THE PRESENCE OF GOD

 THE PRESENCE OF GOD

"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalms 127:1" 

Devotion : The scripture above is not discouraging the children of God from engaging the services of laborers, building contractors, watchmen, and security men. It is good to engage them but the acknowledgement that God oversees their work is vital, because their technical knowledge is limited. It is only God who has the perfect knowledge to build strong houses, and has the intelligence to secure the city. The work of laborers and watchmen becomes effective and efficient if both the laborers/watchmen and their employers seek God's blessings. Dearly beloved, do not think you can do it all by yourself, or you might work in vain. Talk to the Holy Spirit about it. Share your comments here!

CONDITIONAL BLESSINGS

 CONDITIONAL BLESSINGS

"Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you. John 15:16" 

Devotion : There are two kinds of blessings for the children of God: conditional blessings and unconditional blessings. Examples of unconditional blessings are salvation and grace; these are enjoyed by every Christian. The conditional blessings are those gotten by carrying out the desires and commandments of God. A typical example is in the opening scripture; Jesus Christ said we did not choose Him but He has chosen us to bear fruit. He further explained that if the fruit we have borne remain, the Father will give us whatsoever we ask. The fruit He is talking about is winning souls for Him. When you win a soul, use that soul as the basis for your request and God will grant you the request. Dearly beloved, you have been ordained by Christ Jesus to win souls, and you can do it. Kindly do it to enjoy uncountable blessings. Share with others what you have learnt from the above article!

PRAISE GOD ALWAYS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2020.

SUBJECT: PRAISE GOD ALWAYS! 

Memory verse: "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." (Hebrews 13 vs 15.) 

READ: Psalm 103 vs 1 - 6:

103:1: Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name!
103:2: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:
103:3: Who forgives  all your iniquities; who heals all your diseases;
103:4: Who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, 
193:5: Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.
103:6: The LORD executes righteousness and judgment for all that are oppressed.

INTIMATION:

Praise expresses admiration, appreciation, and thanks. Praise to God is expressing our appreciation and understanding of His worth. When we praise God we help ourselves by expanding our awareness of who He is. It is saying thank You for each aspect of His divine nature. We praise God not only for what He does: His creation, His blessings, His forgiveness, but also for who He is: loving, just, faithful, forgiving, patient. 

Our inward attitude becomes outward expression. Considering all that God has done for us, what could be more natural than outbursts of heartfelt praise?  

Singing praises to God can have a positive effect in our attitude. We need to always express our gratitude to God, thanking Him, praising Him, and telling others about Him. Songs of praise focus our attention on God, give us an outlet for spiritual celebration, and remind us of God’s faithfulness and character. Whether you are experiencing a great victory or a major dilemma, from the depths of your gratitude, you must praise Him, and you should share the Good News with others. David made a vow to praise God each day (Psalm 61 vs 8). David, the man after God’s heart, continually praised God through both the good and difficult times of his life. 

Praise and thanksgiving should be a regular part of our routine, not reserved only for celebrations. Our worship should begin by acknowledging God’s love. Praise God first, then you will be prepared to present your needs to Him. Recalling God’s love and mercy will inspire you to worship Him daily. Praise God continually, and you will find that you won’t take His blessings for granted. Beginning a task by praising God can inspire us to give Him our best. Develop the practice of giving praise to God, and you will experience greater joy and strength to face anything.

In the passage we read today, David’s praise focused on the good things God was doing for him. It is easy to complain about life, but David’s list gives us plenty for which to praise God. He forgives our sins, heals our diseases, redeems us from death, crowns us with lovingkindness and tender mercies, satisfies our desires, and gives righteousness and justice. We receive all of these without deserving  any of them. No matter how difficult your life’s journey, you can always count your blessings—past, present, and future. When you feel as though you have nothing for which to praise God, read David’s list. 

What does praise do? (1) Praise takes our minds off our problems and shortcomings and help us focus on God. (2) Praise leads us from individual meditation to corporate worship. (3) Praise causes us to consider and appreciate God’s character. (4) Praise lifts our perspective from the earthly to the heavenly. (5) Praise prepares our hearts to receive God’s love and the power of His Holy Spirit.

Although the Bible invites us to praise God, we often aren’t sure how to go about it. Several ways are suggested: by singing, dancing, or playing musical instruments. God enjoys His people, and we should enjoy praising Him. Praising God first puts us in the right frame of mind to tell Him about our needs. Too often our prayers are more like shopping lists than conversations. We should consider praise an acts of sacrifice—“sacrifice of our lips”and we could offer it anywhere, anytime. 

No matter what our circumstances, we should praise God. Praise brings God to your situation. In Acts 16, Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, and placed in stocks in the cell. Stocks were made of two boards joined with iron clamps, leaving holes just big enough for the ankles. Paul and Silas, who had committed no crime and who were peaceful men, were put in stocks designed for holding the most dangerous prisoners in absolute security. Despite this dismal situation, they praised God, praying and singing as the other prisoners listened. Then God showed up, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken, and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's stocks were loosed. 

The keeper of the prison and his household gave their lives to Christ and the first church in the city was borne in his house. It’s noteworthy that it was in the same prison that John the Baptist was kept, but instead praising God, He was offended in Jesus, and questioned if He was the long awaited Christ. He eventually was beheaded at the request of the King’s daughter.

Prayer: Abba Father, Great are You LORD, and greatly to be praised. Give me the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness. And every day will I bless You, and I will praise Your name for ever and ever, in Jesus’ great Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

THE PEACE OF GOD TO US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2020.

SUBJECT: THE PEACE OF GOD TO US! 

Memory verse: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4 vs 7.) 

READ: John 14 vs 27 - 28:

14: 27: Peace I leave with you. My peace I give you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

14:28: You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you love Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father ,’ for the Father is greater than I.

INTIMATION:

God's peace is different from the world's peace. True peace is not found in positive thinking, in absence of conflict, or in good feelings. It comes from knowing that God is in control, and that Christ has won the ultimate victory for us on the cross. Therefore, as believers, our citizenship in Christ's kingdom is sure, our destiny is set, and we can have victory over sin. Christ has already assured us of His continuous presence in our lives; that He will not leave us alone, He will come back to us as the Holy Spirit. Let God's peace guard your heart against anxiety.

The end result of the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives is deep and lasting peace. Unlike worldly peace, which is usually defined as the absence of conflict, this peace is confident assurance in any circumstance; with Christ’s peace, we have no need to fear the present or the future. Sin, fear, uncertainty, doubt, and numerous other forces are at war within us. The peace of God moves into our hearts and lives to restrain these hostile forces and offer comfort in place of conflict. Jesus says He will give us that peace if we are willing to accept it from Him. If your life is full of stress, allow the Holy Spirit to fill you with Christ’s peace.

Jesus said, “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16 vs 33.) With these words He told His disciples to take courage. In spite of the inevitable struggles they would face, they would not be alone. He is saying the same thing to all believers; He does not abandon us to our struggles either. If we remember that the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace of Christ in the most troublesome times.

The apostle Paul tells the believers, “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.” (Colossians 3 vs 15.) Paul tells us to let Christ’s peace be umpire or referee in our heart. Our heart is the center of conflict because there our feelings and desires clash—our fears and hopes, distrust and trust, jealousy and love. How can we deal with these constant conflicts and live as God wants? The apostle Paul explains that we must decide between conflicting elements by using the rule of peace that will promote peace in our souls, and our Christian community. 

The result of one’s prayerful communication with God that is based on faith is an inner tranquility that cannot be expressed in words. It is the peace of God that protects one’s heart and produces consistency in one’s thoughts. When our prayers are offered to God upon the basis of faith, and knowing that God will work in answer to our prayers, then we will gain an inner peace of heart and mind. Through the knowledge of the presence of God, we would have peace of mind. The world could not give such peace of mind because of the turmoil that is constantly in the world. 

Prayer: Abba Father, let Your peace which surpasses all understanding guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus, rule my heart at all times with inner tranquility that cannot be expressed in words because of the knowledge of Christ’s triumph for us on the cross, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE PRESENCE OF GOD

THE PRESENCE OF GOD

"Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain. Psalms 127:1" 

Devotion : The scripture above is not discouraging the children of God from engaging the services of laborers, building contractors, watchmen, and security men. It is good to engage them but the acknowledgement that God oversees their work is vital, because their technical knowledge is limited. It is only God who has the perfect knowledge to build strong houses, and has the intelligence to secure the city. The work of laborers and watchmen becomes effective and efficient if both the laborers/watchmen and their employers seek God's blessings. Dearly beloved, do not think you can do it all by yourself, or you might work in vain. Talk to the Holy Spirit about it. Share your comments here!

WHEN GRACE IS DENIED US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 21, 2020.

SUBJECT: WHEN GRACE IS DENIED US! 

Memory verse: "And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me." (Matthew 1I vs 6.) 

READ: Philippians 2 vs 14 - 16:

2:14: Do all things without complaining and disputing.

2:15: that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

2:16:holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

INTIMATION:

Grace is denied us due to our bad attitudes such as short-lived gratitude, complaining, murmuring, seeking sympathy, self-pity, grumbling, fault-finding, nit-picking, jealousy, envy. Ignorance—not knowing enough to call on the Lord, asking Him to pour out His grace in time of need, and so on. Many times the reason we are not able to tap into the grace of God is simply because our attitude is all wrong. Such attitudes can never mix with grace. Many times the mistake we make is griping and fussing from daylight to dark, at the same time we are trying to activate the power of God in our life to help us solve a problem. You and I cannot expect God to intervene on our behalf in a situation if we are constantly displaying unacceptable attitudes before Him.

There is no way to receive God's grace while seeking sympathy from others or fellowshipping with self-pity. God will heal our wound if we don't seek others to nurse them. Many times we want the power of God to come upon us and solve some problem for us, but at the same time we want all our friends to feel sorry for us. Seeking pity becomes more important to us than seeking God’s grace to take us over. For instance, if we are having money problems, we may go into our prayer closet and cry out to the Lord, "O Father, please help me. I'm in over my head financially, and I need Your help so bad. I'm trusting You to help me, because without You I have no hope. Lord, You are the only One who can save me!"

Then, as soon as prayer time is over, you get on the phone telling your friends, co-workers, and relations, how tight it is for you and family, how hard you have worked and nothing is happening, how your husband or wife has not been helping and is idle, how underprivileged you are, how nobody is helping you, on and on. You want God to help you, but you also want everybody else to feel sorry for you. 

It is not wrong to share your burdens in a balanced way and with right motives. But beware of seeking pity. God never leads us where He cannot keep us. His grace is always sufficient for us in any and every circumstances of life. There is no sense in our griping and complaining, worrying and finagling, constantly trying to figure out things, working ourselves up into a stew and getting all frustrated and confused. If we do, that shows that we have no faith at all in God's abiding grace. If we want to receive God's grace, we have got to learn to depend upon Him totally and not upon others' sympathy or our own self-pity. 

As human beings, believers and unbelievers, we are subject to selfishness and ingratitude. We can pray and believe God for something, and even be very thankful and grateful for it when we receive it. But it doesn't take us very long and we are no longer thankful and grateful for them, but actually come to complain about them. We should be grateful and thankful to God always. In the event of our desiring something more, we then go to the Holy Spirit - the Spirit of grace and supplication, which is the power of God coming into our life to meet evil tendency that we have, and help us solve every problem that we encounter, as well as helping us institute any changes we desire.

As an example of how quickly and easily we can fall prey to a bad attitude, is inherent in the following illustrations: You are believing God for the fruit of the womb, and thankful and grateful when you got pregnant and delivered to a baby. In a few years you are griping and complaining and questioning God for giving us  "a stubborn child." Or we are praying, fasting, and believing God for husband or wife, and soon God showed up and the partner came. A few years down the road, we are complaining of our husband or wife, questioning God why He had allowed this partner into your life. 

It is noteworthy that this kind of bad or negative attitude was the major problem that caused the nation of Israel to wonder in the wilderness for forty years before entering the Promised land, in a journey that should have lasted forty days. God calls it unbelief. Learn to trust God in all things, not being anxious for anything, but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, presenting your problems or concerns to God.

Prayer: Abba Father, with You all things are possible, and there is nothing difficult for You including my problems and concerns. Forever my trust and confidence is in You, even when I am at my wits’ end, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

MY GOD

 MY GOD

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:19" 

Devotion : Have you ever wondered why the Apostle Paul used the phrase "my God"? The Apostle Paul had an intimate relation with the true God, Elohim, such that he knew what God could do. Indeed, God had been his supplier and had made him a channel through whom anyone could be blessed. He also gave the people of Philippi the secret of attracting God's blessings: ministering to the needs of the conveyers of the Gospel of Christ. Lastly, he gave them the full assurance that their needs would be supplied by God; God is in the business of supplying needs so that He can supply our wants. Dearly beloved, do you know the difference between needs and wants? Share your thoughts here!