Matthew 26:7-13 What Fragrance Are You Leaving? - Devotional Scripture

In Matthew 26, a woman had an impulse to do a good deed. She poured a year’s worth of salary of perfume on Jesus’ head. The disciples didn’t understand why she would waste so much money to do this act of kindness.

But when Jesus was aware of it, He said to them, ‘Why do you trouble the woman? For she has done a good work for Me.  For you have the poor with you always, but Me you do not have always.   For in pouring this fragrant oil on My body, she did it for My burial.   Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be told as a memorial to her.’   Matthew 26:10-13

This act of kindness that she did could have only been done at this one time in history.  If she did not act on this impulse to anoint Jesus with perfume, this opportunity may have never come again. She acted on divine inspiration and because of that she will always be remembered. The fragrance of a lovely deed lasts forever.

There have been many occasions that I get an impulse to do an act of kindness and I talk myself out of it. Lately, God has revealed to me that if I have an impulse to do a good deed I should assume that it is from Him and do the act of kindness. I have received much joy in acting on these impulses. The old adage is true;

J-esus

O-thers

Y-ou

equals JOY.

We will never know what a simple act of kindness can mean to someone until we follow through with our God-inspired impulses to do good deeds. At this point in Jesus’ story his life was surrounded by betrayal and tragedy. In the midst of all of this, this woman is an oasis of light in a darkening world leaving the fragrance of a lovely deed as she pours the alabaster flask on His head.

We have the opportunity to be an oasis of light to those around us but if we don’t act on these God-given impulses that chance may never come again. What fragrance are you leaving behind in your relationships? Let’s be like the woman in this story and not miss opportunities to be a lovely fragrance to those around us.

2 Corithians 4:17-18 Where Are You Fixing Your Hope - Devotional Scripture

For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. 2 Corinthians 4:17-18

The Lord keeps asking me, “Where are you fixing your hope? Is it on temporal things or is it on the grace that will be brought to you when I return.” It’s hard for me to remember that this life is not the time or place where God promised to wipe away all my tears.  It’s not the place where I will experience no more mourning, crying or pain. This is a time of warfare and the battle is being fought on the turf on my own heart.

Satan wants to keep me thinking on present circumstances so I won’t be able to fix my eyes on things to come. He wants to build a stronghold in my mind to hinder me and cripple me so I can’t run the race that is marked out before me. I cooperate with him when I allow thoughts to run freely in my mind without taking them captive to the obedience of Christ.

We need to stop dwelling on temporal things that are causing us pain and discomfort.  We must take our eyes off of our marriage, our kids, our homes, our finances and fix our eyes and hope on the things to come. Instead of quenching the Spirit and not cooperating with God, we need to allow God to have His way in us. It is only when we relinquish control of our lives and walk in the Spirit that we find true freedom and peace that surpasses all understanding.

There is a door to your mind and the enemy is knocking.  He wants to get into your thoughts.  He wants you to think on temporal things and forget the big picture. When you hear that knock on your door ask the question, “Who is that knocking at my door?” and Philippians 4:8 your thoughts and bring them under obedience to Christ.

Psalm 61:1-4 Cling To The Rock - Devotional Scripture

 

Hear my cry, O God; attend to my prayer. From the end of the earth I will cry to You, when my heart is overwhelmed; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. Psalm 61:1-2

Sometimes we feel like things are falling apart and are crashing in around us.  We get overwhelmed and we feel like we are at the end of the rope. Nothing is working out as we planned and we realize we can’t fix it.  In those times we cry out to God and cling to Him because we don’t know what else to do. In this Psalm, David was going through one of those times.  He acknowledges that he doesn’t have the wisdom or strength to direct his own steps, so he asks the Lord to lead him to Rock that is higher and great than himself. God purposely brings us to the end of the rope so we will hold tight to Him and say, “My only hope is in you God. You are the rock of my life.  There is no solution other than you.”

 

For You have been a shelter for me, a strong tower from the enemy. I will abide in Your tabernacle forever; I will trust in the shelter of Your wings. Selah.

Psalm 61:3-4

 

David acknowledges God’s past faithfulness and trusts that God will remain faithful now and to the end of time.  No matter his lot, David chooses to abide with God and worship Him forever. He chooses to trust in Him even though he doesn’t understand what’s going on. David knows that though it may be out of His control, it is never out of God’s control so he chooses to rest in the shelter in God’s protection and sovereignty.

 

Selah means rest.  Rest is what we find when we surrender all to God and trust His understanding over our own understanding. Although the world and our own deceitful hearts might tell us otherwise, rest is not found in discovering a solution to our problem.  True rest is found in leaning on and trusting in the Rock of our salvation.

2 Timothy 2:4 A Soldier of Christ - Devotional Scripture

No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier. 2 Timothy 2:4

Discipleship is like joining the military. No one can sign up and retain his independence. When a person joins the military his sergeant seeks to teach the soldier self-discipline because he knows that if he is left to his own devices the soldier would be careless and too self-absorbed to succeed.

When you are enlisted, your own interests are subservient to your superiors. Your time is not your own. You get up when they tell you to get up and you go where they tell you to go. Day by day, the soldier is pushed to do more than he thinks he can.  At first this goes against his will and his very character. Bit by bit, though, he starts to internalize the code of the military. He starts to care if his fellow soldiers succeed. He stands firm, not because someone has told him to, but because he has believed in something greater than himself. He is fit and ready for the hard life ahead of him. He is ready to contribute to a greater cause by making himself expendable to that cause.

We have reviewed the cost and rewards of being a disciple of Jesus Christ.  The only remaining question is, are you a disciple of Jesus Christ?  There are 3 "identifying marks" of discipleship given by Jesus:

1.       John 8:31, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine.”  When we obey His word and live according to it we are His disciples.

2.       John 13:35, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” The distinguishing mark of a disciple is the love they show towards their brothers and sisters in Christ. It is also a sign to us that we are His disciples. We know that we have passed from death unto life because of the love God has placed in our hearts for the family of God (1 John 3:14).

3.       John 15:8, “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.” Spiritual fruit will show itself in our lives as we spend time with Jesus and get to know Him better. His thoughts will become our thoughts and His purpose will become our purpose. We will become like Jesus and bear much fruit.

 

Discipleship is God’s plan for a purposeful and pleasurable life not only in the life to come but also now in this present life. No one but the disciple of Jesus is living life to the fullest and enjoying the blessing that come from being His disciple.

Mark 10:29-30 Rewards of Discipleship - Devotional Scripture

 

Jesus called us to be His disciples but He never said it was going to be easy. He said it is going to be tough and you better count the cost. He said unless you are willing to relinquish everything you can't be My disciple. Unless you are willing to take up your cross and deny yourself, you can't be My disciple. Unless you love Me supremely, above money and possessions, you cannot be My disciple. The terms of discipleship are harsh and severe but the benefits far outweigh the cost.

Jesus said, ‘Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life. 

Mark 10:29-30

 

We will have trials and sufferings in this life, but the blessings outweigh the difficulties by a hundred-to-one margin. God will reward us generously. Whatever sacrifices we make for the Lord will be richly compensated.

Rewards of being His disciple:

1.       We become members of THE FAMILY OF GOD, whose fellowship enriches our lives.

2.       We follow a gentle and loving leader. We all have a master and if we aren’t serving Jesus than we are slaves to sin and to Satan (Romans 6:16) and Satan is a cruel taskmaster that only desires our destruction.

3.       It brings us into a level of intimacy with Jesus that others cannot experience. It is only to His disciples that He reveals His innermost thoughts and most intimate secrets.

4.      God will withhold no good thing from those who follow Him. But even more than this, what God takes away He replaces with something even better.

5.       We are free for “we shall know the truth, and the truth shall set us free" (John 8:32).

6.      Our great reward is Jesus Himself. The cost of discipleship is nothing compared to the rich fellowship we receive with Jesus.  He offers us a peace the world cannot give,  a joy that cannot be taken away and a life lived abundantly.

 

Luke 14:26-33 Count the Cost - Devotional Scripture

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.        Matthew 28:19.

Jesus never used the term Christian to describe a believer. The early church didn’t describe themselves as Christians. They described themselves as disciples, saints, and brothers. Christian was used by the non-believing world to describe Christ's followers in a derogatory way.

Jesus calls us to be His disciples.  Discipleship requires a complete rearrangement of our priorities. This is what Luke sought to remind us of in the fourteenth chapter of his gospel. In this chapter, Jesus lists three requirements of being a disciple.

First, our love for Jesus must come before any other human relationship. We need to be more concerned about how an action will affect Jesus and His glory rather than how it will affect ourselves or our family. Obedience to Christ must come before our own personal comfort and safety (Luke 14:26). Secondly, we must deny ourselves and take up our cross. This means we willingly lay down our own rights, desires and ambitions and exchange them for His will for our lives. We determine in hearts that we will to stand for Jesus no matter what. (Luke 14:27). Thirdly, we place our commitment to Jesus above material possessions. We must love God more than we love money and what it can provide (Luke 14:33).

I pray you will count the cost of being His disciple.  If you don’t, you will not be able to stand firm in the battle that is before you. As a disciple of Jesus, you are entering a war and that battle will rage on until you leave this earth. And without the rearrangement of your priorities you will spend the rest of your time, here on earth, fighting God’s right to rule your life and you will never experience the abundant life that Jesus offers. Instead, this life will be draining, discouraging and depressing.  But, when you really trust Jesus with your life and put Him first above everything and everyone else your burden becomes easy and you are able to enjoy Christ’s riches now and in the life to come.

Ps. 16:7-8 Shall Not Be Moved - Devotional Scripture

I will bless the Lord who has given me counsel; my heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the Lord always before me; because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved.     Ps. 16:7-8

This weekend the enemy went after my Achilles’ heel.  Spiritually speaking this is the area in my life where I am the weakest and tend to stumble the most. He set up just the right circumstances and used just the right people to try to take me down and wipe me out.  Since I have been studying 1 Peter the tactics of the enemy were on the forefront of my mind. I was able to recognize the attack for what it was and I received counsel and instruction from God as He reminded me of Eph. 6:12. I am not fighting against flesh and blood but against principalities, powers and rulers of the unseen world. This was spiritual warfare. My focus immediate switched from the people and circumstances that were causing me pain to the lie I was entertaining and needed to replace with the truth of God’s word. I was able to quickly recover from this attack, but the enemy wasn’t done with me.  The next morning he used a fresh set of circumstances to go after the same weakness to try to devour me. 

This time it was harder to get back up and stand on God’s truth.  I knew who was attacking me but it was harder not to respond to the “flesh and blood” that was before me and to keep the attack on a spiritual level.  But God kept guiding me to His truth. I cried out to Him for strength and He kept my head just above the flood waters that wanted to take me down.

As I walked into church that morning God reminded me of the things I have been learning in 1 Peter. The reason why Satan wanted to devour me and discourage me is because he knew if I was focused on my own struggles I would not be walking in the Spirit and therefore not doing His will but my own. When this revelation fell afresh on me that just made me mad and I refused to be intimidated by the enemy any longer.  At that point, I became “undevourable” and I could not be moved from the safe and secure place next to my God. The enemy knows those weak areas in our lives and that is where he attacks and does his fiercest work. The good news is that as you choose to stay by God’s side, He will guide you through the Valley of Baca and as you respond to His leading, you will be refreshed by His Spirit (Ps. 84:5-7) and you will not be moved.