THE MERCY OF GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2020.

SUBJECT : THE MERCY OF GOD! 

Memory verse: "O give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever." (Psalm 136 vs 1.)

READ: Zechariah 3 vs 1 - 5:

3:1: Then he shewed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.
3:2: And the LORD said to Satan, “The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”
3:3: Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and stood before the Angel.
3:4: Then He answered and spoke to those who stood before Him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him. And to him he said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”
3:5: And I said, “Let them put a clean turban on his head.” So they put clean turban on his head, and they put the clothes on him. And the angel of the LORD stood by.

INTIMATION:

Mercy is a translation of a Hebrew word that includes aspects of love, kindness, mercy, and faithfulness. It is the outward manifestation of pity. It assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it. It is used of God who is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2 vs 4), and who has provided salvation for all men. God is merciful to those who fear (reverence) Him. We never have to worry that God will run out of love because it flows from a well that will never run dry. All that exists is the result of the mercy of God. God could have existed alone in eternity, but He chose not to. 

Mercy has literally been defined as not giving a person what he or she deserve in punishment. This is exactly what God does for us. Our disobedience demands God’s wrath! But God is merciful to us sinners; He shows mercy toward us by providing an escape from sin’s penalty through Jesus Christ, Who alone saves us from sin. When we pray for forgiveness, we are asking for what we do not deserve. Yet when we take this step and trust in Christ’s saving work on our behalf, we can experience God’s forgiveness.

Countless times throughout the Bible we see God showing His love and patience toward men and women in order to save them. Although He realizes that their hearts are evil, He continues to try to reach them. When we sin or fall away from God, we surely deserve to be destroyed by His judgement. But God has promised never again to destroy everything on earth until the judgement day when Christ returns to destroy evil forever. God reminds Himself of this promise by every change of season made by Him.

God’s mercy is unbelievable, it goes far beyond what we can imagine. Even when we deliberately walk away from Him and ruin our lives, He would still take us back, and give us inward spiritual renewal. God wants to forgive us our sins and bring us back to Himself, too, and will not remember them anymore. Most of us will not learn this until their world has crashed in around them. Then the sorrow and pain seem to open our eyes to what God has been saying all along. Are you separated from God by sin? No matter how far you have wandered, God promises a fresh beginning if only you will turn to Him.

The passage we read today regarding Zachariah’s vision portrays how we receive God’s mercy. We do nothing ourselves. God removes our filthy garments (sins), then provides us with fine, new clothes (the righteousness and holiness of God—Second Corinthians 5 vs 21; Ephesians 4 vs 25; Revelation 19 vs 8). All we need to do is repent and ask God to forgive us. When Satan tries to make you feel dirty and unworthy, remember that the clean clothes of Christ’s righteousness make you worthy to draw near to God. 

Satan accused (opposed) Joshua, who here represents the nation of Israel. The accusations were accurate—Joshua stood in filthy garments (sins). Yet God revealed His mercy, stating that He chose to save His people in spite of their sin. Satan is always accusing people of their sins before God (Job 1 vs 6). But he greatly misunderstands the breadth of God’s mercy and forgiveness toward those who believe in Him. Satan the accuser will ultimately be destroyed (Revelation 12 vs 10); while everyone who is a believer will be saved (John 3 vs 16). To be prepared, we can ask God to remove our clothing of sin and dress us with His goodness. 

We should be thankful that God’s mercy extends to us. Many times God has withheld us from sinning against Him in many ways unknown to us, and we can’t even detect. We have no way of knowing, but He does. God works just as often in ways we can’t see as in ways we can. It is easy to view sin lightly in a world that sees sin as inconsequential, but we should view sin as serious. Even when we sin in the worst imaginable way, we can turn to God with prayers and repentance. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are full of compassion, gracious, long suffering, ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy to all those who call upon You. Thank You, O Lord, for Your grace and mercy upon my sinful life and may it speak for me all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

HOW CAN I BRING GLORY TO GOD?

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2020.

SUBJECT : HOW CAN I BRING GLORY TO GOD?

Memory verse: "Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but to Your Name give glory, because of Your mercy, because of Your truth." (Psalm 115 vs 1.)

READ: First Corinthians 10 vs 31; First Peter 4 vs 11:

First Corinthians 10:31: Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

First Peter 4:11: If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone minister, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

INTIMATION:

Glory means fame, honor, praise, splendor, beauty. We are created to bring glory to God—bestow honor, fame, praise splendor to Him (Isaiah 43 vs 7). Living for God's glory is purposeful, and in accordance with the wii of God. It is the greatest achievement anyone can accomplish with his or her live. God made you to be you, and for a purpose. When the purpose for which He created you is met by you, you give glory to Him. God, in His nature of Love and mercy, in return, glorifies those you glorified Him. Jesus said in John 17 vs 5, "And now, O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself, with the glory which I had with You before the world was." 

How then can I bring glory to Him? There are many ways to bring glory to God, but they can be summarized in God's five purposes for your life. These purposes are:-

(1) We bring God glory by worshipping Him. Worship is the appropriate response to God's self-revelation. It is our first responsibility to God. We worship God for who He is. God wants our worship to be motivated by love, thanksgiving, and delight, not duty. We worship God by enjoying Him. Worship is far more than praising, singing, and praying to God, though they are all acts of worship. Worship is a lifestyle of enjoying God, loving Him, and giving ourselves to be used for His purposes. When you use your life for God's glory, everything you do can become an act of worship. 

(2) We bring glory to God by loving other believers. When you were born again, you became a part of God's family. Following Christ is not only a matter of believing; it also includes belonging and learning to love the family of God. The apostle Paul said, "Therefore, receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God" (Romans 15 vs 7). Accept each other just as Christ accepted you;  then God will be glorified. It is your responsibility to learn how to love as God does, because God is love, and it honors Him.  

(3) We bring God glory by becoming like Christ. Once we are born into the family of God, He wants us to grow to spiritual maturity. Spiritual maturity is becoming like Jesus in the way we think, feel, and act. The more you develop Christlike character, the more you will bring glory to God. In the Gospel, we see the truth about Christ, and it transforms us morally as we understand and apply it. Through learning about Christ's life, we can understand how wonderful God is and what He is really like. As our knowledge deepens, the Holy Spirit helps us to change. Becoming like Christ is a progressive experience. God gave us new life and a new nature when you accepted Christ. Now, for the rest of your life on earth, God wants to continue the process of changing your character to eventually conform to Christ’s.

(4) We bring God glory by serving others with our gifts. Each of us was uniquely designed by God with talents, gifts, skills, and abilities. The way you're "wired" is not an accident. God didn't give you your abilities for selfish purposes. They were given to benefit others, just as others were given abilities for your benefit. Some people, well aware of their abilities, believe that they have the right to use their abilities as they please. Others feel they have no special talents at all. Everyone has some gifts; find yours and use them. All our abilities should be used in serving others; none are for our own exclusive enjoyment. 

(5) We bring God glory by telling others about Him. God doesn't want His love and purposes kept a secret. Once we know the truth, He expects us to share it with others. It is for this reason He gave us the great commission to preach the Good News (Mark 16 vs 15). This is a great privilege, introducing others to Jesus, helping them discover their purpose, and preparing them for their eternal destiny. God's grace brings more and more people to Christ, and as this is done God will receive more and more glory. Second Corinthians 4 vs 15 says, " ... That grace, having spread through the many, may cause thanksgiving to abound to the glory of God." God is glorified when people come into a right relationship with Him and begin to bear fruit  in their lives.

When the combination of allowing Jesus to permeate our behavior, and subsequently allowing our behavior to affect the lives of others, then truly God is glorified on earth among men. Our actions must be motivated by God’s love so that all we do will be for His glory. Keep this as a guiding principle by asking, “Is this action glorifying God?” or “How can ai honor God through this action?” 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to continually do things to glorify You. My utmost heart desire is for an intimate relationship with You, and that Inmay serve You and others acceptably, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!

FELLOWSHIP WITH HIM

 

November, 23

“Fellowship with him.”

1 John 1:6 

When we were united by faith to Christ, we were brought into such complete fellowship with him, that we were made one with him, and his interests and ours became mutual and identical. We have fellowship with Christ in his love. What he loves we love. He loves the saints—so do we. He loves sinners—so do we. He loves the poor perishing race of man, and pants to see earth’s deserts transformed into the garden of the Lord—so do we. We have fellowship with him in his desires. He desires the glory of God—we also labour for the same. He desires that the saints may be with him where he is—we desire to be with him there too. He desires to drive out sin—behold we fight under his banner. He desires that his Father’s name may be loved and adored by all his creatures—we pray daily, “Let thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, even as it is in heaven.” We have fellowship with Christ in his sufferings. We are not nailed to the cross, nor do we die a cruel death, but when he is reproached, we are reproached; and a very sweet thing it is to be blamed for his sake, to be despised for following the Master, to have the world against us. The disciple should not be above his Lord. In our measure we commune with him in his labours, ministering to men by the word of truth and by deeds of love. Our meat and our drink, like his, is to do the will of him who hath sent us and to finish his work. We have also fellowship with Christ in his joys. We are happy in his happiness, we rejoice in his exaltation. Have you ever tasted that joy, believer? There is no purer or more thrilling delight to be known this side heaven than that of having Christ’s joy fulfilled in us, that our joy may be full. His glory awaits us to complete our fellowship, for his Church shall sit with him upon his throne, as his well-beloved bride and queen. 

THE POWER OF RESURRECTION

 “The power of his resurrection.”

Philippians 3:10 

The doctrine of a risen Saviour is exceedingly precious. The resurrection is the corner-stone of the entire building of Christianity. It is the key-stone of the arch of our salvation. It would take a volume to set forth all the streams of living water which flow from this one sacred source, the resurrection of our dear Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; but to know that he has risen, and to have fellowship with him as such—communing with the risen Saviour by possessing a risen life—seeing him leave the tomb by leaving the tomb of worldliness ourselves, this is even still more precious. The doctrine is the basis of the experience, but as the flower is more lovely than the root, so is the experience of fellowship with the risen Saviour more lovely than the doctrine itself. I would have you believe that Christ rose from the dead so as to sing of it, and derive all the consolation which it is possible for you to extract from this well-ascertained and well-witnessed fact; but I beseech you, rest not contented even there. Though you cannot, like the disciples, see him visibly, yet I bid you aspire to see Christ Jesus by the eye of faith; and though, like Mary Magdalene, you may not “touch” him, yet may you be privileged to converse with him, and to know that he is risen, you yourselves being risen in him to newness of life. To know a crucified Saviour as having crucified all my sins, is a high degree of knowledge; but to know a risen Saviour as having justified me, and to realize that he has bestowed upon me new life, having given me to be a new creature through his own newness of life, this is a noble style of experience: short of it, none ought to rest satisfied. May you both “know him, and the power of his resurrection.” Why should souls who are quickened with Jesus, wear the grave-clothes of worldliness and unbelief? Rise, for the Lord is risen.

THE FEAR OF THE LORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 22, 2020.

SUBJECT : THE FEAR OF THE LORD! 

Memory verse: "And to man He said, ‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom, and to depart from evil is understanding." (Job 28 vs 28.)

READ: Psalm 25 vs 12 - 15; 34 vs 11 - 14:

25:12: What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose.
25:13: His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth.
25:14: The secret of the LORD is with them that fear him; and he will shew them his covenant.
25:15: Mine eyes are ever toward the LORD; for he shall pluck my feet out of the net.

34:11: Come you children, listen to me, I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

34:12: Who is the man who desires life, and loves many days, that he may see good?

34:13: Keep your tongue from evil, and your soul lips from speaking deceit.

34:14: Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it.

INTIMATION:

“The fear of the Lord” means to have respect and reverence for God and to be in awe of His majesty and power. It is not a mere fear of His power and righteous retribution, but a wholesome dread of displeasing Him. The fear of the Lord is reverential of Him as a controlling motive of the life in matters that are spiritual and moral. Reverence mingled fear and love constitute the piety of man toward God. It is a fear which banishes the terror that shrinks from His presence, and which influences the disposition and attitude of one whose circumstances are guided by trust in God, through the indwelling Spirit of God. 

The Bible often connects the fear of the Lord (love and reverence for Him) with obedience. “Fear God, and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12 vs 13). “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word” (John 14 vs 23). A person who fears the Lord doesn’t lie, turns from evil, does good, and promotes peace. Reverence is much more than sitting quietly in church. It includes obeying God in the way we speak and the way we treat others. Fear of the Lord is the foundation upon which learning takes place. This fear leads to listening to God and obeying His commandments. It is obedience to His will. 

Recognition of the existence and authority of God in our lives is the foundation upon which all learning should take place. The fear of the Lord is a key theme in the wisdom literature of the Bible (Job through Songs of Solomon). It is the starting point to finding real wisdom (Proverbs 1 vs 7 - 9). The only way to become truly wise is to fear (revere) God. Too often people want to skip this step, thinking they can become wise by life experience and academic knowledge alone. But if we do not acknowledge God as the source of wisdom, then our foundation for making wise decisions is shaky and we are prone to mistakes and foolish choices.  

To fear the Lord is to recognize God’s attributes: He is Holy, Almighty, Righteous, Pure, All-knowing, All-powerful, and All-wise. When we regard God correctly, we gain a clearer picture of ourselves: sinful, weak, frail, and needy. When we recognize who God is and who we are, we will fall at His feet in humble respect. Only then will He show us how to choose His way. If one will reverence God and submit to His will, then God will teach him His way. The obedient will then live in peace of mind, his posterity through his children will continue throughout generations, and he will thus benefit from his covenant relationship with God, enjoying the benefit of a spiritual connection with Him, and will be a friend of God.

With fear of the Lord is prolonged days, and your children will have a place of refuge. It gives confidence, it is a foundation of life, and helps turn one away from the snares of death. God offers intimate and lasting friendship to those who revere Him, who hold Him in highest honor. What relationship could ever compare with having the Lord of all creation for a friend? Your everlasting friendship with God will grow as you respect and honor Him. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue with the excellent spirit of fear of the Lord, and raw obedience to Your will, that I may be found worthy of Your friendship, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

OUR MISSION ON EARTH!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 21, 2020.

SUBJECT : OUR MISSION ON EARTH! 

Memory verse: "Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation." (Second Corinthians 5 vs 18.)

READ: Matthew 28 vs 19 - 20; Mark 16 vs 15:

Matthew 28:19: Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 

28:20: teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

Mark 16:15: Go into the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

INTIMATION:

You are made and called for a mission. The earth is an extension of God's kingdom. From creation God has been at work in the world. He created the angels and other heavenly beings to join Him in His work in heaven, and for special missions on earth. He created us to join Him in His work on earth. The aspect of the work He has employed you to join Him is called your mission. God wants you to have both a ministry in the Body of Christ and a mission in the world. Your ministry is your service to believers, and your mission is your service to the rest of the world.

The english word 'mission' comes from the Latin word for 'sending.' Being a Christian includes being sent into the world as a representative of Jesus Christ. Jesus said, "As the Father has sent Me, I also send you. (John 20 vs 21.) Your life mission is both shared and specific. One part of it a responsibility you share with every other Christian, and the other part is an assignment that is unique to you. The mission that Christ called us to is called “The Great Commission,” which was given to all followers of Christ, not just pastors and missionaries alone. This mission given to us by Jesus is mandatory, and to ignore it is disobedience.

Jesus clearly understood His life mission on earth. At age twelve He said, "I must be about My Father's business." (Luke 2 vs 49), and twenty-one years later, dying on the cross, He said, "It is finished." John 19 vs 30.) Like the bookends these two statements frame a well-lived, and purposeful life. Jesus completed the mission the Father gave Him. The mission Jesus had while on earth is now our mission because we are the Body of Christ. What He did in His physical body we are to continue as His spiritual body—the church. 

Our mission, therefore, is introducing people to God! Christ changed us from enemies into His friends and gave us the task of making others His friends also. Because we have been reconciled to God, we have the privilege of encouraging others to do the same. God wants to redeem human beings from Satan and reconcile them to Himself so we can fulfill the five purposes He created us for: to love Him, to be part of His family, to become like Him, to serve Him, and to tell others about Him. 

Once we are His, God uses us to reach others. He saves us and then sends us out. The Bible says, "We are ambassadors of Christ." (Second Corinthians 5 vs 20.) We are the messengers of God's love and purposes to the world, and imploring others on behalf of Christ, to be reconciled to God. All believers are the ambassadors of Christ. We are messengers and agents of Christ mandated to continue the work He started. Jesus did two things with us; He called us to Himself, and commissioned us to go for Him. This mission given to us by Christ is so significant that He repeated it five times; in five different ways, and in five different books of the Bible. The emphasis connotes how important and demanding of us it is to Christ. 

You may have been unaware that God holds you responsible for the unbelievers who live around you. The Bible, in Ezekiel 3 vs 18, says, "When I say to a wicked, 'You shall surely die,' and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand." We are responsible to tell others about God's judgement and His message of salvation, although we are not held responsible for how they respond. But if we refuse to tell others what we know, God will judge us. Therefore, remember God's words to Ezekiel when you are tempted to remain silent among those who don't believe.

The pertinent questions you should ask, and the answers to them are; (1) When do you go? Now! (2) Where do you go? To the world beginning with where you are now. (3) Why do you go? Because it is mandatory to tell others about Christ, sharing your own experience and knowledge of Him, and (4) How do you do the work? Witnessing for Christ, preaching the gospel of repentance and remission of sins, ensuring that those who believed are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to do everything Jesus said we should do.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the privilege of calling me to the mission of reconciling others to You. Give me the grace to be committed to this mission with great zeal, preaching the Good News to all, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

JESUS CAME FOR THE SINNERS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 20, 2020.

SUBJECT : JESUS CAME FOR THE SINNERS!

Memory verse: "I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5 vs 32.)

READ: Isaiah 1 vs 18 - 20:

18: "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19: If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

20: But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword", for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

 

INTIMATION:

The Greek word for sin is harmartia, which means “miss the mark.” Sin, therefore, is one missing the mark of perfection in order to be considered righteous before God. Those who are involved in sin are known as sinners. Sin has been preached to us so long and we have been told so often that we are unworthy and unfit, and this has kept us with a sense of inferiority which has been destructive to a faith life. This has made many to keep a distance from our holy and perfect God, and their guilt feelings of sin keep them from praying (seeking the face of God), which is their only means of restoration, because only God forgives sin. 

Sometimes you may feel that you have done something terrible, and could never come close to God. Consequently, the effect of sin keeps you away from praying. However, it is noteworthy that perfect moral behavior is not a condition for prayer. Though the stain of sin seems permanent, but only God can remove such stain of sin from our lives. We don't have to go through life permanently soiled. God's Word assures that if we are willing and obedient in turning to Him, Christ will forgive and remove our most indelible stains of sin.

No matter how long you have been away from God, He is ready to hear from you and restore you to a right relationship with Him. Every situation can be salvaged if you are willing to turn to God. In Judges 16 vs 28 - 30,  we would observe that in spite of Samson's past, God still answered his prayer and destroyed the philistines' heathen temple and worshipers. He killed more people at his death than he did in his life because of the mercy of God when he turned to Him in prayer.

Christ came for sinners like you and I, and He expects us, the sinners, to come to Him for mercy. We can only go to God in prayer, acknowledging our need and admitting that we don't have all the answers, and God will come to our help. He desires to show mercy and His mercy endures forever. God is in finitely merciful. All of us are compassed with infirmity, and only God can succor us. Hence we are to pray boldly for mercy. When we go to God in prayer, repent of our sin, and seek His forgiveness, He is faithful to forgive us, but you must come to Him in prayer. He then withholds punishment deserved by us and gives His kindness in excess. God's mercy is everlasting and total. 

God can forgive all sins, except the sin against the Holy Spirit. The unforgivable sin against the Holy Spirit is the deliberate refusal to acknowledge God, and His power in Christ, expressed through the Holy Spirit. It indicates a deliberate and irreversible hardness of heart. It reveals a heart attitude of unbelief and unrepentance, that attributes to Satan the work that the Holy Spirit accomplishes. Such people have turned their backs on God and rejected all faith, and are unwilling to ask for forgiveness. Even when they receive the prompting of the Holy Spirit, convicting them of sin, they reject it. 

The deliberate rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit is blasphemy, because it is rejecting God Himself. Blasphemy is a malicious and injurious speech against the work of God. It is such because the accusers are assigning the work of God to Satan. It cannot be forgiven simply because those who are making the accusations will not accept the message by obedience to the gospel. Such persons remove themselves from the only force that can lead them to repentance and restoration to God.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are the only God, there is no other. Before You there is no God, with You there is no other God, and there will be no other God after You. Have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of your tender mercies. Blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleans me from my sin, in Jesus name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!