PHILIPPIANS 3
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,
9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10 That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11 If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
12 Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.
13 Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before,
14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
WHAT WILL YOU GIVE UP FOR CHRIST?
This morning I finished reading the book of Acts, how struck I was by the commitment and passion of these early believers.
They gave up everything for CHRIST.
Look at Paul, he could have been high priest but all that was rubbish to him.
It reminds me of CT Studd who gave up a glittering cricket career to go to China and later to Africa.
He was greatly challenged by a tract written by an atheist, who said:
“Did I firmly believe, as millions say they do, that the knowledge and practice of religion in this life influences destiny in another, religion would mean to me everything. I would cast away all earthly enjoyments as dross, earthly cares as follies, and earthly thoughts and feelings as vanity. Religion would be my first waking thought, and my last image before sleep sank me into unconsciousness. I should labor in its cause alone. I would take thought for the tomorrow of eternity alone. I would esteem one soul gained for heaven worth a life of suffering. Earthly consequences should never stay my hand, nor seal my lips. Earth, its joys and its griefs, would occupy no moment of my thoughts. I would strive to look upon eternity alone, and on the immortal souls around me, soon to be everlastingly happy or everlastingly miserable. I would go forth to the world and preach it in season and out of season and my text would be, “What shall it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose his own soul?”
CT Studd was greatly influenced by this tract, so am I.
People like the Mormons serve two years overseas, Muslims pray five times per day, other religious faiths can quote large portions of their so called sacred scriptures, which in reality are rubbish, but Christians who have the truth, don’t read on it, meditate on it and treasure it.
In China, believers get up at 4am to pray and read the bible, I know of many, they sacrifice money, prestige and security to serve Christ.
Many have pledged their lives to the cause of the gospel, in our pampered western church, they put us to shame.
What have we given up for CHRIST?
Sunday morning is not enough!
Wednesday night is not enough!
The only thing that is enough is:
YOUR WHOLE LIFE
amen
KK
DEVOTION 2
IT’S GOOD TO..LISTEN
LUKE 10
38 Now it came to pass, as they went, that he entered into a certain village: and a certain woman named Martha received him into her house.
39 And she had a sister called Mary, which also sat at Jesus’ feet, and heard his word.
40 But Martha was cumbered about much serving, and came to him, and said, Lord, dost thou not care that my sister hath left me to serve alone? bid her therefore that she help me.
41 And Jesus answered and said unto her, Martha, Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things:
42 But one thing is needful: and Mary hath chosen that good part, which shall not be taken away from her.
So OFTEN we talk incessantly.
But our greatest need is not to talk, but to listen, not just to people, but especially to God.
We come to God in prayer and part of prayer is talking to God, but an equal part of prayer is listening to him.
It’s great to come and pour out our prayers to God, Psalm 62 says this:
8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
I once heard a very challenging sermon that encouraged us to listen for as long as we speak to God. Maybe that is why God gave us two ears and one mouth, or maybe it was to stop us falling over!
The word cumbered in the English means to obstruct or hinder, it seems to me that actually serving Jesus hindered Martha from Communion with Jesus.
How many Christians serve God with a fervency and that is right and good, but it is not the best?
Service for God can and does hinder our communion with God, for it is our communion with God that gives us the power to actually serve God.. amen
We need to spend as much time listening to GOD as speaking to HIM.
He is always speaking to us, but are we too busy to hear Him?
Serving GOD is amazing, but sitting at his feet is even better. Luke 10:38-42
How much time have you spent alone with GOD today?
We are surrounded by noise and the hustle and bustle of life, we need as JESUS said to come apart and rest a while, if we don’t, that’s when we fall apart.
Mark 6:31
And he said unto them, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, andrestawhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.
GOD BLESS YOU
KK