Let’s face it we do
things to help ourselves and yet we are taught to help others. We are
self-centred individuals, do not be fooled into believing anything else, its
God who has been merciful and often comes to our rescue and the salvage 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 acts
preformed behind what we believe to be the "hidden curtain"
highlights the “self” in us; when seeking out God’s forgiveness for a
particular sin that we struggle with, it’s about us; firstly we scratch the
itch and then we seek out forgiveness, we are the ones that need work. If and
when will give clothes or food to the poor, it’s only after we have taken care
of ourselves; us first and then others. This is human nature personified.
Warren Buffet may have given away billions to charity, but he made sure he had
a buffer of billions before acting out. What about Bill Gates? On the other
hand, the Lord Jesus had this to say; “foxes have holes and
birds have nest by I have nowhere to lay my head.” His agenda obviously different; His overarching purpose was to fulfil
his Fathers will, which was to die a death he never deserved so that the sinner
may have a way to escape the looming judgment just over the horizon. The offer
through repentance has gone out to all who will cry out to HIM for help… And
until I learn this truth and it becomes my 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 like a gust of wind that gushes by, it come when we least expect it, the
grace of God is not something we can plan for, but we most certainly all have
the potential to respond to it. How often have you heard that Jesus saves? None
of you haven’t! I wonder how you treasure that truth?
The older we get the
more predominant we begin to reflect, regret and sorrow fills our days with
selfish thoughts, if only? Even through the turmoil we always have the need to
be in control, power the last of the sinful beasts that has to be heard, “I
told you so” or “without me you would be nothing” and so on. No matter how you
slice it, or how old you are we are self-satisfying creatures that always put
the needs of ourselves before others. The Lord Jesus was the complete opposite…
“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)
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 instructions where followed to the tee; “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, forgive me for my sins as I forgive others
of theirs against me. I pray, continue to lead me to the waters of
righteousness, which in turn will transform me into the image of your beloved
son, my beloved SAVIOUR. Even the slightest transformation will display the
abundance of your Grace in my life. I love you Father God and I thank you for
Jesus.
Signing off
Tyrone
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