Simplify to Glorify!

"Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. He who goes out weeping carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with him." Psalm 126:5,6

Sacrificial Obedience

Those who wholeheartedly live for God and His Kingdom willingly say "no" to this world and "yes" to God. 

"By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead at his reward." Hebrews 11:24-26

Moses said "no" to his worldly status and wealth and "yes" to Christ and His purposes because Moses' focus was not on earthly and temporary things but on the heavenly and eternal fruit that sacrifice would bring.

Jesus sowed His life willingly because He was looking ahead. He saw the joy of fruitfulness that His sacrificial sowing would bring!

"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." Heb. 12:2 (emphasis mine)

True sacrifice is costly. Jesus sowed His life with tears to return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with Him! We read in the letter to the Hebrews that, 

"During the days of Jesus' life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered" (Heb. 5:7,8).

The suffering spoken of here is not the result of disobedience but the consequence of sacrificial obedience for the sake of God. Jesus chose to lay down His life to please the Father, to benefit others and for the joy of fruitfulness set before Him.

When we say "no" to the things of this world, we make room for God. It costs us and we sow Kingdom seed with tears but we do it because the reward will be far greater than anything this world can offer. 

Living for eternity may bring temporary tears 

but it brings eternal joy!

Sacrifice makes room for God!

Sacrificial obedience is motivated by a desire to see God's Kingdom established on earth as it is in Heaven. God even challenges His people to test Him in this! In Malachi 3:10 - 12, the Lord commands His people to bring the whole tithe to the storehouse so that God can throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that we will not have enough room for it!

For many people tithing is costly. Giving a tenth of one's income can mean saying "no" to many things in this world. However, even if the tithe is sown in tears, it will relase the abundance of heaven! The tithe, sown in sacrificial obedience with tears will bring a harvest with joy!

Sadly many misappropriate these verses and try to coerce God to bless them by giving their tithe. However, those who sacrifice to release God's Kingdom to please the Father, to benefit others and to glorify God are those who will reap a harvest with joy!

Make room for the King!

The Lord is calling His people to make room for Him. The Father wants to manifest His presence, His power and His Kingdom in and through our lives but He needs space. Making room for God means there are some things we enjoy in life that we will need to say "no" to so that His Kingdom can come. God's purpose in getting His chiildren to make room for Him is not to be a spoil sport or for us to be miserable! He wants His people to live for the sake of eternity and to be filled with "inexpressible joy" as we sow our lives sacrificially and receive the abundance of heaven for His glory.  

What is God calling you to say "no" to so that He can manifest His Kingdom in and through your life? How can you simplify your life to live for God? How can you simplify your life to glorify God? Child of God:  

Simplify to Glorify!

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Are you really praying in Jesus' name?

After an eloquent sermon disguised in prayer, the speaker concluded and said, "In Jesus' name. Amen." Everyone in the prayer meeting was relieved that the speaker had finished his spiritual lecture and that he used the "christianese formula" to indicate that he had finished. Sound familiar?

What does it mean to pray in the name of Jesus?

"In that day you will no longer ask me anything. I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete." John 16:23,24

"In that day you will ask in my name. I am not saying that I will ask the Father on your behalf. No, the Father himself loves you.." John 16:26,27

Jesus is telling His disciples that once He has returned to the Father, they can ask the Father "whatever" in Jesus' name. Jesus came to earth to open the way for mankind to know the Father through Him.

"For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit." Eph. 2:18

The believer's life is "hidden with Christ in God" and he is seated in the heavenly realm with Christ (Eph. 2:6; Col. 3:1-3). Since the believer is united to Christ in this way, he as access to the Father just as the Son of God approaches the Father and speaks to Him. As Christ is, so are we in this world and so when we approach God the Father in the name of Jesus, we come to the Father as though Christ were coming before the Father (1 John 4:17).

Consequently the believer who approaches the Father in the name of Jesus will pray in the Spirit of Jesus and according to the will of Jesus. Prayers that are not according to the Spirit and will of Jesus are not of Him and therefore not in His name! The Spirit always prays according to the will of God (Rom. 8:27).

To approach the Father in the name of Jesus is to approach the Father as Jesus would. Let us be careful not to pray our own will and opinion and tag "In Jesus' name" at the end. Let us honour the name of Jesus and learn to pray His will and in His Spirit.

"Now is the Son of Man glorified and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once." John 13:31,32

When we truly approach the Father in Jesus' name, the Father will glorify His Son in us and through us. Let us pray in Jesus' name!