TODAY’S DEVOTIONAL (MONDAY 4TH JANUARY 2021)
“The Elder, To the beloved Gaius, whom I love in truth:
Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers. For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth.
I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.” 3 John 1:1-4 NKJV
WELCOME TO THE 4TH DAY OF OUR YEAR OF HIGHER HEIGHTS
We give God the glory for bringing us to another day in this set of days. Being alive is one of the greatest gift of GOD to man, just as fulfilling our days is.
Whenever I look at the stories of great men and women of faith who were here with us, and some before us; who are not no more, it throws me into deep thoughts about the essence of life. There are those I will find myself saying to the LORD, “this one should not have died.”
I remember saying that about Kathrine Khulman while watching her video.
But that is not possible because in the light of eternity, this life is just like a vapor that appears and vanishes within a short period of time. The day it appears on earth is called conception.
After growing in a woman’s womb and coming out into the world as a baby, it has just one more day ahead of it; the day it is to die or expire.
Whenever I watch those great men and women who were here with us or before us, one of the thoughts it throws me into is the thought that one day I will also be no more, and people will be watching my videos, and saying all kinds of things.
Some will say, among other glorious things, “He was a blessing to many lives.” While others will say, “I don’t like him” giving their reasons as well.
Yes, there will always be two kinds of people looking at you from the sidelines of lives as you travel along, serving your generation according to the will of GOD. There will be those who will speak great of you and cheer you on, and there will be those who will speak ill of you. Some will be people you greatly helped in life.
But that is life for you. Wisdom demands you tune your spirit to those cheering and encouraging you and keep moving on.
I think about all these things as I journey through this life. I think about my destination after death on daily bases, knowing that the sinners’ prayer or doing the work of GOD are not enough to take me to Heaven. There is a life I must live.
It is the live we live that helps us to know or determine our destination after death, not the confessions we make.
THE BIBLE IS CLEAR ON WHO WILL MAKE HEAVEN AND WHO WILL NOT.
It is people who do not read to study it that are not clear. One of the many portions that tells us who will make Heaven and who will not, states that;
“He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Revelation 21:7-8 NKJV
You could be a pope, if you are cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, sexually immoral, or a liar you will not make Heaven. Yes, you could be the fieriest believer on earth, but if you are all or any of what is mentioned above, you will not make Heaven. That must be fully understood by all who call upon the name of the LORD!
There are times I will look at scriptures like this and say, “yes am living the life, I will make it.” Sadly, there are also times I will look at myself and some things I do and say, “no am not living the life in this and that area, I must repent if I will make it.” God is no respecter of persons but in every nation, whoever fears Him is acceptable to Him.
When I was a Child my greatest worry in life was food.
I was so worried about food that I was given names in the family. But now, my greatest worry is making Heaven, because no one should ever think that they have already made it.
The Bible warned;
let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall (1 Corinthians 10:12 NKJV).
I try my best not to think I stand but to always judge myself from time to time so that I will not be judged.
The fact that I am preaching the message of the kingdom alone places a lot of responsibilities on me. I check if am living up to divine expectations, and sadly speaking, because of the frailty of humanity, sometimes I am not.
It’s important for us to tell ourselves the truth in secret places while carrying out a check on how we are running this race. If we do not, we will be hypocrites. And no hypocrite will be in heaven.
The Pharisee entered the secret place and began to display his religious deeds before GOD. He forgot what Isaiah said about our man made righteousness. He said it is a filthy rag before GOD. It is the righteousness God demonstrates through us that is acceptable in His sight.
But the tax collector had a different approach in the secret place; an approach that draws grace from God. That is the approach we must take in the secret place if we will find grace to always help us in time of need, especially the need to live a Holy life before God and make Heaven.
THAT BRINGS ME TO OUR DEVOTIONAL TEXT FOR TODAY.
In the days of the Bible, they call pastors, that is those heading local Churches, Elders. You remember when Timothy was told to ordain some of them to head some local churches around. John the Beloved wrote this letter to one of those he had raised as a pastor or elder.
If you look at what he wrote, he said his greatest Joy was not that the people got visas to travel to the other countries for greener pastures. His greatest joy was not that that people got married. His greatest joy was not they built beautiful houses and achieved great earthly success like higher education. As good as these things may be, his greatest joy was that his spiritual kids walked in truth.
A portion of our devotional text said;
“For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
That is what it should be if you are a true spiritual father.
Our goal as leaders should be to raise people who will walk in truth, not people who will walk in error.
Walking in truth places one on the narrow way that leads to life, because of the cost. The cost is usually determined by the kind of abomination that may be surrounding you while you are walking in truth. It is also determined by what you sold yourself doing before you met the LORD; what your flesh may have been accustomed to before deciding for Jesus.
It is the cost of walking in truth these days that makes most not to walk in it.
We rather adjust our theologies to suit us instead of adjusting our lives to suit God’s word. We try to turn God into our own image and likeness, instead of turning ourselves into His own image and likeness. That is why you find many of us walking in error. You find so many taking errors as truth and walking happily in them with scriptures to back up!
WALKING IN ERROR REDUCES THE COST OF WALKING IN TRUTH AND PLACES US ON THE BROADWAY THAT LEADS TO ETERNAL DAMNATION AFTER DEATH.
Walking in truth delivers from eternal death; it gives us a freedom in the Spirit that cannot even be found through prayers. It sanctifies and helps us live a life that is holy and acceptable in GOD’s sight, by breaking us free from all forms of spiritual slavery. That brings us to a talk Jesus had with the Jews who believed in Him when He was physically on earth. The Bible says,
“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
They answered Him,
“We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?”
Jesus answered them,
“Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. Therefore, if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. John 8:31-36 NKJV
In this scripture, Jesus defined spiritual slavery to be a life trapped in sinful living. He presents true freedom to be a life that is no longer lived in sin. Paul would later present it to be a life that does not yield its members to sin.
In his words, that is the freedom that true grace brings to our lives. The Bible says;
“Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. And do not present your members as [b]instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God.
For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:12-14 NKJV
This scripture points our clearly that when the true grace of God is active in our lives, we will receive the ability not to follow the passions of our flesh again and continue living a sinful life. It will break us free from a life of sin. Meaning, if we are trapped in a life of sin, we should seek mercies from the LORD, especially in fasting and prayer, to find grace in that time of need.
I have come to discover that when we find the true grace in the place of fasting and prayer, it is going to break us free from a life of sin.
THERE IS THE FALSE GRACE AND THERE IS THE TRUE GRACE.
True grace is usually full of truth. That is why only those who walk in truth finds it. Those who walk in error will always say they are under it, but if you look at their lives closely, you will see that they are yet to find it because of their captivity to a life of sin. You will realize they are not under it. It is all false!
You don’t find the true Grace of God walking in error! If you walk in error, you will find the false grace that condones a life of sin, and condemns the sinner to eternal death by not confronting his life of sin and wickedness.
This morning God is calling on you and I to walk in truth. He is calling on us to depart from the life of error and come fully into a walk in truth. When we walk in truth we will not cover our sins, calling them our weaknesses. We will confess and forsake them. We will deal ruthlessly with a life of sin, iniquity and trespass until we are totally free from it.
When we walk in truth we will be telling ourselves the truth, not living in hypocrisy. We will align with the word of truth and righteousness and find great grace working in our lives. We will not hear the word with one ear and let it depart with another. We will meditate in it day in and day out until Christ is formed in us!
It’s my prayer that God helps us to find repentance wherever we need it this morning and come into a walk in truth that produces a Heavenly life on earth in Jesus precious name. Amen and amen
MAKE THIS SCRIPTURE AN ADDITIONAL MEDITATION TODAY!
“For this very reason, applying your diligence [to the divine promises, make every effort] in [exercising] your faith to, [e]develop moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (insight, understanding),
and in your knowledge, self-control, and in your self-control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness, and in your godliness, brotherly affection, and in your brotherly affection, [develop Christian] love [that is, learn to unselfishly seek the best for others and to do things for their benefit].
For as these qualities are yours and are increasing [in you as you grow toward spiritual maturity], they will keep you from being useless and unproductive in regard to the true knowledge and greater understanding of our Lord Jesus Christ.
For whoever lacks these qualities is blind—shortsighted [closing his spiritual eyes to the truth], having become oblivious to the fact that he was cleansed from his old sins.
Therefore, believers, be all the more diligent to make certain about His calling and choosing you [be sure that your behavior reflects and confirms your relationship with God]; for by [f]doing these things [actively developing these virtues], you will never stumble [in your spiritual growth and will live a life that leads others away from sin];
for in this way entry into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will be abundantly provided to you.” 2 Peter 1:5-11 Amplified Version