01-09-2020, 05:04 PM
CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH
THE LIVING WATER {Jan ~June, 2020}
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Thursday January 9, 2020
TOPIC: RELATIONSHIP AT THE GATES?
Read Matthew 16:5-12
5. And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
8. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
9. Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11. How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12. Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
MEMORISE: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food (Hebrews 5:12)
EXPOSITION
Anytime you go to an unfamiliar place or building, you stop at the gates of the house. You can only see things from outside. You cannot enjoy the full beauties of the house, until you enter inside the house. You can have wrong judgments of the house, because you see things from outside.
The same things happen to your relationship with God, if you only stand at the gates of God. You cannot enjoy the blessings of God to the fullest, if you stand at the gates. Any relationship with God at the gates cannot give you full blessings of God.
Immature Christians will only stop serving God at the gates.
They do not want to go inside. Such Christians do not attend Bible Study, midweek prayer meetings, or revival services. They do not attend Sunday School, thinking and claiming that it is for the children and youth.
They come late to church service and do not want to be more spiritual than a certain level. This is because, they serve God from the gates. If you are at the gates of relationship with God, you will not understand deep things of God, just as a visitor standing at the gates of a new house cannot enjoy the blessings inside the house.
The disciples of Jesus were still at the gates of understanding of spiritual things that Jesus Christ was teaching. Jesus Christ was talking of hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees; they were talking of physical bread. Let us go beyond the gates of immaturity (Heb. 6:1ff). Stop living as a visitor in the vineyard of our God. Let us move deliberately and humbly into His courts, the throne of mercy.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Father, draw me closer to You, today, in Jesus’ name.
2. Lord God of heaven, let me understand and serve You beyond the gates.
3. Father, help us to outgrow being babyish in our walk with You, everywhere.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Genesis 21 - 22; Matthew 9
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE
Remain blessed!
THE LIVING WATER {Jan ~June, 2020}
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Thursday January 9, 2020
TOPIC: RELATIONSHIP AT THE GATES?
Read Matthew 16:5-12
5. And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.
6. Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
7. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.
8. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
9. Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
10. Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?
11. How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?
12. Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
MEMORISE: For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food (Hebrews 5:12)
EXPOSITION
Anytime you go to an unfamiliar place or building, you stop at the gates of the house. You can only see things from outside. You cannot enjoy the full beauties of the house, until you enter inside the house. You can have wrong judgments of the house, because you see things from outside.
The same things happen to your relationship with God, if you only stand at the gates of God. You cannot enjoy the blessings of God to the fullest, if you stand at the gates. Any relationship with God at the gates cannot give you full blessings of God.
Immature Christians will only stop serving God at the gates.
They do not want to go inside. Such Christians do not attend Bible Study, midweek prayer meetings, or revival services. They do not attend Sunday School, thinking and claiming that it is for the children and youth.
They come late to church service and do not want to be more spiritual than a certain level. This is because, they serve God from the gates. If you are at the gates of relationship with God, you will not understand deep things of God, just as a visitor standing at the gates of a new house cannot enjoy the blessings inside the house.
The disciples of Jesus were still at the gates of understanding of spiritual things that Jesus Christ was teaching. Jesus Christ was talking of hypocrisy of the Pharisees and Sadducees; they were talking of physical bread. Let us go beyond the gates of immaturity (Heb. 6:1ff). Stop living as a visitor in the vineyard of our God. Let us move deliberately and humbly into His courts, the throne of mercy.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Father, draw me closer to You, today, in Jesus’ name.
2. Lord God of heaven, let me understand and serve You beyond the gates.
3. Father, help us to outgrow being babyish in our walk with You, everywhere.
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Genesis 21 - 22; Matthew 9
Author: C.A.C WORLDWIDE
Remain blessed!