GOD IS EVER CARING!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 26, 2023.

SUBJECT: GOD IS EVER CARING!

Memory verse: "Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (First Peter 5 vs 7.) 

READ: Psalm 103 vs 8 -14 & 17:

103:8: The Lord is merciful and gracious. slow to anger, and abounding in mercy. 

103:9: He will not always strive with us, nor will He keep His anger forever. 

103:10: He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. 

103:11: For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; 

103:12: As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. 

103:13: As s father pities his children, do the Lord pities those who fear Him. 

103:14: For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. 

103:17: But the mercy of The Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him. And His righteousness to children's children. 

INTIMATION:

God has deep interest in all that concerns you and I. We are fragile, but God's care is eternal. Too often we focus on God as Judge and Lawgiver, ignoring His compassion and concern for us. When God examines our lives He remembers the frailty of our human condition. His mercy takes everything into account. God cares for us as a father lovingly cares for his children. 

God will deal with us compassionately. God is so caring that when He forgives us our sins, He separates them from us and doesn't even remember them anymore. As east and west can never meet, so is the symbolic portrait of God's forgiveness and of our sins. We need never wallow in the past, for God forgives and forgets.

Though there are times when God’s children have to be disciplined, God would not continually do so day by day. Because of His forgiveness and mercy, He does not punish His people with what they deserve for their sins. Their rebellion will justly deserve death, but because of His mercy, He only disciplines. 

In the Garden of Eden our first parents were set up to live happily ever after, having been placed in a paradise-like setting by a Loving, Caring, and Personal God. They had been given everything they could ever want, but with only one small restriction: "Don't eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." 

We easily will say today, 'What a simple innocuous request and easy to obey.' But when they were enticed by the “tempter,” they fell into his trap of questioning the love and goodness of the One from whom they had only experienced good. What a monstrous lie! But they bought the lie hook, line and sinker! And mankind has been wretched ever since but for God's intervention through His Son, Jesus Christ! In His caring, and merciful nature He saved mankind from the calamities of disobedience by sacrificing His Son for us.

What our first parents did is even done today by some of us. Some people willingly swallow the lie from the devil that we cannot trust our Heavenly Father. Some of us allow our earthly hurts from parents or others to distrust our view and our understanding of God. Our many feelings, emotions, fears, and human experience effectively block a clean perception, consequently stifling all truth about Him. 

Pray that God will help you not allow negative human relationship and experience interfere with having a close relationship with your Loving, and Caring Father, and hindering your enjoying the never ending and limitless benefits of His care.

God’s mercy continues forever. It continues throughout the generations of those who have committed themselves to be obedient to the laws of the covenant that He has established with us. He is so caring and unchanging that He will never break His covenant with us (Psalm 89 vs 34).

God is so caring that He allows us to cast all our cares upon Him. Therefore, carrying our worries, stresses, and daily struggles by ourselves show that we have not trusted God fully with our lives. It takes humility, however, to recognize that God cares, and to admit your needs, and let God take care of you. Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sin and foolishness are not God's concern. 

But when we turn to God in repentance, He will bear the weight of those struggles, including our sins. Our loving Father will never leave us according to His promise. But the enemy of our souls, the devil, wants us to doubt God, and to question His ability. And undoubtedly, that is the trick the father of lies has used from the beginning of human history.

However, to experience the totality of God’s care, put Him first in all things in your life. In Matthew 6 vs 31 - 33, the Scripture states, "Therefore do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' Or 'What shall drink?' For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." 

To "seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness" means we should put God first in all things in our lives; we should turn to God first for help, to fill your thoughts with His desires, to take His character for your pattern, and to serve and obey Him in everything. Though other things and desires, all compete for priority in our lives, and any of these can quickly bump God out of first place if we don't actively choose to give Him first place in every area of our lives.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are so caring and loving that You gave Your only Son, Jesus Christ, to die for my sins. What a supreme sacrifice You made for me! Forever You remain my God. Endue me with the spirit of love, compassion, trust, and complete obedience to You, Who has given all for me, that I may give all for You and put You first in every area of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Grace for the New Year

 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 only God’s disposition to do good for us when we don’t deserve it. It is an actual power from God that acts and makes good things happen in us and for us.

God’s grace was God’s acting in Paul to make Paul work hard: “By the grace of God . . . I worked harder than any of them.” So when Paul says, “Work out your own salvation,” he adds, “for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure” (Philippians 2:12–13). Grace is power from God to do good things in us and for us.

This grace is past and it is future. It is ever-cascading over the infinitesimal waterfall of the present, from the inexhaustible river of grace coming to us from the future, into the ever-increasing reservoir of grace in the past.

In the next five minutes, you will receive sustaining grace flowing to you from the future, and you will accumulate another five minutes’ worth of grace in the reservoir of the past. The proper response to the grace you experienced in the past is thankfulness, and the proper response to grace promised to you in the future is faith. We are thankful for the past grace of the last year, and we are confident in the future grace for the new year.

Hold Fast to Your Hope

 So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. (Hebrews 6:17–18)

Why does the writer of Hebrews encourage us to hold fast to our hope? If the final enjoyment of our hope was obtained and irrevocably secured by the blood of Jesus, then why does God tell us to hold fast?

The answer is this:

What Christ bought for us when he died was not the freedom from having to hold fast, but the enabling power to hold fast.

What he bought was not the nullification of our wills as though we didn’t have to hold fast, but the empowering transformation of our wills so that we want to hold fast.

What he bought was not the canceling of the commandment to hold fast, but the fulfillment of the commandment to hold fast.

What he bought was not the end of exhortation, but the triumph of exhortation.

He died so that you would do exactly what Paul did in Philippians 3:12, “I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own.” It is not foolishness, it is the gospel, to tell a sinner to do what Christ alone can enable him to do; namely, hope in God.

So, I exhort you with all my heart: Reach out and take hold of that for which you have been taken hold of by Christ. Hold it fast with all your might — which is his might. His blood-bought gift of your obedience.

SUBJECT : THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF PRIDE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY NOVEMBER 24, 2023.

SUBJECT : THE DESTRUCTIVE POWER OF PRIDE!

Memory verse: "Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall." (Proverbs 16 vs 18.)

READ: Psalm 101 vs 5; Proverbs 11 vs 2; 13 vs 10; 16 vs 5; 29 vs 23: 

Psalm 101:5: Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, Him I will destroy, the one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure.

Proverbs 11:2: When pride comes, then comes shame; but with the humble is wisdom.

13:10: By pride comes nothing but strife, but with the well-advised is wisdom.

16:5: Everyone proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; though they join forces, none will go unpunished.

29:23: A man's pride will bring him low, but the humble in spirit will retain honor.

INTIMATION:

Pride is inordinate self-esteem or conceit; disdainful treatment of others. Pride, in the Scripture, also denotes being boastful, haughty, vainglory, presumptuous, and puffed up. Many people are lofty in their thoughts. Even many Christians always believe that to surrender to Jesus Christ is all that is required, and all other things will by itself fall into places. A humble and contrite spirit, which are the major requirements for believers, are grossly lacking in them. That is the consequence of pride.

Pride is the inner voice that whispers, "My way is best." It is resisting God's leadership, negating His concepts, and believing that you are able to live without His help. Whenever you find yourself doing this, or wanting to do it your way and looking down on other people, you are being pulled by pride. Only when you eliminate pride can God help you become all He meant you to be. Proud people take little account of their weaknesses and do not anticipate stumbling blocks. They think they are above the frailties of common people, but they are always caught in that web. In this state of mind they are easily tripped up. Ironically, proud people seldom realize that pride is their problem. 

Pride leads to disgrace, punishment, destruction; it produces quarrels, ends up in downfall, and brings one low. The proud attitude heads the list of seven things God hates: "These six things the LORD hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren." (Proverbs 6 vs 16 - 19.)

Pride and lies go hand in hand. The proud will always seek to defend their actions, requiring to put up a defense. Such defense are fraughted with lies in other to drive home their points. We may be tempted to believe that some lies are relatively harmless, even useful at times, but God does not overlook lies, flattery, deception, or boasting. Each of these sins originate from a bad attitude that is eventually expressed in our speech. 

When people are driven by pride into wrong doing, they try their best to rationalize their actions, using such words as; "He spoke to me harshly and I gave it back to him," "I was provoked to anger, and I reacted the way I did." It is often their desire to return evil for evil, tear people down verbally or get back at them, if they feel hurt. But this is ungodly, God encourages us to pay back wrongs by praying for the offenders, to seek peace and pursue it. If we love life and desire to see good days, we should eschew evil and do good.

For the proud, "I am wrong" or "I am sorry" are difficult phrases to utter because they require humility. Pride is an ingredient in every quarrel. It stirs up conflict and divides people. Examine your life truthfully, and you will acknowledge that pride has been leading to quarrels. Guard against pride. If you find yourself constantly arguing, always trying to rationalize your actions and behaviors, examine your life for pride, Be willing to admit your mistakes, and be open to godly advice of others, and ask for help when you need it.

Avoid pride when God prospers you, and makes you powerful. If God has given you wealth, influence, popularity, and power, be thankful, but be careful. God hates pride. While it is normal to feel elation when we accomplish something, it is wrong to be disdainful of God or to look down on others. Give God credit of what you have, and use your gifts in ways that pleases Him. Remember, no matter what your position in society, God expects you to honor, worship, and obey Him. It is true that "pride goes before destruction." 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with a humble spirit, that I may constantly examine my ways, thoughts, and actions to eliminate any form of pride. Give me the grace to admit my faults, my wrongs, and to boldly say "I am sorry," in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Eleven important roles of a good Wife

 DEAR WIFE... 

1. If you want your husband to make love to you often, have a good attitude. No matter how sexy you look or dress, your husband will not find you attractive if you have a bad attitude 

2. If you want your husband to be eating with you, be pleasant to be around. No matter how tasty your food, it loses taste when being around you is stressful 

3. If you want your husband to be opening up to you sensitive and difficult information, learn to keep secrets and not to overreact. A man refrains from sharing too much when he is scared information will be leaked or be misinterpreted 

4. If you want your husband to be praying with you, stop acting as if your prayers are more powerful or you are closer to God than him. Allow your husband to pray his kind of way 

5. If you want your husband to be taking you out often, stop bringing drama and ruining dates with issues that should be dealt with at home. No man wants to go spend time and money at a venue where he will be emotionally drained 

6. If you want your husband to solve the issues in your marriage, stop seeing yourself as the angel and him the devil, stop attacking him or labelling him as "The agent the devil is using to ruin your marriage". See also your fault, show him you are on the same team and seek solutions, not finger pointing 

7. If you want your husband to come home early, be peaceful. The wife tends to own the home and so can easily make the husband keep off if she becomes harsh, uninviting and combative 

8. If you want your husband to be chatting with you and calling you up, be fun to talk to, make him miss you. If each time he calls you or chats you up it ends up with you starting a fight, reminding him of his wrongs or ordering him around he will avoid communication with you

9. If you want your husband to receive your suggestions and corrections then speak to him with a tone of love. If you come at him shouting, dictating at him or manipulating him he will harden up

10. If you want your husband to enjoy kissing you, then speak loving words, be gentle, be easy to talk to. Lips that speak words that hurt are not attractive to kiss

11. If you want your husband to do more sweet, romantic and special things; appreciate the little he does and he will do more. Complaining never inspires a man to do better but appreciation does....1

THE NEED OF THANKSGIVING IN WORSHIP!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 23, 2023.

SUBJECT: THE NEED OF THANKSGIVING IN WORSHIP! 

Memory verse: "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;" (Philippians 4 vs 6.) 

READ: Psalm 69 vs 30; 100 vs 4; Colossians 2 vs 6 - 7; 4 vs 2:

Psalm 69:30: I will praise the name of the LORD with a song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving.

100:4: Enter into His gate with thanksgiving, and into His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His Name.

Colossians 2:6: As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 

2:7: rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.

4:2: Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.

INTIMATION:

The Christian works in thanksgiving for what God has done through His grace, acknowledging God’s goodness, which expresses your faith and confidence in Him. There is no powerful living apart from a life of thanksgiving which, of course, is the will of God for us. The Christian is zealous in the Lord because of his or her salvation that has come from the Lord through the offering of His Son Jesus Christ as a propitiation for our sins. 

God desires an attitude of thanksgiving, not just an act of it. Thanksgiving is an application for more. Being thankful for all the things He has done and is doing in your life is a pathway to receiving your petitions from Him. Therefore, when you have petitioned God for something, immediately begin to thank Him in trust and confidence that the thing you have asked for is on the way coming. The apostle Paul counseled all believers to give thanks in everything; for this is the Will of God in Christ Jesus for them (First Thessalonians 5 vs 18.)

The apostle Paul lived a life of thanksgiving and preached the same to all believers. In some of the passages we read today, his counsel on thanksgiving, as an integral part of worship, is clearly expressed. In our memory verse (Philippians 4 vs 6), Paul counsels all believers to be thankful for what we ask in prayer, and to continuously be thankful and grateful for what He has already done in the past, what He is doing now, and what He is going to do in the future, including answer to our petitions. 

Jesus, our Messiah and perfect example, lived a life of thanksgiving during His earthly ministry. He knows the power of thanksgiving when communing with the Father, and gave thanks to the Father always. For example; He gave thanks to God when He broke the seven loaves and fishes and fed the four thousand (Matthew 15 vs 36). He gave thanks to God when He took the five loaves and two fishes and fed five thousand (John 6 vs 11). He also thanked God for hearing Him at the tomb of the dead Lazarus (John 11 vs 41). And He gave thanks to God when He gave the bread and wine to His disciples at the Last Super. (Mark 14 vs 22 - 23).

Thanksgiving magnifies the Name of the LORD (Psalm 69 vs 30), and opens the gate of the court of the LORD (Psalm 100 vs 4). It also, multiplies what we have received (Second Corinthians 9 vs 12). For instance, when Jesus lifted up the bread and fishes and gave thanks it multiplied that thousands were fed by the meal of a child. Also, the power of thanksgiving in prayer helps us abound in Christ, drawing our life-giving strength from Christ (Colossians 2 vs 7). The more we draw our strength from Him, the less we are fooled by those who falsely claim to have life’s answers. If Christ is our strength we will be free from human regulations.

The lifestyle of thanksgiving is an evidence of a grateful heart. If a person is grateful for what he already has, it is an indication that the individual is mature enough to receive other blessings. But if a person is always complaining about what he has now, why should the Lord bother to give him anything else to crab and gripe about. 

When we realize how far God had to send His Son in order to redeem us from condemnation, we respond with a life of thanksgiving. Our good works, therefore, are works of thanksgiving, not works of merit. Christians are motivated because of what they already have in Christ. Prayer and petitions (supplication) are to be made in a spirit of thanking God for all that He has done in our lives. When one truly understands the grace of God, He or she will respond in thanksgiving for all that God has done through Jesus. 

Prayer: Abba Father, there is none like You. Your steadfastness never seizes, and Your mercies never come to an end. Your compassion never fails. I will forever remain thankful to You for all Your great and wondrous works in my life. What You cannot do for me let it remain undone, and what You cannot give me may I never have it, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

When God Swears by God

 Since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” (Hebrews 6:13–14)

There is one Person whose worth and honor and dignity and preciousness and greatness and beauty and reputation is more than all other values combined — ten thousand times more — namely, God himself. So, when God takes an oath, he swears by himself. 

If he could have gone higher, he would have gone higher. Why? To give you strong encouragement in your hope. What God is saying in swearing by himself is that it is as impossible that he will break his word of promise to bless us as it is that he will ever despise himself. 

God is the greatest value in the universe. There is nothing more valuable or wonderful than God. So, God swears by God. And in doing that he says, “I mean for you to have as much confidence in me as it is possible to have.” For if more were possible, Hebrews 6:13 says, he would have given us that. “Since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself.” 

Now this is our God, the God who is reaching as high as he can reach to inspire your unshakable hope in him. So, flee to God for refuge. Turn from all the superficial, self-defeating hopes of the world, and put your hope in God. There is nothing and no one like God as a refuge and a rock of hope.