We Love God!

God: "I looked for someone to take a stand for me, and stand in the gap" (Ezekiel 22:30)

Jesus…declared the divinely ordained obligation of citizens to pay taxes to whatever government is over them. Paying taxes is a legitimate duty of every person, but is specially binding on believers because they are specially bound to God’s Word. Jesus made no qualifying exemptions or exceptions, even under rulers such as the blasphemous, pagan, idolatrous government that in a few days would nail Him to the cross. The government that executed the Son of God was to be paid taxes by God’s people. The state has the divine right to assess taxes that are within its sphere of responsibility and its citizens have the divine obligation to pay them.
John MacArthur

God’s pursuit of my praise of Him is not weak self-seeking but the epitome of self-giving love! If my satisfaction in Him is incomplete until expressed in praise of Him for satisfying me, then God’s effort to solicit my worship is both the most loving thing He could possibly do for me and the most glorifying thing He could possibly do for Himself. For in my gladness in Him is His glory in me.
Sam Storms

    • 50 SACRIFICE OR SELF

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    50 SACRIFICE OR SELF F O O T ================================

    • H O L D

    READING

    50 SACRIFICE OR SELF-CENTREDNESS

    PRAY “God be merciful to us and bless us: look on us with kindness’ Psalm 67:1). —————————————————————- READ Luke 22:14-38. —————————————————————- THINK How does this passage help us see the meaning of Christ’s death? —————————————————————- FOCUS Try to be a reverent onlooker as Jesus met with his disciples for this very special meal. Listen carefully to what was said. There was such a difference between the attitude of Jesus and that of his disciples. THE SPIRIT OF THE SAVIOR. The spirit of the Saviour was the spirit of SACRIFICE. He was about to face suffering (15). His body would be given (19) and his blood shed (20). Every communion service, the bread and wine remind us that through the death of Jesus we are saved from our slavery to sin. The suffering of Jesus brought in his kingdom of love (16). THE SPIRIT OF THE DISCIPLES. The spirit of the disciples was the spirit of SELF-CENTEREDNESS! What were they arguing about (24)? The disciples still thought that Jesus would set up an earthly kingdom. They would need to fight for it (38). They hoped to have power in it, to be the bosses, and this led to trouble. A self-centred spirit can invade our minds, even when we don’t actually express it. We think: – “How am I appearing to the people of the neighbourhood?’ – ‘Am I doing as well on this committee as my predecessor?’ – ‘How do I compare with the other members of the group?’ This attitude makes us think of OURSELVES more than of the LORD. And it stops us from getting down to the business of just living for others (26). How might you overcome self-centredness? —————————————————————- PRAY Ask God to help you to think less about yourself, more about others, and most of all about him.

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