HOLINESS BY GRACE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MARCH 30, 2021.

SUBJECT:  HOLINESS BY GRACE!

Memory verse:  "For God did I not call us to uncleanness but in holiness.” (First Thessalonians 4 vs 7.) 

READ:  First Peter 1 vs 13 - 16:

1:13: Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ;

1:14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

1:15: but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 

1:16: because it is written, “Be Holy, For I am holy.”

INTIMATION:

Grace, as undeserved (unmerited) favor, is one aspect of grace, we are  probably most accustomed to hearing about, and it is wonderful. But we have also seen that grace is power—the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives that enables us overcome our problems. It is the power of God available to meet our needs without cost to us. There is nothing more powerful than grace, and it is received by believing rather than through human effort.

What is holiness? Holiness is being "separated to God,"—being consecrated or set aside for sacred use. It is standing apart from sin and evil. It is a separation that should result in "conduct befitting those so separated." It is the characteristics or nature of God especially the third person of the "Trinity."  Holiness is a demand on us by God. We are to separate ourselves from the world's sinful values, and be devoted to God's desire rather than our own, and carry His love and mercy into the world.

God's plan for us ab initio, is to be like Him, hence His creating us in His own image and after His likeness (Genesis 1 vs 26). He wanted us to live like Him. Unfortunately, sin separated us from Him. In His love, mercy and grace, He sent His Son, as a propitiation for our sins (First John 4 vs 10), and through His blood reconciled us back to Himself, to live for Him and be like Him. But while God wants us to be holy, He realizes our weakness and inability. He knows that without help we can never be what He desires for us to be or wants us to do. That is why He has sent His Spirit to help us to fulfill His design and purpose for us.

Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and the Holy Spirit has been sent to prepare us for that place. That is not a Scripture, but it is scriptural; that is, a truth based on the Word of God. This process through which the Holy Spirit makes us holy, or leads us into holiness is called sanctification. Therefore, sanctification refers to the process that God uses to do a work in us by His Holy Spirit to make us more and more holy until finally we become just like His Son Jesus. It is God's grace (the power of the Holy Spirit) we receive that enables us to meet the need of sanctification—the transformation process to holiness.

In Hebrews 10 vs 14, the Bible says, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified." We have been made perfect, yet we are being sanctified (made holy). Through His death and resurrection, Christ once for all, made His believers perfect in God's sight. At the same time He is making them holy (progressively cleansed and set apart for His special use) in their daily pilgrimage here. We should not be surprised, ashamed or shocked that we still need to grow. God is not finished with us yet.

Sanctification is a progressive venture. The finality of that process will never occur while we are in these earthly bodies. But we don't need to be concerned about that. The only thing we need to be concerned about is progress. The question we must ask ourselves is: “are we making progress toward holiness, are we cooperating with the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to do what He wants to do in our lives?” 

As believers we are not to be anxious about holiness or the process of sanctification ('be anxious for nothing' (Philippians 4 vs 6)), but we are to be serious about it. We are to recognize that it is God's Will for us. We are to desire and thirst for it with all our hearts, and sincerely ask God for it in our fellowship with Him. We are to make every effort to cooperate with the Holy Spirit Who is working to bring it to pass in us day by day.

Prayer: Abba Father, in Your loving kindness, and the riches of Your grace You saved us from the bondage of sin and Satan to live for You, and be like You. I thirst for the sanctification by Your Spirit to enable me lead a holy life as You desire, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

YOU ARE CREATED FOR GOOD WORKS!

You Are Created for Good Works!

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)

As a child of God, you need to understand that you are a tool in the hand of God. If God wants to carry out His work on earth, the first people He will consider using are His children, those who are born again in Christ (Matthew 28:19–20). Therefore, avail yourself for God to use you to carry out His mission on earth; His mission is the good works that He continually carries out on earth. Jesus Christ spoke about God’s mission on earth: preach the gospel to the poor; heal the broken-hearted, preach deliverance to the captives, recover sight to the blind, set at liberty those that are bruised, and preach the acceptable year of the Lord (Luke 4:18). Beloved, which of these good works are you walking in? Prepare your heart with the Word of God and get yourself ready to be used by God. If you are already doing it, receive more grace to do greater good works. However, if you haven’t started, now is the time to start. Ask the Lord to lead you to the aspect of His work that you can do and do it faithfully to His glory. Hallelujah! Be an overcomer!

Prayer Point: My dear Father, I’m grateful to hear that I’m Your workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works. I avail myself to You. Use me to do good works in the lives of people so that they can be blessed and give glory to You 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.

YOU CAN OVERCOME TEMPTATION!

You Can Overcome Temptation!
“Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall.  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 (KJV)

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was sincere with the disciples and said a servant is not greater than his Lord; therefore, whatever they have done to Him, they will do likewise to His disciples (John 15:20). As a child of God, be aware that temptations will come your way. The devil will tempt you to bring you down but you need to stand firm in prayer and the knowledge of the Word of God. Always look for the way of escape, which God has made available in the midst of the temptation, and use it to overcome the temptation. Do not condone temptation, because it can demote you. No wonder Jesus Christ was promoted when He overcame all of the devil’s temptations (Matthew 4:11). Dear beloved, you are an overcomer, so take heed in the Word of God so that you don’t fall—others are dependent on your victory. Praise the Lord! You are an overcomer!

Prayer Point: My loving Father, thank You for Your faithfulness in my life. I arm myself with Your Word daily to prosper therein. By Your Word, I take advantage of the way of escape that You make available for me in every temptation to win to the glory of Your name, 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.

THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE IN CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MARCH 29, 2031.

SUBJECT: THERE IS NO CONDEMNATION FOR THOSE IN CHRIST!

Memory verse: "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” (Romans 8 vs 1.)

READ: Romans 8 vs 31 - 34:

8:31: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

8:32: He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

8:33: Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 

8:34: Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is at the right hand of God, who als makes intercession for us.

INTIMATION:

When you believe in Jesus Christ and His redemptive work for us, and confess Him as your Lord and personal Savior, you are said to be “in Christ.” If you are in Christ, there is no condemnation for you (Romans 8 vs 1). 

“In Christ” is a metaphor that refers to one’s close spiritual and salvational relationship with Christ. When one has been immersed into Christ (Romans 6 vs 3), he or she comes into a saved covenant relationship with God wherein he or she is not in a state of condemnation. In a state where there is no condemnation, one is free from the bondage of sin. 

In Christ one is not directing his or her life according to the desires of the flesh, but according to the directions of the Spirit (Galatians 5 vs 16). He or she is not walking according to the pride of meritorious conduct, but to his or her submission to the word of God. If you are ‘in Christ,’ you have righteousness reckoned, imputed and imparted to you in the new creation. The Scripture in Ephesians 4 vs 24 says, "And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness." The new man is created, according to God, in righteousness and holiness.

The Scripture says, "Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of the God, who also makes intercession for us" (Romans 8 vs 34). Now, if Christ gave His life for you, He isn’t going to turn around and condemn you, unless His sacrifice is for nothing! No one can bring a charge against the children of God except the One to whom the body of Christ belongs.  No one has a right to condemn the members of the body except the One who saved them. However, since God so loved His children by offering His own Son, then it is not logical to believe that He would charge His blood-bought children with sin. If Jesus gave Himself on the cross to save the church—His body, then it’s not logical to believe that He would turn to condemn those for whom He died.

Jesus is at the right hand of God. However, He is not there for the purpose of condemnation, but for the work of intercession on behalf of the saints (Hebrews 7 vs 25; 9 vs 24). His continued intercession means that the Christian has the continual cleansing of sin by His sacrificial blood (First John 1 vs 7). It’s through His blood and intercession, therefore, that we stand justified before God. Jesus is pleading for us in heaven. God has acquitted us and has removed our sin and guilt, so it is Satan, “the accuser of brethren,” not God, who accuses us. When he does, Jesus, our advocate, sits at God’s right hand to present our case. Jesus is our mediator between us and God. As humanity’s representative, He assures us of God’s forgiveness. Christ is always at God’s right hand, interceding for us. He is always available to hear us when we pray.

Prayer: Abba Father, I remain ever grateful for what a You wrought for me in Jesus Christ. My desire, in response to Your unalloyed gifts, is to live everyday of my life for You, and in You. Give me the grace, and strengthen me to lead the life of total trust and commitment to You, for by my own strength, I cannot do it, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE LORD IS GOOD!

The Lord Is Good!
“The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” Nahum 1:7 (KJV)

The LORD is good. Goodness is the nature of the King of glory (Psalms 100:5). Knowing that God is good prompts you to give Him praise. He has given you life to live on this earth. It is not by chance that you are alive today; God made it so. His creation of heaven and earth and everything therein is a demonstration of His goodness (Genesis 1:1–31). He feeds all creation, including you, every day; He protects you from trouble and danger. For these and many other things He has been doing for us, He wants us to trust Him. Beloved, sometimes He allows us to go through challenges so that we can be trained for the tough times ahead of us. In the midst of the trying times, He still wants us to trust Him. Dear beloved, you or your family or dear one may be going through tough times. The Lord knows about it; this is not the time to give up on God; He knows those who trust in Him. Very soon He will come through for you so that you can have a testimony to share about the goodness of God. Praise the Lord! God bless you!

Prayer Point: My dear heavenly Father, I’m grateful to have You as my God. Indeed, You are good and the whole earth is filled with Your glory. I will daily praise You for Your goodness in my life and teach all generations that You are good 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.

GOD IS AT WORK IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MARCH 28, 2021.

SUBJECT:  GOD IS AT WORK IN THE LIFE OF A BELIEVER!

Memory verse:  "Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1 vs 6.) 

READ:  Matthew 11 vs 28 - 30:

11:28: Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

11:29: Take My yoke upon you and learn of Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.

11:30: For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

INTIMATION:

Do you sometimes feel as though you aren’t making progress in your spiritual life? Are you struggling with changes that need to be made in your personality? Do you ever get frustrated and confused, trying to believe and have faith and confess and do all the right things to bring about change in yourself and your life, yet it never seems to happen? You wanted to change everything you saw wrong about yourself and life, but for some reason you just couldn't do it. Most believers will blame the devil. They will spend better part of their time binding and casting the devil away, instead of turning to the Lord for help. 

When God starts a project, He completes it! He will help you grow in grace until He has completed His work in your life. When you are discouraged, remember that God won’t give up on you. He promises to finish the work He has started. In your shortcomings always remember God’s promise and provision. Don’t let your present condition rob you of the joy of knowing Christ or keep you from growing closer to Him. God began a good work in us by His grace. God’s work began when Christ died on the cross in our place. His work in us began when we first believed, and continues throughout our lifetime and will finish when we meet Christ face to face on His return. Now the Holy Spirit lives in us, enabling us to be more like Christ everyday. 

Now, let us consider what the apostle Paul told the believers in Galatia: "This only I want to learn from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain? Therefore He who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you, does He do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith” (Galatians 3 vs 2 - 5.)

The apostle Paul asked the Galatian believers, ‘Did you receive the Spirit of the Lord through your own works and efforts, or by hearing the gospel message and saying, 'I believe that?’ ‘Are you really so foolish and senseless and silly as to begin your new life by the Spirit and then try to reach perfection by depending on your own weak human flesh?’ Then finally he concluded by asking them, ‘Does God supply your every need and work miracles among you because you keep the law perfectly or because you put your entire faith and trust in the message you heard?’

They received the Lord by faith, but were trying to perfect themselves by depending on   their own flesh, trying to change themselves and their lives by human effort rather than by trusting in Him. God has begun His good work in us and He is going to finish it. He is working within us right now, developing, perfecting and bringing to completion the good work which He initiated (Philippians 2 vs 13). Since He is the only One Who can do that, you and I can relax. The pressure is off us, because the work is the Lord's, not ours. While we relax, we must do our part, and our part is to believe in Him, and love Him. And if we love Him, we will obey His commands (John 14 vs 31). 

Jesus has said His yoke is easy. The yoke emphasizes the challenges, work, and difficulties of partnering with Christ in life. Though responsibilities weigh us down, even our effort of staying true to God, but Jesus’ partnership remains the best and easy way out, compared to the crushing alternatives of our personal struggles. Jesus doesn’t offer a life of luxurious ease—the yoke still remains an oxen’s tool for working hard. But with Christ, it’s a shared yoke, with weight falling on His bigger shoulders than yours, with more pulling power upfront helping you. Consequently, you are participating in life’s responsibilities with a greater Partner.

In First Thessalonians 5 vs 22 -,24, the Bible says, "Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.”

The word sanctify simply means "to make holy." Who does this? The God of peace Himself. He is our keeper and sanctifier. God keeps and sanctifies, He makes us pure and wholly consecrated and blameless. God who called us to Himself Is faithful and utterly trustworthy. He will do it! He will do what? He will fulfill His call upon our lives by hallowing (sanctifying) us and keeping us. 

Prayer: Abba Father, Your faithfulness never seizes, even in our unfaithfulness. You have promised to be with us till the end of the world. Ensue me with the spirit of complete trust and obedience to You, being confident of this very thing, that You that begun a good work in me will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BE CONTENT WITH HIS REWARD!

Be Content with His Reward!
“Saying, These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.” Matthew 20:12 (KJV)

The children of God have been called to work in the vineyard of God. The vineyard represents the various ministries into which we have been called to work. Beloved, if you have the privilege of been called to work in the children’s ministry, for example, work with all your might and serve faithfully. There are those who will be called into the ministry of giving; give liberally and cheerfully (Romans 12:8). Beloved, the Lord will reward each and every one according to what we have done for Him (Romans 2:6–10). When we are rewarded, we should be content with our reward because the Lord knows what is best for us. What He doesn’t want us to do is to compare ourselves with one another and show dissatisfaction over the reward He has given. We should be each other’s keeper, love the fellowship of the brethren, and be happy for one another. Yes, it is true that the parable in the opening scripture is about our common salvation, which every Christian receives. However, it is applicable to other aspects of our lives in the Kingdom of God. Remember that the Word of God is powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword; it has one interpretation but multiple applications to the glory of God (Hebrews 4:12). Hallelujah! Hosanna in the Highest!

Prayer point: Dear Lord Jesus, thank You for saving me and employing me in Your vineyard. I have learned from Your Word, therefore, I appreciate wherever You put me in Your vineyard. Please give me more grace to overcome the temptation of comparing my reward with others, and always do Your work joyfully and faithfully. 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.