Beware of Serving God

 

The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.” (Acts 17:24–25)

We do not glorify God by providing his needs, but by praying that he would provide ours — and trusting him to answer, and living in the joy of that all-providing care as we lay down our lives in love for other people.

Here we are at the heart of the good news of Christian Hedonism. God’s insistence that we ask him to give us help so that he gets glory. “Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me” (Psalm 50:15). This forces on us the startling fact that we must beware of thinking he needs us. We must beware of serving God, and we must take special care to let him serve us, lest we rob him of his glory. “God is not served by human hands, as though he needed anything” (Acts 17:25).

This sounds very strange. Most of us think serving God is a totally positive thing. We have not considered that serving God may be an insult to him. But meditation on the very meaning of prayer makes this plain.

In the novel, Robinson Crusoe, the hero, took Psalm 50:12–15 as his favorite text to hope in as he’s stranded on the island: God says, “If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine. . . . Call upon me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify me.”

Which means: there is a way to serve God that would belittle him as needy of our service. Oh, how careful we must be not to preempt the mighty grace of God in Christ. Jesus said, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). He aims to be the servant. He aims to get the glory as the Giver.

HOLD TIGHT TO YOUR CONFESSION IN PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY OCTOBER 11, 2022.

SUBJECT : HOLD TIGHT TO YOUR CONFESSION IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, Let us hold fast our confession." (Hebrews 4 vs 14.) 

READ: File James 1 vs 6 - 8: 

1:6: But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

1:7: For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord, 

1:8: He is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

INTIMATION:

As a Christian, what is your confession of the Word of God in prayer, and after prayer? Are you holding tight to your confession during prayer as well as after prayer? Or do you confess doubt and unbelief after prayer? Any confession you make is a seed sowed in like manner, and you will reap according to what you sowed. The condition for reward is faithfulness to that which we heard and obeyed. 

Faith is the foundation upon which all prayer must be made. It is the foundation upon which our prayers are answered. Our faith, or unbelief, is determined by our confession of the Word of God we have heard. Few of us realize the effect of our spoken word on our own hearts, or on our Adversary. He hears us make our confession of trust, confidence, or failure, of sickness, of lack, and apparently he doesn't forget. Remember he is our accuser; accusing us of our weak or negative confession, and we unconsciously go down to the level of our confession. No one ever rises above his or her confession.

Everybody who walks by faith will have testings. They do not necessarily come from the Father; they usually come from the Adversary. God may allow the testings of the Adversary to test your faith and trust in Him. 

But as long as the Adversary can confuse the issue, and keep you in a state of flux, you are at a disadvantage. A state of flux is a state of continual changing, of insatiably, of double mindedness. In the passage we read today, the apostle James describes a double minded man as unstable in all his ways, and let not that man think he shall receive any thing of the Lord.

In our memory verse, the Scripture advises us, as Christians, to "hold fast our confession." That is, when your confession is in tune with the Word of God in the Scripture, hold tight to it heartily knowing that the Scripture cannot be broken (John 10 vs 35); that what the Father says is true, and sure, already settled in heaven. 

When we doubt His Word, it is because we believe something else that is contrary to the Word. Our confidence may be in the arm of flesh; it may be in medicine; it may be in institutions; but whatever our confidence is in, if it contradicts the Word it destroys our faith life, and without faith it is impossible to please God (Hebrews 11 vs 6). Consequently, It destroys our prayers, and brings us again into bondage.

There isn't any power in all the universe that can void any statement of fact in His Word. No Word from God is void of power. He said, "So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth; it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it. (Isaiah 55 vs 11.)

Your confidence is in that unbroken, living Word, and you hold fast to your confession in the face of every assaults of the enemy. Never in any way be terrified by your adversaries. Sometimes, it may appear as though the prayer is not answered, hold on to it, though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come (Habakkuk 2 vs 3). It is your quiet assurance in His Word that gives you the supremacy over your adversary.

God’s ways are forever the best, and therefore, He answers in our best interests. Though it might not be the way we wanted, but He aligns our desires with His purposes. He knows the best for us in any circumstances. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my trust is in You and Your Word. Forever Your Word is settled in heaven. Your Word is as sweet as honey in my mouth. Give me the grace to confess Your Word heartily with absolute trust in You and Your Word, knowing that You hasten to perform Your Word. My absolute confidence is in You, and nothing can take this away from me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

We Can Do Nothing

 

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5)

Suppose you are totally paralyzed and can do nothing for yourself but talk. And suppose a strong and reliable friend promised to live with you and do whatever you needed done. How could you glorify this friend if a stranger came to see you?

Would you glorify his generosity and strength by trying to get out of bed and carry him? No! You would say, “Friend, please come lift me up, and would you put a pillow behind me so I can look at my guest? And would you please put my glasses on for me?”

And so your visitor would learn from your requests that you are helpless and that your friend is strong and kind. You glorify your friend by needing him, and by asking him for help, and counting on him.

In John 15:5, Jesus says, “Apart from me you can do nothing.” So we really are paralyzed. Without Christ, we are capable of no Christ-exalting good. As Paul says in Romans 7:18, “Nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh.”

But John 15:5 also says that God does intend for us to do much Christ-exalting good, namely bear fruit: “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit.” So as our strong and reliable friend — “I have called you friends” (John 15:15) — he promises to do for us, and through us, what we can’t do for ourselves.

How then do we glorify him? Jesus gives the answer in John 15:7: “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” We pray! We ask God to do for us through Christ what we can’t do for ourselves — bear fruit.

John 15:8 gives the result: “By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit.”

So how is God glorified by prayer? Prayer is the open admission that without Christ we can do nothing. And prayer is the turning away from ourselves to God in the confidence that he will provide the help we need.

PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY OCTOBER 10, 2022.

SUBJECT : PRAYING IN THE SPIRIT!

Memory verse: "But you, beloved, building yourselves up on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost.” (Jude 20.)

READ: Romans 8 vs 26 - 27:

8:26: Likewise the Spirit also helps our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

8:27: And He who searches the hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

INTIMATION:

Praying in the Spirit is engaging the help of the Holy Spirit to communicate our petition to God the Father, and the Son, Jesus Christ, in the ecstatic or heavenly language that is unknown to anybody. The apostle Paul referred to it as “tongues of angels”(First Corinthians 13 vs 1). The Bible also refers to this as speaking in tongues (unknown language). Speaking in tongues is a legitimate gift of the Holy Spirit and is beneficial to the speaker. 

This is distinct from “other tongues,” the supernatural gift of speaking in another language without its haven been learnt as was the case at the Pentecost (Acts 2 vs 4 - 8), where the circumstances were recorded from the view-point of the hearers. To those in whose language the utterances were made it appeared as a supernatural phenomenon. But to some others, the  disciples were stammerers and drunkards (Acts 2 vs 13). However, what was uttered was not addressed primarily to the audience but consisted in recounting “the mighty works of God.” 

Jesus promised to send an “Helper” to all believers in the Person of the Holy Spirit. He helps us in our weaknesses, including our inadequacies in prayer: He makes intercession for us in prayers, communicating our petition to God when we do not know what we ought to pray. God is aware of our inadequacies and weaknesses hence He proactively arranged an Helper for us. 

Therefore, as a believer, you are not left to your own resources to cope with problems. Even when you don’t know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with and for you, and God answers. With God helping you pray, you don’t need to be afraid to come before Him. Ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for you “according to the will of God.” Then, when you bring your requests to God, trust that He will always do what is best.

The Scripture says, “But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, except the spirit of man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” (First Corinthians 2 vs 10 - 12.)

The Holy Spirit is the third Person in the Godhead, and knows everything about God, including His Will. When we pray in the spirit, it is obvious that the Holy Spirit helping us, communicates our petitions to God in accordance with His Will. Because He knows God’s Will, and the deep things of God, He searches all things to ensure the appropriate presentation of our petition. And when we pray according to His Will we are sure receiving our petition, as the Scripture notes; “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask any thing according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we asked of Him. (First John 5 vs 14 - 15.)

Praying in the spirit is surrendering ourselves to the Spirit for His help. Because He knows what is in our heart where He dwells with the spirit of man, He will communicate our intentions to God in the best way that is in consonance with God’s Will, assuring us of answers to our petition. The answer may not come as we may intend to have them, but they come in our best interest known to God—God of all knowledge who knows the end from the beginning. 

Therefore, the best form of prayer is praying in the spirit where you are assured of no misrepresentations of facts, and praying in the Will of God which is supreme. Speaking in tongues is a legitimate gift of the Spirit given only to whomever God chooses. If a person has not experienced the gift of tongues, he or she ought not seek it but seek what gifts God has given. Those who do not speak in tongues ought not seek the gift as a sign of salvation or of special closeness with God, for it is neither of them. It is a desirable gift even though it isn’t a requirement of faith. It’s beneficial to the speaker. 

The Scripture says, “For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God: for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries." (First Corinthians 14 vs 2.) When you speak in the heavenly language, the Holy Spirit our “Helper” and “Intercessor” takes over as our “Advocate” interpreting the mysteries we speak and communicate same to God, albeit He knows what is already in our heart where He dwells and communes with the spirit of man. Isn’t that great? 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of tongues, and of the Holy Spirit my Helper. Give me the grace to commune with You always in the Spirit with the assurance of receiving my petitions, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!

Best Passage Ever

 

God put [Jesus] forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:25–26)

Romans 3:25–26 may be the most important verses in the Bible.

God is wholly just! And he justifies the ungodly! Really? A just judge acquitting the guilty!

Not either/or! Both! He acquits the guilty, but is not guilty in doing so. This is the greatest news in the world!

“[God] made [Jesus] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). He takes our sin. We take his righteousness.

“By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh” (Romans 8:3). Whose flesh? Christ’s. Whose sin condemned in that flesh? Ours. For us then? No condemnation!

“[Christ] bore our sins in his body on the tree.” (1 Peter 2:24)

“Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God.” (1 Peter 3:18)

“If we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.” (Romans 6:5)

If the most terrifying news in the world is that we have fallen under the condemnation of our Creator and that he is bound by his own righteous character to preserve the worth of his glory by pouring out his wrath on our sin . . .

. . . Then the best news in all the world (the gospel!) is that God has decreed and enacted a way of salvation that also upholds the worth of his glory, the honor of his Son, and the eternal salvation of his elect. Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners.

REASONING WITH THE LORD IN PRAYER!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY OCTOBER 09, 2022.

SUBJECT : REASONING WITH THE LORD IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "“Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together. State your case, that you may be acquitted.” (Isaiah 43 vs 26).

READ: Isaiah 38 vs 1 - 6:

38:1: In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD: ‘Set thine house in order: for you shall die, and not live.’

38:2: Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the LORD,

38:3: and said, “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight. And Hezekiah wept bitterly.

38:4: And the word of the LORD came to Isaiah, saying,

38:5: “Go, and say to Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of David your father: “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely, I will add to your days fifteen years.

38:6: I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria: and I will defend this city.”’

INTIMATION:

Our God is just, compassionate, loving, and merciful. He acts according to His nature, and encourages His people to take advantage of His nature in their relationship with Him. Being consistent with His love and merciful nature, He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, as a propitiation for the sin of whole world. Christ came for sinners, and He expects us to come to Him for mercy. We can only go to God in prayer, acknowledging our need and admitting that we don't have all the answers, and God will come to our help. He desires to show mercy and His mercy endures forever.

God is willing to reason with us when we humble ourselves in prayer, and come before Him to plead our case. He is ever ready to listen, and willing to see reasons to be consistent with His nature of love, merciful, compassionate, and just. No matter how long you have been away from God, He is ready to hear from you and restore you to a right relationship with Him. 

God intends that we remind Him of reasons why He should be consistent with His nature to us, hence He employ us to come and reason with Him; ”Present your case,” says the Lord. “Bring forth your strong reasons,” says the King of Jacob.” (Isaiah 41 vs 21.) God requires us to present our case to Him with strong reasons why He should come through to us in any circumstances of life we face. He intends that we remind Him of such things that will cause Him to attend to our pleas. 

In the passage we read today, when prophet Isaiah went to Hezekiah, who was extremely ill, and told him of his impending death, Hezekiah immediately turned to God. He wept bitterly in his sick bed, and reminded God of his service to Him; “Remember now, O LORD, I pray, how I have walked before you in truth and with a loyal heart, and have done what is good in Your sight.” (Isaiah 38 vs 3.) God responded to his prayer, allowing Hezekiah to live another fifteen (15) years, and further delivered the city from the hands of the king of Assyria, and promised to defend the city. 

When the children of Israel sinned against God in the wilderness by making for themselves a molded gold calf as their god, He was ready to destroy the whole nation because of their sin. But Moses pleaded for mercy, and God spared them: “And God said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people! Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation.” ( Exodus 32 vs 9 - 10.)

“Then Moses pleaded with the Lord his God, and said: “Lord, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, ‘He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth’? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.” (Exodus 32 vs 12 - 13.)

When God first wanted to destroy the people, He was acting consistently with His nature of being just. But when Moses interceded for the people,  reasoned with God and presented  his strong reason, God changed His mind and spared the people, in line with His consistent merciful nature. This is one of the countless examples in the Bible of God’s mercy. Although we deserve His punishment, He is willing to forgive and restore us to Himself. 

Every situation can be salvaged if you are willing to turn to God. In Judges 16 vs 28 - 30,  we would observe that in spite of Samson's past, God still answered his prayer and destroyed the Philistines' heathen temple and worshipers. He killed more people at his death than he did in life because of the mercy of God when he turned to Him in prayer.

If you have a desperate need in your life, bring it to the Lord in fervent prayer, presenting your strong reasons; reminding Him of His promises, and your good works or services toward His kingdom. He may change the course of your life. My prayer is that you will have strong reasons to present to God in times of your need for Him to come through to you, in Jesus’ Name.

Prayer: Abba Father, have mercy upon me, O God, according to Your loving kindness; according to the multitude of your tender mercies. Remember my offerings and sacrifices toward Your kingdom. Hear my cry O Lord, and come to my rescue, for in You I live and move and have my being, in Jesus name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

God’s Wise Mercy

 

We preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1 Corinthians 1:23–24)

Over against the terrifying news that we have fallen under the condemnation of our Creator and that he is bound by his own righteous character to preserve the worth of his glory by pouring out eternal wrath on our sin, there is the wonderful news of the gospel.

This is a truth no one can ever learn from nature. The truth of the gospel has to be told to neighbors and preached in churches and carried by missionaries.

The good news is that God himself has decreed a way to satisfy the demands of his justice without condemning the whole human race.

Hell is one way to settle accounts with sinners and uphold his justice. But there is another way. God provided another way. This is the gospel.

The wisdom of God has ordained a way for the love of God to deliver us from the wrath of God without compromising the justice of God. There it is. The gospel. Let me say it again slowly: The wisdom of God has ordained a way for the love of God to deliver us from the wrath of God without compromising the justice of God.

And what is this wisdom? The death of the Son of God for sinners! “We preach Christ crucified . . . the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23–24).

The death of Christ is the wisdom of God by which the love of God saves sinners from the wrath of God, all the while upholding and demonstrating the righteousness of God in Christ.