FIGHTING THE TONGUE FIRE!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY OCTOBER 26, 2019.

SUBJECT: FIGHTING THE TONGUE FIRE!

Memory verse: "He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips from speaking deceit.” (First Peter 3 vs 10.)

READ: James 3 vs 5 - 12:

3:5: Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles!

3:6: And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members, that it defines the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell.
3:7: For every kind of beast and of bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed of mankind.
3:8: But no man can tame the tongue. It is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
3:9: With it we bless our God, and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God.
3:10: Out of the same mouth proceeds blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so.
3:11: Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening?
3:12: Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or grapevine bear fig? Thus no spring yields both salt salt water and fresh.

INTIMATION:

The tongue is the flexible muscular organ in the bottom of the mouth used for tasting, swallowing and human speech. In speech it boasts great things; it can damage and it can build up. The Scripture says, “For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.” (Matthew 12 vs 37.) The fire of the tongue is something difficult for anyone to control. For instance, idle and hateful words are damaging because they spread destruction quickly, and no one can stop the results once they are spoken. We dare not be careless with what we say, thinking we can apologize later, because even if we do, the scars remain. A few words spoken in anger can destroy a relationship that took years to build. Before you speak, remember that words are like fire—you can neither control nor reverse the damage they can do. 

In the passage we read today, the apostle James compares the damage the tongue can do to a raging fire that can do great and terrible damages. The uncontrolled tongue can do terrible damage. Its wickedness has its source in hell itself. Satan uses the tongue to divide people and pit them against one another. Example of untamed tongue include gossiping, putting others down, bragging, manipulating, fake teaching, exaggerating, complaining, flattering, and lying. Before you speak, ask, “Is what I want to say true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?”

The Scripture says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18 vs 21.) what we say probably affects more people than any other action we take. It is not surprising, then, that tongue boasts of great power. Fighting the tongue fire requires a great deal of self-control. You can only control what you say if you have mastered self-control. Stop and think before you speak or react, know when silence is best, and give wise advice. This is the speech pattern of a self-controlled tongue. 

A man had an altercation with his wife. The woman let loose her tongue and called the man all kinds of name. At a point the man warned the wife to desist from insulting him or else he would machete her to death. Instead of holding back her word attack, she said to the man that three of him put together cannot try such attack on her. Then, the man attacked her with the machete and killed her instantly. The consequence of an uncontrolled tongue.

We are not fighting the tongue’s fire in our own strength. The Holy Spirit will give us increasing power to monitor and control what we say, so that when we are offended, the Spirit will remind us of God’s love, and we won’t react in a hateful manner. When we are criticized, the Spirit will heal the hurt and help us to not lash out. Even though we can achieve perfect control of our tongues, the Holy Spirit will help us learn self-control. 

Have you ever lied? Have you ever hurt someone’s feelings by your words or tone of voice? Are you bitter toward anyone? Do you become angry with those who strongly disagree with you? It is time we had a rethink, and learn self-control. Even as believers, we should bridle our tongues. The apostle James says, “If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceived his own heart, this one’s religion is useless.” (James 1 vs 26.) No matter how spiritual we may think we are, we all could control our speech more effectively. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give the grace to control my tongue, that I may say the right things at the right times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

NEVER WEARY GOD WITH YOUR WORDS!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY OCTOBER 25, 2019.

SUBJECT : NEVER WEARY GOD WITH YOUR WORDS!

Memory verse: "You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, “In what way have we wearied Him? In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2 vs 17.)

READ: Malachi 3 vs 13 - 17:

3:13: “Your words have been harsh against Me,” says the LORD. “Yes you say, ‘What have we spoken so much against You?’

3:14: You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the LORD of hosts?
3:15: So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free.’”
3:16: Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them;  so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD, and who meditate on His name.
3:17: “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.”

INTIMATION:

What you say and what you don’t say are both important. To use proper speech you must not only say right words at the right time but also not say what you shouldn’t. God is Supreme and made all things, including you, according to His plans and purposes which is known to Him alone. The Creator has control over the created. The created, therefore, has no right to demand anything from its Creator—its very existence depends on Him. Keeping this perspective removes any temptation of speaking harsh words against God, or having any misgivings against Him in unpleasant life’s circumstances, especially when you are convinced you toed the right path, and put your trust in God. The Scripture says, “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” (Romans 9 vs 20.) From birth to death, we are continually in God’s grip. 

It’s important to know the kind of God worship: He is sovereign; He alone knows the end from the beginning; He is not arbitrary; in all things He works for our good, and in accordance with His plans and purposes; He is trustworthy; He will save all who believe in Him; His thoughts for us is of good not of evil. When we understand these qualities of God, we know that His choices are good even if we don’t understand all His reasons: “For all things work together for good to those that love Him, to those who are the called for a purpose.” (Romans 8 vs 28) Never allow life’s circumstances to prompt you to speak harshly against God. Rather focus continually on God who controls circumstances. 

At times the wicked prospers, leaving the godly people wondering why they bother to be good and not prospering. Eventually, the wealth of the wicked looks so inviting that faithful people may wish they could trade places. But these two themes come to unexpected ends, for the wealth of the wicked suddenly loses its power at death, and the rewards for the godly suddenly take on eternal value. What seemed like wealth is now waste, and what seemed worthless now lasts forever. Don’t wish you could trade places with evil people to get their wealth. One day they will with they could trade places with you and have your eternal wealth. Look around you and observe the wealth of many whose source of wealth is questionable. After their death, the wealth usually develop wings and begin to fly away in the hands of their survivors.

As humans, our contradictory speech often puzzles us. At times our words are right and pleasing to God, but at other times they are harsh and faithless. Which of these speech patterns reflects our true identity? We were made in God’s image, but the tongue gives us a picture of our basic sinful nature. God works to change us from the inside out. When the Holy Spirit purifies a heart, He gives self-control so that the person will speak words that please God.

God will remember those who remain faithful to Him, and who love, fear, honor, and respect Him. God’s “jewel” are those faithful to Him. Jesus said, “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matthew 11 vs 6.) Being offended in Him who made you, for His plan and purpose, is the most senseless thing anybody can do. You had no contributions of any sort in His work and therefore, no choices are available to you. Knowing that His counsel stands and He does His pleasure (Isaiah 46 vs 10) should inform us to resign completely to His leading, and never murmur against Him. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of complete obedience to You, that I may do Your will, humbly and wholeheartedly accept Your counsel and leading, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

WHAT IS YOUR WORTH BEFORE GOD?

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY OCTOBER 24, 2019.

SUBJECT : WHAT IS YOUR WORTH BEFORE GOD?

Memory verse: "Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (First Peter 2 vs 12.) 

READ: Matthew 5 vs 13 - 16:

5:13: You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? it is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and to be trampled underfoot by men.
5:14: You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hidden.
5:15: Nor do they light a lamp, and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
5:16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.

INTIMATION:

Salt is a seasoning that possesses the purifying, perpetuating, and antiseptic qualities. In the Lord’s teaching it is symbolic of that spiritual health and vigor essential to Christian value and counteractive of corruption that is in the world. Light is an electromagnetic radiation which makes vision possible. It illuminates. In Scriptures, it is emphasizes spiritual enlightenment; exposure to the truth. In darkness, light illuminates. In our Lord’s teaching, Christians are figuratively the salt and light of the world.

If a seasoning has no flavor, it is worthless. If Christians make no effort to affect the world around them, they are worth nothing before God. If we are too much like the world, we are worthless. Christians should not blend in with everyone else. Instead, we should affect others positively, just as seasoning brings out the best flavor in food. Jesus used salt to illustrate three qualities that should be found in His people; (1) We should remember God’s faithfulness, just as salt when used with a sacrifice recalled God’s covenant with His people (Leviticus 2 vs 13). (2) We should make a difference in the “flavor” of the world we live in, just as salt changes meal’s flavor. (3) We should counteract the moral decay in society, just as salt preserves food from decay. When we lose this desire to “salt” the earth with the love and message of God, we become useless to Him.

Salt can lose its flavor when it gets wet and then dries, nothing is left but a tasteless residue. Many Christians blend into the world and avoid the cost of standing up for Christ. But Jesus says if Christians lose their distinctive saltiness, they become worthless. Just as salt flavors and preserves food, we are to preserve the good in the world and bring new flavor to life. This requires careful planning, willing sacrifice, and unswerving commitment to Christ’s kingdom. But if a Christian fails to be “salty,” he or she fails to represent Christ in the world. How salty are you? 

Christians—Christ followers—as the light of the world, should illuminate the world they live in. If we live for Christ, we will glow like lights, showing others what Christ is like. If Christians then fail to illuminate the world, they are worthless or valueless before the Lord. When they fail to live in accordance with Christian beliefs—being Christ-like, they hide their light. And they hide their by (1) being quiet when they should speak, (2) going along with the crowd, (3) denying the light—denying Christ, (4) letting sin dim their light, (5) not explaining their light to others, or (6) ignoring the needs of others. Christians ought to be a beacon of truth. They should not shut their light off from the rest of the world. 

The lives of Christians should be characterized by moral purity, patience, and peacefulness, so that they will “shine” as “lights” in a dark and depraved world. Their actions should be above reproach so much so that even hostile people will end up praising God. Those hostile people are in the habit of spreading vicious lies about Christians. Gracious, godly, and winsome behavior on the part of Christians could show these rumors to be false and might even win some of the unsaved critics to the Lord. A transformed life is an effective witness to the power of God’s Word. Are you shining brightly, or are you clouded by complaining and arguing? Don’t let dissensions snuff out your light. Shine out for God. Your role is to shine until Jesus returns and bathes the world in His radiant glory.

Many Christians today are hidden from sight, reluctant to be identified as Christians. Such a Christian is like a brand-new light that never leaves the carton it came in. If a lamp doesn’t help people see, it isn’t worth much. Does your life show people how to find God and how to live for Him? If not, ask what “basket” have hidden your light. Complacency, resentment, embarrassment, stubbornness of heart, or disobedience could keep you from shining. What do you need to do to let your light shine? Show Christ to the world by your life.

When the light of the truth about Jesus Christ illuminates us, we have the duty to shine that light to help others. Our witness for Christ should be public, not hidden. We should not keep the benefits for ourselves alone but pass them on to others. In order to be helpful, we need to be well placed. Seek opportunities to shine your light when unbelievers need help to see. 

Prayer: Abba Father, engrace me to be an effective witness, and ambassador of Christ in this world, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE WISDOM YOU NEED!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 23, 2019.

SUBJECT : THE WISDOM YOU NEED!

Memory verse: 

"If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

"

 

(James 1 vs 5.)

READ: Psalm 119 vs 97 - 104

:

119:97: Oh, how I love Your law! it is my meditation all the day.
119:98: You through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me.
11:9:99: I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.
119:100: I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts.
119:101: I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word.
119:102: I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me.
129:103: How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

119:104: Through thy precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

INTIMATION:

Wisdom is simply defined as the ability to discern right from wrong. It is the ability to apply knowledge or experience or understanding or common sense and insight. Wisdom is the ability to see life from God’s perspective and then to know the best course of action to take. Most people would agree that wisdom is a valuable asset, but how can we acquire it? Proverbs 9 vs 10 teaches that the fear (respect and honor) of the Lord  is the beginning of wisdom. 

The wisdom that we need is not only gotten by acquiring knowledge, that is, it’s not just sensual. But we need both knowledge—an understanding heart (the ability to discern what is best in every circumstances), and the strength of character to act upon that knowledge. Therefore, wisdom is the ability to make good decisions based on proper discernment and judgement, and applying such decisions to the peculiar circumstances confronting you. Knowledge refers to the practical know-how necessary for handling everyday matters. Wisdom therefore, is applied knowledge. 

However, this required wisdom comes from God, and the first step to such wisdom is the “fear of God,” to honor and respect God, to live in awe of His power. Therefore, we need the ability to see life from God’s point of view, and to know the best course of action to take. This ability can only be given to us by God, and He gives it liberally and without reproach when you ask. Faith in God should be the foundation for your understanding of the world, your attitudes, and your actions. You can’t be wiser than the Creator and Owner of the world itself. We should ask God to give us the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to follow through on it. Wisdom is both the ability to discern what is best and the strength of character to act upon the knowledge. 

The wisdom that we need has three distinct characteristics: (1) It is practical: The wisdom from God relates to life even during the most trying times. It is the ability to make good decisions based on proper discernment and judgement, and applying such decisions to the peculiar circumstances confronting you. It is applied to all facets and circumstances of life, even in suffering and trials. For instance, an intelligent person may have profound ideas, but a wise person puts profound ideas into action. Intelligence will allow someone to describe several reasons why the car broke down, the wise person chooses the most likely reason and proceeds to take actions. 

(2) It is divine. God’s wisdom goes beyond common sense. Common sense will let us sorrow in the midst of troubles or trials, but divine wisdom leads us to choose joy in the middle of trials, and giving thanks to God in negative circumstances. This wisdom begins with respect for God, leads to living by God’s direction, understanding that God is Supreme and controls all things, including the negative circumstances confronting us, and results in the ability to tell right from wrong. Such wisdom leads us to do good to those who hate, or don’t wish you well. This wisdom is the tool by which trials are overcome. 

(3) It is Christlike. Asking for wisdom is ultimately asking to be like Christ. The Bible identifies Christ as the “wisdom of God.” Knowing Christ personally is the greatest wisdom anybody can have. Christians don’t have to grope around in the dark, hoping to stumble upon answers. We can ask for God’s wisdom to guide our choices. We seek the wisdom of being lead by the Hoy Spirit in every area of our lives. We should never trust on our intellect or speaking ability, but on the knowledge of God. 

Wisdom is both God-given gift and the fruit of an energetic search—the pathway to wisdom is strenuous. Wisdom’s starting point is God and His revealed Word—the source of knowledge and understanding. Therefore, we must trust and honor God, and also, realize that the Bible reveals God’s wisdom to us. This gift of God is given only to those who earnestly seek it. With God is true wisdom—Divine wisdom, and we cannot create it by our own efforts. And because God’s wisdom is hidden from the rebellious and foolish, it takes effort to find it and use it.

True wisdom can be measured by a person’s character. Just as you can identify a tree by the type of fruit it produces, you can evaluate our wisdom by the way you act. Foolishness leads to disorder, but wisdom leads to peace and goodness. Are you tempted to escalate the conflict, pass on the gossip, or fan the fire of discord? Careful, winsome speech and wise, loving words are the seeds of peace. God loves peacemakers (Matthew 5 vs 9.)

Prayer: Abba Father, engrace me with Divine wisdom that I may see life from Your perspective, and to know the best course of action to take at all circumstances, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BOLDLY DECLARE THE WORD WITH FAITH!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY OCTOBER 22, 2019.

SUBJECT : BOLDLY DECLARE THE WORD WITH FAITH!

Memory verse: 

"

And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 'I believed and therefore I spoke,' we also believe and therefore speak."

 

(Second Corinthians 4 vs 13.)

READ: Acts 19 vs 8 - 12

:

19:8: And he went into the synagogue, and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God. 

19:9: But when some were hardened, and not believe, but spoke evil of Way before the multitude, he departed from them, and withdrew the disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. 

19:10: And this continued for two years; so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks. 

19:11: Now 

God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul, 

19:12: s

o that even handkerchiefs or aprons were brought from his body to the sick, and the diseases left them, and the evil spirits went out of them.

INTIMATION:

God has given us several promises in the Scriptures. 

In our prayers, we should approach God with confidence and assurance in Him and His Word—His promises. Bold declaration of the Word of God with faith is agreeing with Him, and only in so doing will God work with you. Prophet Amos asked the very important question, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" (Amos 3 vs 3.) You agree with God by saying what He says in His Word. The bold declaration of God’s Word in faith signifies the depth of your trust and confidence in Him and His promises. And God will definitely come through to You in performance of His Word.

For instance, the Scripture says, “The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want” 

 (Psalm 23 vs 1). “And my God shall 

supply all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4 vs 19). "And by His stripes we are healed" (Isaiah 53 vs 5). "He sent His Word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions" (Psalm 107 vs 20). "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind" (Second Timothy 1 vs 7). Therefore, when you speak lack, sickness, fear, defeat, and inability, you are disagreeing with God’s Word because it contrary to His Word, and the power in God’s Word will not manifest for you.

As 'Believers' we should boldly be speaking the Word of our Father, and the power in the Word will manifest in your lips as though is the Father speaking it. It is not you or in your power, but God who hastens to perform His Word (Jeremiah 1 vs 12). As a child of God, and a believer in Christ's work of redemption, He promises to “give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist" (Luke 21 vs 15). Failure to boldly declare the Word of God is a faith failure as His child.

To walk closely with God is to walk in bold assurance of His Word—His promises. It should be in the heart of all Christians to walk closely with God. The Bible records the testimony of Enoch: "he walked with God" (Genesis 5 vs 24). Enoch wasn't the only person who could walk with God, you and I also can walk with Him. Hebrews 11 vs 5 says that Enoch "pleased God" by agreeing in faith with God. We can walk just as closely with God as Enoch did if we choose to agree with Him in faith.

How do we agree with God? We agree by saying what God says while disagreeing with the wicked, lying devil. Know it that when your word is not in agreement with God's Word, you weary Him with your word (Malachi 2 vs 17). And your confession is harsh against God (Malachi 3 vs 13.) Our relationship with the Lord should be in humility, obedience, and trust. It should not be of weariness and harshness in words. 

In our memory verse, the apostle Paul reveals that the release of power of God is consequent upon bold declaration of the Word in faith. And such assurance of faith engenders God’s confirmation with signs and wonders by the hand of the believer. Also, in 

the passage we read today, we have seen that even with the accompanying signs and wonders, not all would be convinced about Christ. God gave these men power to do great wonders as confirmation of the message of grace, but people were still divided. The important thing is to sow the seeds of the Word on the best ground you can find in the best way you can, and leave the convincing to the Holy Spirit—the Teacher, and Revealer of the truth (John 16 vs 13.) 

Prayer: Abba Father, You have magnified Your Word above all Your Name, and hasten Your Word to perform it. In bold and assurance of faith I will declare Your Word, and believe You will confirm Your Word with signs following, in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

TRUST IN THE UNCHANGING GOD!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY OCTOBER 21, 2019.

SUBJECT : TRUST IN 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 1 vs 10 - 12:

1:10: And, “You, Lord, in the beginning laid the foundation of the earth, and the heavens are the work of Your hands:
1:11: They will perish, but You remain; and they all will grow old like a garment;

12 like a cloak You will fold them up, and they will be changed. But You are the same, and Your years will not fail.

INTIMATION:

God is changeless; He is unalterable, inviolable, and persistent. In other words, you can always count on Him because He is worthy of our trust and He never changes. In accordance with His persistent nature, our Heavenly Father does not have good days or bad days. He never gets out of bed on the wrong side (maybe because He never goes to bed nor sleeps! (Psalm 121 vs 4)). Therefore, though we are in a changing and dynamic world, we can trust our unchanging Lord. 

His nature is revealed to us in Second Timothy 2 vs 13, "If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself." This is absolutely incredible! Even when you are faithless and filled with doubt, God is persistent as your Father. Despite the fact that everything else around you may be changing, and your world appears to be falling apart, there is always one thing you can count on—God never changes how He acts toward you no matter what you do. Problems and heartaches can overwhelm us and cause us to feel that God has rejected us. But God our Creator is eternally with us and will keep all His promises, even though we may feel alone. The world will perish, but God will remain. 

Jesus Christ is faithful. He will stay by our side even when we have endured so much that we seem to have no faith left. We may be faithless at times, but Jesus is faithful to His promise to be with us always, "even to end of the age" (Matthew 28 vs 20). Though some refuse Christ and His help, which breaks their communication with the Father, but He will never turn His back on us even though we may turn our back on Him. And because of His grace, He loves us persistently on our good days and bad days. Christ’s character will never change. He persistently shows His love to us. He is always fair, just, and merciful to us who are so undeserving. He will always help you when you need it and offer forgiveness when you fail.

Christ is our only security in a changing world. Whatever may happen in this world, Christ remains forever changeless. If we trust Him, we are absolutely secure, because we stand on the firmest foundation in the universe—Jesus Christ. A famous hymn captures this truth: “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” 

Earthly fathers can be so unpredictable and inconsistent, as can any human being. The result of this inconsistency is insecurity. But our Heavenly Father is persistent, consistent, and perfect. God loves us unconditionally and persistently because we are His children. In Psalms 18 vs 30, the psalmist says, "As for God, His way is perfect; The Word of the Lord is proven; He is a shield to all who trust Him." 

 

Some people think that believing in God is a crutch for weak people who cannot make it on their own. God indeed is a shield to protect us when we are too weak to face certain trials by ourselves, but He does not want us to remain weak. He strengthens, protects, and guides us in order to send us back into the world to fight for Him. Then He continues to work with us because the strongest person on earth is definitely weaker than God and needs His help. David was not a coward; he was a mighty warrior who, even with all his armies and weapons, knew that only God could ultimately protect and save him. 

When we spend more time on ourselves than on serving Christ, we treat ourselves (His creation) as being more important than our Creator. When we regard our finances, rather than our faith in Christ, as a basis for security, we give higher status to an earthly resource than we do to God. Rather than trusting in changeable and temporary resources, trust in God, who is eternal. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my Shield, my high Tower, and my Refuge, my Savior, in You I put my whole trust. You are on my side, I will not fear: what can man do to me. Engrace me to serve You all the days of my life, in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

RIGHT CONDUCT IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY OCTOBER 20, 2019.

SUBJECT: RIGHT CONDUCT IN OBEDIENCE TO GOD!

Memory verse: "And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment.” (Mark 12 vs 30.)

READ: Genesis 12 vs 2; Romans 12 vs 1; First Corinthians 2 vs 9; Colossians 3 vs 12; ; 

Genesis 12:2: And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great; and tyou shalt be a blessing:

Romans 12:1: I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

First Corinthians 2:9: “But as it is written: “Eyes has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of Man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

Colossians 3:12: Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;

INTIMATION:

God is mindful of our conduct in our obedience to Him, and He reckons it for our reward; “And, behold, I an coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work.” (Revelation 22 vs 12.) When your conduct is right before God, He speaks out for you, even before our Adversary—the devil. God said of Job to the devil, “Have you considered My Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil” (Job 1 vs 8). Job was faithful to God in all he did, serving Him with his whole heart. He was a model of trust and obedience to God, and God reckoned with him.

We obey God with (1) Our heart: by loving Him more than any relationship, activity, achievement, or possession; by placing God first in everything in our life. The human heart is the chief organ of the physical body. It occupies the most important place in the human system. By an easy transition the word came to stand for man’s entire mental and moral activity, both the rational and the emotional. In other words, the heart is used figuratively for the hidden springs of the personal life. Therefore, yielding your heart to God is yielding the central and core of your being to Him, which God desires. The Bible describes human activity as in the ‘heart.’ For instance, every thought has its seat in the heart. (Matthew 15 vs 19 - 20.)

(2) Our will; by committing ourselves completely to Him. The “will” is the decision-making capacity, indicating a power of choice. God is mindful of our will—our decisions relating to our obedience to follow Him and obey His commands. Joshua was an exemplary king who showed his subjects his will to follow after God with his family: “And if it seem evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom ye you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, 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.) It’s easy to slip into a quiet rebellion—going about life in your own way. But the time comes when you have to choose who or what will control you. The choice is yours. Will it be God, your own limited personality, or another imperfect substitute? 

(3) Our mind. The mind is the faculty that encompasses the reflective thinking of the brain and the emotional thinking of the heart. The mind denotes, speaking generally, the seat of reflective consciousness, comprising the faculties of perception and understanding, and those of feeling, judging and determining. It is the faculty of knowing, understanding, or moral reflection. God desires our seeking to know Him and His Word. His principles and values form the foundation of all we think and do. Th apostle Paul desires that we conform our minds to God’s and His Word; “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (Romans 12 vs 2)

 (4) Our Body: The body is one’s essence. It’s, as a whole, the instrument of life. It’s is used to denote the physical nature, as distinct from the spiritual nature, and soul. God desires we serve Him with our body, recognizing that our strengths, talents, and sexuality are given to us by Him to be used for pleasure and fulfillment according to His rules, not ours: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.” (Romans 12 vs 1.) God wants us to offer ourselves as living sacrifice—daily laying aside our own desires to follow Him, putting all our energy and resources at His disposal and trusting Him to guide us. God wants the best for us. He wants us to be transformed people with renewed minds, living to honor and obey Him. 

(5) Our finances: All of the resources we have ultimately come from God, and we are only managers of them, and not owners. The Scripture says, “...A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.” (John 3 vs 27.) The power to get wealth comes from God (Deuteronomy 8 vs 18). And He blesses us to be a blessing to others (Genesis 12 vs 2). 

(6) Our future: By deciding to make service to God and man the main purpose of our life's work. God knows the future. Any believer can trust His or her future to God because God already knows what is going to happen. Today people are still fascinated by horoscopes, fortune-telling, witchcraft, and bizarre cults. Often their interest comes from a desire to know and control the future. In the Bible God tells us all we need to know about what is going to happen. With the trustworthy guidance of the Holy Spirit through the Bible and the church, we don’t need to turn to occult sources for faulty information.

The Scripture says, “But as it is written: “Eyes has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of Man the things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” (First Corinthians 2 vs 9.) We cannot imagine all that God has in store for us, both in this life and in eternity. He will create a new heaven and a new earth (Isaiah 65 vs 17; Revelation 21 vs 1.), and We will live with Him forever. Until then, His Holy Spirit comforts and guides us. Knowing the wonderful and eternal future that awaits us gives us hope and courage to press on in this life, to endure hardship, and to avoid giving in to temptation. The world is not all there is. The best is yet to come. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to rightly conduct in my obedience to You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!