WELCOME TO THE LAND OF MORE AND MORE, Part 7

“Receive my instruction, and not silver;
and knowledge rather than choice gold”
(Proverbs 8:10).

MORE GOLD

We’d all love a little more gold, wouldn’t we? Especially some financial gold. But the greatest gold in the world is the precious, living, vibrating, eternal word. It shows us how to live. It leads us to glory. It is the best gold we can give to our children.

Psalm 19:9, 10: “The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. MORE to be. desired are they than gold, yea, THAN MUCH FINE GOLD . . .” (Psalm 119:72, and 127)

If God’s words are truly more precious than fine gold, which we know they are, why don’t we spend more time digging into them? Why don’t we spend more time imparting these words into our children’s lives instead of all the other stuff we teach them and allow them to read and look at? Have we got our priorities straight? I see hundreds of young people graduating from home school and they hardly know anything of God’s word. They cannot even quote basic Scriptures.

We can totally rely on God’s word. 2 Peter 1:19 states: “We have also a MORE SURE word of prophecy: whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.”

We read more Scriptures where people understood that God’s Word is MORE precious than anything else in life. Acts 17:11 tells us that the Bereans “were MORE NOBLE than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” The Scriptures are not only for Sunday but for every day of the week in our homes.

Job confessed in Job 23:12: “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips: I have esteemed the words of his mouth MORE THAN my necessary food.” This reminds me of the Chinese believer who said, “No Bible; no breakfast.” He would not eat food for his physical body before he had eaten his spiritual food. I think that is a good habit to get into. I like to open the Word of God the first thing I do when I get up. I don’t eat breakfast until I have nourished by inner man.

The psalmist confessed in Psalm 119:99: “I have MORE understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my mediation.”

MORE INCREASE OF CHILDREN

Psalm 115:14: “The LORD shall increase you MORE AND MORE, you and your children.” Some people may not like this blessing, but this is the blessing that God loves to give. He is the God of increase and loves to in crease the numbers of His people.

MORE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD

Hosea 6:6: “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God MORE THAN burnt offerings.” God wants us to know Him, not just know about Him. To pursue God, to spend time with Him, and to search for Him in His Word pleases Him MORE THAN all the sacrifices we can make.

MORE LOVE TO GOD

Mark 12:33: “To love him with all the heart and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself is MORE THAN all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

To love God is far more to Him than all the sacrifices that we will ever make. God looks for those who will be His friend, who want a relationship with Him, who love him with all their heart. Song of Songs 1:4 reveals this relationship when she exclaims: “We will remember thy love MORE THAN wine.”

MORE LOVE TO ONE ANOTHER

It is great to see the progression of love of the Thessalonian believers towards one another. In 1 Thessalonians 3:12 Paul prays: “And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you.” Then continuing his letter to them in chapter 4:9, 10 he says: “ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another .  . . but we beseech ou, that ye increase MORE AND MORE.”

These believers responded to his exhortation and in his second letter to them he writes in 2 Thessalonians 1:3: “Your faith groweth exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.”

The BSB translation says: “Your faith is growing MORE AND MORE, And your love for one another is increasing”

Does our love temperature stay much the same or are we growing MORE AND MORE in loving one another. May God help us to always be increasing in our love to God and to one another.

PRAYER:

“Dear Father, please save me from living in a rut. I long to know You more and more. I long to love your Word more and more. I want to become more and more passionate in my love to You and to others. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

WELCOME TO THE LAND OF MORE AND MORE, Part 6

“He giveth MORE grace”
(James 4:6).

MORE FRUITFULNESS

John 15:2, 5, 8: “Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth MORE fruit . . . He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth MUCH fruit . . . Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear MUCH fruit.”

God is a God of fruitfulness. He is not satisfied with fruit but wants MORE fruit. He is not even satisfied with more fruit. We glorify Him most when we bring forth MUCH fruit in our lives. We should always be seeking more fruitfulness.

MORE GLADNESS

Psalm 4:7: “Thou has put gladness in my heart, MORE THAN in the time that their corn and their win increased.”

Can you believe it? There is not one attitude in the Bible that should be average in our lives. Everything is MORE! Even gladness. We are to be MORE happy than the average person. How much joy and gladness is in your home? A little bit or bucket loads?

Jesus Himself had more gladness than anyone else. Hebrews 1:9 states: “Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity, therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.” The New Living Translation says: “God has anointed you, pouring out the oil of joy on you MORE THAN on anyone else.” The reason? Because He loved righteousness and hated iniquity.

Our joy is not dependent on our circumstances. David starts off this psalm telling how he was in distress. But he didn't let his distress get to him. As David focuses on God instead of his troubles his testimony changes in the psalm to not only gladness but MORE GLADNESS than in the time of great harvest (and that's when they really rejoiced, danced, and made merry). The full understanding of "gladness" in the Hebrew is “blithesomeness, glee, exceeding joy, joyfulness, mirth”. God doesn't want us to scrape the bottom of the barrel, but to have MORE!

I hope you are not just surviving today as you live in the land of MORE AND MORE. Never settle for the status quo. God always has more for you as you press into Him.

MORE GLORY

2 Corinthians 3:9-11: “For if the ministration of the condemnation be glory, MUCH MORE doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. For if that which is done away was glorious, MUCH MORE that which remaineth is glorious.”

Can you understand this glorious truth in the King James version? Perhaps I’ll give it to you in a simpler version to help you really get it. The NLT says: “If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how MUCH MORE GLORIOUS is the new way, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, HOW MUCH MORE GLORIOUS is the new, which remains forever!”

God descended on Mt. Sinai to give the law in fire and smoke with the whole mountain quaking—roaring thunder, flashing lightning, dense cloud, and the trumpet blaring loud and long (Exodus 19:16-19). But now we have a new and living way which is so much more glorious.

Let’s live in the fullness of this glory.

MORE GRACE

Romans 5:15-17 NET: “For if the many died through the transgression of the one man, HOW MUCH MORE did the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one man Jesus Christ multiply to the many! . . . . For if, by the transgression of the one man, death reigned through the one, HOW MUCH MORE will those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one, Jesus Christ.”

Verse 20 states: “Where sin abounded, grace did MUCH MORE ABOUND.”

We no longer have to live in bondage to sin, fear, defeat, rebellion. Jesus has brought us grace and salvation through shedding His blood upon the cross. God’s grace abounds and wins the day. Yes, in your life today if you will let Him.

PRAYER:

“Dear Father God, thank You so much for this MORE AND MORE kingdom You have brought me into. Please save me from living in the shallow waters when you have so much more for me. Because of your death upon the cross and Your resurrection, You want me to live in more gladness, more glory, and more grace. Please help me to understand this truth and live in the gloriousness of Your full salvation. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

Because of the truth of “Christ in me” I am living in glory and gladness.

WELCOME TO THE LAND OF MORE AND MORE, Part 5

“I trust to come unto you, and speak FACE TO FACE,
that our joy may be full”
(1 John 1:12).

Yes, I keep on finding more and more MORE Scriptures and there will be more after this devotion too! I am sure you are getting to understand that this kingdom of God in which we live is a MORE AND MORE kingdom. Isn’t that wonderful? We never have to have a moment of stagnation.

MORE EFFORT AND DILILGENCE

Matthew 25:20 NKJV: “He who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents’ look, I have gained five MORE talents beside them.” Because this man did not squander what God had given him but worked hard to gain more, he received his reward of “Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord” (v. 21).

We know what happened to the man who only received the one talent. Instead of doubling his one talent, he buried it. What did his master say? “Take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents. For everyone who has, MORE will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness” (verses 26-30).

God expects us to develop the talents He gives to us. God’s ways are the opposite to man’s ways. To those who work hard and gain more, God gives more. He knows they will value what He gives them. To those who do nothing, He takes away even what they have for He sees they despise what is given to them, even as Esau despised his birthright. Read Genesis 25:34 and Hebrews 12:15-12.

MORE ENLARGING

1 Chronicles 4:9, 10: “And Jabez was MORE HONORABLE than his brethren and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow . . . And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and ENLARGE MY COAST, and that thine hand might be with me, and thou wouldst keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”

The Bible says that Jabez was MORE HONORABLE than his brothers because he wasn’t satisfied with the status quo. He wanted to expand his territory. In other words, he wanted to take more territory for God and His kingdom. This should also be our attitude.

Isaiah 54:2, 3 is an exhortation to Israel, but it also comes to us personally: “Enlarge the place of thy tent, and let them stretch forth the curtains of thine habitations: spare not, lengthen thy cords, and strengthen thy stakes; For thou shalt break forth on the right hand and on the left; and thy seed shall inherit the Gentiles, and make the desolate cities to be inhabited.”

This Scripture is a vision for a big family. As God sends more precious children into your home, you may have to enlarge your home. Our homes have got bigger and bigger as the years have gone on.

MORE FACE TO FACE FELLOWSHIP

1 Thessalonians 2:17 reveals Paul’s heart toward the Thessalonians believers: “But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored the MORE ABUNDANTLY TO SEE YOUR FACE with great desire.” Paul not only thought about them in his heart. He longed to fellowship with them face to face. This should be the attitude of all believers to one another.

Again in 1 Thessalonians 3:8 he told them he was so happy that they were “always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you.”

1 John 3:14 states: “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren.” If we don’t love the brethren and long to fellowship with them, can we confess that we are a true believer?

Of all the animals that God created, He chose to call us His sheep. Repeatedly He calls us His "flock" because sheep always stay together in a flock. A sheep cannot function independently. A sheep that is separated from the flock is sad and irritable. When the sheep is found and put back with the flock it becomes contented and secure again. God intends us to have a flock mentality. He wants us to fellowship together to encourage and inspire one another, He wants us to sharpen one another to guard one another from getting off on the wrong track doctrinally.

A person with an independent spirit has the goat mentality, and remember, the sheep belong to the shepherd. It is the sheep who will sit on his right hand; the goats will go away into everlasting punishment (Matthew 25:31-34, 45, 46).

The apostle John had the same attitude toward the believers as Paul. He says in 1 John 1:12: “I trust to come unto you, and speak FACE TO FACE, that our joy may be full.”

Again, writing to the “well-beloved Gaius” in 3 John 1:14: “I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak FACE TO FACE.” Also read Romans 1:11, 12; 2 Corinthians 7:13-15; Philippians 1:25, 26; 1 Thessalonians 3:10; and Hebrews 10:25.

PRAYER:

“Dear Father God, I am totally amazed to find that everything in Your Word is about “more and more.” You do not want me to be stagnant, average, and boring. You have provided an abundant life for me which is Your life living in me. Please draw me by Your Spirit into the abundant life You have provided. I don’t want to live in the shallows. I want to live in the fulness of Your divine life. Amen.”

AFFIRMATION:

WELCOME TO THE LAND OF MORE AND MORE, Part 4

“The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth MUCH”
(James 5:16).

MORE ABUNDANT LABOR

The apostle Paul confessed in 1 Corinthians 15:10: “I labored MORE ABUNDANTLY than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

Paul’s laboring was hard work and toil that resulted in weariness. He didn’t work half-heartedly but with that word perissoteron meaning “superabundantly, exceedingly.” I know that many times you feel weary and overwhelmed as you care for your family. Don’t give in, dear mother. God’s grace will enable you (2 Corinthians 12:9, 10).

MORE BLESSED TO GIVE

Acts 20:35: “I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is MORE BLESSED to give than to receive.”

Don’t you love the story of Jesus watching the rich people dropping their gifts in the collect box. Then came a poor widow who gave two small coins. Jesus said: “Of a truth I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast in MORE THAN they all” (Luke 21:1-4 and also written in Mark 12:43).

In Exodus 36:5 it tells us how the Israelites brought "MUCH MORE THAN ENOUGH for the service of the work." What a wonderful attitude. It is easy to have a stingy attitude and only give what is absolutely necessary, isn't it? But God wants us to have an attitude of giving MORE THAN ENOUGH in every area of our lives. This is the character of God. He always gives MORE THAN we deserve. I love these words . . .

He might have doled His blossoms out quite grudgingly,

He might have used His sunset gold so sparingly,

He might have put but one wee star in all the sky,

But since He gave so lavishly, why should not I?

MORE THAN CAN BE NUMBERED

Psalm 40:5: “Many, O LORD my God, are thy wonderful works which thou hast done, and thy thoughts which are to us-ward: they cannot be reckoned up in order unto thee: if I would declare and speak of them, they are MORE THAN CAN BE NUMBERED”

Psalm 139:17, 18: “How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! How great is the sum of them! If I should count them, they are MORE IN NUMBER than the sand.”

God’s blessings to us are more than can be numbered. Our greatest blessing is His great salvation He wrought for us upon the cross. We must not ever take it for granted. I believe that we should thank Him every day for His eternal redemption He sacrificed for us. We should teach our children to do this also.

MORE EARNEST HEED

Hebrews 2:1: “Therefore we ought to give MORE EARNEST HEED to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.” It is so easy to let things slip, isn’t it? It’s easy to let our daily Bible reading slip away. It’s easy to get so busy we forget to gather the family for daily Bible reading and prayer. But we dare not do this.

The HCSB translation says that we should “pay even MORE attention.” Not just attention but MORE! We should pay more attention to listening to the Holy Spirit speaking us. Is He whispering to you to take more diligence in managing your home and keeping it clean. Or perhaps more persistence in getting up in time to have a good start to the day and not let it run away with you. God will help you in whatever area He is speaking to you about.

MORE EARNEST PRAYER

When Jesus was nearing the time of His agony on the cross, He “PRAYED MORE EARNESTLY, and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground” (Luke 22:44).

What did Jesus do in His agony? He prayed MORE earnestly. That’s your answer too. You will never have to endure that agony that Jesus faced when He took upon Himself the sin of the world, but you can know that He understands what you are going through as you face your trials and heartaches.

James 5:16 says: “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth MUCH.” It’s not only prayer, but FERVENT prayer that avails much.

PRAYER:

Dar Father, please teach me how to pray fervently because Your Word tells me that it has great power and effectiveness. Please enable me to pass on this passion of fervent prayer to my children too. I want them to not only be children who pray but pray fervently.

Amen.”

AFFIRMATION: