MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2014 DEVOTION THEME: SERVICE TO MAN IS SERVICE TO GOD KEY TEXT: Matthew 25:40 - And the King will answer and say to them, Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me (NKJV). ➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖➖ The above statement was made by Jesus Christ in an illustration in which He demonstrated that service to man is service to God found in Matthew 25:31-46. Beloved, everybody; especially Christians claim strongly to love and serve God. However, the plain truth is that we practically hate Him according to this illustration given by Jesus. Our love for God should not be merely expressed verbally, but it must be practicalized. The simple logic is that Genesis 1:26 says God has created man in His image and likeness and so it means every person you see around represents God. As a result, if you claim to love and serve God who you do not see or meet physically but hate your fellow man who you practically deal with always, you are a liar and not real as found in 1st John 4:20. For this matter, James 1:27 says, Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world (NKJV). The orphans and widows in this context symbolically refers to the needy, hapless, hopeless and down-trodden in the society. You claim to love and serve God meanwhile wherever you may be at this very moment, you very well know or are related to somebody who you know needs help just to eke out a living, but you pretend you do not know. You always wish the person well and ask God to bless him/her meanwhile you have and know what it takes to help him/her. Do you not see how you feel whenever you do this? It is your sense of guilt that has been condemning and lambasting you! This morning, God says you represent Him in your family, marriage, among your friends etc and so extend succour or help to these people to honour Him. The days of Manna for everybody in the wilderness are over and we are now in the days of Man for other people and so allow yourself to be used by God as a channel or conduit to reach out to the poor, needy and the down-trodden and God will always give you more than you need for yourself alone. Service to man is service to God! May the Lord give you the grace to give from today in the Name of God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit! Amen! HAVE A BLESSED WORKING WEEK!!!
Posted on: Mon, 10 Feb 2014 07:27:13 +0000