Grace Is Pardon — and Power!

 

By the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. (1 Corinthians 15:10)

Grace is not simply leniency when we have sinned. Grace is the enabling gift and power of God not to sin. Grace is power, not just pardon.

This is plain, for example, in 1 Corinthians 15:10. Paul describes grace as the enabling power of his work. It is not simply the pardon of his sins; it is the power to press on in obedience. “I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.”

Therefore, the effort we make to obey God is not an effort done in our own strength, but “by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified” (1 Peter 4:11). It is the obedience of faith. Faith in God’s ever-arriving gracious power to enable us to do what we should.

Paul confirms this in 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 by calling each of our acts of goodness a “work of faith,” and by saying that the glory this brings to Jesus is “according to the grace of our God” because it happens “by his power.” Listen for all those phrases:

To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The obedience that gives God pleasure is produced by the power of God’s grace through faith. The same dynamic is at work at every stage of the Christian life. The power of God’s grace that saves through faith (Ephesians 2:8) is the same power of God’s grace that sanctifies through faith.

THE WEAPON OF PRAYER AND FASTING!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY JUNE 20, 2023.

SUBJECT : THE WEAPON OF PRAYER AND FASTING!

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

READ: Matthew 13 vs 24 - 28:

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

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

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

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

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

INTIMATION:

Prayer is the act of addressing supplication to a deity, especially to the true God; the offering of adoration, confession, supplication (entreating God to help), and thanksgiving to the Supreme Being. 

Fasting is abstinence from food or water for the purpose of calling on God to respond to one’s requests. It is done in order to take one’s mind off the physical needs of the body in order to concentrate on the spiritual needs of the inner man. The purpose of fasting is to inwardly humble oneself before God in order to proclaim one’s dependence on the wok of God in his or her life. In humbling ourselves before God, we manifest our dependence on God in order to plead for His work in our lives.

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

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

Our memory verse is part of the answer Jesus gave to His disciples when they could not cast out an evil spirit even though they had been empowered to do so. (See Matthew 10 vs 1.) Satan was blocking their access to results in ministry. The principal weapon used by the believer in victory over Satan’s intense assaults is prayer and fasting m. The potent weapons available to the believer is; faith, hope, prayer, fasting, the Word of God, the name of Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit.

Don't sit there crying and waiting for someone to pity you; rise up and take advantage of this potent weapons and free yourself from the hold of the devil. He is called "the wicked," because he has no feelings of sympathy for you. He is out for you, so you must arise and invoke the powers of heaven to flush him out.

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

Being a Christian does not exempt you from warfare; it only gives you an edge over the opposition. Going through rivers of difficulty will either cause you to be drawn or force you to grow stronger. If you go in your own strength, you are more likely to drown, but if you invite the Lord to go with you He will protect you. 

Isaiah 43 vs 1 - 2 illustrates graphically how the Lord protects you: "But now, thus says the Lord, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you. And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned. Nor shall the flame scorch you."

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

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

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

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

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE SIN OF IDOLATRY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY JUNE 19, 2023.

SUBJECT : THE SIN OF IDOLATRY!

Memory verse: "Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry.” (First Corinthians 10 vs 14.)

READ: Job 31 vs 24 - 28:

31:24: If I have made gold my hope. Or said to fine gold, 'You are my confidence'; 

31:25: If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gained much; 

31:26: If I have observed the sun when it shines, Or the moon moving in brightness, 

31:27: So that my heart has been secretly enticed, And my mouth has kissed my hand; 31:28: This also would be an iniquity deserving of judgement, For I would have denied God who is above.

INTIMATION:

An idol is an image or representation of anything, that on which affections are strongly (often excessively) set; an object of passionate devotion; a person or thing greatly loved and adored; regarded with deep and rapturous love (especially as if for a god). It is always a false notion or conception. It can be an image of a divinity, a representation or symbol of deity, or any other being or thing made or used as an object of worship; a similitude of a false god. Sometimes we think of idols as  only statues of wood and stone, but in reality an idol is anything natural that is given sacred value and power.

An idol is anything we put before God. It is also anything that substitutes for the faith, anything that denies Christ’s full deity and humanity, any human idea that claims to be more authoritative than the Bible, any loyalty that replaces God at the center of our lives. Idols don’t have to be physical objects; they can be thoughts or desires. Today we can allow many things to become gods to us. Such things can take God’s place in our lives.

The worship of idol is idolatry. It can be heathen sacrifices to demons (see First Corinthians 10 vs 14 - 21), or the sin of the mind against God (Romans 1 vs 22 - 25).

It is the worshipping of undeserving objects created by God, instead of God—the Creator of those things. Idolatry is making anything more important than God, and our lives are full of that temptation. Money, looks, success, reputation, security—these are today’s idols. Idolatry, outward or inward, is spiritual adultery, breaking our commitment to God in order to love something else. 

 Idol worship is evil because (1) it insults God when we worship something He created rather worshiping Him, (2) it keeps us from knowing and serving God when we put our confidence in anything other than Him, (3) it causes us to rely on our own efforts rather than on God.

Idolatry is the greatest sin against God because it’s rejection of God Himself. When you have any other gods, rather than the only true God, you cannot be His own. God cannot work in us when we elevate anyone or anything above Him. God often saved His hardest criticism and punishment for those who worshipped idols. Discipline awaits all those who continually put earthly desires above spiritual priorities. 

Why were idols so bad in God’s sight? To worship an idol violated the first two of the Ten Commandments of God. And Jesus reemphasized this Commandment in Matthew 4 vs 10, “Worship the LORD your God, and only Him shall you serve.”

Idolatry is still a serious problem today. Our modern idols are those symbols of power, pleasure, or prestige that we so highly regard. Money, fame, work, or pleasure can become gods when we concentrate too much on them for personal identity, meaning, and security. 

In the passage we read today, Job affirmed that depending on wealth for happiness is idolatry and denies our Father in heaven. Jesus’ authority is established over all of creation so we dare not treat any created object or earthly resource as more important than He is. When we spend more time on ourselves than on serving Christ, we treat ourselves (His creation) as being more important than our Creator. When we regard our finances, rather than our faith in Christ, as the basis for security, we give higher status to an earthly resource than we do to God. 

The common denominator is this: Idolaters worship the things God made rather than God Himself. Is there anything you feel you cannot live without? Is there any priority greater than God? Do you have a dream you would sacrifice everything to realize? Does God take first place in your life? Do you worship God or idols of your own making?

The answers to the above listed questions, and also the following questions will be of immense help to discern the ideal life expected of a believer: Who created Me? Whom do I ultimately trust? Whom do I look to for ultimate truth? Whom do I look to for security and happiness? Who is in charge of my future?

No normal person sets out with the intention of worshiping these things. But by the amount of time we devote to them, they can grow into gods that ultimately control our thoughts, emotions, and energies. Letting God hold the central place in our lives keeps these things from turning into gods.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are God, the only God I know and serve. In You I live, and move and have my being. Whatever will come between You and I let me not have it. Whatever will take my attention and trust away from You let me not live to see it, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Offense of Fearing Man

 Saul said to Samuel, “I have sinned, for I have transgressed the commandment of the Lord and your words, because I feared the people and obeyed their voice.” (1 Samuel 15:24)

Why did Saul obey the people instead of God? Because he feared the people instead of God. He feared the human consequences of obedience more than he feared the divine consequences of disobedience. He feared the displeasure of the people more than the displeasure of God. And that is a great insult to God. 

In fact, Isaiah says it is a kind of pride to be afraid of what man can do while we disregard the promises of God. He quotes God with this piercing question: “I, I am he who comforts you; who are you that you are afraid of man who dies, of the son of man who is made like grass, and have forgotten the Lord, your Maker?” (Isaiah 51:12–13). 

Fear of man may not feel like pride, but that’s what God says it is, “Who do you think you are to fear man and forget me your Maker!”

The point is this: If you fear man, you have begun to deny the holiness, the worth of God and his Son, Jesus. God is infinitely stronger than man. He is infinitely wiser and infinitely more full of reward and joy. 

To turn from him out of fear of what man can do is to discount all that God promises to be for those who fear him. It is a great insult. And in such an insult God can take no pleasure. 

On the other hand, when we hear God’s promises and trust him with courage, fearing the reproach brought upon God by our unbelief, then he is greatly honored. And in that he has much pleasure.

How to Plead for Unbelievers

 

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. (Romans 10:1)

Paul prays that God would convert Israel. He prays for her salvation! He does not pray for ineffectual influences, but for effectual influences. And that is how we should pray too.

We should take the new covenant promises of God and plead with God to bring them to pass in our children and our neighbors and on all the mission fields of the world.

God, take out of their flesh the heart of stone and give them a new heart of flesh. (Ezekiel 11:19)
Circumcise their heart so that they love you! (Deuteronomy 30:6)
Father, put your Spirit within them and cause them to walk in your statutes. (Ezekiel 36:27)
Grant them repentance and a knowledge of the truth that they may escape from the snare of the devil. (2 Timothy 2:25–26)
Open their hearts so that they believe the gospel! (Acts 16:14)

When we believe in the sovereignty of God — in the right and power of God to elect and then bring hardened sinners to faith and salvation — then we will be able to pray with no inconsistency, and with the confidence of great biblical promises for the conversion of the lost.

Thus, God has pleasure in this kind of praying because it ascribes to him the right and honor to be the free and sovereign God that he is in election and salvation.

OUR LORD’S PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY JUNE 18, 2023.

SUBJECT : OUR LORD’S PRAYER!

Memory verse: "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name." (Matthew 6 vs 9.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 9 vs 13:

6:9: In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.

6:10: Your kingdom come. your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

6:11: Give us this day our daily bread. 

6:12: And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

6:13: And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen..

INTIMATION:

Our Lord’s Prayer, enumerated in the passage we read today, is the prototype of an effectual and winning prayer. It is a failure-proof prayer guide. It is called “Our Lord's Prayer” because Jesus gave it to the disciples as a model for them (and us) to adopt as we pray. This classic model Jesus provided, is a pattern to be imitated as well as duplicated. When you get the pattern right, winning is assured.

We should praise God; expressing our reference to Him, and adoring Him for who He is, what He has done, what He is doing, what He is yet to do, and even what He has not done because He is the “All-knowing God” that knows the end from the beginning (Isaiah 46 vs 10), and His timing is the best in everything because it is according to His predetermined purposes. God is our Sustainer, therefore, we should pray to Him for our daily needs—physical and spiritual, that we may be able to face our daily struggles.

The phrase "Our Father in heaven" indicates that God is not only majestic and holy, but also personal and loving. The first line of our Lord's prayer is a statement of praise and a commitment to hallow and honor Him. The phrase “Hallowed be a Your Name” is an expression and recognition of sacredness, holiness, sanctity and reverence to His Name. Therefore, we should never use His Name in vain in accordance with His commandments—third in the “Ten Commandments”; “You shall not take the name of the LORD in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain.” (Exodus 20 vs 7.)

The phrase "Your kingdom come" is a reference to God's spiritual reign, and our desire for His spiritual reign in the world. Every kingdom is ruled by a king, and the words of the King is laws to be obeyed. God's kingdom was announced in the covenant with Abraham, and is present in Christ's reign in believers' hearts. (Luke 17 vs 21), and will be complete when all evil is destroyed and God establishes the new heaven and earth (Revelation 21 vs 1). God’s kingdom embodies righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost (Romans 14 vs 17), and we pray for it to come. Imagine such a kingdom!

The phrase "Your will be done," is our praying that God's perfect purpose will be accomplished in this world as well as in the next. God’s will is to save us; “not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance” (Second Peter 3 vs 9).

When we pray "Give us this day our daily bread," we are acknowledging that God is our Sustainer and Provider. It is a misconception to think that we provide for our needs ourselves. We must trust God daily to provide what He knows we need. Though our needs are already known to Him (Matthew 6 vs 32), but He demands that we ask that we may be reminded of our source.

Without forgiveness of our sins, we have no portion in Him—no fellowship with Him. Therefore, we should always ask for forgiveness of our sins, knowing that “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (First John 1 vs 9), that we may have fellowship with a Him. It’s in fellowship with Him that we live a purposeful life pleasing to Him, and receiving at the end a crown of glory, which is eternal life with Him.

When we forgive others, we are establishing the common ground for God’s forgiveness of our own sins as sinners in need of God’s forgiveness. If we don't forgive those who have offended us, our sins also remain unforgiven. Until our sins are forgiven, we don't have any fellowship or prayer access to God. The key to forgiving others is remembering how much God has forgiven you. Realizing God’s infinite love and forgiveness should help you love and forgive others.

God is our leader, He doesn't lead us into temptations, but sometimes allows us to be tested by them. As His children, we should pray to be delivered from these trying times and for deliverance from the deceitfulness Satan and his cohorts. All Christians struggle with temptation. Sometimes it is so subtle that we don't even realize what is happening to us. God has promised that He won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear (First Corinthians 10 vs 13). Ask God to help you to recognize temptation and to give you the strength to overcome it and choose God's way instead.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for Your loving kindness, and Your guidance in our lives. Give me the grace to adopt the classic model of prayer—‘Our Lord’s Prayer’—in my fellowship with You, that I may rest assured of answers to my prayers, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

GOD ALLOWS US TO BE TEMPTED FOR OUR REFINING!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY JUNE 17, 2023.

SUBJECT : GOD ALLOWS US TO BE TEMPTED FOR OUR REFINING! 

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

READ: James 1 vs 12 - 15:

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

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

1:14: But each one is tempted when He is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 

1:15: Then when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.

INTIMATION:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace, O most merciful Father, to commit my all in fellowshipping with You ceaselessly in prayer, that I will be empowered to overcome temptations, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!The