DO NOT DESPAIR!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JANUARY 06, 2023.

SUBJECT: DO NOT DESPAIR!

Memory verse: "For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life.” (Second Corinthians 1 vs 8.)

READ: Second Corinthians 4 vs 8 - 10:

4:8: We are hard pressed on every side; yet not crushed, we are perplexed, but not in despair;

4:9: persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—

4:10: always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body.

INTIMATION:

Do not despair or lose hope in following Christ, the circumstances you may find yourselves nothing withstanding. It’s in situations of hopelessness in your life that God shows up for you, If you do not despair and hold tight to your trust in Him. God will never abandon those who seek Him with all their hearts. His promise doesn’t mean that if we trust in Him, we will escape loss or suffering; it means that God Himself will never leave us no matter what we face. Regardless of how life looks now, God controls the future. He has promised to make everything right when we trust Him with our lives. The Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will never be put to shame” (Romans 10 vs 11). 

In our memory verse, and in the passage we read today, the apostle Paul enumerated their encounters during their missionary journeys in Asia. They were faced with so many trials, and were entangled with several dangerous circumstances that at some point the apostle Paul felt that they were going to die and lost hope. They knew not what else to do than to put their hope in God. They realized that they could do nothing to help themselves—they simply had to rely on God, and He never failed them.

The apostle Paul reminds us that though we may think we are at the end of our rope, we are never at the end of our hope. All our risks, humiliations, and trials are opportunities for Christ to demonstrate His power and presence in us and through us to the world.  Circumstances are never so bad that they are beyond God’s help. 

Daniel and his friends; the three Hebrew young men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Aded-Nego— never despaired in the face of trials, even with their lives glaringly at stake. They pledged their utter obedience to and trust in God, and God showed up for them. In Daniel chapter 3, the young men determined not to worship the golden image of the king or any other god, and they courageously took their stand in the presence of the king, even when they risked execution in the fiery furnace. 

King Nebuchadnezzar was enraged when they disobeyed him and ordered they throw the young men into the fiery furnace after heating it twice the former temperature. The young men never despaired. God showed up for them in the furnace; they were unburnt and came out without even the smell of smoke on them.

Daniel also, in Daniel chapter 6, never despaired in praying to His God three times a day, even when faced with penalty of being thrown into the lions’ den should he pray to His God within the 30 days period stipulated by the king for everybody under his rulership to offer prayers to the king alone. When he was thrown into the lions’ den, God showed up for him, and shut the lions’ mouths. He came out the following morning unhurt.

 

We need never despair, the circumstances we are in not withstanding, because we belong to a loving God. And with Him nothing is difficult nor impossible. He knows the end from the beginning, and we don’t yet know what good He may bring out of a seemingly hopeless situation. For the Scripture says, “And we know 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 works in “all things”—not just isolated incidents—for our good. And He who called you is faithful and will never deny Himself.

We often depend on our own skills and abilities when life seems easy and only turn to God when we feel unable to help ourselves. But as we realize our own powerlessness without Him and our need for His constant help in our lives, we come to depend on Him more and more. God is our source of power, and we receive His help by keeping in touch with Him. With this attitude of dependence, problems will drive us to God rather than away from Him. Learn how to rely on God.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace not to despair no matter the circumstances I face in life, knowing that You will never leave nor forsake me, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Clothe Yourself In His Armor

What is the first thing you do after taking a bath?  Get dressed!  I am so glad provision has been made for our nakedness! God commands us to “Put on”, as elect of God. We are commanded to “put on the Lord Jesus,”   “Put on the new man,”  and to “Put on the whole armor of God.”   So put it on!  That means dress in it. Reckon it to be so before the throne. Stand in Him complete.

Abraham believed God and it was “imputed” to him as righteousness. That word imputed means it was credited to his account. Though he was bankrupt himself, God applied it to his account because of his faith.  Believe God and apply His provision for your nakedness.

The Old Testament book of Zechariah, chapter three contains a wonderful example of the need to put on, or to reckon ourselves clothed in the righteousness of God, and in the armor of the Lord. Joshua, the high priest, was standing before the Lord and Satan was at his right hand accusing him before the throne of God. Everything Satan brought against him was true except for one thing - God said, “I forgave him. I clothed him. Leave him alone!”  Therefore God commanded the angel of the Lord to take off Joshua’s dirty tattered garments and give him a robe of pure white, a turban on his head, and a scepter in his hand. Then God looks at him and says, “Is not this the brand plucked out of the fire?”

There Are Two Parts to Reckoning:

1.  Principle of Position - seeing yourself in heavenly places as God sees you.

2.  Principle of Practice - exercising authority in Christ in heavenly places

 

Principle of Position

There is a “Principle of Position” that we all need to learn. It is the principle that though we all fall far short of the glory of God, God himself has made provision for us. His provision is that we can put on Christ. We wear his righteousness, his white robe, his crown, his authority. As God sees us in heaven he sees us through his perfect sacrifice, Jesus Christ his Son. We are brands plucked out of the fire. Reckon it to be so! See yourself as God sees you… “and you are complete in him.”(Colossians 2:10)

 

“To Reckon” is to appropriate God’s invisible truth as our visible reality.

“To Believe” is to see the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Faith applies to our hearts the heavenly realities that God already sees.

• Put on the Lord Jesus Christ
• Put on His Righteousness
• Put on the Whole Armor of God

Principle of Practice – Using Your Authority

How do we exercise our God-given authority in Christ?  How do we address the devil in our prayers? (We certainly don’t pray to him.)

Weapons

God has clearly given us “Weapons of our Warfare” for the pulling down of strongholds. Our weapons (the word literally is “strategies”) are mighty through God to the pulling down of strongholds, casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalts itself above the knowledge of God, and brings every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ.” (2 Corinthians 10:4-6)

Words

The sword of the Spirit, is the Word of God. God’s word is that which we use as our offense. It cuts, penetrates, convicts, declares, exposes, and casts out the enemies of God. Jesus said, “All authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth.” That is why whatever we bind on earth will be bound in heaven. (Matt. 16:19, 18:18) That authority is in his word, his ultimate authoritative command. We simply wield the sword. Just point it in the right direction.

Prayers

“Be strong” or be bold, boldfaced, courageous, aggressive, un-intimidated - Eph 6:10

“A hand upon the throne” - Exodus 17:16

“A hedge of protection” - Ezekiel 22:30

“Boldly to the throne of grace” - Hebrews 4:16

SPIRITUAL WARFARE

1.  PUT ON THE ARMOR OF GOD            Ephesians 6:11-18

2.  BE STRONG IN THE LORD!                 Ephesians 6:10

3.  BIND THE ENEMY                                 Matthew 18:18-20

4.  RESIST THE DEVIL                               James 4:7

5.  CLAIM THE BLOOD                               Revelation 12:11

6.  LOOSE THE CAPTIVES                        Luke 4:18

7.  PULL DOWN STRONGHOLDS             II Corinthians. 10:3-5

8.  PUT A HEDGE OF PROTECTION        Ezekiel 22:30

9.  COMMAND HIM TO LEAVE                  Matthew 10:1

10. REBUKE HIM IN JESUS                      Matthew 17:18

 

It is only when we stand in our own righteousness that we should be afraid to stand before the enemy, for our righteousnesses are as "filthy rags" but the righteousness of Christ is called the armor of God.

Who I am in Christ

Biblical Truths to “Practice Believing”

I AM GOD’S…

• possession

• child

• workmanship

• friend

• temple

• vessel

• co-laborer

• witness

• soldier

• ambassador

• building

• instrument

• chosen

• beloved

• precious jewel

I HAVE BEEN…

• redeemed by the blood

• set free from sin and condemnation

• set free from Satan’s control

• set free from Satan’s kingdom

• chosen before the foundation of the world

• predestined to be like Jesus

• forgiven of all my trespasses

• cleansed by the blood of the Lamb

• given a sound mind

• given the Holy Spirit

• adopted into God’s family

• justified freely by his grace

• given all things pertaining to life and godliness

• given great and precious promises

• authority over all the power of the enemy

• access to God

• been given wisdom

I AM…

• complete in him

• free forever from sin’s power

• sanctified and meet for the Master’s use

• loved eternally

• eternally kept in the palm of his hand

• kept by the power of God

• not condemned

• one with the Lord

• on my way to heaven

• alive, quickened by his mighty power

• seated with Christ in heavenly places

• the head and not the tail

• light in the darkness

• candle in a dark place

• city set on a hill
• salt of the earth

• his sheep

• a citizen of heaven

• hidden with Christ in God

• protected from the evil one

• kept by the power of God

• secure in Christ

• set on a Rock

• more-than-a-conqueror

• born again

• a victor

• healed by his strips

• covered by the blood of Jesus

• sheltered under his wing

• hidden in the secret place of the Almighty

I HAVE…

• access to the Father

• a home in heaven waiting for me

• all things in Christ

• a living hope

• an anchor to my soul

• a hope that is steadfast and unmoveable

• authority to tread on serpents

• power to witness

• the tongue of the learned

• the mind of Christ

• boldness and access

• peace with God

• faith as a grain of mustardseed

I CAN…

• do all things through Christ who strengthens me

• find mercy and grace to help in needs

• come boldly to the throne of grace

• quench all the firey darts of the wicked one

• tread on the serpent

• defeat the enemy

• declare God’s truth

• pray always and everywhere

• chase a thousand

I CANNOT…

• be separated from God’s love

• be lost

• be removed from His grasp

• taken out of the Father’s hand

TRUST AND AWAIT GOD’S TIME!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JANUARY 05, 2023.

SUBJECT : TRUST AND AWAIT GOD’S TIME!

Memory verse: "For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it will speak, and it will not lie: though it tarries, wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry.” (Habakkuk 2 vs 3.) 

READ: Daniel 8 vs 16 - 19:

8:16: And I heard a man’s voice between the banks of the Ulai, who called, and said, “Gabriel make this man understand the vision.”

8:17: So he came near where I stood, and when he came I was afraid and fell on my face; but he said to me, “Understand, son of man, that the vision refers to the time of the end.”

8:18: Now, as he was speaking with me, I was in a deep sleep with my face to the ground; but he touched me, and stood me upright.

8:19: And He said, “Look, I am making known to you what shall happen in the latter time of the indignation, for at the appointed time the end shall be.

INTIMATION:

God is our Creator, and is 'All-Knowing’—perfect in knowledge. The end of all things are known to Him from the beginning (Isaiah 46 vs 10.). Even when we are yet unformed in our mother’s womb, He knew us and everything about us. God created all things, and planned all things according to His purpose and timing; "To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven." Ecclesiastes 3 vs 1.)  And at the fullness of His time—at His appointed time, He will cause things to happen according to His predetermined purposes. For this reason, He is always on time. He planned the time, and does His bidding at the fullness of the planned time. 

From our perspective, God sometimes seems slow to intervene on our behalf. But what might appear slow to us is good timing from God’s perspective. It’s easy to become impatient while waiting for God to act, but we must never give up on Him. When God is silent and you are in deep anguish, be patient and know that “all things work together for good to those that love God, to those who are the called according to His “ (Romans 8 vs 28). All you need do is sit down and review your life; what God has done for you, and also review the great acts of God throughout biblical history. This will remind you that God is at work, not only in history, but also in your life today.

God will act when He is ready. For instance, children have difficulty grasping the concept of time. “It’s not time yet” is not a reason they easily understand because they only comprehend the present. And as His children, and as limited human beings, we can’t understand God’s perspective about time. We want everything now, unaware that God’s timing is better. When God is ready, He will do what needs to be done, not what we would like Him do. We may be as impatient as children, but we must not doubt the wisdom of God’s timing. Wait for God to reveal His plan. Don’t take matters into your own hands.

God’s answer doesn’t always come the moment we want it. but God answers us when He knows the right time has come. God knows the best time to act. When you feel that God has forgotten you in your troubles, remember that God has a time schedule we can’t see. God may have seemed slow to you when in distress, and every day you longed to be delivered. But God is not slow, He just is not on our timetable. God is not limited by time. It’s easy to get discouraged when years pass by and the world doesn’t get better. 

We sometimes wonder if God is able to see the future. But don’t assume that God has our limitations. God is completely unrestricted by time. Because He is eternal, we can depend on Him. If it seems slow in coming, wait patiently for it, for surely it will take place, if God has assured about it. Of course, it isn’t easy to be patient but, “though it tarry, wait for it; because it will surely come.” (Habakkuk 2 vs 3.) We must trust God even when we don’t understand why events occur as they do.

For instance, who will imagine the Savior of the world working in a small-town carpenter’s shop until He was 30 years old! It seems incredible that Jesus would have been content to remain in Nazareth all that time, but He patiently trusted His Father’s timing for His life and ministry. Like Jesus, we need to resist the temptation to jump ahead before receiving the Spirit’s direction. Don’t jump ahead—trust God’s timing.

Jesus, during His earth walk, demonstrated God’s timing in events. When His friend Lazarus died due to sickness, He took four days to get to this family He loved and often stayed with. He knew their pain but did not respond immediately. His delay had a specific purpose. He said, “This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it.” (John 11 vs 14.) God’s timing, especially His delays, may make us think He is not answering or is not answering the way we want. But He will meet all our needs according to His perfect schedule and purpose (Philippians 4 vs 19.) Patiently await His timing. 

God is with believers through every situation, in every trial; protecting, loving, guiding them (Psalm 46 vs 1; 59 vs 16), and has promised He would never leave them nor forsake them (Hebrews 13 vs 5), and will be with them always, even up to the end of age (Matthew 28 vs 20). He knows and loves the believers completely. God is perfect (Matthew 5 vs 48), and consequently, everything about Him is perfect. He knows us better than we know ourselves, and He knows us perfectly. Trust His judgement and trust that He has your best interests in mind (Jeremiah 29 vs 11).

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my Faithful Companion, and Loving Father. I know You have the best plan and time for me. Let it be to me according to Your perfect timing, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

CONFESSION OF SIN

 

Confession of Sin

“If we confess our sins He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness”  1 John 1:9

John, the beloved disciple, warns us against an attitude of innocence before a holy God. To say that we have nothing to confess to God is to call Him a liar, and to practice selfdeception before our Maker.  David says: "Behold I was shaped in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me." (Psalm 51:5)  And Isaiah adds to his own unworthiness before a holy God when he says: "All of our righteousnesses (that is, our best efforts) are as filthy rags."  (Isaiah 64:6) Most of us misread that passage and think that God means “all of our unrighteousnesses.” But it is all our best effort at right living that are still as filthy rags. Even if we could keep all the law and stumble in only one small point we would be guilty of all.

Woe Is Me!

Isaiah, a man filled with the Spirit, a prophet of God, a man above reproach, is a good example of this truth.  In Isaiah 6 he first sees the Lord in all his beauty, high and lifted up, and glorified.  The sight was so awesome that the just and righteous Isaiah fell on His face before God with an acute awareness of his own sinful nature.  He was not exaggerating. He was not bemoaning the sinfulness of other people. He saw himself in the light of God’s holiness and cried "Woe is me I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips."  (Isaiah 6:1-5)

We are not just to come into God's presence presumptuously, but humbly (2 Chronicles 7:14) contritely, with a sincere perspective on our own nature.  We need a vision of ourselves, our true fallen nature, our minds which are unclean, and of which God knows every passing thought. (Psalm 139:1-5)

Bankruptcy

Until we recognize our own state of bankruptcy before a holy God we cannot truly lean upon His Righteousness, without which no man will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)  We would instead come into his presence as the Pharisee, proud, bragging of his kept laws, righteous deeds, his right to gain the Father's favor.   We need to see ourselves as destitute, and totally depraved, without the righteousness of Christ.  We have nothing of which to boast. We, are as the rich church of Laodicea in Revelation 3:14-22. We need to see ourselves as God sees us.  “Lukewarm...wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked.”

A.W. Tozer says:

"We need to admit...the shallowness of our inner experience, the hollowness of our worship, the worldliness of our lives,  our fleshly fallen nature that lives on, yet unjudged within us, uncrucified and unrepudiated, and the hyphenated sins of the  human spirit, self-righteousness, self-pity, selfconfidence,  self-sufficiency, self-admiration, self-love, self-indulgence,  and a host of other self-sins.   They are not something we do, they are something we are..."                             

The Pursuit of God

REGARDING INIQUITY IN MY HEART

"If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not hear me." Psalm 66:18

To regard iniquity means to leave it alone, to tolerate it, to know it is there and do nothing about it. It is to hide it, to cover it by excuses, to consider it unimportant, to ignore its dangers.

God considers any iniquity to be an abomination.  An abomination is a horrible disgusting thing. There are no "good guy" iniquities, no little white lies, no insignificant rebellions of the heart!  God calls rebellion in any form "as the sin of witchcraft, and stubbornness as idolatry." (1 Samuel 15:23)   God considers sin as sin and all equally appalling to His holiness.  Sin in our heart is to the Lord as festering sores, and maggots in his holy offerings – slimy, crawling, slithering, disgusting, maggots defiling the whole!  (Isaiah 1:6)

Daniel was conscious of the subtle ways in which sin surrounds us and creeps into our thoughts, actions, and in-actions.  In his exemplary prayer in Daniel 9 he identifies nine faces of sin.

WE HAVE ...

1.  Sinned  v 5 Missed the mark, fallen short

2.  Committed iniquity v 5 Deliberate conscious sin

3.  Done wickedly v 5 Life-style habitual sin

4.  Rebelled v 5/9 Said no to God!

5.  Not hearkened v 6 Closed our ears, ignored

6.  Not obeyed voice v 10 Grieved the Holy Spirit

7.  Transgressed law v 11 Legal term, to know law and disobey

8.  Departed from God  v 11 Backslidden, wandered away

9.  Made not prayer v 13 Sin of prayerlessness

 

DEAL WITH SIN !

Jesus emphasized the need to deal with sin each time he spoke of prayer.  In the Lord's prayer he deals heavily with the need to deal severely with sin.   That is, in fact, the primary lesson of the Lord's Prayer.  Immediately after citing it he pointed out the need to forgive as well as ask for forgiveness.   In Matthew 5:23-26 Jesus further deals with sin in prayer by saying that when we come to God's altar with an offering we must first do something about broken relationships before we pray and offer praise!!!  An attempt at reconciliation must be made before our prayers will be heard.  I Peter 3:7 includes the marital relationship as being a hindering factor in prayer.

 

CONFESSION OF SIN

A man that truly enters into the presence of God cannot but help to see himself as unclean.  Even the Scripture admits that "all of our good deeds are as filthy rags."  So was the feeling of Isaiah before the throne in Isaiah 6, and of Daniel in chapter 9.   The holiness of God cannot tolerate the presence of sin!   We are exhorted to confess our sins to God (I John 1:8-9), and even admit our faults one to another (James 5:16) so as to pray effectively and fervently and be healed.

 

WHAT TO DO WITH YOUR SIN
Conviction is seeing sin as exceedingly sinful.

Repentance is "Agreeing with God about my sin," and turning from it.

Confession is exposing it to God & asking Him to forgive and cleanse.

We cannot do penance for our sins, it would do no good. We cannot pay the penalty of our sins. The penalty or "wage of sin is death."  Therefore God has provided a better way. We lay our sins on Jesus.

Isaiah 53 is a magnificent passage that describes the atonement of Jesus Christ for sins. Jesus paid it all on the cross. That is why he could say, "It is finished."  Verse five says, "He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon him, and with his stripes we are healed."  Verse six goes on, "All we like sheep have gone astray, we have turned everyone to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquities of us all." Verse twelve goes even further, "He was numbered with the transgressors; and he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors."

There is nothing more for me to do but lay my sins on Jesus. That is why the thief on the cross could be saved. He could not do penance. He could not make restitution for what he had done. He could not even prove his sincerity. He simply laid his sin on Jesus and said, "Have mercy on me." That is what Jesus came to do."Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."

Lay your sins on Jesus - he is your sin-bearer. Then rejoice in what God says he has done with your sins. Confession is not commiserating or grieving over your fallen nature, your secret thoughts, or your sins of commission or omission, but asking and receiving forgiveness and the covering of the blood of Jesus. Do not leave the altar of confession without appropriating the provisions of the cross!. Be forgiven and give thanks.

What happens to confessed sins?

1. They were paid in full - Romans 5:11 / Isaiah 53:6
2. They were forgiven/pardoned  – 1 John 1:9
3. They were laid on him – Isaiah 53:6
4. They were washed whiter than snow – Isaiah 1:18
5. They were covered – Psalm 32:1
6. They were cleansed by blood of Jesus – Hebrews 9:22/ 10:4
7. They were blotted out – Isaiah 44:22
8. They were removed as far as east from west  – Psalm 103:12
9. They were cast in depths of sea – Micah 7:19
10. They were forever forgotten – Jeremiah 31:34

Read Psalm 51 and Psalm 139 as part of your confession of sin.

Song: It is Well.

My sin, O the bliss of this glorious thought

My sin, not in part but the whole,

Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,

Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord, O my soul.

 

GIVE THANKS UNTO GOD

 

Give Thanks

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving.”

Thanksgiving naturally follows confession and forgiveness! We did not put it in third place right next to worship lest we be tempted to think that worship and thanksgiving are the same thing. They are not. Thanksgiving is a distinct act of the will. It recognizes the hand of God and is thankful. It chooses to give God credit for what he has done, and what he has promised, while worship praises God for who He is.

In Everything Give Thanks

Thanks giving is to be as much a part of the believer’s life as breathing.  We are exhorted to live in thankfulness to God, and to exalt him with continual expressions of thanks regardless of our present circumstances. "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (2 Thessalonians 5:18)

In prayer we are exhorted to give thanks profusely for the goodness of the Lord, for all his benefits, for his mercies, for his faithfulness, for his steadfast love, for loads of blessings.  Psalm 100 is an excellent guide for entering the presence of God. "Enter his gates with thanksgiving and into his courts with praise: Be thankful unto him, and bless His name." Unthankfulness and silence curses God’s name. It brings him shame.

Ingratitude

It was Israel's ingratitude of heart, the murmuring, the complaining, the grumbling, that brought on the wrath of God.  It was not that God had not blessed.  He had over and over again!  It is that men soon forget the goodness of the Lord.  We are quick to forget his answers to our prayers, His mercies in our troubles, His healings when we are sick, His forgiveness when we fail, His provisions in our need.  Well did the psalmist groan in Psalm 107, "O Give thanks unto the Lord, for He is good...Oh, that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!"

The Psalms are filled with expressions of thanks to God on every side.  Oh, may our lives, our lips, be continual psalms of thanksgiving!   The apostle Paul commands the same principle in the New Testament, regardless of the circumstances we are to be thankful and think on the good things the Lord has done. "Be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving,  let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God which passes all understanding shall keep you hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Good Mental Health

Good mental health begins with a thankful attitude of heart.  "A merry heart does good like medicine...He that has a merry heart has a continual feast." (Proverbs 15:13 / 17:22) Depression and discouragement are the inability to see the goodness of God around you.  David frequently expressed his depression, "I had fainted unless I had believed to see the goodness of God in the land of the living."  (Psalm 27:13) The eyes of faith see the goodness of God even in the midst of adversity.  God’s purposes, plans, and provisions are always good!  Remember, He is working it out. Be thankful while He works it out. (Romans 8:28 and Jeremiah 29:11)

Forget Not All His Benefits

Forgetfulness of God's multiplied blessings is sin. Forgeting or neglecting to give Him thanks is the sin of ingratitude - at least it is taking God for granted. D.L. Moody in commenting on Psalm 103 said, "I can't remember all his benefits and blessings, but I dare not forget all of them either." Thanksgiving is remembering God's good gifts and giving Him the credit due his name.
 

• Psalm 103:2-5 "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Whoforgives all your iniquities; who heals allyour diseases; who redeems your life from destruction; who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies; whosatisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's."
• Psalm 68:19  "Blessed be the Lord, who daily loads us with benefits..."
• James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift comes down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."

Thanksgiving Is a Sacrifice to God

Hebrews 13:15 points out that thanksgiving is a sacrifice to God. A sacrifice of our lips, that is to be offered up to God continually.  Thanksgiving is not easy. It is tough to be thankful and express thanks from the heart for everything. Wouldn't prayer be wonderfully transformed if we would offer 10 sacrifices of thanksgiving for every request we make of God?

Practical Disciplines

1.  Thank God for His Creation, your own body (Psalm 139:14)
 
2.  Thank God for His provisions. For everything you have. List each thing for which you are thankful.
 
3.  Thank God for people He has put into your life. Name them by name and what you are thankful for.
 
4.  Thank God for little things. Start with the smallest things you can think of for which you are thankful.  From there work toward the bigger things he has done. Never start with the big lest you despise the small. Do not despise the day of small things. (Zech. 4:10)
 
5.  Thank God for hard things. "In everything give thanks...for this is the will of God..." Thank God for the trials and adversities that come to make us strong. They are what make us lean on Him. So thank Him!
 
6.  Thank God for everything. Keep a notebook handy in which you write down your thanksgiving list. It helps!

Use these Psalms to guide your thanksgiving. Pray the Psalms. Mark them as "Thanksgiving" in your Bible: Psalm 103; 104; 105; 107; 111; 118; 124; 126; 136; 139

OF WHAT FRUIT ARE YOU KNOWN?

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 04, 2023.

SUBJECT: OF WHAT FRUIT ARE YOU KNOWN?

Memory verse: "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?" (Matthew 7 vs 16.)

READ: Matthew 7 vs 17 - 20:

7:17: Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

7:18: A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

7:19: Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

7:20: Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

INTIMATION:

In the passage we read today, fruit metaphorically denotes works or deeds. The fruit being the visible expression of power working inwardly and invisibly, and the character of the fruit being evidence of the character of the power producing it. Our speeches and actions largely reveal our true underlying beliefs, attitudes, and motivations which is the fruits in our lives. What is in your heart, that is, the fruit in your life will come out in your speech and behavior. And usually the good impressions (the fruit in our lives ) we try to make cannot last If we are being deceptive. 

What then are the visible expressions of the power working inwardly and invisibly in your life—the fruit in your life? As the visible expressions of hidden lusts are the works of the flesh, so the invisible power of the Holy Spirit in those who are brought into living union with Christ and produces the fruit of the Spirit. But our lives can even be of no fruit, and God abhors such life.

Now, see what Jesus did to a fig tree in Matthew 21 vs 18 - 19; “Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fid tree withered away.”

The question is why did Jesus curse the fig tree? Jesus was showing His anger on religion without substance—Christianity without results. Just as the fig tree looked good from a distance but was fruitless on close observation, so is Christianity without commensurate works. If you only appear to have faith without putting it to work in your life, you are like the fig tree that withered and died because it bore no fruit, it was fruitful in appearance only but was without fruits. Genuine faith means bearing fruit for God’s kingdom. 

The Scripture, in John 15 vs 16, Jesus said, “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.”

As Christians, we are evaluated by the kind of fruit we bear. Good Christians consistently exhibit good behavior and high moral standards as they seek to live out the truths of the Scriptures. Jesus is not expecting a perfect character, but rather a show of genuine commitment in the works of the Christian toward His kingdom. It’s only Jesus that will perfect us on His return, but our sanctification is continuous until His return (Hebrews 10 vs 14).

The Scriptures in John 15 vs 1 - 8, Jesus gave us requirements for a fruit bearing believer. “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. As the branch cannot bear fruit unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15 vs 1 - 2; 4 - 5.)

Christ is the vine, the branches are His followers, and God is the vinedresser who cares for the branches to make them fruitful. The fruitful branches are true believers who by their living union with Christ produce much fruits. But those who become unproductive—those who turn back from following Christ after making a superficial commitment—will be separated from the vine because they are as good as dead and will be cut off and tossed aside. 

The fruit of Christian life are; godliness (crucified flesh with its passion and desires), faith, virtue, knowledge, perseverance, soul winning, answered prayer, love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, self-control. All these are unified character of the Lord, hence the Scripture usually refers to them singularly as “fruit,” instead of “fruits.” They are all in contrast with the confused, and often mutually antagonistic “work of the flesh.”

They are referred to in the Scriptures as “The fruit of righteousness,” that is, all of the character traits flowing from a right relationship with God (Philippians 1 vs 11). In Hebrews 12 vs 11, the fruit of righteousness is described as “peaceable fruit”; the outward effect of Divine chastening sown in peace in the believer. It is also called the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5 vs 22 -24).

The fruit of the Spirit is the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in us. The Spirit produces these character traits that are found in the nature of Christ. They are the by-products of Christ’s control. To obtain the fruit, we must abide in Him —join our life to His—we must know Him, believe in Him, receive Him as our Savior and Lord, love Him, obey Him, remember Him, and imitate Him. As a result we will fulfill the intended purpose of the law—to love God and our neighbors. 

Our desire as Christians should be to produce fruit in likeness of Christ and acceptable to God and which outlasts death. The Scripture, in Revelation 14 vs 13, says, “Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they rest from their labors, and their works follow them.” 

God’s people should produce fruits that survive even death. Yes God will only remember our love, kindness, faithfulness, and our kingdom advancement endeavors. While it is true that money, fame, and possessions are good, but they are abandoned here on earth when you die, and God does not reckon such for you, But God is only mindful of what you achieved with the things He has given you and in your relationship with Him and others while you lived on earth. Now, the choice is yours. What kinds of fruit are you bearing?

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to bear remarkable fruits that survive even death, and rewarded by You in eternity, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

WHO WILL THE LORD SAY YOU ARE?

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY JANUARY 03, 2022.

SUBJECT: WHO WILL THE LORD SAY YOU ARE?

Memory verse: "Then the Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job, that there is none like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, one who fears God and shuns evil?” (Job 1 vs 8.) 

READ: Matthew 16 vs 13 - 17:

16:13: When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”

16:14: So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, Some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”

16:15: He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

16:16: Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 

16:17: Jesus answered and said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.

INTIMATION:

Have you ever thought of such idea or bothered about who God will say you are? Interestingly, this should be the most important question in everyone’s life, and requires a sincere answer from each of us. This is because of the Day—the judgement Day when every one will appear before the Lord; ”For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what He has done, whether good or bad.” (Second Corinthians 5 vs 10.) “As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9 vs 27). 

Christ will judge each and everyone of us, both the living and the dead, and He will reward us for how we have lived. Although judgment is already working in our lives, there will be a future, final judgment when Christ returns (Matthew 25 vs 31 - 46), and everyone’s life will be reviewed and evaluated. For the believers, their eternal destiny is secure, but Jesus will look at how they handled gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities in order to determine their heavenly rewards. 

God’s gracious gift of salvation does not free us from the requirement of faithful obedience. Everybody, Christians and non-Christians,  must give account of how they lived before Christ. The question is, “How will Christ see you?” Can He testify of your goodness, obedience, and faithfulness? In our memory verse, God testified about Job; He Inquired from Satan if he had seen His servant Job. God’s servants are faithful to Him in all they do. They serve Him with their whole lives. It was a great honor to Job; it placed him amongst His known servants as Moses and David. God was boastful about His servant Job, and reposed great confidence in him. 

Job was a model of trust and obedience to God, and because of God’s confidence in him, He permitted Satan to attack him in an especially harsh manner. God trusted Job not to cave in to Satan’s wicked ploys to make him doubt whom he believed. Can God say this of any of us? Can God repose such confidence He had in Job in you? This calls for concern to each and every one of us.

Satan wanted to prove that Job worshiped God, not out of love, but because God had given him so much. Satan felt that Job had no reason to turn against God that had blessed him exceedingly. Ever since he had started following God, everything had gone well for Job, and should God withdraw His blessings and protection around him, Job will deny or turn his back on God. Athough, it was an obvious falsehood about Job’s motives, Satan accurately analyzed why many people trust God. They are fair-weather believers, following God only when everything is going well or for what they can get. 

Adversity destroys this superficial faith. But adversity strengthens real faith by causing believers to dig their roots deeper into God in order to withstand the storms. How deep does your faith go? Put the roots of your faith down deep into God so that you can withstand any storm you may face.

Although God loves us, believing and obeying Him do not shelter us from life’s calamities. Setbacks, tragedies, and sorrows strike Christians and non-Christians alike. But in the believer’s tests and trials, God is with him and his triumph is guaranteed. God expects us to express our faith to the world. How do you respond to your troubles? Do you ask God, “Why me?” or do you say, “Use me!”?

The conversation between God and Satan teaches us an important fact about God—He is fully aware of every attempt by Satan to bring suffering and difficultly upon us. While God may allow us to suffer for a reason beyond our understanding, He is never caught by surprise with our troubles and is always with us in our challenges. His compassion for His children never fails. 

Jesus was also mindful of who people say He was during His earth walk. He inquired from His disciples who people say He is. However, He was concerned about whom His Father says He is, and eventually, when Peter answered correctly, He noted that this was revealed to him by His Father in heaven.  We should also be mindful of who our Father in heaven says we are. 

We should be concerned about how we live, and lead our lives hear on earth; our obedience, faithfulness, and trust in God in words and in deeds. We should also be mindful of what our fellow believers say or think of us, knowing that those who are faithful to the end will reign with Him as He judges the world. (See Revelation 2 vs 26 - 27).

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of raw obedience to You and Your Word, that I may lead a life worthy of Your crown of glory and be found worthy on the Day of judgment, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!