Your Ticket Out

AUGUST 26

MATTHEW 6:33_the kingdom of God…

If you seek God first, at a young age, you’ve made a wise decision. You are on the right path. If you are toward the end of your teen years, or mid-way through adulthood, or even in your senior years – it’s never too late. Jesus has been knocking on the door of your heart all these years. He is not one to walk out on those He seeks because they don’t welcome Him right away. Jesus patiently seeks you, wherever you are.  Whether that’s the pit, the gutter, or the dead-end street, Jesus seeks you. Don’t think you have to be out of those places for Jesus to want you. Jesus is your ticket out!

Know the most important thing in life and seek it.

Seek the first thing first.

Make the main thing the main thing.

Build a firm foundation on truth.

Proverbs 24:27 (KJV), “Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.”

Work is seeking, the field is the world, and the house is your life. Build your life in accordance to God’s plan, not your own.

Another way to seek God first is in the earliest part of your day. Begin each day with Jesus. Become more aware of His presence.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, Help me seek You in the morning to be aware of You all day. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ seeks me wherever I go—He finds me!

One Must Reign, the Other Must Serve

JULY 27

MATTHEW 6:24_Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

The word mammon in this verse is translated wealth or treasure. The double vision saga ends. Jesus and material wealth cannot reign in your heart. The heart can only give itself to one ruler. There is no balancing the two – one must reign, the other must serve. Allegiance!

Jealousy is a terrible emotion. When left unbridled, it consumes. Shakespeare named it the green-eyed monster (The Merchant of Venice, 1596 / Othello, 1604).

There is a time jealousy can be good – when God has it. God speaks strongly of His jealousy in His Ten Commandments. Exodus 20:5 (KJV), “Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them [idols], nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God …”Also in Deuteronomy 4:24 (KJV), “For the Lord thy God is a consuming fire, even a jealous God.”

God’s jealousy protects. His jealousy is consumed with keeping you from straying from the path – into darkness.The apostle Paul understood this kind of jealousy. He wrote about it to the Christians in Corinth. II Corinthians 11:2 (KJV), “For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy: for I have espoused you to one husband [Jesus], that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.

Paul’s jealousy saves disciples from double vision.

PRAYER

Holy God, Thank You for being jealous over me. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is jealous for us—He wants to save me for Jesus!

The Light of Truth

JULY 23

MATTHEW 6:23_thy whole body shall be full of darkness…

What causes the whole body to be full of darkness? Evil. You can be totally blind, but still have light inside if your eye is single – focused on Jesus.

In the John chapter 9 account of the man born blind, Jesus pointed this out to the Pharisees. The blind man believed in Jesus and worshiped Him. Because of the blind man’s ability to know who Jesus truly was, he received sight. This was not physical sight. Jesus had already given him that. This was receiving the light of truth – giving him freedom.

The Pharisees did not believe. Jesus said they were blind. Although they had physical sight, their lack of faith in Jesus caused their whole being to be full of darkness – causing them bondage.

The evil eye sees double. It cannot distinguish truth from lies. An evil eye has stepped off the path and lost its light. Without light there is darkness.

In darkness you reach out, constantly trying to touch, to feel, to hold to something secure. You cry out, call out, hoping to hear a familiar voice.  

Perhaps someone will come and help you find your way back to the path – to Jesus!

PRAYER

Incomparable Jesus, When I am in darkness, I stumble.  Bring me back to You. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ is the path to freedom—I want to stay with Him!

Freedom Breaks Bondage

JULY 21

MATTHEW 6:22_thy whole body shall be full of light.

Jesus gives courage and light to face every day.  Only the truth can give that. Lies give fear and darkness. God says to Joshua in chapter 1 (KJV):Be strong and of a good courage …,’ and in verse ‘Only be thou strong and very courageous …,’ and in verse ‘Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

The single eye Jesus refers to here means focused on Him, only. Singleness of vision on Jesus keeps you on His path. Never forget, His path leads to freedom.

Freedom breaks bondage. Nothing in bondage is free, and nothing free is in bondage. With your spirit as the mainspring, shackles corrode away. The mainspring creates the function of whatever it is operating. For everything to function properly the mainspring has to be free from any encumbrance. An encumbrance is a false part that does not belong.

Jesus wants your focus on Him alone.

Your whole being (body, soul, spirit) will be full of light.     

PRAYER

God of Courage, Help me be strong and of a good courage every day. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ wants me to keep my eyes on Him—I will!

Your Ticket Out

AUGUST 26

MATTHEW 6:33_the kingdom of God…

If you seek God first, at a young age, you’ve made a wise decision. You are on the right path. If you are toward the end of your teen years, or mid-way through adulthood, or even in your senior years – it’s never too late. Jesus has been knocking on the door of your heart all these years. He is not one to walk out on those He seeks because they don’t welcome Him right away. Jesus patiently seeks you, wherever you are.  Whether that’s the pit, the gutter, or the dead-end street, Jesus seeks you. Don’t think you have to be out of those places for Jesus to want you. Jesus is your ticket out!

Know the most important thing in life and seek it.

Seek the first thing first.

Make the main thing the main thing.

Build a firm foundation on truth.

Proverbs 24:27 (KJV), “Prepare thy work without, and make it fit for thyself in the field; and afterwards build thine house.”

Work is seeking, the field is the world, and the house is your life. Build your life in accordance to God’s plan, not your own.

Another way to seek God first is in the earliest part of your day. Begin each day with Jesus. Become more aware of His presence.

PRAYER

Heavenly Father, Help me seek You in the morning to be aware of You all day. In the powerful name of Jesus, Amen.

Christ seeks me wherever I go—He finds me!