THE PRAYER KEY!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY JUNE 21, 2020.

SUBJECT: THE PRAYER KEY!

Memory verse: "Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart." (Luke 18 vs 1.)

READ: James 5 vs 13 - 18:

5:13: Is anyone among you suffering? let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? let him sing psalms.
5:14: Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church  and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
5:15: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.
5:16: Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.
5:17: Elijah was a man with nature like ours, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain; and it did not rain on the land for three years and six months.
5:18: And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth produced its fruit.

INTIMATION:

The prayer key is the master key that opens all doors. It is the desire of the Father that His children approach Him in prayer. Prayer is the natural response of those who recognize their need for the help of God in their lives. It is earnestly entreating God in sincerity of your intention. It is the greatest privilege, and ministry available to all Christians. Indeed, everyone who seeks to take his or her place in the kingdom of God should seek or learn how to pray effectively. Because prayer is, in itself, our fellowship with the Father, He awaits us to come to Him in prayer, and consequently welcomes us in fellowship with Him.

Prayer is very essential for every Christians. It is noteworthy that our Master, Jesus, never taught His disciples how to preach but rather taught them how to pray, He said to His disciples "When you pray" and not "If you pray," therefore, He requires us to be in fellowship with the Father always; “Pray without ceasing” (First Thessalonians 5 vs 17). All prayers are subject to God’s will. As I said earlier, the Christian’s most powerful resource is communion with God through prayer. The results are often greater than we thought were possible. 

Some people see prayer as a last resort to be tried when all else fails. This approach is backward. Prayer should come first. God wants His children to be completely dependent on Him, and not wearied about how often we come to Him in prayer. Because God’s power is infinitely greater than ours, it only makes sense to rely on it, especially when God encourages us to do so. Prayer has remained the key to an excellent way to maintain a constant grace of God in our lives, and have our priorities right throughout each day. A disciplined prayer life entails going to God in prayers often, preferably three times a day; morning, afternoon and night. The Psalmist in Psalm 55 vs 17 says:-"Evening and morning and at noon I will pray, and cry aloud, And He shall hear my voice." 

Night prayers remains the most effective. Our prayers are usually interrupted mostly by the pressure of our daily schedules. In the night our concentration is highest, and our fellowship most effective. Night prayers arm us most effectively to overcome the overwhelming evils in the world. The evil doers usually perpetrate their evils in the night when most Christians are resting in their beds (see Matthew 13 vs 24 - 25). 

Jesus Christ, in His ministry on earth, has always gone up to the mountains in the night hours to pray—fellowshipping with the Father—and obtaining all the powers required for His exploits (Luke 6 vs 12). During the day, He performed His wondrous acts and gave thanks to the Father that has always heard Him. His concentration in His fellowship with the Father in the night hours is maximum. No distractions of any sorts. This practice of fellowshipping with the Father and our Messiah Jesus, in the hours of the night is very essential for every Christian to win our battles against the evil one.

The power of prayer is not in the number of prayers that are made for a particular request. The power is not in repetitious phrases or words in prayer. The power of prayer is based on the righteous living of the individual who makes the prayer of faith. The righteous demeanor of our lives, therefore, is the foundation upon which prayers are answered. This is true because God always works on behalf of His obedient children. 

Prayer: Abba Father, engrace me to commune with You in prayer morning, at noon, and in the evening, that I may be thoroughly equipped to stand against the wiles of the devil, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE FINAL BUS-STOP!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY JUNE 20, 2020.

SUBJECT : THE FINAL BUS-STOP!

Memory verse: 

"

And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.

" 

(Revelation 21 vs 6.)

READ: John 6 vs 16 - 21

:

6:16: Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,
6:17: got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.
6:18: Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.
6:19: So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.
6:20: But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.

6:21: Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

INTIMATION:

The final bus-stop for all humans is Jesus. In Him and with Him it is finished (John 19 vs 30). And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist (Colossians 1 vs 17). God is not only the Creator of the world but He is also it’s Sustainer. In Him, everything is held together, protected, and prevented from disintegrating into chaos. Because Christ is the Sustainer of all life, none of us is independent from Him. We are all His servants who must daily trust Him to protect us, care for us, and sustain us.

In John 8 vs 58 Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” When He said He existed before Abraham was born, He undeniably proclaimed His divinity. Not only did Jesus say that He existed before Abraham, He also applied God’s holy name (I AM—Exodus 3 vs 14) to Himself. Jesus is God, and the originator of all that is. All things maintain their existence because of His power: “He is upholding all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1 vs 3). He is the foundation upon which all that exists continues to exist. 

When Jesus came to the disciples during a storm, walking on the water (three and a half miles from shore), He told them not to be afraid. We often face spiritual and emotional storms and felt tossed about like a small boat on a big lake. In spite of terrifying circumstances, if we trust our lives to Christ for His safekeeping, He will give us peace in any storm. Now, imagine the entrance of Jesus into the boat, and the immediate arrival of the boat at shore where they were going. The boat that was three and a half miles from the shore, was immediately at their destination when they willingly welcomed Jesus into the boat. 

That is exactly the divine or spiritual experience of whoever willingly accepts Jesus into his or her life. Though things may not change immediately in the physical, but spiritually such persons has been translated from darkness to the Kingdom of God where all things are perfect. The manifestation of the translated life in the physical is hinged on one’s faith in Him and His work for us. Faith is a mind-set that expects God to act. When we act on this expectation, we can overcome our fears. The disciples were afraid because they didn’t expect Jesus to come, and they weren’t prepared for His help. Willingly accepting Jesus into your life brings you immediately to the shore where you are going. 

Just as God finished the work of creation (Genesis 2 vs 1 - 3) and Jesus finished the work of redemption (John 19 vs 30), so is everyone who willingly accepts Jesus into his or her life has arrived at his or her life’s bus-stop. You are trusting in Him who has power over nature as He created all things in nature. With Him, “

It is done.” 

Jesus said, “I will give of the fountain of water 

of life freely to him who thirsts.

" 

The water of life is a symbol of eternal life. Jesus used this same image with the Samaritan woman (John 4 vs 7 - 14). It pictures the fullness of life with God and the eternal blessings that come when we believe in Him and allow Him to satisfy our spiritual thirst. 

Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The Lord God is the Beginning and the End. God the Father is the eternal Lord and Ruler of the past, present and future. Without Him you have nothing that is eternal, nothing that can change your life, nothing that can save you from sin. Is the Lord your reason of living, “the Alpha and the Omega” of your life? Honor the One who is the Beginning and the End of all existence, wisdom, and power. All authority belongs to Jesus, and all things are under His control, and He works among the nations of the earth as the King of Kings, and Lord of lords (First Timothy 6 vs 15). 

Prayer: Abba Father, You so loved the world, that You gave us Your only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I willingly accept Him into my life as my personal Lord and Savior. In Him I live, and move, and have my being. Give me the grace to remain steadfast in my commitment to Him, in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

JOY OF OBEDIENT

"If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them. John 13:17" 

Devotion : Jesus had washed the disciples' feet and had wiped them with a towel. When He had finished, He told them to wash each other's feet for a disciple is not greater than His master. He continued to tell them that it is good to know His Word and His work but happy will they be if they do them. He made it explicitly clear that knowing the scriptures is not enough but rather doing the scriptures is what brings happiness and joy. Dear beloved, are you backing up the scriptures you know with action? Share your thoughts with other learners!

TOTAL SURRENDER!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JUNE 19, 2020.

SUBJECT: TOTAL SURRENDER!

Memory verse: "My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him." (Psalm 62 vs 5.)

READ: Genesis 22 vs 1 - 10:

22:1: Now it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”
22:2: Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I shall tell you.”
22:3: So Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose and went to the place of which God had told him.
22:4: Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.
22:5: And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”
22:6: So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on His Son Isaac; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and the two of them together.
22:7: But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”
22:8: And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.
22:9: Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.

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

INTIMATION:

Surrendering totally to God means to yield completely to Him. Surrendering to God is not passive resignation, fatalism, or an excuse to relax, or laziness. It is not accepting the status quo. It means the exact opposite: sacrificing your life to God, or suffering in order to change what needs to be changed. 

God often calls surrendered people to do battle on His behalf. Surrendering is for soldiers of Christ, not for cowards. Likewise it does not mean giving up rational thinking. God would not waste the mind He gave you! God does not want robots to serve Him. Surrendering is not repressing your personality. Rather than its being diminished, surrendering enhances it. The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become because He made us. He invented all the different people you and I intended to be. It is when we turn to Christ, when we give up ourselves to His personality, that we first begin to have a real personality of our own. 

Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience. You say, "yes, Lord" to whatever He asks of you. To say, "no, Lord" is to speak a contradiction. You can't call Jesus your Lord when you refuse to obey Him. Surrendered people obey God's Word, even if it doesn't make sense. For instance Peter demonstrated the act of surrender when he obeyed the instruction of Jesus, after a whole night of toiling without success: "Master, we have toiled and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." (Luke 5 vs 5.) 

Another aspect of a fully surrendered life is trust. Abraham followed God's leading without knowing where it would take him. Hannah waited for God's perfect timing without knowing when. Mary expected a miracle without knowing how. Joseph trusted God's purpose without knowing why circumstances happened the way they did. Each of these people were fully surrendered to God. You know you're surrendered to God when you rely on God to work things out, instead of trying to manipulate others, force your agenda, and control the situation. You let go and let God work. You don't have to always be "in charge." 

The Bible says, "Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for Him." (Psalm 37 vs 7.)  instead of trying harder, you trust more. You also know you're surrendered when you don't react to criticism and rush to defend yourself. Surrendered hearts show up best in relationships. You don't edge others out, you don't demand your rights, and you aren't self-serving when you are surrendered. You don't fret because of him who prospers in his way, or because the wicked man with his schemes is succeeding while you are not.

The most difficult area to surrender for many people is their money. Many have thought, "I want to live for God but I also want to earn enough money to live comfortably and retire someday." Retirement is not the goal of a surrendered life, because it competes with God for the primary attention of our lives. Jesus said, "You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6 vs 24), and "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6 vs 21). 

We live in a materialistic society where many people serve money. They spend all their lives chasing after money, collecting, and storing it, only to die and leave it behind. Their desire for money far outweighs their commitment to God and spiritual matters. Whatever you store up you will spend much of your time and energy thinking about. I advice that you do not fall into the materialistic trap, because "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (First Timothy 6 vs 10). Can you honestly say that God, not money, is your master? One test is to ask which one more of your thoughts, time, and efforts.

The supreme example of self-surrender is Jesus. The night before His crucifixion Jesus surrendered Himself to God's plan. He prayed, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14 vs 36.) Jesus didn't pray, "God, if you are able to take away this pain, please do so." He had already affirmed that God can do anything! Instead he prayed, "God, if it is in your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills your purpose, that's what I want, too."

Genuine surrender says, "Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another's, please don't take it away. This level of maturity does not come easy. In Jesus' case, He agonized so much over God's plan that He sweat drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In our case, it is intense warfare against our self-centered nature.

 

Prayer: Abba Father, I surrender totally to You. Yours I am, and Yours I want to be, do with me as it is pleasing to You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen

PRAISE THE LORD!

BE CONFIDENT IN CHRIST JESUS.

"Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: Philippians 1:6" 

Devotion : There are many witnesses to uncompleted projects by governments and certain key holders in the society. In the kingdom of God, this is not so, because Jesus Christ is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end (Revelation 1:8). This explains our confidence in Christ that whatever He has started with us He is able to complete it or bring it to a perfect end. Dear beloved, what good work has God started in you? Have confidence in Christ Jesus, and keep believing in Him. Keep having faith in the Word of God, and He will perfect what He has started in you. Share your comments here!

COVENANT KEEPING GOD

"Know therefore that the LORD thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations; Deuteronomy 7:9"

Devotion : A covenant is an agreement between a higher being and a lesser being with a seal of blood; in the covenant, the higher being promises the lesser being, and there is a demand of obligation from the lesser being. There are many covenants in the Bible: Adamic covenant, Abrahamic covenant, Mosaic covenant, etc. There could also be covenants between lesser beings with the invocation of a deity. An example is the covenant between David and Jonathan (1 Samuel 20:16). The opening scripture said we should know that God is a faithful God, He does not break His covenant, He is merciful to those who love Him, and His commandments go beyond a thousand generations. It presupposes that some children of God lack detailed knowledge about God. How well you know God determines how far you will go with Him and the blessings you will receive from Him. Dear beloved, how well do you know the almighty God? What covenant do you have with Him? In the New Testament, Christians have a covenant with Jesus Christ, and this is sealed by his blood; therefore, He will not leave us nor forsake us. Hallelujah! Share your comments here!

FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP IN GODLINESS!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JUNE 18, 2020.

SUBJECT : FINANCIAL STEWARDSHIP IN GODLINESS!

Memory verse: "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.” (Luke 16 vs 9.)

READ: Luke 16 vs 10 - 13:

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:

Godliness is likeness to God; it’s to be devout, and denotes that piety which is characterized by a Godward attitude—doing those things that is well-pleasing to God. Financial relates to money or finance matters, while a steward is one entrusted with managing of another person's property or affairs. Financial stewardship comprises of handling or management of financial matters. 

There are Scriptural principles on financial stewardship in Godliness. The importance of this subject is reflected in how much the Scriptures teach about it. The Bible has more to say about finances than most Bible doctrines like heaven and hell or faith and prayer. The influence of money in our lives is very real, so it isn't surprising that Jesus taught more on the subject of finances than any other single topic. He taught more of managing resources than He did on prayer or even faith. As you will learn, seeing yourself as  a steward of God's resources is the only way to true financial freedom.

I know that money is a sore subject that a lot of people want to avoid, but in my considered opinion, learning how God views finances is basic Christianity. Our integrity often meets its match in money matters. Jesus used money and people's attitude towards money to reveal their hearts. God calls us to be honest even in small details we could easily rationalize away. We are to make use of the financial opportunities we have in a godly manner. God is the Owner of the world, and all its fullness (Psalm 50 vs 11). He gives you power to get the wealth (Deuteronomy 8 vs 17 - 18). Therefore, all that you have is entrusted to you by the Owner—God. It’s rational and right to manage those resources entrusted to you to the benefit of the Owner. 

God established the earthly kingdom for His purpose. He created us to serve and obey Him. Wisdom demands that you serve Him even with the resources entrusted to you. Therefore, spend your money unselfishly; in advancing His kingdom; helping those in need, to help others find Christ. Money or riches is not bad, but your attitude toward it determines your godliness in its use. When it is used rightly as God wills, then your earthly investment will bring you eternal benefit. Use your resources which are temporal, to gain those things that are eternal. Investment in kingdom advancement programs is investing in the vineyard of God; it helps you to build your heavenly treasures that are eternal.

Heaven's riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. But if you are not trustworthy with your money here (no matter how much or little we have), you will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God's kingdom. Most people are enslaved by money; instead of money serving them, they serve money. Money has the power to take God's place in our life. It can become your master. How can you tell if you are a slave to money? (1) Do you think or worry about it frequently? (2) Do you give up doing what you should do or would like to do in order to make more money? (3) Do you spend a great deal of your time caring for your possessions? (4) Is it hard for you to give money away? (5)Are you in debt?

Money is a hard master and a deceptive one. Wealth promises power and control, but often it cannot deliver. Great fortunes can be made - and lost - overnight, and no amount of money can provide health, happiness, or eternal life.

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to serve You, even with the resources in entrust to my care. Engrace me with the wisdom to manage all entrusted to my care in a godly manner, which is profitable to all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!