THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRISTMAS!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 25, 2019.

SUBJECT : THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRISTMAS! 

Memory verse: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

" 

(Luke 2 vs 11.)

READ: Isaiah 9 vs 6 - 7:

9:6: For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

9:7: Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

INTIMATION:

Christmas is an annual festival in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe is the Son of God, and holds on 25th December—Christmas Day. The name Christmas comes from the Mass of Christ. A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life. It’s also the season at which the celebration occurs. Christmas is a season of great joy. It is a time of God showing His great love for us (John 3 vs 16). God sent His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born, and to die for the sins of the whole world.

Jesus means “the Lord saves.” Jesus came to earth to save us because we can’t save ourselves from sin and its consequences. No matter how good we are, we can’t eliminate the sinful nature present in all of us. Only Jesus can do that. Jesus didn’t come to help people save themselves; He came to be their Savior from the power and penalty of sin. Jesus would fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, for He would be Immanuel (“God with us,” see Isaiah 7 vs 14). Jesus was God in the flesh; thus, God was literally among us, “with us.” Through the Holy Spirit, Christ is present today in the life of every believer. 

In Jesus, the infinite, unlimited God took on the limitations of humanity so He could live and die for the salvation of all who would believe in Him. His story is one of truth, love, and hope—it brought salvation to all of us. The fall of man in the book of Genesis is the foundation of Christmas. The fall of man into sin at the Garden of Eden necessitated the need for a Savior to be born to deliver the world from sin. The bad news of Adam’s sin was punishable by death (Genesis 2 vs 17). 

Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so He could die on the cross for all of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our hearts and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. The Scripture says, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (First John 1 vs 9.)

Jesus came to the world to restore the dignity of man that was lost to Satan through Adam’s treason at the Garden of Eden. God sent His only Son to die for us so that we could be spared from the eternal death we deserve and instead receive eternal life (John 3 vs 16.) Because Jesus lived as a man, we know that He fully understands our experiences and struggles (Hebrews 4 vs 15 - 16). Because He is God, He has the power and authority to deliver us from sin (Colossians 2 vs 13 - 15).

Jesus came to give us peace. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14 vs 27.) With the Spirit of Jesus—the Holy Spirit—at work in our lives, we have deep and lasting peace. Unlike worldly peace, which is usually defined as the absence of conflict, this peace is confident assurance in any circumstance; with Jesus’ peace we have no need to fear the present or future. Sin, fear, uncertainty, doubt, and numerous other forces are at war within us. The peace of God moves into our hearts and lives to restrain these hostile forces and offer comfort in place of conflict.

Jesus came to give us life. He said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10 vs 10.)  in contrast to the thief who takes life, Jesus gives life. The life He gives right now is abundantly rich and full. It is eternal, yet it begins immediately. Life in Christ is lived on a higher plane because of His overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance.

You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look into God’s Face and tell Him you have received His Christmas gift. You should ask yourself: “He came to be my Lord and Savior, to save me from sins and reign as King in my heart; have I fulfilled the significance of His birth by responding to the significance of His death and resurrection? (See Acts 2 vs 36 - 38). If you forget about Jesus in this Christmas season, you’ve missed the entire, glorious point of the celebration. Jesus Christ is the reason for the season.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of a Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, I confess You as my personal Lord and Savior, forgive me my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness, that I may live for You henceforth, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

RETURN GOOD FOR EVIL!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY DECEMBER 24, 2019.

SUBJECT : RETURN GOOD FOR EVIL! 

Memory verse: "See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

" 

(First Thessalonians 5 vs 15.)

READ: Matthew 5 vs 43 - 44; First Peter 3 vs 8 - 9:

Matthew 5:43: You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.'

5:44: But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,

First Peter 3:8: Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous;

3:9: not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

INTIMATION:

It is often fashionable, in this our fallen world, to tear people down verbally or get back at them, if we feel hurt. God encourages us to pay back wrongs by praying for the offenders. In God's kingdom, revenge is an unacceptable behavior, and therefore, is ungodly. Rise above getting back at those who hurt you. Instead of reacting angrily to these people, pray for them.

In one of the passages we read today, the apostle Peter warns us against returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling (abusing, maligning, belittling, defaming, or deriding). But, on the contrary, we should bless our offenders, knowing that God called you to this, and in so doing, you inherit His blessing. 

Jesus said, "But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you." (Matthew 5 vs 44.) It is difficult or near impossible, in this fallen world to love your enemies, or bless those who curse you, or do good to those who hate you. When we are wronged or feel wronged, often our first reaction is to get even. Instead, Jesus said we should do good to those who wrong us! Our desire should not be to keep score but to love and forgive. However, this is not natural, but supernatural! 

If you love your enemies and treat them well, you will truly show that Jesus is Lord of your life, and this is only possible for those who give themselves fully to God, because only Him can deliver people from natural selfishness, and gives us strength to love as He does. Instead of planning vengeance pray for those who hurt you. Our praying for our offenders rather than revenge helps us not to take laws into our hands and we then overcome evil with good.

Jesus, our Messiah, and 'Role Model,' prayed for His enemies, His accusers, His persecutors, who abused, maligned, belittled, defamed, and derided Him, even on the weight of excruciating pains as He hung of the cross; He said on the cross, "....Father forgive them, for they know not what they do...." (Luke 23 vs 24.)

In God's kingdom, revenge is an unacceptable behavior, and therefore, is ungodly. Rise above getting back at those who hurt you. Instead of reacting angrily to these people, speaking guile words, pray for them. When our speech is motivated by Satan, it is full of bitter envy, selfish ambition, earthly concerns and desires, unspiritual thoughts and ideas, confusion, and evil. But when our speech motivated by God and His wisdom, it is full of mercy, love for others, peace, consideration for others, submission, sincerity, impartiality, and righteousness.

It is often our desire to return evil for evil, tear people down verbally or get back at them, if we feel hurt. God encourages us to pay back wrongs by praying for the offenders, to seek peace and pursue it. If we love life and desire to see good days, we should eschew evil and do good. "For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; but the face of the LORD is against those who do evil." (First Peter 3 vs 12.)

Too often we see peace as merely the absence of conflict, and we think of peacemaking as a passive role. But an effective peacemaker actively pursues peace by building good relationships, knowing that peace is a by-product of commitment. The peacemaker anticipates problems and deals with them before they occur. When conflicts arise, they are brought into the open and dealt with before they grow unmanageable. Making peace is hard work—you have to search for it and work to maintain it—but it results in God's blessing.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the fruit of the Spirit of love, that I may be strengthened to pay back evil with good, and to love my neighbor as myself," in Jesus' Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE PRAYER HABIT!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY DECEMBER 23, 2019.

SUBJECT : THE PRAYER HABIT!

Memory verse: "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray, and not lose heart.

" (Luke 18 vs 1.)

READ: Psalm 5 

vs 1 -

 3: 

1 Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my meditation.
2 Give need to the voice of my cry, my King, and my God, for to You I will pray.

3 My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD. In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.

INTIMATION:

Prayer is communing with the Lord, and it is the most powerful resource of a Christian. Communion with God through prayer is the most essential armor of God available to the Christian, and is for constant use. The results are often greater than we thought were possible. There is no denying the fact that the lack of prayer is the bane of the individual members of the body of Christ. Prayer should be as natural as breathing and as enjoyable as eating. It should be as unconscious as our communication with each other. While doing all these we must not lose the fact that we are communicating in fellowship with Someone superior to us but has given us the privilege to come to Him. 

Jesus was a man of prayer. He taught prayer, not as a slavish duty, but as a glorious privilege. In our memory verse, He said that “men ought to pray and not faint,” that is to say that we need to form the prayer habit, and maintain constant communication with the Lord. If prayer was Important to Jesus, then it must be important to His followers. Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God with Whom there are no impossibilities or difficulties. Therefore, it is imperative we should be in constant communion with Him as we live for Him day by day, believing He will answer. As we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith, and hope. When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but His delays always have good reasons. 

Our persistence is an expression of our faith that God answers our prayers. Our faith shouldn’t die if the answers come slowly, for the delay may be God’s way of working His will in our life. When we feel tired of praying, know that God is present, always listening, always answering—maybe not in ways you had hoped, but in ways that He knows are best.

Praying morning, afternoon and night is certainly an excellent way to maintain correct priorities throughout every day. Daniel followed this pattern (Daniel 6 vs 10), as did Peter (Acts 10 vs 9 - 10). The prayers of God’s people are effective against the overwhelming evil in the world. David knew this secret of constant communion with the Lord, and He said, ”Evening, morning and at noon, I will pray, and cry aloud, and He shall hear my voice.” (Psalm 55 vs 17.) 

How can one pray at all times? One way is to make quick, brief prayer your habitual response to every situation you meet throughout the day. Another way is to order your life around God’s desires and teachings so that your very life becomes a prayer. You don’t have to isolate yourself from other people and from daily work in order to pray constantly. You can make prayer your life and your life a prayer while living in a world that needs God’s powerful influence. 

Regular communication helps any friendship and is certainly necessary for a strong relationship with God. We need to communicate with Him daily. Do you have a regular time to pray and read God’s Word? The secret of a close relationship with God is to pray to Him earnestly each morning. In the morning, our minds are more free from problems, and then we can commit the whole day to God. Every Christian should form the habit of continuing earnestly in prayer and be vigilant in it. Prayer quiets our thoughts and emotions and prepares us to listen. Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails. This approach is backward. Prayer should come first. Because God’s power is infinitely greater than ours, it only makes sense to rely on it—especially because God encourages us to do so.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of prayer and supplication that I may habitually remain in constant communication with You—the source of all powers, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!  

BE BORN AGAIN!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY DECEMBER 22, 2019.

SUBJECT : BE BORN AGAIN!

Memory verse: "Who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1 vs 1 3.) 

READ: John 3 vs 3 - 8: 

3:3: Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 

3:4; Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?"

3:5: Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 

3:6: That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit. 3:7: Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' 

3:8: The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit."

INTIMATION:

Being ‘born again’ consists of the two great objectives in redemption; restoration of God’s relationship, and fellowship, with man. God is working to the end that man may legally become His child, a partaker of His very nature, so that he will be a genuine heir and joint-heir with Jesus. The lost relationship and fellowship through Adam’s high treason, are restored as righteousness is restored through Christ’s substitutionary work for man: "....For He restores to man His righteousness” (Job 33 vs 26).

There can be no fellowship unless man can stand in the presence of God the Father without the consciousness of guilt, of sin, or of inferiority. There can be no fellowship of the type that the Father craves unless man is utterly free from sin consciousness and free from the fear of Satan's dominion. So the whole redemptive process have been to the end that He might have children, and that these children should live in the closest fellowship of love and freedom with Himself. The sin problem must be settled on legal grounds so that God will have a perfect right to impart to man His own nature, thereby making this man an absolute New Creation. The sin in man’s nature must be driven out by the nature of God coming in.

Man's spirit must be in perfect harmony with the Father. Man is made up of spirit, soul and body. The part of man that had to be recreated was the spirit of man. The mind is renewed and his body brought into subjection to the Word, and that constitutes the first phase of a perfect redemption—being ‘born again.’ Man must become an actual child of God, as truly as was Jesus Christ in His earthly walk. This can only come by a re-birth of the spirit of man, a real new creation of which Jesus speaks in the passage we read today. Jesus revealed that the kingdom will come to the whole world (John 3 vs 16), and no man could be part of it unless he is personally born again. The kingdom concept is personal, not national or ethnic, and its entrance requirements are repentance and spiritual  re-birth. 

The ‘born again’ child is begotten of the Will of the Father; "Of His own Will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of first-fruits of His creatures." (James 1 vs 18.) Two facts are shown here: We are born of His Will, and also of His Word. It is all of God—His Will and His Word. God’s Word Is His Will, and His Will is expressed in His Word.

You can now see why in Ephesians 2 vs 10 we are referred to as God's workmanship; 

"For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." The new creation is all of God, wrought through the Word, and of the Holy Spirit. As soon as man is recreated—born again—the Father, through the Holy Spirit, begins the beautiful process of renewing his mind. The Scriptures in Romans Romans 12 vs 2 says, "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect Will of God.”

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the unparalleled love You showered on me, the privilege of sonship, and my legal stand in the family of God. Everything within me will forever praise You, for You are my Loving Father, my Faithful Companion, and my Sacrificial Savior, in Jesus’ I have given thanks, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

FRIENDSHIP WITH UNBELIEVERS!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 21, 2019.

SUBJECT : FRIENDSHIP WITH UNBELIEVERS!

Memory verse: "And when Jesus came to the place, he looked up, and saw him, and said to him, “Zacchaeus, make haste and come down; for today I must stay at your house.

" (Luke 19 vs 5.)

READ: Luke 5 

vs 27 - 32: 

5:27: After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, “Follow me.”
5:28: So he left all rose up, and followed Him.
5:29: Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his own house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them.
5:30: And their scribes and Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”
5:31: Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who  are sick.

5:32: I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.

INTIMATION:

Unbelievers are those skeptical of matters of religious truth; not believing in God, and in the substitutionary work of His Son Jesus Christ for mankind. Consequently, they are not Christ’s followers.

Jesus taught his followers to befriend unbelievers or sinners and lead them to Him. Befriending unbelievers is investable if we are to lead them to Christ. However, we must be wary of those who are viciously evil, immoral, or opposed to all that Christianity stands for. Such people are more likely to influence us for evil than we are to influence them for good. It is obvious that we should not disassociate ourselves from unbelievers—otherwise we could not carry out Christ’s command to tell them about salvation (see Matthew 28 vs 18 - 20).

But we are to distance ourselves from hypocrites; the person with pretense of piety—false or godless persons. Such person pretend or claim to be Christians, yet indulge in sins explicitly forbidden in Scripture by rationalizing his or her actions. By rationalizing sin, a person harms others for whom Christ died and dims the image of God in himself or herself.

Christians or believers usually wrongly interpret the apostle Paul’s teaching regarding association with unbelievers in Second Corinthians 6 vs 14 - 15. He said, “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 part has a believer with unbeliever?” 

The apostle Paul urges believers not to be “unequally yoked,” that is, not to be burdened or bear burden together with unbelievers. That is burdens of partnerships in business or anything associations of like manner, because this might weaken their Christian commitment, integrity, or standards. Because believers don’t share the same faith with unbelievers, common grounds are usually difficult in such partnership due to different believe systems. It would be a mismatch. Earlier, Paul had explained that this did not mean isolating oneself from unbelievers (See First Corinthians 5 vs 9 - 10). When believers in leadership positions become allied with unbelievers, values can be compromised and spiritual awareness dulled. Hence the Bible often warns against teaming up with unbelievers.

For married couples, the apostle Paul even urges Christians to stay with their unbelieving spouses if such marriages were consummated before any of the spouse becomes a believer (First Corinthians 7 vs 12 - 13). He wanted believers to be active in their witness for Christ to unbelievers, but they 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. 

These verses also have strong application to marriage. The apostle Paul did not want single believers to enter into marriage with unbelievers. Such marriages cannot have unity in the most important issue in life—commitment and obedience to God. Because marriage involves two people becoming one, faith may become an issue, and one spouse may have to compromise beliefs for the sake of unity. Many people discount this problem only to regret it later. Don’t allow emotion or passion to blind you with someone who will not be your spiritual partner. For those who have discovered God’s light, there can be no fellowship or compromise with darkness (First Corinthians 10 vs 20 - 21.) 

Just as when a man and a woman fall in love, so also new believers rejoice at their newfound forgiveness. Associations with unbelievers when the new believers are not yet firmly rooted in Christ may cause them to lose sight of the seriousness of sin, and then they begin to lose the thrill of their forgiveness. In the first steps of your Christian life, you may have had enthusiasm without knowledge. Do you now have knowledge without enthusiasm? Both are necessary if we are to keep love for God intense and untarnished.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with divine wisdom, that I may walk circumspect in dealings with unbelievers that my faith will not be compromised, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

COMPROMISING YOUR FAITH!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 20, 2019.

SUBJECT : COMPROMISING YOUR FAITH!

Memory verse: "For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not loyal to the LORD his God, as was the heart of his father David.

" (First Kings 11 vs 4.)

READ: 

Genesis 19 vs 12 - 14: 

19:12: Then the men said to Lot, “Have you anyone else here? Son-in-law, your sons, your daughters, and whomever you have in the city—take them out of this place!

12:13: For we will destroy this place, because the outcry against them has grown great before before the face of the LORD; and the LORD has sent us to destroy it.

12:14: So Lot went out, and spoke to his sons in-law, who had married his daughters, and said, “Get up, get out of this place; for the LORD will destroy this city!” But to his sons-in-law he seemed to be joking.

INTIMATION:

Compromise can be defined as a blending of the qualities of two different things or a concession of principles. Compromise is an important element in getting along with others, but we should never compromise the truth of God’s Word and our faith in Him.. If we feel we have to change our Christian beliefs to match those of our companions, we are on dangerous ground. Cooperate with people as much as you can, but avoid any alliance, partnership, or participation that could lead to immoral practices. Sometimes people urge believers to compromise and give only partial obedience to God’s commands. But commitment and obedience to God cannot be negotiated. When it comes to obeying God, half measures won’t do.

We also are living in times of widespread sin and sexual immorality. It is popular to be open-minded toward many types of sin, calling them personal choices or alternative lifestyles. But when believers begin to tolerate sin in their lives, it is lowering the standards and compromising their faith and effective witnessing for Christ. Remember that God’s approval is infinitely more important than the world’s. Use God’s Word, not what people around you are willing to accept, to set the standards for what is right or wrong. When we want to take part in an activity that we know is wrong, we may make excuses to justify our behavior, saying that it isn’t as bad as it seems or that it won’t hurt your faith. Christ has strong words for those who look for excuses to sin.

The passage we read today is about Lot who had lived so long in Sodom, and was contented among ungodly people that he was no longer a believable witness for God. He had allowed his environment to shape him, rather than he shaping his environment. Lot had compromised to the point that he was almost useless to God. When he finally made a stand, nobody listened. The angels told him to let his people know about the impending destruction of the city, but his sons-in-laws did not take him serious because he has so compromised his faith and became an ineffective witness to God. To make a difference, you must first decide to be different in your faith and your conduct.

Our memory verse relates to King Solomon, Israelite’s King who so much compromised his faith in God and allowed pagan worship resulting from pressures from his numerous foreign wives. For all his wisdom, Solomon had some weak spots. He could not say no to compromise or lustful desires. Whether he married to strengthen political alliances or to gain personal pleasure, these foreign wives led him into idolatry. You may have strong faith, but you also have areas of weakness—and that is where temptation usually strikes. Strengthen and protect yourself where you are weak because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Solomon handled great pressures in running the government, but could not handle the pressure from his wives who wanted him to worship their gods. Solomon, the wisest man, could fall, so you can. 

In marriage and close relationships, it is difficult to resist pressure to compromise. Our love leads us to identify with the desires of those we care about. Faced with such pressure, Solomon at first resisted it, maintaining pure faith. Then he tolerated a more widespread practice of idolatry. Finally he became involved in idolatrous worship, rationalizing away the potential danger to himself and to his kingdom. Because we want to please and identify with our loved ones, God asks us not to marry those who do not share our commitment to Him.

When we ignore God’s clear statements of right and wrong and make decisions based on the preferences of our audience, we fall into compromise and lawlessness. God promises to honor those who do right, not those who make everyone happy. When you have a difficult decision to make, don’t discount the effects of peer pressure. Realize beforehand that the right decision could have unpleasant consequences: social rejection, career derailment, public ridicule. Resolve to stand for what is right no matter what other people pressure you to do.

Daniel and his friends—Shadrach,  Meshach, and Abednego—were astute examples of godly people who refused to compromise their faith. The Babylonians were trying to change their thinking by giving them a Babylonian education, their loyalty by changing their names, their lifestyle by changing their diet (see Daniel 1 vs 1 - 20). Without compromising, Daniel found a way to live by God’s standards in a culture that did not honor God. Wisely choosing to negotiate rather than to rebel, Daniel suggested an experimental 10-day diet of vegetables and water instead of the royal foods and wine the king offered. Without compromising, Daniel quickly thought of a practical, creative solution that saved his life and the lives of his companions. As God’s people, we may adjust to our culture as long as we do not compromise God’s laws.

When we share our message across cultural and economic boundaries, we must be sure that the requirements for faith we set up are God’s, not people’s. In trying to find a common ground with those to whom we witness, we must be careful not to fall into the quicksand of compromise. When reaching out to others, we must be sure that our own footing is safe and secure. Be careful not to become so much like non-Christians that no one can tell who you are or what you believe. Influence them for Christ—don’t allow them to influence you for sin.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of uncompromising faith in You, that I may be found worthy of Your crown of glory, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BELIEVERS WORTH IN CHRIST!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY DECEMBER 19, 2019.

SUBJECT : BELIEVERS WORTH IN CHRIST!

Memory verse: "But 

if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8 vs 11).

READ: Ephesians 1 vs 17 - 23:

1:17: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

1:18: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints,

1:19: and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

1:20: which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

1:21: far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

1:22: And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church,

1:23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

INTIMATION:

In the first three chapters of the apostle Paul's epistle to the church in Ephesus, he enumerated the consummation of Christ's substitutionary work regarding Satan and his cohorts—the demons. His heart intent is that we will come to the full knowledge of what we are in Christ. From the passage we read today, we observed that he prayed that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant us the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him—the mysteries and secrets in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him—by having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called us, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the believers.

He clearly states that it is the working of God's spiritual might which He wrought in Christ when He raised Him up from the among dead, and that same Spirit is still at work within us. The heart can hardly take it in that the same Might, the same Resurrection Power, that wrought in the dead body of Jesus is ours today. That same Spirit that embodied the power is indwelling us today, and with the same power.

In Ephesians 2 vs 4 - 6, the Scripture says, "But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus." You must always keep in mind that we were raised together with Him, and He made us to sit with Him in the heavenly places; so representatively, we are seated on the throne with Christ.

Jesus has been given all authority (Matthew 28 vs 18), and that authority belongs to His body—the church—for our benefit. He conquered all the forces of darkness and left them paralyzed and broken before He arose from the dead. It is as though we had accomplished the mighty work, because It is reckoned for us at our credit. Now take note of Ephesians 1 vs 22 - 23, "And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all." Consequently, all these malignant, wicked influences are beneath our feet. We have been made masters of them all. He did not defeat them for Himself, but for us. He did not fight that battle for His glory, but for our good. 

We are the fullness of Him (John 1 vs 16). We are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power (Colossians 2 vs 10). He is not only our fullness, but we are His fullness also. The word, "fullness" comes from a Greek word that is almost untranslatable: "pleroma," which means "completeness," "perfectness," or any other synonym that suggests fullness. 

That knowledge should become as common to us, and as usable as the multiplication table. And when this is done Believers will spend less or no time glorying the devil, instead of using the time time to glorify Jesus Christ for His triumph over Satan and his cohorts. It was for this reason that the apostle Paul thanked God in Second Corinthians Colossians 2 vs 14, for His triumph over Satan for us; "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ...."

When will our hearts take it in, and our minds become fruitful with this mighty unveiling of what we are in Christ? I hardly give the devil any room to minister his usual lies to me because no matter the circumstances I found myself. By God's grace, I have embraced the truth—my inheritance in Christ. That is the Hallelujah chorus of the new creation, and it never becomes real until you begin to confess it, begin to tell to the world what you are in Christ.

Hebrews 9 vs 12 tells us that this is an ‘Eternal Redemption.’ Not just a redemption for the hour in which it was done, but that Satan is as much defeated now as he was when Christ arose from the dead; that he is as much a subject to the Name of Jesus as he was when Jesus conquered him.

Prayer: Abba Father, I thank You for what You wrought for me in redemption in Christ Jesus. Thank You for the triumph You have given me in Christ over Satan. Help me to comprehend what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of Christ's love for me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!