BE SELFLESS AS CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY DECEMBER 20, 2021.

SUBJECT : BE SELFLESS AS CHRIST! 

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

READ: Philippians 2 vs 3 - 5; First Corinthians 10 vs 24:

Philippians 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 interests of others.

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

First Corinthians 10:24: Let no one seek his own, but each one the other's well-being. 

INTIMATION:

Being selfless is laying aside right; putting others first. Selflessness is having no regard to self, being altruistic—living and acting for the interest of others. It is inconveniencing yourself for the happiness, and benefit of others. Jesus Christ, our Messiah, is a classic example of a selfless life. He was humble, willing to give up His rights in order to obey God and serve people. Consequently, the apostle Paul advises us thus: "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus." Like Jesus, we should have a servant's attitude, serving out of love for God and others. 

Everyone chooses his or her attitude. You can approach life expecting to be served, or you can look for opportunities to serve others. Jesus Christ's ministry on earth was anchored on selflessness, and was the basis for our salvation. He died for us; paid a ransom for us because we could not do it ourselves. His death released us from our slavery and bondage to sin. Jesus remarked in Mark 10 vs 45; "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." 

Living a selfless life as Christ did brings about spiritual unity. We must love one another and be one in spirit and purpose. When we co-operate in working together, caring for the problems of others as if they were our problems, we demonstrate Christ's example of putting others first, and consequently, fulfill the law of Christ. 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 no matter what, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men.

Many people, even Christians, live only to make a good impression on others or to please themselves. However, selfish ambition or conceit (overbearing, having a high opinion of oneself) brings discord. Unfortunately, selfishness abound in the Body of Christ. Christians—members of the Body of Christ—compete amongst themselves with the motive to undo the other; backbiting, gossiping, witch-hunting, working against the interest of others etc. such evil behaviors are the products of selfishness. Even the leaders who should lead by example even struggle in traffic jam, in fuel cue, in difficult circumstances to take the first turn etc. Though it is difficult to lead such a lifestyle but we need to start from somewhere and let the Holy Spirt help us accomplish the rest.

Someone would say, “Can a selfless lifestyle of service be possible.” Yes it can! Worthy of note was the Christlike selfless service of the late Mother Teresa; a unique personality who devoted her life to the service of God and others as a nun in the Roman Catholic faith. In 1950, Teresa founded the Missionaries of Charity, a Roman Catholic religious congregation that had over 4,500 nuns and was active in 133 countries in 2012. The congregation manages homes for people who are dying of HIV/AIDS, leprosy and tuberculosis. It also runs soup kitchens, dispensaries, mobile clinics, children's and family counseling programs, as well as orphanages and schools. Members take vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience, and also profess a fourth vow—to give “wholehearted free service to the poorest of the poor.” 

Prayer: Abba Father, my trust is in You. Give me the grace to lead a selfless lifestyle of service to You and fellow humans. treating others with respect and common courtesy, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Christmas Solidarity

 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

The assembly line of Satan turns out millions of sins every day. He packs them into huge cargo planes and flies them to heaven and spreads them out before God and laughs and laughs and laughs.

Some people work full-time on the assembly line. Others have quit their jobs there and only now and then return.

Every minute of work on the assembly line makes God the laughingstock of Satan. Sin is Satan’s business because he hates the light and beauty and purity and glory of God. Nothing pleases him more than when creatures distrust and disobey their Maker.

Therefore, Christmas is good news for man and good news for God.

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). That’s good news for us.

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). That is also good news for God.

Christmas is good news for God because Jesus has come to lead a strike at Satan’s assembly plant. He has walked right into the plant, called for the Solidarity of the faithful, and begun a massive walkout.

Christmas is a call to go on strike at the assembly plant of sin. No negotiations with the management. No bargaining. Just single-minded, unswerving opposition to the product. We won’t be a part of making it anymore.

Christmas Solidarity aims to ground the cargo planes. It will not use force or violence, but with relentless devotion to Truth it will expose the life-destroying conditions of the devil’s industry.

Christmas Solidarity will not give up until a complete shutdown has been achieved.

When sin has been destroyed, God’s name will be wholly exonerated. No one will be laughing anymore.

If you want to give a gift to God this Christmas, walk off the assembly line of sin and don’t go back. Take up your place in the picket line of love. Join Christmas Solidarity until the majestic name of God is cleared, and he stands glorious amid the accolades of the righteous.

Christmas Is for Freedom

 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)

Jesus became man because what was needed was the death of a man who was more than man. The incarnation was God’s locking himself into death row.

Christ did not risk death. He chose death. He embraced it. That is precisely why he came: “not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).

No wonder Satan tried to turn Jesus from the cross — in the wilderness (Matthew 4:1–11) and in the mouth of Peter (Matthew 16:21–23)! The cross was Satan’s destruction. How did Jesus destroy him?

Hebrews 2:14 says that Satan has “the power of death.” That means Satan has the ability to make death fearful. “The power of death” is the power that holds men in bondage through fear of death. It is the power to keep men in sin so that death comes as a dreadful thing.

But Jesus stripped Satan of this power. He disarmed him. He molded a breastplate of righteousness for us that makes us immune to the devil’s condemnation. How did he do this?

By his death, Jesus wiped away all our sins. And a person without sin cannot be condemned by Satan. Forgiven, we are finally indestructible. Satan’s plan was to destroy God’s rule by condemning God’s followers in God’s own courtroom. But now, in Christ, there is no condemnation. Satan’s treason is aborted. His cosmic treachery is foiled. “His rage we can endure, for, lo, his doom is sure.” The cross has run him through. And he will gasp his last before long.

Christmas is for freedom. Freedom from the fear of death.

Jesus took our nature in Bethlehem, to die our death in Jerusalem — all that we might be fearless in our city today. Yes, fearless. Because if the biggest threat to my joy is gone, then why should I fret over the little ones? How can you say (really!), “Well, I’m not afraid to die but I’m afraid to lose my job”? No. No. Think!

If death (I said, death! — no pulse, cold, gone!) if death is no longer a fear, we’re free, really free. Free to take any risk under the sun for Christ and for love. No more enslavement to anxiety.

If the Son has set you free, you shall be free, indeed!

LET HOSPITALITY BE YOUR SACRED DUTY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY DECEMBER 19, 2021.

SUBJECT : LET HOSPITALITY BE YOUR SACRED DUTY!

Memory verse: "Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some have unwittingly entertained angels.” (Hebrews 13 vs 2.)

READ: Genesis 18 vs 1 - 5:

18.1: Then the Lord appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day.  

18:2 So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,  

 18:3: and said, “My Lord, if I have now found favor in Your sight, do not pass on by Your servant.  

 18:4: Please let a little water be brought, and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree.  

18:5: And I will bring a morsel of bread, that you may refresh your hearts. After that you may pass by, inasmuch as you have come to your servant.” They said, “Do as you have said.” 

 

INTIMATION:

Hospitality is an act of reception and entertainment of strangers or guests without reward or with kind or generous liberality. Speaking biblically, hospitality is treating strangers and friends alike. It is welcoming one another into our homes and lives. Hospitality is a sacred duty. It is a constant and consistent theme throughout the Bible. God commanded the Hebrews to remember their exile and oppression in Egypt and allow it to motivate hospitality to foreigners: “The stranger who dwells among you shall be to you as one born among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.” (Leviticus 19 vs 34.)

Jesus’ advice that you should do to others as you would have them do to you is a command of hospitality. (See Matthew 7 vs 12.) The Scripture in First Peter 4 vs 9 is specifically about Christians allowing Christian workers, traveling ministers and fellow followers of Jesus to stay in their homes as they traveled. “Show hospitality to one another without grumbling.” It also highlights a general biblical principle to love one another sacrificially, as serving one another is akin to serving Christ. (Matthew 24 vs 34 - 46.) Therefore, being hospitable is tantamount to serving Christ.

In the passage we read today, Abraham was eager to show hospitality to these three visitors. In Abraham’s day, and even this day, 

a person’s reputation is largely connected to his hospitality—the sharing of home and food. Even strangers were to be treated as highly honored guests. Meeting another’s need of food or shelter still is one of the most immediate and practical ways to obey God. It is also a time-honored relationship builder. We like Abraham, might actually entertain angels. This thought should be on our minds the next time we have the opportunity to meet stranger’s needs.

Christian hospitality focuses on the quests’ needs, such as a place to stay, nourishing food, a listening ear, or just acceptance. A Christian has no excuses for not being hospitable. Hospitality can happen in a messy home. It can happen around a dinner table where the main dish is canned soup. It can even happen while the host and the guest are doing chores together. Don’t hesitate to offer hospitality just because you are too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain.

Some people say they cannot be hospitable because their homes are not large enough or nice enough. But even if you have no more than a table and two chairs in a rented room, there are people who would be grateful to spend time in your home. Are there visitors to your Church with whom you could share a meal? Do you know single people who would enjoy an evening of conversation? Is there any way your home could meets the needs of traveling missionaries? Hospitality simply means making other people feel comfortable and at home.

Hospitality is a lost art amongst many people today. We should do well invite more people for meals—fellow church members, young people, traveling missionaries, those in need, visitors. This is an active and much-appreciated way to show your love.. in fact, it is probably more important today. Because of our individualistic, self-centered society, many lonely people wonder if anymore cares whether they live or die. If you find such a lonely person, show him or her that you care! 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to be hospitable to strangers, guests, and neighbors. I know that in doing this, I am serving You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

The Christmas Model for Missions

 “As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” (John 17:18)

Christmas is a model for missions. Missions is a mirror of Christmas. As I, so you.

For example, danger. Christ came to his own and his own received him not. So you also. They plotted against him. So you. He had no permanent home. So you. They trumped up false charges against him. So you. They whipped and mocked him. So you. He died after three years of ministry. So you.

But there is a worse danger than any of these which Jesus escaped. So you!!

In the mid-16th century the missionary Francis Xavier (1506–1552), wrote to Father Perez of Malacca (today part of Malaysia) about the perils of his mission to China. He said,

The danger of all dangers would be to lose trust and confidence in the mercy of God. . . . To distrust him would be a far more terrible thing than any physical evil which all the enemies of God put together could inflict on us, for without God’s permission neither the devils nor their human ministers could hinder us in the slightest degree.

The greatest danger a missionary faces is not death but to distrust the mercy of God. If that danger is avoided, then all other dangers lose their sting.

In the end God makes every dagger a scepter in our hand. As J.W. Alexander says, “Each instant of present labor is to be graciously repaid with a million ages of glory.”

Christ escaped this danger — the danger of distrusting God. Therefore God has highly exalted him! As he, so you.

Remember this Advent that Christmas is a model for missions. As I, so you. And that mission means danger. And the greatest danger is distrusting God’s mercy. Succumb to this and all is lost. Conquer here and nothing can harm you for a million ages.

GOD CAN PREVENT YOU FROM SINNING AGAINST HIM!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 18, 2021.

SUBJECT : GOD CAN PREVENT YOU FROM SINNING AGAINST HIM!

Memory verse: "But God had come to Laban the Syrian in a dream by night, and said to him, “Be careful that you speak to Jacob neither good or bad.” (Genesis 31 vs 24.)

READ: Genesis 20 vs 2 - 7:

20:2: Now Abraham said of Sarah his wife, “She is my sister.” And Abimelech king of Gerar, sent and took Sarah.

20:3: But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, “Indeed, you are a dead man because of the woman you have taken, for she is a man's wife.”

20:4: But Abimelech had not come near her: and he said, “LORD, wilt You slay a righteous nation also?”

20:5: Did he not say to me, “She is my sister?” And she, even she herself said, “He is my brother.” in the integrity of my heart and innocence of my hands I have done this.”

20:6: And God said to him in a dream, “Yes, I know that you did this in the integrity of your heart. For I also withheld you from sinning against Me; therefore I did not let you touch her.

20:7: Now therefore, restore the man’s wife; for he is a prophet, and he will pray for you and you shall live. But if you do not restore her, know that you shall surely die, you and all who are yours.”

INTIMATION:

God, in His infinite mercy and love for us, can prevent us from sinning. He does this in so many ways unknown to us. Have you ever tried to imagine how many times God has done same for you, holding you back from sin in ways you can’t even detect? It is obvious we have no way of knowing—we just know that He can. God works just as often in ways we can’t see as in ways we can. 

In our anchor Scripture, God appeared to Laban in a dream and warned him concerning Jacob, thereby preventing him from doing anything contrary to His plan and purpose in Jacob’s life. If Laban’s intentions were to harm Jacob, surely this would have been a nightmare. In order to strike fear in the heart of Laban, God warned him not to speak harshly to Jacob, the heir of Abraham and the one through whose seedline the promises would be fulfilled. 

In the passage we read today, Abimelech had unknowingly taken a married woman to be his wife and was about to commit adultery. But God somehow prevented him from touching Sarah and held him back from sinning. What mercy on God’s part! Through some providential manner God kept Abimelech from touching Sarah, or else he would have reaped the judgement of God. 

In First Samuel 25, Nabal, Abigail’s husband, and very rich, rudely refused David’s request to feed his 600 men, the fact that David and his men had been protecting Nabal’s workforce, and part of Nabal’s prosperity was due to David’s vigilance not withstanding. David was greatly outraged by his action and planned to take vengeance on Nabal’s property, and to kill all the males in his household. 

However, the wife Abigail, sensible and capable, by her swift action and skillful negotiation, kept David from taking vengeance upon Nabal. Both Abigail and David saw the hand of God in all that transpired between them. Abigail said to David, “Now therefore, my lord, as the Lord lives and as your soul lives, since the Lord has held you back from coming to bloodshed and from avenging yourself with your own hand, now then, let your enemies and those who seek harm to my lord be as Nabal.” (Genesis 25 vs 26,) 

David said to Abigail, “For indeed, as the Lord God of Israel lives who has kept me back from hurting you, unless you had hurried and come to meet me, surely by morning light no males would have been left to Nabal!” (First Samuel 25 vs 34.) David sensed that Abigail was sent to him by God, for he expressed gratitude to her for her wise advice. The tender heart of David was here revealed because he accepted the advice of a woman who pled for the case of her foolish husband. 

David was in no mood to listen when he set out  for Nabal’s property. Nevertheless, he stopped to hear what Abigail had to say. If he had ignored her, he would have been guilty of taking vengeance into his own hands. Abigail did not want him to regret any rash actions on his part that would lead to killing innocent people. In this case, the rest of the clan of Nabal would have been innocent victims of the unrighteous Nabal.

God works in all things for His children. What you may consider as a “coincidence” or that “It just happened,” I call or term “God-incidence.” “For all things work together for good to them that love Him.” (Romans Therefore, all glory must be returned to Him at all times.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are so merciful and Your mercy endures forever. I Lord, even in our unfaithfulness You remain faithful. Your compassion never fail us. Endue me with the spirit of complete obedience to You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

The Greatest Salvation Imaginable

 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah . . . ” (Jeremiah 31:31)

God is just and holy and separated from sinners like us. This is our main problem at Christmas — and every other season. How shall we get right with a just and holy God?

Nevertheless, God is merciful and has promised in Jeremiah 31 (five hundred years before Christ) that someday he would do something new. He would replace shadows with the Reality of the Messiah. And he would powerfully move into our lives and write his will on our hearts so that we are not constrained from outside, but are willing from inside, to love him and trust him and follow him.

That would be the greatest salvation imaginable — if God should offer us the greatest Reality in the universe to enjoy and then move in us to know that Reality in such a way that we could enjoy it with the greatest freedom and the greatest pleasure possible. That would be a Christmas gift worth singing about.

That is, in fact, what he promised in the new covenant. But there was a huge obstacle. Our sin. Our separation from God because of our unrighteousness.

How shall a holy and just God treat us sinners with so much kindness as to give us the greatest Reality in the universe (his Son) to enjoy with the greatest possible joy?

The answer is that God put our sins on his Son, and judged them there, so that he could put them out of his mind, and deal with us mercifully and remain just and holy at the same time. Hebrews 9:28 says Christ was “offered once to bear the sins of many.”

Christ bore our sins in his own body when he died (1 Peter 2:24). He took our judgment (Romans 8:3). He canceled our guilt (Romans 8:1). And that means our sins are gone (Acts 10:43). They do not remain in God’s mind as a basis for condemnation. In that sense, he “forgets” them (Jeremiah 31:34). They are consumed in the death of Christ.

Which means that God is now free, in his justice, to lavish us with all the unspeakably great new covenant promises. He gives us Christ, the greatest Reality in the universe, for our enjoyment. And he writes his own will — his own heart — on our hearts so that we can love Christ and trust Christ and follow Christ from the inside out, with freedom and joy.