WALK NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 31, 2022.

SUBJECT: WALK NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY!

Memory verse: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful." (Psalm 1 vs 1.)

READ: Psalm 1 vs 1 - 3:

1:1: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

1:2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

1:3: He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall proper.

INTIMATION:

Ungodliness is general impiety; lack of reverence for God or religious matters. The ungodly has disregard for, or defiance of God’s laws. They act without reverence for God, not merely irreligious but acting in contravention of God’s demands. Taking counsel from—walking in the counsel of ungodly people is a no-no for all believers. 

The Scripture does not forbid us to have contacts with unbelievers. Any contacts between believers and unbelievers should be aimed at converting them to Christ. We are encouraged by Christ to befriend sinners and lead them to Him: “Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance” (Luke 5 vs 29 - 32).

Unbelievers, in their lifestyle, tolerate and make excuses for bad behavior, and obviously will recommend its practice to others. When a believer takes counsel from such people, they will definitely lure him or her to their side. Such people easily pollute the life of the believer and lead him or her astray. We must befriend unbelievers for the simple good reason of leading them to Christ, but we must be wary of those of them who are viciously evil, immoral, or opposed to all that Christianity stands for. Such people are more likely to influence believers for evil than the believers are to influence them for good. But on no account should counsel be taken from unbelievers by believers.

In the passage we read today, the psalmist was extolling the joys of obeying God and refusing to listen to those who discredit or ridicule Him. Our friends and associates can have a profound influence on us, often in very subtle ways. If we insist on friendships with those who mock what God considers important, we might sin by becoming indifferent to God’s will. 

Those who diligently try to obey God’s will shall be blessed. They are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees planted along a riverbank with strong roots, and God promises to watch over them. God’s wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don’t trust and obey God have meaningless lives that blow away like dust.

The more we delight in obeying God, the more fruitful we are. On the other hand, the more we allow those who ridicule God affect our thoughts and attitudes, the more we separate ourselves from our source of nourishment. We must have contact with unbelievers if we are to witness to them, but we must not join in or imitate their sinful behaviors. If you want to despair, spend time with mocking sinners, but if you want God’s blessing, make friends with those who love God and His Word.

The apostle Paul urges believers in the same manner, saying, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer with an unbeliever?” (Second Corinthians 6 vs 14 - 16).

The apostle Paul urges believers not to form partnerships with unbelievers because such partnership might result in weakening their Christian faith or commitment, integrity, or standards, especially for those who are not strong in faith. He wanted believers to be active in witnessing for Christ to unbelievers, and should not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise their faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace never to walk in the counsel of ungodly nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful, no matter how wise they seem to be. 

Endue me with the spirit of delight in Your law, and empower me to always meditate on it, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE BELIEVER’S STRENGTH IS IN HIS ONENESS WITH CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 30, 2022.

SUBJECT: THE BELIEVER’S STRENGTH IS IN HIS ONENESS WITH CHRIST!

Memory verse: "But If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you." (Romans 8 vs 11.)

READ: Romans 6 vs 4 - 6:

6:4: Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ were raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

6:5: For if we have been untied together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 

6:6: knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

INTIMATION:

The Believer’s oneness with Christ is the source of his or her ultimate strength. The believer is recreated in Him, and have a perfect union with Him. That new man has taken the place of the old man. There is a vital, and absolute union between the believer’s spirit and the Spirit of Christ. It is as vital as the branch of the vine is vital in its union with the vine. The believers bear Him, and He bears them.

The believer can enjoy his or her new life in Christ because he or she is united with Him in His death and resurrection. The believer’s evil desires, that is, his bondage to sin, and the love of sin died with Jesus. Now, united by faith with Him in His resurrection, he or she has unbroken fellowship with God and freedom from sin's hold on him or her.

Many don't understand this freedom from sin. The power and penalty of sin died with Christ on the cross, where He nailed it, disarmed all principalities and powers, and made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it (Colossians 2 vs 14 - 15).  The "old man," the sinful nature, died once and for all, so the believer is freed from its power. The "body of sin" is not the human body, but our rebellious sin-loving nature inherited from Adam. 

Though our body willingly cooperates with our sinful nature, we must not regard the body as evil. It is the sin nature in us that is evil. And it is this power of sin at work in the believer’s body that is defeated. He is now conscious of sin, and try to avoid it. And even when they fall into sin, they regret it. 

God does not take the believers out of the world or make them robots; they will still feel like sinning, and sometimes they fall into sin. The difference is that before the recreation, the believers were slaves to their sinful nature, but now they can choose to live for Christ. Their conscience prick them when they desire to sin, or when they sin, and consequently they desire to confess, and incidentally ask for forgiveness.

God has made the believer what he or she is through Christ, and they recognize what they are and give place to the new thing. That way they glorify Him. The believer should demean himself in negative confession. When he does that, he rob Christ of the glory in His finished work in him, and ht give place to the adversary's dominance. The believer must never do it. But rather must get used to being what he is in Christ. 

Though it is hard for many Christians, who are used to magnifying weakness and failure, instead of magnifying their union with Christ, and their utter oneness with Him. They are used to glorifying the devil when confronted with negative circumstances by attributing it to him—the defeated foe. Instead of commanding the circumstance, in the Name of Jesus, to succumb to their inherent authority in their union with Christ, and their dominion over Satan and his cohorts.

Remember Psalm 23 that is transposed thus; "The Lord is my Shepherd (that is Jesus); I shall not want." In personalizing it now the prophesy is turned into reality. I boldly say, "I do not want. He kept me to live in the midst of fullness instead of in the desert place. I am drinking deeply of the water of life, the drink that satisfies. I am walking in the green pastures of His fellowship. I am enjoying the fruitage of His wonderful love life. I am one with Him, His ability is my ability. I am with Him, and thrive in His strength. With Him I can do all things."

The believer should always visualize himself in Christ. It is always a struggle to get away from the old pictures that he had before in his mind, that is, the old sin nature that has dominated his mind prior to his conversion, especially stemming out of the early teachings of sin and the consequences or it. Break away from such thoughts by waging a battle day by day against such thoughts. Now enter into the victory of the battle that is won in Christ. 

Now look at this, "What would you do if sin had never been?" As a believer, your focus should be on this question. Why? Because this is the picture you ought to see. The Father acts toward the believer as though he or she had never sinned. The Father acts as though sin had never been as far as the believer is concerned. When He recreated the believer He forgot all about his or her past. Why? The new creation has no past. It is a "now creation." This is the victory. There are no theories here that cast a dark shadow over the past life, but they are all wiped out. Now he is in the Beloved.

Beloved, now the believers are the sons of God, (First John 3 vs 2). He is the believers’ Father, and He cares absolutely for them. First Corinthians 1 vs 9 states, "God is faithful, by whom you were called into fellowship of His Son Jesus Christ our Lord." Let the believer personalize it: "My Father is faithful to me. He has called me to come and walk with His Son, to live with Him, to carry on the Son's work in His absence. He has called me to fellowship with Him." 

Fellowship means eating together, bearing up under pressure together, drinking from the same cup. He has called me to drink with Jesus, to live with Jesus, to share with Jesus in the saving of lost men and the building up of the Body of Christ through the Word.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for what You wrought for me in redemption, and the privilege of sonship through Your gift of salvation. You made me one with Christ. Therefore, give me the grace to live like Him, and for You all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Outfitted and Empowered

 

Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20–21)

Christ shed the blood of the eternal covenant. By this successful redemption, he obtained the blessing of his own resurrection from the dead. That is even clearer in Greek than it is in English, and here it’s clear enough: “God . . . brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus . . . by the blood of the eternal covenant.” This Jesus — raised by the blood of the covenant — is now our living Lord and Shepherd.

And because of all that, God does two things:

he equips us with everything good that we may do his will, and he works in us that which is pleasing in his sight.

The “eternal covenant,” secured by the blood of Christ, is the new covenant. And the new covenant promise is this: “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). Therefore, the blood of this covenant not only secures God’s equipping us to do his will, but also secures God working in us to make that equipping successful.

The will of God is not just written on stone or paper as a means of grace. It is worked in us. And the effect is: We feel and think and act in ways more pleasing to God.

We are still commanded to use the equipment he gives: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.” But more importantly we are told why: “For it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13).

If we are able to please God — if we do his good pleasure — it is because the blood-bought grace of God has moved from mere equipping to omnipotent transforming.

A Horrible Destiny

 

Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. (1 Thessalonians 1:10)

Do you remember the time you were lost as a child, or slipping over a precipice, or about to drown? Then suddenly you were rescued. You held on for “dear life.” You trembled for what you almost lost. You were happy. Oh, so happy, and thankful. And you trembled with joy.

That’s the way I feel at the end of the year about my rescue from God’s wrath. All day Christmas we had a fire in the fireplace. Sometimes the coals were so hot that when I stoked it my hand hurt. I pulled back and shuddered at the horrendous thought of the wrath of God against sin in hell. Oh, how unspeakably horrible that will be!

Christmas afternoon I visited a woman who had been burned over 87 percent of her body. She has been in the hospital since August. My heart broke for her. How wonderful it was to hold out hope to her from God’s word for a new body in the age to come! But I came away not only thinking about her pain in this life, but also about the everlasting pain I have been saved from through Jesus.

Test my experience with me. Is this trembling joy a fitting way to end the year? Paul was glad that “Jesus . . . delivers us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10). He warned that “for those who . . . do not obey the truth . . . there will be wrath and fury” (Romans 2:8). And “because of [sexual immorality, impurity, and covetousness] the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:6).

Here at the end of the year, I am finishing my trek through the Bible and reading the last book, Revelation. It is a glorious prophecy of the triumph of God, and the everlasting joy of all who “take the water of life without price” (Revelation 22:17). No more tears, no more pain, no more depression, no more sorrow, no more death, no more sin (Revelation 21:4).

But oh, the horror of not repenting and not holding fast to the testimony of Jesus! The description of the wrath of God by the “apostle of love” (John) is terrifying. Those who spurn God’s love will “drink the wine of God’s wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night” (Revelation 14:10–11).

“And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire” (Revelation 20:15). Jesus will “tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty” (Revelation 19:15). And blood will flow “from the winepress, as high as a horse’s bridle, for 184 miles” (Revelation 14:20). Whatever that vision signifies, it is meant to communicate something unspeakably terrible.

I tremble with joy that I am saved! But oh, the holy wrath of God is a horrible destiny. Flee this, brothers and sisters. Flee this with all your might. And let us save as many as we can! No wonder there is more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous (Luke 15:7)!

DO THE FIRST WORKS —REPENT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY DECEMBER 29, 2022.

SUBJECT: DO THE FIRST WORKS —REPENT!

Memory verse: "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent." (Revelation 2 vs 5.)

READ: Matthew 3 vs 1 - 2; 4 vs 17:

3:1: In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

3:2: and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

4:17: From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

INTIMATION:

Repentance means “to turn,” it is the state of being penitent, implying a change in behavior, turning from sin toward God. It is to be sorry for, or wish to have been otherwise, what one has done or left undone, it is a change of heart, and make a moral U-turn from sin to God in humility.

Jesus started His ministry with the message of repentance, and this underscores the importance of the message, and the relevance of its timing in our relationship with God. The first step in turning to God is to admit your sin. Then be sorry for it, and ask God (only Him forgives sin) to help you. God will receive you and help you live the way He wants. It is the nature of our 'Loving, and Ever Merciful Father' to forgive our sins, hence His call to us to repent. 

Consequently, in our memory verse, Jesus tells us to, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent." (Revelation 2 vs 5). And, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (First John 1 vs 9).

Your confessing your sin frees you to enjoy fellowship with Christ. It eases your conscience and lightens your care. God wants to forgive us, hence He allowed His beloved Son to die just so He could offer us pardon. When we come to Christ, He forgives all the sins we have committed or will ever commit. We don’t need to confess the sins of the past repeatedly, thinking that God will hear us by our many words. Confess your sin and believe God for forgiveness; “He that promised is faithful, and will do it.” 

Repentance happens inside with a cleansing that isn't seen right away when confession of the sin is made. True repentance is revealed in changed attitude. It does not end with words of confession, lest it would be mere lip service. It must lead to corrected behavior and changed attitude. When you sin and are truly sorry, confess this to God, ask His forgiveness, accept His grace and mercy. 

Then, as an act of thankfulness for your forgiveness, make the needed corrections. No matter how evil you have been, it is never too late to humble yourself, turn to God and ask for forgiveness. God puts no limit on the number of times we can come to Him to obtain mercy, but we must come in order to obtain it, recognizing our need and asking Him to help. Because we have a tendency to sin, repentance is the true measure of our spiritual sensitivity and makes us valuable to God.

Repentance has too sides; turning away from sin, and turning toward God. To be truly repentant, we must do both. We can't just say we believe and then live any way we choose, and neither can we simply lead a morally correct life without a personal relationship with God, because that cannot bring forgiveness of sin.

Our Ever Merciful and Loving Father is at your door knocking, calling you to repent, and do the first works. If you hear His voice do not harden your hearts. In turning to Him remains a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Prayer: My Heavenly Father, ever Merciful and Loving, I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. I repent of my sins, and I come to you now, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, my Strength and my Redeemer. Forgive me my sins. Be my Lord and personal Savior. Cancel my name in the book of death, and write my name in the Book of life. From henceforth I am yours forever, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen!

PRAISE THE LORD!

Glory Is the Goal

 

Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:2)

Seeing the glory of God is our ultimate hope. “We rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2). God will “present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy” (Jude 24).

He will “make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory” (Romans 9:23). He “calls you into his own kingdom and glory” (1 Thessalonians 2:12). “Our blessed hope [is] the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13).

Jesus, in all his person and work, is the incarnation and ultimate revelation of the glory of God. “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature” (Hebrews 1:3). “Father, I desire that they . . . may be with me where I am, to see my glory” Jesus prays in John 17:24.

“So I exhort the elders among you, as a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, as well as a partaker in the glory that is going to be revealed” (1 Peter 5:1). “The creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God” (Romans 8:21).

“We impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7). “This light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison” (2 Corinthians 4:17). “Those whom he justified he also glorified” (Romans 8:30).

Seeing and sharing in God’s glory is our ultimate hope through the gospel of Christ.

Such a hope, that is really known and treasured, has a huge and decisive effect on our present values and choices and actions.

Get to know the glory of God. Study the glory of God and the glory of Christ. Study the glory of the world that reveals the glory of God, and the glory of the gospel that reveals the glory of Christ.

Treasure the glory of God in all things and above all things.

Study your soul. Know the glory you are seduced by, and know why you treasure glories that are not God’s glory.

Study your own soul to know how to make the glories of the world collapse like the pagan idol Dagon in 1 Samuel 5:4. Let all glories that distract you from the glory of God shatter in pitiful pieces on the floor of the world’s temples. Treasure the glory of God above all this world.

LET THE JOY OF THE LORD BE IN YOU ALWAYS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 28, 2022.

SUBJECT: LET THE JOY OF THE LORD BE IN YOU ALWAYS! 

Memory verse: "Rejoice in the Lord always: Again I will say, rejoice." (Philippians 4 vs 4.)

READ: Psalm 37 vs 4 - 5; Isaiah 12 vs 3:

Psalm 37:4: Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart. 

37:5: Commit your way to the LORD, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.

Isaiah 12:3: Therefore with joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.

INTIMATION:

Joy is a common theme in Christ’s teaching—He wants us to be joyful always. The joy of the Lord is the quiet, confident assurance of God's love, and His attendant works in our lives which is constant with us in all circumstances. The joy of the Lord is lasting because it is based on God’s presence within us. The key to immeasurable joy is living in intimate relationship with Christ the source of all joy. When we do, we will experience God’s special care and protection and see the victory God brings even when defeat seems certain. The fullness of our joy comes from a consistent and intimate relationship with Christ, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit—the rivers of living water. As we contemplate His daily presence, we will find contentment. 

The Bible, in John 7 vs 37 - 39, says, “On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, “If anyone thirsts, Let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, who those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.” 

Salvation is a gift from God that ensures our overwhelming and unparalleled inheritance in Jesus Christ. You can only access this by your delighting (being joyful) in the Lord. When you delight in the Lord, you will commit your ways to Him, completely trusting in Him, and surely He will give you the desires of your heart, and ensures that they are accomplished. 

Joy comes from a consistent relationship with Jesus Christ, that is, abiding in Him, and Him in you; being a branch of the vine that you may bear fruit. Abiding in Christ means (1) believing that He is God’s Son, (2) receiving Him as Savior and Lord, (3) doing what God says, (4) continuing to believe the gospel, and (5) relating in love to the community of believers—the Body of Christ. 

When our lives are intertwined with His, He will help us walk through adversity without sinking into debilitating lows and manage prosperity without moving into deceptive highs. The joy of living with Jesus Christ daily will keep us levelheaded, no matter how high or low our circumstances. True joy transcends the rolling waves of circumstances. 

For instance, the apostle Paul wrote our memory verse to the believers in Philippi while he was in prison. It is quite strange that a man in prison will be telling a church to rejoice. But his attitude teaches an important lesson; our inner attitude do not have to reflect our outward circumstances. The apostle Paul was full of joy because he knows that no matter what happens to him, Jesus Christ was with him. 

If you are not joyful, you will never look at things in the right perspective. Ultimate joy comes from Christ indwelling within us through the Holy Spirit. He who lives within us will fulfill His final purposes for us. As we understand the future He has for us, we will experience joy. Don’t base your life on circumstances, but on God who controls circumstances.

To delight in someone means to experience great pleasure and joy in his or her presence. This happens only when we know that person well. Thus, to delight in the LORD, we must know Him better. Knowledge of God’s great love for us will indeed make us delight in Him. And we will commit ourselves to the LORD; entrusting everything—our lives, families, jobs, possessions—to His control and guidance. We are to trust in Him, believing that He can care for us better than we can ourselves. We should be willing to wait patiently for Him to work out what is best for us.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my everything. My joy is complete in You. My total confidence is in Your assured presence and fellowship with me always, Surely, Your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life as I dwell in Your presence forever, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!