Seeking the Kingdom of heaven first and making a living

An Emoji Devotions for Thu, 11 March 2021

By H.U Wenger

Seeking the Kingdom of heaven first and making a living – it can be a struggle
In Matthew 6:33 Jesus tells us that we should not care much about our clothing and our food, but rather seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness and so all the worldly stuff will be given unto us.

 The Prophet Haggai depicts for us the struggle the Jews faced who, returned from the Babylonian exile back to Jerusalem. They had the task to rebuild the city and the temple, but it was extremely difficult because so many tasks should have been done simultaneously. Additionally the people of the land did not really welcome them and often they had to physically defend themselves. People were poor and the initial excitement to be back home and to rebuilt the temple had vaporized long ago. In this situation the Prophet Haggai brings the message: “These people say, ‘The time has not yet come to rebuild the Lord’s house.’ ”Then the word of the Lord came through the prophet Haggai: “Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?”  Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it.” This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways.”  “You expected much, but see, it turned out to be little. What you brought home, I blew away. Why?” declares the Lord Almighty. “Because of my house, which remains a ruin, while each of you is busy with your own house. Therefore, because of you the heavens have withheld their dew and the earth its crops. I called for a drought on the fields and the mountains, on the grain, the new wine, the olive oil and everything else the ground produces, on people and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.” (Haggai 1, 2 – 7; 9 – 11) The prophet makes it very clear: your bad time is not just bad luck, but you are going through a bad time, because you are not seeking the kingdom of God! In Verse 8 God says through the prophet: “Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build my house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored,” says the Lord. He asks for a leap of faith, so that God will be honored and the bad times will be taken away. 

The wonder actually happened. The people did what the Lord wanted them to do:  So the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel son of Shealtiel, governor of Judah, and the spirit of Joshua son of Jozadak, the high priest, and the spirit of the whole remnant of the people. They came and began to work on the house of the Lord Almighty, their God. (Verse 14) With the act of obedience the tune changed immediately. Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, gave this message of the Lord to the people: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. (Verse 13) The temple could be finished, although it did not have the same splendor and glory as had the temple of Salomo. God comforted them with the future glory of the temple in the one thousand year kingdom of Jesus Christ. The same way the glory of the New Testament church is still hidden in Christ, but as soon as Christ will be revealed, the church and every single member of it will be revealed in glory. (Colossians 3:2)

Highlights: “I am with you,” declares the Lord. (Haggai 1:13); So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. (Matthew 6:31 – 34)

 Prayer: Dear Lord please show me, if I have fallen in the same trap the Jews were caught in. Help me to take the necessary leap of faith. I want and I need your assurance that you are with me. Amen

https://emojidevotions.blogspot.com/2021/03/seeking-kingdom-of-heaven-first-and.html 

PREMIUM: Overcoming spiritually dry times

 An Emoji Devotions for Wed, 10 March 2021

Topic: Overcoming spiritually dry times

By H.U. Wenger

Highlights: Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:23 – 26)

“Sacrifice thank offerings to God, fulfill your vows to the Most High, and call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you will honor me.” “Those who sacrifice thank offerings honor me, and to the blameless I will show my salvation.” (Psalm 50:14 – 15; 23)
The world is very competitive and for everyone who wants to achieve a distinct goal, there will be some obstacles and hardships. As we watch our surroundings, we always see people, who take it easy. They do not have any remorse to cheat a little, to expand their competence according to the precept that competences and empowerment are not given, but taken. They flourish and what we are avoiding, because we deem it false before our God, seems to serve them to their advantage. Asaph, the writer of Psalm 73 must have been in such a position and he just could not grasp it. He had the conviction that God is good to all who follow him, but what he saw playing out in his daily routine showed him a totally different picture and this is very unsettling to him. “But as for me, my feet had almost slipped; I had nearly lost my foothold. For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked.” (Verses 2 – 3) Here is what he observes in his own words: “They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from common human burdens; they are not plagued by human ills. Therefore pride is their necklace; they clothe themselves with violence. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; their evil imaginations have no limits. They scoff, and speak with malice; with arrogance they threaten oppression. Their mouths lay claim to heaven, and their tongues take possession of the earth.” (Verses 4 – 9) In addition he sees that people flock to them and join them in mocking God. He comes to the preliminary conclusion: “Surely in vain I have kept my heart pure and have washed my hands in innocence. All day long I have been afflicted, and every morning brings new punishments.” Although the evidence in front of his eyes is overwhelming, deep down in his heart he knows that he is on the wrong track. He therefore goes into the sanctuary of the Lord and finally comes to the highlight that is stated above.
Out of my personal experience I would like to encourage you for the way of thanksgiving. When afflictions pursue you, when you feel abandoned or even betrayed by God, when nothing seems to make sense anymore, it is a good thing to direct your thoughts to the question: What is still good and positive in my life? If you search honestly, you will find a lot of small and bigger things you still enjoy and can be thankful for. Although you will not feel thankful, but rather complaint-ful, begin to sacrifice thank. It will lead you into the sanctuary of God and your thoughts will be guided to what you know deep down in your heart: “God is good, he is good over my life now and forever and by honoring him, I will surely see his salvation.”

Prayer: Lord, thank you that you are holding me by my right hand and that you will guide me into glory. Keep my thoughts and feet from slipping. I know that there is nothing better and greater in the whole universe than you and I am glad for the mercy and grace to belong to you as a loved child of yours. Amen.

Awaiting the Lord’s help with patience

 An Emoji Devotions for Tue, 9 March 2021

Topic: Awaiting the Lord’s help with patience

By H.U. Wenger

Highlights: Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. … He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness. (Micah 7:8b and 9b)

The prophet Micah depicts in his 7th chapter the misery of the world and especially of the people of Israel in the last days of the world.  He is in misery, searching for good fruits and finding nothing. He moans that the godly have been swept away, people are skilled in doing evil, no neighbor can be trusted, even within the family is betrayal and dishonoring. His words go parallel with what the Apostle Paul writes to Timothy:  But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days.  People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,  without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good,  treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God—  having a form of godliness but denying its power. (2. Timothy 3:1 – 5) Micah is in trouble and with Psalm 11:3 he might have asked: “When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?” The very Psalm, however, tells us that God is watching and that upright men and women will eventually see his face. This is encouraging, this invites to trust and to await the LORD’S help.  Although Micah’s surroundings are utterly barren, dark and evil, he decides to trust in the LORD by saying: “But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord, I wait for God my Savior; my God will hear me.” (Verse 7) This confidence enables him even to triumph over his adversaries: “Do not gloat over me, my enemy! Though I have fallen, I will rise. Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. Because I have sinned against him, I will bear the Lord’s wrath, until he pleads my case and upholds my cause. He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.” (Verse 8 – 9)

There are times of overwhelming darkness in our lives, but Christ Jesus remains always the light of the world:  “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12) It may be well worth if you reread the last bible reference more than once. It does not only tell us that Jesus Christ is the light of the world, it tells us that whoever follows him, will never really be in darkness. The darkness may surround and engulf you, but it can never ever take the light of life away from you. With Micah we can therefore be confident and triumph over the blackness: “Though I sit in darkness, the Lord will be my light. … He will bring me out into the light; I will see his righteousness.”

Prayer: Thank you LORD for being my confidence and my light. Thank you for your promise that no darkness and no evil can ever devour me.  Help me to always cling to the light of life in you! Amen.

God’s Kingdom shall shine - the Lord’s glory shall be radiant.

 An Emoji Devotions for Mon, 8 2021

Topic: God’s Kingdom shall shine - the Lord’s glory shall be radiant. 

By H. U. Wenger

Highlight: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth: (Acts 1: 8) 

Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 3:20 – 21)

A long time ago, John the Baptist went through the land of Israel by preaching: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” (Matthew 3:2). Only a short time later Jesus was touring the same land with the same message. (Matthew 4: 17). Jesus, however, invited to follow him and promised that he would make his disciples to fishers of men. (Matthew, 4: 19) Additionally to his preaching about the kingdom of heaven he gave the people a taste of it by healing the sick, by freeing the demon possessed and restoring the paralyzed. In an amazing teaching in the Sermon on the Mount he showed them the love of God that dwelled in him and made clear, that he wants to bestow the very same love and power to them. As my father has sent me into the world, so I send you into the very same world. (John 17:18; 20:21) You will be like sheep among wolves. The disciple is not any greater than the master. They hated me and they will hate you, because I am not from this world and as my followers are not from the world, but still in the world. (John 15:18 ff). 

Where ever the followers of Christ are living out the love of God and the gospel, there will be a taste of the kingdom of heaven and of the Lord’s glory. The earth is a fallen creation that waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed (Romans 8:19) and it will only turn into a heavenly place, when the prince of peace will reign for a thousand year.

Presently we live in a time that is pregnant with expectations for the revelation of God’s greater glory and a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, accompanied with signs and wonders. I will greatly rejoice, when such things are starting to happen and frankly, I hope for it too. In the meantime, I believe in the path of obedience. To make the kingdom of heaven visible, it must dwell within me. Whenever I realize that I am not living in the love with which Jesus loves me, whenever I catch myself judging others and not giving them the respect and reference I am receiving from my heavenly father, I need to repent and to turn around. By humiliating myself und the mighty hand of God, his glory will be radiant in my community and his kingdom will become visible and shining. 

Ephesians 5: 1 – 9 shows us the way. Consciously wanting to be an imitator of God as a dearly loved child and live a life of love, like Christ, ready to give myself as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God and withstand everything that is not born out of God’s love.

Prayer: Lord, teach me to be your imitator in love and respect. Fill me with your spirit and please do immeasurably more through the power of the indwelling spirit than I can ask or imagine.

The Sunday called "my eyes"

 An Emoji Devotions for Sun 7th March, 2021

Topic: The Sunday called “my eyes” 

By H.U. Wenger

In the old church order the Sunday has its name from Psalm 25, Verse 15: “My eyes are ever on the LORD, for only he will release my feet from the snare”.

Highlights: “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with my eye.” (Psalm 32:8)

 “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted. Relieve the troubles of my heart and free me from my anguish. Look on my affliction and my distress and take away all my sins. See how numerous are my enemies and how fiercely they hate me! Guard my life and rescue me; do not let me be put to shame, for I take refuge in you. May integrity and uprightness protect me, because my hope, Lord, is in you.” (Psalm 25:16 – 21)

The eye-contact is an utterly important thing in every conversation. Important things between partners are not resolved in writing or over the phone. We rather want a personal meeting in which the partners are face to face. The look into each other’s eyes, gives us some assurance. In first King 18 and 19 the Old Testament shows us a memorable example on what is going to happen, when a man of God loses the sight of the LORD’S eyes. 

Elijah has just fought the battle with the priests of Baal and he has been triumphant. All the people of Israel have shouted: “The LORD is God, the LORD is God!” And with it, they agreed to the demise of the 400 priests of Baal. After that triumphant day, King Ahab returned to his palace and he reported to his wife Jezebel all that has happened. Jezebel was enraged and he sent a message to Elijah: “May the Gods deal with me, be it ever so severely, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like that of one of them.” Because of that threat Elijah’s eyes have been diverted from the Lord and were now directed to the enraged Jezebel and so Elijah began to run for his life. He was so disappointed with God that he wanted to die from the hand of God. “I have had enough LORD. Take my life; I am not better than my ancestors.” The Lord does not argue with Elijah – he lets him sleep for a while and then gives him a new aim that makes him search again for the LORD’S face, for his eyes that will guide him on his way. Elijah learns that it is not the unrestricted powers of the LORD that conquer and convince with regard to the human soul. It is the goodness and love of God that causes man to turn around and to trust in the Lord, because he is the only one, who can release our feet from the snare. 

Elijah did meet God’s eyes again because the Lord guided him with his eyes and Elijah was willing to look into God’s eyes and follow his guidance. He gloriously finished his path and was finally raptured into heaven in a fiery chart. 

You may feel lonely and afflicted today. Your troubles may look invincible and you may be in great anguish. Turn your eyes again to the LORD. No Jezebel and no power of the earth is a match for the love and goodness of God. In him alone is your rescue and comfort. 

Prayer: Dear LORD, please help me that I will never divert my eyes away from you. Teach me your way and guide me with your eyes. Amen.

God will never forget you

 An Emoji Devotions for Sat 6 Mar, 2021

Topic: God will never forget you

Highlights: See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands;
    your walls are ever before me. Isaiah 49:16

Look around, if you can see what God is saying up in that highlighted Verse and you felt good about it, then I congratulate you. It takes being born again to SEE the kingdom of God. So many people can see but cannot recognise. But when you being a born again Christian could see and can recognise but forgets easily. No wonder Jesus gave a parable about a farmer sowing seed. "Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.  Others, like seed sown on rocky places, hear the word and at once receive it with joy.  But since they have no root, they last only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, they quickly fall away. Still others, like seed sown among thorns, hear the word; but the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful. Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and produce a crop—some thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times what was sown.”

God does not forget animals let alone the ones he created in His own image. (Read Matthew 6:26-34)

"Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the son of her womb? Even if she could forget, I will not forget you!" Isaiah 49:15

Even if you forget this phrase in the future "remember, God will never forget you."

Prayer: God I pray to please hear me. Do not allow me to forget that you already have me in mind. Give me the spirit of remembrance and honour for you. In Jesus name. Amen

starting to look like each other

 An Emoji devotion for Fri 5 Mar ,2021

Topic: starting to look like each other

Text:For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother.” Matthew 12:50

Couples who are in tune with each other often mirror each other's habits and body language. It shows that there's emotional comfort and trust in their relationship. Scientists state that partners tend to change their own habits throughout their married life. For example, if one of them was trying to quit smoking and started eating healthy food, the other one often did the same.

You should start to look like Jesus. Are your true friends doing the will of God as you do?

"So don’t be foolish with your lives, but learn what the Lord wants you to do"

What does God want your friends to do.

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

To offer their body as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable... Romans 12:1

To not conform to the ways people of the world become desperate for social trends and fame. Romans 12:2

It is the will of God that they abstain from fornication. 1 Thessalonians 4:3-5

Don’t be drunk with wine, which will ruin your life, but be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:18

Encourage each other with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Eph 5:19a

“What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work today in the vineyard.’

 “‘I will not,’ he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

“Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, ‘I will, sir,’ but he did not go.

“Which of the two did what his father wanted?”

“The first,” they answered.

Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you. Matthew 21:28-31

Start to look like each other. Start to think like each other. Mingle with people who do what God wants.

Prayer: Lord Jesus please give me grace to mingle with those who do your will and live with them peacefully. In Jesus name. Amen