WHAT ARE YOUR CONCERNS?

Mark 8:33
But when Jesus turned and looked at his disciples, he rebuked Peter. “Get behind me, Satan!” he said. “You do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”

Concerns are things that trouble us and need immediate attention. Concerns need to be addressed. When Jesus taught His disciples that soon the leaders will reject Him and kill Him, the disciples were concerned with the fact that Jesus will be killed. Peter expressed the disciples’ concerns by taking Jesus aside and rebuking Him for talking about His death. Jesus turned and looked at the disciples who were of one accord with Peter. Immediately he rebuked Peter in very strong terms. He tells Peter that he is wrong because his concerns are human and not divine. What are your concerns?

At the beginning of this Chapter Jesus feeds four thousand people after they have been with Him for three days. It was time for the congregation to go home and Jesus was concerned that they were hungry and would collapse on the way home. The first concern of the things of God was taken care of during the three days teaching. The second was human concern for food. Jesus demonstrated that God’s concerns are given a priority without completely forgetting human concerns. What are your concerns?

Peter and the disciples knew that Jesus had come to suffer and die for the sins of the world. This was the mission of Jesus. This was God’s concern that must be prioritized. Peter and the disciples were concerned about their loneliness without Jesus, and the subsequent challenges of Jesus being away. They were thinking of their interests first and not the interests of God’s kingdom. Their intrest was about to interfere with divine intrest. It is satanic to interfere with divine interests. Jesus rebukes Peter for having human concerns instead of God’s concerns. What are your concerns?

God requires us to be men and women of integrity. What are your concerns? Are you concerned that integrity will deny you income? Are those God’s concerns or human concerns? God requires us to forgive those who offend us and love our enemies. Why haven’t you done it? What are your concerns? God expects us to give tithe and offerings, if we are to get material blessings. Why don’t we give faithfully and consistently? What are our concerns?

Children are supposed to obey their parents in the Lord. Why don’t you obey your parents? What are your concerns? Husbands love your wives. Wives submit to your husbands. Is that what you married people are doing? If not, what are your concerns? You should not fornicate or commit adultery. Is that what is happening? If not, what are the concerns? Do not be unequally yoked with people who are not of the same faith. Why are you still stuck with him or her? What are your concerns? We are supposed to wake up early, work hard in what we do and trust God. Why are we lazy and procrastinating? What are our concerns?

Our concerns, if human, we are acting on behalf of Satan. Do you have God’s concerns coming first as they should? When choosing leaders or people to serve, God has already gifted people. Do we look for gifts or tribal and regional fair balance? What are our concerns? Divine concerns or human concerns? What are our concerns?

We always prioritize our concerns. Therefore we need the concerns of God to be clear and first in our lives. To prioritize our interest over that of God is to act for satan. May God refine our concerns and priorities, in Jesus name, Amen!