Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria Grace for Living Devotional Tuesday August 1, 2023 TOPIC: SELFLESS OR SELFISH?

 

Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria  

Grace for Living Devotional 

Tuesday August 1, 2023

TOPIC: SELFLESS OR SELFISH?

BIBLE READING:

MATTHEW 22:37-40

37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 40 On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.  

KEY VERSE:

“Then Jesus said unto him, Go and do thou likewise.” Luke 10:37  

MEDITATION:

In a selfish and self-serving world, one of the toughest teachings of Jesus Christ, and perhaps which really triggers forgiveness without condition is that of loving our neighbours as ourselves.    

I clearly recall an incident that led a student to the Lord while I was in College. Around 1.00am on this fateful day, when everyone was fast asleep on our first floor hostel accommodation, the young man was so pressed and needed to urinate. The rest rooms were all downstairs. He went from room to room knocking on his fellow students' doors begging to be accompanied downstairs, but they all refused. They were all afraid as it was lights out and very dark downstairs. When he approached me, I gladly stood up and accompanied him downstairs. As we went down the stair case onto the aisle of the toilets, I jokingly said he was afraid of the darkness because he was not born-again. That was the beginning of our friendship that culminated in his giving his heart to Jesus. Weeks after, he also led his twin brother to the Lord Jesus, who eventually became a Pastor of a church. That selfless act paid off!    

In the story of the Good Samaritan told by Jesus in Luke 10:25-37, He defines so aptly who our neighbours are. While the Priest and the Levite didn't want to defile themselves due to their revered positions and titles, the inconsequential Samaritan did the unexpected. He demonstrated selflessness. Jesus commended his action for emulation.    

When did you last perform the task of a Good Samaritan in your church or neighbourhood?    

PRAYER:

Oh God, I ask for your grace to live a selfless life.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

JOB 28-29, ACTS 25