100 Days Of Favor (37 page)

How can you tell if somebody has received wisdom from the Lord? The first thing that he will do is value the presence of Jesus! Once Solomon was inundated with God’s wisdom, he left the formal structure in the tabernacle of Moses and went to look for the Lord’s presence in Jerusalem. After receiving wisdom and a hearing heart, he valued and treasured the Lord’s presence. In the same way, when you receive God’s wisdom, it will not draw you away from church. Instead, it will cause you to want to receive even more from God’s Word and from the presence of Jesus.

“
Pastor Prince, what is so significant about the ark of the covenant?”

The ark of the covenant is a picture of Jesus. It is made of wood, which speaks of Jesus’ humanity (Isaiah 55:12; Mark 8:24), and it is overlaid with gold, which speaks of Jesus’ divinity (Isaiah 2:20; Song of Solomon 5:11, 14–15). Jesus is 100 percent Man and 100 percent God. In the ark are three items: The stone tablets of the Ten Commandments, Aaron’s rod, which had budded, and a golden pot of manna. These items represent man’s failure and rebellion against God’s perfect law, His appointed leadership and His provision, respectively.
¹

Now, look at God’s heart for His people. He gave instructions that these symbols of man’s rebellion be placed inside the ark and covered with the mercy seat! The mercy seat is where the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the offering to cover all the failings and rebellion of the children of Israel.

The ark of the covenant is but a shadow. Today, we have the substance of the finished work of Jesus at the cross, where the blood of God’s own Son, not the inferior blood of bulls and goats, was shed to blot out
all
our sins, failings and rebellion
once and for all!

It is no wonder that in battles in which the children of Israel
appreciated the value
of the ark, they emerged victorious. In the same way today, it is a clear indication of God’s wisdom upon your life when you value and appreciate the person of Jesus and what He did for you at the cross. And because the true ark of the covenant is with you all the time, you can’t help but be triumphant, successful and victorious in any battle that you may be in. Solomon realized this and immediately pursued the presence of the Lord after he awoke from his dream. My friend, go after the presence of Jesus in your life. He is your wisdom and victory over every battle today!

Today’s Prayer

Father, Your Word declares that Jesus will never leave me nor forsake me. Therefore, right now, Jesus, I acknowledge and thank You for Your abiding presence. And just as the Israelites were always victorious in battles when Your presence was with them, I expect to see victory today in any challenge that I face because You are with me. Thank You, Jesus, for giving me wisdom, victory, lasting success and peace.

Today’s Thought

When I go after and appreciate the presence of Jesus, I can’t help but be triumphant, successful and victorious in any battle.

Today’s Reflection On Favor

DAY 86

Make Jesus Your Priority And See Blessings Added To You

Today’s Scripture

Therefore do not worry, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?”…For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. —Matthew 6:31–33

W
HEN
I
TALK
about not worrying and keeping our eyes on Jesus, some people think that I am not being practical. Beloved, you can worry all you like about your current crisis, but it will not improve or change your situation one bit. Please understand that I am not making light of what you are going through. I am just offering you the best solution I know that works. Your breakthrough will not come as a result of your struggling. It will come when you rest in the person of Jesus and His finished work.

The Lord loads us with benefits daily!

Jesus said, “…do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink; nor about your body, what you will put on…” (Matthew 6:25). Now, Jesus was not saying that these things—food, drink and clothing—are not important. In fact, He says that “your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” But what Jesus wants us to do is to “seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness,” and He promises that “all these things shall be added to you.”

Now, who is God’s righteousness? Jesus Christ. And who is the king of the “kingdom of God” that we are to seek? Jesus Christ (Revelation 19:16)! Jesus was actually referring to Himself when He was preaching this. When you seek Him first in your life and make Him your priority each day, all these material provisions—what you will eat, drink and wear—will be added to you. God does not delight in taking things away from you. He delights in adding to you, increasing you, promoting you and enriching you. Psalm 68:19 says, “Blessed be the Lord, who
daily
loads us with benefits…” The Lord loads us with benefits daily! That is how good our Savior is. His mercies and His unmerited favor are new every morning. That is the way to live and enjoy life, knowing that Jesus is
with you
and
for you
every step of the way.

Put Jesus first in everything that you do. Honor Him and give Him preeminence in your daily life. Partake of His finished work daily by reading His living words to you. Practice the presence of Jesus and be conscious that He is with you, the same way that Joseph in the Bible was conscious that the Lord was with Him. Jesus will bless the works of your hands, and everything you touch will indeed prosper and bring good success into your life.

Today’s Prayer

Father, I thank You that You are well aware of all the things I need in this life, and You want to ADD these things to me, and not keep them from me. Help me, therefore, not to worry about or focus on getting these things, but help me make seeking Jesus and His righteousness my first priority every day. Lord Jesus, I want to put You first in everything that I do. I know that when I give You first place in my life, everything else will fall into place for my good!

Today’s Thought

When I put Jesus first in everything I do, whatever I touch will prosper!

Today’s Reflection On Favor

DAY 87

Do The One Thing That Is Needful

Today’s Scripture

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” —Luke 10:41–42

I
S IT PRACTICAL
to be occupied with Jesus? Does it help you? Does it put food on the table? Does it prosper your finances? Does it make your physical body healthy? We know what it did for Peter—he walked on water. Now, let’s take a look at what it did for Mary. You can find the story of Mary and her sister, Martha, in Luke 10:38–42.

The one thing that is needful is for you to sit at Jesus’ feet and keep your eyes, ears and heart on Him.

Mary was seated at Jesus’ feet when the Lord came to visit them. Martha, the elder sister, was busy working in the kitchen, making sure that everything was in order and ensuring that there was enough food and drink for their guest. Who was Martha busy serving? Jesus. And while Martha was frantically running in and out of the kitchen, what was her younger sister Mary doing? In the midst of all the busyness and activity, Mary was sitting at Jesus’ feet, beholding His beauty, beholding His glory and hanging on to every word that proceeded from His lips. While Mary was resting and drawing living water from Jesus, her sister Martha was restless, frantic and stressed from serving Jesus. One sister was focused on serving, while the other was focused on receiving.

Look what happened after a while. Martha’s stress from serving finally led to this outburst of frustration: “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me” (Luke 10:40). In one moment of anger, she blamed two persons: The Lord Jesus as well as her sister Mary. Now, listen closely to Jesus’ response, and you may just find yourself in the Lord’s description of Martha: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”

This is an amazing response. In Middle Eastern culture, it was right for Mary to be in the kitchen preparing food and serving her guest. Now, it would have been a shameful thing for Mary to sit at Jesus’ feet and not help Martha if Jesus was just an ordinary guest. But Jesus was no ordinary guest and Mary knew it. He was God in the flesh and the greatest way you can minister to God when He is in your home is to sit at His feet and keep drawing from Him! That is what delights our Lord.

When you come to Jesus to draw as much as you can from Him, He loves it. That is why Jesus was pleased with Mary. That is why He defended Mary’s action, saying, “…one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part… “ What is the “one thing” that is needful? Is it to busy yourself in serving the Lord? Is it to be troubled about many things? No, the one thing that is needful is for you to sit at Jesus’ feet and keep your eyes, ears and heart on Him. One sister saw Jesus in the natural, needing her ministry. The other sister saw Him as God veiled in flesh with a fullness to draw upon. Which sister do you suppose complimented Jesus and made Him feel like the God that He is? Mary. Martha obviously forgot that this God-Man multiplied loaves and fishes to feed a multitude.
He has not come to be fed but to feed
!