Accountable For What You Yield To

Accountable For What You Yield To

Sister Miki Terayama - 10 July 2022

Weekend Devotion: Accountable For What We Yield To

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Because we are quick to listen to ourselves. Within us, we have our hearts, we have our fears, our greed, our self righteousness, our desires and standards. So when the voice of the outside matches with our heart, we will easily steer towards those words and influence. So why are we also quick to be deceived by voices other than God, because of our fallen nature and this heart that desires for lies and untruths. 

But do you know, our spirits are always making a choice between two voices that come at us. One is of course, from the Lord, and the other, is from the serpent. That is why in the Garden of Eden, after God has commanded Adam and Eve what to do and what not to do, very quickly, the serpent enters the scene. The serpent, aka Satan, is always ready to challenge what God says, and that is where its deception lies. It may seem that amid the busy lifestyle we lead, there are many voices, schools of thoughts that require our attention or decision. But truly, there are only two at work. Either to listen and submit to the Lord, or to listen to the deceptive voice that the enemy is giving you according to your heart’s desires. Therefore, since we can see these 2 set of options, we have an accountability towards God, an accountability of our spiritual conscience. This in itself sets us apart from all of God’s creation. We cannot merely find cheap and short lived pleasures, because our hearts can only be satisfied by what the Lord has planned out for us. We are made to be abiders, but in the right one to abide to. When we are well aware and in step with what God says, what God allows, what God convicts and what God holds us back from doing, then we can live blameless and satisfied before Him. If not, we can be living a happy life with the pleasures and gains of the world, like successes, accolades or making lots of money. But like the bible says in 1 Timothy 6: 10, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

So which option are we leaning towards everyday, in every circumstance and roles we are in?


Listen to the right V.S. wrong voice

Now with every option, comes a consequence. For either options, you could bear the fruits of life or lose it. As said by the Lord through Moses in  The truth is, we often chase after blessing, material possession and happiness, but these are things that do not require us to pine after. It will come to us. But the key is the outcome. We are always concerned about outcomes, and people of the world are always motivated by outcomes. But we are people with the truth, we are blessed with knowing the gospel and it guides us to seek after God’s will, abide by His word and when we do so, rest assured that His blessings, richer than what we desire will follow us through. 

Now many times, we spend longer time worrying and focusing on possible outcomes of our problems like our career progression, our grades, bringing up our kids, relationship tensions, than to actually intercede and faithfully or practically work on the issue. Like actually working diligently on the roles God has called us into, nurturing our kids in the way of the Lord, showing love and patience to our family members, praying for difficult people we face. We will find that certain outcomes cannot be seen or we bear no fruits. But brothers and sisters, we are still in a process, we have not reached the end. But we often just look for a possible end to get an answer of the results. The Lord, however, wants us to learn how to be Spirit-filled and guided by Him in the process, be accountable for the choice we make. Then, we will experience His promises fulfilled and His purposes revealed to us.


According to the guide of His Word 

Now let us read 2 Timothy 4:2-5. It says, “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, dis charge all the duties of your ministry.

Growing to love the Word

Here, Paul gives us a synopsis of the situation in the world today. The time where people will not put up with the sound teachings of God but turn to myths and untruths that suit the itching of their ears, that is in the here and now. Again, men always lean in to what they prefer to hear, not the Word of God that might differ or challenge their inclinations. But we must discern what is the truth, brothers and sisters. All the promises of the bible comes first through our submission to His Word alone. There is no short cut to it. Not to proclaim some promises, look pious or have a 100% attendance to church and so on. There needs to be a putting off of one’s old self, there is a narrow path to walk for sanctification. So we have to be sober minded in loving the Word and in doing so, be discerning to God’s truths and anything apart from Him.

Preach the word in and out of season

Then, Paul continues on to give Timothy a tip, or more like a warning and reminder. It is true that we may be wavered by the voice of the world because sometimes when the voice of the world is so loud, it makes it harder for men to be willing to listen to God’s word. These people are charismatic, great speakers, with stellar communication skills. So Paul told Timothy to be prepared, to preach the word in and out of season, not to be affected by the worldly culture. Do not compromise but “with great patience and careful instruction, correct, rebuke and encourage others. This is not just to others but to ourselves as well. We need to pour in the Word of God within us, in and out of season. We need to find ways to be corrected, rebuked, encouraged in His Word. That is why we come to the Church, to the pulpit and be in the community of God’s people.
But why must we go through all these? Because men’s fallen nature is not so easily dealt with. Therefore, you need consistency and perseverance in all these. And this is a direct advice for all of us. When we face people at home, at work, people we minister to and such, it requires more than just a moment of interaction but lots and lots of intercession, patience, encouragement and even speaking the truth or rebuke in love. Only when we do this in and out of season can we deal with the deep seated issues of the hearts and minds of people, including our own.

Know the purpose of learning the Word

Now brothers and sisters, as Paul is advising Timothy, there really is not a need to have great skills or abilities, the most important thing is to stay focused and true to what the Lord says. Similarly, we listen to sermons, read the bible and come to church, all not just for the gaining of some head knowledge, but to use the Word we know to be more and more in line with seeking the will of God and abiding by Him. Ultimately, it is for us to acknowledge and live by the Master of our lives, letting him lead us. So that even if we are met with some challenges, we are quick to fall back on Him and to match His heart, rather than our fallen self. The Word is about the Lord who is personally with us, guiding us and helping us through in all things. So let us not respond like the people of the world, but through the word of God that you know, ask and seek for His will. Surely, He will make a way because your thoughts, actions and intention will be different from before. May God uplift and encourage you. God bless. 

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Miki Terayama
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Miki is a full-time ministry staff at The Blessed Run Ministries. She is a sister who shares a natural, God-given affinity with children and youths. She is married to Randy (NET Group Youth Leader) and has two little ones of her own, Liora and Jude. She is involved in the children, youth and social media ministries.

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