MONEY STEWARDSHIP IN GODLINESS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JANUARY 07, 2022.

SUBJECT : MONEY STEWARDSHIP IN GODLINESS!

Memory verse: "And I say to you, make friends for yourselves by unrighteous mammon, that when you fail, they may receive you into an everlasting home.” (Luke 16 vs 9.)

READ: Luke 16 vs 10 - 13:

16:10: He who is faithful in what is least is faithful also in much; and he who is unjust in what is least is unjust also in much. 

16:11: Therefore if you have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches? 

16:12: And if you have not been faithful in what is another man's, who will give you what is your own?

16:13: No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

INTIMATION:

Godliness is likeness to God; it’s to be devout, and denotes that piety which is characterized by a Godward attitude—doing those things that is well-pleasing to God. Money relates to financial matters, while a steward is one entrusted with managing of another person's property or affairs. Money stewardship comprises of handling or management of money matters. 

There are Scriptural principles on money stewardship in godliness. The importance of this subject is reflected in how much the Scriptures teach about it. The Bible has more to say about money than most Bible doctrines like heaven and hell or faith and prayer. The influence of money in our lives is very real, so it isn't surprising that Jesus taught more on the subject of money than any other single topic. He taught more of managing resources than He did on prayer or even faith. As you will learn, seeing yourself as a steward of God's resources is the only way to true financial freedom.

I know that money is a sore subject that a lot of people want to avoid, but in my considered opinion, learning how God views money and possessions is basic Christianity. Our integrity often meets its match in money matters. Jesus used money and people's attitude towards money to reveal their hearts. We are to make use of the money opportunities we have in a godly manner. God is the Owner of the world, and all its fullness. He gives you power to get the wealth. Therefore, all that you have is entrusted to you by the Owner—God. It’s rational and right to manage those resources entrusted to you to the benefit of the Owner. 

God established the earthly kingdom for His purpose. He created us to serve and obey Him. Wisdom demands that you serve Him even with the resources entrusted to you. Therefore, spend your money unselfishly; in advancing His kingdom; helping those in need, to help others find Christ. When it is used rightly as God wills, then your earthly investment will bring you eternal benefit. Use your resources which are temporal, to gain those things that are eternal. Investment in kingdom advancement programs is investing in the vineyard of God; it helps you to build your heavenly treasures that are eternal.

Money and material possessions within themselves are not wrong. What can be wrong is how they were acquired and idolized. It is not the money that is evil, but the love and selfish use of it. It is not wrong to be rich, but riches are wrong when they lead one into sin. Your attitude toward it determines your godliness in its use. Lovers of money and possessions are not faithful to God in what they acquired. They could not be good stewards of God’s heritage because they had proved themselves dishonest with what is entrusted to them by God. 

If one cannot be trusted with the correct use of material things, he cannot be trusted to do right if entrusted with the care of the flock of God. Therefore, one’s correct use of material things will determine one’s right to eternal life. God calls us to be honest even in small details we could easily rationalize away. A man’s faithfulness is measured by what he does with what he has. 

Heaven's riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. But if you are not trustworthy with your money here (no matter how much or little we have), you will be unfit to handle the vast riches of God's kingdom. Most people are enslaved by money; instead of money serving them, they serve money. Money has the power to take God's place in our life. It can become your master. How can you tell if you are a slave to money? (1) Do you think or worry about it frequently? (2) Do you give up doing what you should do or would like to do in order to make more money? (3) Do you spend a great deal of your time caring for your possessions? (4) Is it hard for you to give money away? (5)Are you in debt?

One cannot take his possessions with him into the dwelling of the new heavens and earth, but he can take the results of his giving. Money is a hard master and a deceptive one. Wealth promises power and control, but often it cannot deliver. Great fortunes can be made and lost overnight, and no amount of money can provide health, happiness, or eternal life.

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to serve You, even with the resources You entrust to my care. Engrace me with the wisdom to manage all entrusted to my care in a godly manner, that I may be rewarded with eternity with You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Perfect Peace

 Perfect Peace

Today : Perfect Peace

 

TODAY’S VERSE
“You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” Isaiah 26:3 (NLT)

 

TODAY’S THOUGHT

Perfect peace. I have a hard time comprehending that. Perfect peace. I take a deep relaxing breath just thinking about it. That is what God is promising us if we trust in Him. Why? Because He is trustworthy! He can be trusted. But trusting is more than just saying we trust Him. Isaiah qualifies the kind of trust we need to have perfect peace. It is the trust that keeps our thoughts fixed on God. Fixed on His love. Fixed on His compassion. Fixed on His grace. Fixed on His provision. Fixed on His promises. Fixed on His almighty power. Today, let’s experience that perfect peace. We can start right now by fixing our thoughts on Him and keeping them there throughout the day.

 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Lord, I desire Your perfect peace! Please help me trust in You by focusing my attention on You and all that You will provide to get me through this day. Please, Lord, when my thoughts wander and peace starts to flee, nudge me and help me to refocus on You again. Thank You. In Jesus’ Name.
AMEN

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
I will focus on God with all my heart
Take a deep breath and see yourself alone with all the time in the world. No deadlines, no pressures, no responsibilities. You have the time so you begin to focus on God. You let Him fill your mind. You think of His love, His peace, His purposes for you. You begin to see His power, His might, His infiniteness. As you think on Him you begin to sense a peace and joy. You sense His love for you and you want more. You want more of God so you focus on Him again. Today let this be a taste. Let this be the beginning of focused attention on God.

SURRENDER TOTALLY TO GOD IN FAITH!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JANUARY 06, 2022.

SUBJECT: SURRENDER TOTALLY TO GOD IN FAITH!

Memory verse: "My soul, wait silently for God alone, for my expectation is from Him." (Psalm 62 vs 5.)

READ: Genesis 22 vs 1 - 10:

22:1: Now it came to pass after these things, that God tested Abraham, and said to him, “Abraham!” And he said, “Here I am.”

22:2: Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah; and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains which I shall tell you.”

22:3: So Abraham rose early in the morning, and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him, and Isaac his son, and split the wood for the burnt offering, and rose and went to the place of which God had told him.

22:4: Then on the third day Abraham lifted up his eyes, and saw the place afar off.

22:5: And Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.”

22:6: So Abraham took the wood of the burnt offering, and laid it on His Son Isaac; and he took the fire in his hand, and a knife; and the two of them together.

22:7: But Isaac spoke to Abraham his father, and said, “My father!” And he said, “Here I am, my son.” Then he said, “Look the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?”

22:8: And Abraham said, “My son, God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering.” So the two of them went together.

22:9: Then they came to the place of which God had told him. And Abraham built an altar there and placed the wood in order; and bound Isaac his son and laid him on the altar, upon the wood.

22:10: And Abraham stretched out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.

INTIMATION:

Surrendering totally to God in faith means to yield completely to Him in faith. Surrendering to God is not passive resignation, fatalism, or an excuse to relax, or laziness. It is not accepting the status quo. It means the exact opposite: sacrificing faithfully your life to God. It can occasion suffering in order to change what needs to be changed. Surrendering totally to God in faith makes an overcomer in all aspects of life because your life is lived by the Owner and Sustainer of that life. 

God often calls surrendered people to do battle on His behalf. Surrendering is for soldiers of Christ, not for cowards. Likewise it does not mean giving up rational thinking. God would not waste the mind He gave you! God does not want robots to serve Him. It is not repressing your personality. Rather than its being diminished, surrendering enhances it. 

The more we let God take us over, the more truly ourselves we become because He made us. He invented all the different people you and I intended to be. It is when we turn to Christ, when we give up ourselves to His personality, that we first begin to have a real personality of our own. 

Surrendering is best demonstrated in obedience. You say, "yes, Lord" to whatever He asks of you. Surrendered people obey God's Word, even if it doesn't make sense. For instance Peter demonstrated the act of surrender in faith when he obeyed the instruction of Jesus, after a whole night of toiling without success: "Master, we have toiled and caught nothing; nevertheless at Your word I will let down the net." (Luke 5 vs 5.) 

Another aspect of a fully surrendered life is faith or trust. Abraham followed God's leading without knowing where it would take him. In the passage we read today, there was no debate with God from Abraham. There was no sleepless night, for he rose up early in order to carry out the introductions of the command. Sarah, the wife, was not informed of the matter, for Abraham told no one what transpired. He simply prepared for the journey and for the sacrifice, and then headed for the God-appointed location. 

When Abraham looked up after three days journey and saw, at a distance, Moriah, the appointed place of the sacrifice, he told the servants to stay back while he continued with his son Isaac, and said to them, “Stay here with the donkey; the lad and and I will go yonder and worship, and we will come back to you.” Take note of the “We.” Though Abraham had no previous experience of a bodily resurrection, he trusted that God would resurrect the body he would put to death hence his use of the word “we.”: In Hebrews 11 vs 19, the Scripture says of Abraham, “He concluded that God was able to raise him up, even from the dead, from which he also figuratively received him back.” 

Again when Isaac wondered concerning what animal they would use for the sacrifice, Abraham’s response was, “God will provide.” Abraham’s faith, therefore, went to the limit of trusting that God in the final minute would provide the sacrifice. And so He did. In his obedience, he demonstrated raw faith and total surrendering to God and His Will.

The supreme example of self-surrendered life is in Jesus. The night before His crucifixion Jesus surrendered Himself to God's plan. He prayed, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Take this cup away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will, but what You will." (Mark 14 vs 36.) Jesus didn't pray, "God, if you are able to take away this pain, please do so." He had already affirmed that God can do anything! Instead he prayed, "God, if it is in your best interest to remove this suffering, please do so. But if it fulfills your purpose, that's what I want, too."

The most difficult area to surrender for many people is their money. Many have thought, "I want to live for God but I also want to earn enough money to live comfortably and retire someday." Retirement is not the goal of a surrendered life, because it competes with God for the primary attention of our lives. Jesus said, "You cannot serve both God and money" (Matthew 6 vs 24), and "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also (Matthew 6 vs 21). 

We live in a materialistic society where many people serve money. They spend all their lives chasing after money, collecting, and storing it, only to die and leave it behind. Their desire for money far outweighs their commitment to God and spiritual matters. Whatever you store up you will spend much of your time and energy thinking about. I advice that you do not fall into the materialistic trap, because "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil" (First Timothy 6 vs 10). Can you honestly say that God, not money, is your master? One test is to ask which one takes more of your thoughts, time, and efforts.

Genuine surrender in faith says, "Father, if this problem, pain, sickness, or circumstance is needed to fulfill your purpose and glory in my life or in another's, please don't take it away.” This level of maturity does not come easy. In Jesus' case, He agonized so much over God's plan that He sweat drops of blood. Surrender is hard work. In our case, it is intense warfare against our self-centered nature.

Prayer: Abba Father, I surrender totally to You. Yours I am, and Yours I want to be, do with me as it is pleasing to You, and give me the grace to follow with raw obedience of faith, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen

PRAISE THE LORD!

Never Forsaken, Never Alone

  

Today : Never Forsaken, Never Alone

 

TODAY’S VERSE
God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

TODAY’S MESSAGE
Loneliness; abandonment; alienation; separation; betrayal; desertion. These are words that cut right to the heart. Because of our human relationships, all of us, to one degree or another, have experienced these painful emotions. The great news is that when you become His child, when you are born again, you enter into a permanent relationship with almighty God. He becomes your loving Father who loves you (yes, you!) so much that He has made a tremendous promise. God has written, for all to read, that He will never, never, never, never, never, never leave you or forsake you. Never! Why? Because when He chose to love you unconditionally, it is settled, end of discussion, no changing His mind, ever. You are His child forever.

 

 

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Heavenly Father, is it really true? I want to believe it with my mind and with my heart! Help me really see how much You love me. Thank You that You promise You will never leave me or forsake me. Because of Jesus.
AMEN

 

 

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
God will never forsake me
Feel life beginning to overwhelm you. You sense all is lost and then you remember God. God said that He would never forsake you so you cry out to Him. “God help me!” you cry. As you do, you feel His presence and power and know that He is there. He has responded to your cry and He is there with all His power and love. You are saved! Affirm, “God will never forsake me!”

THE FINAL BUS-STOP!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 05, 2022.

SUBJECT : THE FINAL BUS-STOP!

Memory verse: "And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts." (Revelation 21 vs 6.)

READ: John 6 vs 16 - 21:

6:16: Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

6:17: got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.

6:18: Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.

6:19: So when they had rowed about three or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.

6:20: But He said to them, “It is I; do not be afraid.

6:21: Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

INTIMATION:

The final bus-stop for all humans is in Jesus. In Him and with Him it is finished (John 19 vs 30). And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist (Colossians 1 vs 17). God is not only the Creator of the world but He is also its Sustainer. In Him, everything is held together, protected, and prevented from disintegrating into chaos. Because Christ is the Sustainer of all life, none of us is independent from Him. We are all His servants who must daily trust Him to protect us, care for us, and sustain us.

In John 8 vs 58 Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” When He said He existed before Abraham was born, He undeniably proclaimed His divinity. Not only did Jesus say that He existed before Abraham, He also applied God’s holy name (“I AM”—Exodus 3 vs 14) to Himself. Jesus is God, and the originator of all that is. All things maintain their existence because of His power: “He is upholding all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1 vs 3). He is the foundation upon which all that exists continues to exist. 

When Jesus came to the disciples during a storm, walking on the water (three and a half miles from shore), He told them not to be afraid. Now, imagine the entrance of Jesus into the boat, and the immediate arrival of the boat at shore where they were going. The boat that was three and a half miles from the shore, was immediately at their destination when they willingly welcomed Jesus into the boat. 

That is exactly the divine or spiritual experience of whoever willingly accepts Jesus into his or her life. Though things may not change immediately in the physical, but spiritually such persons has been translated from darkness to the Kingdom of God where all things are perfect. The manifestation of the translated life in the physical is hinged on one’s faith in Him and His work for us. 

Faith is a mind-set that expects God to act. When we act on this expectation, we can overcome our fears. The disciples were afraid because they didn’t expect Jesus to come, and they weren’t prepared for His help. Willingly accepting Jesus into your life brings you immediately to the shore where you are going. We often face spiritual and emotional storms and felt tossed about like a small boat on a big lake. If we trust our lives to Christ for His safekeeping, in spite of terrifying circumstances, He will give us peace in any storm. 

Just as God finished the work of creation (Genesis 2 vs 1 - 3) and Jesus finished the work of redemption (John 19 vs 30), so is everyone who willingly accepts Jesus into his or her life has arrived at his or her life’s final bus-stop. You are trusting in Him who has power over nature as He created all things in nature. With Him, “It is done.” Jesus said, “I will give of the fountain of water of life freely to him who thirsts." The water of life is a symbol of eternal life. Jesus used this same image with the Samaritan woman (John 4 vs 7 - 14). It pictures the fullness of life with God and the eternal blessings that come when we believe in Him and allow Him to satisfy our spiritual thirst. 

Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. The Lord God is the Beginning and the End. God the Father is the eternal Lord and Ruler of the past, present and future. Without Him you have nothing that is eternal, nothing that can change your life, nothing that can save you from sin. Is the Lord your reason of living, “the Alpha and the Omega” of your life? 

Honor the One who is the Beginning and the End of all existence, wisdom, and power. All authority belongs to Jesus, and all things are under His control, and He works among the nations of the earth as the King of Kings, and Lord of lords (First Timothy 6 vs 15). 

Prayer: Abba Father, You so loved the world, that You gave us Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. I willingly accept Him into my life as my personal Lord and Savior. In Him I live, and move, and have my being. Give me the grace to remain steadfast in my commitment to Him, in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

DISCOVER YOUR MINISTRY AND DO YOUR GOOD WORKS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY JANUARY 04, 2021.

SUBJECT: DISCOVER YOUR MINISTRY AND DO YOUR GOOD WORKS!

Memory verse: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Ephesians 2 vs 10.)

READ: Matthew 5 vs 16; Acts 9 vs 36; First Timothy 6 vs 18 - 19; Titus 2 vs 4; 3 vs 8: 

Matthew 5:16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.

Acts 9:36: At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.

First Timothy 6:18: Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, 

6:19: storing up for themselves a good foundation for time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life.

Titus 2:14 Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed, and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous of good works.

Titus 3:8 This is a faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men

INTIMATION:

God created you and put you on earth for a purpose—to serve His interest. You are put on earth to make a contribution. You weren't created just to consume resources—to eat, breathe, and take up space. God designed you to make a difference with your life. Most people are concerned about how to get the best out of life, but that's not the reason God created you. You were created to add to life on earth, not just take from it. This is one of God's purpose for your life, and it is called your "ministry," or “your service.” Jesus Christ, our example of what we are called to do, said: "Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." (Matthew 20 vs 28.)

“Good works” are acts of charity, kindness, or good will. They are works that are good, done for God's glory. They are good because they honor God and love people. They are works done for God's glory, by God's strength, because God commands. And when you do “good works,” you are serving the Lord. Therefore, whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ." 

Our “good works” are acts of service or worship to the Lord. Whenever you serve others in any way, even in carrying out ordinary tasks, you are serving God and fulfilling one of your purposes. Because ultimately we serve God, every job has dignity. The apostle John said that our loving service to others shows that we are truly saved (First John 3 vs 14). If you have no love for others, no desire to serve others, and you are only concerned about your needs, it is doubtful whether Christ is really in your life. A saved heart is one that wants to serve. Through the manifestation of God’s grace, Christians have been driven by faith to conform their lives to the will of God. They do good works in thanksgiving of the grace of God.

Christians have been created anew in Christ by obedience to the gospel. They have been so recreated, not because of their good works, but purpose that God might work good through them. Christians thus work in response to what God has done for them. We serve Him out of joy, and deep gratitude for what He's done for us. We owe Him our lives. It is our works that manifest our response to the grace of God. Good works manifest the goodness of one’s heart. One judges himself, therefore, by his works, for it is in our works that we manifest our hearts. 

Serving God in your “ministry” is often misunderstood by most people. When most people hear "ministry," they think of pastors, priests, and professional clergy, but God says every member of His family is a minister (Revelation 1 vs 6; 5 vs 10). In the Bible, the words servant and minister are synonymous. If you are a Christian, you are a minister, and when you're serving, you're ministering. We are saved to ensure others are saved. We are healed to help others. We are blessed to be a blessing. We are saved to serve, not to sit around and wait for heaven. 

It takes your coming to Him and trusting in Him, for the revelation of all these in your life. And you come to Him by accepting what He did through His Son Jesus Christ for you in redemption; acknowledging Christ as your personal Lord and Savior. He saved you to accomplish His purpose for which He created you (Second Timothy 1 vs 9). In God's kingdom, you have a place, a purpose, a role, and a function to fulfill. That is His “holy calling.” This gives your life great significance and value. God has given you a unique combination of abilities and talents. Use them to serve and honor Him. 

Through salvation our past has been forgiven, our present is given meaning, and our future is secured. Therefore, seek ways to express your gratitude to Him. Have you ever wondered why God doesn't just immediately take us to heaven the moment we accept His grace? Why does He leave us in a fallen world? He leaves us here to fulfill His purposes. Once you are saved, God intends to use you for His goals. God has a ministry for you in his Body—the church, and a mission for you in the world. Seek yours from Him and serve appropriately!

It is the nature of those who have experienced the grace of God to show their appreciation to God for their salvation through good works. If one does not manifest good works in his life as a disciple, then he has little appreciation for his salvation. It is being ungrateful. We are saved, and thus work out our salvation that we have in Christ. The Scripture says work out your “own salvation with fear and trembling, for it is God who works in you both to will and to work for His good pleasure” (Philippians 2 vs 12 - 13). The exhortation does not say to work “for” one’s salvation, but to work it out. When one realizes the greatness of his salvation, he is motivated to do the good works to the glory to God. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to serve You acceptably and in accordance with Your predetermined purposes for my life. I humbly ask that You reveal to me the hope of Your calling, and the give me the grace to abound in good works, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Bring It To Jesus

 : Bring It To Jesus

TODAY’S VERSE
“So then, since we have a great High Priest who has entered heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we believe. This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses, for he faced all of the same testings we do, yet he did not sin. So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most.” Hebrew 4:14-16 (NLT)

TODAY’S THOUGHT
Sometimes you need a helping hand. You need someone who understands what you are going through and can help you navigate difficult times. Jesus is that intercessor. He is God with all the power and wisdom we need, yet because of His volunteer time spent on earth in human form, He knows exactly what we are going through. He knows all our limitations, frailty, emotions and how to work with them and live a victorious life. He can guide us down the same path of faith, strength, hope and love that He took. So let’s do what the author of Hebrews suggests. Let’s come boldly to our gracious God and ask Him for the help we need today. We will find Him gracious, compassionate and able to help us when we need it the most.

TODAY’S PRAYER
Dear Jesus, I come to You because You know all about me. You know my situation. You know my thoughts, my frustrations and my desires. You know my needs. I come to You because You are endlessly compassionate toward me and I know that You will help me when I need it the most. I give You this day with all of its challenges, struggles and complexities. In Jesus’ name.
AMEN

TODAY’S AFFIRMATION & MEDITATION
I come boldly to Jesus with all my needs
Jesus is near. As you meditate, see Him inviting you to come to Him. As you draw close you can sense that He cares. You know in your heart that He understands you. He accepts you. He loves you. There is an affinity in your soul with Him and you can feel a joy build inside you. See yourself coming boldly to Him, because He asks you to. Affirm, “I come boldly to Jesus with all my needs.”