Are you more afraid of man or God?
9 Apr 26
Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One
Readings:
1 Samuel 1
1 Samuel 2
1 Samuel 3
Luke 12:1-34
The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD shall be safe (Proverbs 29:25).
Are you more afraid of man or God?
Christianity has always been hazardous to the believer’s health. Jesus, therefore, gives the following admonition: “My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do” (Luke 12:4). Conversely, He commands His disciples, “Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!” (Luke 12:5). Our Lord Jesus builds His case using sparrows. These birds are a food source for the poor and ceremonially clean, which means Jews could eat them. The sovereign Lord cares for these seemingly insignificant creatures; therefore, He will watch over His disciples. Jesus adds, “Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Luke 12:7).
Employment Point: Fear only the Almighty God who cares deeply for you.
————————
Reflections
“I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.” And he worshiped the Lord there.”
1 Samuel 1:27-28 NIV
- it must felt hard to give her firstborn just after he was weaned at 3 years of age. But then again, we also saw how she remained faithful, kept praying, never give up on hope. The Lord finally answered her and she too, make good her promises to the Lord, to be given over to the Lord. It is a great sacrifice.
- I see how she balanced the love of God over the love of her child. A child that had come after years of mocking but yet the days together are short lived.
- Sometimes we don’t fully understand how everything work but we just have to obey and keep trusting in Him.
In 1 Samuel 2:1-11, we saw how Hannah’s heart looks like. Pure, humbled, full of praises, grateful and thankful on how the Lord has delivered her from her bitterness. These verses are something which are worthy to read and meditate.
“If one person sins against another, God may mediate for the offender; but if anyone sins against the Lord, who will intercede for them?” His sons, however, did not listen to their father’s rebuke, for it was the Lord’s will to put them to death. And the boy Samuel continued to grow in stature and in favor with the Lord and with people.”1 Samuel 2:25-26 NIV
- we see a twist on how the Lord can use Samuel instead of Eli’s sons to do His works. And by right, being the sons of the priests, they ought to know better. In fact they are supposed to be role models. However, this is not the case and the Lord was preparing to deal with them.
““ ‘And what happens to your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, will be a sign to you—they will both die on the same day. I will raise up for myself a faithful priest, who will do according to what is in my heart and mind. I will firmly establish his priestly house, and they will minister before my anointed one always.”1 Samuel 2:34-35 NIV
- this looks like a reminder, especially someone who serves in the church. To remain faithful, to do only what is in accordance to the Lord’s heart and mind. Otherwise we know the fate, it will not be nice
“Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord: The word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.”
1 Samuel 3:7 NIV
- praying that none of us are in such a situation when we don’t know the Lord and cannot hear when He speaks to us. May the Lord open our eyes to see, our ears to hear and our heart to receive.
““But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.””
Luke 12:20-21 NIV
- many times we have been reminded to store up treasures in heaven and not have more than enough possessions. Have you already know or thought of ways on how you can build treasures in heaven? Whatever earthly possessions does not matter at all because to dust we will return. There’s nothing in this world where we can bring it with us.
“Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will never fail, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”Luke 12:33-34 NIV
- if we really do have some spare, consider what the Lord wants us to do and give to the needy. But do discern on who you are giving to as well.
“And do not set your heart on what you will eat or drink; do not worry about it. For the pagan world runs after all such things, and your Father knows that you need them. But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well.”
Luke 12:29-31 NIV
- here is a reminder of the times where we think we may not have enough but the Lord will provide and He always do! The only thing we ought to do, is to keep seeking Him and His kingdom.
————————-
Have I Seen Him?
BY OSWALD CHAMBERS
April 09
Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. — Mark 16:12
Being saved and seeing Jesus are not the same thing. Many have accepted God’s grace who have never seen Jesus. Always distinguish between seeing Jesus and seeing what he has done for you. If you see only what Jesus has done for you, you do not have a big enough God; you’ve confused him with your personal experience.
Once you have seen Jesus, you are never the same again. You remain unshaken though experiences come and go, your gaze fixed on “him who is invisible.” Moses “left Egypt, not fearing the king’s anger; he persevered because he saw him who is invisible” (Hebrews 11:27).
We cannot dictate when we see Jesus; he comes in his own time. He may be at work in our lives, helping us, long before he actually appears. In John 9, Jesus heals a man who has been blind since birth, but the man does not know who Jesus is. Only later does Jesus appear to the man, revealing his true identity. “Then the man said, ‘Lord, I believe,’ and he worshiped him” (John 9:38).
When Jesus appears, he appears to each of us individually. No one can see Jesus through another’s eyes; he must appear to your friend as well as to you. A severance takes place when one person and not the other has seen Jesus. If you’ve seen Jesus, you will be eager to tell others about it. But remember that you can’t bring anyone else into fellowship with God; God must do it. “These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe” (Mark 16:13). Keep telling, even if they do not believe.
Oh could I tell ye surely would believe it!
Oh could I only say what I have seen!
How should I tell or how can ye receive it, How, till He bringeth you where I have been?
—Frederic W. H. Myers
WISDOM FROM OSWALD
God engineers circumstances to see what we will do. Will we be the children of our Father in heaven, or will we go back again to the meaner, common-sense attitude? Will we stake all and stand true to Him? “Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.” The crown of life means I shall see that my Lord has got the victory after all, even in me.
————————-
Reflections
Well then, let me share how I have seen him.
Some 8 years ago in 2018, a friend invited me to their office for Christmas gathering on Christmas eve. Because their office is in the industrial area, so we can just have fun and not be afraid of disturbing others. I was not a believer then but had been serving in the Batam medical mission some 4 years ago.
Past midnight, we were all tired and I decided to take a grab home. While on the wat home, I dozed and saw an image I will never forget. I saw His face! Bright, shiny and silver like upon the cross. I couldn’t see His body cos it was just so near that we are standing face to face. Then I suddenly woke up and was stunned.. what did I just see? I was so tired that I dozed off again and I see Him a second time! The very same image I saw earlier! It cannot be a hallucination and it must be Him!
I was tracing back all these events on my calendar and remembered something. I believed it was kind of announced that time that one of my mentors was stepping down. And it was also around that time that while we were singing the mission anthem “Here I am Lord”, that I felt the Lord asked me whether what I said (sang) is true. That He will send me. I told Him yes.. the last few Sunday services somewhat spoke to me the most.. and I remembered tearing, not sure and understanding why…
One year on, I said the sinners prayer around the same time. The push was more because I wanted to follow my ex-husband’s religion which is Christianity and also how the Lord answered me when I had questions about baptism. I felt prompted to attend the Christmas service near my house, went alone and managed to witness how baptism was being done. I knew He answered. He is so real.
Not only have I seen Him, I have a personal experience with Him and He is still working in our lives right now. What can I say? All thanks and praise be to You O Lord.
————————
Lent devotion Day 51/53
taken from YouVersion, Lent for Everyone
Lent for Everyone is a devotional created and written by N.T. (Tom) Wright. For each day of Lent, there is a reading chosen from the Gospel of Matthew, plus a reflection by Wright. These readings have grown out of a project encouraging Lent reading in Northern England. This is the second in a three-volume series based on the Revised Common Lectionary of the Church of England.
Today’s reading:
Matthew 6:25-34
EASTER THURSDAY
Now, in Easter week, try reading the whole Sermon on the Mount as a blueprint for how Jesus' Easter-people should live. Now at last, with Jesus leading the way through death to new life, we see what it might mean to be poor in spirit, to be meek, peacemakers, and so on. Now, already, the mourners are being comforted, the pure in heart glimpsing the living God in Jesus himself. Now at last, as well, those who follow Jesus will be persecuted because of their love for him and the new world of justice and joy which he has opened up, which challenges the old world to its core. Now, at last, we can see the sense in the demanding new way of life which he has launched.
That is the spirit in which, for instance, we should read the bracing commands of 5.21—48. This is what it might mean to be genuinely human! The Easter message declares that it is possible to live without anger, without lust, without divorce, swearing, revenge and hatred. Most of the world doesn't know this, but Jesus knew it; and at Easter he calls us to die to all those things, and come alive to his new way of life. Yes, it will be tough. Yes, dying in any sense is hard and unpleasant. So many theories about human behaviour have assumed that we ought to feel as comfortable as possible as much as possible. Then we wonder why life goes downhill, rather than attaining the heights we glimpse from time to time. Easter is where we not only see those heights but start to scale them.
Then, as the Sermon reaches a kind of climax, we have this passage about worry — or rather, about not worrying. Modern life, of course, thrives on worry. We only have to think back a century or two before radio, television, regular swift mail around the country and the world, and so on, to realize that for most people most of the time the world beyond their immediate village was a closed book. Worry was localized — none the easier for that, but think what we have done. We have made a global issue of it: we worry about nuclear power in the Middle East, about bush fires in Australia, about ecological disasters in Alaska. And, of course, this doesn't remove the local and personal worries about meeting the bills, about feeding the family, about the uncertainty of life itself.
And Jesus tells us — the Easter Jesus tells us — not to worry about any of them. He could give that instruction already, during his ministry; how much more can he give it now that he is raised from the dead, now that he has overthrown the greatest worry of all, death itself? One of the chief notes in the life of the early Christians was joy: joy because a new way of life had been launched, new creation had begun, and it was clear that God had commenced his reign and could be trusted to bring it to completion. 'Seek first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness,' said Jesus, 'and all these things will be given to you as well.' And Easter reaffirms, gloriously, the way in which Jesus drew his examples from the natural order. The birds don't plant seed and reap harvests, but they get enough to eat. The lilies don't work at weaving, yet they are dressed magnificently. Other philosophies might scoff at such examples: they come from this world of space, time and matter, not the eternal world of ideas. But Easter reminds us emphatically that the world of space, time and matter is redeemed, not abandoned. In raising Jesus, God has reaffirmed the goodness of the natural world, and his compassionate care for it. In that care we can rest secure.
Worry and Easter, then, don't go together. Someone once asked that great teacher and saint, Bishop Lesslie Newbigin, whether he was an optimist or a pessimist. 'I am neither an optimist', he said, 'nor a pessimist. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead!' He had learned the Easter lesson which brings the Sermon on the Mount to life. Our life.
TODAY
Help us, gracious Lord, to live our whole life in full and joyful trust in the power of your resurrection.
———————
Let’s pray:
Dear Abba Father, help us Lord, not to be distressed about the challenges or issues that we faced as believers for You have already forewarned us on all these things. Instead, help us Lord, to remain steadfast, to hold onto Your truths, so that we stand firm in the face of adversities. Easter has reminded us that a new world is to come, new laws, foreign to the world is coming. We need to be uncomfortable, we need to step out in faith to abide His calling. We are called to be bearers of love, to be peacemakers and none of those are easy or comfortable things to do. But Lord, grant us courage to pursue this kingdom that You have promised with faith and overcome any unbelief that we may have. We rejoice that Christ has risen! Hallelujah! In Jesus’s Mighty name we pray. Amen 🙏🏻
Comments
Post a Comment