How We Must Fight for Holiness

 

Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. (Hebrews 12:14)

There is a practical holiness without which we will not see the Lord. Many live as if this were not so.

There are professing Christians who live such unholy lives that they will hear Jesus’s dreadful words, “I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23). Paul says to professing believers, “If you live according to the flesh you will die” (Romans 8:13).

So, there is a holiness without which no one will see the Lord. And learning to fight for holiness by faith in future grace is supremely important.

There is another way to pursue holiness that backfires and leads to death. Paul warns us against serving God any other way than by faith in his enabling grace. God is not “served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything” (Acts 17:25). Any effort to serve God that does not, in that very act, depend on him as the reward of our hearts and the power of our service, will dishonor him as a needy pagan god.

Peter describes the alternative to such self-reliant service of God, “Whoever serves, [let him do so] as one who serves by the strength that God supplies — in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Peter 4:11). And Paul says, “I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me” (Romans 15:18; see also 1 Corinthians 15:10).

Moment by moment, grace arrives to enable us to do “every good work” that God appoints for us. “God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work” (2 Corinthians 9:8).

The fight for good works is a fight to believe the promises of future grace.

DO NOT LUST FOR RICHES!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JUNE 22, 2023.

SUBJECT : DO NOT LUST FOR RICHES!

Memory verse: "Do not overwork to be rich; because of your own understanding, cease!" (Proverbs 23 vs 4.)

READ: First Timothy 6 vs 9 - 10:

6:9: But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

6:10: For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

INTIMATION:

Lust is have a craving, appetite, or great desire for. Therefore, to lust for riches is to have a craving, appetite, or great desire for it. The reason people are so stressed out about riches is that they think they are in control of their lives. People tend to think they are responsible for all of the factors that lead to prosperity and the money needed to survive. They are worried about losing their jobs or a downturn in the economy because they see themselves as the source of their provisions.

The materialistic heart that lust after possessions is evil. In the desire to satisfy their lust for riches, they produce sorrows through striving for riches which manifest in the greedy motives of their hearts. Many have marginalized their relationships with friends, family and other believers to satisfy their thirst for riches. If one sacrifices his good works in relationships because he has no time for others as a result of running after riches, then his spiritual life is void of the very foundation of the community of God. One should never allow anything of this world to hinder his relationship with his fellow believers.

The believer seeking to be rich will lose the contentment with the necessities of life. In his worldly desire, he will lose sight of that which brings spiritual fulfillment. The snare into which he falls is the fact that he leads himself to believe that if he surrounds himself with possessions and involves himself in activities, he will be happy. His thirst for financial affluence will bankrupt him spiritually. It is not wrong to possess things of this world. However, one should never allow the possessions of this world to possess him.

Christians must understand that God takes care of His people. The contented life comes from realizing that possessions do not bring happiness. Treasured relationships are more important than any earthly treasure. And above all, one’s relationship with God is the true foundation upon which a contented life is built.

We have heard of many turned to money rituals, armed robbery, cheating, stealing, and many other evil tendencies, just in the quest to get rich. We become so obsessed with our pursuit for riches that we push God right out of our lives. But it is God who gives us everything we have, and He asks us to manage it for Him:

Seeing yourself as the source of blessing in your life puts a lot of pressure on you to control circumstances that are really beyond your control. When you know God is your source, you aren't worried about the natural circumstances. If God can prosper Abraham and feed his flocks and herds in a desert, then He can bless and prosper you in any economic situations. It doesn't matter what is going on around you. 

Sometimes it's hard to look beyond the physical or natural challenges you face and see into the spiritual realm, but you can do it with the steward's mentality, knowing that all you have is entrusted to your care by God; they are not really yours. Being a steward gives you a sense of confidence that ordinarily you will never have as long as you see yourself as the source and owner of the things you have.

A sister, during the wartime in Liberia, had nothing left with her—no food, no money, and didn't know where to run to when the rebels invaded their city. She turned her cares over to the Lord and was praising God. The rebels came and camped in her apartment with their food items in bags, beverages in cartons and what is more. They ordered her to be of service to them, preparing their meals. 

After a few days the government troops invaded the city and the rebels were forced to leave the city and eventually abandoned all they came with in her apartment. She then had in abundance all she needed more than what she could ask or think! (Ephesians 3 vs 20.) Can you comprehend such divine supply? Our God is awesome! Therefore, “Delight yourself also in the Lord; and He will give the desires of your heart.” (Psalm 37 vs 4.)

The human tendency is often to take credit for our prosperity and become proud that our smartness, hard work, and power have made us rich. Therefore, we get so busy pursuing after riches that we may want to do anything to succeed. In pursuing riches, we “fall into temptations and a snare” that ultimately lead only to “destruction and perdition.”

When you hasten after riches, the tendency is to do things in disobedience to God’s leading, and against His will, and eventually lose your relationship with Him that ends you up in eternal condemnation. Therefore, the short time you live on earth, if spent pursuing after earthly possessions that you cannot take with you at the time of passing to meet with your Maker, and which will eventually be destroyed (Second Peter 3 vs 10), will rub you of eternity with Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of contentment in godliness, that I may not trust in uncertain riches, but completely in You—my Maker and Owner of the whole world, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

HAVE A STRONG AFFECTION FOR GOD’S KINGDOM!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JUNE 21, 2023.

SUBJECT : HAVE A STRONG AFFECTION FOR GOD’S KINGDOM!

Memory verse: "Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven." (Matthew 6 vs 10.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 31 - 33:

6:31: Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'

6:32: For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.

6:33: But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

INTIMATION:

A kingdom is a state having a king as its head. The king's word is a law to be obeyed. God already reigns as the King in heaven, and desires that His spiritual sovereignty is established here on earth. God's kingdom has been long in existence in heaven. God created the world for a purpose, out of His love and goodness, and created man for the purpose of taking care of His new kingdom. His desire is that His spiritual reign is extended to the earth, as it is in heaven. 

Then, when we pray "Your will be done," we are asking in consonance with His will, that God's purpose of creation be accomplished in this world as well as next—in heaven.

Praying for His will to be done shows our reference of Him as the Creator, and the supremacy of God's will over all things. Therefore, kingdom-oriented praying gives you special audience with God. 

The Bible says, "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6 vs 33.) To “seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness” means to put God first in your life, to fill your thoughts with His desires, to take His character for your pattern, and to serve and obey Him in everything. When you do these things, all other of your needs, that others are clamoring and dying for, will be added to you.

If you desire breakthroughs in your personal life, one of the fastest ways to achieving it is to have a strong affection for God and His kingdom. It is noteworthy that how much you take pleasure in the affairs of the kingdom that determines the quality of response you enjoy from God. When you are interceding on kingdom matters, let it be from the depth of your heart, as if you are praying for your only child who is dying. Let it mean much to you than your personal matters. God will even answer your prayers in such a way that “before you call He will answer, and while you’re still speaking He will hear” (Isaiah 65 vs 24).

Many people are dying in their prayer rooms because they are self-oriented in their prayers. It is all about self in their prayers. They are the "needy-stars" of the kingdom. They always pray, "Lord, give me this; Lord, bless me; Lord bless my husband, bless my wife and Children," and their demands are numerous, not wanting any form of discomfort. They are least concerned about the welfare of anybody else or on any issue that does not touch them personally.

It has been observed that when a kingdom prayer point is raised in church, a lot of people just mumble through; not knowing what to say, and you can hardly hear what they are saying. But when it comes to personal supplication for their needs, the whole congregation is charged, and vibrating. Nevertheless, the prayer strategy that moves heaven to rain down favor on you, so much so that you will not need to pray for most things before you get them, is kingdom advancement prayers.

Your Heavenly Father already knows your needs, and requests that you concern yourselves less with these needs of yours, but rather take pleasure in things that concerns Him; fill your thoughts with His desires, to take His character for your pattern, and to serve and obey Him in everything, and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37 vs 4.)

People, objects, goals, pleasures, and other desires all compete for priority. Any of these things can bump God out of first place if you don't actively choose to give Him first place in every area of your life. This will eventually leave you with a life of struggles, and make you miss all the ‘additions’ promised by Him if you seek His kingdom first, and His righteousness. (Matthew 6 vs 33.) The things the world struggle to get comes to you on a platter.

When we communicate with God, we don’t demand what we want; rather we discuss with Him what He wants for us. If we align our prayers to His will, He will listen; and because we have not been selfish in our prayers; but rather desired His own interest—His will, He will definitely concern Himself with providing these our needs He is already aware of—adding them to us.

Prayer: Abba Father, let the zeal of Your kingdom eat me up, that I may put You first in everything in my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Satisfaction That Defeats Sin

 

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)

What we need to see here is that the essence of faith is being satisfied with all that God is for us in Christ.

Defining faith this way emphasizes two things. One is the God-centeredness of faith. It is not merely the promises of God that satisfy us. It is all that God himself is for us in Jesus. Faith embraces God in Christ as our treasure — not just God’s promised gifts.

Faith banks its hope not just on the real estate of the age to come, but on the fact that God will be there (Revelation 21:3). “I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God.’”

And even now what faith embraces most earnestly is not just the reality of sins forgiven (as precious as that is), but the presence of the living Christ in our hearts and the fullness of God himself. In Ephesians 3:17–19 Paul prays “that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith . . . that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.”

The other thing emphasized in defining faith as being satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus is the term “satisfaction.” Faith is the quenching of the soul’s thirst at the fountain of God. In John 6:35 we see that “believing” means “coming” to Jesus to eat and drink the “bread of life” and the “living water” (John 4:10, 14), which are nothing other than Jesus himself.

Here is the secret of the power of faith to break the enslaving force of sinful attractions. If the heart is satisfied with all that God is for us in Jesus, the power of sin to lure us away from the wisdom of Christ is broken.

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!