JANUARY 25

OUR PERSONAL PROMISES

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James 1:17

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.”

1 Corinthians 4:7

“For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?”

John 3:27

“John answered and said, “A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.”

John 15:5

“I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.”

2 Corinthians 6:10

“as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.”

Luke 10:23

“Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see;”

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This month we’re reading  the new devotional   “Becoming New”,  written by  Warren W. Wiersbe and compiled by his grandson.  Pastor Wiersbe was the President of Moody Bible Institute before the current President, Erwin Lutzer.  

THE SECRETS OF THE KINGDOM

Read Matthew 6:1-18

God’s children are not manufacturers but distributors of what we receive from the Father.  “What do you have that God hasn’t given you?” asked Paul in 1 Corinthians 4:7, and John the Baptist said, “No one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.” (John 3:27). 

BECAUSE WE ARE TOTALLY DEPENDENT UPON THE LORD FOR EVERYTHING, WE MUST ADMIT OUR POVERTY AND LIVE BY FAITH.  

The first beatitude says, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3).

We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others.  How, then, do poor people like us receive from the Father what we need?

WE RECEIVE BY GIVING IN SECRET.  This is one of the paradoxes of the Christian life.  “Give and you will receive.  Your gift will return to you in full – pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap.  The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.” (Luke 6:38).  But we must be careful not to be like the Pharisees, who advertised their giving to impress people.  If praise is the reward we want, then it’s the only reward we will receive, because we cannot get our reward twice. (Matthew 6:2,5 and 16).  To “use God” to inflate our ego and impress our friends is to defile others and rob ourselves.  Because the Pharisees loved the praise of people, they defiled everything they touched (Matthew 23).  God is looking for servants who glorify Him, not celebrities who rob God of glory.

WE RECEIVE BY ASKING IN SECRET.

“Whether we like it or not, remember, ASKING IS THE RULE OF THE KINGDOM.” Said Charles Spurgeon, and even Jesus lived by that rule.  No one is blessed by praying with someone whose main goal is letting the listeners know how much Bible they can quote or how rich their vocabulary is.  Peter asked simply, “Save me, Lord!”  (Matthew 14:30), and Jesus answered his prayer. 

And what about the repentant tax collector in the temple in Luke 18:9-14?  The Jews had their morning and evening public prayers, and Jesus did not forbid group prayer – note the plural pronouns in the Lord’s prayer – but He warned against mindless repetition and speaking to the crowd instead of to the Lord.  We are praying, not performing.

WE RECEIVE BY SACRIFICING IN SECRET (6:16-18). 

The law of Moses required only one fast, and that was on the annual day of Atonement (Leviticus 23:27).  But over the years, other fasts were established to commemorate important events.  To fast means to give up something good in order to concentrate on something better, such as prayer and the Lord and His mercies.

We don’t sacrifice in order to merit His blessing but rather to prepare ourselves to seek His blessing.  In today’s busy world, it’s easy for our hearts to be dulled and weighed down.  In these moments, fasting may help us refocus our hearts and minds on our Lord. 

We may give up food and drink, sleep, entertainment, socializing, or whatever we choose, but our motive must be right.

WE MUST NOT ADVERTISE OUR SACRIFICE FOR PRAISE OR SYMPATHY, NOR MUST WE THINK WE ARE “BUYING” GOD’S BLESSING!

Then, “Your Father who sees what is done in secret will reward you.”  (Matthew 6:4).

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