November 21, 2023
Topic: GREAT PROMISES AND APPROPRIATE RESPONSE
Text: Hebrew 13:5; Psalm 50:14-15
Memory Verse:“Offer to God thanksgiving, and pay your vows to the Most High, call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me” – (Psalm 50:14-15)
The very core of every Christian’s conduct is to be wary and avoid unnecessary obsession with material things. We are admonished through the scripture Heb 13:5, that “Our conduct be without covetousness”, and be content with such things we have.
The NIV translation reads that text as “Don’t Love money”, and the Message Version translates it as, “Don’t be obsessed with getting more material things”. These all refer to covetousness and the inordinate desire to get more and more!
Jesus taught severally about this in (Matt 6:24-34) as well as in the “Rich fool parable”, in Luke 12:13-21. Paul also writes in 1 Tim 6:6-11, admonishing believers on the danger inherent in covetousness, and the best pathway to righteous living.
Dear Christian, covetousness has ruined many. It aborted the discipleship of Gehazi, under Elisha! Gehazi by human logic would most likely, have received four times the spirit of Elijah, if his master received only double! (2king 5:20-27).
The Sovereign God is righteous, just and calls us to Holy living through faith in Him. He has given us a great promise that He will never leave nor forsake us, because He is our helper. Mundane, physical needs and fearful events may roar and bare their fangs, but the Lord will both calm the raging storm and shut their mouths (Heb 13:5). Our statement of faith should be: “What can man do to me?”
The appropriate response(s) therefore will be to offer quality, heartfelt thanksgiving and call upon the Lord in prayers (Psalm 50:14-15). Have you tried what Oral Roberts referred to as “seed of faith?” this is making a vow and giving to God a seed that is willingly sown like Jacob’s vow in Bethel (Gen 28:20-22 and Gen 35:1-7 &9-15). A note of warning is however sounded under vows in numbers 30:1-2, that no one should violate his words either to God or man.
PRAYER: Father, Lord, I thank you for the great promises made to me as well as the re-assurance of your abiding presence. I pray that my heart will burst out in thanksgiving and prayers to you as I call. Grant me grace to avoid covetousness in the face of satan’s buffeting needs and help me to learn to depend on you, through it all.