Tag Archive | interest

God’s Interests or Mine

Apr11

But He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests (the things of God), but man’s.”
Matthew 16:23 NASB1995‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.16.23.NASB1995

‭O, how many times I have been there. How about you? Getting caught up in life, seeking our own way, putting Jesus on the back burner as we strive for the good life when Jesus is the way to the good life.
Jesus made it very clear through three of the Gospels — Matthew, Mark and Luke — what is expected of us who call ourselves His “disciples”.


Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.
Matthew 16:24/Mark 8:34/Luke 9:23
For whoever wishes to save his life (soul) will lose it; but whoever loses his life (soul) for My sake will find it.
Matthew 16:24-25 NASB1995‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.16.24-25.NASB1995

‭The choice is ours everyday. Are you, am I, willing to deny self, take up the cross and follow Jesus?
Is our soul willing?

🌹For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
Matthew 16:26 NASB1995‬
https://bible.com/bible/100/mat.16.26.NASB1995

Continually Seeking Him,

Sharon
https://indasharonjesus.org

Philippians 2:19-21

Jun16

But I hope in (or trusting in) the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.
Philippians 2:19‭-‬21 NASB

I don’t know about you but I struggle with “For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus.”

How about you? What are your interests in this short life that you live? Do you wonder why you are on this earth? Do you have a purpose beyond just getting up each morning and surviving each day until you die? Are our successes, our interests satisfying? So satisfying that earth is all we want or need? Life is hard and to think this is all there is to it is disheartening, distressing, and downright heartbreaking.
God has a better plan. When our focus moves from self, “me, me, me” to God, we look to eternity and thus live differently. When we seek the interests of Christ Jesus we find all we need, want and blessings from God. We have hope. We have a new perspective on life that leads us to joy in serving God and others.

Jesus, Savior, giver of life. I exalt You! I seek Your forgiveness for focusing my thoughts, my ways, interests above Your way and Your interests.
I will seek first Your kingdom and Your righteousness, believing the promise that all my needs will be added to me.
God teach me to love others, and not act unbecomingly; nor seek my own way. Love is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered.
Lord, help me not to seek my own good, but that of my neighbor to please them, not seeking my own profit but the profit of many, so that they may be saved. For was that not the reason You came to earth Jesus, so people may be saved? My interest will be Your interest, Jesus. The salvation of many. Guide my way, I pray, in Your name Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Matthew 6:25-33/1 Corinthians 13:5/1 Corinthians 10:24/1 Corinthians 10:33 NASB

🌹do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.
Philippians 2:4 NASB

Continually Seeking Him, 

Sharon