing.
My friend, right believing is at the root of right living. Right believing in the goodness and grace of our Lord Jesus is like an “on” switch that allows His power and grace to flow into your life and transform it. It gives you new desires and new strength. You will want to live right for the glory of Jesus.
So don’t not worry about right living. Instead, make sure that you are believing right by constantly feeding on the gospel of Jesus Christ. When you believe right, you will live right to the glory of God!
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