BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY DECEMBER 03, 2023.

SUBJECT : BE CONTENT WITH WHAT YOU HAVE!

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

READ: First Timothy 6 vs 6 vs 10:

6:6: Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

6:7: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

6:8: And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

6:9: But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.

6:10: For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

INTIMATION:

Contentment is being satisfied or pleased with what you have. It primarily signifies to be sufficient. It’s not being obsessed with getting more material things, but rather being relaxed with what you have. The Scripture recognizes that there is great gain in being content. This signifies your trust and reliance on God which greatly helps in spiritual growth and personal fulfillment. Contentment helps us to honor God and center our desires on Him, and be content with what He is doing in our lives.

Christian should learn how to live whether we have plenty, or whether we have need. We should take a cue from the apostle Paul who said, "Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content; I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and suffer need." (Philippians 4 vs 11 - 12.) 

As a Christian, are you able to be content (get along happily) in any circumstances you face? Like the apostle Paul, we should see life from God’s point of view, relying on God’s promises to provide all our needs. We should focus on what we are supposed to do, not what we feel we should have. Christians should have their priorities straight, and be grateful for everything God had given us, detaching ourselves from the nonessentials so that we could concentrate on the eternal. 

How can we learn to be content with what we have? It’s by striving to live with less rather than desiring more; giving away out of our abundance rather than accumulating more; relishing what we have rather than resenting what we are missing. We become satisfied when we realize God’s sufficiency for our needs. When we focus our lives on behaving after the directions of the word of God, we become content with life, realizing that the purpose of life is not to consume the things of this world upon our own lusts. Rather we should focus on spiritual things that will result in eternal life.

Christians who become materialistic are saying by their actions that God can’t take care of them, or at least, that He won’t take care of them the way they want. Insecurity can lead to discontentment. However, God ordained that the things of this world are to sustain our brief stay here in preparation for that which is to come. The only antidote to discontentment is to trust God to meet our needs. See God’s love expressed in what He has provided.

King Solomon, in recognition of the need for contentment, says to God, "Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches - Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You. And say, "Who is the Lord?" Or lest I be poor and steal, and profane the name of my God." (Proverbs 30 vs 8 - 9.) 

God recognizes the attributes of man; in plenty man is likely to deny Him, and in lack man will do anything to survive, including stealing which will eventually profane God's name. For instance, having too much money can be dangerous; but so can having little. Being poor can, in fact, be hazardous to spiritual as well as physical health. It is for this reason that God prefers to provide for us, but on a day-by-day basis. There is every likelihood that possessions can take away our concentration and dependence on God because we will not be in need of anything hence will remember less of God.

Prayer: Abba Father, teach me contentment in every circumstances, for I know You will supply all your needs in a way that You know is best for me. May I never desire nor have what You cannot give me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

OPENING THE DOOR TO YOUR DESTINY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 02, 2023.

SUBJECT : OPENING THE DOOR TO YOUR DESTINY!

Memory verse: "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.” (Ephesians 1 vs 11.) 

READ: Ephesians 1 vs 17 - 19:

1:17: That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him,

1:18: the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints,

1:19: and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power. 

INTIMATION:

A person’s life is like a large house, full of stories and experiences. There are various levels and rooms reserved for certain seasons of life, each one unique in style, complex in design and purpose. Within each house are many doors that open and close throughout the course of its existence. Some are easier to open than others. Some require a little prying. Some are best left closed forever. Others, however, require a key. The door to your destiny is one that requires a key—one that can seem very difficult to find. It cannot be created instantly or reproduced in any way. It cannot be bought with money, although it does come at a price. 

Many Christ-followers wander through their houses—their lives—never able to open the door to their destiny because they simply do not know their true identity in Christ. Although people ask themselves what their purpose in this world is, they rarely live out the answer. I truly believe that in this time of history—in a season of worldly chaos and profound self-anonymity—the Lord is calling His Bride to know her true identity and to live out her purpose, effectively advancing the Kingdom of God here on earth as it is in heaven.

To know your identity in Christ requires first and foremost that you know Him personally. As cliché as it sounds, it is the truth! How can one really know himself or herself without first intimately knowing the One who created him or her? Our journey to knowing ourselves begins with knowing God’s nature and character. He is the One who carefully molds the key of identity by revealing Himself in our lives as we pursue Him. 

As we grow in our knowledge of Him, the following significant things begin to take place: It causes you to know what He says about you. If you truly desire to know what the Lord says about your identity, dive into His Word! Take this for instance; He calls you His child (John 1 vs 12), He calls you His righteousness (Second Corinthians 5 vs 21), He calls you a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven (Philippians 3 vs 20), He calls you forgiven and set free (Ephesians 1 vs 7, Romans 8 vs 2), He calls you royalty and part of a chosen priesthood. (First Peter 2 vs 9). When we become alive in Christ through salvation, He infuses our spirits with the reality of His DNA and His Kingdom. This is the primary building block of our identity in Him.

Knowing Him reveals your authority in Him. Knowing the people He has divinely called us to be sets the precedent for understanding and operating in His authority. A pastor sometime said, “Unused authority creates a spirit of poverty and limitation.” What a profound statement! How grievous it must be to the Lord when His own people do not understand the authority they possess in Him, and, therefore, live in apathy and purposelessness! When we operate in the supernatural authority He has implanted in us, we trample on the head of the enemy (see Luke 10 vs 19) and are equipped to preach the Gospel to the nations, witnessing signs, wonders and miracles (see Mark 16 vs 15 - 18).

In my considered opinion, the most powerful aspect of our authority in Christ, however, is that we share in His rule and reign with Him (see Second Timothy 2 vs 11 - 13). This is even more empowering when we realize “as He is, so we are in this world” (First John 4 vs 17). Although we can never be God Himself, the fact that He has called us to be as He is in this world makes certain our identity in Him.

Also, knowing Him gives you eternal perspective, especially when you wholeheartedly understand the fact that you will spend eternity with Him! This simple, yet deep, revelation allows you to live every aspect of your life with an eternal mindset, giving way to your purpose. 

In responding to the truth, be encouraged to seek Christ more! Allow Him to reveal His character and nature, and form your true identity that will lead to living out the destiny He has prepared for you. Evaluate your own life. Are there lies you have believed about yourself that contradict what the Lord has said about you? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal areas where you have negated your self-worth. Pray for God to give you the courage to utilize the authority He has given you. Remember that faith requires action! 

Prayer: Abba Father, enlighten the eyes of your understanding; that I may know what is the hope of Your calling, what are the riches of the glory of Your inheritance in me, and be enabled to live as You destined for me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE FLESH AND BLOOD OF JESUS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 01, 2023.

SUBJECT : THE FLESH AND BLOOD OF JESUS!

Memory verse: "He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, dwells in Me, and I in him.” (John 6 vs 56.) 

READ: John 6 vs 51 - 58:

6:51: I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

6:52: The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

6:53: Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

6:54: Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

6:55: For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

6:56: He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

6:57: As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

6:58: This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. 

INTIMATION: 

The Lord’s Supper (the eating and drinking of the flesh and blood of Jesus) was when Jesus celebrated with the apostles their deliverance from sin through the cross. He also wanted them and all that will believe in the new covenant to celebrate what would take place that would result in their forgiveness of sins. The blood of Jesus that cleansed us of sin, brings us into a covenant relationship with God. 

Jesus gave His incarnate body in order to be a sacrifice for the sins of those who would hear and learn from Him. As a result they would respond to the events of the good news of His death, burial and resurrection. Therefore, through the eating of the Supper (the flesh and blood of Jesus), Christians spiritually drink and eat of His blood and body because they abide in Him and He in them.

The life of the flesh is in the blood (Leviticus 17 vs 11). The two are essential elements in man’s physical being. Those who eat the flesh of Jesus, who is the Bread of Life, will never spiritually die. They will dwell in God’s presence without end. Jesus said the metaphorical statement that one must partake of Him as the Bread of Life in order to sustain his life throughout eternity. Jesus gives spiritual life that comes from His sacrificial death on the cross.

When we partake of the bread during the Lord’s Supper, we partake of the life that we have in the body of Christ. If one is not in the body, therefore, he does not have life. It is for this reason that we are baptized into the body in order to have life. As the life of the flesh is in the blood, and was forfeited by sin, life eternal can be imparted only by the expiation made in giving up of the life by the sinless Savior.

The shedding of His blood in expiratory sacrifice brings us into a covenant relationship with God to enjoy His covering. To “drink His blood” is to appropriate the saving effects of His expiatory death. "God's Covering" is an expression which describes the spiritual protection and nurture which God provides for all those who are in a covenant relationship with Him. You cannot see His covering but you can certainly experience the effect which it has. The believer is not only saved, redeemed, and justified by the blood of Christ, but the blood sets the believer free from the power of sin and makes him holy and enables him to grow in Christ likeness by the work of the Holy Spirit.

The new covenant in the blood of Jesus is the platform that allows us to enter into the presence of a perfect and holy God. It was shed on our behalf, and it grants us membership into a divine family and access to God's presence. It is the most precious treasure, and we should never lose our gratitude toward it.

Through the blood of Jesus, our sins are not just covered, but completely washed away.” “The blood of Jesus is the bridge that reconciles us to God and makes us his beloved.” “In the blood of Jesus, we find victory over death and the promise of eternal life.”

Those who are eating and drinking the “flesh and blood” of Jesus are the ones who have eternal life. Therefore, Christians are actively eating and drinking of the Lord’s Supper today that Jesus instituted. They eat and drink of the bread and fruit of the vine that represents the body (life) and blood (atoning sacrifice) of Jesus. Therefore, they are the ones who are in possession of eternal life because they have obeyed the gospel in order to come into Christ (Romans 6 vs 3 - 6). When Christians partake of the Super, they are figuratively partaking of the incarnate blood and body of Jesus that was given as an atonement offering for their sins (Romans 3 vs 25).

In His incarnate state on earth, the Son was sustained by the power of God as everything of this world is sustained. Jesus lived because of His obedience to do the Will of the Father. In like manner, those who continue to feed on Jesus will continue to be sustained by Jesus who continues throughout eternity. Therefore, the eternity of anyone depends on their feeding on the life that proceeds from Jesus. Those who do not feed on Jesus cannot expect to be sustained throughout eternity. 

Eternal existence, therefore, depends on remaining in the presence of God who is indigenously eternal. Nothing can maintain eternity apart from the presence of God. Only God is eternal, and thus, all who would desire eternal existence must seek to come into a relationship with God. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the Supreme Sacrifice of Jesus Christ our Messiah on the cross for our salvation, and our new covenant relationship with You resulting from the sacrifice. I will continually celebrate the event of the cross by the eating and drinking of the body and blood of Jesus, and rejoice in my continued sustenance in Your presence, Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

OBEDIENCE TO GOD BREEDS SUCCESS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY NOVEMBER 30, 2023.

SUBJECT : OBEDIENCE TO GOD BREEDS SUCCESS!

Memory verse: "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth; but you shalt meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.” (Joshua 1 vs 8.) 

READ: Psalm 1 vs 1 - 3:

1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful.

1:2: But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in His law he meditates day and night.

1:3: He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he does shall prosper.

INTIMATION:

Only two paths of life lie before us—God’s way of obedience or the way of rebellion and destruction. God judges people on their faith in Him and their response to His revealed will—His Word. Those who diligently try to obey God’s will are blessed. These are the righteous: They are defined by their desire to seek the law of God. Their study of, and meditation on the word of God identify them as the people of God (Second Timothy 2 vs 15). They do not simply read, but think on the things that have read. They are those whose minds are focused on godly things. Their minds are not be so busied with the things of the world that they do not have time to think on God’s Word. 

The faith of the righteous is continually nourished by the word of God (Romans 10 vs 17). God is working for the righteous. They are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees planted along a riverbank with strong roots (Jeremiah 17 vs 7 - 8), and God promises to watch over them. God’s wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don’t trust and obey God have meaningless lives that blow away like dust. Be sure to choose God’s path because the path you choose determines how you will spend eternity.

You can learn how to follow God by meditating on His Word. This means spending time reading and thinking about what you have read. It means asking yourself how you should change so you will live as God wants. Knowing and thinking about God’s Word are the first steps toward applying it to your everyday life. If you want to follow God more closely, you must know what He says. The more we know of the whole scope of God’s Word, the more resources we will have to guide us in our daily decisions. The more we delight in obeying God, the more fruitful we are. 

In the passage we read today, the writer begins the Psalm extolling the joy of obeying God and refusing to listen to those who discredit or ridicule Him. The phrase “whatever he does shall prosper” does not mean immunity from failure or difficulties. Nor does it guarantee health, wealth, and happiness. What the Bible means by prosperity is this: When we apply God’s wisdom, the fruit (results or by products) we bear will be good and will receive God’s approval. Just as a tree soaks up water and bears luscious fruit, we also are to soak up God’s Word, producing actions and attitudes that honor God. To achieve anything worthwhile, we must have God’s Word in our hearts. 

God told Joshua that to succeed he must obey the rules for living found in God’s law. Often we can’t see what the results or future benefits of following God will be. When we are not certain what to do, obedience to what God has revealed in the Scriptures is the only sure step we can take. Resolve to set aside time each day to read and think about God’s Word. Remind yourself of God’s words day and night. Act today on what you know God has said, and God will assure your success in carrying out His purposes.

God told Joshua that success and prosperity come from obeying and being controlled by Him. God said that to succeed, Joshua must (1) be strong and courageous, because the task ahead would not be easy, (2) obey God’s law, and (3) constantly read and study the Book of the Law—God’s Word. To be successful, follow God’s words to Joshua. You may not succeed by the world’s standards, but you will be a success in God’s eyes—and His opinion is most important and the final.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of obedience to, and meditation on, Your Word that I may observe to do according to all that is written in it, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

WHEN GOD’S ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYER IS “NO”!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY NOVEMBER 29, 2023.

SUBJECT : WHEN GOD’S ANSWER TO YOUR PRAYER IS “NO”!

Memory verse: "The word of the Lord came to David saying, 'You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight' (First Chronicles 22 vs 8).

READ: First Chronicles 22 vs 9 - 10:

22:9: Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest, and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.

22:10: He shall build a house for My name, and he shall be My son, and I will be his Father; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom over Israel forever.

INTIMATION:

God’s doesn’t answer yes at all times to our requests, even when the requests are intended for good. When your request is outside His plan and purpose for your life, His answer to your request will be in the negative. You may have sometimes prayed with good intentions, only to have God say no to your request. This is God’s way of redirecting you, most times, to His greater purpose in your life. 

Accepting God’s no requires as great faith as carrying out His yes. Our humility in accepting God’s no, and allowing Him to rearrange your schedule, demonstrates your level of obedience to, and faith in Him. The plan of building the temple was David’s his idea, not God’s. However, God sanctioned this desire of David, and thus God claimed the temple after it was built. But we must not forget that the temple was never in the original plan of God for Israel.

David was a man described by God Himself as "a man after My own heart" (Acts 13 vs 22). He was worried that while he was dwelling in a beautiful palace of cedar, the Ark of the covenant of the Lord, which is a symbol of the presence of God, sat under tent curtains. David expressed his displeasure to Nathan the prophet. Then the prophet urged him to do all that is in his heart. 

But God refused that David should build a temple for Him. God told David that his job was to unify and lead Israel and to destroy its enemies. This huge task would require David to shed a great deal of blood. God did not want His temple built by a warrior. Because David was a man of war, God didn’t allow him the privilege of fulfilling his dream of building a temple. This task was left to Solomon, a king who inherited a kingdom of peace from his father. 

God has done many things in David’s life, and He plans to do even more! This is so in the life of some of us. Like David, we should humble ourselves and give glory to God, even when He says no to our prayers. We should humbly respond, accepting His answer,  saying such things to him as, “O LORD, there is none like You, Omnipotent and Omniscient, knowing the end from the beginning. To You be all the glory and adoration.”

In response to God’s refusal of David building the temple, he went and sat before the Lord and humbled himself in prayer, praising God, recognizing God's blessings and accepting God's decision, promises, and commands. The righteousness of David was manifested in his response to God’s denial of His building a temple. 

He submitted in humility, knowing that the eternal plan of God must be worked out in the affairs of men. He was not presumptuous against the plan of God, and by faith he submitted to God’s will in his life, remembering that God, who made all things according His predetermined purposes, knows the end from the beginning.

Though David thought well, his request was good, but God said no. This does not mean that God rejected David. In fact, God was planning to do something even greater in David’s life than allowing him the privilege of building the temple. Sometimes God says no to our plans for His own reasons, and purposes. When He does, we should utilize other opportunities He gives us. His response is an example of those who would walk by faith, not sight. Though we do not understand all of God’s plans, we understand enough to walk by faith, trusting that He will perform His promises. 

However, God told David that his son Solomon will undertake the task of building a temple for Him instead. David graciously accepted this "no" from God. David made the plans and collected the materials so that his son Solomon could begin work on the temple as soon as he became king. He was not jealous of the fact that his son would have the honor of building God's temple, but instead made preparations for him to carry out his task. David responded to God's refusal with deep humility, not resentment. He accepted his part in God’s plan and did not try to go beyond it. 

It’s noteworthy that although God turned down David’s request, He promised to continue the dynasty of David forever. David’s earthly dynasty ended four centuries later, but Jesus Christ, a direct descendant of David, was the ultimate fulfillment of this promise (Acts 2 vs 22 - 36). Christ will reign for eternity—now in His spiritual kingdom, and in heaven, and later, on earth, in the New Jerusalem (Luke 1 vs 30 - 33; Revelation 21).

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my all in all. Whatever You cannot give me, let me never have it. Whatever You cannot do for me, let it remain undone forever. Endue me with a humble spirit; to acknowledge, obey, and trust in You at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!