THURSDAY - 28TH DECEMBER, 2023
MORNING WINGS DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE - Olusola ADEJUMO
A STATEMENT THAT CONTRADICTS FAITH
Read Luke 12:16 - 21
Luke 12:18-19, KJV
"18 And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.19 And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry."
This statement above is one that kills daily faith living. You may not see it so until it is divided. The ground of this man brought forth plentifully and contemplating where he'll put the proceeds, he decides on pulling down his older barns to building more roomy ones. Looking at his harvest and how much would be stored, he then speaks to his soul. He tells himself to keep calm, take his ease because he has much food for many years laid up for consumption. It isn't long when God requires his life from him and that's because he didn't acknowledge God at all in his thought. He was only driven by selfishness and eventually driven to death by it.
However, that statement of, "and I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry" shows from the time that statement was made that this man would stop trusting God for provision that immediately. I once said why we pray to God is because we keep having needs to be met. The day you become independent of God and not send requests to Him again or seek His help is the day you should be believed to have everything in this life. And once you have everything already, you become independent of anyone who can give it to you. You therefore become self contained! It is that same shoe this man found himself. He has abundance that can cater for many years' needs. Looking at his store house or treasure bank in his mind, he's of the opinion that he doesn't need to trouble himself any longer. He has what it takes to live for many years. Such man with such thought can't trust God to supply his daily bread again. Why? He knows he has the bread in reserve already. He's not looking for it any longer. Rather, he can approach his store house, collect as much food as needed and do with it as desired. Such kind of provision, comfort and convenient life therefore kills faith and its exercise. How many of you are there right now trusting God for money, provision or solution to one health problem or the other? Do you know why your focus is on God even if you have to go to the hospital? It's basically because you do not have that provision on ground or settled. If you're assured of money for life, you can misbehave. That's when you won't even take work seriously again. You'll advise yourself to ease up like this rich fool. The truth is this. What you know you have, you can't look for and what you don't look for immediately excommunicates you from praying or exercising faith to having it. We know that it's from God all good gift and perfect gift come from (James 1:17). Like this man, he has it on ground. What he would eat in years to come has been prepared for and made ready. He's not in deception of that reality. He knows where the corn is and he knows it really can cater for many years. This is what assures his mind. This is what takes his quest off God from whom all resources and provision comes from. Rather, he's assuring himself - his soul to take his ease because his own very hands has made provision available for him to dine and merry with.
I bet it with you, such man can't exercise faith anylonger. Why? He has nothing he's looking for again. Though he has all, he didn't yield them up or give it up to God. But all his needs are met. Did you not hear him speak? He began assuring himself of no work or stressful work anylonger. To him, he's going into retirement immediately. Why would he do that? Because of the harvest he sure knows can last him for years and cater for his needs.
Some of us are praying or are forced to pray and trust Him for provision because we don't know where it'll come from. We at times find ourselves at tight corners where we believe that if God does not respond and come through for us, then shame and embarrassment is imminent. On that note, we keep exercising faith and believing for the salvation that comes only from God. However, let me ask you, "if you have everything you need like this man, what will become of your fellowship with God? Will you keep trusting Him at all for your daily bread? Will you even allow Him administer that abundant harvest of yours as He wanted? Can you give your treasure box to God and start all over again? Will you allow Him help you build faith in Him?
When God told the rich young ruler to go and sell all he has and follow him, this is what Jesus was seeking to help him achieve (Luke 18:18-23). Jesus doesn't want his faith, confidence or strength to come from what he has or has kept in the banks. Rather, Jesus wants to help him learn, build faith and live the faith life by helping him to trust and ask for his daily bread daily. It takes faith to live such life. A life that awaits his daily provision daily from God is a faith life. It doesn't mean that fellow doesn't have a savings. However, his trust is not in it neither does his sustenance fostered on it. That life is different from He who has it all, knows where it is and can fetch himself whatsoever he needs when he needs it every time without ever asking God for help.
Brethren, when your business brings forth abundantly, when prosperity comes your way as such that can cater for you till death, will you remove God from your thinking? Will you become your own carer and take God out of the picture or you'll continue to lean and wait on Him for the daily allocation that comes from Him? May you not deceive your heart - yourself to take his calm because of the treasure laid up when all sustainance, life and being comes and is given by God.
PRAYER: Lord, keep me from the deception of reliance and sustenance on myself. Teach me the faith life and how to live it.
BIBLE IN A YEAR: Zechariah 12:1-13:9; Revelation 19:1-21; Psalm 147:1-20; Proverbs 31:1-7; Proverbs 30:10
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