30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 16 19-31 Released from self cetredness 08 God’s transformation in our circles
📖 Luke 16:19-31
11May2020 - *God’s transformation in our circles* - _Luke 16:19-31_ - Bible reading: _Job 29:12-17_
We have seen that God gives us His grace of giving and by His grace, we release the resources that God has placed in our hands to share with those in our circles.
The first commandment consists of two parts. The first being to love God and the second, like it, is to love our neighbour as ourselves. _Mark 12:29-31 Jesus answered him, "The first of all the commandments is: 'HEAR, O ISRAEL, THE LORD OUR GOD, THE LORD IS ONE. (30) AND YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' This is the first commandment. (31) And the second, like it, is this: 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF.' There is no other commandment greater than these."_
The entire is law is fulfilled in loving our neighbour. _Galatians 5:14 For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOUR AS YOURSELF."_ We must be careful to bear in mind that Jesus came to fulfil the law. _Matthew 5:17 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill._ But the fulfilment of the law is not by the flesh, which was the struggle for the Jews, but by faith and in the Holy Spirit. _Romans 8:4 that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit._ The Holy Spirit in us enables us to fulfil the law, which is to love our neighbour as ourselves.
_Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honour giving preference to one another; Hebrews 13:1-3 Let brotherly love continue. (2) Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels. (3) Remember the prisoners as if chained with them—those who are mistreated—since you yourselves are in the body also._ Our love for and caring for people happens, when we identify with the struggles of the people in our circles. _II Peter 1:7 to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love._
Job was in tune with the heart of God, yet God was taking Job through a period of suffering, which Job was not able to understand. He is complaining to God because he knew that his life was lived according to the heart of God. _Job 29:12-17 Because I delivered the poor who cried out, The fatherless and the one who had no helper. (13) The blessing of a perishing man came upon me, And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. (14) I put on righteousness, and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban. (15) I was eyes to the blind, And I was feet to the lame. (16) I was a father to the poor, And I searched out the case that I did not know. (17) I broke the fangs of the wicked, And plucked the victim from his teeth.
_Job 31:16-21 "If I have kept the poor from their desire, Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail, (17) Or eaten my morsel by myself, So that the fatherless could not eat of it (18) (But from my youth I reared him as a father, And from my mother's womb I guided the widow); (19) If I have seen anyone perish for lack of clothing, Or any poor man without covering; (20) If his heart has not blessed me, And if he was not warmed with the fleece of my sheep; (21) If I have raised my hand against the fatherless, When I saw I had help in the gate; Job 31:24-25 "If I have made gold my hope, Or said to fine gold, 'You are my confidence'; (25) If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much;_
Friends, we know that judgement will be on the basis of our meeting the righteous requirement of the law by faith and in His Holy Spirit. _Matthew 25:35-40 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; (36) I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' (37) "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? (38) When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? (39) Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' (40) And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'_
Here is a powerful statement of confirmation of what God has done across the world, across cultures, over time.
_To a large extent, social transformation has been brought about, not by revolutionaries but by true believers, who with their detachment from the mundane world, endeavoured to realize God's will on earth. - Dr Won Sul Lee_
*Thought to ponder*
```I know friends of mine and I’m sure you too will be aware that today God is using His people to bring about His transformation```