TRIALS IN THE FIRES OF HARD TIMES!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MARCH 08, 2023.

SUBJECT: TRIALS IN THE FIRES OF HARD TIMES!

Memory verse: "So that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,” (Second Thessalonians 1 vs 4.) 

READ: James 1 vs 2 - 4; First Peter 1 vs 6 - 8:

James 1:2:My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 

1:3: knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 

1:4: But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

First Peter 1:6: in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

1:7: that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 

1:8: whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory:

INTIMATION:

Fires of hard times are the life’s difficulties we experience as we live for Christ. All believers face trials when they let their light shine into the darkness. They will experience troubles because they are trying to be God’s people in a perverse world. Believers must understand, therefore, that life’s trial is an occasion for joy when it comes as a result of one’s commitment in Christ. We must accept trials as part of the refining process that burns away impurities and prepares us to meet Christ. We must also understand that the many trials are occasions for spiritual growth and development of character. 

Since God uses Satan’s work against him, then trials or persecution manifests that God is going to use Satan’s work to accomplish something that is good in the life every believer (Romans 8 vs 28). We should note that the candidates for heaven must be tried in the fires of hard times in order to prepare their characters for eternal dwelling. As gold is heated, impurities float to the top and can be skimmed off. Likewise, our trials, struggles, and persecutions refine and strengthen our faith, making us useful to God. Then we can count it all joy when we have to endure many trials. 

Instead of asking, “Why me?” we should respond to suffering with a new sets of responses: (1) Confidence that God knows, plans, and directs our lives for our good. It’s hard to calculate sometimes, but God always provides His love and strength for us. He leads us toward a better future. (2) Perseverance when facing grief, anger, sorrow, and pain. We express our grief, but we don’t give in to bitterness and despair. (3) Courage because with Jesus as our Brother and Savior, we need not be afraid. He who suffered for us will not abandon us. Jesus carries us through everything. 

The key of surviving life’s difficulties is in patience, faith and joy in the Lord. When faced with crushing troubles, we should have faith in God because it pleases Him, and be patient, for God uses our trials for our good and for His glory, knowing that God will not forsake His people (Deuteronomy 4 vs 31). The godly life in Christ brings about persecution because Satan will rise up against all that God represents in this world. God is fair and just, and will give us patience in our suffering because He has not forgotten us. In His perfect timing, He will relieve our suffering and punish those who persecute us. 

The apostle Paul said in Romans 5 vs 3 - 4; “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character, hope.” Paul tells us that in the future we will become, but until then we must overcome. This means that we will experience difficulties that will help us grow. We rejoice in suffering, not because we like pain or deny its tragedy, but because we know God is using life’s difficulties and Satan’s attacks to build our character. The problems 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.

Your troubles may be an indication that you are taking a stand for Christ. When you do so, you are experiencing the privilege of showing that you are worthy of God’s kingdom (Second Thessalonians 1 vs 11). As believers, our calling from God is to become like Christ; be patient in suffering, and have faith in God to actualize, at the long run, His purposes in our lives. Becoming like Christ is a gradual, lifelong process that will be completed when we see Christ face to face (First John 3 vs 2). 

Some people say that troubles are the result of sin or lack of faith, but they may be a part of God’s plan for believers. Our problems can help us look upward and forward, instead of inward (Philippians 3 vs 13 - 14), they can build strong character, and they can provide us with opportunities to comfort others who also are struggling (Second Corinthians 1 vs 3 - 5). We must acknowledge that the proving of testing of our faith produces a character that is able to endure trials. It is also an opportunity for our faith to be proved genuine and strengthened. 

As believers we should react to various trials and temptations that we all encounter in life with endurance, steadfastness, and patience. We are to let these things do a thorough work in us so that we will come through them stronger and better than we were before.

Prayer: Abba Father, in all things I give You thanks, knowing that Your thoughts for me is of good and not of evil, to give me a future and a hope. I will rejoice in any situations I find myself because I know my Redeemer lives. Endue me with the spirit of endurance, steadfastness, and perseverance in the face of life’s trials, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MARCH 08, 2023.

SUBJECT: BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE!

Memory verse: "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13 vs 5.)

READ: Numbers 11 vs 4 - 6:

11:4: Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat?

11:5: We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic;

11:6: but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

INTIMATION:

Be content with what you have, and be grateful to the Great Provider. Discontentment comes when your attention shifts from what you have to what you don't have. Relishing what you have engenders thankfulness. Resenting what you are missing brings about complaining and ingratitude, and such things are unpleasant to the Lord. When such happens you forget what God has done for you, and is wrapped up in what God hasn't done for you. Consequently, your attitude will make you lose your sense of gratitude and thanksgiving.

In the passage we read today, the Israelites murmured, and were dissatisfied with the immediate situation of lack of food which God has allowed in their lives. At the instance of that they forgot to give thanks to God for all He has done for them, and is still doing for them. They didn’t seem to notice what God was doing for them—setting them free, making them a nation, giving them a new land—because they were so wrapped up in what God hasn’t done for them. They could think of nothing but the delicious Egyptian food they left behind, forgetting that the brutal whip of Egyptian slavery, which the Lord had saved them from, was the cost of eating the food. 

We become satisfied when we realize God’s sufficiency for our needs, and be thankful to Him continually. When we are discontented with what we have, we are indirectly saying that God has been unfair to us or that He can’t take care of us—or at least that He won’t take care of us the way we want. That is doubting the integrity of God who already said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you,” and only Him can supply all our needs (Philippians 4 vs 19).

Contentment brings about happiness, and happiness is associated with an attitude of gratitude. Against this backdrop, let us self-evaluate ourselves by thinking of what occupies our attention most of the time. Are we content with what we have—grateful for what God has given us, or are we always thinking about what we would like to have? We should not allow our unfulfilled desires to cause us to forget God's gift of life, food, health, work, friends etc, and be thankful to Him.

In every circumstances we face in life we should be content with such things that we have, or what God is doing in our lives, and reasonably be thankful to Him. We should take a cue from the apostle Paul who knew how to be content, happy and rejoicing in the Lord whether he had plenty or whether he was in need. He said, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need” (Philippians 4 vs 11 - 12).

The secret of contentment lies in our knowing God, trusting in His promises, and drawing on His power for strength to face the challenges of life. He will supply all your needs, but in a way that He knows is best for us. It is important to note that “a man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.” (John 3 vs 27.) Therefore, be content and thankful for what God has given you at all times. You can only get more from Him if you are grateful and thankful for the one you already have.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my Loving Father, and Faithful Companion. Endue me with the spirit of contentment in all things, knowing that You have promised that You will never leave me nor forsake me, and will supply all my needs according to Your riches in glory by Christ Jesus, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Latest Africa Praise by ClaudyGod

 

Open the Windows of Your Heart

 

A bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench. (Isaiah 42:3)

Probably the most encouraging words I have heard in weeks came from a prophecy in Isaiah 42:1–3 about how Jesus will use his spiritual power.

Do you feel like “a bruised reed” — like one of those big top-heavy Easter lilies whose stem has been squashed so that the flower flops to the ground and gets no sap? Do you ever feel like your faith is just a little spark instead of a flame — like that little red dot at the end of the wick after you blow out the birthday candle?

Take heart! The Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of encouragement: he will not snap off your flower; he will not snuff out your spark.

“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me . . . to proclaim good news to the poor” (Luke 4:18). “The sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings” (Malachi 4:2). “[He is] gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). “Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!” (Psalm 27:14).

It may be a grief to us that we are only a spark instead of a flaming fire. But listen! And be encouraged: Yes, there is a big difference between a spark and a fire. But there is an infinite difference between a spark and no spark! A mustard seed of faith is infinitely closer to being a mountain of faith than it is to being no faith.

Open the window of God’s promises and let the Spirit blow into every room of your heart. The Holy Wind of God will not break or quench. He will lift up your head and fan your spark into a flame. He is the Spirit of encouragement.

How Can I Be Filled with the Spirit?

 

Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. (Romans 15:4)

How can we be filled with the Holy Spirit? How can we experience an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon our church and ourselves that fills us with indomitable joy and frees us, and empowers us, to love those around us in ways so authentic that they are won to Christ?

Answer: Meditate day and night upon the incomparable, hope-giving promises of God. As Romans 15:4 shows us, that’s the way Paul kept his heart full of hope and joy and love. “Whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

The full assurance of hope comes from meditating on the promises of God’s word. And this does not contradict the sentence nine verses later that says that the Holy Spirit gives us hope (Romans 15:13). This is because the Holy Spirit is the divine author of Scripture. His word is the means of his work. It is no contradiction that the way he fills us with hope is by filling us with his own word of promise.

Hope is not some vague emotion that comes out of nowhere, like a stomachache. Hope is the confidence that the stupendous future promised to us by the word of the Spirit is going to really come true. Therefore, the way to be filled with the Spirit is to be filled with his word. The way to have the power of the Spirit is to believe the promises of his word.

For it is the word of promise that fills us with hope, and hope fills us with joy, and joy overflows in the power and freedom to love our neighbor. And that is the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

UNDERSTANDING THE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MARCH 07, 2023.

SUBJECT : UNDERSTANDING THE TWO-WAY COMMUNICATION!

Memory verse: "I will stand my watch, and set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say to me, And what I will answer when I am corrected." (Habakkuk 2 vs 1.)

READ: Jeremiah 33 vs 3; Matthew 7 vs 7 - 8:

Jeremiah 33:3: ‘Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.’

Matthew 7:7: Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.

7:8: For everyone who asks receives, and He who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

INTIMATION:

Prayer is not just reporting your case to God, it is communicating with Him. Some people will say when they pray, "I cried to God." Prayer is not about crying; it is a two way communication, and you pay attention to hear the other party in the communication. It is like a telephone conversation. If you are crying, you will hardly hear the party at the other end. Every genuine discussion or dialogue is made up of comments. enquiries and responses from the parties involved. But most people do all the talking in prayers, not giving God a chance to speak to them in return, nor pausing to listen to what He has to say. The right attitude in prayer is expressed by prophet Habakkuk in our memory verse, "I will stand my watch, And set myself on the rampart, And watch to see what He will say unto me, And what I will answer when I am corrected."

If you are not watchful, you will miss His answer. The watchman and rampart (watchtower), are often used by the prophets; Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Habakkuk, to show an attitude of expectation, and our memory verse has Habakkuk's attitude of patiently waiting, and watching out for God's response. To truly win in prayer, it  requires your being alert in the spirit, listening in meditation, and keeping your heart open to receive what God has to say to you.

Watchfulness involves patience and perseverance. You also have to engage in intense worship in order to maintain the communication channel, and be patient to receive your answer. When you ask a question and there seem to be no immediate response, you begin to worship and call God by His names. Then you ask again, "Lord, what are You saying?" You are sure to get an answer, because He assures us: "Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know" (Jeremiah 33 vs 3). And remember the answer may not come immediately but with persistence prayer the answer will come.

God answers us in various ways. His answer may be through a night vision, a tiny voice, an audible voice, a Scripture reference, indirect message through another person, or Angelic intervention. For instance, in Daniel chapter 2, Daniel and his friends, were faced with a decree of death. The king had a dream, which he forgot and wanted Daniel and his colleagues to tell him the dream and its interpretation or they would all be put to death. The king had already ordered the killing of the wise men in Babylon when they couldn't tell the king his dream.

Now, the Scripture said; "Then Daniel went to his house, and made the decision known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah), his companions, that they might seek mercies from God of heaven concerning this secret, so that Daniel and his companions might not perish with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the secret was revealed to Daniel in a night vision. So Daniel blessed the God of heaven.” (Daniel 2 vs 17 - 19.) 

According to the passages we read today, God is committed to answering your prayer, and showing us the secret things we don’t know. If you ask we receive, if we seek we find, if we knock it will be opened to us. No matter how many demons are connected to your problem, God's wisdom which is released in prayer of enquiry will give them a knock-out. 

Jesus said, “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds and to him who knocks it will be opened."(Matthew 7 vs 8.) Note that Jesus said "everyone," including you, no exception. He is a just God, He said everyone, and means everyone. Therefore, when you pray, wait for the answer, be sensitive and patient to receive your answer.

People often give up after a few halfhearted efforts and conclude they cannot hear from God, or that He cannot be found. But knowing God, and receiving from Him takes faith, focus, patience, and follow-through, and our Messiah, Jesus Christ, assures us that we will be rewarded. Don't give up in your efforts to seek God. Continue to ask Him for more knowledge, patience, wisdom, love, and understanding, and He will give them to you. Also, note that a ‘no’ from Him can be an answer to a prayer.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are most faithful and compassionate; always mindful of, and watchful over Your children. My absolute trust is in You, to always guide me through Your Spirit indwelling me, and directing on the path to go in when I inquire in prayer. Give me the grace to be committed to You, and never miss your guidance, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

TRUST IN GOD COMPLETELY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MARCH 06, 2023.

SUBJECT : TRUST IN GOD COMPLETELY!

Memory verse: "Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass." (Psalm 37 vs 5.)

READ: Psalm 125 vs 1 - 2; Isaiah 26 vs 3 - 4:

Psalm 125:1: Those who trust in the Lord are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 

125:2: As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the Lord surrounds His people from this time forth and forever.

Isaiah 26:3: You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind s stayed on You, because he trusts in You. 

26:4: Trust in the Lord forever, for in YAH, the Lord, is everlasting strength.

INTIMATION:

Trusting in God completely means having faith that He knows what is best for your life, you expect Him to keep His promises, help you with problems or issues in your life, and do the impossible when necessary. And this pleases the Lord. 

When you put your absolute trust in the Lord, He will surround you as the mountains surround the city of Jerusalem. You will confidently say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress." Those who trust in the Lord completely have the same claim and experience expressed by the psalmist in Psalm 91; the perfect expression of the result of our absolute trust in God. And the Lord said:

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.” (Psalm 91 vs 14 - 16.)

What can be better than the promises of God to them that trust Him in the above passage? The reason we trust in the Lord is because He is an unchanging God. As the mountain remains unmoved so do the consistency of our God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Malachi 3 vs 6; Hebrews 13 vs 8). And because "The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him, in those who hope in His mercy," (Psalm 147 vs 11), He surrounds His people now and forever. Interestingly, God is not a man that He should lie nor a son of man that He should repent. He does all He says, and ensures that His promises come to pass at His appointed time.

Noah was an outstanding and exemplary personality regarding his trust in God. We noted that even when God asked him to do something that made no sense to him, he trusted God and obeyed. Noah knew nothing about flood, there has been no rain before that time, so he knew nothing about rain. He has never seen an ark or built a ship before, but obeyed the instructions God gave him and adhered strictly to the measurements and materials God told him to use.

The Bible says, in Hebrews 11 vs 7, "By faith Noah, being divinely warned of things not yet seen, moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his household, by which he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith."

Obviously Noah was faced with three problems that could have caused him to doubt. First, Noah had never seen rain, because prior to the flood, God irrigated the earth from the ground up. (See Genesis 2 vs 5 - 6.) Second, Noah lived hundreds of miles from the nearest ocean. Even if he could learn to build a ship, how would he get it to water? Third, there was the problem of rounding up all the animals and then caring for them. But Noah didn't complain or make excuses. He trusted God completely, and that made God smile at him.

It took Noah 120 years to build the ark. I imagined he faced many discouraging days. With no sign of rain year after year, he was ruthlessly criticized as a "crazy man who thinks God speaks to him." I imagined Noah's children were often embarrassed by the giant ship being built in their front yard. Yet Noah kept trusting God.

In what areas of your life do you need to trust God completely? Trusting is an act of worship. Just as parents are pleased when the children trust in their love and wisdom, your trust and faith makes God happy. And without faith it is impossible to please God. (Hebrews 11 vs 6.) My utmost heart desire is to trust God completely that I will sincerely testify of the Lord, as prophet Habakkuk; “Though the fig tree may not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines; though the labor of the olive may fail, and fields yield no food; though the flock may be cut off from the fold, and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.” (Habakkuk 4 vs 17 - 18.)

Trusting God completely pleases Him, and consequently He ensures you are kept in perfect peace that surpasses all human understanding. We can never avoid strife around us in this world, but with God we can know perfect peace even in turmoil. When we are devoted to Him, our whole attitude is steady and stable. Supported by God's unchanging love and mighty power, we are not shaken by the surrounding chaos. 

Prayer: Abba Father, forever my whole trust is in You. Even when the earth refuses to yield her increase, and the works of my hands fails to prosper; even when the whole world turn against me that people will ask me where is your God; I will rejoice in You and my whole confidence will rest upon You because I know whom I have trusted, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!