Are you yielding to pride?

 27 May 26

Today's devotional: taken from YouVersion, Devotions on F.I.R.E. Year One

Readings:

1 Chronicles 20

1 Chronicles 21

1 Chronicles 22

John 10:22-42

Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (Proverbs 16:18). 

Are you yielding to pride?

Satan has perfected the art of temptation, using three allurements for thousands of years. The Wicked One employed them on Adam and Eve, Jesus, and similarly to David. John describes them as follows: “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). The last temptation consists of “the pride of life,” which means self-boasting about one’s own accomplishments, and labels David’s sin. Prideful David dispatches a reluctant Joab to take a census (1 Chronicles 21:2-6). Generally speaking, there is nothing wrong with numbering people. After all, we have a book in the Bible entitled Numbers! It seems that David wants to boast about the military prowess of the nation, which leads to God chastening Israel. 

Employment Point: Praise God for His accomplishments in your life and avoid self-boasting.

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Reflections

“But Joab replied, “May the Lord multiply his troops a hundred times over. My Lord the king, are they not all my Lord’s subjects? Why does my Lord want to do this? Why should he bring guilt on Israel?””1 Chronicles‬ ‭21‬:‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• It’s fortunate that the Lord places godly counsel in our midst to provide us guidance and to prevent us from wrongdoings. However, ultimately we have to own our own choices and decisions and be answerable to it.
• The devil’s antics have never changed all these time. Just like the human mind which is so open to sin and temptations if one is not guided by the Holy Spirit. 

“But you will have a son who will be a man of peace and rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies on every side. His name will be Solomon, and I will grant Israel peace and quiet during his reign.”1 Chronicles‬ ‭22‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• How great it is to be living under such a king. Enjoying the peace and quiet of harmony, happy and joyous. No killings no war.. pray that Singapore will too be such a place that is free from war with peace on every side.

“The Jews who were there gathered around him, saying, “How long will you keep us in suspense? If you are the Messiah, tell us plainly.” My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all; no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.””

‭‭John‬ ‭10‬:‭24‬, ‭27‬-‭30‬ ‭NIV‬‬

• the Jews did not believe whatever Jesus is saying even though they asked Him to verify that He is the Messiah. They did not know Him for they did not believe. Thus whatever Jesus said they did not recognise, neither did they acknowledge even up till now. 

There is nothing in life that is not from God. We are sitting here on the earth all by the very grace of God. The very breaths that we take are gifts from God. What is there to boast in our life? The only things that we can boast are indeed the Lord’s accomplishments in our life. All praise and thanks be to You O Lord, now and forevermore. Amen.

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The Life To Know Him

BY OSWALD CHAMBERS

May 27

…tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high. —Luke 24:49

The disciples had to tarry, staying in Jerusalem until the day of Pentecost, not only for their own preparation but because they had to wait until the Lord was actually glorified. And as soon as He was glorified, what happened? “Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear” (Acts 2:33). The statement in John 7:39— “…for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified”— does not pertain to us. The Holy Spirit has been given; the Lord is glorified— our waiting is not dependent on the providence of God, but on our own spiritual fitness.

The Holy Spirit’s influence and power were at work before Pentecost, but He was not here. Once our Lord was glorified in His ascension, the Holy Spirit came into the world, and He has been here ever since. We have to receive the revealed truth that He is here. The attitude of receiving and welcoming the Holy Spirit into our lives is to be the continual attitude of a believer. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we receive reviving life from our ascended Lord.

It is not the baptism of the Holy Spirit that changes people, but the power of the ascended Christ coming into their lives through the Holy Spirit. We all too often separate things that the New Testament never separates. The baptism of the Holy Spirit is not an experience apart from Jesus Christ— it is the evidence of the ascended Christ.

The baptism of the Holy Spirit does not make you think of time or eternity— it is one amazing glorious now. “This is eternal life, that they may know You…” (John 17:3). Begin to know Him now, and never finish.

2 Chronicles 1-3; John 10:1-23

WISDOM FROM OSWALD

There is no condition of life in which we cannot abide in Jesus. We have to learn to abide in Him wherever we are placed.

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Reflections

Sometimes people say they receive the Holy Spirit when and when. But I believe we all the Holy Spirit the moment we say yes and we believe in the Lord Jesus, that He died for our sins, resurrected from the dead and was ascended into heaven. He was glorified. Ever since then, whoever believes in Him receives the Holy Spirit, who is with us and lives in us.

Some people said that the speaking of tongues means that they have received the Holy Spirit. I would think this is partially correct. As mentioned earlier, we all received the Holy Spirit the moment we believe. We received this free gift by faith. The speaking of tongues is a gift from God. It does not mean that if we cannot speak in tongues, we did not receive the Holy Spirit. Speaking in tongues is a form of communication, meant to glorify God. So use it wisely to bring glory to Him.

The Holy Spirit who lives in us will lead and guide us to be more like Christ. He will transform and soften our hearts and refine us through the various tests and trials. At times there may be outward manifestations but at times there may be none. But what we do not see, does not mean that it did not happen. The Lord goes ahead of us to prepare the table for us. We need to learn to trust, to obey and to believe.

“Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭11‬:‭1‬ ‭NIV‬‬

If we believe in Christ, we would believe the word and also believe that He is with us. We would believe that He will never leave us or forsake us. We would trust in Him, even though we may not see Him.

Let’s pray:

Father thank You for the Holy Spirit that is freely given to us and for our salvation. We are grateful that You always go before us and prepare us for the things to come. Thank You Father that we never have to be afraid, for You knew all things and will guide us through all things. Help us to lean on You and You alone for all things and allow Your leading to take precedence. Thank You for Your love O LORD. All praise and thanks be to You. In Jesus’s most precious name we ask and pray. Amen 🙏🏻