GOD'S IDEA OF GREATNESS

GOD'S IDEA OF GREATNESS

Luke 3:20, "....he shut up John in prison."

John spent 30 years preparing for a six month ministry, followed by one and a half years in prison before he was beheaded. Many people would not consider his life very successful, yet Jesus said John was the greatest man who was ever born (Mt. 11:11).

John's greatness didn't lie in his own success, but in the success of another. John stirred up the hearts of an entire nation in expectancy of their Messiah. The ministry of Jesus owed much of its success to the work of John. John had prepared a people to meet their God (Mal. 3:1).

In our celebrity conscious society, few people want to be the backup singer or the announcer who introduces the main speaker. We have adopted a mentality that unless we are in the limelight we have failed. That's not the way the Lord looks at things.

When the Lord passes out rewards in heaven, we may be shocked to see how He evaluates greatness. Many people who did not receive recognition while on earth will shine like the stars in eternity. The Lord will judge our works on what sort they were and not what size they were (I Cor. 3:13).

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Critics beware

From experience, we know that it is easier to criticize than to correct; we understand that it is easier to find faults than solution and we realize that excessive criticism is usually destructive not productive. Yet the urge to criticize other remains a powerful temptation for most of us. Our task, as obedient believers is to break the twin habits of negative thinking and critical speech.

James 4:11  Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Negatively is highly contagious: we give it to other who it turn, give it back to us. This cycle can be broken by positive thoughts, heartfelt prayers and encouraging words. As thoughtful servant of a loving God, we can use transforming power of Christ’s love to break the chains of negativity and we should.

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God Can Turn Your Evil Day Into Good Days

God Can Turn Your Evil Day Into Good Days

Esther 9:22
²²… rest from their enemies… sorrow to joy… mourning to a holiday…

Today, many Jews are celebrating the feast of Purim. The name Purim is derived from “the lot” which a Gentile, Haman, cast concerning the fate of the Jews when they were in Persia under King Ahasuerus.

Haman, the villain in this story in the book of Esther, hated the Jews and sought to exterminate them. He got King Ahasuerus to allow him to issue a decree to annihilate all the Jews in one day — on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of Adar. But God used Queen Esther and her uncle Mordecai, both Jews, to turn the tables on Haman and save the Jews.

Haman was hanged on the very gallows that he had constructed for Mordecai! Then, the king allowed Queen Esther and Mordecai to issue a counter-decree to allow all the Jews to defend themselves and destroy their enemies in one day — on the thirteenth day of the twelfth month of Adar! 

So instead of the Jews being exterminated on that fateful day, their enemies were destroyed! God turned an evil day for the Jews into good days. He turned their mourning into rejoicing and gave them victory over their enemies.  

My friend, God can do the same for you today. He only wants you to remain in your position of rest in Christ. You see, because of Jesus’ finished work at the cross, you are seated in heavenly places in Christ, far above every principality, and evil assault the devil can throw at you. (Ephesians 2:6) Just as Mordecai sat within the king’s gate, and refused to stand up and bow to Haman, let’s not “bow” to the devil by allowing him to move us out of our position of rest in Christ. Don’t allow him to get you worried, frantic and doing things to save yourself. 

Queen Esther was also in a position of rest before Haman was executed. She was seated on a couch as Haman pleaded before her for his life. While doing so, he accidentally fell over the couch where the queen was. The king, thinking that Haman was assaulting his queen, sent him to the gallows!

Beloved, remain at rest in Christ’s finished work, and He will turn your evil day into days of rejoicing and feasting!

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Start with God-the first in learning

Whether you’re young or adult you’ve still got lots to learn. Even if you’re a very wise man, God isn’t finished with you yet and He isn’t finished teaching you important lessons about life here on earth and life eternal.

Do you eek to live a life of righteousness and wisdom? If so, you must continue to study the ultimate source of wisdom: the Word of God. You must associate, day in and day out, with godly men and women. And you must act in accordance with your beliefs. When you study God’s word and live according to His commandments, you will become wise and you will be a blessing to your friends, to your family and to the world.

Prayer;

Dear Lord, I have so much to learn. Help me to watch, to listen, to think and to learn every day of my life. Amen.

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Forgiveness Is For The Undeserving

Forgiveness Is For The Undeserving

Matthew 18:21
²¹… “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

The Lord’s answer to Peter was simple: Up to seventy times seven. (Matthew 18:22) In other words, all the time!

“Well, Pastor, he does not deserve my forgiveness.” 

Neither did you deserve God’s. Listen, 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 we need to have that revelation because if we know that we are forgiven much, we will love much. (Luke 7:47)

“Pastor, how can you say that I have broken all 10 commandments? I have not committed adultery. I have been true to my wife since the day we married.” 

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. God sees the heart. So everyone has broken all 10 commandments. Everyone is a great sinner. 

Now, you are no longer a sinner if you have received Christ as your Saviour — you are now a new creation. But you were a sinner and God forgave all your sins through the death of His Son. You owed God big time, but God forgave you through His Son’s death your huge debt.

So if someone has wronged you, say this: “I did not deserve God’s forgiveness, but God forgave me through Christ. So I forgive this person also in Jesus’ name.” 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 something, then it is punishment. No, forgiveness means that you extend grace. Grace means undeserved favour, like how God extends undeserved favour to you.

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