As Secure as God Is Faithful

 

Those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

Between eternity past in God’s predestination, and eternity future in God’s glorification, none is lost.

No one who is predestined for sonship fails to be called. And no one who is called fails to be justified. And no one who is justified fails to be glorified. This is an unbreakable steel chain of divine covenant faithfulness.

And so Paul says,

And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:6)

[He] will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. (1 Corinthians 1:8–9)

These are the promises of our God who cannot lie. Those who are born again are as secure as God is faithful.

Happy birthday to me! It's the Lord doing and is marvelous in our eyes.

Why You Have a Body

 

For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

God did not create the physical-material universe willy-nilly. He had a purpose, namely, to add to the ways his glory is externalized and made manifest. “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork” (Psalm 19:1).

Our bodies fit into that same category of physical things that God created for this reason. He is not going to back out on his plan to glorify himself through human beings and human bodies.

Why does God go to all the trouble to dirty his hands, as it were, with our decaying, sin-stained flesh, in order to reestablish it as a resurrection body and clothe it with glory and immortality? Answer: Because his Son paid the price of death so that the Father’s purpose for the material universe would be fulfilled, namely, that he would be glorified in it, including in our bodies, forever and ever.

That’s what the text says: “You were bought with a price [namely, the death of his Son]. So glorify God in your body.” God will not disregard or dishonor the work of his Son. God will honor the work of his Son by raising our bodies from the dead, and we will use our bodies to glorify him forever and ever.

That is why you have a body now. And that is why it will be raised to be like Christ’s glorious body.

THE GRACE OF PROSPERITY IS IN REAL STEWARDSHIP!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 03, 2022.

SUBJECT: THE GRACE OF PROSPERITY IS IN REAL STEWARDSHIP! 

Memory verse: "So you shall serve the LORD your God, and He will bless your bread and your water. And I will take sickness away from the midst of you." (Exodus 23 vs 25.)

READ: Genesis 12 vs 1 - 3:

12:1: Now the Lord said to Abram, get out of your country, from your family and from your father's house, to a land that I will show you. 

12:2: I will make you a great nation; I will bless you, and make your name great; and you shall be a blessing. 

12:3: I will bless those who bless you, and curse him who curses you: and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

INTIMATION:

A lot of Christians say they know God is the source of everything, but their lives don't reflect an understanding of that truth. For instance, when you think that money comes by your own sweat and tears, then you keep a much tighter hold on it. You become attached to your money, and it actually becomes your master. But when you see yourself as a steward and recognize money as God's blessing, even though you work for your paychecks, it totally changes the role money plays in your life. It ceases to control you and simply becomes a tool for service to the Owner. This simple change in mindset from owner to steward will make a tremendous difference in your life.

Many people see making a living as resulting from the sweat of their brow, and they don't see God as their source. They separate their lives into spiritual matters and personal matters. When it concerns spiritual matters they rely on God, but when it comes to private or personal matters, it becomes their baby. For instance, when it come to money, they think it's all up to them. As a result many Christians are struggling financially. God wants to be the source of everything in your life. The Lord never intended you to carry the burden of financial responsibility, or any other burden, and He wants to lift that burden from you.

Many Christians have made a firm commitment of their lives to the Lord concerning spiritual things, but when it comes to possessions, they see them as private to them. The pressures of life lead them to view possessions as something they must control, and that kind of ownership mentality leads to a lot of problems.

The first step toward becoming responsible with your possessions is to get this mindset that they do not belong to you. Instead of clinging to your possessions, you need to think: ‘I am a steward of what God has entrusted to me.’ ‘God has blessed me with these talents and abilities.’ ‘God has blessed me with my job.’ ‘God is blessing me, and God has given me all the resources I have.’ ‘It is not up to me to run my finances the way I want to.’ ‘I'm a steward.’ ‘I have the responsibility to serve God with all He has given me; my talents, my money, my abilities, my wisdom’ and so on.

People with an ownership mentality end up trying to do everything themselves, but stewards freely receive God's blessing. Look at how blessed Abraham was in the passage we read today. God said here that He would bless Abraham, and that He would make Abraham's name great. When you read the entire story of Abraham, you see that God wasn't talking about intangible spiritual benefits. He was talking about physical earthly blessings: “Abram was very rich in cattle, in silver, and in gold.” (Genesis 13 vs 2.)

Abraham didn't become rich through his own hard work. He became wealthy because the blessing of God was on his life (Hebrews 6 vs 13 - 14). Abraham was blessed in everything he did, even when he made mistakes. He was to be a blessing, and all the families of the earth will be blessed in him.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of real stewardship, that I may serve You with all my heart, my soul, my strength, my mind, and with all the resources You pit in my care, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

HUMILITY ENGENDERS GOD’S GRACE AND EXALTATION!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY AUGUST 02, 2022.

SUBJECT: HUMILITY ENGENDERS GOD’S GRACE AND EXALTATION!

Memory verse: "Therefore, humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God so that He may exalt you at the proper time.” (First Peter 5 vs 6.) 

READ: James 4 vs 4 - 8:

4:4: Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

4:5: Or do you think that the Scripture says in vain, “The spirit who dwells in us yearns jealously”?

4:6: But He gives more grace. Therefore He says, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”

4:7: Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

4:8: Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.

INTIMATION:

Humidity produces God’s grace and exaltation. God’s grace is extended toward those who have humbly submitted to Him (Romans 5 vs 20). Those who are arrogant will not submit their lives to the will of God. They resist submission, and thus, God resists giving His grace to them in order that they might be saved. Being humble involves having a true perspective of oneself. It does not mean you should put yourself down. Truly humble people compare themselves only with Christ, realizing their sinfulness, and understanding their limitations. On the other hand, they also recognize their gifts and strength and are willing to use them as Christ directs. Humility is not self-degradation; it is realistic self-assessment and commitment to serve. It means proper respect for God.

Obedience to God begins with humility. When we look at creation, we often feel small by comparison. To respect God’s majesty, we must compare ourselves to His greatness. This is a healthy way to get back to reality. We must believe that His way is better than our own. We may not always understand His ways of working, but by humbly obeying, we will receive His blessings. We must remember that (1) God’s ways are best; (2) God wants our obedience more than anything else; (3) God can use anything to accomplish His purposes.

Since God will not save the arrogant, the apostle James plea is that the first step in repentance must be to submit to the will of God. Only through the spirit of submission is God able to mold the demeanor of the obedient for eternal dwelling. Since God will resist those who are proud, it is imperative that one submits to the will of God. When one submits to God’s will, he or she will be lifted up. However, we must first recognize the sovereignty of God over all things before we will humbly submit to His will. 

The proud person will seek to rule his own life. They take little account of their weaknesses and do not anticipate stumbling blocks. They think they are above the frailties of common people. In that state of mind they are easily tripped up. In thinking that he or she has his or her life in control, the proud person usually tries to bear all his or her burdens without asking for the help of others. He tries to walk alone. Ironically, proud people seldom realize that pride is their problem, although everyone around them is well aware of it. The humble person, however, who has cast his or her burdens on the shoulders of God, will find peace and security in the care of God.

Let us not loose sight of the end result of all our humility and self-sacrifice; a joyous banquet with our Lord! God never asks us to suffer for the sake of suffering. He never asks us to give up something good unless he plans to replace it with something even better. Jesus is not calling us to join Him in a labor camp but in a feast—the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19 vs 6 - 9), when God and His beloved church will be joined forever.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of humility that I will cast myself upon You, knowing that I have no power of my own to accomplish much without You, give me the grace I need to live for You all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Afraid of Death No More

 

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery. (Hebrews 2:14–15)

How does Christ deliver us from the fear of death and set us free to live with the kind of loving abandon that can “let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also”?

Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood . . .

The term “children” is taken from the previous verse and refers to the spiritual offspring of Christ, the Messiah. These are also the “children of God.” In other words, in sending Christ, God has the salvation of his “children” especially in view. “Since the children share in flesh and blood . . . ”

he himself likewise partook of the same [flesh and blood] . . .

The Son of God, who existed before the incarnation as the eternal Word (John 1:1), took on flesh and blood, and clothed his deity with humanity. He became fully man and remained fully God.

that through death . . .

The reason Christ became human was to die. As preincarnate God, he could not die for sinners. But united to flesh and blood, he could. His aim was to die. Therefore, he had to be born human, mortal.

that he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil . . .

In dying, Christ defanged the devil. How? By covering all our sin (Hebrews 10:12). This means that Satan has no legitimate grounds to accuse us before God. “Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies” (Romans 8:33). On what grounds does he justify? Through the blood of Jesus (Hebrews 9:14; Romans 5:9).

Satan’s ultimate weapon against us is our own sin. If the death of Jesus takes it away, the chief weapon the devil has is taken out of his hand. In that sense, he is rendered powerless.

and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

So, we are free from the fear of death. God has justified us. There is only future grace in front of us. Satan cannot overturn that decree. And God means for our ultimate safety to have an immediate effect on our lives. He means for the happy ending to take away the slavery and fear of the present.

Our Weakness Reveals His Worth

 

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (2 Corinthians 12:9)

God’s design for suffering is that it should magnify Christ’s worth and power. This is grace, because the greatest joy of Christians is to experience Christ magnified in our lives.

When Paul was told by the Lord Jesus that his “thorn in the flesh” would not be taken away, he supported Paul’s faith by explaining why. The Lord said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9). God ordains that Paul be weak so that Christ might be seen as strong on Paul’s behalf.

If we feel and look self-sufficient, we will get the glory, not Christ. So, Christ chooses the weak things of the world “so that no human being might boast in the presence of God” (1 Corinthians 1:29). And sometimes he makes seemingly strong people weaker so that the divine power will be the more evident.

We know that Paul experienced this as grace because he rejoiced in it: “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:9–10).

Living by faith in God’s grace means being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus. Therefore, faith will not shrink back from what reveals and magnifies all that God is for us in Jesus. That is what our own weakness and suffering are meant to do.

WHEN GRACE IS DENIED US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY AUGUST 01, 2022.

SUBJECT: WHEN GRACE IS DENIED US! 

Memory verse: "And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in Me." (Matthew 1I vs 6.) 

READ: Philippians 2 vs 14 - 16:

2:14: Do all things without complaining and disputing.

2:15: that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

2:16:holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.

INTIMATION:

Grace is denied us due to our bad attitudes such as short-lived gratitude, complaining, murmuring, seeking sympathy, self-pity, grumbling, fault-finding, nit-picking, jealousy, envy. Ignorance—not knowing enough to call on the Lord, asking Him to pour out His grace in time of need, and so on. Many times the reason we are not able to tap into the grace of God is simply because our attitude is all wrong. Such attitudes can never mix with grace. Many times the mistake we make is griping and fussing from daylight to dark, at the same time we are trying to activate the power of God in our life to help us solve a problem. You and I cannot expect God to intervene on our behalf in a situation if we are constantly displaying unacceptable attitudes before Him.

There is no way to receive God's grace while seeking sympathy from others or fellowshipping with self-pity. God will heal our wound if we don't seek others to nurse them. Many times we want the power of God to come upon us and solve some problem for us, but at the same time we want all our friends to feel sorry for us. Seeking pity becomes more important to us than seeking God’s grace to take us over. For instance, if we are having money problems, we may go into our prayer closet and cry out to the Lord, "O Father, please help me. I'm over my head financially, and I need Your help so bad. I'm trusting You to help me, because without You I have no hope. Lord, You are the only One who can save me!"

Then, as soon as prayer time is over, you get on the phone telling your friends, co-workers, and relations, how tight it is for you and family, how hard you have worked and nothing is happening, how your husband or wife has not been helping and is idle, how underprivileged you are, how nobody is helping you, on and on. You want God to help you, but you also want everybody else to feel sorry for you. 

It is not wrong to share your burdens in a balanced way and with right motives. But beware of seeking pity. God never leads us where He cannot keep us. His grace is always sufficient for us in any and every circumstances of life. There is no sense in our griping and complaining, worrying and finagling, constantly trying to figure out things, working ourselves up into a stew and getting all frustrated and confused. If we do, that shows that we have no faith at all in God's abiding grace. If we want to receive God's grace, we have got to learn to depend upon Him totally and not upon others' sympathy or our own self-pity. 

As human beings, believers and unbelievers, we are subject to selfishness and ingratitude. We can pray and believe God for something, and even be very thankful and grateful for it when we receive it. But it doesn't take us very long and we are no longer thankful and grateful for them, but actually come to complain about them. We should be grateful and thankful to God always. In the event of our desiring something more, we then go to the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of grace and supplication, which is the power of God coming into our life to meet evil tendency that we have, and help us solve every problem that we encounter, as well as helping us institute any changes we desire.

As an example of how quickly and easily we can fall prey to a bad attitude, is inherent in the following illustrations: You are believing God for the fruit of the womb, and thankful and grateful when you got pregnant and delivered to a baby. In a few years you are griping and complaining and questioning God for giving you "a stubborn child." Or you are praying, fasting, and believing God for husband or wife, and soon God showed up and the partner came. A few years down the road, you are complaining of your husband or wife, questioning God why He had allowed this partner into your life. 

It is noteworthy that this kind of bad or negative attitude was the major problem that caused the nation of Israel to wonder in the wilderness for forty years before entering the Promised land, in a journey that should have lasted forty days. God calls it unbelief. Learn to trust God in all things, not being anxious for anything, but by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, presenting your problems or concerns to God.

Prayer: Abba Father, with You all things are possible, and there is nothing difficult for You including my problems and concerns. Forever my trust and confidence is in You, even when I am at my wits’ end. I pray that nothing will ever take away my focus on and trust in You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!