Genuinely Related To Jesus?
THEME: GENUINELY RELATED TO JESUS?
MEMORISE:
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46
READ: Matthew 12:46-50
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
MESSAGE
One wonderful discovery I have made about Jesus Christ over the years is that He is indeed truth personified. He is incapable of deceit because He is The Truth. It can be rationalised when an individual deceives another individual, but it is surprising and appalling when people engage in self-deceit. It is self-deceit for a fellow to parade himself or herself as a Christian when in actual fact, he or she knows that they have no relationship with Jesus Christ. To such people, in Luke 6:46 Jesus Christ asks:
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
The Lord asked a similar question of those who considered themselves His priests in Malachi 1:6:
“A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?”
The questions in this scripture indicate that these priests did not have a good relationship with the God of Israel. In the sight of God, a bad relationship is worse than no relationship at all (Revelation 3:15). It is therefore important that we reflect on the question of having a genuine relationship with Jesus today.
To be genuinely related to Jesus Christ, we must bear some truths in mind. First of these is that our relationship with Jesus is anchored on our obedience to His commandments. This is an area where a lot of 21st century Christians find it difficult to relate to the Bible. To live by the precepts of someone who lived over two thousand years ago sounds absurd, even to some ministers of the gospel. This is why they read their own meaning into the word of God, and this cuts them off from having a relationship with the Master. In today's Bible text, Jesus Christ was clear in declaring to us those who actually are related to Him. In Matthew 12:50, He said:
“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
In John 8:31, He also told the people who believed in Him that if they would continue to live by His commandments, only then would they be His disciples indeed. He further said in Matthew 11:28-30 that those who would be genuinely related to Him must come to Him, take His yoke upon themselves and learn of Him. Beloved, are you in the category of those obeying the commandments of Jesus Christ, or are you among those who feel the Bible is no longer adequate or relevant to teach godliness? How far you are ready to go in doing the will of Christ determines how closely related you are to Him. Do you really belong to Him?
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please grant me the grace to do Your will in all things.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
• Arrows of infirmity, receive the spirit of deep sleep and die, in the name of Jesus.
• Generosity begins by giving yourself to God.
• If you are up, the things below you can easily come under your control.
• That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. - John 17:21
• Into every life a litter rain must fall.
• The word "World" comes from the Hebrew word - têbêl {תּבל}.
• Who is this Allah (https://goo.gl/DZWS2j)
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
What does the Bible say about prenuptial agreements?
MEMORISE:
And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say? Luke 6:46
READ: Matthew 12:46-50
46 While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him.
47 Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee.
48 But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren?
49 And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren!
50 For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.
MESSAGE
One wonderful discovery I have made about Jesus Christ over the years is that He is indeed truth personified. He is incapable of deceit because He is The Truth. It can be rationalised when an individual deceives another individual, but it is surprising and appalling when people engage in self-deceit. It is self-deceit for a fellow to parade himself or herself as a Christian when in actual fact, he or she knows that they have no relationship with Jesus Christ. To such people, in Luke 6:46 Jesus Christ asks:
“And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
The Lord asked a similar question of those who considered themselves His priests in Malachi 1:6:
“A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name?”
The questions in this scripture indicate that these priests did not have a good relationship with the God of Israel. In the sight of God, a bad relationship is worse than no relationship at all (Revelation 3:15). It is therefore important that we reflect on the question of having a genuine relationship with Jesus today.
To be genuinely related to Jesus Christ, we must bear some truths in mind. First of these is that our relationship with Jesus is anchored on our obedience to His commandments. This is an area where a lot of 21st century Christians find it difficult to relate to the Bible. To live by the precepts of someone who lived over two thousand years ago sounds absurd, even to some ministers of the gospel. This is why they read their own meaning into the word of God, and this cuts them off from having a relationship with the Master. In today's Bible text, Jesus Christ was clear in declaring to us those who actually are related to Him. In Matthew 12:50, He said:
“For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother.”
In John 8:31, He also told the people who believed in Him that if they would continue to live by His commandments, only then would they be His disciples indeed. He further said in Matthew 11:28-30 that those who would be genuinely related to Him must come to Him, take His yoke upon themselves and learn of Him. Beloved, are you in the category of those obeying the commandments of Jesus Christ, or are you among those who feel the Bible is no longer adequate or relevant to teach godliness? How far you are ready to go in doing the will of Christ determines how closely related you are to Him. Do you really belong to Him?
PRAYER POINT:
Father, please grant me the grace to do Your will in all things.
THOUGHT OF THE DAY:
• Arrows of infirmity, receive the spirit of deep sleep and die, in the name of Jesus.
• Generosity begins by giving yourself to God.
• If you are up, the things below you can easily come under your control.
• That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. - John 17:21
• Into every life a litter rain must fall.
• The word "World" comes from the Hebrew word - têbêl {תּבל}.
• Who is this Allah (https://goo.gl/DZWS2j)
QUESTION OF THE DAY:
What does the Bible say about prenuptial agreements?
Although prenuptial agreements are not mentioned in the Bible, God does tell us how we are to view marriage, and from that we can figure how agreements such as “pre-nups” would be viewed. First, God intended marriage to be permanent, lasting as long as both spouses are alive. When two Christian people go into a marriage, it should be with the strong belief that divorce is not an option. To have a prenuptial agreement allows for the possibility of divorce. When God formed Eve from Adam’s rib, He was signifying the purpose of a husband-and-wife relationship. The woman is the man’s helper, taken from under his protective arm and formed from the same flesh. “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh” (Genesis 2:24). Obviously, being “one flesh” means that a husband and wife should not even consider separating. The only reason the Law ever allowed divorce was the people’s hard-hearted insistence on divorce as a right (Matthew 19:8). God never changes, and He despises divorce (Malachi 2:16).
The love described in 1 Corinthians 13 should obviate the need for prenuptial agreements. Biblical love is a conscious decision that we are going to do what is best for others the way God always does what is best for us. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). As Christians, we should be characterized by this kind of love, especially within a Christian marriage. If love “endures through every circumstance” (NLT), then prenuptial agreements are unneeded.
In Ephesians 5, we learn a lot about the roles of a husband and wife in marriage. Husbands are called to love their wives with the same love that Christ showed the church (verse 25)—a love that did not shrink from sacrifice. Wives are to honor their husbands and submit to their leadership (verse 22). Just as Christ will never leave us, a husband should never leave his wife. Husbands should love their wives as they love themselves (verse 28), and wives should respect their husbands (verse 33).The biblical model of marriage teaches the permanence of the union and the necessity of selflessness; prenuptial agreements, by their very nature, cast doubt on the permanence of the union and foster selfishness.
There is no reason for two Christian people, committed to God and each other, to need a prenuptial agreement. Yes, both the husband and wife will sin, but “love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). God calls us to forgive each other just as He has forgiven us, but a pre-nup is a plan to not forgive. If two truly become one, shouldn’t the distinction between “yours” and “mine” be eradicated—or at least greatly blurred?
Many in today’s society consider prenuptial agreements to be necessary and that anyone who does not sign one is a fool. But God’s ways contradict the world’s (Luke 16:15; Romans 12:2). Nothing in the Bible supports the idea that a Christian engaged couple should forge a “just in case we get divorced you can’t take my stuff” agreement.
The love described in 1 Corinthians 13 should obviate the need for prenuptial agreements. Biblical love is a conscious decision that we are going to do what is best for others the way God always does what is best for us. “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 13:4–7). As Christians, we should be characterized by this kind of love, especially within a Christian marriage. If love “endures through every circumstance” (NLT), then prenuptial agreements are unneeded.
In Ephesians 5, we learn a lot about the roles of a husband and wife in marriage. Husbands are called to love their wives with the same love that Christ showed the church (verse 25)—a love that did not shrink from sacrifice. Wives are to honor their husbands and submit to their leadership (verse 22). Just as Christ will never leave us, a husband should never leave his wife. Husbands should love their wives as they love themselves (verse 28), and wives should respect their husbands (verse 33).The biblical model of marriage teaches the permanence of the union and the necessity of selflessness; prenuptial agreements, by their very nature, cast doubt on the permanence of the union and foster selfishness.
There is no reason for two Christian people, committed to God and each other, to need a prenuptial agreement. Yes, both the husband and wife will sin, but “love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). God calls us to forgive each other just as He has forgiven us, but a pre-nup is a plan to not forgive. If two truly become one, shouldn’t the distinction between “yours” and “mine” be eradicated—or at least greatly blurred?
Many in today’s society consider prenuptial agreements to be necessary and that anyone who does not sign one is a fool. But God’s ways contradict the world’s (Luke 16:15; Romans 12:2). Nothing in the Bible supports the idea that a Christian engaged couple should forge a “just in case we get divorced you can’t take my stuff” agreement.
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