7-29-2018 Take through the week

7-29-2018 Take through the week

Monday – Matthew 11:25 Have you ever heard someone say, “Take pride in yourself”? That’s not what God says. God has always had a problem with pride in men. Here, Jesus explains why that is. Pride dims our view of our heavenly Father. It blinds us. And it is not just the pride of the world. It is also prideful believers who are an abomination to our Lord. Pride in any form causes problems with us understanding, and then following, the Lord. That is why Jesus says you have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants. It is not surprising that the humility we see in the actions of our Lord, is best modeled for us by infants. Jesus says something very much like this in Matthew 18:3-4. Read it and notice the similarities. Today, as you consider your life list a few places in your life that you could apply this principle. In your job, in your marriage, and in your children, find a place to humble yourself before the Lord. He will always bless humility.
Tuesday – Isaiah 29:18–19 On the great and might day of the Lord, when we see Jesus face to face, we will all celebrate. But one of the most wonderful aspects of that celebration is the healing of the deaf and the blind. I am so limited in knowing how to talk to my brothers and sisters in Christ who can’t hear. I am no good at sign language. But in that day, we will talk of the beauty of the Lord. We will sing His praises with no limitations and no struggles. Our voices will flow together as one and we will call Him, “King of Kings and Lord of Lords.” There will be no mistake about what we mean or what we feel. In the same way, the blind will see. Can you imagine the joyous celebration of those made complete and whole by the blood of the Lamb? All of us who have humbled ourselves before the Lord in this life, will have joy after joy in the Lord. I don’t know everything that phrase means, but I know it will mean that both the rich and poor, the whole and the lame, the blind and the seeing, the deaf and the hearing, will rejoice in the Holy One of Israel. Read 1 Peter 5:6. When we humble ourselves, He will lift us up at the proper time. Pray with me… Lord we long for the day when every believer who has humbled himself under your mighty hand will indeed be exalted. We will lift up our heads and lift up our voices as one might roar of praise that will echo through the halls of eternity and rumble throughout the New Heaven and New Earth. We will be as you intended us to be because we will see You as you are. We long to see you. In Jesus Name we pray, Amen.
Wednesday Psalms 8:2 From the time of David 1000 years before Christ, the Lord God established a principle we know to be true. There is an enemy of mankind. A deceiver whose condemnation has long been foretold and whose defeat was prophesied in Ps. 22. Read Ps. 22 :25-28 This is a description of the church 1000 years before the church existed. Because of Your adversaries… the Father gave His Son so that He could establish the church. And the Church is bringing defeat to the adversary. Around the world, men, women and children are coming to Jesus. (Back to Ps. 8:2) The Father has established a stronghold for the salvation of man. From the humble mouths of children and infants the enemy is silenced. If you listen closely you will hear the next generation singing the praises of the Ancient Of Days. The adversary who has been defeated is awaiting his condemnation. And his condemnation is coming on the wings of praise rising from new… and old believers.
Thursday – Proverbs 3:31–34 The Lord is a friend to the upright. To be able to say that the Creator of the World is a friend, is an enviable position for any of us. Yet, that right is extended to us. Yes, that is exactly what the proverb said. In our culture today, many are famous and rich. While we might be envious or we might admire someone famous, the Bible teaches us that what truly matters is what God values, righteousness. It is righteousness that will be rewarded. We are told plainly not to model our lives after ways of the violent or deviant. You might think of a football player or star athlete and, in some ways, admire his physical talent. But if he disregards the ways of the Lord, the Bible tells us the Lord’s curse is on the household of the wicked. However, the Lord promises to bless the home of the righteous. How do we get to be righteous? Righteousness is based in humility. If we truly humble ourselves before the Lord, He gives us grace. All of those in the world who mock the Lord, are mocked by God Himself. But those who purposefully, willfully, and systematically humble themselves before the Lord, are made righteous in the eyes of the Father, by the blood of the Son. Pray with me. Lord I humble myself under your mighty hands. I fall on my face and call you Holy. I know that I am a sinner and I know that I sin everyday. So once again I call on you and ask you to cleanse me of my sin. Bless my family and my home as I seek you. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.
Friday – Matthew 16:15–19 Simon didn’t have a particularly good track record. Just about everytime he opened his mouth he said something that was contrary to God’s plan for Jesus. But finally, Peter got it right. First Jesus had asked his disciples who people thought He was. Then he asked the disciples what they thought about who Jesus was. Peter blurted out the truest and most appropriate thing he had said. You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God! In a moment, in an instant, the faith welled up inside of Peter and he was overwhelmed with the Truth. Jesus said that Peter had not come up with this by himself but it had been revealed to Him. This rock of faith that comes after hearing the Word of God is to become the bedrock of the church. Jesus will build His church on this simple truth. When men hear the Gospel, some of them will be open enough to allow it to grow in them, into saving faith. Take a few moments and thank God for saving you. Write down three things you are thankful for about your salvation.
Saturday Matthew 18:1–6 Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? What a ridiculous question for the disciples to ask the only One who will ever be, the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. God has not allowed man the capability or the possibility of being the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. It is not only the wrong question, it is wrong of them to even think they should ask it. That is why Jesus gives them an answer that should shame them. Not only does Jesus tell them they should become like little children, he then warns them not to cause one of them to stumble. One of the methods of execution in those days was to be weighted with a stone and thrown in the sea to drown. How much does Jesus value humility? For Him to respond to the arguments of the disciples this way tells us that Jesus wants us to get this humility thing right. Why? Because it is central to us being able to see spiritually, and we tend to be so blind to our own pride. Pray with me. Lord, open the eyes of my heart so that I can my see own pride and also your great patience with me. Help me to understand my great need of you in every area of my life. Expose any area of pride and arrogance in my heart, and replace it with Your heart. Help me to think and live like You, Lord. My life, is Yours because You gave Your life for me. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.