The
word salvation contains the idea that God wants to prosper us. In the word we
are told that the wealth of the wicked is saved up for the righteous (Prov
13:22), that’s us. God said he would meet all of our need according to his
riches and glory by Christ Jesus (Phil 4:19). Did you catch that? God said
according to his riches and glory not our limited idea of riches and glory. God
wants to open the windows of heaven on us and pour out such a blessing we
cannot contain it (Mal 3:10).
However,
we are directed to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and then
all these things will be added to us (Matt 6:33). In fact, in the bible we read
that we often do not receive what we ask for because we ask with the wrong
motivation; we ask for selfish reasons (James 4:3).
I
think what the Lord is saying is that if we seek after him, his heart and to
obey him, then he will exercise his highest desire to bless us as his children.
We don’t come to him just to get. Focusing on just getting stuff will never
satisfy us, only our relationship with Jesus will do that.
“Now
he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply
your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness” (2 Cor 9:10; KJV).
God wants to pour his blessings through us so that his work can be done on this
earth and in the process, we will be blessed with all our needs met abundantly
(John 10:10).
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“Whether
therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God” (1
Cor 10:31; KJV). “And whatsoever ye do,
do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men” (Col 3:23).
It’s
easy to separate our spiritual life from our daily activities but really if we
are walking in the spirit the two are intertwined. We don’t have to be in
church to be led by the spirit. According to these verses everything we do
should be done as an offering to the Lord whether its washing dishes, closing a
business deal or singing in the choir. On the job, we should go the extra mile,
work with excellence and give no one reason to complain about our performance or
attitude.
“Having
your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you
as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God
in the day of visitation.” (1 Peter 2:12) As Christians we should be setting an
example to the world in the workplace, with our families and in everything we do
and say. If we approach our day to day tasks as something done for God it won’t
go unnoticed.
Finally,
let Jesus speak to us as quoted by the apostle John: “By this shall all men know
that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). Let’s commit
to show the world God’s love and to bring glory and honor to God at all times and
in all places.
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Matthew
6: 25-34 is a wonderful exhortation for us not to worry about our needs. God
says look at the beauty and magnificence of my creation; the birds of the air
and the lilies of the field, see how I created them and care for them. If God
can do that how much more will he care for us. God says, you focus on me and
being like me and pleasing me and I will take care of the provision.
God
is not short on supplies for our provision. Everything on this earth belongs to
God. “For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand
hills” (Ps 50:10). “The silver is mine, and the gold is mine, saith the Lord of
hosts” (Hag 2:8).
I
like his instruction to us to leave the worry with him.
In
1 Peter 5:6-7 we are told to humble ourselves before God, cast our cares on him
and he will care for us. Now this does not tell us to sit idly by and wait for
God to provide; no, we are to work with our hands to provide our needs. In the apostle
Paul’s second letter to the Thessalonians he wrote: “For even when we were with
you, we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat” (2
Thess 3:10). But, if we trust God and do our part we don’t need to worry, we
need to trust God that everything will be taken care of; ends will more than
meet. Trust God, take the limits off of him; he will provide.
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Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more
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In
Psalm, 139 we are told that God formed us in our mother’s womb and that he has
a plan for each of our lives (v13-16). Let’s also consider the following verses
from the Bible: “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the
Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end” (Jer
29:11; KJV) and: “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great
is the sum of them!” (Ps 139:17).
Sit
back and close your eyes and meditate on the verses above. The Creator of the
universe made you, loves you, thinks of you and has a special plan and place
for you.
God
does not make junk and is no respecter of person (Matt 22:16). He sees you as
important as anyone else. God even sees each one of us as his workmanship, his
poem and the work or art that he created (Eph 2:10).
In
Psalm 139 King David tells us further that God knows us intimately, right down
to our thoughts (v1-4). Nothing is hidden from God (Matt 9:4). David completed
Psalm 139 by asking God to search him and show him any evil that needed to be
removed from him, so that he (David) could be led by God in God’s perfect plan
for his life (v 23-24). I am sure that is the cry of all of our hearts. God
called David a man after his own heart (Acts 13:22). I think I would like to be
called that as well; how about you?
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Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more
encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.
In
the apostle Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians, chapter 5 and verse 21 (KJV),
we read that: “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we
might be made the righteousness of God in him”. Jesus took our sins upon himself and paid the
price for them that we could be made his
righteousness; we are no longer sinners. We were spiritually dead in our sins,
we were sinners (Rom 6:23) but Christ won righteousness for us through his
sacrifice. When we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and savior we come in to
righteousness or right standing with God, by grace (Eph 2:8; Rom 3:22; Rom 5:1)
and our sins are forgiven (Col 2:13).
But
what if as Christians we do sin? We know that we all sin but if we confess our sins
God will be quick to forgive us (1 John 1:7-2:2). This does not make us
unregenerate sinners again, we are new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Cor 5:17);
the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus.
In his
first epistle and chapter 3, the apostle John seems to indicate that we should
never sin but study of the Greek structure here shows us that what he really means
is that we should not habitually sin as a life style (v 6-9). In chapter 1,
John makes it clear that as Christians we will slip and sin but if we ask
forgiveness God will forgive us.
As
born-again believers we need to allow his word to renew us and allow his Spirit
to change us to walk in his ways so that sin becomes more and more foreign to us
(Rom 12:2; Ezekiel 36:26-27). Praise God for his love, grace and forgiveness.
Please
pass this on. All rights reserved.
Check
out our web site ( www.onthewayinlove.com ) for information on our book: “On the Way:
Basic Christian Training”, including how to purchase it and also to see more
encouraging Bible based blogs. Please recommend our book to others.