WASTE NOT YOUR SHORT LIFE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MAY 6, 2021.

SUBJECT: WASTE NOT YOUR SHORT LIFE!

Memory verse: “Man is like a breath; his days are like a passing shadow." (Psalm 144 vs 4.)

READ: Psalm 39 vs 4 - 6:

39:4: “LORD, make me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am.

39:5: Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.

39:6: Surely every man walks about like a shadow; surely they busy themselves in vain; he heaps up riches, and does not know who will gather them.

INTIMATION: 

Life is short. In our anchor Scripture, David reminds us that it “is like a breath” and that our “days are like a passing shadow.” The apostle James puts it this way, “Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away” (James 4 vs 14). And because life is short, a good, proper, and adequate use of it should be everyone’s target. 

The clarity of the shortness of man’s life is enunciated in Job’s despondent prayer: “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; he flees like a shadow and does not continue. Since his days are determined, the number of his months is with You; You have appointed his limits, so that he cannot pass. But man dies and is laid away; indeed he breathes his last and where is he? As water disappears from the sea, and a river becomes parched and dries up, So man lies down and does not rise. Till the heavens are no more, they will not awake nor roused from their sleep.” (Job 14 vs 1 - 2; 5; 10 - 12.)

What, then is the good, proper, and adequate use of your short life? It’s living for God—living by the word of God—the will of God for you. Consequently, you should live for God while  you have the time. Don’t waste your life by selecting an inferior purpose that has no lasting value. Only God can make your life worthwhile, purposeful, and meaningful. 

Life is short no matter how many years we live. Don’t be deceived into thinking that you have lots of remaining time to do what you please now, and later live for Christ, thereby oscillating between life in Christ and worldly pleasures. Because life is short, do what is truly important; Live for God today! Then, no matter when your life ends, you would have fulfilled God’s plan for you. You must not put it off for what you may consider a better day. Now is the time! Start with surrendering your life to Christ. 

Realizing that life is short, helps us use the little time we have more wisely and for eternal good. Take time to number your days by asking, “What do I want to see happen in my life before I die? What small step could I take toward that purpose today?

Ironically, people spend so much time securing their lives on earth but take little or no thought about where they will spend eternity. The Scripture is very clear on the fact that amassing riches and busily accomplishing worldly tasks would make no difference in eternity. Unfortunately, many people don’t understand that their only hope is in the Lord.

Many are blindfolded in the deceitfulness of worldly pleasures, and standards. Worldly standards use honor, power, wealth, or prestige to measure people. And the worldly thinking is that such people are really getting ahead in life. But on God’s scale, these people are a puff of air. Worldly standards and pleasures are insignificant in God’s standard of measurement.

What, then, can tilt the scales when God weighs us? It is trusting God and working for Him. Wealth, honor, power, or prestige add nothing in our value in God’s eyes, only the faithful work we do for Him has eternal value. Many people spend all their energy seeking pleasure. Jesus said, however, that worldliness, which is centered on possessions, position, or power, is ultimately worthless; “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8 vs 36 - 37.) 

Whatever you have on earth is only temporary. It cannot be exchanged for your soul. If you work hard at getting what you want, you might eventually have a pleasurable life, but in the end you will find it hollow and empty. Are you willing to make the pursuit of God more important than the selfish pursuits? Follow Jesus, and you will know what it means to live abundantly now and to have eternal life as well. 

Possessions, and pleasures are good only if gotten within the ambit of God’s law and will. It’s good to have them because they are good in themselves, but they can disappoint us if we leave God out of them. There is no point doing anything in your short life as though God does not exist because the future is in His hands. 

Nothing, not even life itself, can compare to what we gain with Christ. Jesus wants us to choose to follow Him rather than to lead a life of sin and self-satisfaction. He wants us to stop trying to control our own destiny and to let Him direct us. This makes good sense because, as the Creator, Christ knows better than we do what real life is about. Jesus asks us only to lose our self-centered determination to be in charge of our lives; He asks for our submission, not self-hatred. 

Prayer: Abba Father, Engrace me to live for You in my short span of life on earth, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Truer Knowledge Brings Greater Joy!

 Truer Knowledge Brings Greater Joy!

And all the people went their way . . . to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. (Nehemiah 8:12)

The only joy that reflects the worth of God and overflows in God-glorifying love is rooted in the true knowledge of God. And to the degree that our knowledge is small or flawed, our joy will be a poor echo of God’s true excellence.

The experience of Israel in Nehemiah 8:12 is a paradigm of how God-glorifying joy happens in the heart. Ezra had read the word of God to them and the Levites had explained it. And then the people went away “to make great rejoicing.”

Their great rejoicing was because they had understood words — the true words of God. 

Most of us have tasted this experience of the heart burning with joy when the word of God was opened to us (Luke 24:32). Twice Jesus said that he taught his disciples for the sake of their joy.

John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

John 17:13, “These things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”

And what we mainly see in the word is the Lord himself — God himself — offering himself to be known and enjoyed. “The Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord” (1 Samuel 3:21).

The point is that if our joy is going to reflect the glory of God, then it must flow from true knowledge of how God is glorious. If we are going to enjoy God duly, we must know him truly.

Seven Sources of Joy!

 Seven Sources of Joy!

In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. (2 Corinthians 7:4)

What is extraordinary about Paul is how unbelievably durable his joy was when things weren’t going well.

Where did this come from? 

First of all it was taught by Jesus: “Blessed are you when people hate you. . . . Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven” (Luke 6:22–23). Troubles for Jesus compound your interest in heaven — which lasts a lot longer than earth.

Second, it comes from the Holy Spirit, not our own efforts or imagination or family upbringing. “The fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy” (Galatians 5:22). “You received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

Third, it comes from belonging to the kingdom of God. “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

Fourth, it comes through faith, that is, from believing God. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13). “I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25).

Fifth, it comes from seeing and knowing Jesus as Lord. “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

Sixth, it comes from fellow believers who work hard to help us focus on these sources of joy, rather than deceitful circumstances. “We work with you for your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24).

Seventh, it comes from the sanctifying effects of tribulations. “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4).

If we are not yet like Paul when he says, “I am overflowing with joy,” he calls us to be. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). And for most of us this is a call to earnest prayer. Because a life of joy in the Holy Spirit is a supernatural life.

USE OF MONEY VERSUS ETERNAL LIFE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 05, 3021.

SUBJECT : USE OF MONEY VERSUS ETERNAL LIFE! 

Memory verse: "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." (Matthew 6 vs 24.)

READ: Luke 16 vs 9 - 12:

16:9: And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.

16:10: He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust in much.

16:11: Therefore if you have not been faithful in unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

16:12: And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?

 

INTIMATION:

I know that money is a sore subject that a lot of people want to avoid, but in my considered opinion, learning how God views money and material possessions is basic Christianity. The importance of this subject is reflected in how much the Bible teaches about it. The Bible has more to say about money and material possessions than most Bible doctrines; like heaven and hell or faith and prayer. The influence of money in our lives is very real, so it isn't surprising that Jesus taught more on the subject than any other single topic. In fact one quarter of Jesus' teachings is based on this.

The resources God gives us should be used to do His work and carry out His will, but too often we use them to satisfy our own desires. When we abuse God’s gifts or use resources selfishly, we miss the real purpose God had in mind. This is as shortsighted as idolatry. God’s people should not live for money, because money will be worthless in eternity. And they should keep on guard constantly against greed, a sin that is always ready to take over their lives. God wants us to work and to provide for our families, and He commands the proper use of money. But when the desire for money fills our lives, it becomes a false god. Don’t be enslaved by the desire for wealth. 

Money seen as an end in itself quickly traps us and cuts us off from both God and the needy. The key to using money wisely is to see how much we can use for God’s purposes, not how much we can accumulate for ourselves. Does God’s love touch your wallet? Does your money free you to help others? If so you are storing up lasting treasures in heaven. If your financial goals and possessions hinder you from giving generously, loving others, or serving God, sell what you must to bring your life into line with His purposes.

Let us look at what Jesus said in the passage we read today. Jesus used money, and people's attitude towards money to reveal their hearts. Our integrity often meets its match in money matters. God calls us to be honest, even in small details we could easily rationalize away. Heaven's riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. But if we are not trustworthy with our money here (no matter how much or little we have), we will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God's kingdom.

If one cannot be trusted with the correct use of material things, he cannot be trusted to do right if entrusted with the care of the flock of God. Therefore, one’s correct use of material things determine one’s right to eternal life. A man’s faithfulness is measured by what he does with what he has. 

Prayer: Abba Father, All things are Yours. I cannot receive anything by my abilities unless You give. Help me to serve You with total obedience, and be an effective steward in all You give me, especially in the money You entrusted to my care, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

A Dangerous Motive!

 A Dangerous Motive

“Who has given a gift to [God] that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. (Romans 11:35–36)

When it comes to obedience, gratitude is a dangerous motive. It tends to get expressed in debtor’s terms. For example, “Look how much God has done for you. Shouldn’t you, out of gratitude, do much for him?” Or, “You owe God everything that you are and have. What have you done for him in return?”

I have at least three problems with this kind of motivation.

First, it is impossible to pay God back for all the grace he has given us. We can’t even begin to pay him back, because Romans 11:35–36 says, “‘Who has given a gift to [God] that he might be repaid?’ [Answer: Nobody!] For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.” We can’t pay him back because he already owns all we have to give him — including all our efforts.

Secondly, even if we succeeded in paying him back for all his grace to us, we would only succeed in turning grace into a business transaction. If we can pay him back, it was not grace. If someone tries to show you a special favor of love by having you over for dinner, and you end the evening by saying that you will pay them back by having them over next week, you nullify their grace and turn it into a trade. God does not like to have his grace nullified. He likes to have it glorified (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14).

Thirdly, focusing on gratitude as a motive for obedience tends to overlook the crucial importance of having faith in God’s future grace. Gratitude looks back to grace received in the past and feels thankful. Faith looks forward to grace promised in the future — whether five minutes from now or five centuries from now — and feels hopeful. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1).

This faith in future grace is the motive for obedience that preserves the gracious quality of human obedience. Obedience does not consist in paying God back and thus turning grace into a trade. Obedience comes from trusting in God for more grace — future grace — and thus magnifying the infinite resources of God’s love and power. Faith looks to the promise, I will be “with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9), and ventures, in obedience, to take the land.

PUT ALL YOUR TRUST IN GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 4, 2021.

SUBJECT : PUT ALL YOUR TRUST IN GOD!

Memory verse: "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." (Palm 127 vs 1.)

READ: Psalm 121 vs 1 - 8: 

121:1: I will lift up my eyes to the hills--From whence comes my help? 

121:2: My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. 

121:3: He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber, 

121:4: Behold, He who keeps Israel neither slumber nor sleep. 

121:5: The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. 

121:6: The sun shall not strike you by day nor the moon by night. 

121:7: The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. 

121:8: The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in. From this time forth, and even forevermore.

INTIMATION:

When we establish a relationship with Christ, as our personal Lord and Savior, we need not fear because (1) God is with us, (2) God has established a relationship with us, (3) God gives us assurance of His strength, help, and victory over sin and death. God is our shelter, a refuge when we are afraid. Our faith in God as Protector would carry us through all the dangers and fears of life. Therefore, put all your trust in God, trading all your fears for faith in Him, no matter how intense your fears. To do this we must "dwell" or "abide" with Him. By entrusting ourselves to his protection and pledging our daily devotion to Him, we will be kept safe.

God is All-powerful; we should never trust a lesser power than God Himself. But not only is He All-powerful, He also watches over us. Nothing diverts or deters Him. We are safe and we never out grow our need for God's untiring watch over our lives. He is our help in our daily lives. He is our protection day and night and for all times. We are safe in Him. We never outgrow our need for God's untiring watch over our lives. We should never trust a lesser power than God Himself.

God watches over us, and is so personal with us that He knows our individual names. In all the individual encounters with God in the Scripture, God called every one of them by their names. This is an indication of His care over us. He knows us individually to our minutest details. Consider the leader of your country, he does not know you by name, let alone think about you. But the King of all creation, the Ruler of the universe, is thinking about you right now. Allow this truth to buoy up your self esteem. If God always has us in His thoughts, it is expected we should keep Him in our thoughts more faithfully. 

It seems impossible to consider the end of the world without becoming consumed by fear, but the Bible is clear; God is our refuge even in the face of total destruction. He is not merely a temporary retreat, He is our eternal refuge and can provide strength in any circumstances. When we feel seriously let down by life, we should remember that we still have one hope and our only hope—God.

Families establish homes and watchmen guard cities, but both these activities are futile unless God is in them. A family without God can never experience the spiritual bond God brings to relationships. A city without God will crumble from evil and corruption on the inside. Don't make the mistake of leaving God out of your life. If you do, all your accomplishments will be futile. Make God your highest priority, and let Him do the building.

When we turn to Christ, and establish a relationship with God, we should rest assured of His guidance, protection, and defense from everything that can try to harm us. When circumstances go against us, it is tempting to think that God also is against us. When facing problems, trials, suffering and death, we may feel like giving up in despair. But that is a lie from the pit of hell. If circumstances turn against you don't blame God but rather seek Him. God is all the hope we need because He promises to be a shield to protect us. God is for us and we should focus our thoughts on Him, knowing that He will restore our confidence in Him and the future He has planned for us.

God promises great blessings to His people, but many of these blessings require our active participation. He will deliver us from fear, save us out of our troubles, guard and deliver us, show us goodness, supply our needs, listen when we talk to Him, and redeem us, but we must do our part. We can appropriate His blessings when we seek Him, cry out to Him, trust Him, fear Him, refrain from lying, turn from evil, do good and seek peace, are humble ourselves and serve Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my everything. In You I live, and move, and have my being. You are my refuge and my fortress, and in You I completely trust. You my Helper, and forever will be, and watching over me day and night. All glory, honor, thanksgiving, and adoration are Yours now and forever, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

How to Ask Forgiveness!

 

How to Ask Forgiveness

How to Ask Forgiveness

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9)

I recall hearing one of my professors in seminary say that one of the best tests of a person’s theology was the effect it has on our prayers. 

This struck me as true because of what was happening in my own life. Noël and I had just been married and we were making it our practice to pray together each evening. I noticed that during the biblical courses which were shaping my theology most profoundly, my prayers were changing dramatically. 

Probably the most significant change in those days was that I was learning to make my case before God on the ground of his glory. Beginning with “Hallowed be Thy name” and ending with “In Jesus’s name” meant that the glory of God’s name was the goal and the ground of everything I prayed. 

And what a strength came into my life when I learned that praying for forgiveness should be based not only on an appeal to God’s mercy, but also on an appeal to his justice in crediting the worth of his Son’s obedience. God is faithful and just and will forgive your sins (1 John 1:9).

In the New Testament, the basis of all forgiveness of sins is revealed more clearly than it was in the Old Testament, but the basis, namely, God’s commitment to his name, does not change. 

Paul teaches that the death of Christ demonstrated God’s righteousness in passing over sins, and vindicated God’s justice in justifying the ungodly who bank on Jesus and not themselves (Romans 3:25–26). 

In other words, Christ died once for all to clear the name of God in what looks like a gross miscarriage of justice — the acquittal of guilty sinners simply for Jesus’s sake. But Jesus died in such a way that forgiveness “for Jesus’s sake” is the same as forgiveness “for the sake of God’s name.” There is no miscarriage of justice. God’s name, his righteousness, his justice is vindicated in the very act of providing such a God-honoring sacrifice. 

As Jesus said as he faced that last hour, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:27–28). That is exactly what he did — so that he might be both just and the justifier of those who trust in Jesus (Romans 3:26).

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9)

I recall hearing one of my professors in seminary say that one of the best tests of a person’s theology was the effect it has on our prayers. 

This struck me as true because of what was happening in my own life. Noël and I had just been married and we were making it our practice to pray together each evening. I noticed that during the biblical courses which were shaping my theology most profoundly, my prayers were changing dramatically. 

Probably the most significant change in those days was that I was learning to make my case before God on the ground of his glory. Beginning with “Hallowed be Thy name” and ending with “In Jesus’s name” meant that the glory of God’s name was the goal and the ground of everything I prayed. 

And what a strength came into my life when I learned that praying for forgiveness should be based not only on an appeal to God’s mercy, but also on an appeal to his justice in crediting the worth of his Son’s obedience. God is faithful and just and will forgive your sins (1 John 1:9).

In the New Testament, the basis of all forgiveness of sins is revealed more clearly than it was in the Old Testament, but the basis, namely, God’s commitment to his name, does not change. 

Paul teaches that the death of Christ demonstrated God’s righteousness in passing over sins, and vindicated God’s justice in justifying the ungodly who bank on Jesus and not themselves (Romans 3:25–26). 

In other words, Christ died once for all to clear the name of God in what looks like a gross miscarriage of justice — the acquittal of guilty sinners simply for Jesus’s sake. But Jesus died in such a way that forgiveness “for Jesus’s sake” is the same as forgiveness “for the sake of God’s name.” There is no miscarriage of justice. God’s name, his righteousness, his justice is vindicated in the very act of providing such a God-honoring sacrifice. 

As Jesus said as he faced that last hour, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:27–28). That is exactly what he did — so that he might be both just and the justifier of those who trust in Jesus (Romans 3:26).

GOD WANTS OBEDIENCE WITHOUT HESITATION!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MAY 3, 2021.

SUBJECT : GOD WANTS OBEDIENCE WITHOUT HESITATION!

Memory verse: "By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten" (Hebrews 11 vs 17).

READ: GENESIS 22 vs 1 - 12:

22:1: Now it came to pass after these things that God tested Abraham, and said to him, "Abraham!" And he said, "Here I am."

22:2: Then He said, "Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you."

22:3: So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.

22:4: Then on the third day Abraham lifted his eyes and saw the place afar off.

22:5: And Abraham said to his young men, "Stay here with the donkey; the lad and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you."

22:6: So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering and laid it on Isaac his son; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife, and the two of them went together.

22:7: But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father and said, "My father!" And he said, "Here I am my son." Then he said, "Look, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?"

22:8: And Abraham said, "My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering." So the two of them went together.

22:9: Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order, and he bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood. 

22:10: And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

22:11: But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am."

22:12: And He said, "Do not lay your hand on the lad, or do anything to him; for now I know that you fear God, since you have not withheld your son, your only son, from Me."

INTIMATION:

In the passage we read, Abraham demonstrated one of the greatest acts of obedience recorded in history. The child, Isaac, was born after waiting for a hundred years, when his own body was already dead. He was commanded by God to offer the child for a burnt offering, even when he had no hope for another child, more so when God's promise to him was just for a child, and the child had been given to him. He undertook a three days journey of 50 miles to Mount Moriah to perform the sacrifice of his promised son, his only son, in obedience to God's command. His obedience was prompt and complete, and without hesitation.

Obeying God is often a struggle when it means giving up something we truly want; a relationship, habit, asset, emotion, and so on, or doing something against our wish or belief. We should not always expect our obedience to God to be easy or to come naturally. You can imagine how difficult it ought to be for Abraham, performing a human sacrifice of his only son of old age, in a burnt offering, a ritual practiced by pagan nations, and condemned by God as a terrible sin (Leviticus 20 vs 1 - 5). But in all these, Abraham's obedience without hesitation.

Although, God did not want Isaac to die, He was only testing Abraham; wanted Abraham to sacrifice Isaac in his heart so it would be clear that Abraham loved God more than he loved his promised and long awaited son. The purpose of testing is to strengthen our character and deepen our commitment to God and His perfect timing. Through this difficult experience, Abraham strengthened his commitment to obey God, and also, learned about God's ability to provide.

Even when obedience bring problems and hardship, it should without hesitation. For instance, when God sent Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh, and they took their message to Pharaoh just as God directed. The unhappy result was harder work and more oppression for the Hebrews. (Exodus 5 vs 1 - 9). Whatever you suffer because of obedience to God does not mean falling out of God's favor. The task or command might seem impossible, and the chances for success appear slim, but the bottom line is to obey. Anyone can obey God when the task is easy and everyone is behind it. Only those with persistent faith can obey when the task seems impossible. 

We should obey God even when we don't understand why. It is wise to precisely follow God's specific instructions. We may not fully understand the reasons behind God's instructions, but we do know that His wisdom is complete and His judgement infallible. We should obey God in all things. Selective obedience is really disobedience. Sometimes people compromise and give only partial obedience to God's commands. But commitment and obedience to God cannot be negotiated. God cannot be obeyed in half measures, or with hesitation (Genesis 19 vs 26 on Lot's wife).

Also, God is not obeyed in carelessness.  Careful Obedience to God is showing respect for Him. Aaron's sons were careless about following the laws, and in response God destroyed them with a blast of fire ( Leviticus 10 vs 1 - 2). It is easy for us to grow careless about obeying God, to live our way instead of God's, but if one way were just as good as another, God would not have commanded us to live His way. God always has good reasons for His commands, and we always place ourselves in danger when we consciously or carelessly disobey Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are the only God, and there is no other. Your thoughts for us is of good, and not of evil. I believe and put my absolute trust in You, and it is my wish to obey Your commands always without hesitation. Strengthen me in my commitment to You as I have no power of my own to obey You in all things without hesitation, in Jesus Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

God Demonstrates His Love!

God Demonstrates His Love!

God shows [demonstrates] his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)

Notice that “demonstrates” is present tense and “died” is past tense. “God demonstrates his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

The present tense implies that this demonstrating is an ongoing act that keeps happening today. And will keep happening tomorrow.

The past tense “died” implies that the death of Christ happened once for all and will not be repeated. “Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God” (1 Peter 3:18).

Why did Paul use the present tense (“God demonstrates”)? I would have expected Paul to say, “God demonstrated (past tense) his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Was not the death of Christ, when it happened, the demonstration of God’s love? And did not that demonstration happen in the past?

I think the clue is given a few verses earlier. Paul has just said that “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame” (Romans 5:3–5). 

In other words, the goal of everything God takes us through is hope. He wants us to feel unwaveringly hopeful through all tribulations.

But how can we? 

Paul answers in the next line: “Because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). God’s love has been poured into our hearts. The tense of this verb means that God’s love was poured out in our hearts in the past (at our conversion) and is still present and active.

God did demonstrate his love for us in giving his own Son to die once for all in the past for our sins (Romans 5:8). But he also knows that this past love must be experienced as a present reality (today and tomorrow) if we are to have patience and character and hope. 

Therefore, he not only demonstrated it on Calvary; he goes on demonstrating it now by the Spirit in our hearts. He does this by opening the eyes of our hearts to taste and see the glory of the cross and the guarantee it gives that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:38–39).

THE EVER CHANGING MAN VERSUS THE UNCHANGING GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MAY 02, 2021.

SUBJECT : THE EVER CHANGING MAN VERSUS THE UNCHANGING GOD!

Memory verse: "For I am the LORD, I do not change; Therefore you are not consumed, O sons of Jacob." (Malachi 3 vs 6.)

READ: Hebrews 13 vs 8:

13:8: Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

INTIMATION:

We have seen God personally acknowledge His unchanging Nature in our memory verse above. God cannot be your Father today, and tomorrow He is no more. No! Everything about Him is permanent. What He is yesterday He is today, and forever remain the same. In a changing world we can only trust our unchanging Lord!

About four thousand years ago our loving Father guided the children of Israel out of Egypt. They came to the Red Sea, He parted the waters, and the people of Israel rejoiced with God's faithfulness to them. Three days later, they were faced with a challenge; they found no water until they got to Marah. Unfortunately, the water in Marah was bitter, and they couldn't drink it. But the children of Israel were found complaining and questioning, "What shall we drink?" They, in a short while, forgot the mightiness of God, which He had displayed to them just a few miles back. (Exodus 14 & 15 vs 22-24). Nonetheless, that didn't change God.

Two thousand years later, a band of twelve hand-chosen disciples saw the power of God displayed through the Lord Jesus, as He performed the incredible miracle of feeding the five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. A similar situation faced them another time, which was an opportunity that came their way to exercise their faith, in feeding four thousand others, but they too questioned the permanence of Jesus' ability. (Matthew 14 vs 15-21 & 15 vs 32-38).

In Mark 8 vs 17 - 21, Jesus reckoned with the faithlessness, and non-understanding of His permanent Nature by His disciples: "....Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up? They said to Him "Twelve." Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up? And they said, "Seven." So He said to them, "How is it you do not understand?"

Jesus rebuked the disciples for their hard hearts. Today the hard hearts abound everywhere, even among believers. We see the same attitude in our day and age. How easily we throw up our hands in despair when faced with difficult situations. Like the disciples, we often forget that if God has cared for us in the past, He will do the same now. When facing a difficult situation, remember that God cares for you and trust Him to work faithfully again.

If you were to be honest, you might be able to remember a time when you responded in the same manner. You may have seen God's handiwork in your life, yet you later questioned if God could work in those ways ever again. Ask yourself these questions: Has God changed? Is He no longer the caring Father you need Him to be?

In Romans 3 vs 3 - 5, the apostle Paul in teaching the Roman church about God's permanence, even in judgement. He said, "Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar." God cannot deny Himself and He has said He can never change.

God is a Prepared Father. Nothing surprises our Heavenly Father because He is capable of handling every situation. We are told in Luke 1 vs 37: "For nothing is impossible with God." What great news. We may have limitations, but not our Father in heaven. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my permanent, perfect, and prepared Father. You have always been there for me, and have never changed. Give me the grace to completely trust in You, looking up unto You in every situation I face in life, knowing that in my unfaithfulness You have remained faithful and will never change, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!