The first time I read through the passages we are looking at today, I felt overwhelmed.
I knew I was supposed to feel overwhelmed with joy. I mean, what a gift, that Jesus, God made flesh, came to earth and dwelt with us and left us with all this instruction on how to live, how to serve, and how to be forgiven and accepted into the kingdom of God. He left a perfect example of sacrificial love in His actions, His ministry, and His death on the cross.
Instead, I felt overwhelmed by the difficulty of His instruction. I would read through Matthew and the other Gospels as a young Christian and think, “How?”
I was such a rule follower that Jesus’s teaching about how wrong the Jewish rule-followers were in their hearts and motives scared me. “Am I to sell and forsake all I have to prove to Jesus that I love him?” I’d think to my young adult self. I didn’t have much material value at that point, but I certainly didn’t want to give up the little I did have.
I’d see psalms like 40:8—“I delight to do your will…”—and think, “Am I really delighting? Because I feel like I’m panicking to do His will…and also failing at it.”
If you’ve ever had those thoughts too, let today’s last passage in Philippians remind you of the kind of teacher giving the instructions found in Matthew 19 and 20. Jesus “emptied Himself” and “assum[ed] the form of a servant” and then God “highly exalted” Him (Philippians 2:7,9). Jesus was the perfect servant, and His goodness and His sacrifice secured our salvation.
It took me a long time to realize that embracing this truth—that Jesus is the hero, not me—is the key to Psalm 40:8. His surrender to the will of God is what makes us capable of delighting to do the will of God.
We can only delight in being servants when we remember that our service flows from Jesus’s service. It is a gift and is meant to be a joy. We will be exalted because Jesus served us. We can be free because Jesus sacrificed for us. We are able to serve and obey and even delight because our sin is gone. That is delightful.
I’m praying today that we may read through the book of Matthew with the eyes of forgiven, free daughters and heirs of God, who have the privilege of serving with Him.
This devotional really hit home for me.
Thank You Lord for Your sacrifice, for loving me, for walking alongside me.
I LOVE today’s devotional. We are going to be first time parents at the end of April and I couldn’t help to think about serving our childrens when they enter into this world. It’s so nerve wrecking and terrifying but I love when it says
“we can only delight in being servants when we remember that our service flows from Jesus service.”
I think a lot of times when we fail is because we try to do it all on our own instead of relying on God. I can’t wait to serve our newborn while relying on Jesus through the good and bad days! ❤️
The scriptures today are beautiful! I so enjoyed the devotional, too, as well as all of your comments. But God …
It’s always sad to me when I read of the rich young man and how he went a way sad because he had great wealth that he was not ready to part with. Did he finally come around and surrender all to Christ. The bible doesn’t say – we will never know. But it does cause me to pause and ask, “Is there anything in my life that I’m not willing to surrender to God?” I hesitate to answer to quickly. I want to think I’d be willing to give Him everything, but can I say it and mean it? I hope I would be willing – what about you? Do you struggle with giving everything to God? If so, you are not alone.
Father God please work in me, grow me. Lead me to the place where I hold nothing back from You. Put the desire in my heart to surrender all – everyday. That you might do Your perfect work in me and through me. I ask you to do the same for each of my dear sisters here on SRT. Give us the desires (your desires) of our hearts. In Jesus Name.
A couple of things stood out to me today:
1- Don’t begrudge God’s generosity to others. Count our blessings, not their blessings, don’t count others’ pockets, count our own pockets. I heard this on a podcast and thought it’s a great analogy. Give thanks for your blessings for they are many.
2- God loves the humble. Who is the greatest among them/us/ the church congregation? There was a fight among the church leaders (disciples) back then, surely the same is happening now, the fight for power in church. Did the Lord say the greatest are the ones with mega churches? One with theology degrees? Ones that have many crusades and conferences? Ones that cast out demons and can do crazy healing miracles? He did not. Those things do matter, BUTTTT (big but)…. they should not be our identity of greatness. Jesus draws 2 conclusions on greatness:
a/ Whoever will humble himself therefore and become like this little child [trusting, lowly, loving, forgiving] is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 18:4 AMP)
b/ the greatest among you will be your servant (Matthew 23:11).
You know it’s so easy to compare ourselves to someone else’s great achievements in ministry, I don’t have the abilities that they do, I can’t make big sacrifices as they make, indeed there has to be a grace to go through each trial. But to serve, yes I can, where I am, with my hands, with my cooking, cleaning, encouraging, smiling..yes i can serve with these little talents, and as I am faithful with the little things, God will increase so I can be faithful with much more. To humble myself? yes I can, to give my best to give glory to Him who modelled his humbleness (while being King of all kings) but chose to be born in humble beginnings. And all of that means I have a chance to be considered great in God’s eyes. This is God’s standards, and not more. How beautiful this is. Men always raise the standards to unattainable points to keep us enslaved, once we get there, they move the mark again, and we strive for the new mark- what deception! BUT GOD, be humble and be a servant, and you’ll be great! :)
@JAMIE TRICE: prayers for healing over lupus and seizures, change of heart for your husband to join you and the kids to church, healing over grief and loss of loved ones. So sorry.
@LAURA DIANE: grace for counseling so you both can move past what is hindering the love, the forgiveness, and have an honest reflection and even a hard conversation. Fasting is amazing. I was reading the book that KRIS recommended (thank you KRIS!), “Fasting” by Jentezen Franklin. The author/pastor said they always do a 21-day corporate fast at the beginning of the year to set the course and break any potential attack coming, and testimonies were flying in within a few days of the fast, financial breakthroughs, physical body healing, new doors open, hearts changed…. I am greatly encouraged. Fasting brings major breakthroughs and I believe any evil chains can break (in God’s time) through the humbling of a fast that WE initiate. “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted. And the LORD will guide you continually and satisfy your desire in scorched places and make your bones strong. And your ancient ruins shall be rebuilt (Isaiah 58). Isaiah 58 is my go-to chapter when I fast, and declare bondages to be broken, praise God… things happen as God say, His Word is the law, sometimes even to the extent I never expect. He always surprises me in a fast.
@KRISTINE LOUGHMAN: grace for you and your teenage daughter.
@MIA FAITH: any updates that we can know about? Prayers for God’s hand to save and to shift things around for your good.
@TRUTH SEEKER, JULIA C: ❤️
Be blessed dear sisters.
Good Morning BEAUTIFUL She’s from the bright sunshine of a beautiful morning in Santa Cruz California!! Beach is 10 minutes away, and I’m running down to it in a few minutes. My adult children don’t like the idea, but I will be very careful, I promise! As most of you know, I am legally separated. And I was in a second marriage. The first marriage, that spouse divorced me. Now, in my second marriage, he did, and said all the right things. But then I was blind to the red flags, and finally for my safety and the safety of my children, you left in July 2017. My church’s stance on divorce did not allow me to get another divorce. I don’t have biblical grounds. I’m gonna be open and honest and transparent here. On this side of heaven, I’m don’t understand why verbal and emotional abuse is not a grounds for divorce. But I am choosing to obey God’s Word and what my pastors have advised, as I believe, they are the leaders for a reason. And maybe someday I will have those grounds. BUT GOD….. I am safe now! I’m doing things, I never thought I would! I am strong, because My Jesus is strong for me! Out of that ugly and scary marriage, came TWO beautiful children. My son and my daughter, and I would do it again, knowing that I would get Caleb and Alyssa. Jesus is my first love! And then it’s Caleb and Alyssa. GOD IS SO GOOD!!
Good morning She’s! What a great message this morning. I loved the devotional too! So many times I have felt not good enough or constantly feel like I am not measuring up. So thankful for Jesus and what he has done for us. So thankful for his grace and mercy that is new every day. Praying for all of you, ❤️❤️
I love how God pulls us in close- today I was struggling with an all too familiar family situation and was filled with anger, jealousy and just plain hurt BUT God reminds me today that it’s not always about me but Him! A few verses that stand for encouragement today @Laura Dianne “what God has joined together, let no one separate” Matthew 19:6 @me “Don’t I have the right to do what I want with what is mine? Are you jealous because I’m generous? Matthew 20:15 and @All SRT sisters “ Lord have mercy on us” Matthew 20:30 and 31
Lord have mercy on us! Teach us to walk in Your ways, not our own selfish paths. Help us to put ourselves last and delight in Your will (love thy neighbor; love thy enemies). Place Your Word deep within my heart. Thank You Lord for your forgiveness! Amen ☮️❤️ to you She’s !!