THE BELIEVER’S LIFE IN CHRIST!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MARCH 5, 2020.

SUBJECT : THE BELIEVER’S LIFE IN CHRIST!

Memory verse: "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption." (First Corinthians 1 vs 30.)

READ: Galatians 2 vs 20; Colossians 2 vs 9 - 10:

Galatians 2:20: I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Colossians 2:9: For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; 

2:10: and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. 

INTIMATION:

In the new birth, we have become one with Christ, and His experiences are ours. Christian life began when, in unity with Christ, we died to our old life (See Romans 6 vs 5 - 11). And yet the focus of Christianity is not on dying but on living. Because we have been crucified with Christ, we have also been raised with Him (Romans 6 vs 5). Legally, we have been reconciled with God (Second Corinthians 5 vs 19) and are free to grow in Christ’s likeness (Romans 8 vs 29). And in our daily life, we have Christ’s resurrection power as we continue to fight sin (Ephesians 1 vs 19 - 20). We are no longer alone, for Christ lives in us—He is our power for living and our hope for the future (Colossians 1 vs 27).

Christ is the strength of the believer’s life. He is the fount of our resources as believers and the reason for our personal and living relationship with God. Our union and identification with Christ results in our having God's wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2 vs 3), possessing right standing with God (righteousness, Second Corinthians 5 vs 21), being sanctified (First Thessalonians 3 vs 3 -7), and having the penalty of our sins paid by Jesus (redemption, Mark 10 vs 45).

God is our ability. He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. We are partakers of His divine nature. His wisdom is given to us in Christ without measure, so we can safely say He is our ability. Jesus told His disciples, to wait in the city of Jerusalem they are endued with power from on high (Luke 24 vs 49). The word "power" comes from the Greek word "dunamis." Some translations call it "ability." They were to tarry in Jerusalem until they received the ability of God.

Christ has come into the believer in His fullness; with all His completeness. The limitless One has come into the believer to take over. He gave His ability, His completeness. Now, we can understand John 1 vs 16 that says, "Of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace." All that the believer requires is to be filled with the knowledge of God’s will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.  Consequently, we will walk worthily of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, bearing fruit unto every good work and continually increasing in this exact, and perfect knowledge of God, and strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power. (See Colossians 1 vs 9 - 13).

This new light has given the believer a new responsibility in the prayer life. You can understand now why He said, "Come boldly unto the Throne of Grace" into the Throne Room (Hebrews 4 vs 16), where He and the Father are seated together. You are not to come as a servant or a slave, but as a lover, a son. Now, prayer of course, is not going to be what it was before you knew who you are in Christ, and what your privileges are. Prayer is now coming boldly in the Throne Room, in fellowship with your Father and the Son—the first born among many brethren, and putting Him into remembrance of His promises—His Word, contending together with Him, and stating your case clearly to obtain His promises (Isaiah 43 vs 26).

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You so much for the privilege of sonship granted me. My eyes of understanding are continually enlightened with the spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of You. Now, I know the hope of Your calling, and the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in me, in Jesus’ Name I have given thanks, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BREAKFAST BY THE SEASIDE
Life's Punchlines... (Volume 3).
❤🇳🇬🇳🇬 Year 2020🇳🇬🇳🇬❤.

Preacher: Priest Godsknight O.J

Topic: Pleasant Fictions (2).

Text: Is 30v10 "They say to the seers, " See no more visions!", and to the prophets, "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions."

Humans has this constant willingness to cut corners, contrary to divine instructions at the slightest opportunity. This weakness has given pleasant fictions a large market worldwide.

King Ahab was to go to a war, King Jehoshaphat advised him to inquire from God. Prophet Micaiah told him the truth but King Ahab preferred his "Pleasant Fictions Prophets", which led to his death (1 Kings 22v1-40).

Pleasant fictions are taught in schools, many people's career & religions are built around it. A handful even lay down their lives to defend the hypocrisy ignorantly ( Luke 12v1-3).

However, the earth is beginning to take interesting shapes since Calvary's victory. Despite our inadequacies, the devil 😈 can't force Jesus to antagonize us anymore.

Our job as Christians is to heal the walls causing the great divide till they become useful bridges. We can't stay divided because of well programmed pleasant fictions (Eph 2v14).

Some take pride in atrocities, yet, wants to give directives to those who chose modesty (Luke 20v 46-47). Uncountable lives are wasted yearly due to pleasant fictions.

King Solomon saw how destinies were built on mere pleasant fictions, no concrete foundation, & concluded that all is vanity upon vanity (Luke 6v47-49 ).

For Instance, top law enforcement agencies know money launderers, yet, will wait for money to circulate before nabbing innocent customers that patronizes the bank 🏦.

We're in the age of truth, we can't afford to be bats anymore (Jn 8v32). A truth that throws you off balance, is your truth. Embrace it now & let go of disastrous pleasant fictions (Prov 25v27).

God bless you🤝.
Instagram: @PriestGodsknight.

THE GRACE TO LIVE HOLY!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MARCH 4, 2020.

SUBJECT:  THE GRACE TO LIVE HOLY!

Memory verse:  "For God did I not call us to uncleanness but in holiness.” (First Thessalonians 4 vs 7.) 

READ:  First Peter 1 vs 13 - 16:

1:13: Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1:14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

1:15: but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 

1:16: because it is written, “Be Holy, For I am holy.”

INTIMATION:

Grace, as undeserved (unmerited) favor, is one aspect of grace, we are  probably most accustomed to hearing about, and it is wonderful. But we have also seen that grace is power—the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives—that enables us overcome our problems. It is the power of God available to meet our needs without cost to us. There is nothing more powerful than grace, and it is received by believing rather than through human effort.

What is holiness? Holiness is being "separated to God,"—being consecrated or set aside for sacred use. It is standing apart from sin and evil. It is a separation that should result in "conduct befitting those so separated." It is the characteristics or nature of God, especially the third person of the "Trinity."  

Holiness is a demand on us by God. We are to separate ourselves from the world's sinful values, and be devoted to God's desire rather than our own, and carry His love and mercy into the world. God's plan for us ab initio, is to be like Him, hence His creating us in His own image and after His likeness (Genesis 1 vs 26). He wanted us to live like Him. Unfortunately, sin separated us from Him. In His love, mercy and grace, He sent His Son, as a propitiation for our sins (First John 4 vs 10), and through His blood reconciled us back to Himself, to live for Him and be like Him. 

But while God wants us to be holy, He realizes our weakness and inability. He knows that without help we can never be what He desires for us to be or wants us to do. That is why He has sent His Spirit to help us to fulfill His design and purpose for us. Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and the Holy Spirit has been sent to prepare us for that place. That is not a Scripture, but it is scriptural, that is, a truth based on the Word of God. This process through which the Holy Spirit makes us holy, or leads us into holiness is called sanctification. 

Sanctification therefore, refers to the process that God uses to do a work in us by His Holy Spirit to make us more and more holy until finally we become just like His Son Jesus. It is God's grace (the power of the Holy Spirit) we receive that enables us to meet the need of sanctification—the transformation process to holiness.

In Hebrews 10 vs 14, the Bible says, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." We have been made perfect, yet we are being sanctified (made holy). Through His death and resurrection, Christ, once for all, made His believers perfect in God's sight. At the same time He is making them holy (progressively cleansed and set apart for His special use) in their daily pilgrimage here. We should not be surprised, ashamed or shocked that we still need to grow. God is not finished with us yet.

Sanctification is a progressive venture. The finality of that process will never occur while we are in these earthly bodies. But we don't need to be concerned about that. The only thing we need to be concerned about is progress. The question we must ask ourselves is, “Are we making progress toward holiness, are we cooperating with the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to do what He wants to do in our lives?” 

As believers we are not to be anxious about holiness or the process of sanctification ('be anxious for nothing' (Philippians 4 vs 6)), but we are to be serious about it. We are to recognize that it is God's Will for us. We are to desire and thirst for it with all our hearts, and sincerely ask God for it in our fellowship with Him. We are to make every effort to cooperate with the Holy Spirit Who is working to bring it to pass in us day by day.

Prayer: Abba Father, in Your loving kindness, and the riches of Your grace You saved us from the bondage of sin and Satan to live for You, and be like You. I thirst for the endowment of Your Spirit of grace for my sanctification, to lead a holy life as You desire, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

YOU ASK AND DO NOT RECEIVE!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MARCH 3, 2020

SUBJECT: YOU ASK AND DO NOT RECEIVE!

Memory verse: "You ask and do not receive, because you ask amiss, that you may spend it on your pleasures." (James 4 vs 3.) 

READ:  James 1 vs 5 - 8; First John 5 vs 14 - 15:

James 1:5: If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally, and without reproach, and it will be given him.

1:6: But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

1:7: For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 

1:8: he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

1:17: Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning. 

First John 5:14: Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.
5:15: And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we asked of Him.

INTIMATION:

The major problem with us is that we most times fail to ask from the Lord. We go around complaining about our problems and spending half our times trying to figure out what we can do to solve the problem. We do everything under the sun except the one thing we are asked to do in the Word of God; “Ask, that we may receive that our joy may be full.” (John 16 vs 24.) And when we now remember to ask God in prayer, we ask in unacceptable ways that will culminate into our not receiving our petitions.

The apostle James mentions the most common problems in prayer: not asking, asking for the wrong things, or asking for the wrong reasons. Do you talk to God at all? When you do, what do you talk about? Do you ask only to satisfy your desires? Do you seek God’s approval for what you already plan to do? Are your desires in accordance with God's will? Your prayers will become powerful when you allow God to change your desires so that they perfectly correspond to His will for you. 

The apostle James also stated that God's blessing is without reproach or fault-finding. When He blesses, He has blessed, and never turns to find faults. When we go to Him, asking Him for help, He doesn't withhold His help from us because we have made a mistake. The reason why we don't receive is not because we don't deserve what we are asking for, but because we are not asking in faith, and because we have lost our confidence or we are being double-minded.

In his epistle, the apostle John gives the condition for answered prayer, “Beloved if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence toward God. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing to His sight. And thus is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commitment.” (First John 3 vs 21 - 23.) 

Therefore, answered prayer is conditioned on (1) keeping God’s commandments, and (2) doing the things that are pleasing to God. Therefore, we must ask according to the will of God, for God does not work contrary to His will in answer to prayer. We must ask upon the condition that we are obedient to His will, for God works through the lives of those who are carrying out His work in the world. 

According to the apostles James and John: 

God is what kind of a God?  A "giving God."

How does He give? "Liberally and ungrudgingly."

To whom does He give? "To everyone that ask according to His will"

What is His attitude in giving? "Without reproach and fault-finding."

What kind of gift does He give? "Good and perfect gifts."

How does He react after giving? "Without variation or shadow of turning."

When does He give? "When we ask in faith."

Who receives from Him? “The undoubled-minded person, stable in his ways.”

Why do we ask in faith? “Without faith it is impossible to please Him.”

“For whoever would come near to God must believe that God exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11 vs 6). And whatever you desire, ask from God, and wait patiently for Him to bring it to pass in His own way, and in His own time. God's ways are perfect! If you are frustrated about timing, learn to pray with the psalmist, "My times are in Your hands......(Psalm 31 vs 15). 

Prayer: Abba Father, I can receive nothing unless it is given to me from You. And I can only receive when I ask in faith, without doubting. I know You will not deny me anything I need to live for You. Endue me with the spirit of faith in, and complete obedience to You, in Jesus’ Name I prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

GOD IS EVER-CARING!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MARCH 2, 2020

SUBJECT: GOD IS EVER-CARING!

Memory verse: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (First Peter 5 vs 7.) 

READ: John 10 vs 11 - 16:

10:11: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.
10:12: But a hireling, He who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep, and scatters them.
10:13: The hireling flees because he is a hireling, and does not care about the sheep.
10:14: I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known by My own.
10:15: As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep.

10:16: And other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

INTIMATION:

God has deep interest in all that concerns you and I. We are fragile but God's care is eternal. God is so committed to us in love that He gave us His only Son to die for our sins. Too often we focus on God as Judge and Lawgiver, ignoring His compassion and concern for us. When God examines our lives He remembers our human condition. His mercy takes everything into account. God will deal with you compassionately. God is so caring that when He forgives us our sin, He separates it from us and doesn't even remember it anymore. We need never wallow in the past, for God forgives and forgets.

Carrying your worries, stresses, and daily struggles by yourself shows that you have not trusted God fully with your life. It takes humility, however, to recognize that God cares, and to admit your needs, and let God take care of you. Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and foolishness are not God's concern. But when we turn to God in repentance, He will bear the weight of those struggles, including your sins. Remember, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5 vs 8.)

Our loving Father will never leave you; that is His promise to us. But the enemy of our souls wants us to doubt God, and to question His ability. Obviously, if you told a big enough lie long enough, people would believe it. And this undoubtedly, is the trick the father of lies—Satan—has used from the beginning of human history. In the Garden of Eden our first parents were set up to live happily ever after, having been placed in a paradise-like setting by a Loving, Caring, and Personal God. They had been given everything they could ever want, but with only one small restriction: "Don't eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2 vs 17.)

We easily will say today, 'What a simple innocuous request and easy to obey.'

But when they were enticed by the devil, they fell into his trap of questioning the love and goodness of the One from whom they had only experienced good. Satan told them a monstrous lie, but they bought the lie hook, line and sinker! And mankind has been wretched ever since, but for God's intervention through His Son, Jesus Christ, Who laid down His life of inestimable value for our completely worthless lives to save us from sin consequences, and cleansed from our sins.

We do the same today. We willingly swallow the lie that we cannot trust our Heavenly Father. We allow our earthly hurts from parents or others to distrust our view and our understanding of God. Our many feelings, emotions, fears, and human experience effectively block a clean perception, consequently stifling all truth about Him. Pray that God will help you not allow negative human relationship and experience interfere with having a close relationship with your Loving, and Caring Father, and hindering your enjoying the never ending and limitless benefits of His care.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are so caring and loving that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins. What a supreme sacrifice You made for me! Forever You remain my God. Endue me with the spirit of love, compassion, trust, and complete obedience to You, that I will give my all to You as You have given Your all for me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BREAKFAST BY THE SEASIDE
Life's Punchlines... (Volume 3).
❤🇳🇬🇳🇬 Year 2020🇳🇬🇳🇬❤.

Preacher: Priest Godsknight O.J

Topic: Pleasant Fictions (1).

Text: Is 30v10 "They say to the seers, " See no more visions!", and to the prophets, "Give us no more visions of what is right! Tell us pleasant things, prophesy illusions."

Real Life won't become fake because of illusionists. Real fakers are everywhere with their products on display, your job is to buy original only.

God can't dwell inside illusions, He is reality- personified. Hence, a minister of the Word must avoid over familiarity with the flocks, else, the ministry becomes profane.

Once your church members are the one deciding your next sermon, you no longer have a ministry. The Word of God should be able to try anybody (1 Sam 3v9-18 ), He's no respecter of persons (Acts 5v1-11).

One major reason for powerlessness & tiredness of Ephods in Christendom is pleasant fictions. Nonetheless, God is still in charge ( Ezek 12v24).

It's one thing for God to minister to your soul through Words of wisdom & knowledge, revelation, worship & prayers, it's another for you to keep screaming "I receive it", without wisdom.

Saul couldn't become a King without a seer (1 Sam 9v6-24 ), King Nebuchadnezzar couldn't understand his own dreams without a prophet (Dan 2v28-49 ), never underestimate the power of vision ( Prov 29v28).

Jesus will elevate you, but don't relegate His vision for your life. Stop striving to make attendance, rather, be a visionary member that can become a spiritual attendant.

When God elevates you, be careful of those who only want to play to the gallery in your cabinet. You don't need children on adults' battlegrounds.

Good life is God's vision for all, be a good motion picture in His television (3 Jn 1v2 ). Finally, draw your inspiration from the original source, in order to get a lasting attention ( 2 Tim 3v16-17).


God Bless You And Happy New Month In Jesus Name 🤝.
Instagram: @PriestGodsknight.

OUR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MARCH 1, 2020

SUBJECT: OUR SPIRITUAL BLESSINGS IN CHRIST! 

Memory verse: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ." (Ephesians 1 vs 3.)

READ: Ephesians 2 vs 4 - 7:

2:4: But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us,
2:5: even when we were dead in trespasses, made us live together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),
2:6: and raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus,
2:7: that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

INTIMATION:

The metaphor “in Christ” refers to a spiritual relationship one has with Christ as a result of what He has done for us. In this relationship with Christ, all the blessings that relate to one’s salvation are for those who are in Christ. All that God did in order to reconcile man to Himself through the cross is granted to those who are in Christ. We are baptized into Christ (Romans 6 vs 3 and Galatians 3 vs 26 - 27). Therefore, in order to come into contact with all spiritual blessings that originate from the heavenly realm, one must act on his faith by obedience to the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. 

He has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies in Christ (Ephesians 1 vs 3). It means that in Christ we have all the benefits of knowing God—being chosen for salvation, being adopted as His children, forgiveness of sins, insight, the gifts of the Spirit, power to do God’s will, the hope of living forever with Christ. Because we have an intimate relationship with Christ, we can enjoy these blessings now. The heavenly places means that these blessings are eternal, not temporal. The blessings come from Christ’s spiritual realm, not the earthly realm. 

We are blessed. We are rich in Him. We have His fullness. We are sufficient in His sufficiency. All that He is, we have. We are what He says we are. And the Father has told us that we are in the Beloved. The grace (unmerited favor) gives us the gifts of His love life, wisdom, His very being, and substance. We are the branch of the vine; we are partakers of the Divine Nature. His fullness here means His ability, His love, His righteousness, His utter completeness, and we have received them all. All the gifts and favors are now piled on us one after another, and all by His grace.

The responsibility of the believers is to know God better. How do you get to know someone? By reading biographical information or historical data about him? That will help you know a lot about that person, but it won’t enable you to actually know the person. If you want to get to know someone, you have to spend time with that person; there is no shortcut. The same holds true with God. Reading the Bible, great works of theology, and devotional materials are wonderful, but there is no substitute for knowing God personally. Do you really know Christ, or do you just know about Him? The difference is spending time with Him. Study Jesus’ life in the Gospels to see what He was like on earth more two thousand years ago, and get to know Him in prayer now. Personal knowledge of Christ will change your life.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You  so much for the spiritual blessings bestowed on us in Christ. Engrace me to achieve my utmost heart desire of having an intimate relationship and constant fellowship with You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!