WHEN YOU KNOW WHOM YOU HAVE BELIEVED!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY JANUARY 02, 2023.

SUBJECT: WHEN YOU KNOW WHOM YOU HAVE BELIEVED!

Memory verse: "For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and I am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day." (Second Timothy 1 vs 12.)

READ: Romans 8 vs 38 - 39:

838: For I am persuaded that neither death nor life nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,

8:39: nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

INTIMATION:

How many of us can proudly say, "I know Whom I have believed." When you know whom you have believed, you become unstoppable, your confidence in Him is unshakable. Our memory verse was written when the apostle Paul was in prison, but that did not stop his ministry. He carried it on through others like his spiritual son Timothy. He had lost all his material possessions, but he would never lose his faith. He trusted God to use him regardless of his circumstances. 

He so trusted God that he was not bothered about his bleak situation. He gave all his concerns to Christ, trusting Him to guard his faith and safely guard all he has entrusted to Him until the day of His return. In spite of the suffering that might have caused him to despair, he affirmed his confidence in God’s protection. This was not a claim of strong faith; rather, it was a trust in One so powerful that even a weak faith was sufficient. Hence Christ said, “If your faith is a small as a mustard seed,” it comes with tremendous power in Him.

Paul based his confidence in Christ on his intimate relationship with Him. He knew the One he trusted with personal knowledge; he knew Christ so well that no earthly experience could break the bond of love by which Christ held him. Paul had an in-depth knowledge of Christ and His earth walk. He knew Christ better than other apostles because he knew Christ in the spirit, as he was arrested by Spirit Jesus.

Christians have always had to face various unfavorable life’s circumstances. These sometimes cause them to fear that they have been abandoned by Christ. But in the passages we read today, the apostle Paul exclaims that it is impossible to be separated from Christ. His death for us is proof of His unconquerable love. Nothing can separate us from Christ’s presence. God tells us how great His love is so that we will feel totally secure in Him. If we believe these overwhelming assurances, we will not be afraid.

The Scripture, in Romans 5 vs 3 - 4, says, “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance; and perseverance, Character; and character; hope.” God’s thoughts for us is of good, hence He gives us richly all things to enjoy (First Timothy 6 vs 17). Our future in Christ is excellently superb, but we have to overcome now to become later what He has in stock for us. This means we will experience difficulties that help us grow. 

When suffering comes our way, we rejoice, not because we like pain or deny its tragedy, but because we know whom we have believed and trusted, and He is using life’s difficulties and Satan’s attacks to build our character. The problems that we run into will develop our perseverance; which in turn will strengthen our character, deepen our trust in God, and give us greater confidence about the future. You probably find your patience tested in some way every day. Thank God for those opportunities to grow, and deal with them in His strength.

The apostle James counsels us in James 1 vs 2 - 4, saying, “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” We can’t really know the depth of our character until we see how we react under pressure. You can’t really say, “I know whom I have believed” until trials come, and your reactions to them are weighed.

Many Christians when facing trials may even begin to question God, “God where are You?” “You can’t be on Your Throne and I am going through this situation.” In my considered opinion, such comments come from those who do not know whom they believed, For If they know, they will realize that “All things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose” (Romans 8 vs 28). God cannot be in any other place than His Throne. He is an “All knowing God,” and knows all about you and your circumstances, and in all these things you are a conqueror through Him who loves you. (Romans 8 vs 37.)

Prayer: Abba Father, Your love for me is unquestionable, undeniable, and unfathomable. What You cannot do for me, let it remain undone. What You cannot give me, let me never have it. Give me the grace to never shift my focus from You because I know Whom I believed, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!

BEFORE 2023 5 THINGS FOR RETREAT BY APOSTLE JOSHUA SELMAN

 

GOOD THINGS COMES IN SMALL PACKAGES BY BISHOP TD JAKES

 

GOOD WORKS IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY JANUARY 01, 2023.

SUBJECT: GOOD WORKS IS THE WILL OF GOD FOR US!

Memory verse: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2 vs 10.)

READ: Acts 9 vs 36 - 42:

9:36: Now there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.

9:37: But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

9:38: And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.

9:39: Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

9:40: But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

9:41: Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, presented her alive.

9:42: And it became known throughout all Joppa; and many believed on the Lord.

INTIMATION:

Good signifies that which is morally honorable, pleasing to God, and beneficial. Good works therefore, are works honorable, pleasing to God, and beneficial to all. God had prepared believers beforehand to walk in those good works. God, by His nature, is an epitome of goodness. For instance, we become believers through God’s unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or acts of service on our part. 

However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, not merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up His church—the Body of Christ.

To do good is the will of God for all believers, and they are to take thought of things good, prove it by doing them (Romans 12 vs 2), and cleve to it (Romans 12 vs 9). Good works are not only pleasing to God but also to man, and makes you outstanding in your society. The Scripture, in Romans 13 vs 3, says, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same.” 

The good works does not only earn you praise only in the society, but is also rewarded by God. And being conscious of this fact, the Bible says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of God” (Galatians 6 vs 10). Obviously, sometimes your good works are not recognized, and it is discouraging to continue to do good or right and receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results. But keep on doing good knowing that God will come with His reward, and in due time you will reap a harvest of blessing. 

When you do good, you receive the same from God (Ephesians 6 vs 8), and He rewards good works with glory, honor, and peace (Romans 2 vs 10). Therefore, Christians are to take thought for things honorable and do them, and also to follow after them. The Scripture instructs us thus, “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all” (First Thessalonians 5 vs 15), and not to be wary in well doing (Galatians 6 vs 9), and to hold fast that which is good (First Thessalonians 5 vs 21).

We should be zealous of good works for it is for the reason that Christ saved us; “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2 vs 14). We are redeemed and purified to imitate Him in good works, and maintain them according to the Scripture; “This is the faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” (Titus 3 vs 8.)

Now, knowing all the benefits of doing good, which includes avoidance of harm (First Peter 3 vs 13), and overcoming evil with it (Romans 12 vs 21), Christians must devote themselves to doing good works—faithful service, acts of charity, and involvement in civil affairs, to mention but a few, for this is the will of God for us; to be more like Christ.

While good works cannot save us, or even increase God’s love for us because God had already loved and saved us with or without good works, they are true indications of our faith in, and love for Christ. We should then provoke them among ourselves (Hebrews 10 vs 24),  to bear testimony by them as children of God (First Peter 2 vs 12), knowing that if our actions are good and above reproach, even unbelievers will end up praising God, and consequently turning to Him.

In the passage we read today, Dorcas made an enormous impact on her community by her good works—walking in the will of God; always doing kind things to others and helping the poor by making coats and other garments for them. When she died, the whole community was thrown into mourning. They were very sorrowful that they lost a good woman known for her good works which they will greatly miss on her passing. They were desirous of having her back, and searched for the apostle Peter, believing he can pray to God to bring her back to life.

When Peter came, the room was filled with mourners, very likely many of the people she had helped. He knelt down and prayed, and God restored her life. And when she was brought back to life, the news raced through the town, and obviously, there would have been jubilation all over the town. 

This passage teaches us that we all have our individual gifts God has endowed us with, for His use for building and edification of the Body of Christ. Though, God uses great preachers amongst us to accomplish His will, but we can’t all be preachers, and we are all witnessing for Christ. He also uses those who have gifts of kindness like Dorcas (Tabitha) to accomplish His will. Rather than wishing you had other gifts, make good use of the gifts God has given you.

The pertinent question for us all is, “What are people saying about you now?” And “What will people say about you in your passing?“ “Will you be missed, and wished to come back to life?” Truthful and sincere answers to these questions will be a quick reminder to you, to know if you are walking in the will of God. May you never never walk out of God’s will in Jesus mighty Name!

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of excellence in good works, that I may never relent in using the gifts and talents You bestowed on me for service to you in good works, and to all humanity, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

INTIMACY WITH GOD

 INTIMACY WITH GOD

It begins with your relationship to God in “INTIMACY.”  Daniel says, “They who know their God will be strong and do exploits.”  (Daniel 11:32b) Daniel knew God because he spent many disciplined hours alone with him.

This intimacy begins with the simple discipline of "being still" and grows from there. We start with learning to be quiet in God’s presence and so, to hear His whispers. It is about intimacy, not getting things from God. It is about relationship, not about telling God all the world’s needs.  Begin small by learning the first step. It will take you awhile. It took me a good year to learn to be still. I still struggle with it. We are not used to being still or listening to God’s whisper. It takes time. It takes patience, but you can learn it.

Begin with one step, the first step. Learn it well until you can discipline yourself to spend three minutes on it without distraction. A three-minute egg timer will become your best friend as you seek to discipline your mind and heart in prayer.

It is extremely important to spend adequate time in preparation for intercession since that is the discipline most often neglected or missing altogether in our times of intercession. It is important because God says it is.

Happy 2023 a year of double honour and grace!

Death Rehearsal

 

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. . . . So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:5–6, 12)

For me, the end of a year is like the end of my life. And 11:59 pm on December 31 is like the moment of my death.

The 365 days of the year are like a miniature lifetime. And these final hours are like the last days in the hospital after the doctor has told me that the end is very near. And in these last hours, the lifetime of this year passes before my eyes, and I face the inevitable question: Did I live it well? Will Jesus Christ, the righteous Judge, say “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21)?

I feel very fortunate that this is the way my year ends. And I pray that the year’s end might have the same significance for you.

The reason I feel fortunate is that it is a great advantage to have a trial run at my own dying. It is a great benefit to rehearse once a year in preparation for the last scene of your life. It is a great benefit because the morning of January 1 will find most of us still alive, at the brink of a whole new lifetime, able to start fresh all over again.

The great thing about rehearsals is that they show you where your weaknesses are, where your preparation was faulty; and they leave you time to change before the real play in front of a real audience.

I suppose for some of you the thought of dying is so morbid, so gloomy, so fraught with grief and pain that you do your best to keep it out of your minds, especially during holidays. I think that is unwise and that you do yourself a great disservice. I have found that there are few things more revolutionizing for my life than a periodic pondering of my own death.

How do you get a heart of wisdom so as to know how best to live? The psalmist answers:

You sweep them away as with a flood; they are like a dream, like grass that is renewed in the morning: in the morning it flourishes and is renewed; in the evening it fades and withers. . . . So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom. (Psalm 90:5–6, 12)

Numbering your days simply means remembering that your life is short and your dying will be soon. Great wisdom — great, life-revolutionizing wisdom — comes from periodically pondering these things.

The criterion of success, that Paul used to measure his life, was whether he had kept the faith. “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing” (2 Timothy 4:7–8). Let this be our test at year’s end.

And if we discover that we did not keep the faith this past year, then we can be glad, as I am, that this year-end death is (probably) only a rehearsal, and a whole life of potential faith-keeping lies before us in the next year.

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!