The Root of Ingratitude

 

Although they knew God, they did not glorify him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. (Romans 1:21)

When gratitude springs up in the human heart toward God, he is magnified as the wealthy source of our blessing. He is acknowledged as giver and benefactor and therefore as glorious.

But when gratitude does not spring up in our hearts at God’s great goodness to us, it probably means that we don’t want to pay him a compliment; we don’t want to magnify him as our benefactor.

And there is a very good reason that human beings by nature do not want to magnify God with thanksgiving or glorify him as their benefactor. The reason is that it detracts from our own glory, and all people by nature love their own glory more than the glory of God.

At the root of all ingratitude is the love of one’s own greatness. For genuine gratitude admits that we are beneficiaries of an unearned bequest. We are cripples leaning on the cross-shaped crutch of Jesus Christ. We are paralytics living minute by minute in the iron lung of God’s mercy. We are children asleep in heaven’s stroller.

The natural person, apart from saving grace, hates to think of himself in these images: unworthy beneficiary, cripple, paralytic, child. They rob him of his glory by giving it all to God.

Therefore, while a man loves his own glory, and prizes his self-sufficiency, and hates to think of himself as sin-sick and helpless, he will never feel genuine gratitude to the true God and so will never magnify God as he ought, but only himself.

Jesus said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).

Jesus did not come to minister to those who insist they are well. He demands something great: that we admit we are not great. This is bad news to the arrogant, but words of honey to those who have given up their charade of self-sufficiency and are seeking God.

GOD NEVER TEMPTS, BUT DELIVERER US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY NOVEMBER 28, 2022.

SUBJECT : GOD NEVER TEMPTS, BUT DELIVERER US!

Memory verse: "Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone." (James 1 vs 13.)

READ: James 1 vs 12 - 15:

1:12: Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord promised to those who love Him.

1:13: Let no one say when he is tempted, "I am tempted by God"; for God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does He Himself tempt anyone.

1:14: But each one is tempted when He is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 1:15: Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

INTIMATION:

God is our leader, He doesn't lead us into temptations, but sometimes allows us to be tested by them. God tests people, but He does not tempt them by trying to seduce them into sin. As His children, we should pray to be delivered from the trying temptations of Satan ("the evil one") and his deceitful advances toward us.

People who live for God often wonder why they still have temptations. It is the work of the "evil one" to steer them from the faith. God allows Satan to tempt people, so that He may use the temptation to refine their faith and to help them grow in their dependence on Christ. We can resist the temptation to sin by turning to God for strength and choosing to obey His Word.

God's tests are not to trip us and watch us fall, but to deepen our capacity to obey Him, and help us develop His character. Just as fire refines ore to extract precious metals, God refines us through difficult circumstances. When we are tested we can complain, or we can try to see how God is stretching us to develop our character. It takes intense heat to purify gold and silver. Similarly, it often takes the heat of trials for the Christian to be purified. Through trials, God shows us what is in us and clears out anything that gets in the way of complete trust in Him.

The apostle Peter, in First Peter 1 vs 7, says, "That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ." As gold is heated, impurities float to the top and can be skimmed off. Steel is tempered or strengthened by heating it in fire. Likewise, our trials, struggles, and persecutions refine and strengthen out faith, making us useful to God. Therefore, when tough times come your way, realize that God wants to use them to refine your faith and purify your heart.

 All Christians struggle with temptation. Sometimes it is so subtle that we don't even realize what is happening to us. God helps us to recognize temptation and gives us the strength to overcome it when we ask, and helps us choose God's way instead. God has promised that He won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear: "No temptation has overtaken you except such that is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it." (First Corinthians 10 vs 13.)

In our world filled with moral decadence, depravity, and sin-inducing pressures; wrong desires and temptation happen to everyone. Nobody should think him or her is alone in this situation, knowing that many others are in it, and many also have resisted temptation through God's leading. God knows our weaknesses and strength, and any temptation can be resisted because God will help you resist it. 

God helps resist temptation by helping you recognize those people and situations that give you trouble, and those things that tempt you. The immediate solution is to run from anything you know is wrong, and choose to do only what is right. This you can achieve when you pray to God for help. Also acquaint yourself with friends who love God and can offer help when you are tempted.

Running from a tempting situation is your first step on the way to victory. Second Timothy 2 vs 22 advises thus, "Flee also youthful lusts; but pursue righteousness, faith, love, peace with those who call on the Lord out of a pure heart." Running away is sometimes considered cowardly, but wise people realize that removing themselves physically from temptation often can be the most courageous action to take. It is advisable to remove yourself physically from any situation that stimulates your desire to sin. In so doing, you can handle any recurring temptation that is difficult for you to resist.

Some people think that Christianity is a passive religion that advocates waiting for God to act. But the use of active and forceful verbs: flee, pursue, run, shows we must have an active faith, obeying God with courage and doing what we know is right.

Jesus prayed to the Father in John 17 vs 15, saying, "I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one." This request made by Jesus our Messiah, to God, our Father in heaven, shows that only Him can keep us from Satan, the evil one. He does that through His leading us by His Word, and the revelations He gives in fellowship with Him. God doesn't come down to physically hold you by the hand to lead you. Therefore, acquaint yourself with Him through His Word, and ceaselessly fellowship with Him in prayers.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to live according to Your word, O most merciful Father, and endue me with the power to overcome temptations. For I know that by my strength I cannot prevail over the tempter. Only You can strengthen me to overcome the wiles of the devil. My eyes are completely fixed on You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE ATTITUDE OF CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 27, 2022.

SUBJECT : THE ATTITUDE OF CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS!

Memory verse: "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness." (First John 1 vs 9.)

READ: Mark 11 vs 25 - 26:

11:25: And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses. 

11:26: But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father in heaven forgive your trespasses.

INTIMATION:

As imperfect being we are, we are always sinning; knowingly or unknowingly. Therefore, we need to continually be confessing our sins so as to receive forgiveness of our sins from the Lord, occasioning continued fellowship with the Lord. As enumerated in our memory verse, God is so faithful that if we confess our sins, we are assured of His forgiveness and cleansing from all unrighteousness, and our fellowship with Him is restored.

David confessed his sin and prayed, "Cleans me from secret faults. Keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins (Psalm 19 vs 12 - 13.) Presumptuous sins are the sins we commit unknowingly, or when we take certain things for granted; when we believe that something is true without proof. Most times we end up apologizing for the wrong done unwittingly.

Most believers are plagued by guilt; they may have committed a sin unknowingly, done something good with selfish intentions, failed to put their whole heart into a task, or neglected what they should have done. With an attitude of confession, we will always present ourselves to God as sinners that needs forgiveness. God fully and completely forgives us—even for those sins we do unknowingly.

When our sins are forgiven, we can stand boldly in His presence and make our petition. Therefore, it is to our own advantage that we ask for forgiveness of sins, so that our Heavenly Father can hear our prayers.

The psalmist said in Psalm 66 vs 18, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear." When we refuse to repent or when we harbor and cherish certain sins, we place a wall between us and God. We may not be able to remember every sin we have ever committed, but our attitude should be one of confession and obedience. 

When Jesus taught his disciples how to pray, He made forgiveness the cornerstone of their relationship with God. God has forgiven our sins; we must now forgive those who have wronged us. This is for our own interest because it is upon doing so that God may hear our prayers. 

In the passage we read today, Jesus warned us that whenever we stand to prayer, we must come to Him with a clean heart; loving and iniquity free. Therefore, we should check ourselves to ensure that we don’t have anything against anyone, forgiving and setting everyone who have wronged us free in our heart. In so doing, we would have set a platform for our own forgiveness by God. Jesus gave the  startling warning about forgiveness because when we don't forgive others, we are denying our common ground as sinners in need of God's forgiveness. 

God's forgiveness of sin is not the direct result of our forgiving others, but rather it is based on our realizing what forgiveness means. It is noteworthy that Christ said; "that your Father in heaven 'may' forgive you, not 'must' forgive you. It is easy to ask God for forgiveness, but difficult to grant it to others. Whenever we ask God to forgive us our sins, we should ask ourselves, "Have I forgiven the people who have wronged me?"

The apostle Paul admonished us on forgiveness in Ephesians 4 vs 32, saying, "And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." He re-emphasized this In Colossians 3 vs 12 - 13, "Therefore, as elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another, even as Christ forgave you, so you must do." 

The key to forgiveness is remembering how much God has forgiven you. For most people it is difficult for them to forgive someone who has wronged them a little when God has forgiven them so much. Realizing God's infinite love and forgiveness can help you love and forgive others. God forgives us solely because of His great mercy. As we come to understand His mercy, however, we will want to be like Him. Having received forgiveness, we will pass it to others. Those who are unwilling to forgive has not become one with Christ, who was willing to forgive even those who crucified Him (Luke 23 vs 34). 

To remain unforgiving shows we have not understood that we ourselves deeply need to be forgiven. Because God has forgiven us our sins, we should not withhold forgiveness from others. Realizing how completely Christ has forgiven us should produce a free and generous attitude of forgiveness toward others. When we don't forgive others, we are setting ourselves outside and above Christ's law of love—"Love your neighbor as yourself."

Prayer: Abba Father, Your love has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit indwelling us, enabling us to live by His power. May I serve You in complete obedience, trust, true love for You and my neighbor, that I may be at peace with everyone, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

How to Magnify God

 

I will praise the name of God with a song; I will magnify him with thanksgiving. (Psalm 69:30)

There are two kinds of magnifying: microscope magnifying and telescope magnifying. The one makes a small thing look bigger than it is. The other makes a big thing begin to look as big as it really is.

When David says, “I will magnify God with thanksgiving,” he does not mean, “I will make a small God look bigger than he is.” He means, “I will make a big God begin to look as big as he really is.”

We are not called to be microscopes. We are called to be telescopes. Christians are not called to be con-men who magnify their product out of all proportion to reality, when they know the competitor’s product is far superior. There is nothing and nobody superior to God. And so the calling of those who love God is to make his greatness begin to look as great as it really is.

That’s why we exist, why we were saved, as Peter says in 1 Peter 2:9, “You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”

The whole duty of the Christian can be summed up in this: feel, think, and act in a way that will make God look as great as he really is. Be a telescope for the world of the infinite starry wealth of the glory of God.

This is what it means for a Christian to magnify God. But you can’t magnify what you haven’t seen or what you quickly forget.

Therefore, our first task is to see and to remember the greatness and goodness of God. So we pray to God, “Open the eyes of my heart!” (Ephesians 1:18), and we preach to our souls, “Soul, forget not all his benefits!” (Psalm 103:2).

Jesus Prays for Us

 

He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. (Hebrews 7:25)

It says that Christ is able to save to the uttermost — forever — since he always lives to make intercession for us. In other words, he would not be able to save us forever if he did not go on interceding for us forever.

This means our salvation is as secure as Christ’s priesthood is indestructible. This is why we needed a priest so much greater than any human priest. Christ’s deity and his resurrection from the dead secure his indestructible priesthood for us.

This means we should not talk about our salvation in static terms the way we often do — as if I did something once in an act of decision, and Christ did something once when he died and rose again, and that’s all there is to it. That’s not all there is to it.

This very day I am being saved by the eternal intercession of Jesus in heaven. Jesus is praying for us and that is essential to our salvation.

We are saved eternally by the eternal prayers (Romans 8:34) and advocacy (1 John 2:1) of Jesus in heaven as our High Priest. He prays for us and his prayers are answered because he prays perfectly on the basis of his perfect sacrifice.

PRAYER VERSUS THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2022.

SUBJECT : PRAYER VERSUS THE WORKS OF THE DEVIL!

Memory verse: "However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting” (Matthew 17 vs 20 - 21). 

READ: Matthew 13 vs 24 - 28:

13:24: Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of God is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; 

13:25: but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went away. 

13:26: But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then tares also appeared. 

13:27: So the servants of the owner came and said to him, 'Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares? 

13:28: He said to them, 'An enemy has done this. ‘The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us to go and gather them up?’

INTIMATION:

In the passage we read today, Jesus teaches about the activities of the devil in the lives of believers. In explaining the parable in Matthew 13 vs 39, He said that the enemy who sowed the tares is the devil. The devil is forever busy luring the children of God to his side by oppressing them in order to win them over with his greatest weapon of fear. It takes the resistance of the believer in prayer to ensure victory over him. 

Are you faced with challenges? Are certain forces resisting every move you make? Do things seem not to be working for you in spite of all your input? I'm glad to announce to you that the power in prayer is available to you as a child of God, to fight all the oppositions en route your victory and triumph in life. 

Our memory verse is part of the answer Jesus gave to His disciples when they could not cast out an evil spirit even though they had been empowered to do so (See Matthew 10 vs 1). Satan was blocking their access to results in ministry. The principal weapon engaged by the believer in victory over Satan is prayer. On it all other weapons revolve.

The potent weapons available to the believer is; faith, hope, prayer, fasting, the Word of God, the name of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Note that all these weapons are enforced in prayer. Don't sit there crying and waiting for someone to pity you; rise up and take advantage of this potent powers and free yourself from the hold of the enemy. He is called "the wicked," because he has no feelings of sympathy for anybody. He is out for you, so you must arise and invoke the powers of heaven to flush him out.

As I said in the past, many people think that Christianity is a passive religion that advocates waiting for God to act. But you must have an active faith, invoking through prayer the powers engaged in victory. Things don't just happen, they are made to happen. The Scripture in First Corinthians 16 vs 9 says, "For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."

Being a Christian does not exempt you from warfare; it only gives you an edge over the opposition. Going through rivers of difficulty will either cause you to be drawn or force you to grow stronger. If you go in your own strength, you are more likely to drown, if you invite the Lord to go with you He will protect you. Isaiah 43 vs 1 - 2 illustrates graphically how the Lord protects you: "But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name;  You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned. Nor shall the flame scorch you."

Your redemption notwithstanding, God says, "When you pass through waters....when you walk through the fire..." not, "If you pass through the waters....if you walk through the fire..." Warfare therefore, is inevitable, but victory is guaranteed. God says, "Fear not, I am your redeemer, I am committed to deliver you and give you the victory." 

The obstacles are real; the victories are also real. Victory is our heritage. As long as you are still breathing, the battle is not over. Rise up and stop tolerating failure and mishaps! Stop putting up with pains, lack and want. If you won't arise, your enemy will prevail. One strategy of the enemy is to make you feel you can't handle the issue. That is a lie. God is committed to your victory, if only you will fight. 

But remember "For though we walk in the flesh! we do not war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for the pulling down of strongholds,..." (Second Corinthians 10 vs 3 - 4.) The foremost of Christians’ weapon is prayer. In prayer all other weapons of are engaged.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my Faithful Companion. I can do all things through You who strengthens me on the prayer altar. Let my supplications and petitions come to You as a sweet smelling savor that I may obtain the strength to prevail against the evil tidings of the wicked one, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Glorify God by Giving Thanks

 

It is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 4:15)

Gratitude to God is a joyful emotion. We have a sense of joyful indebtedness for his grace. So in a sense in the very emotion of gratitude, we are still the beneficiaries. But by its very nature, gratitude glorifies the giver. When we feel thankful, we acknowledge our need and God’s beneficence, God’s fullness, the riches of his glory.

Just like I humble myself and exalt the server in the restaurant when I say, “Thank you,” so I humble myself and exalt God when I feel gratitude to him. The difference, of course, is that I really am infinitely in debt to God for his grace, and everything he does for me is free and undeserved.

But the point is that gratitude glorifies the giver. It glorifies God. And this is Paul’s final goal in all his labors. Yes, his labors are for the sake of the church — the good of the church. But the church is not the highest goal. Listen again: “It is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.” All for your sake — for the glory of God!

The wonderful thing about the gospel is that the response it requires from us for God’s glory is also the response that is most natural and joyful; namely, thankfulness for grace. God’s all-supplying glory in giving and our humble gladness in receiving are not in competition. Joyful thankfulness glorifies God.

A life that gives glory to God for his grace and a life of deepest gladness are the same life. And what makes them one is thankfulness.