GOD WANTS OUR TOTAL DEPENDENCE ON HIM!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY MAY 15, 2021.

SUBJECT: GOD WANTS OUR TOTAL DEPENDENCE ON HIM!

Memory verse: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (First Peter 5 vs 7.)

READ: James 4 vs 5 - 6: 

4:5: Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The Spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

4:6: But He gives more grace. Therefore He says; “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

INTIMATION:

God is jealous of His own. His jealousy is to have our total attention on Him—make known to Him all things about us at all times. God wants to get involved in everything about us, and whatever we want we should ask from Him. When you want to do it by yourself, or want it your own way, flirting with the world at every chance you get, you are then cheating on God, and eventually end up an enemy of God and His way.

For those of us who may think that God doesn’t care, you are mistaken. God is mindful of us—His creation, and warned that we should have no other God but Him. He said, “...For I the Lord your God am a jealous God...” (Exodus 20 vs 5). God goes against those who are willfully proud to do it their own way, rather than asking from Him. And He gives abundant grace to those who willingly humble themselves to come to Him. He responds to the humble in love, and what He gives is far better than anything you will find or do yourself.

The common definition of grace known to us is "unmerited or undeserved favor.” The study of the passage we read today, reveals that there is so much more to grace then that. The ‘Amplified Version’ Bible of this passage is quite revealing. It says: "Or do you suppose that the Scripture is speaking to no purpose that says, ‘The Spirit Whom He has caused to dwell in us yearns over us and He yearns for the Spirit [to be welcome] with a jealous love? But He gives us more and more grace (power of the Holy Spirit, to meet this evil tendency and all others fully). That is why He says, God sets Himself against the proud and haughty, but gives grace (continually) to the lowly (those who are humble enough to receive it)." (James 4 vs 5 - 6.)

It says that grace is the power of the Holy Spirit to meet the evil tendency within us. What evil tendency is James referring to here? The evil tendency is clearly stated In James 4 vs 4 that says; "You are [like] unfaithful wives [having illicit love affairs with the world] and breaking your marriage vow to God! Do you not know that being the world's friend is being God's enemy? So whoever chooses to be a friend to the world takes his stand as an enemy of God." (AMP)

The evil tendency is likened to an unfaithful wife, having illicit love affairs with the world; that is, God’s children turning away from Him, and flirting with the world. It is the tendency of turning away from God and looking up to yourself or to others, rather than simply asking Him to meet our needs. That is a tendency of the flesh, and it is not the way God wants us to react.

The apostle James states that God’s gives us power (His grace) to battle those evil inclinations. He says that in the midst of all our problems and frustrations, God gives us more and more grace, more and more power of the of the Holy Spirit to battle (meet) those evil inclinations (tendencies) fully. That is why God sets Himself against the proud and haughty who think they can handle things on their own without Him, but gives grace continually to the lowly, to those who are humble enough to receive His grace by simply asking for it.

God wants to give us His grace. He wants to give us the power to overcome our wrong motives and intentions, if we will be humble enough to ask for it and receive it rather than trying to handle everything ourselves by our own power and in our own way. Hear what the Scriptures say about the humble, and the proud; "For though the Lord is high, yet has He respect to the lowly [bringing them into fellowship with Him]; but the proud and haughty He knows and recognizes [only] at a distance." (Psalm 138 vs 6 AMP.) 

Therefore, humble yourself before the Lord that He may bring you into fellowship with Himself, and receive His grace to overcome your wrong motives and intentions that separate you from Him. In so doing, He will exalt you appropriately in due time: “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.” (First Peter 5 vs 5 - 6.)

Carrying your worries, stresses, and daily struggles by yourself shows that you have not trusted God fully with your life. Humbly obey God regardless of any circumstances, and in His good time He will exalt you. God is willing and able to bless you according to His timing that is ever perfect.

It takes humility, however, to recognize that God cares, to admit your need, and to let Him help you. Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and foolishness are not God’s concern. But when we turn to God in repentance, He will bear the weight even of those struggles. Letting God have your anxieties calls for action, not passively. Don’t submit to circumstances but to the Lord, who controls circumstances.

Prayer: Abba Father, in You I live and move and have my being. Help my unbelief, that I may grow in faith, daily renewing my trust in You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Ideas Have Consequences

The aim of our charge is love. (1 Timothy 1:5)

Victor Frankl was imprisoned in the Nazi concentration camps of Auschwitz and Dachau during the Second World War. As a Jewish professor of neurology and psychiatry he became world renowned for his book, Man’s Search for Meaning, which sold over eight million copies. 

In it he unfolds the essence of his philosophy that came to be called Logotherapy — namely, that the most fundamental human motive is to find meaning in life. He observed in the horrors of the concentration camps that man can endure almost any “how” of life, if he has a “why.” But the quote that stirred me recently was this:

I am absolutely convinced that the gas chambers of Auschwitz, Treblinka, and Maidanek were ultimately prepared not in some ministry or other in Berlin, but rather at the desks and in the lecture halls of nihilistic scientists and philosophers. (“Victor Frankl at Ninety: An Interview,” in First Things, April 1995, p. 41.)

In other words, ideas have consequences — consequences that bless or destroy. People’s behavior — good and bad — does not come out of nowhere. It comes from prevailing views of reality that take root in the mind and bring forth good or evil.

One of the ways that the Bible makes plain the truth that ideas have practical consequences is by saying things like, “Whatever was written in former days was written . . . [that] we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). The ideas presented in the Scriptures produce the practical consequence of hope. 

Again, Paul says, “The aim of our charge is love” (1 Timothy 1:5). The imparting of ideas through a “charge” or through “instruction” produces love. 

Hope and love do not come from nowhere. They grow out of ideas — views of reality — revealed in the Scriptures. 

Another way the Scriptures show us that ideas have consequences is by using the word “therefore” (1,039 times in the NASB). “Therefore” means that what follows comes from somewhere. For example, “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Or: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1). Or: “Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow” (Matthew 6:34).

If we want to live in the power of these great practical “therefores,” we must be gripped by the ideas — the views of reality — that go before them and stand under them. Ideas have consequences. So, let’s bring all our ideas under the authority of God’s word.

WORLDLINESS IS ENMITY WITH GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY MAY 14, 2021.

SUBJECT: WORLDLINESS IS ENMITY WITH GOD!

Memory verse: "Do not love the world or things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” (First John 2 vs 15.)

READ: First John 2 vs 15 - 17: 

2:15: Do not love the world or things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

2:16: For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

2:17: And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

INTIMATION:

Worldliness is the love and care of the things of this world, that is, having friendship with the world. It’s to be carnally minded—living according to the desires of the flesh, that is, setting our mind on things of the flesh. It drives the love of God out of us, and puts us up as enemies of God. It’s being carnally minded, and driven by the evil desires of the flesh. And carnality of seeking pleasure at the expense of obeying God, is putting up an enmity with God. Pleasure that keeps us from pleasing God is sinful. 

Worldliness is characterized by both internal and external behaviors. The internal worldliness which begins in the heart, are specifically expressed in three forms: (1) lust of the flesh—preoccupation with gratifying physical desires; (2) lust of the eyes—coveting and accumulating things, bowing to the god of materialism; and (3) pride of life—obsession with one’s status or importance. The external worldliness is predominantly displayed in class consciousness, and attraction to pleasures.

In contrast, God’s value system is quite different from the world’s system. God hates pride, but values humility, self-control, meekness, gentleness, and generosity. And because of His different value system, loving the things of the world, is putting oneself up as an enemy of God. The Scripture says, “Adulterers and Adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with world is enmity with God? Whoever wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (James 4 vs 4.)

Obviously, it is the cares of the worldly things and pleasures that lure us into wrong doing, and thereby putting ourselves up as God’s enemies. However, there is nothing wrong with wanting a pleasurable life. God gives us good gifts that He wants us to enjoy (First Timothy 6 vs 17). But God abhors the evil desires inherent in carnality that puts us up as His enemies.

The cure of evil desires is humility (see Proverbs 16 vs 18 - 19; First Peter 5 vs 5 - 6). Pride makes us self-centered and leads us to conclude that we deserve all we can see, touch, or imagine. It creates greedy appetites for more than we need. We can be released from our self-centered desires by humbling ourselves before God, realizing that all we really need is His approval. 

The Scripture has said that often the reason we do not receive what we ask for is because we ask with the wrong motives or intention—to spend it on sensual pleasures. Sensual pleasures  or desires are carnal (worldly) desires. When our motives or reasons for asking from God is wrong, He will obviously not grant such requests. Though, It is God's will you prosper, (Third John 2), but He will not grant your request because of the wrong motives. God blesses people so that they will be a blessing to others, and use the wealth for the advancement of His kingdom, not for pride, boasting and friendship with the world. 

Over the years I have learned one important truth: God knows me more than I know myself. Our motives and intentions are well known to Him; "The Spirit of God is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart" (Hebrews 4 vs 12). Our wrong motives and intentions are well known to Him, even when we don't realize or admit it. It is usually hard to face the truth about ourselves especially when it is in the negative. But we have to do that if we want to receive all that God desires to give us.

Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world that are usually selfish and often corrupting. Wise Christians decide that much worldly behavior is off-limits for them. Our refusal to conform to this world’s values, however, must go even deeper than just behavior and customs; it must be firmly planted in our mind. Allow the Holy Spirit of the living God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. The Spirit will renew, reeducate, and redirect your mind to be truly transformed. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the humble spirit to put away the desires, cares and pleasures of this world that are contrary to my obeying and serving You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

At the Bottom of It All

At the Bottom of It All

In love he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will. (Ephesians 1:4–5)

The experience of Charles Spurgeon is not beyond the ability of any ordinary Christian.

Spurgeon, who lived from 1834 to 1892, was a contemporary and friend of George Mueller and Hudson Taylor. He served the Metropolitan Tabernacle in London for over thirty years as the most famous pastor of his day. 

His preaching was so powerful that people were converted to Christ every week. His sermons are still in print today and he is held up by many as a model soul winner. 

He recalls an experience when he was sixteen that shaped his life and ministry for the rest of his days. 

When I was coming to Christ, I thought I was doing it all myself, and though I sought the Lord earnestly, I had no idea the Lord was seeking me. I do not think the young convert is at first aware of this. 

I can recall the very day and hour when first I received those truths [the doctrines of sovereign, overcoming grace] in my own soul — when they were, as John Bunyan says, burnt into my heart as with a hot iron, and I can recollect how I felt that I had grown, on a sudden, from a babe into a man — that I had made progress in Scriptural knowledge, through having found, once for all, that clue to the truth of God. 

One weeknight, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher’s sermon, for I did not believe it. 

The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment — I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so?

Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, “I ascribe my change wholly to God.”

What about you? Do you ascribe your conversion wholly to God? Is he the bottom of it all? Does this cause you to praise the glory of his sovereign, overcoming grace?

NEVER RELY ON YOUR EFFORTS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MAY 13, 2021.

SUBJECT: NEVER RELY ON YOUR EFFORTS!

Memory verse: “This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might not by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of hosts.” (Zechariah 4 vs 6.)

READ: Galatians 3 vs 2 - 6:

3:2: 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?

3:3: Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh? 

3:4: Have you suffered so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

3:5: 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?

3:6: Just as Abraham “believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 

INTIMATION:

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. I have learned that the Lord constantly requires us to turn to Him. Why? Because when we do anything apart from Him, we take the credit and glory that rightfully belonged to Him. For this reason He will frustrate any of our own efforts to do things outside of Him. Jesus said, "...For without Me, you can do nothing." (John 15 vs 5).

Only God could bring about changes that you desire in your life. It is only through God’s Spirit that anything of lasting value is accomplished. But your duty is to ask in faith. Turn to the Lord sincerely on a regular basis and say, "Father, I can't help myself. I am coming to You like a little child. I am totally helpless. I lay this whole situation before You, asking for Your grace. I don't deserve Your help, Father, but You are my only hope. Please do for me what I can't do for myself."

In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul reminded the believers in Galatia that they received the Holy Spirit—the custodian of the power of God (the grace of God) and that power of God was responsible for meeting specific situations in their lives. And this is because they heard the word of God, believed it and it worked in their lives. He made them realize that it was not as a result of obeying the law and doing its works. Therefore, it would be foolish of them, haven begun their new life spiritually with the Holy Spirit, will want to reach perfection by their dependence on their weak human efforts and ability, which is also impossible.

That God who supplies them with His Holy Spirit and works powerfully and miraculously among them, never did that on grounds of their doing what the law demands, but because of their believing in, adhering to, trusting in Him, and relying on the message of Christ they heard. Then finally in verse 5, 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 God, and 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. 

Now, effort has a place in the Christian life. It does has a part to play. But even then, anything done outside the grace of God will have no real lasting effect. God has not left us alone in our struggles to do His will. He wants to come alongside us and be within us to help. God gives us the desire and the power to do what pleases Him. The secret to a changed life is to submit to God’s control and let Him work. Always ask God to give you the grace to do His will. 

In Philippians 1 vs 6, the Bible says, "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." It is God who has begun this good work in us. He started it, 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. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12 vs 2).

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. It is for this reason that Jesus urged us thus; “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11 vs 28 - 30). Obviously, His burden is light and His yoke easy. While we relax, we must do our part, and our part is to believe in Him, love Him, and obey His commands! And he who loves Him will be loved by His Father, and He will also love you and manifest Himself to you (John 14 vs 21). 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for Your love and faithfulness upon my life. Give me the grace to rely solely on You in every circumstances of my life, knowing that by my strength I cannot prevail, but by Your strength I can do all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

CARNAL MIND VERSUS SPIRIT MIND!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 12, 2021.

SUBJECT: CARNAL MIND VERSUS SPIRIT MIND!

Memory verse: “For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.” (Romans 8 vs 6.)

READ: Romans 8 vs 5:

8:5: For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, things of the Spirit.

8:6: For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

8:7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.

8:8: So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God.

INTIMATION:

I prefer looking at our memory verse from the Amplified Version of the Bible. It says, "Now the mind of the flesh [which is sense and reason without the Holy Spirit] is death [death that comprises all the miseries arising from sin! both here and hereafter]. But the mind of the [Holy] Spirit is life and [soul] peace [both now and forever]. (Romans 8 vs 6.)

According to this verse, this is not one mind, but two minds. There is the mind of the flesh, and there is the mind of the Spirit. That does not mean you and I have two brains, it simply means that we receive information from our natural mind (which operates without the Holy Spirit), and we get information from our spirit mind (through which the Holy Spirit communicates directly to us). According to the Scripture, we are not to be led by our carnal mind, but by the Holy Spirit Who indwells us. (Romans 8 vs 14; Galatians 5 vs 18.) The Holy Spirit is the only One who knows the mind of God, and is the revealer of the truth (John 16 vs 13). 

Before Christ came, we all were students of the carnal mind—the mind of the flesh, and were dominated by our sinful nature. But Jesus came and offered us a way out, and once you say yes to Him, He enters, and lives in you through His indwelling Holy Spirit, and makes His mind available for your inquest. The Holy Spirit begins His work by directing you according to the ways of God. But it takes your willingness and sensitivity to receive from Him.

In First Corinthians 2 vs 16, the Bible says, "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ." This Scripture tells us that because the Holy Spirit lives in the believers, we have the mind of Christ. The problem is that although we have the mind of Christ and know the Word of God, we don't listen to our spirit which is being enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Instead, we listen to our natural mind which relies strictly on sense and reason without the Holy Spirit.

In every situation of life, our head will be trying to give us information. It will be yelling at us so loudly that if we don't turn our attention to our spirit we will never hear what the Lord is saying to us in that situation. That is why we must learn to live out of our spirit and not of our head.

We all have two huge vats of information within us. One is carnal information that comes off the top of our head—sensual knowledge which is always at the fore. The other is spiritual information which wells up out of our heart—rooted in our inner being. The carnal information is likened to a muddy, and polluted water, while the spiritual information is likened to clean drinking water. It is up to you to decide which source you are going to drink from.

Some people try to drink from both sources. That's what the Bible calls being ‘double-minded’ (James 1 vs 8.) Do you know what it means to be double-minded? It means that your mind is trying to tell you one thing, and the your spirit is trying to tell you just the opposite. Instead of saying, "I'm not going to believe that because it's a lie," you get in a cross-fire, going back and forth between the two thoughts.

You see, evil spirits constantly bombard us with negative thoughts. If we receive them and dwell on them, they become ours because the Bible says, “For as he think in his heart, so is he” (Proverbs 23 vs 7). If we accept the lies of the devil as reality, then they will become reality to us because of our "faith," our “belief” in them. That is why in moments of worry, stress and turmoil we have to simply take the time to turn to our inner man, the dwelling place of the Holy Spirit, and say, "Lord, what do You have to say about this?" If we listen in faith, He will speak to us and reveal to us the truth of that situation.

If we are ever going to live the happy, victorious and successful Christian life the Lord wills for us, we are going to have to decide which fountain of information we are going to drink from. We are going to have to learn to live out of our spirit, and not out of our head.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are so good that You never left us helpless, but gave us the Holy Spirit that abides with us forever. Give me the grace to always be attentive and sensitive to receive and follow His leading at all times, that I may live as You want, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Why We Should Love Our Enemies!

“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” (Luke 6:27)

There are two main reasons why Christians should love their enemies and do good to them.

One is that it reveals something of the way God is. God is merciful.

He makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. (Matthew 5:45) He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103:10) Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. (Ephesians 4:32)

So, when Christians live this way, by God’s power, we show something of what God is like.

The second reason is that the hearts of Christians are satisfied with God and are not driven by the craving for revenge or self-exaltation or money or earthly security.

God has become our all-satisfying treasure and so we don’t treat our adversaries out of our own sense of need and insecurity, but out of our own fullness with the satisfying glory of God.

Hebrews 10:34, “You joyfully accepted the plundering of your property [that is, you didn’t retaliate against your adversaries], since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one.” What takes away the compulsion of revenge is our deep confidence that this world is not our home, and that God is our utterly sure and all-satisfying reward. We know that we have “a better possession and an abiding one.”

So, in both these reasons for loving our enemy we see the main thing: God is shown to be who he really is as a merciful God and as gloriously all-satisfying.

The power to be merciful is that we have been satisfied with God’s mercy toward us. And the ultimate reason for being merciful is to glorify God, that is, to help others magnify him for his mercy. We want to show that God is magnificent. We want our love, by God’s mercy, to make God look great in the eyes of man.