Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria Grace for Living Devotional Monday August 21, 2023 TOPIC: UNFIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD

 

Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria  

Grace for Living Devotional 

Monday August 21, 2023

TOPIC: UNFIT FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD

BIBLE READING:

LUKE 9:57-62

57 And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto him, Lord, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. 59 And he said unto another, Follow me. But he said, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. 60 Jesus said unto him, Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God. 61 And another also said, Lord, I will follow thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house. 62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.  

KEY VERSE:

“And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.” Luke 9:62  

MEDITATION:

Just a few days to the commencement of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, the organizer’s Athletics Integrity Unit disqualified ten track and field sprinters from a country in West Africa for failing to comply with the rules guiding out-of-competition testing. Another was suspended for failing a drug test.  

The issue of qualification is important in many earthly competitions. It is more critical when it comes to the kingdom of God as compromise of principles is not accepted. Apostle Paul likened a Christian, in some of his writings, to an athlete who must follow the rule of the game, else he is declared unfit to run. He has this to say of himself: “I therefore so run, not as one that beateth the air lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be castaway” (1 Corinthians 9:26-27).

Every disciple of Christ is expected to live to the standards of his calling if he is to be counted among the victors at the end of his journey here on earth. It is therefore necessary for believers to daily place themselves under heaven’s search light by looking inward and outward for any impediment to a smooth race set before them. The psalmist cried in this regard, “Search me, o God. And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting” (Psalm 139:23-24)   

What stoppers can you identify in your heavenly race?  

PRAYER:

O Lord, I receive grace to be a good finisher in my heavenly race.

BIBLE IN ONE YEAR:

PSALMS 57-61, ROMANS 12