Pastor Rajiv's Mid-week message

                                                   

Living For Glory

Matthew 20: 21

21 “What is it you want?” he asked.

She said, “Grant that one of these two sons of mine may sit at your right and the other at your left in your kingdom.”

Man's natural instinct is to strive for Glory, small or big. The question is who's Glory? Self or God?

1 Corinthians 10:31 says "Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God".

Yet, some people credit all their successes to their own knowledge and hard work, (much like Nebuchadnezzar and his self-praise regarding Babylon, Daniel 4, 28-37) relegating God's grace to church circles at best, and some not even that. Some even preach the gospel, inspired by themselves and uninspired by God, for their own glory as speakers or knowledgeable people. We thus become idols to ourselves. Romans 12:3 ...

According to Paul Tripp in TGC, Typical signs of self glorification (among others), are

- Parade in public what should be kept in private.

- Be way too self-referencing.

- Talk when you should be quiet.

- Be quiet when you should speak.

- Care too much about what people think about you.

Since it is man's natural instinct, we must be self-aware of this weakness and consciously defeat such inclinations, and the only way to become self-aware is through the word which shows us the mirror. Remember, God does great things in us and around us so -

"That all the people of the earth might know the hand of the LORD, that it is mighty: that ye might fear the LORD your God for ever"

Sunday Quotes

                           

The primary purpose of reading the Bible is not to know the Bible but to know God. — James Merritt

The goal isn’t to have a Bible collection on your shelf, but a collection of the Bible stored up in yourself. — Wendy Speake, The 40-Day Feast

The questions we ask of the Bible impact the wisdom we glean from it. — Tara-Leigh Cobble

When asked, ‘What is more important: prayer or reading the Bible?’ I ask, ‘What is more important: breathing in or breathing out?’” — Charles Spurgeon

"The Bible redirects my will, cleanses my emotions, enlightens my mind, and quickens my total being". — E Stanley Jones

“There are two ways to read Scripture — the way a lawyer reads a will and the way an heir reads a will.” — Alexander Whyte

[People] do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself but because it contradicts them. — E. Paul Hovey

HAPPY SUNDAY!

Counterfeit Blessings

Did u know that Satan also blesses. He is not deaf. He too hears when we ask God for some blessing which may or may not be His will for us.

The devil works with counterfeit information and what we have asked for, he will send us as a counterfeit blessing. Terms and conditions attached. 

The exact meaning of the word "counterfeit" is something made in exact imitation of something valuable with the intention to deceive or defraud.

And without knowledge and wisdom to discern, a fake, seems to be genuine. 

This is why it is wise to pray for discernment so that nothing passed us by surprise, and we miss what God really wanted for us. 

Stale Food and Soiled Currency

                                           

"Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts". Malachi 1 

When we have esteemed visitors over for a visit, we try and offer the best we can. Best crockery and cutlery, the best of foods, the best seat in the house and the best comforts.

When God knocks, in the form of a hungry person, what do we offer? Stale food? When asked by beggars -do we give soiled or unusable currency and keep the crisp notes for ourselves?

It's not what we give. It's how we give. Let's not put terms and conditions to our giving. Recognize the need and give honorably, thereby honoring God for there is God in each human. 

Give more or give less, but give with honor, not in boasting but in humility.

When God comes Knocking

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Reference: Matthew 25: Ver 35-40

If God comes knocking at your door today, what will you do? Seriously. What would someone do?

Would we be excited? Would we be afraid? Would we run around like chickens not knowing what to do?

Or would we turn Him away?

The fact is, God does come knocking at your door, at your car window or in your office. And every so often we turn Him away. The fact is, there is God in everyone. The hungry beggar, the homeless man or woman, the lame and the sick. He comes to our door in many shapes and forms, but we do not recognize Him.

So little is our faith in man that we judge: "oh why should I give? Can he not work?" Or "He will only go and drink it away". Or simply "this is another way of thievery".

Friends, we justify our apathy with judgements.

Yes, everything we think maybe true. They might drink it away or go gamble or whatever. If we gave in love, don't question and judge how it was spent.

Look at it this way: if we gave, we made God smile; and if he or she wasted it, they wasted a blessing. What I did was between my God and me. What they did is between their God and them. Let us look to our own relationship with God and not worry about theirs. Judgement belongs to God.

So next time God comes knocking, open the door.

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A Grateful Heart

A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility. It is a foundation for the development of such virtues as prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being.

James E. Faust

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)