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1st June 2025
SundayReflection
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Sharing Bread
is a ministry led by a single family tree.
'Consider everything a loss '
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Not only those things; I reckon everything as complete loss for the sake of what is so much more valuable, the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have thrown everything away; I consider it all as mere garbage, so that I may gain Christ and be completely united with him. I no longer have a righteousness of my own, the kind that is gained by obeying the Law. I now have the righteousness that is given through faith in Christ, the righteousness that comes from God and is based on faith.
.... Philippians 3:8-9 GNT
Paul's passionate pursuit was to know the Lord Jesus.
Risking everything for this, he lived according to this world view and considered all things a loss compared to the greatness of this holy endeavour.
God honours those who abandon themselves to Him, who live their lives with open hands.
He treasures those who fan into flame this great desire for Him, refusing to allow it to be quenched by the world's naysayers, the flesh's laziness or the urgent circumstances constantly abounding - the cumulative voices of which can be relentless.
It boils down to a matter of priority.
He must remain at the top of our list even at the expense of other worthy goals.
We are to clear the clutter of our minds and be still before Him and wait patiently for Him.
He can take care of all that concerns us and He can get our list done but He must be first.
This is not to neglect our God given responsibilities; rather it is putting them in the right priority.
He shows Himself to those whose eyes remain focused upon Him.
This is the true path of wisdom and many miss it.
Wisdom is acquired by those who love it and seek it.
Jesus is Wisdom as He is the Truth and He is the Life.
Remember as well, one can never out-give God:
Those who honour me I will honour, but those who despise me will be disdained.
.... 1 Sam 2:30 (NIV)
The Prophet Jeremiah writes similar words when stating what God expects from His people:
23 This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, 24 but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.
.... Jer 9 v 23-24 (NIV)
"Faith, as Paul saw it, was a living, flaming thing leading to surrender and obedience to the commandments of Christ." A.W. Tozer
For Paul, worldly honours and things not only paled in comparison to knowing the Lord
Jesus, he considered them as mere refuse.
Paul's heart was set on Christ, having full knowledge that his righteousness was found in the Lord Jesus and through faith in Him.
The apostle was fully aware that apart from the righteousness of Christ, all remain ruined before God.
No amount of outward observances of the law or good deeds will ever justify sinful flesh.
Yet thankfully, when a believing sinner respond's in faith to the Spirit's work in his heart, he is clothed with the righteousness of Christ.
The believer is "accepted in the Beloved" - robed in His righteousness.
The sinner stands complete in Christ. God takes what is beyond us and places it within us. Praise Him!
"Faith raises the soul above the difficulty, straight to God Himself, and enables one to stand still. We gain nothing by our restless and anxious efforts ... It are therefore true wisdom, in all times of difficulty and perplexity, to stand still - to wait only upon God, and He will assuredly open a way for us."
C.H. Mackintosh
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This is an edited version.
The full article and Bible references are avaiable on request
Sharing Bread
is a ministry led by a single family tree.
We believe that one person growing up in Christ will transform an entire family.
These disciplines yielded fruit that included a vibrant lifestyle, marriage, family, and connection with God.
Because of the power of this fruit, these disciplines are the very core of Sharing Bread.
During the Interregnum
March 2025 to ....
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