Wednesday // 16th October 2024
*God is the lifter of men!*
*For not from the east nor from the west nor from the south come promotion and lifting up. But God is the Judge! He puts down one and lifts up another.*
*Psalm 75:6-7*
Personal ambition often prevents people from becoming reservoirs. Though the business world depends on ambition, it’s toxic in the work of God. God is the One who promotes. As servants of the Lord, our only ambition is to know the Lord, please His heart, glorify His name, and remain faithful to our calling.
This is what the LORD says: _“Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,”_declares the LORD. Jeremiah 9:23- 24
Let’s examine ourselves, do we want to serve the Lord for power, popularity, and prestige? Many pastors are addicted to preaching sermons, hooked on making people laugh or cry. They depend on the applause. But the only proper motive for a ministry should be to show people the epic greatness of Christ. So make that your sole focus and ambition. Set your intention by telling yourself, *I exist for God’s glory. I preach and teach to reveal the splendor of Christ. I don’t want to try to impress people with my gifts or personality. I want to impress them—even astound them—with the beauty, majesty, and power of my Lord.* Let these statements run into the circuitry of your brain, because you will quickly forget them. By saying them before God, you will be setting your intention away from impressing people and you will impress them with the Lord.
Your brother in Christ,
Apostle Ashok Martin