CAC LIVNG WATER-BEWARE OF EXCUSES!

LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL

BEWARE OF EXCUSES!
8^TH , FEBRUARY 2022

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Leviticus 19-20

READ: Luke 14:16-24

16 Then He said to him, “A certain man gave a great supper and invited many,

17 and sent his servant at supper time to say to those who were invited, ‘Come, for all things are now ready.’

18 But they all with one accord began to make excuses. The first said to him, ‘I have bought a piece of ground, and I must go and see it. I ask you to have me excused.’

19 And another said, ‘I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I am going to test them. I ask you to have me excused.’

20 Still another said, ‘I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come.’

21 So that servant came and reported these things to his master. Then the master of the house, being angry, said to his servant, ‘Go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city, and bring in here the poor and the maimed and the lame and the blind.’

22 And the servant said, ‘Master, it is done as you commanded, and still there is room.’

23 Then the master said to the servant, ‘Go out into the highways and hedges, and compel them to come in, that my house may be filled.

24 For I say to you that none of those men who were invited shall taste my supper.’ ”

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MEMORISE: "And they with one accord began to make excuses" Luke 14:18a

EXPOSITION
An excuse is a plea made in defence of a failure in responsibility. It is a statement that says indirectly: "spare me," or "I am not qualified," or "I am not ready," or "I am not interested!"

Many men and women, since time immemorial, have been found wanting and pronounced guilty by this singular act. In the case of Adam and Eve, it brought upon them punishment and banishment or 'disfellowship' with God (Gen. 3:9-22). It nearly robbed Naaman, the Syrian warlord, of his much-needed divine healing (2 Kgs. 5:9-15). It deferred the glorious salvation of Governor Felix (Acts 24:25-27), just as it denied a certain privileged individual disciple the honour of apostleship (Matt. 8:21). The list goes on, and on, even to our contemporary world.

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Another important factor in this regard is persistence. God cherishes persistence. He who seeks the face of God with persistence against every ailing situation and affliction through the Holy Spirit, attracts God's attention greatly (Rom. 8:26,27). This turned out to be a testimony to the blind man as read in today's devotional scripture. Jesus' parable in Luke 18, highlighting the widow's importunity vividly illustrates the concept on ground. Don't give up! God is listening!

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Today's devotional text warns us of an equally "large number" of independent, affluent people that may lose God's grace, honour and kingdom because of excuses (v. 24). These are those who find fault with the commandments of the Lord. They criticise and find a way of rubbishing every set up, administration and obligations of the Church. They are always not available for Christian fellowship and other related essential spiritual demands, while they have time for other things. They are more politically minded than the soon coming kingdom of Christ. Money, to them, now 'answers all things'!

However, as it is popularly said, "There is no excuse for making excuses!" Stop giving unnecessary excuses in relation to doing the will and biddings of the Lord (cf. Deut. 30:11-15; Rom. 1:18ff; 2:1). Only then can you enjoy His blessings meant for the obedient, not the excuse-givers (Deut. 28:1ff; Isa. 1:18-20).

PRAYER POINT:

1. Thank God for His ability to keep us in His love to the end.

2. Pray for more grace and mercy to be counted worthy of heavenly honour.

3. Pray for CAC Hanson Region, our father in the Lord, the Superintendent, and its officers at the various levels, as led by the Spirit of God.

DO HAVE A BLESSED DAY

©2022 LIVING WATERS IS a daily devotional by THE CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH