When it comes to the physical “bread” that the Lord provides, I wonder how many of us cling to that for security instead of trusting in the Lord to always provide?
Each day the Lord provides what is necessary for us to do His work, to be the body of Christ, to love and serve others. And He gives us enough for that day’s work and He will give us enough tomorrow for that day’s work as well. He doesn’t expect us to hold onto it, to horde it, He expects us to use it for His glory and honor each day. It is all His, He is just entrusting us to be good stewards and use it wisely to meet our needs and to love and serve others.
Give us each day our daily bread,
Luke 11:3 ESV
http://bible.com/59/luk.11.3.ESV
Notice that I say to meet our needs, not our wants. I wonder how many times my wants get in the way of how these physical blessings are meant to serve God’s will and to help fulfill others’ needs? I wonder how many of us isolate ourselves from becoming aware of the need of others so we have an easier excuse for the piled up, unused physical blessings that we are clinging to for security?
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’
Matthew 25:34-40 ESV
http://bible.com/59/mat.25.34-40.ESV
But you see, the physical blessings are nothing, they are worthless, they will rust and root and disappear into the dust of the earth just like our physical bodies. The physical blessings are a vehicle, a vessel, an opportunity for those greater blessings to be manifest – an opportunity for the work of the, Holy Spirit to touch lives and bear fruit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, self control. And these spiritual blessings nourish our eternal soul and the eternal souls of others through our witness, our testimony, our life as a living sacrifice to honor the Lord – while the physical blessings only nourish our temporary flesh of we are clinging to them as our own.
I wonder how many times we miss out on the greater blessings, that we miss out on the miraculous, because we are so intent on clinging to the vessels, the vehicles, the thing that is meant to produce the true blessing when it dies and breaks open to reveal the spiritual blessings within.
Each of us is to take this gospel of Christ, that He died on the cross, that He was buried, c and that He is raised to life – and we are to follow in His footsteps. There are many things that we cling to that need to be cut out of our lives and removed from our lives, that need to be cast off into the grave, so that in their place new life, new righteousness in Christ, new eternal blessings can be realized.
And yes, it takes faith, and yes, there is a cost. But if you do not believe the Lord, aren’t you already lost and separated from His eternal glory?
So I say to you, if you will refuse the Lord, if you will deny Christ and have made your choice to be partakers of iniquity and inhabitants of the lake of fire – then come, you oppressers of the poor, you murderers of your own brothers, you witholders of the needs of others – come, and take from me what is the Lord’s and instead give me Jesus. Hand over to me your eternal birthright for a bowl of soup if you must.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’
Matthew 25:41-43 ESV
http://bible.com/59/mat.25.41-43.ESV
But I beg you instead to lay down your treacherous life of serving self, surrender and die to Christ, and find life eternal and know the true blessings and purpose that is meant for your life.
Decide today who you will serve.
“No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
Matthew 6:24 ESV
http://bible.com/59/mat.6.24.ESV
Decode today who you will trust.
Decide today if you are intent on feeding the flesh, or nourishing your spirit.
Decide not just in your mind but in your heart, and commit yourself to this walk.
Take up your cross and bear it today, friends. And pay that the Lord will give me the strength to do the same.
I love you.
So we should ask ourselves, am I more
Harold J. Ballinger 