UNDERSTANDING WHY CHRIST CAME!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY DECEMBER 27, 2020.

SUBJECT: UNDERSTANDING WHY CHRIST CAME!

Memory verse:  "Jesus says to him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father, except through Me." (John 14 vs 6.) 

READ: John 1 vs 4; 3 vs 8, 16; 10 vs 10; 14 vs 27; 16 vs 33; Luke 2 vs 10; Acts 10 vs 38:

John 1:4: In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.

3:8: The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.

3:16: For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

10:10: The thief does not except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

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

16:33: 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.

Luke 2:10: Then the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which will be to all people.

Acts 10:38: How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power: who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil; for God was with Him.

INTIMATION:

Jesus came to reveal and represent the Father, and as well show us the way to the Father. He is the visible, tangible image of the invisible God. He is the complete revelation of what God is like. To know Jesus is to know God (Colossians 1 vs 15 - 16; Hebrews 1 vs 1 - 4). He is our path to the Father. As the truth, He is the reality of all God’s promises. As the life He joins His divine life to ours, both now and eternally. 

Jesus Christ is the Creator of life (John 3 vs 3), and His life brings light to humankind. In His light, we see ourselves as we really are (sinners in need of a Savior). When we follow Jesus, the true Light, we can avoid walking blindly and falling into sin. He lights the path ahead of us so we can see how to live. He removes the darkness of sin from our lives. When Christ guides you in His light, you will never need to,stumble in darkness. 

Jesus came to bring salvation to mankind, and restore man to the glory he lost in the Garden of Eden, as well as restore divinity to man. God's Will of abundance for us was supreme until that fatal day Adam and Eve, our first parents, committed high treason against God by doubting His integrity, and believing God's permanent enemy—Satan. 

Jesus came to destroy the works of the devil. All evils are the works of the devil. But Jesus came to destroy all his works. Jesus, reading from the book of Isaiah, said, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed: To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4 vs 18 - 19.) Jesus was proclaiming Himself as the One who would bring this good news to pass. 

Jesus came to restore the supernatural back to man. In Mark 16 vs 17 - 18, the Scripture says, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; They will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.” There are times when God intervenes miraculously to protect His followers. Occasionally He gives them special powers. This does not mean, however, that we should test God by putting ourselves in dangerous situations or try to tempt the laws of nature. 

Jesus came to bring unspeakable joy to the world. The demeanor of a Christian lifestyle is that of joy for what Christ has wrought for us in redemption, and the hope of living in eternity with God. Ultimate joy comes from Christ dwelling within us. Christ is near, and at His second coming we will fully realize this ultimate joy. He who lives within us will fulfill His final purposes for us. In First Peter 1 vs 8, the Scripture says, “Whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.” 

Jesus came to bring peace that passes all understanding to humanity. The result of one’s prayerful communication with God that is based on faith, is an inner tranquility that cannot be expressed in words. The end result of 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 live to restrain these hostile forces and offer comfort in place of conflict. Peace comes from knowing that God is in control. Our citizenship in Christ’s kingdom is sure, our destiny is set, and we can have victory over sin. 

He came to give us life at its best. The life Christ gives now is abundantly rich and full. It is eternal, yet it begins immediately. Life in Christ is lived on a higher plane because of His overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance. Jesus affirms that one is not only saved if he enters through Him as the door, but such a person will also comprehend and enjoy the fullness for which life on earth was meant to be. It is only in Christ that one understands, and thus receives those blessings that enrich and enhance living.  “His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who has called us to glory and virtue.” (Second Peter 1 vs 3.) 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You For the gift of Your Son, Jesus, to mankind. May all the reasons for His coming be fully expressed in my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

 

HE IS STILL YOUR MAKER!

 He Is Still Your Maker! 

“And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” Matthew 4:19 (KJV)

Acknowledging the Most High as your maker is the beginning of your greatness. The Most High God loves mankind so much that He has to take its form in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ in order to reveal Himself to us and show us His way (John 1:14). Indeed, He is still our Maker and in the business of making us great if we can only acknowledge Him and follow Him. He said to Simon Peter and his brother, Andrew, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.” When they obliged and followed Him, He made them fishers of men, thus fulfilling His promise (Acts 2:41). Dear beloved, do you acknowledge Jesus Christ as your Maker? God is a Spirit and He wouldn’t reveal His infinite nature to us because we cannot stand it. Moses only had the privilege of seeing His back, but we can see God’s humanity in Jesus Christ (Exodus 33:23, John 14:9–10). Thus, when we acknowledge Jesus Christ as our Maker and follow Him, He will make us what He wants us to be on earth, thereby fulfilling His will and purpose for our lives. Beloved, He can use your profession, as long as it doesn’t break His Word, to win souls and beautify the lives of others. If you don’t have a profession, He will lead you to create one or find one so that you can make a positive impact in the lives of people, thereby drawing them closer to Jesus Christ. Hallelujah! Glory to the Highest!

Prayer Point: My loving and faithful Father, I’m overjoyed to have Jesus Christ as my Lord and brother. Please lead me to acknowledge Him and follow Him all the days of my life, for Him to use me to fulfill His desire and purpose for creating me. Amen!

Were you blessed by today's message? Kindly go to the comment section and share your comments, and testimonies. Let's also know your challenges so that we can pray for you. 

IT IS TIME TO RETURN TO THE LORD!

 It Is Time to Return to the LORD! 

“For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not.” Isaiah 30:15 (KJV)

Taking advantage of the time left to return to the Lord guarantees eternal blessings. Life is full of surprises. Lots of events happen – either good or evil – some of which go in our favor and others that do not. When everything is going in our favor, it is easy to praise God and thank Him and proclaim His goodness (Job 1:3–5). However, in times of crises, trials, and challenges it is common to complain, murmur, despair, and worry. Some even depart from the Christian faith in the quest for finding solutions to the challenges. Others remain in the Christian faith but engage in acts of corruption to alleviate the challenges or problems (2 Timothy 4:10). Dear beloved, if you find yourself in either of these two groups being described, then meditate on the opening scripture again and return to the Lord. He says if you return He will save you and give you rest. Beloved, be humble and return in quietness and confidence, and He will provide you the strength to stand as a child of God to enjoy eternal blessings. Remember that your joining another faith such as Islam, Buddhism, etc. or practicing acts of corruption may relieve you now from your challenges, but you will lose your eternal rewards (Mark 8:36–37). You will also send your own soul to hell if you do not repent and return to God. Remember that Jesus Christ came to save the lost, so see yourself as lost and return to Him, for He is still willing to receive you, forgive you, sanctify you, and bless you (Luke 19:10). Hallelujah! God bless you!

Prayer Point: My loving and gracious Father, I thank You for remembering me. I missed the way and I’m willing to come back to You. Please forgive me and receive me again onto Yourself. Please give me more grace to trust You, especially in times of difficulties and trials, in order to become mature and available to You to use to inspire many onto godliness in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Were you blessed by today's message? Kindly go to the comment section and share your comments, and testimonies. Let's also know your challenges so that we can pray for you. 

THE REALITY OF REDEMPTION!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 26, 2020.

SUBJECT: THE REALITY OF REDEMPTION!

Memory verse:  "In Whom we have our redemption through His blood, the remission of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence." Ephesians 1 vs 7.) 

READ: Romans 3 vs 21 - 26:

3:21: But now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,

3:22: even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;

3:23: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

3:24: being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

3:25: whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

3:26: to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

INTIMATION:

Redemption means Christ setting sinners free from slavery to sin and Satan, and revealing of the righteousness of God that comes to man through faith in Jesus Christ. This belongs to all those who acknowledge Christ as Savior and confess him as their Lord. The death of Jesus points to two wonderful scriptural truths—redemption and forgiveness. Redemption is the price paid to gain freedom for a slave (Leviticus 25 vs 47 - 54). Through His death, Jesus paid the price to release us from slavery to sin. Forgiveness was granted was granted in Old Testament times on the basis of the shedding of animals’ blood (Leviticus 17 vs 11). Now we are forgiven on the basis of the shedding of Jesus’ blood—He died as a perfect and final sacrifice.

Those who accept the substitutionary work of Christ, and confessed Him as Lord and Savior, are justified freely on the grounds of grace, through the redemption that God wrought in Christ. The redemption is based upon the fact that God laid our sins, griefs, sorrows, diseases etc., upon Jesus; “Him who knew no sin, God made to become sin that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21.) Not only did He become the ‘Sin-Bearer,’ but God accepted His substitutionary sacrifice on our behalf. He was delivered up on account of our sins, for God made Him sin with our sins. He was raised from the dead because He had put sin away; He had satisfied the claim of justice—"the soul who sins shall die" (Ezekiel 18 vs 20).

After that, He was made alive in spirit, that is, recreated. He was the firstborn out of death. Thereafter, He was declared righteous and made a new creation by the life God imparted to Him. Then He met the Adversary in his own kingdom and stripped him of his authority and took from him the dominion that he had over the world. That new creation—the recreated life, is what Christ has wrought for us, and we are also made righteous in Him in redemption.

When Jesus arose from the dead, He arose, not only because He had put away sin, but also because He had, as a substitute, conquered Satan. It was as though we, individually, had been the conquerors, just as though we had been there in that dark region and had conquered Satan, stripped him of his authority and risen from the dead.  When Christ rose from the dead, redemption became a settled and closed issue.

Note carefully in our memory verse, "In Whom we have." That means in Christ we have (present tense) our redemption out of the hand of the enemy, so Satan no longer has dominion over us. We have our redemption from sin and its judgement. "Sin shall not have dominion over us, for we are not under law but under grace." It is better put this way, "Sin shall not lord it over us because now we have entered the realm of grace through the new birth." Again, the Scriptures in Colossians 1 vs 13 - 14 says, "He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins."

Note carefully that we have been delivered out of the authority of Satan. He has no dominion over us. He has no more right to reign over you than the Pharaoh of Egypt had to reign over delivered Israel in Palestine. We have been translated over into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in Whom we have our redemption. It's ours just as the money you have in your pocket that you earned honestly is yours. Now this redemption from Satan is a present tense fact, for you have this redemption now, and it is eternal.

As long as one holds his redemption as a theory or as a doctrine it will bring him no sense of reality, but as soon as he looks up and says, "Father, I thank you for my perfect redemption, that this body of mine is no longer under the dominance of Satan, that my mind and senses are no longer to be dominated by the Adversary; I am free, and by Your grace I will not be entangled again in the yoke of bondage,"  then, the reality is established.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You most faithful God, for redeeming me from the hands of the Adversary and his works. By Your grace I am justified, made righteous in Christ. Also, engrace me to forever live for You, in Jesus’ matchless Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 25, 2020.

SUBJECT : THE SIGNIFICANCE OF CHRISTMAS CELEBRATION!

Memory verse: "For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.

" 

(Luke 2 vs 11.)

READ: Isaiah 9 vs 6 - 7:

9:6: For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

9:7: Of the increase of His government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David, and over His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and justice from that time forward, even forever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

INTIMATION:

Christmas is an annual festival in celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ, whom Christians believe is the Son of God, and holds on 25th December—Christmas Day. The name Christmas comes from the Mass of Christ. A Mass service (which is sometimes called Communion or Eucharist) is where Christians remember that Jesus died for us and then came back to life. It’s also the season when Christians celebrate the coming of the King who to liberate the world from sin and evil. It is a time of God’s show of His great love for us (John 3 vs 16), by sending  His Son, Jesus, into the world to be born, and to die for the sins of the whole world.

The fall of man in the book of Genesis is the foundation of Christmas. The fall of man into sin at the Garden of Eden necessitated the need for a Savior to be born to deliver the world from sin. The bad news of Adam’s sin was punishable by death (Genesis 2 vs 17). Jesus would fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah, for He would be Immanuel (“God with us,” see Isaiah 7 vs 14). Jesus was God in the flesh; thus, God was literally among us, “with us.” Through the Holy Spirit, Christ is present today in the life of every believer. In Jesus, the infinite, unlimited God took on the limitations of humanity so He could live and die for the salvation of all who would believe in Him. His story is one of truth, love, and hope—it brought salvation to all of us. 

Through the sins of Adam and Eve, we have all inherited that sin nature. We need to have that removed. The only way is through Jesus. Jesus came so He could die on the cross for all of our sins. If we believe that Jesus died for our sins, we can ask Him to come into our lives, and forgive us. Then, we are clean and made whole. Jesus came to the world to restore the dignity of man that was lost to Satan through Adam’s treason at the Garden of Eden. God sent His only Son to die for us so that we could be spared from the eternal death we deserve, but instead receive eternal life (John 3 vs 16.) Because Jesus lived as a man, He fully understands our experiences and struggles (Hebrews 4 vs 15 - 16). Because He is God, He has the power and authority to deliver us from sin (Colossians 2 vs 13 - 15).

Christ’s work is to defeat all evil on earth. First, He defeated sin and death, and in the end He will defeat Satan and all evil. World events may seem out of control, and justice may seem to have vanished. But God is in control, allowing evil to remain for a time until He sends Jesus to earth again. Then Christ will present to God a perfect world,

Jesus means “the Lord saves.” Jesus came to earth to save us because we can’t save ourselves from sin and its consequences. No matter how good we are, we can’t eliminate the sinful nature present in all of us. Only Jesus can do that. Jesus didn’t come to help people save themselves; He came to be their Savior from the power and penalty of sin. 

Jesus came to give us peace. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14 vs 27.) With the Spirit of Jesus—the Holy Spirit—at work in our lives, we have 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 Jesus’ peace we have no need to fear the present or 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 came to give us life. He said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10 vs 10.)  in contrast to the thief who takes life, Jesus gives life. The life He gives right now is abundantly rich and full. It is eternal, yet it begins immediately. Life in Christ is lived on a higher plane because of His overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance.

You can never truly enjoy Christmas until you can look into God’s Face and tell Him you have received His Christmas gift. You should ask yourself: “He came to be my Lord and Savior, to save me from sins and reign as King in my heart; have I fulfilled the significance of His birth by responding to the significance of His death and resurrection? (See Acts 2 vs 36 - 38). If you forget about Jesus in this Christmas season, you’ve missed the entire, glorious point of the celebration. Jesus Christ is the reason for the season.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, I surrender myself totally to You, and confess You as my personal Lord and Savior, forgive me my sins and cleanse me from all unrighteousness, that I may live for You henceforth, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

TAKE EVERY WORD IN THE BIBLE SERIOUSLY

 Take Every Word in The Bible Seriously! 

“Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” Proverbs 30:5 (KJV)

Looking down on any word in the Holy Bible is taking yourself out of the blessings therein. Every word in the Holy Bible is God-breathed and is profitable for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Therefore, when we read, study, or meditate the Word of God, we get at least one profit of the four profits mentioned; that is, teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training in righteousness. Dear beloved, do you take every word in the Holy Bible seriously? In the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ, all those who believed in His Word received the blessings therein. For example, the man who was sick for thirty-eight years at the pool believed in the words of Jesus when he was asked to pick up his mat and go home; he acted on the words of Jesus Christ and received his healing (John 5:5–15). On the contrary, the officer on whose arm the king rested disbelieved the words of Elisha and couldn’t partake of blessing (2 Kings 7:1–20). Beloved, it is better to believe every word in the Holy Bible and partake of the blessings therein than to disbelieve it or look down on it and forfeit the blessings. Every Word of God is pure, or tested and refined, so it is trustworthy; put your trust in it and meditate on it day and night. Practice it and your life will be transformed to the glory of God (Psalm 1:2–3). Hallelujah! God bless you!

Prayer Point: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for making Your Word available to me. I take every aspect of it seriously and believe it. I will meditate on it day and night and observe to practice it in order to be blessed in all my ways. Please lead me to teach others to also take Your Word seriously in Jesus’ name. Amen!

Were you blessed by today's message? Kindly go to the comment section and share your comments, and testimonies. Let's also know your challenges so that we can pray for you. Joy to the world as celebrate birth of our Lord Jesus today!

BE SILENT ABOUT YOUR GOOD DEEDS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY DECEMBER 24, 2020.

SUBJECT : BE SILENT ABOUT YOUR GOOD DEEDS!

Memory verse: "But all their works they do to be seen by men. They make their phylacteries broad and enlarge the borders of their garments.” (Matthew 23 vs 5.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 1 - 6:

6:1: Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven.

6:2: Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.
6:3: But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,
6:4: that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

6:5: And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward.

6:6: But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.

INTIMATION:

God is interested in the motives of our actions. God is not pleased by a good act on with a wrong motive. He wants all our doings to be God-centered, not self-centered; 

done not to make us look good but to make God l

ook good. 

To be sure our motives are not selfish, we should do our good deeds quietly or in secret, with no thought of acclaim or reward. Jesus says we should check our motives in three areas: generosity, prayer, and fasting. 

When we pray, when we fast, and when we give, the Bible says that we must be pure in our motives. If we do what we do for the sake of being seen by others, then being seen by others is our only reward. If, however, we do what we do in obedience to God, then God will reward us. 

When Jesus says not to let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, He is teaching that our motives for giving to God and others must be pure. It is easy to give with mixed motives, such as, giving or doing something for someone because it will benefit you in return. So many believers hide under the cloak of the Scripture such as: 

“A man's gift makes room for him, and brings him before great men” (Proverbs 18 vs 16), to give for personal gains, expecting some favor in return. 

But believers should avoid all scheming and give for the pleasure of giving and as a response to God’s love. 

God only rewards such gifts that are devotionally motivated, not those that are with attachments of returns or favor. The Bible is explicit on this when it said, “

He who has pity on the poor lends to the LORD; and He will pay back what he has  given.” (Proverbs 19 vs 17.) Jesus said, “And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the thankful and evil.” (Luke 6 vs 34 - 35.)

If one does good in order to receive the recognition of men, then he or she has received his or her reward. Christians should let their light shine, but not for the purpose of drawing attention to themselves. In drawing attention to your act of giving, the drawn attention would be all the reward you would receive. Christians should give in a manner by which they do not intentionally seek the praise of men. Christians should not give or do good for public displays acclaim. Their giving should be as private as possible in order that one’s motives for giving be kept pure. 

Many people do good acts for appearance and recognition by the crowd, not really out of devotion. 

God is personal, and relates with us on personal grounds, not on public opinion about us. It is obvious that 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 praise of God rather than the praise of people. Then, when we receive praise, we will be free to give God the credit. 

Doing something only for our recognition is not a loving sacrifice. With your next good deed, ask, “Would I still do this if no one would ever know I did it?” 

In the passage we read today, Jesus again exposed the hypocritical attitudes of the religious leaders. They don’t care about being holy—just looking holy in order to receive people’s admiration and praise. 

Jesus used the word “Hypocrites,” to describe such people who do good acts for appearances only, not out of compassion or other good motives. Their actions may be good, but their motives are hollow. These empty acts are their only reward, but God will reward those who are sincere in their faith.

Today, like the Pharisees, many people say they follow Jesus, but they don’t live by His standards of love. We must make sure that our actions match our beliefs.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of selflessness, and godly motives in all my doings, and that You will be first in all my doings, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!