Short readings from the Word — written to comfort, to instruct, and to draw you nearer.
Showing 73–84 of 174
The world is the first philosophy of gain – known or learnt by almost every soul. So one of the essence of the gospel of Christ is to facilitate our escape from the strong captivities of this world, even such that uses man’s legitimate needs to enslave him.
Our peace is meant to come from bearing the cross of Christ that promises to crucify the world within and without us (Gal. 5:24/6:14). Take away that same philosophy of gain, away from the Church by the preaching of the gospel, and she would evolve in beauty and glory (Isa. 4:2).
The Lord like never before, is set to favour the stones of Zion with another allocation of enduring gains, even with new entrance(s) into His Kingdom that would be administered to as many souls (stones) who would press further and keep His commandments (Ps. 102:13, 2Pet. 1:5-11). The gospel would be responsible for closing this age and for unveiling eternity, so now is the time to look for it – with our all, and like we never truly have (Matt. 24:14, 2Pet. 3:13, Mk. 12:30).
A carnal or earthly mind is resident in anyone who is more interested in the good things of this present life that God can give, rather than in the good of the gospel, even things with an eternal origin – that God wants to teach him and thereby cause him to ultimately inherit His nature/throne. Christ is the man carrying God’s approval and eternal blessing, so the degree to which we have been tried and have partaken of His life and light, is the degree to which we have become precious in God’s sight.
God the Father reserves the right to, and His infinite wisdom, won’t allow some believers come into any substantial material increase because it’s clear to Him that, like the young rich man, they won’t keep the commandments meant to enable them secure a good foundation called Christ thereby, and therefore would fall short of laying hold on eternal life. One of the most difficult things for a believer to do at some critical season of life is to, like father Abraham, believe in hope against hope or to keep believing when the dividends of doing so would take many years to come forth; or to dare to always trust the Lord when all the odds are against doing so, even when the devil is using all he can lay hold on to fight them from continuing.
The greatest hope that a believer can/should have today, is that of inheriting God’s life or of bringing it into his flesh (Tit. 1:1-2/3:7, Rom. 5:2b). The greatest lifetime thanksgiving that should accompany this, is concerning the opportunity given to us to hear the voice of the Son of God on this so great inheritance.
The Lord in His wisdom, therefore, would orchestrate situations and seasons that may not look favorable to our heart configurations, one where He can humble us, set our eyes solely on the pursuit of His life or on the saving of our souls.
He is committed to empowering us for supernatural living and not to gratify our known/unknown lusts. So, the greatest obstacle or hindrance to our progress is not the devil but our ignorance or indifference to the counsels of the Lord on weightier matters of the New Testament.
What the light of the epistles seek to do, is to help all men as it exposes to them, the actual hope designed for their souls which is meant to anchor our souls on our voyage/journey back to God. It enlightens us on how to place the right value on the economy/lifestyle that Christ’s faith offers, so they can become free from the grip/influence of this world and of things present; and also free to serve or truly love the Lord (1Cor. 6:12, Lk. 1:74).
It is only while being wholeheartedly enlightened on Christ, even His Faith, that a believer would realize for the first time what his primary and uttermost need in life is, which is to be able to love as God loves, by having the Son and Father find an abode in him. The gospel can go as far as causing us to partake of God’s glory, as long as we can humble ourselves to learn Christ or learn of His inward constitution of lowliness and meekness of heart.
But when the primary life pursuit of a soul is God’s life, a believer would have to leverage the divine power that flows from the Faith Christ authored, to handle money as a servant and gradually end its reign as a master. No man can resist the pull or love of money, who hasn’t tenaciously followed after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience and meekness (1Tim. 6:10-12).
By bringing a daily siege and a barrage of distracting thoughts against the mind of a believer whose primary goal is to be a stone in Zion, the devil seeks to discourage us to draw back from the Lord, or to place a low premium on the Faith He authored and finished. The gospel of Christ is what empowers us to do this by enlightening us on the perimeter of Christ’s walk, even His Faith.