GLORY IN TRIBULATION

GLORY IN TRIBULATION

"And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; Romans 5:3" 

Devotion : Apostle Paul in his walk with Christ Jesus went through several tribulations. He saw God's hand in the tribulations to teach him some spiritual truth. He learned of the spiritual truth and is in the best position to enlighten us about what he had learned. He learned that tribulation or challenges yield patience, and patience produces experience, and experience generates hope. Hence, Apostle Paul is of the view that we should not totally condemn tribulation or challenges but rather be on the alert to learn patience, experience, and hope. In the end, the Holy Spirit comes to our aid to end the tribulation, fulfilling our hope because He loves us and His love is at work in our heart. Dear beloved, are you going through any challenge or tribulation? What should be your disposition? Share your thoughts and comments here!

WATCH AND PRAY

WATCH AND PRAY

"Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. Mark 14:38" 

Devotion : Before Jesus Christ went to the cross He went with the disciples to pray in the garden of Gethsemane. He took with Him Peter, James, and John to assist Him to pray whilst He went farther. He came back on three occasions to find them sleeping. He told them to watch and pray lest they enter into temptation. The same goes for us who are born again in Christ Jesus. The only way to prevent or overcome temptation is to watch and pray. Jesus was able to overcome the temptation of the devil because He watched and prayed (Matthew 4:1-11). There is now no excuse because the Holy Spirit has been given to us to help us pray; He is also ever ready to help us to fully take control over the flesh. Let us therefore cooperate with the Holy Spirit so that He can teach us how to watch, pray, rule over the flesh, and overcome all kinds of temptations. Dear beloved, are going through any temptation? How to you wish to overcome it? Share your comments here!

JUSTIFIED BY FAITH!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY AUGUST 15, 2020.

SUBJECT : JUSTIFIED BY FAITH

! 

Memory verse: 

"Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.

" 

(Galatians 2 vs 16.

)

READ: Galatians 3 vs 2 - 7:

3:2: This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 

3:3: Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?

3:4: Have you suffered so many things in vain - if indeed it was in vain?

3:5: Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 

3:6: Just as Abraham "believed God, and it was accounted to him as righteousness."

3:7: Therefore know that only those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.

INTIMATION:

The Christian life is specifically rooted in faith in Christ, and His substitutionary work for us in redemption. It is by grace (unmerited favor) through faith that we are saved (Ephesians 2 vs 8). The Holy Spirit (the Spirit of grace) gives Christians great power to live for God. People still feel insecure in their faith because faith alone seems too easy. Some Christians want more than this. They want to live in a state of perpetual excitement. They still try to get closer to God by following rules. While certain Christian disciplines may help us grow, they must not take the place of the Holy Spirit in us or become ends in themselves. 

In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul is asking the Galatian believers, "Did you receive the Lord through your own works and efforts or by hearing the Gospel message and saying, 'I believe that?'" He further ask them, "Are you really so foolish and senseless and silly as to begin your new life by the Spirit and then try to reach perfection by depending on your own weak human flesh?" Then finally, he concludes in asking them, "Does God supply your every need and work miracles among you because you keep the law perfectly or because you put your entire faith and trust in the message you heard?"

The believers in Galatia received the Lord by faith, but were trying to perfect themselves by depending on their own flesh, trying to change themselves and their lives by human effort rather than by trusting in God, and His grace to live a changed life. Now, effort has a place in the Christian life. It does have a part to play. But even then, anything done outside the grace of God will have no real lasting effect. 

The law is not bad in itself. Even the Scripture says, "The law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good" (Romans 7 vs 12). The law can make us acceptable to God. Yes, the law still has an important role to play in the life of a Christian. The law (1) guards us from sin by giving us standards for behavior; (2) convicts us of sin, leaving us the opportunity to ask for God's forgiveness; and (3) drives us to trust the sufficiency of Christ, because we can never keep the Ten Commandments perfectly. The law cannot possibly save us. But after we become Christians, it can guide us to live as God requires.

Are you struggling with changes that need to be made in your personality? Do you ever get frustrated and confused, trying to believe and have faith and confess and do all the right things to bring about change in yourself and your life, yet it never seems to happen? You wanted to change everything you saw wrong about yourself and life, but for some reason you just couldn't do it. Most believers will blame the devil. They will spend better part of their time binding and casting the devil away, instead of turning to the Lord for help. 

The Lord constantly requires us to turn to Him. Why? Because when we do anything apart from Him, we take the credit and glory that rightfully belonged to Him. For this reason He will frustrate any of our own efforts to do things outside of Him. Jesus said, "....For without Me, you can do nothing." (John 15 vs 5).

We are saved by grace (unmerited favor) from God, and only the grace we receive that empowers us to meet specific situations in life. In Luke 11 vs 2 - 4, Jesus thought His disciples how to pray, "Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive our sins, For we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one."

Our Lord's Prayer clearly shows three things; (1) God our giver, (2) our leader, (3) our deliverer. Our duty then is to ask so that we can receive. (See Matthew 7 vs 7 - 8). We are to do the asking and God Himself does the work. Therefore, turn to God in prayer, because only God could bring about changes that you desire in your life. But our duty is to ask in faith. Get your face before the Lord on a regular basis and say,

Prayer: Abba Father, I can't help myself. I am coming to You like a little child. I am totally helpless. I lay this whole situation before You, asking for Your grace. I don't deserve Your help, Father, but You are my only hope. Please do for me what I can't do for myself, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

A SURE GUIDE

A SURE GUIDE

"And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left. Isaiah 30:21" 

Devotion : There is a sure guide for the believer in Christ Jesus; he has no excuse to say that he did not know the way or how to go about it. The Holy Spirit is his sure guide to show him the way and how to go about doing what he ought to do. Jesus Christ said when the Holy Spirit comes, He shall guide the believer into all truth (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit is a person and He wants His children to develop a personal relationship with Him. Christians should therefore learn to develop a very personal relationship with Him; they should know Him, His voice, and have time for Him because He lives in them and He is ever ready to lead them. If you allow Him to lead you, you will become a success and a wonder in your world. Dear beloved, how well do you know the Holy Spirit? Share your thoughts and comments here!

GLORY ONLY IN THE LORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY AUGUST 14, 2020.

SUBJECT : GLORY ONLY IN THE LORD!

Memory verse: "But, “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.

" (Second Corinthians 10 vs 17.)

READ: Jeremiah 9 vs 23 - 24:

9:23: Thus says the LORD: “Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, let not the mighty man glory in his might, nor let the rich man glory in his riches;

9:24: But let him who glories glory in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgement, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight, says the LORD.

INTIMATION:

People tend to admire three things about others: wisdom, power, and riches. But God puts a higher priority on knowing Him personally and living a life that reflects His justice, righteousness, and love. God created all things, including you, and gave you all that you have; abilities, talents, wisdom, possessions and so on. When one employs the things God has given him or her to achieve some feat, it will be wrong to boast of such things as your achievements, leaving out the One who has bestowed the enablements on you. Instead one should glory or boast in the Lord who has given you all you have, and made you what you are. 

One should not glory in order to emphasize his or her own abilities to perform. One should glory on the basis that he or she is in the Lord, and thus, it is the Lord working through you. When we boast in order to bring glory to Jesus, then we know that our lives are about Jesus, not ourselves. 

Never take pride in human wisdom, defenses and material possessions, because all these things are worthless in defending one against the power of God. One can boast only in so far as the grace of God has worked in his or her life to move him or her to respond to the will of God, and take pride in grace, righteousness, and just judgement of God..

When we do something well, we want to tell others and be recognized. But recognition is dangerous—it can lead to inflated pride. How much better it is to seek the recognition of God rather than the praise of people. Then, when we receive praise, we will be free to give God the credit. We should always lead our lives in order to receive God’s commendation.

The apostle Paul, in Galatians 6 vs 14, says, “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” The world is full of enticements. Daily we are confronted with subtle cultural pressures and overt propaganda. The only way to escape these destructive influences is to ask God to help crucify our interest in them, just as Paul did. How much do the interests of this world matter to you? 

Although God asks us to do our part, we should remember that He gives us that enablement to even do our part; “

I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” (Philippians 4 vs 13.) And 

He is not limited to human effort. God often chooses to work through people, but only because it is good for them. He can accomplish all His purposes without ant help from us if He chooses. You are very important to God, but on your own you have neither the ability to fulfill nor power to disrupt God’s plans. So if you have the privilege to be used to accomplish His plans through the enablements He has given you, then boast or glory in Him—the Enabler. 

Great servants of God in the Scriptures, such as Joseph, Moses, Daniel, Paul, and so on, never stopped at anything to glory in the Lord, ascribing all their feat to Him. Many people believe that to survive in this world a person must be skillful, powerful, tough, unbending, and harsh. But God says, “Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit.” (Zechariah 4 vs 6.) The key words are “by My Spirit.” It is only through God’s Spirit that anything of lasting value is accomplished. As you live for God, determine not to trust in your own strength or abilities. Instead, depend on God and work in the power of His Spirit! Then boast in that Spirit of God. 

 

The Scripture, in 

Ecclesiastes 9 vs 11, says, 

“I returned and saw under the sun that—the race is not for the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all.” It isn’t difficult to think of cases where the swiftest or the strongest don’t win, the wise are poor, and the skillful are unrewarding with wealth or honor. Your abilities and talents are not In themselves guarantees for success, but rather all things are of God who only guarantees anything of achievement in us, therefore, glory or boast only in Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, outside of You I am nothing and can do nothing. Endue me with the spirit of total dependence on You, and in all glory in Your works through me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE REWARD OF THE WICKED

 THE REWARD OF THE WICKED

"Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Psalms 91:8" 

Devotion : The children of God who read this Scripture should be consoled over the acts of the wicked: surely there is a reward of the wicked. What is this reward of the wicked? The reward of the wicked is not something that is pleasant at all; it is described as the chaff which the wind drives away (Psalms 1:4). The following happens to the wicked: God is angry at them every day; the wicked will be destroyed; evil shall slay the wicked; they are even estranged from the womb (Psalms 58:3); they flee when no man is pursuing them; the wicked will finally be turned into hell (Psalms 9:17). As you can see, there is no peace for the wicked. Any wicked person reading this article should quickly turn from their wickedness and receive Christ Jesus as Lord and personal Savior. If they do this they will be forgiven and they will become the children of God. Hallelujah! Share your thoughts here!

YOUR WORSHIP MUST BE MINDFUL!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY AUGUST 13, 2020.

SUBJECT : 

YOUR WORSHIP MUST BE MINDFUL

!

Memory verse: "

And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. This is the first commandment.

" (Mark 12 vs 30.)

READ: Luke 10 vs 25 - 28:

10:25: And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tested Him, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?”
10:26: He said to him, “What is written in the law? What is your reading of it?”
10:27: So he answered and said, “You shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

10:28: And He said to him, “You have answered rightly; do this, and you will live.”

INTIMATION:

Worship must be thoughtful, it must be mindful; coming from your mind, and well thought out. If worship is mindless, it is meaningless. You must engage your mind in worship. Jesus' command to "love God with all your mind" is repeated four times in the New Testament. God is not pleased when your worship is thoughtless, be it singing of hymns, or exclamation of "Thank You Jesus" or "Praise the Lord," or careless, and reckless praying of cliches because we can't think of anything else to say at the moment. For instance, someone who is in a precarious situation to start worshiping in praise, singing, “It’s well, it’s well, it’s well, in the name of Jesus, it’s well with my life today.” What is well? Instead of mindfully calling upon Him in your day of trouble that He will deliver you in accordance with His promise (Psalm 50 vs 15).

Jesus called thoughtless worship "vain repetitions." (Matthew 6 vs 7.) even Biblical terms can become tired cliches from overuse, and we stop thinking about the meaning. Though it is so much easier to offer cliches in worship instead of making the effort to honor God with fresh words or ways. But a genuine effort of new words or ways, expressing your heartfelt love and understanding of God, is better appreciated by Him because you are speaking from your mind. 

That kind of feeling is the same with us. When someone calls you by a new name outside what is common with your contemporaries, in appreciation of you, it attracts more of your attention, and receives more acceptance from you. It is the same with our God. Try praising God without using the words praise, hallelujah, thanks, or amen. Instead of saying, "We just want to praise you," make a list of synonyms and use fresh words like admire, respect, value, revere, honor, and appreciate.

Also be specific and mindful with your worship. Whatever you say in worship to God must be specifically meaningful; give Him good reasons for your form of worship. For instance, if someone approached you and repeated, "I praise you!" ten times, you would probably think, “For what?” You will not attach any importance to such salutations because it is meaningless to you. It is a commonplace in public when a person or group approaches you in a social gathering, and begin to poor encomiums (praises, high commendations) on you, it attracts less of your attention, and approval. You would rather receive two specific compliments than twenty vague generalities. So would our God.

Instead of thoughtless worship, make a list of different names of God, and focus on them. God's names are not arbitrary; they tell us about different aspects of His character. In Old Testament, God gradually revealed Himself to Israel by introducing new names for Himself, and He commands us to praise His name. Call Him names and be mindful and specific with reasons for the names in your worship. An ideal worship is like this: “You are my Loving Father and gave Your only Son out of love for my sins, You are my Sacrificial Savior who sacrificed Son on the cross of Calvary as a propitiation for my sins, You are my Faithful Companion who Your Holy Spirit to indwelling me and be with me always, what a loving and merciful God You are.” It is even more appreciative to call Him new names out of a mindful and specific heart, and give your reasons for such new names. 

Even in our public or corporate meetings, God wants our worship gatherings to be thoughtful too. The apostle Paul devotes an entire chapter to this in First Corinthians 14, and concludes thus, "Let all things be done decently and in order." (First Corinthians 14 vs 40.) We should also be sensitive to unbelievers around you in your worship, God insists that our worship services be understandable to unbelievers when they are present in our gathering. For instance, when some strangers are in your worship service, and you are praising God with your spirit—speaking in unknown tongues—they will not understand you, and as such will not know what you are doing, or even when to say, 'Amen'? You may be worshipping God in a wonderful way, but no one else will be helped. 

Concerning this, the apostle Paul, in First Corinthians 14 vs 16 - 17, says thus, "Otherwise, if you bless with the spirit, how will he who occupies the place of the uninformed say "Amen" at your giving of thanks, since he does not understand what you say? For you indeed give thanks well, but the other is not edified." Being sensitive to unbelievers who visit your worship gatherings is a biblical command. To ignore this command is to be both disobedient and unloving. 

 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to mindfully worship You at all times, expressing my deep heartfelt understanding of who You are, and my appreciation of You and Your doings, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!