Today's Reading: Matthew 12: 43-50
**For a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please click this link: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf.
Please click this link to read Matthew 12: 43-50
Bible Study
Today's passage shows us the importance and real meaning of Jesus is Lord. We so often say that we have Jesus as our Lord and we are having a lifestyle of Christlikeness. But, do we really mean it? Are we just lying to ourselves and others that Jesus is our Lord and we have a lifestyle of Christlikeness?
Jesus gives us two examples to examine ourselves:
1. Who is lording your life?
2. Who are you working for?
Jesus is talking about a demon used to lord someone's life and that person had been exorcized, but without a new 'inhabitant', the demon may return and 'repossess' with several demons!
Jesus says, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Jesus is telling us that unless we are living daily in His Kingdom and having Him as Lord, we are living in other kingdom having another king. Most probably it is you, if not then a demon or demons. How do you know? From the way you live! If you are the king or even possess by a demon or demons then you will be controlled by all those filthy character as described in Galatians 5: 19-21: sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and more! If you are really having Jesus as your Lord and King then you will be transformed into another person and living out a lifestyle of more like Christ naturally. That's the fruit of the Holy Spirit and that's not what you can acquire through your own effort but if Jesus is really your Lord and King then you will like a tree being planted in a new place bearing different fruit. The word fruit in what Galatians describes as the fruit of the Holy Spirit is singular number. Which means if you really have Jesus as Lord and King then every good character and lifestyle of Christlikeness would come all together! Is that wonderful? Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
It's two different worlds, one is full of bad and negative, the other is full of good and positive!
So, who is lording your life? You or Satan?
The key to this passage is that we as human beings are no component with Satan. He was an Archangel and we have no way to win him over. If we really repent, confess our sins and enter into God's Kingdom having Jesus as Lord then we have to let Jesus to be our Lord living in our soul lording us. If Jesus can not lord us then sooner or later Satan is going to come in to lord your whole being again!
If Jesus is really your Lord then you have a new family. Just like what Jesus says in today's passage. He does the will of His Father in heaven and not following His earthly family. It doesn't mean that Jesus tells you not to love you earthly family but He is telling you the real priority.
Who are you working for? Not you, your boss, your family or anyone but God, our heavenly Father, just like what Jesus does!
So, who is lording your life? Who are you working for?
Let's have a time to be still and give the Holy Spirit space to speak through the passage of scripture we have just read. Offer this time up to Jesus as you listen to him, while listening to "Gabriel's Oboe"
Spiritual Journal
What I heard from Jesus today is: Who are you working for?
What I got today from Jesus is a painful reminder of what does it means by "Who are you working for". If I have not been working for Jesus then I most probably would still be in Hong Kong working in the Anglican Church of Hong Kong as a priest. And, Michelle, Ignatius, Athanasius and I can see our family in Hong Kong as often as we love to. My mom, my sister, my brother and his family, Michelle's mom, her brother and two sisters and their family and all our good friends in Hong Kong! But, Jesus called me to leave Hong Kong to go to Vancouver to work for Him there in 1994. It was a painful discernment process of a period of a few months time!
You may never understand our pain of how we miss living with our family members in Hong Kong but that is the cost of discipleship, our Cross! That's what Jesus means in today's passage as He said, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" He is working for His Father in heaven and does the will of His father in heaven!
So, who is lording your life?
Who are you working for?
Please take a moment to look at the three pictures of our family members in Hong Kong and pray for them. My mom had her 85th birthday four days ago, my father passed away in 1996, two years after we left Hong Kong. To have Jesus as our Lord and to work for Jesus is not easy! But, it's the only way and the best way!
Dear Lord Jesus,
Help us to be willing to have you as our Lord and King and that we are really working for you and you only. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
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