Afraid of Death No More

 Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2:14–15)

How does Christ deliver us from the fear of death and set us free to live with the kind of loving abandon that can “let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also”?

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood . . .

The term “children” is taken from the previous verse and refers to the spiritual offspring of Christ, the Messiah. These are also the “children of God.” In other words, in sending Christ, God has the salvation of his “children” especially in view. “Since the children share in flesh and blood . . . ”

he himself likewise partook of the same [flesh and blood] . . .

The Son of God, who existed before the incarnation as the eternal Word (John 1:1), took on flesh and blood, and clothed his deity with humanity. He became fully man and remained fully God.

that through death . . .

The reason Christ became human was to die. As preincarnate God, he could not die for sinners. But united to flesh and blood, he could. His aim was to die. Therefore, he had to be born human, mortal.

that he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil . . .

In dying, Christ defanged the devil. How? By covering all our sin (Hebrews 10:12). This means that Satan has no legitimate grounds to accuse us before God. “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33). On what grounds does he justify? Through the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 9:14; Romans 5:9).

Satan’s ultimate weapon against us is our own sin. If the death of Jesus takes it away, the chief weapon the devil has is taken out of his hand. In that sense, he is rendered powerless.

and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

So, we are free from the fear of death. God has justified us. There is only future grace in front of us. Satan cannot overturn that decree. And God means for our ultimate safety to have an immediate effect on our lives. He means for the happy ending to take away the slavery and fear of the present.

MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THANKSGIVING!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY AUGUST 01, 2021.

SUBJECT : MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THANKSGIVING!

Memory verse: "Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgements of His mouth." (First Chronicles 16 vs 12.)

READ: First Chronicles 16 vs 8 - 9; 28 - 29:

16:8: Oh, give thanks to the lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the people! 

16:9: Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk about His wonderful works!" 

16:28: Give to the Lord, O families of the people, Give to the Lord glory and strength. 

16:29: Give to the Lord glory due to His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of His holiness.

 

INTIMATION:

There are four major elements of thanksgiving. These four elements are:-

1. To remember what God has done.

2. To tell others about what God has done.

3. To show God's glory to others.

4. To offer gifts of self, time, and resources.

The bases of praise, and thanksgiving is declaring God's character and attributes in the presence of others. When we recognize and affirm His goodness we are holding up His perfect moral nature for all to see. And this praise benefits us because it takes our minds off our problems and needs and focuses on God's power, mercy, majesty, and love. Genuine praise, and thanksgiving involves ascribing glory to God, noting that this is our worship, and that we give God all the glory. This means that we give credit where credit is due.

The elements of thanksgiving is clearly expressed in David’s psalm to thank the LORD in First Chronicles 16 vs 7 - 36. Thanksgiving should be an integral part of our praise to God, and this theme is woven throughout the psalms. Thanksgiving should be in all areas of life, and If you are truly thankful, your life will show it. As we praise and thank God for material, and spiritual blessings, we should also thank Him for answered prayers, remembering His answers to our quest for protection, strength, comfort, patience, love, or other special needs that He supplied. 

Beware of taking God's provisions and answered prayers for granted. Jesus healed ten lepers in Luke 17 vs 11 -19, but only one returned to thank Him, and consequently, he was made whole. Only the thankful man however, learned that his faith had played a role in his healing. It is possible to receive God's great gifts with an ungrateful spirit. This was the guilt of nine out of the ten lepers that Jesus healed. Remember that only grateful Christians grow in understanding of God's grace. God does not demand that we thank Him, but He is pleased when we do so and uses our responsiveness to teach us more about Himself; revealing Himself more to us for our benefits. 

Thanksgiving is one of the acts of 'giving,' and 'giving' is the nature of God. As His children, adopted in Christ in the new birth, that nature is imparted in us and is to be expressed in us. The Scripture, in Luke 6 vs 38, says; "Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." Therefore, giving is for your own benefit. You can only receive when you give, and in the like manner you give, you receive. 

Giving to God is a wonderful tool for receiving from Him, and receiving quite in excess of your gift. It is noteworthy that you cannot out-give God. Study Genesis 22 vs 15 - 18, on how Abraham was blessed by God when He obediently offered Isaac. Also, study First Kings 3 vs 4 - 14, on the blessings of God on King Solomon when he offered his astonishing sacrifice.

Prayer: Abba Father, what do I have that I have not received from You? Everything within me will continually thank You for Your goodness, faithfulness, and mercy. Endue me with the excellent spirit of gratitude to You everyday of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Our Weakness Reveals His Worth

 

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God’s design for suffering is that it should magnify Christ’s worth and power. This is grace, because the greatest joy of Christians is to experience Christ magnified in our lives.

When Paul was told by the Lord Jesus that his “thorn in the flesh” would not be taken away, he supported Paul’s faith by explaining why. The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God ordains that Paul be weak so that Christ might be seen as strong on Paul’s behalf.

If we feel and look self-sufficient, we will get the glory, not Christ. So, Christ chooses the weak things of the world “so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:29). And sometimes he makes seemingly strong people weaker so that the divine power will be the more evident.

We know that Paul experienced this as grace because he rejoiced in it: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).

Living by faith in God’s grace means being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus. Therefore, faith will not shrink back from what reveals and magnifies all that God is for us in Jesus. That is what our own weakness and suffering are meant to do.

SELFLESSNESS IS GODLINESS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY JULY 31, 2021.

SUBJECT: SELFLESSNESS IS GODLINESS! 

Memory verse: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." (Galatians 6 vs 2.)

READ: Philippians 2 vs 3 - 11:

2:3: Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. 

2:4: Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interest of others.

2:5: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

2:6: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

2:7: But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

2:8: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

INTIMATION:

Being selfless is laying aside right. It is putting others first. Selflessness is having no regard to self, being altruistic—living and acting for the interest of others. Selflessness is inconveniencing yourself for the happiness, and benefit of others. Many people, including Christians, live only to make a good impression on others or to please themselves—the 'Me first' attitude. Living like Christ is principally a life built on love. Jesus gave us a new commandment in John 13 vs 34 - 35, He said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." Living like Christ is living a life built on love. 

Selfishness is ambitious and conceit (arrogance, excessive pride, haughtiness) is seen among Christians, abounding in churches (the Body of Christ). Christians compete amongst themselves with the motive to undo the other; backbiting, gossiping, witch hunting, working against the interest of others, and so on. 

Always think of yourself the way Jesus thought of Himself. Though He is God, and equal with God in status, but didn't think so much of Himself that He had to cling to the advantages of that status, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men, to serve selflessly. He made the greatest sacrifice of dying for others' sins when He had no sin, paying the penalty of death for the whole world, which aught to be paid by all of us sinners (Romans 3 vs 23; 6 vs 23).

As humans born into this world, we’re all selfish by nature. We’re born with a sinful nature that daily bows before the deity called ‘self,’ and until we crucify the “Adamic nature,” we’ll continue to struggle with selfishness. A selfless Christian does not seek to be known, praised or rewarded for the good he does because he doesn’t glory in the flesh. All he or she wishes is for Christ to be seen and glorified in his or her attitude and actions which when faithfully executed, will draw all people to Christ.

Though it is difficult to lead a selfless lifestyle but we need to start from somewhere and let the Holy Spirt help us accomplish the rest. For instance, Christians should not struggle in traffic jam, in fuel queues, in difficult circumstances, to take the first turn. When you do such, where is selflessness? Let the love and mind of Christ be in you always! Christlike selflessness is the mark of a true Christian. It was for this reason that the apostle Paul, in his letter to the believers in Philippi, said, "Let this mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus." The entire Christian experience should be one of continued acts of selflessness, to 'deny self daily while following the Lord’ (Luke 9 vs 23).

We must act differently from the world around us if we are to actually show ourselves as children of the heavenly kingdom. Selflessness must be the watchword in our dealings with everybody—Christians and non Christians alike. Selflessness will make us willingly give up comforts so our neighbor can have little of what God has blessed us with. It will make us think twice before abusing a position of responsibility entrusted to us in the Church of God, public service or business. Selflessness will make church leaders promote the gospel more than they promote themselves and their denominations. It will make us allocate church resources more to places where it will benefit the church rather than projects which massage our ego and buttress our vanity. 

Let us not be moved by the promise of instant gratification of self to destroy the good work God has called us to do. We’ll be more effective carriers of the good news of the gospel if our individual lives become examples of selflessness.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the excellent spirit of selflessness, that the mind of Christ will be in me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Suffering That Crushes Faith

 

“They have no root in themselves, but endure for a while; then, when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately they fall away.” (Mark 4:17)

The faith of some is broken instead of built by suffering. Jesus knew this and described it here in the parable of the four soils. Some people who hear the word receive it at first with gladness, but then suffering makes them fall away.

So, affliction does not always make faith stronger. Sometimes it crushes faith. And then come true the paradoxical words of Jesus, “The one who has not, even what he has will be taken” (Mark 4:25).

This is a call for us to endure suffering with firm faith in future grace, so that our faith might grow stronger and not be proved vain (1 Corinthians 15:2). “To the one who has, more will be given” (Mark 4:25). Knowing God’s design in suffering is one of the main means of growing through suffering.

If you think your suffering is pointless, or that God is not in control, or that he is whimsical or cruel, then your suffering will drive you from God, instead of driving you from everything but God — as it should. So, it is crucial that faith in God’s grace includes the faith that he gives grace through suffering.

LIVING THE PRESENT BY JOE OSTEEN

 

GOD PROTECTS THOSE WHO STAND FIRM IN HIM!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JULY 30, 2021.

SUBJECT : GOD PROTECTS THOSE WHO STAND FIRM IN HIM!

Memory verse: "For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame." (Romans 10 vs 11).

READ: Psalm 27 vs 1 - 5:

27:1: The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

27:2: When the wicked came against me, to eat up my flesh, my enemies and foes, they stumbled and fell.

27:3: Though an army may encamp against me, my heart shall not fear; though war may rise against me, in this I will be confident.

27:4: One thing I have desired of the LORD, that I will seek; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple.

27:5: For in the time of trouble  He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.

INTIMATION:

Standing firm is refusing to abandon one's opinion or belief. And you can only stand firm in what you trust, believe, and is convinced about, without any iota of doubt. When you stand firm for God, you will stand out before men and before God. Sometimes it may be painful, and may not always have a happy end here on earth, but the ultimate victory of eternal life with Him is assured. Your standing firm for God is essentially because you trust and believe in Him: Who He says He is, and what He says He can do. God is unfailing, unchanging, and absolutely faithful, and whoever believes on Him, will not be put to shame; He will always show up for you, and ensure your victory at the end.

No other scenario, perhaps, better buttresses this point than the stories of the three Hebrew young men: Shadrach, Meshach, Abed-Nego, and also Daniel in Daniel chapter 3 and 6. King Nebuchadnezzar had commanded thousands of people (the satraps, the administrators, the governors, the counselors, the treasurers, the judges, the magistrates, and all the officials of the provinces) to gather in Babylon for the dedication of the golden image: Ninety feet high and nine feet wide, the gigantic idol towered over the people. 

The King commanded all the peoples and nations of every language to fall down and worship the image of gold. Whoever did not fall down and worship would immediately be thrown into the furnace. Everyone worshiped the idol except for these three men who defiled the King’s order. They accepted the likely punishment of death gracefully and added, "If you throw us into the blazing flames, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and He will rescue us. But even if He doesn't, we would never serve your gods or worship the image of gold that you have built!" 

The King, enraged by the insolence of the men, commanded that they be thrown into the furnace. Despite the fact that the furnace was already hot enough to kill any living thing put inside, the king ordered that the furnace be made seven times hotter than usual!" He ordered his strongest soldiers to tie up the three condemned men standing before him, and throw them into the inferno. The soaring flames licked the air surrounding the furnace, and because it was so blazing hot, the flames incinerated the soldiers who had thrown the three men in.

While in the furnace, God showed up for them. Then king got up on his feet! Frantically he asked his advisors, "Weren't there three men that we tied up and threw into the fire? Look! I see four men walking around, unbound, unharmed, and  the fourth looks like a son of the gods!" All the advisors, shocked with amazement, stared into the fire. Sure enough, not only were the three men walking around in the furnace, but there was a fourth man with them. When the King saw this, he ordered everyone to worship the awesome God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abrdnego.

In the same vein, Daniel refused to give up His convictions about his God and indulged in regular prayer to God as a habit. He put into practice his convictions, even when that meant being thrown into a den of hungry lions. When King Darius signed a law effectively making himself a god for 30days, and that no one should pray to anyone except the king, Daniel made no attempt to hide his daily prayer routine, even when he knew he would be disobeying the new law, and consequently he would be thrown into the lions’ den. When he was eventually thrown into the den, God showed up for him and shut up the lions’ mouth, and he was unhurt.

Are you ready to take a stand for God no matter what? Ordinarily, the young men referenced above, could have given any of the following excuses as reason to bow down to the statue and save their lives: “We will fall down but not actually worship the idol,” or “We won’t become idol worshippers but will worship it this one time, and then ask God for forgiveness,” or “The king has absolute power, and we must obey him, God will understand,” or “The King appointed us—we owe this to him,” or “This is a foreign land, so God will excuse us for following the customs of the land,” or “Our ancestors set up idols in God’s temple! This isn’t half as bad,” or “We’re not hurting anybody,” or “If we get ourselves killed and some pagans take our high positions, they won’t help our people in exile!”

Although all these excuses sound sensible at first, they are dangerous rationalizations. To fall down and worship the image would violate God’s command; “You shall have no other God’s before Me.” (Exodus 20 vs 3.) It will also erase their testimony for God forever. Never again should they talk about the power of their God above all other gods. What excuses do you use for not standing firm for Him? 

Prayer: Abba Father, in all circumstances You remain my only God, and ever will be. I am persuaded that You are ever faithful. Engrace me to stand firm for You all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!