THE DOUBLE-MINDED!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY MAY 1, 2020.

SUBJECT: THE DOUBLE-MINDED!

Memory verse:  "Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, If you have faith, and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed, and be cast into the sea; it will be done." (Matthew 21 vs 21.) 

READ: James 1 vs 5 -8:

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

INTIMATION:

A double-mind is a mind that wavers; it’s not completely convinced about the referenced subject. In fact, a double-mind is always in doubt. And the one who doubts usually does not expect an answer to his or her requests because he or she has a weak faith. The double-mind person is a “two souled,” that is with two minds. Such persons will be trying to serve the Lord Jesus with one mind, and the world with the other. His or her commitment to God is always hindered by his compromises with the world. He can never give himself fully to God simply because he has partially given himself to the world. 

A double-minded person is not completely persuaded that God’s way is the best. Such persons treats God’s Word like any human advice and retains the option to disobey. He or she vacillates between allegiance to subjective feelings, the world’s ideas, and God’s commands. And because he or she does not totally committed to the Lord, he or she is undependable in reference to the service to the Lord. Consequently, God will not be committed to such him or her. 

In the passage we read today, the apostle James likens such wavering mind to the waves of the sea. If you observe the waves of the sea, you will notice how restless they are; subject to the forces of the wind, gravity, and tide. Double-mind or doubt leaves a person as unsettled as the restless waves. The double-minded person has no complete and absolute trust in God. And God is not pleased with such mind because it doubts His integrity. Consequently, such mind hardly receive from God since it’s in doubt and hardly would ask in faith. 

To "ask in faith, with no doubting" means not only believing in the existence of God, but also believing in His loving care. It includes relying on God and expecting that He will hear and answer to your prayers when you pray in line with His Will. Faith is the foundation upon which our prayer must be made. It is also the condition for which our prayers are answered. Therefore, believers must pray with the attitude that God will answer their prayers. The one who doubts in his or her prayers also doubts in the rest of his or her Christian life. His or her attitude and actions are determined by the circumstances in which he or she lives, and is not a person on whom one can depend in times of crisis. 

In First Kings 18 vs 21, the Bible gives aa illustration of the double-minded; "And Elijah came to all people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word." Elijah was confronted with the problem of dealing with double-minded men, who would not take a stand, and were vacillating between two opinions about the true God. In our society, even among the Christians, many people are very unstable in their ways, and hardly can take a stand in their lives. In fact, it is grievous when they cannot take a stand in their relationship with God, and are just drifting along with whatever is pleasant and easy to them. They are inadvertently, worshipping false gods, this time, themselves!

The unbelieving, double or doubting mind, is an indication of spiritual infancy, resulting in lack of divine wisdom. The apostle James advices that those who lack such wisdom should ask from God, and that, in His loving kindness, He will liberally and without reproach give to them. There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom is the skill or ability to correctly handle the knowledge of truth and facts. God is the source of true wisdom, and He generously and freely gives wisdom to those who ask. God does not become weary of our asking. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my Loving Father. My absolute trust and confidence is in You. What You cannot do for me, let it remain undone. What You cannot give me, let me never have it. My sufficiency is in You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

OUR CONFESSION IS OUR SOLID FRONT!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY APRIL 30, 2020.

SUBJECT: OUR CONFESSION IS OUR SOLID FRONT!

Memory verse:  "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10 vs 23.) 

READ: Hebrews 4 vs 14 -14; 10 vs 21 - 23:

4:14: Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, Let us hold fast our confession.

4:15: For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weakness, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.

4:16: Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

10:22: Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

10:23: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

INTIMATION:

Most Christians have never realized the vital place that their testimony or confession holds in their daily lives. The steadfastness of our faith in Christ is anchored on our persistent, intelligent confession of what we are in Him, which consists the solid front we put before the Adversary. The continual confession of the solidity of our faith in Christ is the bane of Satan, and his cohorts. For even Satan knows that God is ever faithful to His promises. In Revelation 12 vs 11, the Scriptures says, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...." Christ has already finished the work for us in redemption. Ours is to believe in our hearts the finished work and confess with our mouth our rich heritage in Him, and the confession is our solid front against the adversary.

We believers should anchor our absolute faith in Christ just as the apostle Paul advised the believers in Philippi, and daily confessing and testifying of the steadfastness of our faith in Him. The apostle Paul told the believers in Philippi that their conduct would be worthy of the gospel of Christ, ensuring that they, at all times, are expressly demonstrating in their conduct, their trust and confidence in Christ. (Philippians 1 vs 27.) Also, knowing the efficacy the believers’ confession of their steadfastness in faith in Christ, Paul rejoiced with the believers in Colosse, saying, "For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and steadfastness of your faith in Christ.” (Colossians 2 vs 5.) He was thrilled by the faith of the believers in Colosse, their absolute trust and confidence in Christ.

Now, the ‘new man,’ with the recreated spirit, knows that every Word of God is pure, purified, proven, and is a shield to all who trust in Him. In realization of this fact, it is of very vital that we hold fast to our confessions of faith in Him and His Word. Many believers repudiate their prayer by the confession of a doubt or admission of a doubt into their consciousness. Therefore, when we have prayed, we should never go back on our prayers with counter confession, but rather we should be steadfast in our faith, confessing the same faith we started with in prayers. 

Our complete trust, and hope should be in the Word of God without any iota of doubt. The heart must be rooted and grounded in the Word so that what He says is final with us. And we would continually be confessing the words as it’s written: "So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth; It shall not return to Me void, But it shall accomplish what I please, And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it." (Isaiah 55 vs 11.) Satan knows that God never goes back on His promises, and whenever believers put Him in remembrance of His Word, which is bringing before Him your strong reasons, He is under obligation to perform His Will—His Word is His Will.

You have prayed and spoken His Word, continual confession, and holding fast to those confessions of faith is the solid front put before Satan that he can never overwhelm. Knowing this fact, you stand firmly by your confession in prayer, not letting the enemy steal it away from you. It is obvious he will come with his lies, and we know he is the father of lies (John 8 vs 44.), but resist him and he will flee from you (James 4 vs 7).

Prayer: Abba Father, my absolute trust and confidence is in You, and Your Word. Give me the grace to continually confess my steadfast faith in You and Your Word in all circumstances, in Jesus’ Name I prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

OUR GREATEST TEST AND TRUST!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY APRIL 29, 2020.

SUBJECT: OUR GREATEST TEST AND TRUST!

Memory verse: "Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?" (Luke 16 vs 11.)

READ: Luke 16 vs 9 - 13:

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

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

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

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

16:13: “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.”

INTIMATION:

The greatest test and trust God put before us is money, hence one quarter of the teachings of Christ during His earth walk was on money. Most people fail to realize God’s perception of money, both a test and a trust. God uses money to teach us to trust Him. God’s interest is on how we use money, and also how trustworthy we are with the money available to us. It is noteworthy that money belongs to God, not us. It can be used for good or evil; let us use ours for good. Money has a lot of power; let us use it carefully, wisely, and thoughtfully. We must use our material goods in a way that will foster faith and obedience to God. 

Our use of money is a good test of the lordship of Christ. God says there is a direct relationship between how you use your money and the quality of your spiritual life. How you manage your money ("worldly wealth") determines how much God can trust you with spiritual blessings ("true riches"). If we use our money to help those in need or to help others find Christ, our earthly investment will bring eternal benefit. Let me ask: “Is the way you manage your money preventing God from doing more in your life? Can you be trusted with spiritual riches?”

The key to using money wisely is to see how much we can use for God's purposes, not how much you can accumulate for yourself. When we obey God’s Will, the unselfish use of our money will follow. How do you treasure your money? Does your money free you to help others? Does God's love touch your wallet? If your answer is yes, then you are storing up lasting treasures in heaven. The material possessions that are acquired on this earth are not wrong within themselves. What is wrong is how they were acquired and idolized (First Timothy 6 vs 10; Second Timothy 4 vs 10).

The greatest lesson in the passage we read today is in Luke 16 vs 9, Jesus said, “And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.” The shrewd and unjust steward was even commended by the master, because he had dealt shrewdly by making friends with possessions entrusted with him. 

Jesus noted that “The sons of this world (the unbelievers) are more shrewd in their generation than the sons of light (believers or Christians)” (Luke 16 vs 8). How? The unbelievers are a lot more better than Christians at making friends with their possessions. Philanthropy (goodwill toward mankind, voluntary promotion of human welfare) is far much practiced by unbelievers than Christians in our society. But this is an error; Christians, as followers of Christ, should be better stewards of the resources God entrusted them with. They should be selfless rather than being selfish. 

God blesses you so as to be a blessing to others. God said to Abraham, "...I will bless you; and you shall be a blessing" (Genesis 12 vs 2). This is a very important truth. One cannot take his or her possessions along into the dwelling of the new heavens and earth, but he or she can take the results of his or her giving. Money and possessions are not evil, but the love and selfish use of them. Riches are wrong when they lead one into sin. How then do you manage the blessings God entrusted with you? Are you serving Him with them? Are you blessing others with your talent, money, possessions, etc., or are you greedy and selfish with them? 

Money has the power to take God's place in your life. It can become your master. We live in a materialistic society where people serve money. They spend all their lives collecting and storing it, only to die and leave it behind. Their desire for money and what it can buy far outweighs their commitment to God and spiritual matters. They become slaves to money. Jesus said to His followers, “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Luke 12 vs 33 - 34). 

It is also important to note that our integrity is often put in line in money matters. God calls us to be honest even in small details we could easily ignore. Heaven’s riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. But if we are not trustworthy with our money here (no matter how much or little we have), we will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God’s kingdom. See that you maintain your integrity in all money matters, whether big or small. How can you tell if you are a slave to money? Ask yourself; ‘Do I think and worry about it frequently?’ ‘Do I give up doing what I should do or would like to do in order to make more money?’ ‘Do I spend a great deal of my time caring for my possessions?’ ‘Is it hard for me to give money away?’ ‘Am I in debt?’

Money is a hard and deceptive master. Wealth promises power and control, but often it cannot deliver. Those who are lovers of money are not faithful to God in their acquisition of wealth (Matthew 15 vs 3 - 6). They cannot be good stewards of God’s heritage because they had proved themselves dishonest by taking advantage of people in order to take care of own material well-being. One’s correct use of material things will determine one’s right to eternal life. A man’s faithfulness is determined by what he does with what he has. Great fortunes can be made, and lost overnight, and no amount can provide perfect health, happiness, or eternal life. How much better it is to let God be your Master. His servants have peace of mind and security, both now and forever.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to manage Your resources entrusted with me properly, that I may earn Your approval, and enter into Your rest, in Jesus’ most precious Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

WILL GOD REGRET HIS TRUSTS ON YOU?

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY APRIL 28, 2020.

SUBJECT: WILL GOD REGRET HIS TRUSTS ON YOU?

Memory verse: "Therefore the kingdom of heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to settle accounts with his servants.” (Matthew 18 vs 23.)

READ: Matthew 25 vs 14 - 19:

25:14: For the kingdom of heaven is as a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants, and delivered his goods to them.

25:15: And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one; to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.
25:16: Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.
25:17: And likewise he who had received two, gained two more also.
25:18: But he that had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.
25:19: After a long time the lord of those servants came, and settled account with them.

INTIMATION:

All we have on earth; our time, energy, intelligence, opportunities, relationships, and resources, are all gifts from God are entrusted by Him, with all other His gifting, to our care and management. We are stewards of whatever God gives us. We never really own anything during our brief stay on earth. The Owner is God, and has only given us right to use when we come in. It is for this reason we come into the world bringing nothing with us at birth, and takes nothing away with us at death. God loans the earth to us while we're here. And He will give the same right to another when you depart in death. You just get to enjoy it for a while. He expects us to invest our trusts wisely. 

God entrusted the care of His creation to man and appointed him the trustee of His property Genesis 1 vs 28). This role has never been rescinded. If God truly is our Master, we must obey willingly without excuses. All He has entrusted to our care must be handled and managed properly. When we ignore, squander, or abuse what we are given, we are rebellious and deserve to be punished. This stewardship is the major purpose of our life. Unfortunately, the common culture amongst us is to careless of what you don't own. But that is not God's idea. Christians should live by a higher standard: "Because God owns it, I must take the best care of it to the best of my ability." (See First Corinthians 4 vs 2.)"

Jesus often referred to life as a trust and told many stories to illustrate this responsibility toward God. In the story of the loaned money (the talents) according to the passage we read today, the kingdom of heaven is like a businessman who entrusts his wealth to the care of his servants while he was away. When he returns, he evaluates each servant's responsibility and rewards them accordingly. Those who did well, in line with his expectations, he says, "Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy your Lord." (Matthew 25 vs 21.)

The master divided the talents among his servants according to their abilities. No one received more or less than he could handle. If he failed in his assignment, his excuse could not be that he was overwhelmed, rather laziness or hatred toward the master. The talent represents any kind of resource God has given us: time, talents, possessions, and other resources according to our abilities, and he expects us to invest them wisely until He returns. We are responsible and accountable whatever God has delivered to us, and should ensure proper usage or investment. The issue is not how much we have, but how well we use what we have.

In order words, inactivity in the kingdom is not accepted. When the kingdom reign of Jesus is in the hearts of those who have accepted Him as their king, then they are moved into action for the king. Inactivity is evidence that the king is not reigning in the hearts of men. The faithful servant does the master's bidding. Each day God presents us with needs and opportunities that challenges us to do what we know is right. We must use our resources—time, talents, abilities, possessions, etc—diligently in order to serve God completely in whatever we do. 

The excuses of the one-talent servant actually insult the integrity of the master. It manifests the fact that he didn’t know the master, and thus, did not know what the master expected. He was rejected on this basis. His inactivity manifested his lack of concern and response to the will of the master. The will of the Master is not burdensome to the one who responds to the love and grace of a loving Father. The sin of the one-talent servant resulted from his ungrateful response to the master who had given him so much.

Servanthood is the main subject of the kingdom. Even those who are “one talent servants” must do what they can for the king. Emphasis is not on how much one does, for the amount one accomplishes is determined by the personal gifts from God. Emphasis is on doing. The world is filled with those who buried their talents in the deceptions of indifferent religiosity, and lack of knowledge. (Hosea 4 vs 6.) We must not make excuses to avoid doing what God called us to do. If God truly is our Master, we must obey willingly. The gifts are not ours, but God’s. When we ignore, squander or abuse what we are given, we are rebellious and deserve to be punished.

The five talent and two talents servants were commended on the basis of their faithfulness and stewardship to carry out in their lives the will of the king. If one determines to serve God, then God will give the increase, for it is God’s grace that works in our hearts to bring forth fruit to God. “Well done good and faithful servant” What greater words could ever be heard from God? Christians should be motivated to work for God in order to hear these words from Him. The works they do are in response to the grace of God. 

At the end of each one’s life on earth one will be evaluated and rewarded according to how well one handled what God entrusted to him or her. That means everything you do, even simple daily chores, has eternal implications. If you treat everything as a trust, God promises three rewards in eternity. First, you will be given God's affirmation: He will say, "Good job! Well done!" Next, you will receive a promotion and be given greater responsibility in eternity: "I will make you ruler over many things." Then you will be honored with a celebration: "Enter into the joy your Lord." 

The neglected use of one’s gift will result in losing everything he has been given. If one refuses to respond to God’s grace, he cannot expect to receive anything as a result of his lazy ingratitude. In the final end of things, the glories that will be given to the Christian will far outweigh that which he has accomplished on earth. He will receive more than what he can earn by works on this earth, all by God’s grace. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are forever faithful. Endue me with the spirit of faithfulness to You in all things, that I may be found worthy of Your approval, and be given the crown of glory in eternity, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE CURSE OF POVERTY!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY APRIL 27, 2020.

SUBJECT : THE CURSE OF POVERTY!

Memory verse: 

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree") 

(Galatians 3 vs 13.)

READ: Deuteronomy 28 vs 15 -

 20:

28:15: But it shall come to pass, if you do not obey the voice of the LORD your God, to observe carefully all His commandments and His statutes which I command you today, that all these curses will come upon you and overtake you:

28:16: Cursed shall you be in the city, and cursed shall you be in the country.

28:17: Cursed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl.

28:18: Cursed shall be the fruit of your body and the produce of your land, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks.

28:19: Cursed shall shall you be when you come in, and cursed shall you be when you go out.

28:20: The LORD will send on you cursing, confusion, and rebuke in all that you set your hand to do, until you are destroyed and until you perish quickly, because of the wickedness of your doings in which you have forsaken Me.

INTIMATION:

Poverty is a curse. It is part of the curse of the law. The passage we read today reveals the curse of poverty inherent in disobedience to God’s law. In the beginning God placed everything that man could use and enjoy in the Garden of Eden. His Will is for us to lack nothing, and be in abundance. God saw to it that Adam lacked no good thing. Haven created Adam in his own image and after His likeness (as we are also created), left nothing to be desired, but asked for their obedience to a single command; “Do not eat of the of the tree of knowledge of good and evil..” (Genesis 2 vs 17). Adam was the master of the kingdom given to him. God only placed Himself above Adam as his master.

God's Will of abundance for Adam was supreme until that fatal day he committed high treason against God, haven believed the devil with his wife, Eve, and doubted God’s integrity. When Adam partook of the deadly tree, he died, not physically but spiritually. Spiritual death—the nature of Satan—overtook his once righteous spirit, and he became one with Satan. Every phase of Adam's life came under the curse of his new god, Satan. He was driven from the Garden; abundance was no longer his to enjoy. He had to toil and sweat in order to survive. His beautiful life was overrun by thorns and thistles both in the physical and in the spiritual world.

God's heart yearns for His people to be free, and in His infinite wisdom and mercy, sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, as a propitiation for our sins. He paid the supreme price for our sins, and redeemed us from the curse of the law, when He was nailed to, and hung on the cross, and shed His blood for the remission of our sins. The Scripture says, 

"Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree") 

(Galatians 3 vs 13.)

The Scripture reveals that Jesus bore the curse of poverty at the same time He bore the curse of sickness (Isaiah 53 vs 4 - 5). You can believe for divine prosperity just as you believe for divine health. Both blessings already belong to you. You should refuse lack just as quickly as you refuse sickness because they both are the curse of the law, and Christ has already redeemed you from that curse. The blessing of Abraham is ours, as well as the promises of the Spirit. God’s wish is that we shall prosper in all things and be in health, just as our soul prospers (Third John 2). Prosperity is God's Will for us. Most of us usually look at prosperity in a different way from other things, such as divine health. There are Word principles for divine health, healing, deliverance etc., as well as divine prosperity and abundance, and they all work the same way.

But we have not been using the Word to believe for divine prosperity as we had for divine health. We usually live in the laws of prosperity (paying tithes, give offering, make kingdom investments etc.), but we don't take authority in the Word for prosperity. If you have obeyed the laws, and then refuse to take what belongs to you, you will miss it. We have been acting on prosperity differently from other provisions of the Word. In this way, we would allow symptoms of lack to come on us and stay there. We are willing to tolerate it, and sometimes claim is God's Will. But the word is very clear on the Will of God (Jeremiah 29 vs 11 & Third John vs 2). If you have obeyed the laws of prosperity, then take authority in the Word over it because it belongs to you.

Satan will always come to us with the thoughts of doubt and say; "There is no way you can have your needs met." "There is no way you can come out of your debts because you are poor, your salary cannot carry you through." "There is no way you can do all you ought to do, build a house, by a car, marry etc., There is just no way." Your answer to him should be "No Satan, my God is able! Christ has redeemed me from the curse of the law, and the blessing of Abraham are mine in Christ Jesus." You will hang your faith completely in the Scriptures.

Confess continually the Word in Second Corinthians 9 vs 8 and personalize it; "And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that you, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work.” The Amplified Version is more revealing on this verse, “:And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to me in abundance, so that I may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need, be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donations]. 

The Word says that God is able to get it to you. Don't look to natural sources. Don't look at your job, your present position, your natural capabilities, and present financial position, but look unto God. Keep your eye single on the Word. Trust Him in whatever your hands have found to do, He will prosper you there. You have to realize and know that He can and will work in your behalf. God is real! He is able to get things done!

Prayer: Abba Father, thank you for all you received for me in redemption. Through the grace of our Messiah, Jesus Christ; though He was rich, yet for my sake He became poor, that I through His poverty might become rich. I refuse the lies of the devil, and embrace the truth of my abundant life in Christ Jesus: Abraham blessings are mine, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

THE CHRISTIAN GROWTH PROCESS!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY APRIL 26, 2020.

SUBJECT: THE CHRISTIAN GROWTH PROCESS!

Memory verse: "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1 vs 6.)

READ: Mark 4 vs 26 - 29: 

4:26: And He said, “The kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground,
4:27: and should sleep by night and rise up by day, and the seed should spout and grow, he himself does not know how.
4:28: For the earth yields crops by itself: first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head.
4:29: But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come.

INTIMATION:

Christian growth and maturity is a lifelong process. This process began when we accepted Christ, and continues until He returns. 

The God who began a good work in us continues it throughout our lifetime and will finish it when we meet Christ face to face. 

Although we have a new nature, we don’t automatically think all good thoughts and have all pure attitudes when we become new  people in Christ. But if we keep listening to God, we will be changing all the times. As you look over the last year, you will observe some changes for the better in your thoughts and attitudes. Change may be slow, but your life will change significantly if you trust God to change you.

God’s work for us began when Christ died on the cross in our place. His work in us began when we first believed. Now, the Holy Spirit lives in us, enabling us to be more like Christ every day. 

God has not left us alone in our struggles to do His will. He reaches down to human beings, and asks for our response. He wants to come alongside us and be within us to help. God gives us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him (Philippians 2 vs 13). The secret to a changed life is to submit to God’s control and let Him work. 

Life in Christ here on earth is never complete. Heaven promises completeness; until then, growth is the normal pattern. Growth often endures seasons of drought and drabness. The key to growth includes daily devotion to Christ through Bible study and prayers. Perhaps you need to intensify your study and find helps that provide more substance. Perhaps you need to grow by engaging in new areas of service that express your faith. Seek God for how He would have you keep growing in your faith. 

Think about what you are doing that might be spiritually ineffective or obsolete. 

We often expect quick changes in our lives and quick victories over sin. However, our journey with God is a lifelong process, and the changes and victories may take time. It is easy to grow impatient with God and feel like giving up hope because things are moving too slowly. You may 

sometimes feel as though you aren’t making progress in your spiritual life. It’s noteworthy that w

hen God starts a project, He completes it! God will help you grow in grace until He has completed His work in your life. Although w

hen we are close to a situation, it is difficult to see progress. But when we look back, we can see that God never stopped working.

Christians have entered into a covenant with God through Jesus Christ and should be responsive to what God expects for a growing relationship with Him. God’s followers should learn and understand His Word, accept and absorb them, and put into practice

. 

Many spiritual functions parallel physical functions. As our bodies hunger and thirst, so do our souls. The living Word, Jesus Christ, and the written Word, the Bible, can satisfy our hungry and thirsty souls. 

Have you made spiritual progress lately? Recording your thoughts about God and lessons you have learned over a period of time can be a valuable aid to spiritual growth. A record of your spiritual pilgrimage will let you check up on your progress and avoid repeating past mistakes. 

No one is competent to carry out the responsibilities of God’s calling in his or her own strength. Without the Holy Spirit’s enabling, our natural talent can carry us only so far. We need the character and special strength that only God gives.

When you are discouraged, remember that God won’t give up on you. He promises to finish the work He has begun. When we feel incomplete, unfinished, or distressed by your shortcomings, remember God’s promise and provision. Don’t let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you from growing closer to Him. All who believe in the Lord Jesus will be considered blameless when Christ returns. Today’s struggles, difficulties, and failures don’t tell the whole story. Keep the big picture in mind. If you have faith in Christ, even if it is weak, you are and will be saved.

Prayer: Abba Father, let Your abundant grace and fellowship of the Holy Spirit abide with me all through my spiritual growth process, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BEING PERSISTENT IN PRAYER!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY APRIL 25, 2020.

SUBJECT: BEING PERSISTENT IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "Then He spoke 

a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart.

” (Luke 18 vs 1.)

READ: Luke 18 vs 2 - 8: 

18:2: Saying, There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man.
18:3: Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from my adversary.’
18:4: And he would not for a while; but afterward he said within himself, ‘Though I do not fear God nor regard man,
18:5: yet because this widow troubles me I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me.
18:6: Then the Lord said, “Hear what the unjust judge said.
18:7: And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?
18:8: I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, will he really find faith on the earth?”

INTIMATION:

Prayer is to make supplication or petition to God. It is the call of love of the Father to come and fellowship with Him. Prayer is our need crying out for help. It is facing God with man's needs, with His promise to meet those needs. He taught us to pray, He is one with us in this prayer life. Prayer is part of God's program for us. It is the desire of the Father that His children approach Him in prayer. It is the natural response of those who recognize their need for the help of God in their lives. It is the voice of faith to the Father. Prayer therefore, is born out of the sense of need, and the assurance that the need will be met.

Prayer institute a vital contact with the Father, we are near enough to breathe in His very presence. Prayer means that we have come boldly into the Throne Room and are standing in His presence. It is more than bringing Him to the scene. It is going into the presence of the Father and Jesus in an executive meeting, laying our needs before them with your strong reasons, and making our requisitions for ability, for grace, healing for someone, victory for someone, or financial needs, and so on. Whatever the needs may be, we are making a demand upon Him.

Most Christians have realized the fact that the Father's heart is hungry for the companionship of His children. His heart hunger is the reason for man and his redemption. God wants a constant fellowship with His children. It was His plan from the beginning hence He visited Adam everyday in the Garden. He loves us and that love impels Him to call us to constantly commune with Him. It is God's Will that His children will persistently come to Him, to stand in His presence  without reproof or condemnation. It is God's intention that His children will visit their Father, coming joyously into the presence of their Loving Parent, and are welcome.

To persist in prayer and not give up, or praying without ceasing (First Thessalonians 5 vs 17), does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Constant prayer means keeping our requests continually before God as we live for Him day by day, believing He will answer. When we live by faith, we are not to give up. God may delay answering, but His delays always have good reasons. As we persist in prayer, we grow in character, faith, and hope. We are in constant communication with the Father and it enriches us spiritually. We touch the Father through our prayers, and there cannot be any touching of the Master without the Master knowing it. When our need touches Him, it makes a demand upon his ability to meet that need. 

For instance, one day when the crowd was pressing around the Master, Jesus said, "Who touched Me?" And they said, "Master, the multitudes throng and press You,  and You say, "Who touched Me?" But Jesus said, "Somebody touched Me, for I perceived power going out from Me." (Luke 8 vs 45 - 47.) The woman, having a flow of blood for twelve years, touched Him, making a demand upon His ability to meet her need, and the Master knew it, and she got her need met - she was healed of the disease (See Luke 8 vs 40 - 48). 

In the passage we read today, the unjust judge responded to constant pressure of the widow, and avenged her adversary. Then, if we persist in prayer, how much more will a great and loving God respond to us? If we know He loves us, we can believe He will hear our cries for help. Persistence in prayer helps us recognize God’s work, and overcomes our insensitivity. To practice persistence does more to change our heart and mind; it helps us understand and express the intensity of our need. 

Believers need to continue earnestly in prayer and be vigilant in it. Our persistence is an expression of our faith that God answers our prayers. 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 you 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. Though we cannot spend all our time on our knees, but it is possible to have a prayerful attitude at all times. This attitude is built upon acknowledging our dependence on God, realizing His presence within us, and determining to obey Him fully. Then we will find it natural to pray frequent, spontaneous, short prayers. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to be in Your presence at all times, constantly communing with You. Give me the grace to function accordingly, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!