Daily Bible Study

Tweet

Day 67 Luke 16:14 Luke 16:14 And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him. 15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knows your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. 16 The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presses into it. 17 And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. Have you justified your actions? Have you considered yourself better than someone else? Do you go after the things of this world, trying to amass as much wealth as you can? Jesus told the Pharisees God knew their hearts. He knew their motives. He told them that their pursuit of earthly prestige and wealth is an abomination to God. Jesus told them the most important thing to God was to press into God’s kingdom. Everything in earth and heaven will pass away before one iota of the law God gave Moses would fail. Does what Jesus told the Pharisees seem harsh and without any leeway? Is God’s kingdom the only thing you are to pursue and your wants and desires matter nothing to God? That’s not what Jesus told the Pharisees. He told them everything they did was for their own glory, not God’s. The Pharisees didn’t care about what God wanted, they only cared about themselves. As Christians, you know that when you give God the first place in your life, he gives you the desires and petitions of your life. Consider Abraham. He was a man of wealth and position. Yet, he built altars to God and talked to God and put God first, even when God asked him to sacrifice his only son to prove his loyalty to God. Consider Jacob, also a man of wealth with two wives, two concubines, and twelve sons who became the twelve tribes of Israel. He wrestled with God, and taught his children what God taught him. Consider Job, a man of wealth, who lost everything, yet in the end because he never lost his faith in God, received double everything he lost in Satan’s dare to God that he would forsake God when trouble came his way. He didn’t, and God was faithful to Job. David, Solomon, Hezekiah, all men of wealth and honor before God, and God gave them the petitions and desires of their heart. God wants to give you your desires, your petitions and requests. He doesn’t want to see you destitute. However, he wants you to pursue him first. Matthew 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (KJV) Psalm 37:3 Trust in the LORD, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed. 4 Delight thyself also in the LORD; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart. 5 Commit thy way unto the LORD; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass. 6 And he shall bring forth thy righteousness as the light, and thy judgment as the noonday. 7 Rest in the LORD, and wait patiently for him: fret not thyself because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who brings wicked devices to pass. 8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. Christians are under the misconception that the only way to serve God is to be poor and seeking handouts. Poor people are ineffective in the kingdom of God. People look at them and wonder why they should believe in a God who can’t help his people. Christians are under the misconception that Jesus was poor. He had twelve disciples and one of them took care of the finances. The only way Jesus was poor was because he walked among us. He left his home in heaven, a home where the foundations were twelve deep and all a different precious jewel. A home whose gates were a single large pearl. A home where the streets were made of gold. Jesus left his home to walk on streets of dust. He did it to bring the message of hope and salvation to a fallen world so they too could live in his home. The Pharisees pursued man’s wealth and glory. They knew the law, but they added to the law for their own glory and honor. When you seek your own glory and honor and not God’s, you will never see the kingdom of God. Let’s pray: Father, help me press into your kingdom, to know and do the Father’s will. Give me the desire to seek you first in everything I do, and give you praise when you bless me according to your will. In Jesus’ name, I pray, amen. Copyright © 28 October 2018 by Valerie Routhieaux Image courtesy of Pixabay