WALK NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 30, 2021.

SUBJECT: WALK NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY!

Memory verse: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful." (Psalm 1 vs 1.)

READ: Psalm 1 vs 1 - 3:

1:1: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

1:2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

1:3: He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall proper.

INTIMATION:

Ungodliness is general impiety; lack of reverence for God or religious matters. The ungodly has disregard for, or defiance of God’s laws. They act without reverence for God, not merely irreligious but acting in contravention of God’s demands. Taking counsel from—walking in the counsel of ungodly people is a no-no for all believers. 

The Scripture does not forbid us to have contacts with unbelievers. Any contacts between believers and unbelievers should be aimed at converting them to Christ. We are encouraged by Christ to befriend sinners and lead them to Him:

“Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5 vs 29 - 32).

Unbelievers, in their lifestyle, tolerate and make excuses for bad behavior, and obviously will recommend its practice to others. When a believer takes counsel from such people, they will definitely lure him or her to their side. Such people easily pollute the life of the believer and lead him or her astray. We must befriend unbelievers for the simple good reason of leading them to Christ, but we must be wary of those of them who are viciously evil, immoral, or opposed to all that Christianity stands for. Such people are more likely to influence believers for evil than the believers are to influence them for good. But on no account should counsel be taken from unbelievers by believers.

In the passage we read today, the psalmist was extolling the joys of obeying God and refusing to listen to those who discredit or ridicule Him. Our friends and associates can have a profound influence on us, often in very subtle ways. If we insist on friendships with those who mock what God considers important, we might sin by becoming indifferent to God’s will. 

Those who diligently try to obey God’s will shall be blessed. They are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees planted along a riverbank with strong roots, and God promises to watch over them. God’s wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don’t trust and obey God have meaningless lives that blow away like dust.

The more we delight in obeying God, the more fruitful we are. On the other hand, the more we allow those who ridicule God affect our thoughts and attitudes, the more we separate ourselves from our source of nourishment. We must have contact with unbelievers if we are to witness to them, but we must not join in or imitate their sinful behaviors. If you want to despair, spend time with mocking sinners, but if you want God’s blessing, make friends with those who love God and His Word.

The apostle Paul urges believers in the same manner, saying, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer with an unbeliever?” (Second Corinthians 6 vs 14 - 16).

The apostle Paul urges believers not to form partnerships with unbelievers because such partnership might result in weakening their Christian faith or commitment, integrity, or standards, especially for those who are not strong in faith. He wanted believers to be active in witnessing for Christ to unbelievers, and should not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise their faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace never to walk in the counsel of unbelievers no matter how wise they may seem to be, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

MID NIGHT WARFARE BY APOSTLE JOSHUA SALMAN

 

The Most Liberating Discovery

 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord. (Philippians 3:1)

No one had ever taught me that God is glorified by our joy in him — that joy in God is the very thing that makes our praise an honor to God, and not hypocrisy.

But Jonathan Edwards said it so clearly and powerfully:

God glorifies himself towards the creatures also [in] two ways: (1) by appearing to . . . their understanding; (2) in communicating himself to their hearts, and in their rejoicing and delighting in, and enjoying the manifestations which he makes of himself. . . . God is glorified not only by his glory’s being seen, but by its being rejoiced in. . . .

[W]hen those that see it delight in it: God is more glorified than if they only see it. . . . He that testifies his idea of God’s glory [doesn’t] glorify God so much as he that testifies also his approbation of it and his delight in it.

This was a stunning discovery for me. I must pursue joy in God if I am to glorify him as the surpassingly valuable Reality in the universe. Joy is not a mere option alongside worship. It is an essential component of worship. Indeed the very essence of worship — being glad in the glories of God.

We have a name for those who speak their praises of God when they have no pleasure in what they praise. We call them hypocrites. Jesus said, “You hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me’” (Matthew 15:7–8). This fact — that authentic praise means consummate pleasure and that the highest end of man is to drink deeply of this pleasure for God’s glory — was perhaps the most liberating discovery I have ever made.

Make War with Unbelief

 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:16–17)

When I am anxious about getting old, I battle unbelief with the promise, “Even to your old age I am he, and to gray hairs I will carry you. I have made, and I will bear; I will carry and will save” (Isaiah 46:4).

When I am anxious about dying, I battle unbelief with the promise that “none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living” (Romans 14:7–9).

When I am anxious that I may make shipwreck of faith and fall away from God, I battle unbelief with the promises, “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6); and, “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25).

Join me in this battle! Let us make war, not with other people, but with our own unbelief. Unbelief in the promises of God is the root of anxiety, which, in turn, is the root of so many other sins. The sword of the Spirit is the word of God, Paul said in Ephesians 6:17. The shield by which we quench Satan’s fiery deceits is faith (verse 16) — faith in that very word of God. So take up the shield in your left hand and the sword in your right hand, and let us fight the good fight of faith.

Take up the Bible, ask the Holy Spirit for help, lay the promises up in your heart, and fight the good fight — to live by faith in future grace.

DO NOT DESPAIR!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2021.

SUBJECT: DO NOT DESPAIR!

Memory verse: "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.” (Second Corinthians 1 vs 8.)

READ: Second Corinthians 4 vs 8 - 10:

4:8: We are hard pressed on every side; yet not crushed, we are perplexed, but not in despair;

4:9: persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—

4:10: always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

INTIMATION:

Do not despair or lose hope in following Christ, the circumstances you may find yourselves nothing withstanding. It is in situations of hopelessness in our lives that God shows up for us, If we do not despair and hold tight to our trust in Him. God will never abandon those who seek Him with all their hearts. His promise doesn’t mean that those who trust in Him will escape loss or suffering. Rather it means that God Himself will never leave them no matter what they face. Regardless of how life looks now, God controls the future. He has promised to make everything right when we trust Him with our lives. The Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10 vs 11). 

In our memory verse, and in the passage we read today, the apostle Paul enumerated their encounters during their missionary journeys in Asia. They were faced with so many trials, and were entangled with several dangerous circumstances that at some point Apostle Paul felt that they were going to die and lost hope. They knew not what else to do than to put their hope in God. They realized that they could do nothing to help themselves—they simply had to rely on God, and He never failed them.

He reminds us that though we may think we are at the end of our rope, but with God we are never at the end of our hope. All our risks, humiliations, and trials are opportunities for Christ to demonstrate His power and presence in, and through us. Circumstances are never so bad that they are beyond God’s help. 

Daniel and his friends; the three Hebrew young men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Aded-Nego— never despaired in the face of trials, even with their lives glaringly at stake. They pledged their utter obedience to, and trust in God, and God showed up for them. In Daniel chapter 3, the young men determined not to worship the golden image of the king or any other god, and they courageously took their stand in the presence of the king, even when they risked execution in the fiery furnace. 

King Nebuchadnezzar was enraged when they disobeyed him and ordered that they throw the young men into the fiery furnace after heating it twice the former temperature. The young men never despaired. God showed up for them in the furnace; they were unburnt and came out without even the smell of smoke on them.

Daniel also, in Daniel chapter 6, never despaired in praying his God three times a day, even when faced with penalty of being thrown into the lions’ den should he pray to His God within the 30 days period stipulated by the king for everybody under his rulership to offer prayers to the king alone. When he was thrown into the lions’ den, God showed up for him, and shut the lions’ mouths. He came out the following morning unhurt.

 

We need never despair, the circumstances we are in not withstanding, because we belong to a loving God. And with Him nothing is difficult nor impossible. He knows the end from the beginning, and we don’t yet know what good He may bring out of a seemingly hopeless situation. For the Scripture says, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8 vs 28.) God works in “all things”—not just isolated incidents—for our good. And He who called us is faithful and will never deny Himself.

We often depend on our own skills and abilities when life seems easy, and only turn to God when we feel unable to help ourselves. But as we realize our own powerlessness without Him and our need for His constant help in our lives, we come to depend on Him more and more. God is our source of power, and we receive His help by being constantly in touch with Him. With this attitude of dependence, problems will drive us to God rather than away from Him. Learn how to rely on God who controls all circumstances.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace anchor my whole trust in You without despairing no matter the circumstances I face in life, knowing that You will never leave nor forsake me, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD IS FOR OUR PROFITING!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 28, 2021.

SUBJECT: THE CHASTENING OF THE LORD IS FOR OUR PROFITING!

Memory verse: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” (Revelation 3 vs 19.)

READ: Hebrews 12 vs 5 - 11:

12:5: And you have forgotten the exhortation which speaks to you as to sons: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him;

12:6: For whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.”

12:7: If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?

12:8: But if you be without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons.

12:9: Furthermore, we have had human fathers who corrected us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much more readily be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live?

12:10: For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed best for them, but He for our profit, that you may be partakers of His holiness.

12:11: Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful: nevertheless afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

INTIMATION:

Chastening denotes refining or training that involves discipline and correction by reproving, and admonishing that may involve punishment. Correction by reproving, and admonition, even when it involves punishment, is a vital part of discipline, and discipline means “to teach and to train.” God chastens us in line with the aforestated reasons.

Discipline sounds negative to many people because some disciplinarians are not loving. God, however, is the source of all love because He is love (First John 4 vs 8). . He doesn’t punish us because He enjoys inflicting pain, but because He is deeply concerned about our development. He knows that in order to become morally strong and good, we must learn the difference between right and wrong. His loving discipline enables us to do this. And this is to ensure that the glorious destiny He had prepared for us beforehand is not missed by us by reason of disobedience or indiscipline.

God’s purpose in discipline is not to punish but to bring people back to Him. And in Him consists all there is in life. He created all things, and all things are His. He created all things according His predetermined purposes, and works to fulfill His purpose and not to make us happy. God may discipline you to help you out of your uncaring attitude if you are lukewarm in your devotion to God. But He uses only loving discipline. 

Therefore, you can avoid God’s chastening if you are walking in your God’s ordained path of life. And when you fall out of path, you will avoid His discipline by drawing near to Him again through confession, service, worship, and studying His Word. Just as the spark of love can be rekindled in marriage, so the Holy Spirit can re-ignite our zeal for God when we allow Him to work in our heart.

Now, come to think of it, who loves his child more, the father who allows the child to do what will harm him, or the one who corrects, trains, and even punishes the child to help him learn what is right? It’s never pleasant to be corrected and disciplined by God, but His discipline is a sign of His deep love for us. When God corrects you, see it as proof of His love, and ask Him what He is trying to teach you.

Knowing the thoughts of God for us—“thoughts of good and not for evil” (Jeremiah 29 vs 11),—we ought to respond to His discipline (chastening) gratefully, as the appropriate response we owe a loving Father. Instead of accepting it with self-pity, thinking we really don’t deserve it, or be angry and resentful toward God.

Certainly, not every calamity that happens to us comes directly from God. It is difficult to know when God has been disciplining us until we look back on the situation later. But if we rebel against God and refuse to repent when He had identified some sin in our lives, God may use guilt, crises, or bad experiences to bring us back to Him. It’s noteworthy that sometimes, however, difficult times come when we have no flagrant of sin. At times like that, our response then should be patience, integrity, and trust that God will show us what to do.

Just as success in family life, business, or in athletics, is by hard work and consistent discipline, the Christian life is much the same. Some people think it takes too much work, but achieving anything worthwhile requires hard work. Being a Christian is not a shortcut to an easy life. The chastening of God is all for our own profiting; that we may be partakers of God’s holiness, and the inherent yield of peaceable fruit of righteousness if we are trained by it. When you are wise to obey God’s laws—working hard at living as God asks—you discover that no worldly success can compare with the joy of knowing God.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are a Loving Father, and Faithful Companion. Your thoughts and plans for me is to take care of me and not to abandon me, to give me the future I hope for if I obey. O Lord, endue me with the spirit of wisdom and obedience to You at all times for my all round profiting, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Our Good Is His Glory

 

“But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6)

One common objection to Christian Hedonism is that it puts the interests of man above the glory of God — that it puts my happiness above God’s honor. But Christian Hedonism most emphatically does not do this.

To be sure, we Christian Hedonists endeavor to pursue our interest and our happiness with all our might. We endorse the resolution of the young Jonathan Edwards: “Resolved: To endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness in the other world as I possibly can, with all the power, might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.”

But we have learned from the Bible (and from Edwards!) that God’s interest is to magnify the fullness of his glory by spilling over in mercy to us — to us sinners, who desperately need him.

Therefore, the pursuit of our interest and our happiness, even if it costs us our lives, is never above God’s interest and God’s happiness and God’s glory, but always in God’s. One of the most precious truths in the Bible is that God’s greatest interest is to glorify the wealth of his grace by making sinners happy in him — in him!

When we humble ourselves like little children and put on no airs of self-sufficiency, but run happily into the joy of our Father’s embrace, the glory of his grace is magnified and the longing of our soul is satisfied. Our interest and his glory become one.

When Jesus promises in Matthew 6:6, “Your Father who sees in secret will reward you,” this is a reward he wants us to seek. He does not lure us with joy we shouldn’t have! But this reward — this joy — is the overflow of turning away from human praise, and going into our closet to seek God.

Therefore, Christian Hedonists do not put their happiness above God’s glory. They put their happiness in God himself and discover the glorious truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied in him.

The Power of a Superior Promise

 

I shall walk in freedom, for I have sought your precepts. (Psalm 119:45, my translation)

An essential element of joy is freedom. None of us would be happy if we were not free from what we hate and free for what we love.

And where do we find true freedom? Psalm 119:45 says, “I shall walk in freedom, for I have sought your precepts.”

The picture is one of open spaces. The word frees us from smallness of mind. “God gave Solomon . . . breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore” (1 Kings 4:29). The word frees us from threatening confinements. “He brought me out into a broad place” (Psalm 18:19).

Jesus says, “You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). The freedom he has in mind is freedom from the slavery of sin (John 8:34). Or, to put it positively, it is freedom for holiness.

The promises of God’s grace provide the power that makes the demands of God’s holiness an experience of freedom rather than fear and confinement. Peter described the freeing power of God’s promises like this: “Through [his precious and very great promises] you become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire” (2 Peter 1:4).

In other words, when we trust the promises of God, we sever the root of corruption and sinful desire by the power of a superior promise.

How crucial is the word that breaks the power of counterfeit pleasures! And how vigilant we should be to light our paths and load our hearts with the word of God!

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105). “I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you” (Psalm 119:11).

THE LORD'S PASSION FOR US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2021.

SUBJECT: THE LORD'S PASSION FOR US!

Memory verse: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3 vs 16.)

READ: Romans 5 vs 6 - 11:

5:6: For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

5:7: For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.

5:8: But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

5:9: Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.

5:10: For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.

5:11: And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

INTIMATION:

God is filled with compassion and wants us to realize we are loved and cared for. This is one of God's most outstanding and obvious characteristics. The message of the Gospel comes to a focus in His passion for us as is stated, and demonstrated in our memory verse. Here God sets the pattern of true love or passion for others, setting the pattern for all true love relationships. 

When you love someone dearly, you are ready and willing to give freely to the point of self-sacrifice. For His passion, God paid dearly with the life of His Son, the highest price He could pay, and unheard of in history. Jesus accepted wholeheartedly, His propitiation for our sins, accepted our punishment, paid the price for our sins on the cross (Ezekiel 18 vs 4 & Romans 6 vs 23). He, in exchange, offered us the new life that He had bought for us. Exchange of something completely worthless (our sinful lives) with something of inestimable value (the life of Jesus Christ—the Son of God).

The apostle Paul, in the passage we read, expounded the passion of God for us. He explained that when we were weak and helpless because we could do nothing on our own to save ourselves, Christ had to come to rescue us. He came at exactly the right time in history in accordance with God's plan and schedule. It is God that controls all history, and He controlled the timing, method, and events surrounding Jesus' death. God sent Jesus to die for us, not because we were good enough, but just because He loved us and is passionate about our well being.

The apostle Paul explained that the love that caused God to create the world for an extension of His kingdom, and caused Christ to die in our place, is the same love that sends the Holy Spirit to live in us and guide us daily. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that saved us and is available to us in our daily lives. 

God is a Passionate Father. In Psalms 103 vs 13 the psalmist reminds us, "As a father pities his children, So the Lord pities those who fear Him." Jesus demonstrated this the day the disciples found themselves on the Sea of Galilee, and a storm was brewing, which is typical of the Sea of Galilee even today. The boat containing these disciples started to take in water because of the turbulence. When the boat started sinking, the disciples asked the ultimate question, "Lord, don't You care?" Of course He cares!

Many of us have at one time or the other felt like that, "Lord where are You when I really need You?" "God, I'm going under. Don't You care?" But a believer and a child of God will remember the promise found in First Peter 5 vs 7, "Casting all your care upon Him; for He cares for you." Does God care about your health? Yes! Does He care about your finances? Yes! What about that relationship that has never become what you hoped it would? Yes, He does care! He cares about the minutest details of your life that even the very hairs of your head are counted. (Matthew 10 vs 30). Though you may not know He cares, rest assured He does.

Be assured that, having begun a life with Christ, you have a reserve power and love to call on each day for help to meet every challenge or trial. Too often, in our spiritual life, although we may need to love God more, there is a much higher need to recognize just how much He loves us. When our relationship is such that we feel God's love and His passion for His children, we naturally begin to love Him more. You can pray for His power and love as you need it.

In Psalms 145 vs 18 the psalmist tells us, "The Lord is near to all who call upon Him, To all who call upon Him in truth." What this means is that He is never too busy for you. When you pray, you will never get busy signal. He hears you and ready to meet your real need. Jesus had a very special term He used to describe the personal and passionate nature of God. He called Him, "Abba." The word Abba is an Aramaic word used to describe the most intimate, personal nature of a father. He is never too busy for you. He is never more concerned about a crisis in one individual than another. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank you for Your passion for me. You have daily loaded me with Your benefits, always forgiving me my iniquities, healing me all my diseases, redeeming my life from de struction, satisfying my mouth with good things, so that my youth is renewed like the eagle's, and crowning me with loving kindness and tender mercies. May I not miss my path in You, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

DESPERATE FAITH BY BISHOP TD JAKES

 

Live Confident in God’s Sovereign Power

 The immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe . . . (Ephesians 1:19)

The omnipotence of God means eternal, unshakable refuge in the everlasting glory of God no matter what happens on this earth. And that confidence is the source and power of radical obedience to the call of God.

Is there anything more freeing, more thrilling, or more strengthening than the truth that God Almighty is your refuge — all day, every day, in all the ordinary and extraordinary experiences of life?

If we believed this, if we really let this truth of God’s omnipotence get hold of us, what a difference it would make in our personal lives and in our ministries! How humble and powerful we would become for the saving purposes of God!

The omnipotence of God means refuge for the people of God. And when you really believe that your refuge is the omnipotence of God Almighty, there is a joy and a freedom and a power that spills over in a life of radical obedience to Jesus Christ.

The omnipotence of God means reverence, recompense, and refuge for his covenant people.

I invite you to accept the terms of his covenant of grace: Turn from sin and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ; and the omnipotence of God Almighty will be the reverence of your soul, the recompense of your enemies, and the refuge of your life — forever.

MAKE YOUR CHOICE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2021.

SUBJECT: MAKE YOUR CHOICE!

Memory verse: "And if it seem evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the Rivet, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD." (Joshua 24 vs 15.)

READ: First King 18 vs 20 - 24:

18:20: So Ahab sent for all the children of Israel, and gathered the prophets together on mount Carmel.

18:21: And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? if the LORD be God, follow Him: but if Baal, follow him. But the people answered him not a word.

18:22: Then said Elijah to the people, “I alone am left a prophet of the LORD; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

18:23: Therefore let them give us two bulls; and let them choose one bull for themselves, cut it in pieces, and lay it on the wood, but put no fire under it: and I will prepare the other bull, and lay it on wood, and put no fire under it.

18:24: Then you call on the name of your gods, and I will call on the name of the LORD: and the God who answers by fire, He is God. And all the people answered and said, “It is well spoken.”

INTIMATION:

God always leaves us with a choice. God doesn’t force His will on anyone. He lets us decide whether to follow Him or reject Him. This decision, however, is a blessing-or-curse; a life-or-death matter. God wants us to realize this, for He would like us to choose blessing rather than curse, life rather than death. We are daily confronted with this decision in circumstances of life we face. And daily, in each new situation, we must affirm and reinforce this commitment.

At a time in the history of the Israelites, Moses placed this choice before them; “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His status, and His judgements, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live.” (Deuteronomy 30 vs 15 - 16 & 19.) 

Moses challenged Israel to choose life; to obey God, and therefore to continue to experience His blessings. God has called us to keep His commands, while reminding us that His laws are not hidden from us or beyond our reach (Deuteronomy 30 vs 11 - 14). God has detailed His laws in the Bible for our information and study, therefore, no one would say, “I will obey God if you know what He wants.” 

Obeying God is reasonable, sensible, and beneficial. Some people have complained that obedience to God’s laws is too difficult for a mere human. But God, in His infinite mercy, love, and benevolence, has given us an Helper in the person of the Holy Spirit, to abide with us forever, and help us in our inadequacies, and infirmities. Therefore, if you have ever given such complains above, know that they are unacceptable excuses. The most difficult part of obeying God’s laws is simply deciding to start now. 

In our memory verse, Joshua also reminded the Israelites of their privilege of choice. The people had to decide whether they would obey the Lord, who had proven His trustworthiness in their lives, or obey the local gods in their new lands they inhabited, which were only man-made idols. Joshua took a stand with his household to serve God. In taking a definite stand for the Lord, he displayed his spiritual leadership, and encouraged others to follow him. He made a commitment to God, and was determined to set an example of living by that decision.

It is easy to slip into a quiet rebellion—going about life in your own way. Some of us are controlled by our own limited personality, or the world’s standard of success—possessions, status, wealth etc. Power, status, appearance, or material possessions can become our gods if we devote our lives to them. Any substitute to God’s control is completely imperfect and deceitful. 

Once you have chosen to be controlled by God’s Spirit, reaffirm your choice every day. The way we live shows others the strength of our commitment to serving God. It is important to take a stand for the Lord. If we just drift along with whatever is pleasant and easy, we will someday discover that we have been worshiping a false God—ourselves. May you never worship a false god, in the mighty name of Jesus. 

In the passage we read today, Elijah challenged the people to take a stand—make a choice to follow whoever is the true God. Although the prophets of Baal raved all afternoon, no one answered them. Their god was silent because it was not real. In times of need when they desperately call out to these gods, there will only be silence. They can offer no true answers, no guidance, and no wisdom.

People waver between the two choices of who to follow, or deliberately be looking the other way because of the sinful pleasures and other temporary benefits that come with turning a blind eye to obeying God’s laws. It’s easy to be deceived by the temporary benefits of wealth, popularity, status, and achievement, and to be blind to the long-range benefits of God’s kingdom. It only takes faith to look beyond the world’s value system to see the eternal values of God’s kingdom. Therefore, today make your choice.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my all in all. Whatever You cannot do for me, let it remain undone. Whatever You cannot give me, let me never have it. I rather die than put my trust in anything but You. Endue me with the spirit of raw obedience to You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

WALK IN THE WILL OF GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2021.

SUBJECT: WALK IN THE WILL OF GOD!

Memory verse: "Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but He who does the will of My Father in heaven.” (Matthew 7 vs 21.)

READ: Ephesians 5 vs 15 - 17:

5:15: See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

5:16: redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

5:17: Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

INTIMATION:

One theme that all parts of Scripture take up in one way or another is the will of God. God's will is as vast as his entire plan for creation, and from the standpoint of objective content, it seems to be settled and unchanging. God’s Will is expressed in His Word (His laws, and His ways). Walking in the will of God is being obedient to His Word, and strictly doing them.

God has a specific plan for your life and His greatest desire is that you operate in it daily. In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul tells us to "walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil." and "do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord." Why? So that we can enjoy the blessings of God and avoid the pitfalls that come from disobedience. 

Too many Christians today presume to know the will of God for their lives. I've heard people say that they are called to ministry, and then struggle with finances, marriage, and the people they serve until they become weary in well doing. We are to walk circumspectly, or "cautiously, carefully, and prudently." In other words, we should be cautious of the things we do and the choices we make.

Now, to understand means to "comprehend, grasp, or be familiar with." To understand the Lord's will is to piece it together, or make sense of it. The only way to do that is by developing a relationship with the Father. And it is not something you learn all at once, from beginning to the end. It is actually a steady unfolding of revelation; little by little.

The key to receiving this revelation is found in simple acts of obedience. It's like a jigsaw puzzle; once completed, the pieces create an entire picture that could not be discerned when they were separated. As we operate in obedience, we begin to see more clearly God's perfect will for our lives.

God has His perfect will for each and everyone of us, it’s His plan and purpose for our lives, not our own plans. Elevating your self-will above God's will leads to God's permissive will. Permissive will is when God allows you to make all the choices. Oftentimes we end up making mistakes, hurting ourselves, and living with regret. But it's never too late to change. If you repent and yield yourself to God, He will forgive you and lead you back into His perfect will. 

God will never force you to do anything. If He did, everyone would be saved right now. And although it is God's will for them to be saved (First Timothy 2 vs 4), He will not force anyone to accept salvation. The same is true of the will of God. He will reveal it to you, if you're willing to listen. The truth of the matter is, without obedience, God's will for your life will never come to pass.

God has a plan and purpose for everyone, but we must be careful not to get weighed down by selfish desires. It's not about what we want, but what God wants. The Scripture, in Proverbs 3 vs 5 - 6, says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” And in verse 7 we are warned; “Do not be wise in your own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.” 

When you obey God, you can count on His protection, and your provision, inherent in His promise, is on the other side of your obedience. Anything you desire is available to you if you walk in the will of God. Therefore, “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6 vs 33). “All these things” not some of the things. And when God says ‘all,’ He means ‘all.’

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to do Your will. Endue me with the spirit of complete obedience to You, that I may walk in Your will all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Life Hangs on the Word of God

 

He said to them, “Take to heart all the words by which I am warning you today, that you may command them to your children, that they may be careful to do all the words of this law. For it is no empty word for you, but your very life, and by this word you shall live long in the land that you are going over the Jordan to possess.” (Deuteronomy 32:46–47)

The word of God is not a trifle; it is a matter of life and death. If you treat the Scriptures as a trifle or as empty words, you forfeit life.

Even our physical life depends on God’s word, because by his word we were created (Psalm 33:6; Hebrews 11:3), and “he upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3).

And our spiritual life begins by the word of God: “Of his own will he brought us forth by the word of truth” (James 1:18). “You have been born again . . . through the living and abiding word of God” (1 Peter 1:23).

Not only do we begin to live by God’s word, but we also go on living by God’s word: “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4; Deuteronomy 8:3).

So our physical life is created and upheld by the word of God, and our spiritual life is quickened and sustained by the word of God. How many stories could be gathered to bear witness to the life-giving power of the word of God!

Indeed, the Bible is “no empty word for you” — it is your life! The foundation of all joy is life. Nothing is more fundamental than sheer existence — our creation and our preservation.

All this is owing to the word of God’s power. By that same power, he has spoken in Scripture for the creation and sustenance of our spiritual life. Therefore, the Bible is no empty word, but is your very life — the foundation and kindling of your joy!

Jesus’s Pursuit of Joy

 [Look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Does the example of Jesus contradict the principle of Christian Hedonism? Namely, that love is the way of joy and that one should choose it for that very reason, lest one be found begrudging obedience to the Almighty or chafing under the privilege of being a channel of grace or belittling the promised reward.

Hebrews 12:2 seems to say fairly clearly that Jesus did not contradict this principle.

The greatest labor of love that ever happened was possible because Jesus pursued the greatest imaginable joy, namely, the joy of being exalted to God’s right hand in the assembly of a redeemed people: “For the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross!”

In saying this, the writer means to give Jesus as another example, along with the saints of Hebrews 11, of those who are so eager for and confident in the joy God offers that they reject the “fleeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25) and choose ill-treatment in order to be aligned with God’s will.

It is not unbiblical, therefore, to say that at least part of what sustained Christ in the dark hours of Gethsemane was the hope of joy beyond the cross. This does not diminish the reality and greatness of his love for us, because the joy in which he hoped was the joy of leading many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10).

His joy is in our redemption, which redounds to God’s glory. We share the joy with Jesus and God gets the glory.

FORGIVE!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2021.

SUBJECT : FORGIVE!

Memory verse: "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave you" (Ephesians 4 vs 32).

READ: Matthew 6 vs 12, 14 - 15; 18 vs 21 - 22: 

6:12: And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

6:14: For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:

6:15: But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. 

18:21: Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?”

18:22: Jesus said unto him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.

INTIMATION:

To forgive is to show mercy or compassion, or give a pardon or give up. Forgiveness is a full pardon from an offensive act that has been committed against you. It is a fresh start. It is another chance. It is the canceling of a debt. It is a new beginning. There is no new beginning in your life without an ending to an offense, and there is no ending to your problem without a new beginning through forgiveness. Forgiveness is an elixir, it is a supernatural power that breaks the chains of bitterness, bringing joy that is unspeakable and full of glory!

Forgiveness is not weakness, but a great strength. It takes great strength to forgive. It's the first step toward true happiness, hope, and healing. It heals you from the band of resentment and the hand-cuffs of hatred, and sets you free from spiritual and emotional problem you are in.

The way out of the problem can be found in the simple mandate given to us by our LORD Jesus Christ: "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors." (Matthew 6 vs 12.) Jesus our Messiah, established this model of prayer called the "LORD's prayer," and within it are several supernatural principles: among them is the life-changing application of forgiveness.  The statement "Forgive us as we forgive those....." holds the golden key for many people who want to take a shortcut out of their problems. It is a huge step out of the problem and into the provision of God.

It's noteworthy that forgiveness is not for the benefit of the person who hurt you, who betrayed you, who lied about you, or who rejected you when you needed them most. FORGIVENESSES IS FOR YOUR BENEFIT! Please remember clearly, God cannot forgive you if you will not forgive another. Jesus said, "For if you forgive men their trespasses, your Heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if you forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses" (Matthew 6 vs 14 - 15).

Forgiveness is not an option for the believer, rather it is a way of life. A writer, Charles R. Swindoll, in his book, "Improving Your Serve!" described forgiveness perfectly this way, "Forgiveness is not an elective in the curriculum of servanthood. It is a required course, and the examinations are always tough to pass." Even though the exam is tough, the Word of God gives us the necessary study notes to pass the test. If God is perfect, and He forgave you, why can't you, with all your faults and failures, forgive others? 

The unforgiven spirit is a weapon of control over people, used by the devil to manipulate them. Unforgiveness is a form of bondage that thrives on hate and resentment. It is the sin of witchcraft! It makes you share your bitterness with all who will listen to you, thereby taking your sin to another level—the level of spreading your virus of hatred into the lifeblood of friends and family, killing relationships, separating chief friends, and removing all possibilities of reconciliation. 

Your toxic tongue will extend your stay in the problem indefinitely and will ultimately earn you ruin, no matter the amount of prayers you offer or religious rituals; night vigils, church attendance, offerings, sacrifices, you engage yourself in. God personally guarantees that you will live in torment until you forgive (see Matthew 18 vs 35.)

Jesus told the story of the unforgiving slave in Matthew 18 vs 23 - 34. The king called in his servant who owed him ten thousand talents (equivalent of ten million dollars today) and ordered him to pay his debt immediately. The servant said, "I don't have ten million dollars (ten thousand talents). The amount of the debt indicated that it was near impossible to be paid by the servant. The king ordered him sold, along with his wife and children and all he possessed. The servant fell on his feet, begged for mercy, and pledged to pay back everything he owed. The king showed him mercy and forgave the servant of his debt and released him a free man. 

After receiving this immeasurable amount of forgiveness from the king, the servant immediately went to the city gates and found a fellow servant who owed him hundred denarii (equivalent of twenty dollars) and demanded immediate payment. When his friend couldn't pay, he had him thrown into debtor's prison. The fellow servants who witnessed this merciless act sent a message to the king, the king called the unforgiving servant before him and said, "You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. Should you not also have had compassion on you fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?" And the king, moved with anger, handed him over to the tormentors until he has repaid all that he owed him.

Now think about it, the servants are both in prison. A minor act of forgiveness would have set both men free forever, but no forgiveness was extended, and both men spent their lives in torment. Forgiveness can transform lives, but lack of it will wound and forever destroy. Medical research proves that resentment and bitterness cause heart trouble, ulcers, high blood pressure, strokes, heart attacks, and even cancer. These are tormentors! Release the people you have inprisoned emotionally, and held hostage because of a past offense that you refused to forgive. Remember forgiveness burns the bridge that you must one day cross yourself.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are forever merciful! Endue me with the spirit of love, mercy and forgiveness, that I may love, show mercy, and forgiving another to earn Your approval for same, in Jesus’ mighty Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE PRAYER KEY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2021.

SUBJECT: THE PRAYER KEY!

Memory verse: "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart." (Luke 18 vs 1.)

READ: James 5 vs 13 - 18:

5:13: Is anyone among you suffering? let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? let him sing psalms.

5:14: Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:

5:15: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

5:16: Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

5:17: Elijah was a man with nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.

5:18: And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

INTIMATION:

The prayer key is the master key that opens all doors. It is the desire of the Father that His children approach Him in prayer. Prayer is the natural response of those who recognize their need for the help of God in their lives. It is earnestly entreating God in sincerity of your intention. It is the greatest privilege, and ministry available to all Christians. Indeed, everyone who seeks to take his or her place in the kingdom of God should seek or learn how to pray effectively. Because prayer is, in itself, our fellowship with the Father, He awaits us to come to Him in prayer, and consequently welcomes us in fellowship with Him.

Prayer is very essential for every Christian. It is noteworthy that our Master, Jesus, never taught His disciples how to preach but rather taught them how to pray, He said to His disciples "When you pray" and not "If you pray," therefore, He requires us to be in fellowship with the Father always; “Pray without ceasing” (First Thessalonians 5 vs 17). All prayers are subject to God’s will. As I said earlier, the Christian’s most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer. The results are often greater than we thought were possible. 

Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails. This approach is backward. Prayer should come first. God wants His children to be completely dependent on Him, and not wearied about how often we come to Him in prayer. Because God’s power is infinitely greater than ours, it only makes sense to rely on it, especially when God encourages us to do so. Prayer has remained the key to an excellent way to maintain a constant grace of God in our lives, and have our priorities right throughout each day. A disciplined prayer life entails going to God in prayers often, preferably three times a day; morning, afternoon and night. The Psalmist in Psalm 55 vs 17 says, "Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice." 

Night prayers remains the most effective. Our prayers are usually interrupted mostly by the pressure of our daily schedules. In the night our concentration is highest, and our fellowship most effective. Night prayers arm us most effectively to overcome the overwhelming evils in the world. The evil doers usually perpetrate their evils in the night when most Christians are resting in their beds (see Matthew 13 vs 24 - 25). 

Jesus Christ, in His ministry on earth, has always gone up to the mountains in the night hours to pray—fellowshipping with the Father—and obtaining all the powers required for His exploits (Luke 6 vs 12). During the day, He performed His wondrous acts and gave thanks to the Father that has always heard Him. His concentration in His fellowship with the Father in the night hours is maximum. No distractions of any sorts. This practice of fellowshipping with the Father and our Messiah Jesus, in the hours of the night is very essential for every Christian to win our battles against the evil one.

The power of prayer is not in the number of prayers that are made for a particular request. The power is not in repetitious phrases or words in prayer. The power of prayer is based on the righteous living of the individual who makes the prayer of faith. The righteous demeanor of our lives, therefore, is the foundation upon which prayers are answered. This is true because God always works on behalf of His obedient children. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to commune with You in prayer morning, at noon, and in the night, that I may be thoroughly equipped to stand against the wiles of the devil, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!