Saturday March 31, 2012

Read Deuteronomy 10:14-22. Romans 2:29, Col 2:11

 

Shows like, “Who Wants To Be A Millionaire”, and other “win lots of money” type shows are popular because most people crave money. Almost everyone wants to be free from the daily concerns of bills, needs and basic wants. Watching the show lets them dream of the impossible. Just imagine if a multi billionaire rang you out of the blue and said something along these lines, ’l’d like to be your friend, your really good friend.’ You’d be beside yourself!

 

God is the owner (and Creator) of the heavens, the highest heavens, the earth and everything in it. Even so God chose Israel and set His love and affection upon them. He rang them and offered to be their friend, their very good friend.

God, when He chose Israel, was under no compulsion whatsoever.

 

Such friendship with God obviously has implications. Israel was called to circumcise her heart. But as her history shows us, only the Spirit of God can bring true and lasting circumcision of the heart. What Israel needed has come to us through the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and the filling of the Holy Spirit. God Himself has done what no man could do alone - change the very nature of that person by changing his heart.

 

But not only is God described as a billionaire in this passage. He is also called the God of Gods, the Lord of Lords. He is the Great God Almighty. He is the one who defends the fatherless, the widows and the aliens. He is the one to be feared and He is our praise.

 

This is the God we love and serve. In Christ Jesus He has given us every spiritual blessing (Eph 1:4).  He has set His love and affection upon us. He will protect us. He will guide us. He will never forsake us nor leave us. He will provide for us. He will bring us home to our heavenly abode and lavish us with His inheritance. Since we have such an awesome God, we can take our eyes off our world, our concerns, our needs, our desires, even our struggles and we can focus on God. We can set our heart and mind on Christ in the heavenlies and we can worship in Spirit and in truth. We can adore God, love God and serve God no matter what is happening in our lives.

 

Tomorrow we will gather together as the body of Christ to express and to celebrate the love that God has for us. We will come together to focus on the God who has set His affection upon us. Will you come before the Lord with your heart and mind filled with financial woes, concerns of work, worry and anxiety over decisions you have to make? Or will you come before God focusing on Him, basking in His love towards you and praising Him for His character and goodness? Will you leave your woes and worries in His hands and let your heart be filled with adoration and praise to the Great God Almighty?

 

Prayer:

¥ Pray for our service tomorrow. Pray that God would take our hearts to Himself and cause us to focus on Him, His character and His love for us. Pray that our hearts would melt in His presence and that He would do great things among us and through us.

¥ Pray that as our brothers and sisters meet in Myanmar tomorrow there would be great joy and rejoicing. Ask God to grow the church in that land and to use the believers to shine the light of Jesus far and wide.

¥ Pray that God would grow our church by allowing each one of us to make disciples, to share our testimony and to lead people into the Kingdom of God.