| Clay In The Master's Hand |
 "Struggling Over the Priorities in Life"
Matthew 6:31-34 (NASB95)
31 "Do not worry then, saying, 'What will we eat?' or 'What will we drink?' or 'What will we wear for clothing?'
32 "For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things; for your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.
33 "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.
34 "So do not worry about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.
Here in this passage that we have just read is the priority of life for every believer in Jesus Christ. Jesus says, "To seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." Therefore, it is our deepest relationship with Jesus that should be the supreme goal of our life. There is nothing in this world that should be more important to you and me than this relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. The priority of life is to submit ourselves to Jesus in everything. This simply means to submit to His rulership, and His lordship with our lives. We ought to be so yielded to Him that it could be summed up with the word "obedience" to His purposes rather than our own. This without a doubt my friends, is the bottom line for you and I who belong to Christ.
So, Jesus tells us to, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness." Let your time, and your schedule, and everything revolve around this one thing. That you continue to grow in this intimate, wonderful, warm, satisfying, indescribable relationship with this personal God! This wonderful Father that we have desires to be continually in our lives, and unselfishly takes all that He has and gives it to us. It is every believer's privilege to experience His presence no matter what is happening around them. We can walk here on this earth with all of its hiccups and yet still know that the presence of God is all around us. When we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness we can find ourselves very busy about daily responsibilities and still be aware of His presence. This is because God is my priority in life. He gets my time and my attention beyond any pull that this world may try to tug at me to gain my focus. When God is my priority, then I will experience His best for my life.
Let me ask you these questions, "What is more important to you than being obedient to God? Who is more important to you than being obedient to God? What is more important to you than expressing a Christ-like life?" Whatever it is my friends, I can tell you this. It is out of place!
* Many of our readers are not aware that the (Read More) tab below is a link to a PDF file from our website that allows you to receive the entire devotional. We have included this link for those that may want to read the more detailed and in depth version. As always I pray these devotionals bless you as you grow in God's Word. Tell a friend and have them sign up for these inspiring weekly devotionals.
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 "Peace in the midst of the Storm"
1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 (NLT)
15 We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died.
16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the Christians who have died will rise from their graves.
17 Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever.
18 So encourage each other with these words.
Because Jesus Christ came back to life, so will all believers. All Christians, including those living when Christ returns, will live with Christ forever. Therefore, we need not despair when loved ones die or world events take a tragic turn. God will turn our tragedies to triumphs, our poverty to riches, our pain to glory, and our defeat to victory. All believers throughout history will stand reunited in God's very presence, safe and secure. As Paul comforted the Thessalonians church with the promise of the resurrection, so we should comfort and reassure each other with this great hope.
Remember that through our lives we can give those around us hope. In addition, we have an assurance in the Word of God that we will see our loved ones again. In a world that is full of uncertainty we have an answer for the troubled soul. As we watch the news or hear of things that are happening all around us, we have a hope that lies within our hearts to know that God is with us. We just remembered 9/11 this last week and though the loss was so great, we have come through it as a nation much stronger. I encourage you as a believer today, to place your future in the hands of a loving God who will not leave you where you may be right this moment. Gods plan for you is greater than the storms life may have brought you to. Find someone around you to encourage and pray with you. Look around you, be sensitive to others needs for encouragement, and offer supportive words and deeds of service to them. We have eternity to look forward to, so embrace today and enjoy the life that God has given you. As you read this today, please know that I am praying for you, and believing God that you will come to know that He loves you very much. There is peace in the midst of our storms, because the Prince of Peace is right there with us! |
My Prayer For Today...
Lord, I so appreciate the love that You show me each and every day by meeting all my necessary needs. I want to thank You for sustaining me through all my troubles and bringing me out as victor in them all. It is true that those who put their heart and mind on the Lord shall know perfect peace. Therefore, I will delight myself in my God and will rejoice that He alone promises to take care of me at all levels of life.
I am thankful that You go with me and surround me with Your presence. You are my fortress and my refuge in times of trouble. My heart breaks out with singing as I think of just how much You love me. Peace be still my soul, for your Savior and your Rock has set you in a place of royality. It is not with power or might that I remain steadfast in this place of holiness, but by Your Spirit which enables me to rise above my troubles and all my faults, and yet declare, that I can do all things in Christ Jesus who strengthens my hands to do mighty exploits in His name!
When others shall spend their lives pursuing their own personal gains and fortunes. I shall gladly spend all of mine for Your kingdom! For what has a man gained if he obtains the whole world but loses his soul? You are my world, Lord, and my Savior, and because I have made You the priority of life I shall not be disappointed, because I will hear these words spoken over me, "Well done, my faithful one!"
Thank You! My blessed King! |
Why does some fail to recieve healing from Christ?
Answer (Taken from F.F. Bosworth, "Christ the Healer")
It is so clearly revealed throughout the Scriptures that the Heavenly Father wills our healing. Why do some who seek healing, fail to recieve it? This question is in the minds of many honest inquirers. There are several answers to this question, which we will mention briefly. By these answers many have been helped who had previously failed to recieve healing. Consequently, they have been gloriously healed.
1. Insufficient Instruction:
The first reason for not recieving is ignorance concerning the healing power of the Gospel. Paul tells us that "faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God." Many have sought healing from Christ before they heard or knew enough of the Word of God.
2. Lack of United Prayer:
The second reason why some fail to recieve healing is an enlargement on what we have already said. Christ planned to continue His healing ministry during His absence. This was to be accomplished by His whole Church, which is His Body, not through an obscure member of the Body. He said, "These signs shall follow them," the Church, not "him," the individual. It was not the faith of a lone or solitary evangelist but that of a Spirit-filled Church.
The third reason why some fail to recieve healing from Christ is community unbelief. Jesus worked miracles and healed all that were sick. When He came to His hometown of Nazareth where He had been brought up, "He could not do any miracles there because of their unbelief."
4. The Traditions of Men:
The healing part of the Gospel is hindered and even made void by the traditions of men. An example would be such as, "God is the author of disease and He wills sicknesses on some of His worshippers for things they have done." What ridiculous teachings that the traditions of men have produced.
5. Breaking Natural Laws:
The failure of some to recieve healing is because of the breaking of natural laws. Please note that God has placed natural laws for a purpose. Because of many peoples ignorance of natural laws some are not supplying their bodies with the required nourishment, or they may be overeating, while asking God to heal them of stomach trouble.
(To be continued)
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