PRAYER: Hallelujah LORD, the highest praise we offer up unto You. You are so worthy of ALL of the praise. Thank You Father. Thank You for being with me through this life's journey. You said, You will never leave me nor forsake me; and I believe it and I am so thankful to Your promise. LORD, thank You for this new day. Don't ever let us take advantage of the blessing of waking up every morning. There are times we don't want to get up and out of bed, please forgive each of us for our ungratefulness, if any lives within our hearts in regard to each day of life that You have given to us. Let us use this day and every day purposefully, according to Your Will and not our own. Remind us that though we are able to live in access of all of Your benefits and blessings, that it's not about us. It's about You. Bringing a living Savior to a dying world. I rebuke distractions in every form and I ask that You change our hearts to place You, Your Word and prayer as priority in EVERY area of our lives. Thank You for being SO GOOD! I love You, LORD. In the name of Your Son, Jesus. Amen.
MATTHEW 18:1-9 part 1
THE GREATEST IN THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN:
At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?"
He called a little child and had him stand among them. And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes a little child like this in my name welcomes me. But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe to the world because of the things that cause people to sin! Such things much come, but woe to the man through whom they come! If your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands and two feet and be thrown into eternal fire. And if your eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell."
The disciples asked "Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" because they had just finished arguing over which of them would be the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (Mark 9:33,34). It's very important that we don't judge the disciples because their thinking is still present in our thinking today. People are always wondering who is the greatest, who has the power, who do I have to suck up to; ultimately to get what they want, be recognized, treated exclusively and special. Jesus used a child to help his self-centered disciples get the point. We are not to be childish, like the disciples arguing over petty, irrelevant issues but childlike, with humble and sincere hearts. The disciples had become so preoccupied with the organization of Jesus' earthly kingdom that they had lost sight of its divine purpose. Instead of seeking a place of service, they sought positions of advantage. It is easy to lose our eternal perspective and compete for promotions or status in this world.
Children know that they need their parents, they are trusting by nature. We should know that we NEED our Heavenly Father. We NEED to trust Him and His Word. It's difficult for many people to identify with children-dependent, with no status or influence. But dependency on God makes us strong. I can admit the ONLY one that gets me through the day and through every thing in my life, from bad to good-is God. I honestly do not know what I would do without Him.
ARE YOU CHILDLIKE OR CHILDISH?
LOSE THE SELF-CENTEREDNESS AND BECOME GOD-CENTERED!
Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation." Mark 16:15
Notes from Life Application Study Bible & NIV Women's Devotional Bible-Classic Edition. Definitions from the New Oxford American Dictionary
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