ARE YOU RIGHT WITH GOD?

 Are You Right with God? 

“Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.” Psalms 26:2 (KJV)

Being right with God is a sure guarantee for His deliverance. Christianity is a call to walk with the Father in holiness. Beloved, without holiness no one can see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). No wonder the psalmist asked God to examine him and point out to him his fault, so that he could repent and be right with Him. As far as he was concerned, he was walking in integrity; so, He wanted God to also vindicate him (Psalms 26:1). It is probable that he had had some complaints in some quarters of his kingdom and wanted God to confirm what he had heard. Beloved, there are times you may have to pray the Psalmist Prayer so that you can confirm that you are right with God. There is no room to live the Christian life as though you cannot falter. There may be times that, when you pray this prayer, God will point out to you something that you need to change about your life. And when you have changed it, your life goes in a perfect direction. Jesus Christ wants a perfect life for us, and we must not let Him down (Matthew 5:48). Dear beloved, are you right with God? It is time to do a comprehensive check with God so that you don’t leave any room for the enemy to get at you. Remember that there are countless blessings for living in holiness and righteousness, and you don’t have to miss any of them. Hallelujah! Be an overcomer!

Prayer Point: Dear righteous Father, You are indeed holy and righteous. Please cleanse my mind and heart from all sins, and cause me to walk in righteousness and holiness, in order to enjoy fellowship with You, and be blessed and be a blessing to many people 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!

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 05, 2021.

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 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, grieves, 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’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

ALLOW THE SIGNS TO FOLLOW YOU!

 

Allow the Signs to Follow You!
“And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues;” Mark 16:17 (KJV)

There are principles in the kingdom of God for the children of God to walk by. These principles must not be reversed if we want to eat the fruit thereof. The opening Scripture throws a vital light on who the believer in Christ is. The one who believes in Christ is not ordinary; signs and wonders follow that person (Acts 5:12–16). That person has access to use the name of Christ, speaks in tongues, and has total control over devils. Some believers in the kingdom of God have reversed the principle so they are struggling in the kingdom of God; they are moving from one place to another, one church to another, chasing after signs and wonders. This should not be the case; the children of God should mature and come to the point where signs and wonders do not move them, because the signs and wonders are following them. Continually believing in the name of Christ, using the Word of God in faith, and having the patience to see the Word work are the things you do for signs and wonders to follow you. Dear believer, are you following signs and wonders, or are the signs and wonders following you? Jesus Christ said that we will do greater works than He did when we believe in Him (John 14:12). Therefore, let us continually work on our faith in Christ and exercise it without any shadow of a doubt, and signs and wonders will follow us. Hallelujah! God bless you!

Prayer Point: Dear Lord Jesus Christ, I love You for inspiring me to exercise my faith. I believe in You and have made up my mind to remain in You to serve You all the days of my life. As I exercise my faith in every area of my life, thank You for backing it with signs and wonders to the glory of Your 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.

IT IS TIME TO PRAY.

 It Is Time to Pray 

“Commit thy way unto the Lord; trust also in him; and he shall bring it to pass.” Psalms 37:5 (KJV)

Prayer is a fellowship between the children of God and their Maker. It is something you cannot do without because Jesus Christ couldn’t do without prayer. Beloved, at a point in His life when things became difficult, He prayed so much that His sweat became as drops of blood (Luke 22:44). As a child of God, when you leave prayer out of your life you are inviting in the devil and his cohorts of darkness. They love to dine with Christians who do not pray, in order to make their lives miserable. Beloved, always commit whatever you want to do into God’s hand in prayer; trust and have faith in Him, and He will do it for you. This was the psalmist’s formula for receiving from God, and it will work for you. A simple prayer of faith is all that God requires to release His blessings to you (Mark 9:23). There is nothing too little to pray about; He wants to know everything you have on your mind. Don’t see the moment of prayer as always asking God to do something for you. See it as a fellowship, where you meet Him to have an intimate relationship with Him so that you can know His mind concerning you, your family, business, church, community, and the state. It is time to make your prayer life meaningful. Why don’t you start praying now? Hallelujah! God bless you!

Prayer Point: Dear heavenly Father, thank You for teaching me how to fellowship with You in prayer. I pray for my family, my community, and the nation to know You and have fellowship with You. I pray for my business to flourish so that I can support others, and I pray for the church to engage in massive soul winning to bring salvation to the lost 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.

HOW TO WALK IN THE WILL OF GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 04, 2021.

SUBJECT: HOW TO WALK IN THE WILL OF GOD!

Memory verse: "Not with eyeservice as men pleasers, but as bondservant of Christ, doing the will of God.” (Ephesians 6 vs 6.)

READ: Ephesians 5 vs 15 - 18:

5:15: See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise,

5:16: redeeming the time, because the days are evil.

5:17: Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

5:18: And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.

INTIMATION:

God’s Will is expressed in His Word (His laws, and His ways). Walking in the will of God is being obedient to His Word, and strictly doing them. God has a specific plans for our individual lives, predetermined before the foundation of the earth, and His greatest desire is that we operate in them daily. 

How do we walk in the will of God? The foremost thing to do is to ensure that your will agrees with God's. How? By spending time in His presence and by reading and meditating on His Word. The Scripture says, “Can two work together, unless they are agreed?”(Amos 3 vs 3.) Agreement with God is in obeying His Word, and when you are in agreement with God, He can also reveal things to you through your spirit. Though It is important to listen to what God’s Word says, but it’s much more important to obey it and do them. 

Your obedience to Him, is a demonstration of your willingness to fulfill His plan for your life. He promises that if you will hear Him and obey His commandments, His blessings will overtake you (Deuteronomy 28 vs 2). It’s for this reason that the apostle Paul tells us to walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, and understand what is the will of the Lord.

We are to walk circumspectly;  cautiously, carefully, and prudently. In other words, we should be cautious of the things we do and the choices we make, and ensure we comprehend the will of God for us. And the only way to do that is by developing a relationship with the God—working together with Him. The cautious and careful followership with the Lord guarantees our enjoying the blessings of God and avoid the pitfalls that come from disobedience. 

Jesus is interested in people who wants a personal relationship with Him. On the day of judgement only our relationship with Christ—our acceptance of Him as Savior and our obedience to Him—will matter. Many people think that if they are “good” people and say religious things, they will be rewarded with eternal life. In reality, faith in Christ is what will count at the day of judgement.

Ask yourself this question: "Am I in God's will right now?" Judge yourself: Are you following the lead of your self-will, or God's will? God has a plan for you, however, if you begin to make excuses and fail to do your part, you will miss out on the blessings He longs to give you. However, you cannot do this without the help of our Helper—the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God and knows the things of God. He helps us work in consonance with the things that God has willed for us..

Now, don't think that life will become a bed of roses once you begin walking in God's will. There will be a few thorns here and there. You may think, "Will this really work?" or "Things were easier before."  That may be true. But the benefits of being in His perfect will far outweigh any rewards you've ever received by doing things your way or any other way than His. No matter what happens, don't give in. Just stay focused.

To walk in the Will of God, it's also Important to renew your mind. The best way to do this is by spending time in God's Word. The Scripture in Romans 12 vs 2 says, "And do not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." The more time you spend in His presence, the more He will reveal Himself to you, through the Holy Spirit, and the better you will recognize His voice. 

As you spend time in the Word, also be in constant communication with God in prayer (Prayer is having a conversation with God). In your communication, take God’s Word back to Him—use God's Word in your prayers (First John 5 vs 14 - 15), and expect Him to respond. Prayer is a two way communication, therefore, It’s very important to listen and hear from God; You talk and He talks. So often, God is ready to reveal answers to us right away. But as soon as we're finished talking, we whisk off to carry out our plans. Then we wonder, "Is He really listening?" The better question is, "Are you listening?" He may not speak to you audibly; He can speak to you in your inner man, or through His Word.

When God reveals His plan to you (and He will) write it down. Writing the vision down assures you that there is a plan for your life (Habakkuk 2 vs 2). Keeping it before your eyes serves as a constant reminder that you should be doing something daily toward accomplishing the task. God will never leave you alone if you are walking in His will. God will send laborers to help you accomplish the goal, and they must have a clear understanding of how they may assist you in getting the job done.

If you already know God's will for your life and is walking in it, praise God! If you know His will and is not actively working toward fulfilling your calling, I encourage you to begin. And finally, if you don't know God's will for your life, ask, and you shall receive, that your joy may be full (John 16 vs 24).

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to do Your will. Endue me with the spirit of complete obedience to You, that I may walk in Your will all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

YOUR ANGEL WILL MINISTER TO YOU!

 Your Angel Will Minister to You! 

“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.” Luke 2:9 (KJV)

Being conscious of the ministration of angels makes it easy to cooperate with them. Angels are ministering spirits sent by God to serve the children of God (Hebrews 1:7). Dear beloved, have you had any visitation of angels? As a child of God, know that angels exist, and they come in human form to do the commission of God. The opening Scripture reveals the ministration of angels at the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; the shepherds were visited specially by angels to break the good news of God’s salvation to humanity. Jesus was born and there was joy in heaven and that joy was shared with humanity. This shows how God loves us and always wants to share what He has with us (John 3:16). Thus, let us also love and share with one another; as we do that, we will experience the visitation of angels (Hebrews 13:2). Hallelujah! Dear beloved, what do you want your angel to do for you? Apostle Peter experienced this visitation and he thought he was having a vision until the angel left after delivering him from prison (Acts 12:7–11). Beloved, angels are working for you every day because you are a child of God. You can instruct them in the name of Jesus Christ to do a specific assignment for you and God will sanction your prayer. Since there is a personal angel assigned to every child of God, be conscious of this and cooperate with Him so that you can experience more of their work in your life (Matthew 18:10). Hallelujah! Glory to God.

Prayer Point: My faithful and loving Father, thank You for the ministration of angels in my life. Please give me a deeper insight into the ministration of angels, cooperate with them, and instruct them to carry out specific assignments for me 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.

Your Angel Will Minister to You!
“And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.” Luke 2:9 (KJV)

Being conscious of the ministration of angels makes it easy to cooperate with them. Angels are ministering spirits sent by God to serve the children of God (Hebrews 1:7). Dear beloved, have you had any visitation of angels? As a child of God, know that angels exist, and they come in human form to do the commission of God. The opening Scripture reveals the ministration of angels at the birth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; the shepherds were visited specially by angels to break the good news of God’s salvation to humanity. Jesus was born and there was joy in heaven and that joy was shared with humanity. This shows how God loves us and always wants to share what He has with us (John 3:16). Thus, let us also love and share with one another; as we do that, we will experience the visitation of angels (Hebrews 13:2). Hallelujah! Dear beloved, what do you want your angel to do for you? Apostle Peter experienced this visitation and he thought he was having a vision until the angel left after delivering him from prison (Acts 12:7–11). Beloved, angels are working for you every day because you are a child of God. You can instruct them in the name of Jesus Christ to do a specific assignment for you and God will sanction your prayer. Since there is a personal angel assigned to every child of God, be conscious of this and cooperate with Him so that you can experience more of their work in your life (Matthew 18:10). Hallelujah! Glory to God.

Prayer Point: My faithful and loving Father, thank You for the ministration of angels in my life. Please give me a deeper insight into the ministration of angels, cooperate with them, and instruct them to carry out specific assignments for me 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.

OUR PART IN RECEIVING FROM GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 03, 2021.

SUBJECT : OUR PART IN RECEIVING FROM GOD!

Memory verse: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." (Matthew 7 vs 7.)

READ: Psalm 34 vs 4 - 15 & 22

34 vs 4: I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.

5: They looked to Him and were radiant, and their faces were not ashamed.

6: This poor man cried out, and the LORD heard him, and saved him out of his troubles.

7: The angel of the LORD encamps all round those who fear Him, and delivers them.

8: Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!

9: Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.

10: The young lions lack and suffer hunger; But those who seek the LORD shall not lack any good thing.

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

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

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

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

15: The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their cry.

22: The LORD redeems the soul of His servants, and none of those who trust in Him shall be condemned.

INTIMATION:

God promises great blessings to His people, but most of these blessings require active participation of the people in seeking Him. In the passage we read today, He promised to set us free from our fears (34:4), deliver us from trouble (34:6), guard and defend us (34:7), show us goodness (34:8), supply our needs (34:9), listen when we call to Him (34:15), and redeem us (34:22). But we must do our part: We can appropriate His blessings when we seek Him (34:4, 10), that is, cry out to Him (34:6), trust Him (34:8), fear Him (34:9), refrain from lying (34:13), turn from evil, do good, and search for peace (34:14), and serve Him (34:22).

Prayer is our lifeline to God, hence we should prayer regularly to ensure our line of seeking Him is open at all times. The apostle Paul echoed it thus, "Pray without ceasing." (First Thessalonians 5 vs 17.) Seeking God in prayers regularly, ensures God's guidance and strength that we need at all times, and to appropriate His promised blessings to ourselves. Regular and constant praying habit ensures a disciplined life of prayer. Though our prayers are usually interrupted by pressures of our schedules, developing a regular prayer time makes you develop a prayerful attitude at all times. This attitude is built upon acknowledging our dependence on God, realizing His presence within us, and determining to obey Him fully.  

The Scripture, in Daniel chapter 6, enumerated Daniel’s prayer discipline. He  prayed three times daily. He never allowed threats or pressure of his schedules interrupt his prayer life. Daniel was a foreigner, exiled in Babylon, but never gave up his disciplined prayer life amidst all pressures of life. Daniel hugely partook of the attendant blessings associated with seeking God. God bestowed great wisdom on him and he enjoyed the presence and favour of God in his life. Daniel, a captive from Israel, became an adviser of kings in a foreign land. He served as an adviser to two Babylonian kings and two Medo-Persian Kings (Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius and Cyrus). 

God is waiting for us to find Him, and He rewards those who sincerely look for Him (Hebrews 11 vs 6). In our anchor Scripture, Jesus promised, “Seek, and you will find.” The Bible records the history of God’s people, and in searching its pages we will discover a loving God who is waiting for us to find Him. Become familiar with the way He has helped His people  in the past. When we take the first step of obedience in following God, we will discover that He is good and kind. When we begin the Christian life, our knowledge of God is partial and incomplete. As we trust Him daily, we experience how good He is.

All those who call upon God in their need will be answered, sometimes in unexpected ways. Remember God knows what we need, and our deepest needs are spiritual. Even though many Christians face unbearable poverty and hardship, they still have enough spiritual nourishment to live for God. If you have God, you have all you really need. God is enough. 

If you feel you don’t have everything you need, ask (1) Is this really a need? (2) Is this really good for me? (3) Is this the best time for me to have what I desire? Even if you answer yes to all three questions, God may allow you to go without to help you grow more dependent on Him. He may want you to learn that you need Him more than having your immediate desire.

Prayer: Abba Father endue me with the spirit of constant prayer and supplication, that I may appropriate to myself Your promised blessings in Jesus Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!