Let’s face it we do things to help
ourselves and yet we are taught to help others. We are self-centered
individuals, do not be fooled into believing anything else, its God who has
been merciful and often comes to our rescue and the rescue of others on the back
of our prayers. But it always starts with our own well-being, strip it down and
you will have to agree. Even those secret deeds done in the closest are not
without “self” first, even if it is only seeking out God’s forgiveness for a
particular sin that we struggle with, it’s about us; we are the ones that need
work. If and when will give clothes or food to the poor, it’s only after we are
taken care of ourselves; us first and then others. This is our human natures
personified. Warren Buffet may have given away billions to charity, but he made
sure he had a buffer of billions before acting out. The Lord Jesus on the other
hand had this to say; “foxes have holes and birds have nest by I have nowhere
to lay my head.” He had another agenda; He came to do the will of His Father,
which was to offer a lifeline to sinner, opening an everlasting door for sinner,
those who once opposed the will of God to bring about true repentance in Him; a perfect
sacrifice! And until we learn this truth and it becomes our reality that Jesus
died in my place, he died for me and paid the price for my sin, until then, God’s
mercy will pass us by…
The further we move along into the future the more predominant “self” will become…
“But
understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For
people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive,
disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless,
unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good,
treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than
lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power.” (2Timothy 3:1-5) - I suppose this circle of life has its part to play throughout history, study the history books and it will soon become apparent.
We must be aware of these truths and cry out unto
God seeking out His will for our lives, as He ushers in the changes needed in
our lives to be helpful to other bringing a proclamation that will glorify Him.
Have you ever contemplated why words such as these
may have troubled you over time? “You desire and do not have, so you murder. You
covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you
do not ask. You ask and do
not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.” (James 4:2-3)
The
more I study the authors intent, God’s intention throughout the Bible the clearer in becomes… Righteousness must be what drives us and not “food and
raiment”, we must seek out God’s righteousness for our lives and the rest will
be taken care of. Where we often make the mistake is when we get our priorities
off beam, which the Apostle James pegs for us; “You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on
your passions.” I then ask myself
the question does this apply to all; another subject for another day. However
for the Christian it is imperative that the sooner we learn this lesson the
quicker we will find the peace of God in our lives. Sure we have all experience
His peace, you cannot be a Christian without the peace of God playing its part
in your life, however I am looking for a constant rather than an exception, how
about you?
It
has and always will be about Gods righteousness, Jesus is the king of kings and
His Father, our Father gave Him and instruction and this was His response to
that order; “For when he received honour and glory from God
the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, "This is my beloved Son, with
whom I am well pleased."” (2Peter 1:17) – Do not for one minute think that our call has
a different emphasis placed upon it, it may differ in stature, but we have all
been asked to carry the flag of our God, which reads – “seek first the kingdom
of God and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and all …” This I believe is one of the most
important lessons of life and yet everything about our flesh drives us in the opposite
direction and for some of us we have been called to a life of knocks and
bruises; praise God for His endurance with us, I thank you Father God for your forbearance’s
with me, continue, I pray, to lead me to the waters of righteousness which will
in turn transform me into the image of your beloved son, my beloved Saviour,
Amen and Amen!
Signing off
Tyrone
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