TRUST AND AWAIT GOD’S TIME!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 30, 2020.

SUBJECT : TRUST AND AWAIT GOD’S TIME!

Memory verse: "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie: though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Habakkuk 2 vs 3.) 

READ: Daniel 8 vs 16 - 19:

8:16: And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel make this man understand the vision.”

8:17: So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

8:18: Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright.

8:19: And He said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation, for at the appointed time the end shall be.

INTIMATION:

God is our Creator, and is 'All-Knowing’—perfect in knowledge. The end of all things are known to Him from the beginning (Isaiah 46 vs 10.). Even when we are yet unformed in our mother’s womb, He knew us and everything about us. God created all things, and planned all things according to His purpose and timing; "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3 vs 1). And at the fullness of His time—at His appointed time—He will cause things to happen according to His predetermined purposes. For this reason, He is always on time. He planned the time, and does His bidding at the fullness of the planned time. 

From our perspective, God sometimes seems slow to intervene on our behalf. But what might appear slow to us is good timing from God’s perspective. It’s easy to become impatient while waiting for God to act, but we must never give up on Him. When God is silent and you are in deep anguish, be patient and know that “all things work together for good to those that love God, to those who are the called according to His “ (Romans 8 vs 28). All you need do is sit down and review your life; what God has done for you, and also review the great acts of God throughout biblical history. This will remind you that God is at work, not only in history, but also in your life today.

God will act when He is ready. For instance, children have difficulty grasping the concept of time. “It’s not time yet” is not a reason they easily understand because they only comprehend the present. And as His children, and as limited human beings, we can’t understand God’s perspective about time. We want everything now, unaware that God’s timing is better. When God is ready, He will do what needs to be done, not what we would like Him do. We may be as impatient as children, but we must not doubt the wisdom of God’s timing. Wait for God to reveal His plan. Don’t take matters into your own hands.

God’s answer doesn’t always come the moment we want it. but God answers us when He knew the right time had come. God knows the best time to act. When you feel that God has forgotten you in your troubles, remember that God has a time schedule we can’t see. God may have seemed slow to you when in distress, and every day you longed to be delivered. But God is not slow, He just is not on our timetable. God is not limited by time. It’s easy to get discouraged when years pass and the world doesn’t get better. 

We sometimes wonder if God is able to see the future. But don’t assume that God has our limitations. God is completely unrestricted by time. Because He is eternal, we can depend on Him. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently for it, for surely it will take place, if God has assured about it. Of course, it isn’t easy to be patient but, “though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come.” (Habakkuk 2 vs 3.) We must trust God even when we don’t understand why events occur as they do.

For instance, who will imagine the Savior of the world working in a small-town carpenter’s shop until He was 30 years old! It seems incredible that Jesus would have been content to remain in Nazareth all that time, but He patiently trusted His Father’s timing for His life and ministry. Like Jesus, we need to resist the temptation to jump ahead before receiving the Spirit’s direction. Don’t jump ahead—trust God’s timing.

Jesus, during His earth walk, demonstrated God’s timing in events. When His friend Lazarus died due to sickness, He took four days to get to this family He loved and often stayed with them. He knew their pain but did not respond immediately. His delay had a specific purpose. He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11 vs 14.) God’s timing, especially His delays, may make us think He is not answering or is not answering the way we want. But He will meet all our needs according to His perfect schedule and purpose (Philippians 4 vs 19.) Patiently await His timing. 

God is with us through every situation, in every trial; protecting, loving, guiding us (Psalm 46 vs 1; 59 vs 16), and has promised He would never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13 vs 5), and will be with us always, even up to the end of age (Matthew 28 vs 20). He knows and loves us completely. God is perfect (Matthew 5 vs 48), and consequently, everything about Him is perfect. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He knows us perfectly. Trust His judgement and trust that He has your best interests in mind (Jeremiah 29 vs 11).

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my Faithful Companion, and Loving Father. I know You have the best plan and time for me. Let it be to me according to Your perfect timing, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN THAT YOU ARE IN CHARGE?

 Have You Forgotten You Are in Charge? 

“Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.” Luke 10:19 (KJV)

Knowing that you are in charge makes life easy. The kingdom of darkness, being led by the devil, will always spread false information to deceive people into believing that they are so powerful, in order to cause harm and destruction (John 8:44). Thus, they enslave people with fear, poverty, sickness, sin, discouragement, death, etc. Dear beloved, meditate on the opening scripture and believe that you are in charge because Jesus Christ has given you power over the devil and his machination. Don’t ever forget it, so that you can keep putting your authority and power to use to always win the battles of life. Remember that all the power of the enemy cannot hurt you if you keep treading on him and his cohort of darkness every day. Beloved, the kingdom of darkness knows that you have power over them but they will still tempt you to know if you really know who you are in Christ Jesus (Matthew 4:4–11). They will tempt you with sin because they know sin can make you ineffective. Therefore, avoid sin and live in holiness, so that the Holy Spirit will be happy working with you and making the power in you always active over the enemy. Beloved, be fervent in prayer and speak in tongues to edify yourself every day (1 Corinthians 14:4). Keep believing in the Word of God and preach it, and the signs Jesus Christ spoke about will follow you, and the kingdom of darkness will always be afraid of you because you are always on fire for the Lord (Mark 16:17–18). Hallelujah! You are an overcomer!

Prayer Point: My dear heavenly Father, thank You for giving me power over the devil and the kingdom of darkness. I will keep preaching the gospel and exercising authority over the devil and his kingdom, for many people to be saved and teach them how to also use their authority in Christ Jesus. Amen!

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BENEFITS GOD GIVES BELIEVERS THROUGH CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY DECEMBER 29, 2020.

SUBJECT: BENEFITS GOD GIVES BELIEVERS THROUGH CHRIST!

Memory verse:  "And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son." (First John 5 vs 11.) 

READ: Ephesians 1 vs 17 - 19; Colossians 1 vs 12 - 14:

1:17: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,
1:18: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

1:19: and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power,

Colossians 1:12: Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:
1:13: He has delivered us from the power of darkness and  conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,
1:14: in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.

INTIMATION:

The benefits that God gives all believers through Christ include: (1) He has enabled us to share in His inheritance; (2) He has rescued us from Satan’s kingdom of darkness and made us His children; (3) He has brought us into His eternal kingdom; (4) He has purchased our freedom from sin and judgement with His blood; and (5) He has forgiven all our sins. 

Before we believed in Christ, our nature was evil. We disobeyed, rebelled, and ignored God (even at our best, we did not love Him with all our heart, soul, and mind). The Christian, however, has a new nature. God has crucified the old rebellious nature (Romans 6 vs 6) and replaced it with a new loving nature (Colossians 3 vs 9 - 10). The penalty of sin died with Christ on the cross. God declared us not guilty, and we need no longer live under sin’s power. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots—we will still feel like sinning, and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we were saved, we were slaves to our sinful nature; but we are free to live for Christ (see Galatians 2 vs 20). 

Through our believe in Christ we have been adopted as children of God: “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to children of God, to those who believe in His name.” (John 1 vs 12.) Those who “received Him” and “believed in His name” were given the privilege of becoming the sons of God. Receiving and believing did not constitute one as a son of God, it only gives one the privilege. Receiving and believing we’re only conditions upon which one must move into doing that which God requires to become a son of God, “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ” (Galatians 3 vs 26 - 27). 

Now, as children of God we are heirs of God and joint-heirs with Christ in His inheritance: “And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” (Romans 8 vs 17.) The obedient son of God inherits what the Father has promised for His sons. When we put on Christ in baptism, we belong to Him and are Abraham’s seed. We are heirs “heirs according to the promise” (Galatians 3 vs 29).

True believers have been translated from darkness to light, from slavery to freedom, from guilt to forgiveness, and from the power of Satan to the power of God. We have been rescued from a rebel kingdom to serve the rightful King. And they are to live eternally with Him. Our conduct should reflect our new allegiance. 

The Scripture says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence.” (Ephesians 1 vs 7.) 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. Through His death, Jesus paid the price to release us from slavery to sin. Forgiveness of our sins was granted on the basis of the shedding of Jesus’ blood—He died as a perfect and final sacrifice.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for all You wrought for us in Christ. Guide me appropriately, O Lord, that I may in complete obedience to as to earn all the benefits of the believer in Christ p, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

ARE YOU COMPROMISING HIS VIEWS?

 Are You Compromising His Views? 

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:6 (KJV)

Becoming familiar with God can lead to compromising His views. The Most High has a sure Word for everything that He had made. He knows all things. No wonder everything on earth is naked before Him (Hebrews 4:13). He knows the right paths, the paths that seem to be right but are wrong, and the wrong paths. This makes it vital to consult Him first before embarking on any mission or endeavor. Dear beloved, are you becoming too familiar with God? Some Christians were committed to the Word of God during the initial stage of their Christian life. However, when things began to change for the better, they began to compromise the Word of God. They now confided in themselves or others, till their life began to take a nosedive (Proverbs 14:12). Beloved, if you find yourself in this place, it is time to repent and get committed to the Lord and His Word. God requires consistency in studying His Word; that is why He said we should meditate on it day and night and observe to practice it (Joshua 1:8, Psalm 1:2–3). He didn’t say we should stop meditating on His Word once things begin to change for good in our lives. Beloved, when King David began compromising the Word of God and took things into his own hands, His Kingdom began to fall apart, till he got right with God and took Him seriously again (2 Samuel 11:1–27, 12:1–14). Compromise neither your relationship with God nor His Word; confide in Him in every decision, choice, and action, or reaction, and you will always succeed. Hallelujah! God bless you!

Prayer Point: My holy Father, I’m excited to be Your child. Thank You for the counsel from Your Word. I promise to meditate on Your Word day and night and put every Word to practice. I will also consult You in every decision, choice, action, and reaction. Please remind me any time I’m compromising Your Word, and I will repent in Jesus’ name. Amen!

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START FROM YOUR OWN HOUSE!

 Start from Your Own House! 

“But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.” 1 Timothy 5:8 (KJV)

A house is simply a structure in which people live. In other words, it is a dwelling place for individuals and families. Every human being is born into a family where the language, culture, values, etc. are learned and become part of our lives. The knowledge for building a house comes from God. He also gives the understanding to learn languages, culture, values, etc. It is God’s idea that when one becomes an adult, they learn how to provide for their household (Genesis 2:15). It is a place where God teaches responsibility. God takes the family seriously and assesses our abilities and capabilities at that level, to decide when we are ready for a bigger responsibility. Thus, if a person cannot provide for their household, it is obvious that they cannot do better in the church or house of God. Dear beloved, are you providing for your own family? If you are of age to work, then God expects you to work in order to provide for your family. God is always willing to work with you on that if you avail yourself to Him and make up your mind to be a blessing to your household. Beloved, if you do very well at the family level, then God can trust you with the responsibilities in the church. Once you are able to handle the family and the church very well, then you become qualified to take on a higher assignment such as national and international duties, like David (1 Samuel 16:12–13). Hallelujah! God bless you!

Prayer Point: My dear heavenly Father, Your Word is like honey to my taste and I love it. I avail myself to You. Please equip me to be able to provide for my family and take on responsibilities in the church. Let me do my responsibilities so well that I will be qualified for national and international assignments in Jesus’ name. Amen! Everyday with Jesus on www.miheanyi.blogspot.com House of Joy there is power in God's word.

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. 

LET THE JOY OF THE LORD BE IN YOU ALWAYS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY DECEMBER 28, 2020.

SUBJECT: LET THE JOY OF THE LORD BE IN YOU ALWAYS! 

Memory verse: "Rejoice in the Lord always: Again I will say, rejoice.

"

 (

Philippians 4 vs 4.)

READ: Psalm 37 vs 4 - 5; Isaiah 12 vs 3:

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. 

37:5: Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.

Isaiah 12:3: Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

INTIMATION:

Joy is a common theme in Christ’s teaching—He wants us to be joyful always. Joy is the quiet, confident assurance of God's love, and work in our lives—that He will be there no matter what! Joy is lasting because it is based on God’s presence within us. It is only in being joyous that “you will draw water from the wells of salvation.” The key to immeasurable joy is living in intimate relationship with Christ, the source of all joy. When we do, we will experience God’s special care and protection and see the victory God brings even when defeat seems certain. The fullness of our joy comes from a consistent and intimate relationship with Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit—the rivers of living water. As we contemplate His daily presence, we will find contentment. 

The Bible, in John 7 vs 37 - 39, says, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, Let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, who those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” Salvation is a gift from God that ensures our overwhelming and unparalleled inheritance in Jesus Christ. You can only access this by your delighting (being joyful) in the Lord. When you delight in the Lord, you will commit your ways to Him, completely trusting in Him, and surely He will give you the desires of your heart, and ensures they are accomplished. 

Joy comes from a consistent relationship with Jesus Christ, that is abiding in Him, and Him in you; being a branch of the vine that you may bear fruit. Abiding in Christ means (1) believing that He is God’s Son, (2) receiving Him as Savior and Lord, (3) doing what God says, (4) continuing to believe the gospel, and (5) relating in love to the community of believers—Christ’s Body. When our lives are intertwined with His, He will help us walk through adversity without sinking into debilitating lows and manage prosperity without moving into deceptive highs. The joy of living with Jesus Christ daily will keep us levelheaded, no matter how high or low our circumstances. True joy transcends the rolling waves of circumstances. 

For instance, the apostle Paul wrote our memory verse to the believers in Philippi while he was in prison. It is quite strange that a man in prison will be telling  a church to rejoice. But his attitude teaches an important lesson, our inner attitude do not have to reflect our outward circumstances. Paul was full of joy because he knows that no matter what happens to him, Jesus Christ was with him. If you are not joyful, you will never look at things in the right perspective. Ultimate joy comes from Christ indwelling within us through the Holy Spirit. He who lives within us will fulfill His final purposes for us. As we understand the future He has for us, we will experience joy. Don’t base your life on circumstances, but on God who controls circumstances.

To delight in someone means to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. This happens only when we know that person well. Thus, to delight in the LORD, we must know Him better. Knowledge of God’s great love for us will indeed makes us delight in Him. And we will To commit ourselves to the LORD, entrusting everything—our lives, families, jobs, possessions—to His control and guidance. We are to trust in Him, believing that He can care for us better than we can ourselves. We should be willing to wait patiently for Him to work out what is best for us.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my everything. My joy is complete in You. My total confidence is in Your assured presence and fellowship with me always, Surely, Your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life as I dwell in Your presence forever, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

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!