THIRST FOR GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY MAY, 07, 2022.

SUBJECT : THIRST FOR GOD!

Memory verse: "On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.” (John 7 vs 37.)

READ: Psalms 42 vs 1 - 2:

42:1: As the deer pants for the water brooks, so pants my soul for You, O God.

42:2: My soul thirsts for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God?

INTIMATION:

To thirst, in the context of our discussion, is to have a craving, appetite, or great desire for; having a curiosity that motivates investigation and study. The craving for God and communion with Him should define the spiritual character of God’s people. This is because on the knowledge of Him do all things that pertain to life and godliness are hinged. Have Christ and you have everything because by Him all things consist (Colossians 1 vs 17). 

Hunger and thirst are basic to human nature. They are natural expressions of the basic human desire and need for food and water. One of the clear indicators that something is wrong physically is when we lose our appetite. It is the same spiritually. To hunger and thirst for God is at the very root of our being. It’s the way God made us. When there is no hunger for the presence of God, it is an indicator that something is wrong spiritually. 

When there is no thirst or hunger for the presence of God, it is an indicator that something is wrong spiritually. Because this spiritual thirst or hunger are so basic to human nature, it often finds fulfillment in other areas rather than in seeking God. Spiritually speaking, there is a thirst or hunger for God that is often not recognized for what it is. It may be an empty feeling, a sense of longing, even loneliness in the midst of people. We start looking for ways to make the feeling go away, that is, to fill up the emptiness. 

In a sense, we begin to look for things to do (looking for the junk food) that will mask the pangs of hunger within. Much as eating unhealthy junk food can dull physical appetite, so also, that which is not of God can dull our spiritual appetite. The danger of this type of behavior is that we dull our sense of hunger for God. In the same way that continued snacking through the day can dull our appetite and cause us to pass up a good, nutritious meal that our body needs, so we can fill up our schedules and desires to the point that we do not even realize that we no longer desire the presence of God.

This happens to non-Christians as they look for happiness and fulfillment in any area except in their relationship with God. It may be in human relationships, quest for power or money, or escape to physical pleasure. The saddest examples, however, are of Christians who allow their appetite for God to be dulled by other things, even religious things. 

Our churches are filled with believers who are so satiated by activities, programs and projects that they no longer have a hunger for God. So many Christians today snack their way through the day on “junk-food” activities and then find they have no time to “feast” with God. Then they complain about their “busyness” and tiredness, but that is typically a spiritual problem more than a problem of schedule. 

It is obvious that the imagery of hungering and thirsting after God is a scriptural concept. From the prophets of the Old Testament to Jesus and on through to the book of Revelation, the people of God are depicted as those who have developed a desire for God. When our thirst for God is dulled, we desire everything except God. We take God in small doses throughout the day and week and somehow hope that on Sunday we can “catch up” on our time with the Lord.

How then, can we begin to develop that thirst and hunger for God? If we find ourselves lacking in desire, can it be rekindled within us? Perhaps the best way to look at this is to again make a comparison to physical hunger and the way we handle it. When we get hungry, many of us begin to look for something to appease the hunger. For instance, if we are at work we may head to the snack bar or look out for snack sellers, or if we are at home, we go to the cupboard or the refrigerator, looking for a snack that will take away the feeling of hunger. Hunger prompts us to seek something to fill us up, even if it is something that is not really good for us.

It is the same way with spiritual thirst and hunger. It is no accident that one of the great spiritual disciplines of the Church is to fast. When we fast, we become acutely aware of our physical hunger. That physical hunger can lead to a spiritual hunger as well. Christians today are returning to fasting and prayer as a means of waking us up to our great need for the presence of God. It may be that we will need to fast from other things than food in order to restore our spiritual hunger. 

There may need to be a slowing of our hectic lifestyles that are crowding out our time with the Father. We may need to fast from some forms of entertainment to devote time to seeking the Lord. Those heavily involved in ministry may need to say “no” to that which is good, in order to seek that which is best. We may even need to reevaluate our family schedules.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of our Messiah Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus, my soul aches at the mere mention of Your name. My heart leaps for every rumor of Your coming, and each possibility that You will manifest Your presence. I am not satisfied with mere spiritual dainties. I’m ravenously thirsty and hungry for You in Your fullness. I am desperate to feast on the bread of Your presence and quench my thirst with the wine of Your Spirit.” Satisfy my thirst and hunger, O Most High, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Truer Knowledge Brings Greater Joy

 And all the people went their way . . . to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. (Nehemiah 8:12)

The only joy that reflects the worth of God and overflows in God-glorifying love is rooted in the true knowledge of God. And to the degree that our knowledge is small or flawed, our joy will be a poor echo of God’s true excellence.

The experience of Israel in Nehemiah 8:12 is a paradigm of how God-glorifying joy happens in the heart. Ezra had read the word of God to them and the Levites had explained it. And then the people went away “to make great rejoicing.”

Their great rejoicing was because they had understood words — the true words of God.

Most of us have tasted this experience of the heart burning with joy when the word of God was opened to us (Luke 24:32). Twice Jesus said that he taught his disciples for the sake of their joy.

John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”
John 17:13, “These things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”

And what we mainly see in the word is the Lord himself — God himself — offering himself to be known and enjoyed. “The Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord” (1 Samuel 3:21).

The point is that if our joy is going to reflect the glory of God, then it must flow from true knowledge of how God is glorious. If we are going to enjoy God duly, we must know him truly.

BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 7.

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY MAY 06, 2022.

SUBJECT: BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 7.

Memory verse: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1 vs 3.)

READ: Revelation 5 vs 9 - 12:

5:9: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seal; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God be Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

5:10: and have made us kings and priests to our God: and we are to reign on the earth.”

5:11: Then I looked, and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 

5:12: saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” 

INTIMATION:

The obvious truth is that believers have been blessed with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm, which was purchased in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. All that Jesus did and accomplished were for us—the body of Christ. As a Deity, He has no need for them because they are His from the beginning!

“Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” means that in Christ we have all the benefits of knowing God—being chosen for salvation, being adopted as His children, forgiveness of our sins, insight into the deep things of God, the gifts of the Spirit (especially the wisdom and revelational knowledge of our inheritance in Christ), power to do God’s Will, the hope of living forever with Christ. Because we have an intimate relationship with Christ, we can enjoy these blessings now. The “heavenly places” means that those blessings are eternal, not temporal. 

Upon Christ’s victory over Satan—the ruler of this world, He received power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing! All these things are His from the beginning, and given to man from creation, hence He charged man to “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion...” (Genesis 1 vs 28). Obviously, that was a command of rulership (kingship) and priesthood bestowed on man from the beginning. To “have dominion over” something is to have absolute authority and control over it. However, at the fall of man, he handed over these rights to Satan. But Christ came, conquered him, stripped him of all those authorities, and handed it back to man.

As Christians we can be confident that Christ has won the final victory and is in control of everything as He stated, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Luke 28 vs 18). “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand” (John 3 vs 35). And the glory which God gave Jesus Christ, the same glory Christ has given to us believers (John 17 vs 22). The contract has been signed, and sealed, and the time of delivery is now. We need not fear any dictator or Satan or even death.

The song of God’s people praises Christ’s work: He (1) was slain, (2) redeemed them with His blood, (3) gathered them into a kingdom, (4) made them priests and kings, and (5) appointed to reign upon the earth. Jesus has already paid the penalty for sin. He is now gathering us into His kingdom and making us priests to reign with Him, now on this earth, and eternally be with Him in future. While now we are sometimes despised and mocked for our faith (John 15 vs 17 - 27), in the future we will reign over all the earth (Luke 22 vs 29 - 30). Christ’s death made believers priests of God—the channel of blessing between God and people (First Peter 2 vs 5 - 9).

Prayer: Abba Father, I worship and praise You for what You have done, what You are doing, and what You will do, for all who put their trust in You. Thank You for the power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing You received for us. Give me the grace to embrace, and live to the fullest, all that You received for us, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Seven Sources of Joy

 

In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. (2 Corinthians 7:4)

What is extraordinary about Paul is how unbelievably durable his joy was when things weren’t going well.

Where did this come from?

First of all it was taught by Jesus: “Blessed are you when people hate you. . . . Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven” (Luke 6:22–23). Troubles for Jesus compound your interest in heaven — which lasts a lot longer than earth.

Second, it comes from the Holy Spirit, not our own efforts or imagination or family upbringing. “The fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy” (Galatians 5:22). “You received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

Third, it comes from belonging to the kingdom of God. “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

Fourth, it comes through faith, that is, from believing God. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13). “I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25).

Fifth, it comes from seeing and knowing Jesus as Lord. “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

Sixth, it comes from fellow believers who work hard to help us focus on these sources of joy, rather than deceitful circumstances. “We work with you for your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24).

Seventh, it comes from the sanctifying effects of tribulations. “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4).

If we are not yet like Paul when he says, “I am overflowing with joy,” he calls us to be. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). And for most of us this is a call to earnest prayer. Because a life of joy in the Holy Spirit is a supernatural life.

BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 6.

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MAY 05, 2022.

SUBJECT: BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 6.

Memory verse: "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (First Corinthians 1 vs 30.)

READ: First Corinthians 1 vs 2; 15 vs 22; Second Corinthians 5 vs 17 - 21:

First Corinthians 1:2: To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” 

15:22: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Second Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

5:18: Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

5:19: that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

5:20: Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

5:21: For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

INTIMATION:

We have seen in our series that God chose us in Jesus Christ way back before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish in His presence, and out of His love for us, He foreordained us into the position of sons and daughters to Himself through Jesus Christ.

In creation, God created us in His own image and after His likeness. His major reason being that, in all He created, He can only have fellowship with humans who are like Him, hence His visit to Adam and Eve every evening in the Garden. Humans could have fellowship with Him at that time because they were created in righteousness and holiness. But after the fall of man, the relationship and fellowship were broken. 

However, out of His love for us, He restores us to our former position in Christ Jesus, through His substitutionary work, in restoring our righteousness, and sanctification, to continue in our relationship and fellowship with Him. Our sins are forgiven, and He remembers them no more according to His Word— His promise (Jeremiah 31 vs 33 - 34).

God, in His infinite wisdom, did all out of His love for us, and personally invites us to be partakers of the deep things of God. A personal invitation makes a person feel wanted and welcome. He “called to be saints”—holy and righteous, and to be citizens of His eternal kingdom. All these He wrought through Jesus Christ, His Son, and He is the only One who can bring us into this glorious kingdom because He is the only One who removes our sins. 

Remember that Satan and his cohorts—the fallen angels (the demons), were chased out of heaven in a war (Revelation 12 vs 7 - 9). Consequently, they are not there when God planned the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. When He came, they were expecting that He came to continue the physical war with them, for the world is a tremendous battleground, where forces under Satan’s power and those under God’s authority are exercising their power and authority. Hence they thought that killing Him they had defeated Him and had achieved their aim of dominating the world. 

They had no part in the spiritual wisdom and revelation of His substitutionary work, in coming to rescue the world from their dominion through the legal payment of the wages of sin (Ezekiel 18 vs 4 & 20; Romans 6 vs 23), for God set Him forth as a propitiation for our sins. If they knew, they wouldn’t have killed Him.

We are made righteous, and sanctified, which means that we are chosen or set apart by Christ for His service. We accept God’s invitation haven accepted His Son, Jesus Christ, and trusting in the work He did on the cross to forgive our sins. God Himself, is the source of, and reason for our personal and living relationship with Christ. Our union and identification with Christ results in our having God’s wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2 vs 3), possessing right standing with God (righteousness), being holy (First Thessalonians 4 vs 3 - 7), and having the penalty for our sins paid by Jesus in redeeming us (Mark 10 vs 45).

Christians are brand new people on the inside. The Holy Spirit gives them new life, and they are not the same anymore. They are not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated—they are re-created (new creation), living in vital union with Christ (Colossians 2 vs 6-7). At conversion they are not merely turning over a new leaf, they are beginning a new life under a new Master.

When we trust in Christ, we make an exchange—our sin for His righteousness. Our sin was poured into Christ at His crucifixion. His righteousness is poured into us at our conversion. This is what Christians mean by Christ’s atonement for sin. But God offers to trade His righteousness for our sin; something of immeasurable worth for something completely worthless. How grateful we should be for His kindness to us.

In restoring our fellowship, He made us ambassadors in His kingdom. An ambassador is an official representative on behalf of one country to another. As believers we are Christ’s ambassadors sent with His message of reconciliation to the world. Because we are reconciled to God, we have the privilege of encouraging others to do the same, and have been given the ministry of reconciliation. An ambassador of reconciliation has an important responsibility. We dare not take this responsibility lightly.

Prayer: Abba Father, there is none like You. Even before the foundation of the earth You planned my adoption as Your son. I am exceedingly grateful to You for Your kindness, and ever enduring mercy. You restored my fellowship with You, and elevated me to be Your ambassador and has given me the ministry of reconciliation. Give me the grace to serve You aright in this assignment, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 5.

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 04, 2022.

SUBJECT: BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 5.

Memory verse: "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3 vs 24.)

READ: Romans 8 vs 1 - 2; 31 - 34:

8:1: There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

8:31: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

8:32: He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

8:33: Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

8:34: Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, also makes intercession for us.

INTIMATION:

Justification is the translation of the Greek word “Dikaiosis,” Which denotes the act of pronouncing righteous, pronouncing a person just by acquittal from guilt. When a judge in a court of law declares the defendant not guilty, all the charges are removed from his record. Legally, it is as if the person had never been accused. 

When God forgives our sins, our record is wiped clean. He could do this because Jesus, by His Death, took the penalty that we deserved. From God's perspective, it is as though we had never sinned.  Christ purchased our freedom from sin, and the price was His life. All that was necessary on God’s part for our justification had been effected in the Death of Christ, as a propitiation for us. On that note of the propitiation being perfect and complete, He was raised from the dead; His resurrection was the confirmatory counterpart of the perfection and completeness of the propitiation.

God is a just, and righteous God, and demonstrated His righteousness in the act of given His Son as a propitiation for our sins. If He had just wiped away or forgiven our sins without properly serving the consequence of sin, He would have been considered unjust, and His Word wouldn’t have been true. 

Consider this: “But now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness....that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3 vs 21 - 26).

Therefore, after God’s prove of His righteousness by justly presenting His Son as a propitiation for our sin, in the eyes of the Law and it’s fulfillment, and observed by the Prophets, as the wages of sin is paid by the death of Christ, we are set free from sin and acquitted. There is, therefore, no condemnation for us anymore. For the same God who condemns has set us free by His act of righteousness, and our believe or faith in Jesus Christ. 

We are human and still exist on the earth. God has not removed us from here. Sometimes we fall into the temptations of the ‘tempter,—Satan, Who then accuses us before God. But Jesus is pleading for us in heaven. God has acquitted us and has removed our sin and guilt, so when Satan accuses us, Jesus, our advocate, sits at God’s right hand to present our case, that He has justifiably paid the price, and we are set free. As humanity’s representative, He intercedes for us before God. As God’s representative, He assures us of God’s forgiveness. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for setting me free from condemnation, and justifying me in Christ Jesus. In Him I live and move and have my being. I am in Christ and Christ is in You therefore, Satan has no portion in me, and so it is, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

A Dangerous Motive

 

“Who has given a gift to [God] that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. (Romans 11:35–36)

When it comes to obedience, gratitude is a dangerous motive. It tends to get expressed in debtor’s terms. For example, “Look how much God has done for you. Shouldn’t you, out of gratitude, do much for him?” Or, “You owe God everything that you are and have. What have you done for him in return?”

I have at least three problems with this kind of motivation.

First, it is impossible to pay God back for all the grace he has given us. We can’t even begin to pay him back, because Romans 11:35–36 says, “‘Who has given a gift to [God] that he might be repaid?’ [Answer: Nobody!] For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.” We can’t pay him back because he already owns all we have to give him — including all our efforts.

Secondly, even if we succeeded in paying him back for all his grace to us, we would only succeed in turning grace into a business transaction. If we can pay him back, it was not grace. If someone tries to show you a special favor of love by having you over for dinner, and you end the evening by saying that you will pay them back by having them over next week, you nullify their grace and turn it into a trade. God does not like to have his grace nullified. He likes to have it glorified (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14).

Thirdly, focusing on gratitude as a motive for obedience tends to overlook the crucial importance of having faith in God’s future grace. Gratitude looks back to grace received in the past and feels thankful. Faith looks forward to grace promised in the future — whether five minutes from now or five centuries from now — and feels hopeful. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1).

This faith in future grace is the motive for obedience that preserves the gracious quality of human obedience. Obedience does not consist in paying God back and thus turning grace into a trade. Obedience comes from trusting in God for more grace — future grace — and thus magnifying the infinite resources of God’s love and power. Faith looks to the promise, I will be “with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9), and ventures, in obedience, to take the land.