July week 2 2020
Friday July 10
Scripture: 1 Corinthians 12:25
that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.
Lesson Objective: To understand that true friendship requires equal care for each other.
It is always very painful to see families and other relationships split over what others may see as trivial matters. We may often wonder how did it get to this point that there seems to be no reconciliation. The problem is usually a result of lack of mutual trust and love between all parties. If there is equal love among all, it is impossible for anything or anyone to separate the family or Church body. The aim of all members of the body is to work toward assuring that every member of the body is given equal consideration in all matters. We note that the position of Deacon was created to address the point that there were members of the body who felt that they were not receiving equal treatment. It is the duty of each of us to assure that all members of the body are treated with equal respect and mutual love.
Thought for today: Do you speak up when someone is not treated fairly?
Thursday July 9
Faithfulness is our Lord’s nature
One of the many awesome things about our Lord is His faithfulness. It is His nature to be faithful and He cannot be false to Himself.
Roman 3 v 3: 3 What if some did not believe and were without faith? Does their lack of faith and their faithlessness nullify and make ineffective and void the faithfulness of God and His fidelity [to His Word]?
So many times things happen to us and around us that make us question the integrity of our faith. A friend of mine once asked me why I continue to be a Christian when some people do bad things in the name of Christianity. Or why I continue to pray even when things don’t go my way. God’s nature in not circumstantial, it is not altered by our understanding, belief or abuse of His word. He remain faithful always. Today’s message is a reminder to focus on that personal relationship with God and ignore everything around you. People will let you down, your health will let you down but God will never put you to shame.
Thought of the Day: Are you faithful?
Wednesday July 8
No turning back
Taking the first step in the positive direction is one of the most important decisions in life. Staying on that course can be challenging. When things get difficult it is normal to re-evaluate certain decisions and consider our option
1 Kings 19 v 19-21: 19 So Elijah left there and found Elisha son of Shaphat, whose plowing was being done with twelve yoke of oxen, and he drove the twelfth. Elijah crossed over to him and cast his mantle upon him.
20 He left the oxen and ran after Elijah and said, Let me kiss my father and mother, and then I will follow you. And he [testing Elisha] said, Go on back. What have I done to you? [Settle it for yourself.]
21 So Elisha went back from him. Then he took a yoke of oxen, slew them, boiled their flesh with the oxen’s yoke [as fuel], and gave to the people, and they ate. Then he arose, followed Elijah, and served him.
This portion of scripture intrigues me. I am particularly impressed by how Elisha ensured that he would not come back to plow again. He literally burnt the bridge that would get him back to where he was and set his mind to follow Elijah. In like manner we have set our minds on things above. Let us ensue we burn all bridges that will take us to our sinful past. Burning bridges might mean changing friends or habits.
Thought of the Day: What shall separate you from your God?
Tuesday July 7
Kingdom Principle
Kingdom refers to a realm or region in which one holds a preeminent (having paramount rank) position. Presidents are in democracies are merely civil servants. Their power is temporal and determined by people’s approval. People have the right to criticize their Presidents. People however don’t have the same rights in a Kingdom.
Roman 3 v 28: 20 But who are you, a mere man, to criticize and contradict and answer back to God? Will what is formed say to him that formed it, Why have you made me thus?
21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same mass (lump) one vessel for beauty and distinction and honorable use, and another for menial or ignoble and dishonorable use?
His grace found us to be part of his Kingdom, to be co heirs with Christ. We have a holy and glorious King and is important to always recognise him for the King that he is. Sometimes we go through hard times and or things we don’t understand. In all this let our speech, thoughts and actions reflect our submission to authority. To never be found criticizing the Almighty.
Thought of the Day: Do you submit to the authority of the King?
Monday July 6
His Grace is sufficient for all
One of the greatest blessings we have in our lives is the mere knowledge of our Lord’s divine nature. It is not by any form or superior intellect that we are able to confess His Lordship but rather it is by Grace.
Roman 3 v 28: 28 For we hold that a man is justified and made upright by faith independent of and distinctly apart from good deeds (works of the Law). [The observance of the Law has nothing to do with justification.]
Romans 9 v16:16 So then [God’s gift] is not a question of human will and human effort, but of God’s mercy. [It depends not on one’s own willingness nor on his strenuous exertion as in running a race, but on God’s having mercy on him.]
My understanding is, it is not by discipline and following the Ten Commandments that we are made right before God. The just shall live by faith. By giving our self to Christ we allow him live in us and through us. So technically when we are born again it is not us that lives but Christ. This is one of the reasons we ought not to judge or think highly of ourselves because any good we do is a product of Christ at work in us.
Thought of the Day: Am I making the most of this grace?