30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 16 19-31 Released from self cetredness 16 I go and prepare a place for you
📖 Luke 16:19-31
19May2020 - *I go and prepare a place for you* - _Luke 16:19-31_ - Bible reading: _I Peter 1:8-9_
_Luke 16:23 And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom._
The rich man was in hades, in torment and we have been saying that he is screaming his warning to us, not to be self-centred like himself and reach this terrible place.
What was it that the rich man saw, while he was in hades? He saw the beautiful sight of Lazarus in the bosom of Abraham. What does this picture tell us? It tells us about a condition of tranquillity, of peace and wellbeing. No sorrow, no pain and no suffering. It shows us a place of rich contentment and closeness with God.
Isn’t this the place every one of us would desire to be? This is the Lord’s desire for us too. _John 17:24 “Father, I desire that they also whom You gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may behold My glory which You have given Me; for You loved Me before the foundation of the world._
Take note that this is the Lord’s desire for His disciples. That statement must immediately alert us. The Lord is not guaranteeing that since we are His disciples, we will be in that beautiful place with Him but now the way has been prepared and it is for us to persist till the very end, in total dependence on Him, fulfilling all righteousness.
What is it that we need to be doing in preparing ourselves to be in this glorious place? _I Peter 1:8-9 whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, (9) receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls._
We love Him and we have already established that loving God has two parts, which is to love God and to love our neighbour. Both go together always. We love God with joy inexpressible and full of glory. Loving and serving God and man with joy in the midst of the uncertainty and fears that are prevailing around us. In doing so, we receive the end of our faith, which is the salvation of our souls.
_John 12:26 If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour._ I always assumed that when we follow Him, we will begin to serve Him but the process is the other way around. The Lord is calling us to serve Him first. Serving Him includes serving people. As we serve God and people, we begin to follow Him. The practice comes first and the understanding follows. God calls us to obey Him first. When we obey Him in loving and serving God and man, the clarity of understanding of our walk with God will deepen.
_Psalm 16:11 You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore._
The Lord is preparing this beautiful place for us to spend eternity with Him. He does not want anyone of us to miss this place and end up like the rich man. The Lord is giving us time to repent from our self-centeredness and start loving God and man.
_John 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. Revelation 7:17 for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."_
*Thought to ponder*
```More than anything else, I believe that this crisis is a time when God is purifying His bride.```