DESIRE THE WISDOM AND REVELATION OF CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY JUNE 21, 2022.

SUBJECT : DESIRE THE WISDOM AND REVELATION OF CHRIST!

Memory verse: "For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding." (Colossians 1 vs 9. The )

READ: Ephesians 1 vs 17 - 23:

1:17: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

1:18: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the Saints,

1:19: and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power

1:20: which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

1:21: far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.

1:22: And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be the head over all things to the church,

1:23 which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all.

INTIMATION:

In the first three chapters of the apostle Paul's epistle to the church in Ephesus, he enumerated the consummation of Christ's substitutionary work regarding Satan and his cohorts—the demons. His heart intent is that we will come to the full knowledge of what we are in Christ.

From the passage we read today, we observed that he prayed that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may grant us a spirit of wisdom and revelational insight into mysteries and secret in the deep and intimate knowledge of Him, by having the eyes of your heart flooded with light, so that you can know and understand the hope to which He has called us, and how rich is His glorious inheritance in the believers.

When we understand the hope of God’s calling and the riches of His glory to the saints (the believers), the understanding of our spiritual matters increase in order that we might fully comprehend three things: (1) We must comprehend the hope of heaven that God has revealed. (2) We must comprehend the riches of the inheritance that God has made possible through His grace. (3) We must comprehend the greatness of God’s power toward the Christian.

Jesus is at the right hand of God and now reigns at the right hand of the Father as King of kings and Lord of lords. He has authority over all things. The reign of Jesus as well as His kingdom, were never meant to be as carnal reigns and kingdoms that are confined to this physical world. The totality of the reign of Jesus in the heavenly realm far exceeds the limits of earthly kingdoms. Jesus’ realm of reign is unlimited and extends far beyond this world and the church. 

Jesus is the Creator of all that exists. And since all things in both physical and spiritual realm were created by and for Jesus. He is definitely above all that which He created. Since Jesus is God, then certainly this is not difficult to understand. 

All the powers that God has allowed angelic beings and Satan to possess are now under the kingdom reign of Jesus. In His preeminence, Jesus has absolute authority over every power. Therefore, every Christian must firmly believe that Jesus has everything under control. He is “upholding all things by the word of His power” (Hebrews 1 vs 13). The control of all things by Jesus gives confidence and boldness to the Christian who knows such. 

In this present time, all that exists has been subjugated to Jesus. This does not mean that all free-moral beings have voluntarily subjected themselves to Jesus. Satan, his angels, and the masses of the unbelieving world have refused the kingship of Jesus. The church is composed of those who have voluntarily submitted to Jesus. The members of the church are those who have allowed the will of the Father to be done on earth in their hearts as it is done in heaven (see Matthew 6 vs 9 - 10). 

Jesus is the source of power from which all things now maintain existence. He is the center of reference and controller of all things for the sake of the church. His headship extends unto all that is created. It is a comforting thought for Christians to know that their Savior is holding all things together, not only in the physical realm, but also in the spiritual. 

The proclamation of the lordship of Jesus is God’s attack against the principalities and powers of Satan. When the power of the gospel is unleashed in the kingdom of darkness, Satan is crushed under the feet of those who obey the gospel (Romans 1 vs 16). 

Hebrews 9 vs 12 tells us that this is an Eternal Redemption. Not just a redemption for the hour in which it was done, but that Satan is as much defeated now as he was when Christ arose from the dead; that he is as much a subject to the Name of Jesus as he was when Jesus conquered him.

Prayer: Abba Father, I thank You for what You wrought for me in redemption in Christ Jesus. Thank You for the triumph You have given me in Christ over Satan. Help me to comprehend what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height of Christ's love for me, in Jesus' Name. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Satisfaction That Defeats Sin

 

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

What we need to see here is that the essence of faith is being satisfied with all that God is for us in Christ.

Defining faith this way emphasizes two things. One is the God-centeredness of faith. It is not merely the promises of God that satisfy us. It is all that God himself is for us in Jesus. Faith embraces God in Christ as our treasure — not just God’s promised gifts.

Faith banks its hope not just on the real estate of the age to come, but on the fact that God will be there (Revelation 21:3). “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’”

And even now what faith embraces most earnestly is not just the reality of sins forgiven (as precious as that is), but the presence of the living Christ in our hearts and the fullness of God himself. In Ephesians 3:17–19 Paul prays “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith . . . that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

The other thing emphasized in defining faith as being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus is the term “satisfaction.” Faith is the quenching of the soul’s thirst at the fountain of God. In John 6:35 we see that “believing” means “coming” to Jesus to eat and drink the “bread of life” and the “living water” (John 4:10, 14), which are nothing other than Jesus himself.

Here is the secret of the power of faith to break the enslaving force of sinful attractions. If the heart is satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus, the power of sin to lure us away from the wisdom of Christ is broken.

THE UNPARALLELED LOVE OF GOD FOR US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY JUNE 20, 2022.

SUBJECT : THE UNPARALLELED LOVE OF GOD FOR US!

Memory verse: "Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?" (Romans 8 vs 35).

READ: Romans 8 vs 31 - 39:

8:31: What then shall we say to these things? If God be 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, who also makes Intercession for us.

8:35: Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

8:36: As it is written: "For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter."

8:37: Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

8:38: For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor Angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, 

8:39: nor height nor depth, nor any other created things, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

INTIMATION:

Have you ever imagined a separation of you from God? Your answer might be yes, because you have considered yourself not good enough for God. You will then say, "God will not save me." Your thought is that your sinful life will be a hindrance for you to receive salvation from Him. But it is not true!

Christ had already chosen you, not you chosen Him, and gave His life for you because of His love for you, and quest for you to have life, and have it more abundantly. Have you ever imagined this show of love for us by God? And have you ever heard of any parallel, or equal show of love in history, and now?

Christ was spotless, perfect and rich. For His love for you and I, He became poor, chose to be a propitiation for our sins, took all our sins, past, present, and future, on Himself, and paid the wages of our sin, which is death (Romans 6 vs 23; Ezekiel 18 vs 4). His death was even a shameful death on the cross, just for us.

By His death for our sins, He justified us, legally setting us free from sin after haven paid the price for us. He did not stop at that. He descended to hell and met with our accuser, and greatest enemy, Satan. He engaged him there, defeated him, and stripped him of all powers. He took back His life and ascended into heaven where He sits at His position of authority—the right hand of God, and making intercession for us continually, as our advocate before the Father. He is our High Priest who sympathizes with our weaknesses, and ever ready to help us through the journey of life.

God loves us so much so that He exchanged His Son's life of inestimable value with our worthless sinful lives. Whenever I imagine this act of God, I feel a chill run through my spines, with goose-pimples all over my skin. It is awesome!

No matter what happens to us, no matter where we are, we can never be separated from His love. Though believers may have to face hardships in many forms: persecution, illness, imprisonment, and even death. These sometimes cause us to think that Christ has abandoned us. But far be it from the truth, it is impossible to be separated from Christ. His death for us is proof of His unconquerable love, which is an overwhelming assurance of our being totally secure in Him. Nothing can separate us from His presence.

Consequently, in Christ we are super-conquerors, and His love will protect us from any forces in the universe; principalities and powers, unseen evil forces like Satan and his fallen angels—the demons. We are completely secured in Him.

How else can we reciprocate such love but to follow Him, and be in complete obedience to His commands, knowing that His thought for us is forever good. If he has given His life for us, what else can He not give to us to ensure we live for Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, I thank You for all You wrought for me in redemption out of Your unparalleled love for me. It is my desire to reciprocate this love You showcased for me. Give me the grace, me O Lord, for raw and complete obedience to You in my journey in life, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Grace Is Pardon — and Power!

 

By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift and power of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon.

This is plain, for example, in 1 Corinthians 15:10. Paul describes grace as the enabling power of his work. It is not simply the pardon of his sins; it is the power to press on in obedience. “I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”

Therefore, the effort we make to obey God is not an effort done in our own strength, but “by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified” (1 Peter 4:11). It is the obedience of faith. Faith in God’s ever-arriving gracious power to enable us to do what we should.

Paul confirms this in 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 by calling each of our acts of goodness a “work of faith,” and by saying that the glory this brings to Jesus is “according to the grace of our God” because it happens “by his power.” Listen for all those phrases:

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The obedience that gives God pleasure is produced by the power of God’s grace through faith. The same dynamic is at work at every stage of the Christian life. The power of God’s grace that saves through faith (Ephesians 2:8) is the same power of God’s grace that sanctifies through faith.

The Offense of Fearing Man

 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” (1 Samuel 15:24)

Why did Saul obey the people instead of God? Because he feared the people instead of God. He feared the human consequences of obedience more than he feared the divine consequences of disobedience. He feared the displeasure of the people more than the displeasure of God. And that is a great insult to God.

In fact, Isaiah says it is a kind of pride to be afraid of what man can do while we disregard the promises of God. He quotes God with this piercing question: “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker?” (Isaiah 51:12–13).

Fear of man may not feel like pride, but that’s what God says it is, “Who do you think you are to fear man and forget me your Maker!”

The point is this: If you fear man, you have begun to deny the holiness, the worth of God and his Son, Jesus. God is infinitely stronger than man. He is infinitely wiser and infinitely more full of reward and joy.

To turn from him out of fear of what man can do is to discount all that God promises to be for those who fear him. It is a great insult. And in such an insult God can take no pleasure.

On the other hand, when we hear God’s promises and trust him with courage, fearing the reproach brought upon God by our unbelief, then he is greatly honored. And in that he has much pleasure.

PRAYER, AND OUR NEED FOR PRAYER ALWAYS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY JUNE 19, 2022.

SUBJECT : PRAYER, AND OUR NEED FOR PRAYER ALWAYS!

Memory verse: "Men ought always to pray and not faint." (Luke 18 vs 1.) 

READ: Matthew 26 vs 41; Luke 21 vs 36; Ephesians 6 vs 18; Colossians 4 vs 2:

Matthew 26:41: Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Luke 21:36: Watch therefore, and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.

Ephesians 6:18: Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit. Being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints.

Colossians 4:2: Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving. 

INTIMATION:

What is prayer? It is an evolving means of interacting with God, most frequently through a spontaneous, individual, unorganized form of petitioning and/or thanking. It is an object of worship, a spiritual communion with God or an object of worship, as in supplication, thanksgiving, adoration, or confession. Ultimately, the main purpose of prayer is worship. When we pray to the Lord, recognizing Him for who He is and what He has done, it is an act of worship. Prayer also can be a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God.

The Father's heart is hungry for the companionship of His children. His heart hunger is the reason for man and his redemption. God wants a constant fellowship with His children. It was His plan from the beginning hence He visited Adam everyday in the Garden. He loves us and that love impels Him to call us to prayer. Therefore, prayer is the voice of faith to the Father, and the call of Love of the Father to come and fellowship with Him. It’s the desire of the Father that His children approach Him in prayer. 

It is God's intention that His children will always be with their Father, an the children coming joyously into the presence of their Loving Parent are welcome. He  taught us to pray, He is one with us in this prayer life. Prayer is part of God's program for us. It is the natural response of those who recognize their need for the help of God in their lives. 

Prayer is an important part of the Christian life, and one’s prayer life should be developed. Not only does prayer affect our lives and the lives of others, but it is also a way to communicate with the Lord and grow in our relationship with Him. At the heart of prayer is an act of worship to the Lord. God’s Word places an emphasis on the power and purpose of prayer, and, therefore, it should not be neglected.

Prayer is calling constantly for the leading of the LORD, and such leading helps us avoid temptation, and deliverance from evil (Matthew 6 vs 13). It helps us overcome the weakness of the flesh, and empowers us to escape all the things that will come to pass, making us worthy to stand before Christ.  Christians should maintain a lifestyle that lends itself to prayer. It is through prayer that not only the inward man is strengthened, but also the work of God is called upon by the disciple to function in his life. 

Christians should be of an attitude at all times that is conducive to offering prayer to God. They are not only to pray continually, they must be fervent in prayer with thanksgiving. Emphasis here is not on a continued action of prayer, but on a continued attitude of prayer. In other words, the Christian should be in a state of mind that he can at all times take part in the action of praying to the Father. And since all that the Christian has is the result of God’s blessing, then it is reasonable to conclude that Christians should give thanks to God for all they are and have. 

Prayer is the vital contact with the Father, and we are near enough to breathe in His very presence. Prayer means that we have come boldly into the Throne room and are standing in the presence of the Father and Jesus in an executive meeting, worshipping them, laying our needs before them, and making our requisitions for ability, and grace to meet whatever our needs may be.

Therefore, to remain in the presence of God, and be lead by Him always calls for persistence in prayer. To persist in prayer and not give up, or praying without ceasing, does not mean endless repetition or painfully long prayer sessions. Always praying means keeping our requests constantly before God as we live for Him day by day, believing He will answer. When we live by faith, we are not to give up. As we persist in prayer we grow in character, faith, and hope. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give ear to my words, and to the voice of my cry, consider my meditation my King and my God. To You will I pray, my voice You shall hear in the morning, and at all times I will direct it to You, and will look up to You, from where my help comes, O LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. Give me the grace to continually commune with You in prayer, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD.

BOLDLY DECLARE THE WORD OF GOD WITH FAITH!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY JUNE 18, 2022. 

SUBJECT : BOLDLY DECLARE THE WORD OF GOD WITH FAITH!

Memory verse: "And since we have the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, 'I believed and therefore I spoke,' we also believe and therefore speak." (Second Corinthians 4 vs 13.)

READ: Acts 14 vs 1 - 3:

14:1: Now it happened in Iconium that they went together to the synagogue of the Jews, and so spoke that a great multitude both of the Jews and of the Greeks believed.

14:2: But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brethren.

14:3: Therefore they stayed there a long time, speaking boldly in the Lord, who was bearing witness to the word of His grace, granting signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

INTIMATION:

Bold declaration of the Word of God with faith is agreeing with Him, and only in so doing will God work with you. Prophet Amos asked the very important question, "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?" (Amos 3 vs 3.) You agree with God by saying what He says in His Word. This defines true faith. If one truly believes, then he will speak forth the word of God. 

When you speak lack, sickness, fear, defeat, and inability, you are disagreeing with God because, "He is your shepherd, and you shall not want" (Psalm 23 vs 1), "He supplies all your needs according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4 vs 19). "By His stripes you are healed" (Isaiah 53 vs 5), and "He sent His Word and healed you, and delivered you from your destructions" (Psalm 107 vs 20), "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind" (Second Timothy 1 vs 7). 

God has "given you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you" (Luke 10 vs 19). He made the spirits subject to you (Luke 10 vs 20). And "you can do all things through Christ who strengthens you" (Philippians 4 vs 13).

As 'Believers' we should boldly be speaking the Words of our Father, and the power in the Word will manifest in your lips as though is the Father speaking them. It is not you or in your power, but God who hastens to perform His Word (Jeremiah 1 vs 12). As a child of God, and a believer in Christ's work of redemption for you, God, "Has given you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist" (Luke 21 vs 15). 

It should be in the heart of all Christians to walk closely with God. The Bible records the testimony of Enoch: "[He] walked with God" (Genesis 5 vs 24). Enoch wasn't the only person who could walk with God, you and I also can walk with Him. Hebrews 11 vs 5 says that Enoch "pleased God" by agreeing in faith with God. We can walk just as closely with God as Enoch did if we choose to agree with Him in faith.

How do we agree with God? We agree by saying what God says while disagreeing with the wicked, lying devil. Know it that when your word is not in agreement with God's Word, you weary Him with your word. (Malachi 2 vs 17). And your confession is harsh against God. (Malachi 3 vs 13.) Our relationship with the Lord should be in humility, obedience, and trust. It should not be of weariness and harshness in words. 

In the passage we read today, we have seen that even with the accompanying signs and wonders, not all would be convinced about Christ. God gave these men power to do great wonders as confirmation of the message of grace, but people were still divided. The important thing is to sow the seeds of the Word on the best ground you can find in the best way you can, and leave the convincing to the Holy Spirit - the Teacher, and Revealer of the truth (John 16 vs 13.) 

In our memory verse, the apostle Paul reveals that the release of power of God is consequent upon bold declaration of the Word in faith. Now that you know, begin to declare boldly the Words of your Father. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You have magnified Your Word above all Your Name. Confirm my bold declaration of Your Word with signs following, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!