Preach to Yourself

 

Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me? Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God. (Psalm 42:11)

We must learn to fight despondency — the downcast spirit. The fight is a fight of faith in future grace. It is fought by preaching truth to ourselves about God and his promised future.

This is what the psalmist does in Psalm 42. The psalmist preaches to his troubled soul. He scolds himself and argues with himself. And his main argument is future grace: “Hope in God! Trust in what God will be for you in the future. A day of praise is coming. The presence of the Lord will be all the help you need. And he has promised to be with us forever.”

Martyn Lloyd-Jones believes this issue of preaching truth to ourselves about God’s future grace is all-important in overcoming spiritual depression. In his helpful book, Spiritual Depression, he writes,

Have you realized that most of your unhappiness in life is due to the fact that you are listening to yourself instead of talking to yourself? Take those thoughts that come to you the moment you wake up in the morning. You have not originated them, but they start talking to you, they bring back the problems of yesterday, etc. Somebody is talking. . . . Your self is talking to you. Now this man’s treatment [in Psalm 42] was this: instead of allowing this self to talk to him, he starts talking to himself. “Why art thou cast down, O my soul?” he asks. His soul had been depressing him, crushing him. So he stands up and says, “Self, listen for a moment. I will speak to you.” (20–21)

The battle against despondency is a battle to believe the promises of God. And that belief in God’s future grace comes by hearing the word. And so preaching to ourselves the word of God is at the heart of the battle.

GRACE WORKS THROUGH FAITH!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JULY 22, 2022.

SUBJECT : GRACE WORKS THROUGH FAITH!

Memory verse: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God." (Ephesians 2 vs 8.) 

READ: Hebrews 11 vs 4 - 7:

11:4: By faith Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts; and through it he being dead still speaks.

11:5: By faith Enoch was taken away so that he did not sea death, "and was not found, because God has taken him", for before he was taken he had this testimony, that he pleased God.

11:6: But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

11:7: By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith.

INTIMATION:

There is a very fine line between grace and faith that is often missed by us. Because these two work together, the line between them is difficult for many to discern. And if we do miss it, our lives become confused. 

Faith is a conscious belief in that which is beyond one’s empirical world. It is our faith that gives us the power to allow God work through us in order to accomplish His work. 

Grace is the unmerited favor of God toward man that was made possible by the sacrificial offering of Jesus on the cross. Grace is the free gift of God because we cannot, through meritorious work or perfect keeping of law, earn God’s favor and justification. God saves by grace because of our obedient response to Him by faith.

Many trust their faith to meet their needs. When their needs are not met, then they tried to have more faith because they are unable to discern the very fine line between faith and grace. They are not seeing beyond their faith to seek the grace of God (the power of God) to meet their needs.

Most people seemed to base all achievements on their faith, when, in reality, every victory or achievement is based on God's faithfulness bestowed on us by His grace—the power of God. If we frustrate the grace of God, we are going to feel frustrated. This explains why, by the grace of God, we receive our petition even when our faith is near zero: "So Jesus said to them, "Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there," and it will move, and nothing will be impossible for you." (Matthew 17 vs 20.)

It is not the tiny faith (as tiny as the tiniest seed on earth) that will move the mountain, but the mighty power of God (the grace of God) which came through your tiny faith. All the faith story at the dawn of history, in the passage we read today, were the power of God (the grace of God) manifesting. But without faith, it is impossible to plug into the power source—the grace of God.

Jesus had faith (great faith I supposed) all the time He was suffering. He had faith while in the Garden of Gethsemane. He had faith before the high priest and Pilate. He had faith when He was being ridiculed, abused and mistreated. He had faith on the way to Golgotha. He had faith while hanging on the cross. He even had faith while His body lay in the tomb; He had absolute faith that God would not leave Him there but would raise Him up, as He had promised. 

But do you realize that for all His faith, nothing happened until the power of God came forth to bring about the resurrection. His faith only kept Him stable until the Father's appointed time for His deliverance. We can have all the faith in the world, but it will avail us nothing until it is 'plugged into' the source of power, which is the grace of God. 

In order to get our needs met, in order to receive anything from the Lord, we must have both faith and grace. It is by grace through faith that we are saved. And it is by grace through faith that all our prayers are answered and all of our needs are met. The Bible is teaching us here to get our eyes off our ability to believe (as the ultimate), but rather onto God's willingness to meet our needs even though we do not have perfect faith. 

Remember the man who came to Jesus asking for healing of his son? Jesus told him that all things are possible to those who believe. The man replied, "Lord, I believe! Help my unbelief" or "Help my weakness of faith!" The man knew his faith was lacking, but he was honest about it, and Jesus healed his son. (See Mark 9 vs 17 - 24.) God's grace (power) came on the scene and gave the man what he did not deserve.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my source of everything. By my strength I cannot prevail, for without you can do nothing. My eyes are upon You. Give me the grace that I may always obtain a good testimony, in Jesus' Name I prayed. Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!

CHRIST OUR PEACE

 As one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men (Romans 5:18）

Humanity’s need for meaning, guidance, forgiveness, and moral strength are provided for in the Christian gospel, and nowhere else. Because of this, we should all make the gospel first in our thinking and doing. Paul saw this and wrote: Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached to you the gospel… For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:1-4 RSV).

How few, even of professing Christians, understand the words of Romans 5:10,18! These verses clearly state that the atonement of Christ restored the whole human race to favour with God. Christ is our peace, because he broke down the wall between God and humanity. By his own blood Christ signed the ransom papers for the race. And the Gospel is the glad word of that event.

Calvary is the “double cure” for sin. It takes away both sin’s guilt and its power. Looking at the Cross, the believer sees the holiness of God, and repents; sees the power of God, and believes; sees the love of God, and is born again.

Models for Combating Discouragement

 

My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Psalm 73:26)

Literally the verb is simply fail, not “may fail.” This God-besotted psalmist, Asaph, says, “My flesh and my heart fail!” I am despondent! I am discouraged! But then immediately he fires a broadside against his despondency: “But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.”

The psalmist does not yield to discouragement. He battles unbelief with counterattack.

In essence, he says, “In myself I feel very weak and helpless and unable to cope. My body is shot, and my heart is almost dead. But whatever the reason for this despondency, I will not yield. I will trust God and not myself. He is my strength and my portion.”

The Bible is replete with instances of saints struggling with sunken spirits. Psalm 19:7 says, “The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul.” This is a clear admission that the soul of the saint sometimes needs to be revived. And if it needs to be revived, in a sense it was “dead.” That’s the way it felt.

David says the same thing in Psalm 23:2–3, “He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul.” The soul of the “man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14) needs to be restored. It was dying of thirst and ready to fall exhausted, but God led the soul to water and gave it life again.

God has put these testimonies in the Bible so that we might use them to fight the unbelief of despondency. And we fight with the blast of faith in God’s promises: “God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” We preach that to ourselves. And we thrust it into Satan’s face. And we believe it.

GET RID OF YOUR WORRY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JULY 21, 2022.

SUBJECT: GET RID OF YOUR WORRY! 

Memory verse: "Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink: nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6 vs 25.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 25 - 30:

6:25: Therefore I say to you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink: nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

6:26: Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into bans; yet your Heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

6:27: Which of you by worrying can add one cubit to his stature?

6:28: So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they neither toil nor spin;

6:29: and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.

6:30: Now if God so cloths the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?

INTIMATION:

Worry is having faith in fear; it is the high interest we pay on tomorrow's troubles. Most of the problems we worry about never happen, most of them today, when you look back at them in future, will seem trivial, petty, and inappropriate to consume you and your precious time. The Lord says that worry gains nothing. Worry enables fear to take hold of our minds in such a way that hope can find no home. Get your eyes off the problem, and fix it on God who controls all circumstances.

One must not be overly anxious about the things of this world. One must come to the understanding that life does not consist of those things that are empirically beheld and possessed. Jesus teaches that if God cares for the birds that put forth no effort to plant and reap crops, then surely He will take care of His children. Therefore, we should not be overly concerned about the substance of life. 

The Scripture, in Psalm 37 vs 8 - 9, says, "Cease from anger, and forsake wrath; Do not fret - it only causes harm. For evildoers shall be cut off; but those who wait on the Lord, they shall be satisfied." Anger, worry and losing our temper are very destructive emotions. They reveal lack of faith in God who loves us and is in control of all things. We should not worry; instead, we should trust God, giving ourselves to Him for His use and safekeeping. When you dwell on your problems, you will become anxious and angry. But if you concentrate on God and His goodness, you will find peace.

Worry cannot inhabit in the secret places of the Most High. It cannot breathe in the atmosphere made vital by prayer and knowledge of the Word of God. Worry dies when we ascend to the Lord through prayer, offer praise in His holy name, and have faith in Him and His Word. The point is that one must trust in God, not in one’s own self-sufficiency. Trusting in material things is a demonstration of little faith. 

When a problem presents itself, the worst thing you can do is worry about it. Worry robs the mind of its creative powers to analyze the problem. Jesus, knowing the ill effects of worry, tells us, "do not worry" He tells us not to worry about those needs that God promises to supply. Worry may (1) damage your health, (2) disrupt your productivity, (3) negatively affect the way you treat others, and (4) reduce your ability to trust God.

If your life's course is being tormented by worry, climb.....climb.....climb into the atmosphere of faith. Climb until you sense the presence of the living God! Climb until you feel His peace that suppresses all understanding and His joy that is unspeakable and full of glory. Climb until you feel His love and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that worry cannot live in the atmosphere of faith. You will then conquer the problem and enter the promised land of God's favor and abundance!

When faced with a problem, don't deny that it exists. Acknowledge it, but don't embrace it, for it doesn't belong in your life. Have your genuine concern for the problem and move into action. Obtain all the facts surrounding your difficult circumstances. Next, analyze the facts, go through your spiritual checklist to make sure you meet God's conditions for your provision. Pray for wisdom and discernment. 

Worry is pointless because it can't fill any of our needs: it is foolish because the Creator of the universe and Owner of all things loves us and knows what we need. He promises to meet all our real needs, but not necessarily all our desires. Worriers, by contrast, are consumed by fear and find it difficult to trust God. Never allow your worries affect your relationship with God. It is unhealthy, and destructive!

The Scripture, in Matthew 6 vs 25 - 34, gives us seven reasons not to worry:-

1. The same God who created life in you can be trusted with details of your life.

2. Worrying about the future hampers your efforts for today.

3. Worrying is more harmful than helpful.

4. God does not ignore those who depend on Him.

5. Worrying shows a lack of faith in, and understanding of God.

6. Worrying keeps us from real challenges God wants us to pursue.

7. Living one day at a time keeps us from being consumed with worry.

Jesus is not condemning one’s planning for the future. He is encouraging us not to be overly concerned about the future. In order words, we must not add worries about the future to the responsibilities of today. Worry works against faith. We must assume through faith that all things work together for good. And thus we must work by faith. The more one walks by faith, the less worry there is in his life.

Prayer:Abba Father, give me the grace to get rid of my worries, knowing that You have given me the right to become Your son, and promised to take care of me, in any circumstances I found myself, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

WE PASSED FROM DEATH TO LIFE

 He who hears my word and believes in him who sent me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life (John 5:24).

We were all ruined by Adam, our first representative. But Christ came as the second Adam, the second representative of the human race, and he redeemed us all. Legally it isso. Personally it becomes so as I believe it (1 John 4:17).

Only this can explain those mysterious sections of the Gospel narrative which tell us of the intensity of Christ’s mental anguish when he sweat great drops of blood and later cried, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”It was not fear of death that explains Christ’s agony. It was the awareness that he was suffering for the sins of the human race. He was forsaken of God, or so it seemed, that we might not be. On the Cross, Christ cried, “Why?” in order that we might never need to cry it.

The lightning bolts of judgement struck the innocent Son of God in order that the guilty might find safety at the seared site of Calvary. It is no travesty of justice. The unchangeable law of God was more honored by the death of the infinite Son than if the whole guilty human race had perished.

Furthermore, anyone who receives the blood-bought gift of righteousness cannot remain the same. The forgiveness given to rebel dissolves their spirit of rebellion.

USE YOUR MONEY WISELY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JULY 20, 2022.

SUBJECT: USE YOUR MONEY WISELY! 

Memory verse: "Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth destroys." (Luke 12  vs 33.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 19 - 21:

6:19: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal;

6:20: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

6:21: For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

INTIMATION: 

The key to using money wisely is to see how much we can use for God's purposes, not how much you can accumulate for yourself. How do you treasure your possessions? Does your money free you to help others? Does God's love touch your wallet? If your answer is yes, then you are using your money wisely, and is storing up lasting treasures in heaven. 

We are to make wise use of the monetary opportunities we have. If we use our money to help those in need or to help others find Christ, our earthly investment will bring eternal benefit which should be the utmost heart desire of every child of God. When we obey God’s Will, the unselfish use of our possessions will follow. 

What does money mean to you? Although Jesus said “Sell what you have and give alms,” this does not mean that all believers should sell all their possessions. Most of His followers did not sell everything, although they used their possessions to serve others. Instead, this advice shows us that we must not let our possessions or money keep us from following Jesus. We must be ready to use our money for service to God, the interest of His kingdom, help others in need, and humanity at large. 

We must remove all barriers to serving God fully. If Jesus asked, could you give up your house? your car? your level of income? your position on the ladder of promotion? Your reactions may show your attitude toward money—whether it is your servant or your master, whether you are using your money wisely or not.

Jesus contrasts the physical and temporary things of this world with the eternal, spiritual 

things that will endure the destruction of the physical. He contrasted heavenly values with earthly values when he explained that our first loyalty should be to those things that do not fade, cannot be stolen or used up, and never wear out. If one has many things of this world, his thoughts, worry, and usually desires, will be focused on this world which will one day pass away. 

If one’s mind is on those things that are above, then his thoughts, desires and ambitions are on spiritual things. We should not be fascinated with our possessions, lest they possess us. God alone deserves to be our master. Either we store our treasures with God, focus our eyes on Him and serve Him alone—or else we do not serve Him at all. 

Treasures that we possess on earth can easily be consumed or taken from us. Because we know they can soon be taken from us, we worry about them. By concentrating on those things that are above this earth, one places earthly things in the right perspective. The crown of righteousness in heaven awaits those who have forsaken the treasures of the world.

When material things are in their right priority, they become spiritual in the sense that we consider such to be blessings from God. It is not that material things are wrong. When material things are used for God’s work, then they are a blessing to many. 

God blesses you so as to be a blessing to others. God said to Abraham, "...I will bless you; and you shall be a blessing" (Genesis 12 vs 2). This is a very important truth. How then do you manage the blessings God entrusted with you? Are you serving Him with them? Are you blessing others with your talent, money, possessions, etc., or are you greedy and selfish with them? Use your possessions wisely to serve God, the interest of His kingdom, and humanity.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to manage Your resources entrusted to me properly, that I may serve You and others and the interest of Your kingdom with them to earn Your approval, and enter into Your rest, in Jesus’ most precious Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!