The End of the Gospel

 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. (Romans 5:9–11)

What do we need to be saved from? Verse 9 states it clearly: the wrath of God. “Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God.” But is that the highest, best, fullest, most satisfying prize of the gospel?

No. Verse 10 says “much more . . . shall we be saved by his life.” Then verse 11 takes it all the way up to the ultimate end and goal of the gospel: “more than that, we also rejoice in God.” 

That is the final and highest good of the good news. There is not another “more than that” after that. There is only Paul’s saying how we got there, “through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

The end of the gospel is “we rejoice in God.” The highest, fullest, deepest, sweetest good of the gospel is God himself, enjoyed by his redeemed people. 

God in Christ became the price (Romans 5:6–8), and God in Christ became the prize (Romans 5:11).

The gospel is the good news that God bought for us the everlasting enjoyment of God.

THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY AUGUST 09, 2023.

SUBJECT : THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT!

Memory verse: "(For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness and truth)." @

(Ephesians 5 vs 9.) 

READ: Galatians 5 vs 22 - 25:

5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

5:23: gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

5:24: And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and desires.

5:25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

INTIMATION

The fruit of the Spirit is generated in the life of the one who lives after the principle of loving God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength, and his neighbor as himself. Those who have turned from depending on themselves, have turned to depend on the direction of God. Thus, the fruit of the Spirit is brought forth in the lives of those who seek direction from God for moral attitudes and behavior. This is a manifestation of those whose lives are motivated by thanksgiving. The fruit of the Spirit is the result of one’s recognition of God’s grace in his or her life. It is the result of recognizing God’s mercy and therefore, presenting oneself a living sacrifice (Romans 12 vs 1 - 2). 

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—we can’t obtain them by trying to get them without His help. If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must join our lives to His: We must know Him, love Him, remember Him, and imitate Him. As a result, we will fulfill the intended purpose of the law—to love God and our neighbors.

As we study through the fruit of the Spirit, it is significant to note that love is the foundation upon which all the qualities of the fruit are built. If one loves his neighbor as himself, then he will bring forth in his life these characteristics of godly behavior. One fruit leads to another. We begin with love. The result of love is joy, then peace with our neighbor then longsuffering. 

God reached out to humanity with agape (love), that is, His grace was unconditional. We did not earn it. When one recognizes this degree of love, he will in turn express such to others. Love then becomes the foundation upon which we establish relationships with others. Love produces joy, for in giving unconditional love to others, the serendipity, or result, is joy in one’s own heart. The natural result of joy is peace in one’s heart, and also peace with others. 

The natural result of peace with God, because of His mercy and grace is, our own longsuffering and mercy toward others. This is the capacity to patiently endure with the faults of others. Then kindness is the inner gentle nature of the individual that is produced as a result of dependence on the grace of God. When one loves his neighbor he will seek to be kind in attitude toward his neighbor in order to guard the peace that exists between himself and his neighbor. 

Kindness then leads to doing good to our neighbor. The outward expression of inner kindness is doing good toward others. Since God was faithful in saving us by grace, recognition of such will produce faithfulness toward our fellow man. We become committed to our neighbor because we have developed a relationship that is based on love of one another. 

The spiritual nature of the saved is characterized by a meek or gentle attitude toward others. The meek is courteous and considerate of their neighbors. Gentleness refers to one’s ability to control outbursts of emotion in order to guard the relationship of peace that we have with our neighbor. The gentle person is in control of his being. Therefore, the natural result of the gentle person is self-control and self-discipline when it comes to maintaining the loving relationship we have established with others.

Law does not work against the preceding qualities, or those who possess them. In fact, the one who behaves after the fruit of the Spirit does not need law to tell him how he should behave in relation to his neighbor. Love motivates him to be considerate in all things in his relationship with others. The foundation upon which law stands is love. Law governs our interaction with one another. Love of our neighbor motivates us to act in a lawful manner in our relationship with one another as the organic body in society.  

Because the God who sent the law also sent the Spirit, the by-products of the Spirit-filled life are in perfect harmony with the intent of God’s law. A person who exhibits the fruit of the Spirit fulfills the law better than a person who observes the rituals but has little love in his or her heart. 

If your desire is to have the qualities listed in 5 vs 22 - 23, then you know that the Holy Spirit is leading you. At the same time, be careful not to confuse your subjective feelings with the Spirit’s leading. Being led by the Spirit involves the desire to hear, the readiness to obey God’s Word, and the sensitivity to discern between your feelings and His promptings. Live each day controlled and guided by the Holy Spirit. Then the words of Christ will be in your mind, the love of Christ will be behind your actions and the power of Christ will help you control your selfish desires.

Prayer: Abba Father, by Your faithfulness and mercy You gave us an Helper in the Person of the Holy Spirit m. My utmost heart desire is to be continually led by the Holy Spirit, and that I will have the qualities listed in the fruit of the Spirit manifested in my relationship with one another, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY AUGUST 08, 2023.

SUBJECT : THE FLESH AND THE SPIRIT!

Memory verse: "For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish." (Galatians 5 vs 17.) 

READ: Galatians 5 vs 16 - 25:

5:16: I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.

5:17: For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.

5:18: But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

5:19: Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,

5:20: Idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,

5:21: Envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and  the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I have also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

5:23: gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

5:24: And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its affections and desires.

5:25: If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

INTIMATION

The ‘flesh’ is the meaty part of animal and human bodies, the human and weaker or carnal aspect of human nature as opposed to the spiritual or nobler part. While the ‘spirit’ is the invisible, nonmaterial part of human. The flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh, and they are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. The flesh is selfish, and in it is rooted the sinful self-interest in us as humans. And this is at odds with the spirit because the spirit is incompatible with selfishness. 

In the Scripture we read today, the apostle Paul describes two forces fighting within us—the Holy Spirit and the sinful nature (our desires or inclinations that stem from the body). These forces, however, are not equal—the Holy Spirit is infinitely stronger. But if we rely on our own wisdom, we will make wrong choices. If we try to follow the Spirit by our own human effort, we will fail. Our only way to freedom from our evil desires is through the empowering of the Holy Spirit 

“Flesh lusts against the Spirit”: The life that is directed by the Spirit is opposed to the life that has been given over to fulfill the carnal desires of the flesh. Because of this, individuals must always choose between the will of God and their own will. Those who do not exercise self-discipline will eventually give themselves over to the work of the flesh.  

We all have evil desires, and we can’t ignore them. In order for us to follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance, we must deal with them decisively (crucify them). These desires include obvious sins, such as sexual immorality and demonic activities. They also include less obvious sins, such as hostility, jealousy, and selfish ambition. Those who ignore such sins or refuse  to deal with them reveal that they have not received the gift of the Spirit that leads to a transformed life.

The Christian life is within the realm of the Spirit’s direction through the word of God. When we live according to the direction of God’s word, we are living in the Spirit. In order to be within the realm of the Spirit one must behave after the Spirit-inspired word of God, that is, “Walk in the Spirit.” The emphasis is on walking in a spiritual life after the spirit-inspired word as opposed to following the carnal desires of the flesh, or walking after a legal performance of law and works. Living after a spiritual manner is living after the direction of the Holy Spirit which He gives through the word of God (Hebrews 4 vs 12). 

Christians would not know how to behave themselves in a godly manner if they were not directed by the inspired instructions of the Bible. Therefore, credit for the spiritual life that is according to the word of God must go to the Spirit’s work of inspiration through the word of God. When one follows the inspired word, he or she truly walks in spirit. 

“Works of the flesh”: The apostle Paul gives a general list of those behavioral patterns of life that are considered desires of the carnal nature of man. These actions or works are in contrast to the fruit of the Spirit, that is, the product that comes forth from the one who is dependent on God. In the flesh is no good thing (Romans 7 vs 18). The flesh produces dead works (Hebrews 9 vs 14). Those who are living after the flesh are not pleasing God (Romans 8 vs 8). Therefore, we should not feed the flesh with that which it desires (Romans 13 vs 14). 

“Led by the Spirit”: Those who seek a spiritual relationship with God will seek God’s direction through the inspired word of God. Those who are led by the Spirit depend on GOD. They depend on God for salvation because they realize that they cannot keep law perfectly. Walking after the flesh brings condemnation because no man can behave in a manner to be justified before God through works of law. The system of justification by perfect law-keeping and meritorious deeds brings condemnation because it is a denial of the sufficiency of the grace of God. However, grace and faith bring life because God’s grace saves. Grace motivates obedience to law, and thus, law is established in the life of the obedient. 

Have you ever worried about whether or not you are really a Christian? A Christian is anyone who has the Spirit of God living in him or her. If you have sincerely trusted Christ for your salvation and acknowledged Him as Lord, then the Holy Spirit lives within you and you are a Christian. You can be assured that you have the Holy Spirit because Jesus promised that He would send Him. Since you now believe that Jesus Christ is God’s Son and that eternal life comes through Him, you will begin to act as Christ directs. You will find help in your daily problems and in your praying; you will be empowered to serve God and do His will.

Prayer: Abba Father, by Your mercy and grace You have saved us and adopted us as Your children. O Lord, the privilege of sonship I will never take for granted. My utmost heart desire is to serve You acceptably; being a vessel of honor in Your handsaw as to accomplish all You have purposed for me here on earth with the spirit of obedience to Your will, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

Ruler of All Nature

 The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord. (Proverbs 16:33)

In modern language we would say, “The dice are rolled on the table, and every play is decided by God.” 

In other words, there are no events so small that he does not rule them for his purposes. “Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?” Jesus said. “And not one of them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. But even the hairs of your head are all numbered” (Matthew 10:29–30). 

Every roll of the dice in Las Vegas, every tiny bird that falls dead in a thousand forests — all of this is God’s command. 

In the book of Jonah, God commands a fish to swallow a man (1:17), he commands a plant to grow for shade (4:6), and he commands a worm to kill it (4:7). 

And far above the life of fish and worms, the stars take their place and hold their place at God’s command. 

Lift up your eyes on high and see: who created these? He who brings out their host by number, calling them all by name; by the greatness of his might, and because he is strong in power, not one is missing. (Isaiah 40:26)

How much more, then, the natural events of this world — from weather to disasters to disease to disability to death.

His law he enforces;

the stars in their courses

and sun in its orbit obediently shine;

the hills and the mountains,

the rivers and fountains,

the deeps of the ocean

proclaim him divine.

(“Let All Things Now Living,” Katherine Davis)

Let us therefore stand in awe and be at peace, knowing that no natural event is outside of God’s wise and good purposes, and perfect control.

The Point of Creation

 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27)

God made humans in his image so that the world would be filled with reflectors of God. Images of God. Seven billion statues of God. So that nobody would miss the point of creation. 

Nobody (unless they are stone blind) could miss the point of humanity, namely, God — knowing, loving, showing God. The angels cry in Isaiah 6:3, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” It is full of billions of human image-bearers. Glorious ruins. 

But not only humans. Also nature! Why such a breathtaking world for us to live in? Why such a vast universe?

I once read that there are more stars in the universe than there are words and sounds that all humans of all time have ever spoken. Why are there so many? So large? So bright? At such unimaginable distances? The Bible is crystal clear about this: “The heavens declare the glory of God” (Psalm 19:1).

If someone asks, “If earth is the only inhabited planet and man the only rational inhabitant among the stars, why such a large and empty universe?” The answer is: It’s not about us. It’s about God. And it’s an understatement. He is more glorious. Greater in power. Greater in scope. Greater brightness. Than all the galaxies combined. One wise man said, the universe is like a peanut that God carries around in his pocket.

God created us to know him and love him and show him. And then he gave us a hint of what he is like: the universe.

DO NOT CLING TO THIS WORLD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY AUGUST 07, 2023..

SUBJECT : DO NOT CLING TO THIS WORLD!

Memory verse: "For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?" (Mark 8 vs 36.)

READ: First John 2 vs 15 - 17:

2:15: Do not love the world, or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

2:16: For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.

2:17: And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

INTIMATION:

Do not cling to this world that is passing away, rather evaluate your lifestyle from an eternal perspective, and you will find your values and decisions changing. Those who would cling or pattern their lives after this world, therefore, have forgotten that they have attached themselves to something that will not exist forever. If they do not cling to Jesus or have not patterned their thinking after that which is eternal, they will not be prepared to exist in eternity. 

It’s for this reason that the worldly minded people will not inherit eternal life. If one’s focus is on the things of this world, then he cannot give himself to God in a way that God demands of His children. In order words, one cannot trust in his self-sufficiency with the things of the world, and at the same time totally trust in God.

If one owned all that is of this world, such would not profit him toward the salvation of his soul. If we truly comprehend the value of our eternal salvation, we would not trade anything of this world for it. If we understand the glory that will be revealed to us, we would understand the foolishness of clinging to this world in a manner that would divert us from Jesus. 

The value of one’s soul is beyond comparison with anything of this world, even with the world as a whole. If one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in his heart. Those who love activities and possessions of this world do not love the Father, for they are obsessed with the things of this world. Those who have been consumed with the things of the world have taken their minds off that which is to come. And that which is to come is the destruction of all that for which one has worked in this world (Second Peter 3 vs 10).

Many people spend all their energy seeking pleasure. Jesus said, however, that worldliness, which is centered on possessions, position, or power, is ultimately worthless. Whatever you have on earth is only temporary; it cannot be exchanged for your soul. If you work hard at getting what you want, you might eventually have a “pleasurable” life, but in the end you will find it hollow and empty. One cannot take his possessions with him into the dwelling of the new heavens and earth, but he can take the results of his eternal investments such as his giving. 

Don’t count on wealth and physical comforts to keep you happy because you will never have enough to keep you from dying. At the moment of death we will be naked and empty-handed before God. The only riches we have at that time are those we have already invested in our eternal heritage. At the time of death, each of us would wish we had invested less on earth, where we must leave such investments, and more in heaven, we must place our faith in God, pledge ourselves to obey Him, and utilize our resources for the good of His kingdom.

Some people think that worldliness is limited to external behavior—the people we associate with, the places we go, the activities we enjoy etc. Worldliness is also internal because it begins in the heart and is characterized by three attitudes: (1) lust of the flesh—preoccupation with gratifying physical desires; (2) lust of the eyes—coveting and accumulating things, bowing to the god of materialism; and (3) pride of life—obsession with one’s status or importance. When the serpent tempted Eve, he tempted her in these three areas. Also, when Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, these were his three areas of attack.

It is possible to give the impression of avoiding worldly pleasures while still harboring worldly attitudes in one’s heart. It is also possible, like Jesus, to love sinners and spend time with them while maintaining commitment to the values of God’s kingdom. What values are most important to you? Do your actions reflect the world’s values or God’s values?

When the desire for possessions and sinful pleasures feels so intense, we probably doubt that these objects of desire will one day pass away. It may be even more difficult to believe that the person who does the will of God will live forever. But our conviction should be based on the facts of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and promises. Knowing that this evil world will end can give you the courage to deny yourself temporary pleasures in this world in order to enjoy what God has promised for eternity. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of eternal consciousness, that my thoughts and behavior will be heavenly bound, and I will not be obsessed with the cares of this world, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

PROPER CONDUCTS IN PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY AUGUST 06, 2023

SUBJECT : PROPER CONDUCTS IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "Therefore I say to you whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.” (Mark 11 vs 24.)

READ: First Samuel 1 vs 10 - 13:

1:10: And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD, and wept in anguish.

1:11: Then she made a vow, and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but wilt give to Your maidservant a mail child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.

1:12: And it happened, as she continued praying before the LORD, that Eli watched her mouth.

1:13: Now Hannah she spake in her heart; only her lips moved, but her voice was not heard. Therefore Eli thought she was drunk.

INTIMATION:

The proper conducts in prayer include the following:

1. We must be candid in our prayers.

God is “All-knowing,” therefore, we should go to Him in prayers with total sincerity of heart, and frankness in all intents and purposes. Don't keep anything back. In the passage we read today, Hannah had no child for her husband who really loved her. She was greatly discouraged and bitter because the husband's other wife had children and ridiculed her. Her loving husband could not solve her problem. She then turned in prayer to the Provider of solutions to all problems. The antidote to discouragement is telling God honestly of your problem, how you feel, and then leave your problems with Him.

It is difficult to pray in faith when we feel so ineffective, but Hannah did. We should always be careful what we promise in prayer because God may take you up on it. Hannah so desperately wanted a child that she was willing to strike a bargain with God. God took her up on her promise, and to her credit, she did her part, even though it was painful. Hannah made a vow in return for having a mail child, to dedicate him to God for a lifetime service. God gave her a son named Samuel. She lived up to her promise, and God even blessed her with five more children excluding Samuel. 

2. Pray simply and directly. 

God is pleased with our sincerity, and uprightness. We can never pray vainly if our prayers are honest and sincere. Christ condemns vain repetitions in prayer (Matthew 6 vs 7). Repeating the same words over and over is no way to ensure that God will hear your prayer. Remember, God knows your needs even before you ask for them (Matthew 6 vs 8). However, you can come severally with the same request to God. In Matthew 26 vs 39 - 44, Jesus persistently prayed to the Father three times saying the same thing, even when He knew the Will of the Father. If you will say the same prayer Jesus said now, it will take you less than twenty seconds, because it is simple, sincere, and direct. 

3. Pray audibly and in alignment with His Word—His Will.

Align your prayer with God’s Word. Put Him in remembrance of His Word (Isaiah 43 vs 26), He is always ready to perform His Word (Jeremiah 1 vs 12). The Word of God is our blueprint for life, the architectural plan for our divine destiny. The utterance of God's Word helps to activate our faith. If you can hear yourself when you pray, you are loud enough. You really don't need to shout. God expects you to speak to Him, not shout. In Isaiah 65 vs 24 God says, "It shall come pass that before you call, I will answer; and while you still speaking, I will hear." Not while you are shouting.

4. Pray passionately.

Your prayer, and supplication should be passionate. It is the "effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man that avails much" (James 5 vs 16). The Christian's most powerful resource is communing with God through prayer. The results are often greater than we thought were possible.

5. Don't mock God.

Do not ask God to do for you what He has already mandated you to do for yourself. Continuing to pray about what God has already told you to do is rebellion against the known Will of God. For instance, in Psalm 50 vs 15, God says, "Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you shall glorify Me." If you are then in any trouble, the proper prayer is, "God I am in the day of trouble, I believe you will deliver me as I call upon You," not "O God I am in trouble, will You deliver Me? I am Your child...." 

6. Pray believing.

God is never far from the person who seeks Him, and is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. The Bible in Hebrews 11 vs 6 says, "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him." Have faith in God (Mark 11 vs 22). Have faith that His promises are true and that they apply to you.

7. Pray without ceasing.

The door to God in prayer is always open; you should take full advantage of walking through that sacred door often. In First Thessalonians 5 vs 17, the Bible says, "Pray without ceasing." We cannot spend all our times on our knees praying, but it is possible to have a prayerful attitude at all times. This attitude is built upon acknowledging our dependence on God, realizing His presence within us, and determining to obey Him fully. Then we will find it natural to pray frequent, spontaneous, short prayers. A prayerful attitude is not a substitute for regular times of prayer but should be an outgrowth of those times.

8. Pray with thanksgiving.

It is the spirit of thanksgiving that makes your prayer supernatural. The apostle Paul, in Philippians 4 vs 6 says, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God." Naturally, the best way to ask for more is to always be thankful. When you thank Him for what He has done, He will do more.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace for proper conduct in prayer, that my prayer will come to You as a sweet smelling savor, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!