Fight the Good Fight, and AIM to FINISH the race!
Devotion 16: Need Prayer? Click the forum by the home tab & let us know so we can pray for you! 🤍
Brethren,
How many of us believe that GOD should be first?
Do you, Beloved?
Do you Believe that the WORD of the LIVING GOD should be first in our lives.
That GOD should be first?
Or the WORD of GOD?
Well, from what I've gathered, the WORD of GOD, is GOD!
For John 1:1 assures us of this, saying: “In the beginning was the WORD, and the WORD was with GOD, and the WORD was GOD."
Do we each understand that, Beloved?
That the WORD that was GOD, Is GOD, and will forever be GOD, communicating with us?
Yes, speaking to us directly, saying: I AM the LORD your GOD who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.
Brethren,
Egypt simply represents the world, and the people of the world, who are in bondage to do the will and desires of the devil.
But we who have been delivered, SAVED, and brought out of bondage. Are now called to serve the LIVING GOD, and to do HIS will. And in doing so, proving our LOVE for HIM.
Yes, that we LOVE HIM above everything else.
For GOD commands us to LOVE HIM with all our heart, mind, soul and strength.
And that we meditate on how to do so, at length.
To serve only HIM, and no longer the devil, which is to serve sin.
For brethren, surely we each know that we serve sin by breaking the commandments of CHRIST that GOD has put us in.
For we are now found in CHRIST not having our own righteousness which is by keeping the law.
No, because we've all broken GOD's law. But that which is by FAITH in CHRIST we've been made the RIGHTEOUS of GOD in CHRIST.
So please consider this parable from Mathew 25:14-30 and then ask yourself which one of these three servants spoken of here made it abundantly clear that GOD wasn't first in his LIFE.
Right!
And consider how he proved that his LORD's business wasn't his priority, and that he simply didn't care about the fact that he had been hired to work for his LORD and do what he had been entrusted to do.
Consider 1 Thessalonians 2:4, and how we who have believed the GOSPEL, and received CHRIST, have been entrusted with the GOSPEL to speak. Yes, to speak and proclaim the finished work of the Cross of our LORD, JESUS CHRIST.
It reads like this: “But as we have been approved by GOD to be entrusted with the GOSPEL to speak, not as pleasing men, but GOD who tests our hearts.
Brethren,
Would you agree that it is good news that we have been approved by GOD?
Yes?
Well, because we have. We've also been entrusted with the GOSPEL to speak. Yes, to serve our Beloved LORD JESUS CHRIST, and not just to take up space, considering it a common thing that on the Cross, HE took our place.
With that said, consider this parable that begins by saying: "For the KINGDOM of HEAVEN is like a man traveling to a far country, who called HIS own servants and delivered HIS goods to them. And to one HE gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately HE went on a journey.
Brethren,
Two thousand years ago, our Beloved LORD went on a journey. But HE is soon coming back!
And meanwhile, HE assures us that HE has given each of us the ability to speak. Right!
And with the power of the GOSPEL, to reach this lost and dying generation because every Soul is precious to GOD. HE is sending us not only to care about our own interests, but also the interest that others have of escaping the lake of fire. 😳
So the parable of the talents continues like this in verse 16: “Then he who had recieved the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. And likewise he who had recieved two gained two more also. But he who had recieved one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money. After a long time the LORD of those servants came and settled accounts with them. So he who had recieved five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, 'LORD, YOU delivered to me five talents, look, I have gained five more talents besides them.' His LORD said to him, "Well done, good and FAITHFUL servant; you were FAITHFUL over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the Joy of your LORD.' He also who had recieved two talents came and said, 'LORD, YOU delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.' His LORD said to him, "Well done, good and FAITHFUL servant; you have been FAITHFUL over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the Joy of your LORD.' "Then he who had recieved the one talent came and said, 'LORD, I knew YOU to be a hard Man, reaping where YOU have not sown, and gathering where YOU have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid YOUR talent in the ground.
Did you catch that, Beloved?
“I was afraid, he said, and buried his talent in the ground!"
Now let me point you to Revelation 21:8 and what group of people, GOD declares, will be the very first to face the lake of fire!
Consider how it reads: “But the cowardly, [Right, the cowardly,] unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Eye-opening, wouldn't you say? Now let me finish the the parable. “Look, there YOU have what is YOURS.' "But his LORD answered and said to him, "You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. So you ought to have deposited MY money with the bankers, and at MY coming I would have recieved back MY Own with interest. Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. 'For to everyone who has more will be given, and he will have an abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
Brethren,
With that SCRIPTURE read, would you agree that the LORD would have each of us to be about HIS business?
Yes?
And not to be so preoccupied with the affairs of this LIFE?
I am convinced that the wise will seek to be about our FATHER's business.
For even the apostle Paul warned Timothy of being preoccupied with “the affairs of this LIFE.”
Consider 2 Timothy 2:4 and how the apostle Paul urged Timothy not to let anything slow him down or distract him from the cause of his LORD and MASTER.
Consider how it reads: “No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this LIFE, that he may please HIM Who enlisted him.”
Brethren,
I know that there are many attractive things in our world that are so easy to get entangled with.
Sports, TV, computer games, hobbies, just to name a few.
But how many more prefer more shameful things to focus their attention on?
All of these things interfere with the purpose for which GOD called us out of darkness and into HIS Marvelous LIGHT:
To share The GOOD NEWS of our LORD JESUS CHRIST! To serve HIM with all our heart, and with the focus to bring HIM GLORY, never depart.
For we were each created for that specific purpose!
To GLORIFY GOD.
Paul told Timothy why he ought not be entangled with this world’s affairs.
So that he could please HIM, Who for our well being truly cares.
Surely we each know that?
Well, if our desire is to please our LORD, we will stay untangled from the world, and not be entangled with the affairs of this LIFE.
As John reminds us, “The world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of GOD abides FOREVER.”
FOREVER, Beloved!
So always keep in mind, Beloved, we've been called out of darkness and into GOD'S marvelous LIGHT.
That we might aim to finish the race, and fight the good fight.
Surely, we will finish the race, Beloved!
And we'll do it all for the GLORY of JESUS!
JESUS
OK
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