THE INNER LIFE BY JOYCE MEYER

 

The Purpose of Prosperity

 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. (Ephesians 4:28)

There are three levels of how to live with material things: (1) you can steal to get them; (2) or you can work to get them; (3) or you can work to get in order to give.

Too many professing Christians live on level two. We glorify work over against stealing and mooching, and feel we have acted virtuously if we have spurned stealing and mooching, and given ourselves to an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay. That’s not a bad thing. Work is better than stealing and mooching. But that’s not what the apostle calls us to.

Almost all the forces of our culture urge us to live on level two: work to get. But the Bible pushes us relentlessly to level three: work to get to give. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

Why does God bless us with abundance? So we can have enough to live on, and then use the rest for all manner of good works that alleviate spiritual and physical misery — temporal and eternal suffering. Enough for us; abundance for others.

The issue is not how much a person makes. Big industry and big salaries are a fact of our times, and they are not necessarily evil. The evil is in being deceived into thinking that a large salary must be accompanied by a lavish lifestyle.

God has made us to be conduits of his grace. The danger is in thinking the conduit should be lined with gold. It shouldn’t. Copper will do. Copper can carry unbelievable riches to others. And in the very process of that giving we enjoy the greatest blessing (Acts 20:35).

ATTRACTING SPECIAL AUDIENCE IN PRAYER!

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY OCTOBER 17, 2021.

SUBJECT : ATTRACTING SPECIAL AUDIENCE IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6 vs 33.)

READ: Psalm 37 vs 4 - 6:

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

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

37:6: He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

INTIMATION:

You attract special audience in prayer when you partner with God in ensuring the establishment of His Kingdom here on earth. Kingdom-oriented praying gives you special audience with God. If you desire breakthroughs in your life, one of the fastest ways of achieving it is to have a strong affection for God and His kingdom. Let your thoughts be dominated with the desires of God, serve and obey Him in everything.

Your delight in the Lord occasions strong affection for God and His kingdom. When you delight in the Lord, you will experience great pleasure and joy in Him and His kingdom. The Scripture says of the Lord, “Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth...” (Isaiah 58 vs 14.) Desire to know God better, and to know His great love for you. When you do, you will entrust everything about you—your life, family, job, possessions—to Him and He will work out what is best for you. 

The reason God created the earth is for the extension of His kingdom. Jesus taught His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6 vs 9 - 10, "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven." When you pray kingdom-oriented prayer, you are giving reference to God's spiritual reign. It is God's Will that His kingdom be established here on earth as was announced in the covenant with Abraham. 

When we pray "Your Will be done on earth," we are praying that God's perfect purpose will be accomplished in this world as well as the next. When you are interceding on kingdom matters, let it be from the depth of your being, as if you are praying for your own child who is dying, or even the healing of your ailment that has kept you at the corridor of death. Such prayers usually means much to you. 

If you concern yourself that much on ensuring the actualization of God's Will on earth, God will definitely concern Himself with your affairs, and you will experience additions to you of all the things the world is struggling to get. This is a prayer strategy that moves heaven to rain down favor on you, so much that you will not need to pray for most things before you get Themis the Scripture foretold, this, "It shall come to pass that before you call, I will answer, And while they are still speaking, I will hear." (Isaiah 65 vs 24.) This is prevalent in the lives of those who are heartily mindful of His kingdom matters. Their prayers are answered at the right time. 

Most people are dying in their prayer rooms because they are self-oriented in their prayers. They the "needy-stars" of the kingdom. Their prayer is always all about self; "Lord, give me this; Lord, bless me; Lord, bless my children and my wife," and their demands are endless. All they remember to pray about is "me, I and myself." They are least concerned about the welfare of anybody else or on any issue that does not touch them personally. Their idea is, "If God is concerned about His kingdom, let Him fix it."

When a kingdom prayer point is raised in the church, a lot of people just mumble through; you can hardly hear what they are saying. But when it is said, "Pray for yourself, that this year's prophesy may find fulfillment in your life," people begin to pray with much vigor and energy. But it is how much you take pleasure in the affairs of the kingdom that determines the quality of response you enjoy from God. 

The psalmist in Psalm 102 vs 12 - 13 says, "But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of Your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come." When your concern for God's kingdom is deep-seated in your heart, you pray heart-felt prayers for the kingdom and His people. Your prayer shall be that, "The Lord endures forever, and be remembered throughout all generations." Then, He will arise with mercy and favor for you. As you begin to seek His kingdom in your prayers, I see every concern in your life become a testimony of answered prayers to you, in Jesus name.

Prayer: Abba Father, let the zeal of Your kingdom eat me up, that I may desire to do all the things required for the advancement of Your kingdom, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Fear and Hope in God’s Jealousy

 “The Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:14)

God is infinitely jealous for the honor of his name, and responds with terrible wrath against those whose hearts should belong to him but go after other things, like a spouse running after another lover.

For example, in Ezekiel 16:38–40 he says to faithless Israel,

“I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy. And I will give you into their hands, and they shall throw down your vaulted chamber. . . . They shall strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels and leave you naked and bare. They shall bring up a crowd against you, and they shall stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords.”

I urge you to listen to this warning. The jealousy of God for your undivided love and devotion will always have the last say. Whatever lures your affections away from God with deceptive attraction will come back to strip you bare and cut you in pieces.

It is a horrifying thing to use your God-given life to commit adultery against the Almighty.

But for those of you who have been truly united to Christ and who keep your vows to forsake all others and cleave only to him and live for his honor — for you the jealousy of God is a great comfort and a great hope.

Since God is infinitely jealous for the honor of his name, anything and anybody who threatens the good of his faithful wife will be opposed with divine omnipotence. That’s good news for the faithful wife — the faithful people of God.

God’s jealousy is a great threat to those who play the harlot and sell their heart to the world and make a cuckold out of God (James 4:3–4). But his jealousy is a great comfort to those who keep their covenant vows and become strangers and exiles in the world.

REJOICE ALWAYS IN THE LORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY OCTOBER 16, 2021.

SUBJECT : REJOICE ALWAYS IN THE LORD!

Memory verse: "Rejoice always.” (First Thessalonians 5 vs 16.) 

READ: Philippians 3 vs 1; 4 vs 4:

3:1: Finally, My brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

4:4: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice.

INTIMATION:

To rejoice is to delight, be joyful, be happy, or make happy. To rejoice in the Lord is to be joyful, happy, delighted, or gladdened in the Lord for who He is, and what He does, is doing, and can do. Rejoicing is pleasing to God hence His demand on people to be joyful. God encourages joy. God doesn’t intend for religion to be only meditation and introspection. He also wants us to celebrate. 

Serious reflection and immediate confession of sin is essential of course. But this should be balanced by celebrating who God is and what He has done, is doing, and can do for His people. Therefore, worship involves both celebration and confession. In believers meetings, there are times of meditations and celebration—rejoicing in the Lord and demonstration of His goodness. 

One of the feasts that God gave to Moses for the children of Israel is the feast of Tabernacles, also called the feast of ingathering (Leviticus 23 vs 33 - 44). It was a special celebration involving the whole family that lasts for seven whole days. The feast taught family members of all ages about God’s nature and what He had done for them, and it was a time for renewed commitment to God. 

In our societies in the world today, families need rituals of celebration to renew our faith and to pass it on to our children. Among Christians are Christmas and Easter. Also, Churches and Fellowships have other special days to commemorate God’s goodness and nature. 

But the apostle Paul tells us that rejoicing in the Lord should be a constant practice for us. It was so important to him that he emphasized the word ‘rejoice’ twice in a verse of just nine words (Philippians 4 vs 4.) In his letter from the prison in Rome to the church in Philippi, he emphasized the need of rejoicing in the Lord always. Although, it seems strange that a man in prison would be telling a church to rejoice. But his attitude teaches us an important lesson: As believers in Christ, and trusting in God, our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our outward circumstances. Paul was full of joy because he knew that no matter what happened to him, Jesus Christ was with him.

It is in our nature to get easily discouraged about unpleasant circumstances. It’s also easy for us to take unimportant events too seriously. There are times when the last thing we want to do is rejoice. Our mood is down, our situation is out of hand, and our sorrow or guilt is overwhelming. Yes, but this is as a result of your not looking at life from the right perspective: Your focus is on the circumstance you face, instead of on Him who controls all circumstances. 

We can relate to the writers of the psalms in the Bible who often felt the way stated above. But no matter how low the writers felt, they were always honest with God. And as they talked to God, their prayers ended in praise. When you don’t feel like rejoicing, tell God how you truly feel, be attentive, and you will find out that God will give you a reason to rejoice; Even now, God has given you that day, that hour to live and to serve Him, be glad!!

You may not have been joyful because you have a wrong perspective of life. For instance, in the event of someone abusing you, calling you names indicative of the person’s regard of you as useless, such circumstance is mostly unpleasant and discouraging. But such should not be taken serious, and not worry you, knowing that the ultimate assessment that matters is God’s assessment, not fellow human’s assessment. “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3 vs 4.)

Several occasions necessitate our rejoicing in the Lord always. They include: (1) His Incarnation—the union of God and man in the person of Jesus Christ, (2) God’s power available to us, (3) His presence with the Father interceding for us, (4) His presence with us, (5) His ultimate triumph, (6) Hearing the gospel, (7) Our salvation, (8) Receiving the Lord, (9) Our enrollment in heaven, (10) Our liberty in Christ, (11) Our hope in Christ, (12) Our prospect of reward, and (13) The obedience and godly conduct of fellow believers. 

The apostle Paul, gives us three very important commands—be joyful, never stop praying, and be thankful (First Thessalonians 5 vs 16 - 18). Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should be continuous, and not fluctuating with our circumstances or feelings. However, obeying these commands often go against our natural inclinations. But when we make a conscious decision to do what God says, we will begin to see life and people in the right perspective as God sees it. And when we do God’s Will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful.

Prayer: Abba Father, engrace me to rejoice in You always; having the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that I may be called a tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that You may be glorified, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Plan for Prayer

 “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. . . . These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:7–8, 11)

Prayer pursues joy in fruitful fellowship with Jesus, knowing that God is glorified when we bear fruit in answer to prayer. Why do God’s children so often fail to have consistent habits of happy, fruitful prayer?

Unless I’m badly mistaken, one of the reasons is not so much that we don’t want to, but that we don’t plan to.

If you want to take a four-week vacation, you don’t just get up one summer morning and say, “Hey, let’s go today!” You won’t have anything ready. You won’t know where to go. Nothing has been planned.

But that is how many of us treat prayer. We get up day after day and realize that significant times of prayer should be a part of our life, but nothing is ready.

We don’t know where to go. Nothing has been planned. No time. No place. No procedure. And we all know that the opposite of planning is not a wonderful flow of deep, spontaneous experiences in prayer. The opposite of planning is the same old rut.

If you don’t plan a vacation, you will probably stay home and watch TV. The natural, unplanned flow of spiritual life sinks to the lowest ebb of vitality. There is a race to be run and a fight to be fought. If you want renewal in your life of prayer, you must plan to see it.

Therefore, my simple exhortation is this: Let us take time this very day to rethink our priorities and how prayer fits in. Make some new resolve. Try some new venture with God. Set a time. Set a place. Choose a portion of Scripture to guide you.

Don’t be tyrannized by the press of busy days. We all need midcourse corrections. Make this a day of turning to prayer — for the glory of God and for the fullness of your joy.

BOLDLY COME BEFORE THE LORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY OCTOBER 15, 2021.

SUBJECT : BOLDLY COME BEFORE THE LORD!

Memory verse: "Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need." (Hebrews 4 vs 16.)

READ: Hebrews 10 vs 19 - 22:

10:19: Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 

10:20: by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

10:21: and having a High Priest over the house of God,

10:22: let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

INTIMATION:

Prayer is our approach to God, and we are to come boldly. He is our Loving and Faithful Father. And He is also our King. We go to Him with reverence for who He is—our Holy Sovereign, and Awesome God. But also we will come to Him with bold assurance because He is our Father, Friend, Counselor, Compassionate, Faithful, and Loving Father. 

Being bold is being courageous which is a commandment from God Himself. In Joshua 1 vs 9, God said to Joshua, “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord Your God is with you wherever you go.” What else will anybody want than God’s presence wherever you go? Jesus emphasized this when He said, “I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” (Mathew 28 vs 20.) And today, we have the privilege of His being with us through the Holy Spirit indwelling us. 

The Holy Spirit is the very presence of God within all believers, helping us live as God wants, and with the assurance of His help, we can appropriate the Spirit’s power each day in our daily lives. He knows everything about us because He is present with us. Haven known this, therefore, we should come boldly before Him, knowing He already knows everything about us. Some Christians approach God meekly with heads hung low, afraid to ask Him to meet their needs, and often forget what to say and how to say it. Others pray flippantly, giving little thought to what they say. The Bible in Ephesians 3 vs 12 says, "In whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him." 

It is an awesome privilege to be able to approach God with freedom and confidence, which Jesus Christ has instituted for us in redemption. Christ’s sacrifice transforms our lives and hearts and makes us clean on the inside. Our clean conscience allow us to enter God’s presence with boldness. By faith in Christ we can enter directly into God's presence through prayer. We know we'll be welcomed with open arms because we are God's children through our union with Christ. Don't be afraid of God. Come boldly, talk with Him about everything. He is waiting to hear from you.

Show me a child who is bold before the father, and I will show a believer who approaches our Heavenly Father with boldness. The believer knows He is the Father, and is aware of his or her right before the Father, and therefore, comes with all boldness to access his or her rights. It is a natural inclination that a child is as bold as a lion before the father, assured of his love, and readiness to offer the needed help as may be required. A child believes the father can do anything for him or her, hence the child’s demands with boldness on the father for anything he or she wants. 

It’s the same with our Heavenly Father. We should come boldly, and with full assurance of His love for us His children, and place our demands before Him, knowing His commitment to us as His children. Jesus said something remarkable about the father and child relationship: “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent?. If you then, being evil, knows how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Matthew 7 vs 9 - 11.) As earthly fathers, and fallible human beings, they are mindful of their child’s comfort and cares, how much more our Loving Father, Holy and perfect, who is love Himself. With all full assurance of His care for His children, we should approach Him with courage, knowing He is always there for us.

I remember when my children were growing up, when I am set to leave the house in the morning, they will come boldly to me with their requests, demanding that their request be met immediately or they extract a commitment from me on those request. And honestly I do my best to meet their needs in order not to diminish their natural inbuilt confidence in me as their father. How much more our Heavenly Father, the Creator and Owner of the entire ‘world and all its fullness,’ (Psalm 50 vs 12), He is always there for us, and encourages us to come boldly with our requests.

Prayer: Abba Father, Your lovingkindness is beyond description. Endue me with the spirit of boldness to approach Your throne with full assurance of Your unending love for me, that I may obtain mercy and find grace to face all circumstances of life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!