WALKING AFTER THE SPIRIT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY DECEMBER 24, 2023.

SUBJECT: WALKING AFTER THE SPIRIT!

Memory verse: "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8 vs 1.)

READ: Romans 8 vs 4 - 8:

8:4: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

8:5: For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

8:6: For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

8:7: Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.

8:8: So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God.

INTIMATION:

When you are in close spiritual and salvational relationship with Christ, you come into a saved covenant relationship with God wherein you are not in a state of condemnation. In this state one is free from the bondage of sin. In Christ one is not directing his life according to the desires of the flesh, but according to the directions of the Spirit. He is not walking according to the pride of meritorious conduct, but according to his submission to the word of God.

We must not understand our walk after the Spirit to mean that one is directed by inner nudges of what one would interpret to be a supposed direct intervention by the Spirit. In Christ we are no more guided by our subjective emotions that focus on the emotional performances of the individual, but guided by the knowledge of God’s will enumerated in God’s Word. When one is guided by the Spirit, he or she is directed by the Spirit-inspired word that comes from God. Walking after 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. 

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. 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. 

Not being guided by the Spirit is being carnally minded, which means to have such mind that focuses on one’s own desires. But those who behave according to the Spirit-inspired directions of God are not living according to their desires to live after their own wills. In a religious context, being carnally minded is focusing on one’s own ability to perform law in order to save one’s self. The carnally minded person is walking in sin, though he may not recognize the fact he is in sin. But the Spiritually minded person focuses by faith on the cross and God’s grace. He has life and peace because he is trusting in the grace of God and not in his abilities in reference to law keeping.

Though we seek to do that which is good, the nature of our being as free-moral individuals in a world of choice does not give us the ability to live flawlessly. Though the conscience of the Christian is made sensitive by the law of God as revealed through the Holy Spirit, the Spirit does not directly control the behavior of the Christian in reference to law in order to guard him from sin. It is wrong for anyone to claim that the Holy Spirit subjects free-moral Christian in order to guard him or her from sinning. 

The person who lives after the Spirit has crucified the old man of sin. He has put to death the desires to allow the lusts of the flesh to direct his life. But the person who lives according to the lusts of flesh in order to follow his own will is headed for eternal condemnation. Though we often willingly corporate with our sinful nature, it is not us but the sin in us that is evil. And it is this power of sin at work in our life that is defeated when we embrace Christ.

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. Through faith in Christ we stand righteous before God. We need no longer live under sin’s power. God does not take us out of the world or make us robots—we will still feel like sinning and sometimes we will sin. The difference is that before we were saved we were slaves to our sinful nature, but now we can choose to live for Christ. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to walk after the Spirit. Give me the grace to obey the leading of the Holy Spirit in every area of my life, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE HOLY SPIRIT'S CONVICTION IS FOR OUR GOOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY DECEMBER 23, 2023.

SUBJECT : THE HOLY SPIRIT'S CONVICTION IS FOR OUR GOOD! 

Memory verse: "And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement." (John 16 vs 8.) 

READ: John 16 vs 7 - 11:

16:7: Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.

16:8: And when He has come, He convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgement.

16:9: Of sin, because they do not believe in Me;

16:10: Of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;

16:11: Of judgement, because the ruler of this world is judged.

INTIMATION:

What is conviction? It's to prove guilty; to pronounce guilty; a person found guilty of crime or sin. It's usually convincing or persuading by evidence to satisfy as to truth or error. Conviction is a veritable tool employed by the Holy Spirit for our betterment. Conviction is meant to convince us of sin, lift us out of it, and to help us move higher in God's will and plan for our lives. He convinces us to repent, which means to turn and go in the right direction rather than the wrong one in which we are currently going. How wonderful it is to have close fellowship with the Holy Spirit, to have Him in our lives to let us know when we are going the wrong way.

When we are convicted by the Holy Spirit, it is God speaking to us because He wants to help us in some areas. He is not condemning us, but He's trying to let us know that He wants us to live a better and healthy life. The Holy Spirit works to enlighten our awareness of what we are doing wrong that leads to death, and what we need to do to enjoy the abundant life. When He speaks to our conscience about changes that are needed, we should pray right then, asking God to deliver us and bring about those changes through our faith in Jesus.

When Holy Spirit reveals to you an issue that needs to be dealt with in your life, you can trust that the anointing is also present to break the yoke of bondage over you. If you put off confronting the behavior until you want to deal with it, you may have to face change without the anointing, which is very difficult. When God convicts, He also anoints, so it is the best time to yield to His help in changing. We often want to do things in our own timing, and we struggle and struggle because we're not asking for God's help. 

Holy Spirit reveals the result of sin and the result of righteousness so that people can see life and death set before them and call on God to help them choose life. People who has chosen the life of sin have wretched, and miserable lives, which make them look ugly and older than their age. The rough, rugged lifestyle they have chosen has taken a toll on them. 

The power of God can make us look better and keep us feeling younger, because we are not living the hard life of sin. This power of God is at work in the world today demonstrating the results of sin and the results of righteousness. The line between the two is becoming vividly distinct. It is no longer difficult to tell who belongs to God and who doesn't. The world that we live in is full of gross darkness (Isaiah 9 vs 2). But God gave Jesus "for a light to the nations" (Isaiah 42 vs 6). His light is visible in the faces of true believers.

It is healthy and normal to feel guilty when we are initially convicted of sin; but to keep the guilt feeling after we have repented of the sin is not healthy, nor is it God's will. Conviction from the Lord never fills us with condemning shame. Shame fills us with a painful sense of disgrace and humiliating regret, often for something that we couldn't help. 

When God works in people's lives, He condemns the sin, but He never condemns the sinner, rather He gives mercy to the sinner, so we never need to be afraid to let God show us and what we are doing wrong. The Holy Spirit lives in us, and can't get much closer to us than that. He doesn't come just to take up space, or because He has nowhere else to stay or go. The Holy Spirit lives in us because He has a job to do, which is to help (empower, encourage, advocate, strengthen, counsel, teach, comfort, intercede, and standby) and lead us to God's plan for our lives.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit. I surrender to His leading. I pray that nothing will break my fellowship with Him, and that I will do nothing to quench His help in my life, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

That You May Believe

 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30–31)

I feel so strongly that among those of us who have grown up in church and who can recite the great doctrines of our faith in our sleep, and yet who can yawn through the Apostles’ Creed — that among us something must be done to help us once more feel the awe, the fear, the astonishment, the wonder of the Son of God, begotten by the Father from all eternity, reflecting all the glory of God, being the very image of his person, through whom all things were created, upholding the universe by the word of his power.

You can read every fairy tale that was ever written, every mystery thriller, every ghost story, and you will never find anything so shocking, so strange, so weird and spellbinding as the story of the incarnation of the Son of God.

How dead we are! How callous and unfeeling to your glory and your story, O God! How often have I had to repent and say, “God, I am sorry that the stories men have made up stir my emotions, my awe and wonder and admiration and joy, more than your own true story.”

Perhaps the galactic movie thrillers of our day can do at least this good for us: they can humble us and bring us to repentance, by showing us that we really are capable of some of the wonder and awe and amazement that we so seldom feel when we contemplate the eternal God and the cosmic glory of Christ and a real living contact between them and us in Jesus of Nazareth.

When Jesus said, “For this purpose I have come into the world” (John 18:37), he said something as crazy and weird and strange and eerie as any statement in science fiction that you have ever read.

Oh, how I pray for a breaking forth of the Spirit of God upon me and upon you; for the Holy Spirit to break into my experience in a frightening way, to wake me up to the unimaginable reality of God.

One of these days lightning is going to fill the sky from the rising of the sun to its setting, and there is going to appear in the clouds the Son of Man with his mighty angels in flaming fire. And we will see him clearly. And whether from terror or sheer excitement, we will tremble and we will wonder how we ever lived so long with such a domesticated, harmless Christ.

These things are written — the whole Bible is written — that we might believe — that we might be stunned and awakened to the wonder — that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who came into the world.

THE SHEPHERD OFTHE RIGHTEOUS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY DECEMBER 22, 2023.

SUBJECT : THE SHEPHERD OFTHE RIGHTEOUS!

Memory verse: "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? the LORD is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?" (Psalm 27 vs 1.)

READ: Psalm 23 vs 1 - 6:

23:1: The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. 

23:2: He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 23:3: He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name sake. 

23:4: Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

23:5: You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You anoint my head with oil; My cup runs over. 

23:6: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.

INTIMATION:

The Lord is the shepherd of the righteous. The Scripture in the 'New Testament' calls Jesus the good shepherd (John 10 vs 11); the great shepherd (Hebrews 13 vs 20); and the chief shepherd ( First Peter 5 vs 4). When one submits to the shepherding of God, he trusts that God will provide all that is necessary for survival. Because of the Lord’s care over us, we are satisfied with the spiritual food that comes from Him, and thus we take our rest in the shadow of His care. The righteous know their God, and He leads them according to His will to places of security. 

Jesus is the good Shepherd, who tends to us—His sheep—out of love, and is committed to us, even to the extent of laying His life for us. As the Lord is a good shepherd, so we are His sheep; not frightened and passive, but obedient followers, wise enough to follow one who will lead us in the right places and right ways. As calm waters naturally soothe one’s mind in times of trouble, so God takes us to places where the turmoil of life can be endured. By the calm waters our inner man is renewed and refreshed. 

The Lord leads us down paths that take us to that which is good for us. The two significant results of the death and resurrection of our Messiah, Jesus Christ, our great Shepherd, is found in His work in us to make us the kind of people that would please Him, and He equips us to do the kind of work that would please Him. Consequently, 'He restores our souls, and leads us in the paths of righteousness for His name sake: "Righteousness will go before Him, and shall make His footsteps our pathway." (Psalm 85 vs 13.) He does this in order that His name be glorified among the nations. He is holy, and therefore, desires that His people be holy. 

We can trust that God will always meet the needs of the righteous. Whatever they need on earth He will supply, even if it is the courage to face death. Whatever they need in heaven He will supply. The psalm we read today is probably the most quoted of all the psalms simply because in a few words it portrays the life of the righteous. Though the righteous must live in a world that is plagued with suffering and turmoil, they must put their faith in God as they struggle through life. The psalm is a sublime utterance of those who are focused on staying close to God.

God has complete ability to meet our needs. Just as the sheep is dependent on the shepherd to meet its needs, so are we to our Father in heaven. He is our Shepherd and we are His sheep (flock). The sheep are completely dependent on the shepherd for provision, guidance, and protection. We must remember, however, the difference between our wants and our needs. Most people want to feel good and avoid discomfort or pain. We may not get all that we want. By trusting in Christ, our attitudes and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting His provision and power to live for Him.

When we allow God our shepherd to guide us, we have contentment. He knows the "green pastures" and "still waters" that will restore us. We will reach these places only by following Him obediently. Rebelling against the shepherd's leading is actually rebelling against our own best interests. God works in us to make us the kind of people that would please Him, and if you are obedient, you will eat the fruit of the land: "For the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them and lead them to living fountains of waters. And God will wipe every tear from their eyes" (Revelation 7 vs 17).

Even in death, He is with us. Death casts a frightening shadow over us because we are entirely helpless in its presence. We can struggle with other enemies; pain, suffering, disease, injury, but strength and courage cannot overcome death. It has the final word. Only God—the God of life—our shepherd, can walk us through death's dark valley and bring us safely to the other side, and ensures our eternal comfort amidst life's uncertainties. God offers protection even when enemies surround us, and believers will dwell with God. 

The perfect shepherd and host, promises to guide and protect us through life to bring us into His house forever. The psalmist says, "One thing I have desired of the LORD, that will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to inquire in His temple. For in time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; in the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon the rock. And now my head shall be lifted up above my enemies all around me..." (Psalm 27 vs 4 - 6.)

Prayer: Abba Father, in You I live, and move, and have my being. You are my strong tower, I run into You and am saved. Give me the grace to hear Your voice and follow You all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Birth of the Ancient of Days

 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” (John 18:37)

This is a great Christmas text even though it comes from the very end of Jesus’s life on earth, not the beginning.

Notice: Jesus says not only that he was born, but that he “came into the world.” The uniqueness of his birth is that he did not originate at his birth. He existed before he was born in a manger. The personhood, the character, the personality of Jesus of Nazareth existed before the man Jesus of Nazareth was born.

The theological word to describe this mystery is not creation, but incarnation. The person, not the body, but the essential personhood of Jesus existed before he was born as man. His birth was not a coming into being of a new person, but a coming into the world of an infinitely old person.

Micah 5:2 puts it like this, 700 years before Jesus was born:

But you, O Bethlehem Ephrathah, who are too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel, whose coming forth is from of old, from ancient days.

The mystery of the birth of Jesus is not merely that he was born of a virgin. That miracle was intended by God to witness to an even greater one; namely, that the child born at Christmas was a person who existed “from of old, from ancient days.”

And, therefore, his birth was purposeful. Before he was born he thought about being born. Together with his Father there was a plan. And part of that great plan he spoke in the last hours of his life on earth: “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world — to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice” (John 18:37).

He was the eternal Truth. He spoke only the truth. He acted out the greatest truth of love. And he is gathering into his eternal family all those who are born of the truth. This was the plan from ancient days.

WORRY NOT ABOUT THESE TWO DAYS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY DECEMBER 21, 2023.

SUBJECT: WORRY NOT ABOUT THESE TWO DAYS!

Memory verse: “Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past.” (Isaiah 43 vs 18)“

READ: Proverbs 27 vs 1; Matthew 6 vs 34; James 4 vs 13 - 15:

Proverbs 27:1: Do not boast about tomorrow for you do not know what a day may bring forth.

Matthew 6:34: Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

James 4:13: Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year, and buy and sell, and get a profit”;

4:14: whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.

4:15: Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

INTIMATION:

There are two days in every week that we should not worry about, two days that should be kept free from fear and apprehension. One is yesterday with its mistakes and cares, its faults and blunders, its aches and pains, and so on. Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control. All the money in the world cannot bring back yesterday. We cannot undo a single act we performed. Nor can we erase a single word we have spoken. Yesterday is gone.

The apostle Paul said, “Brethren I count not myself to have laid hold. But one thing I do, ‘forgetting those things that are behind and reaching forward to those things that are before.” (Philippians 3 vs 13.) The apostle Paul had reason to forget the past, which if he had continued to reflect on, it will greatly hurt his future. He had been a persecutor of Christians. But when Jesus arrested him on his way to Damascus things changed; he turned out to be the foremost of Christ’s early apostles. He therefore, needed to put that past behind him. 

We have all done things for which we are ashamed, and we live in the tension of what we have been and what we want to be. Because our hope is in Christ, however, we can let go of past guilt and look forward to what God will help us become. Don’t dwell on your past. Instead, grow in the knowledge of God by concentrating on your relationship with Him now. Realize that you are forgiven, and then move on to a life of faith and obedience. Look forward to a fuller and more meaningful life because of your hope in Christ. We do not allow the things of this world to detract us from our goal of eternal dwelling. 

The other day we shouldn’t worry about is tomorrow. Tomorrow is beyond our control. Tomorrow’s sun will rise either in splendor, or behind a mask of clouds but it will rise. And until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow, for it is yet unborn.  In one of the passages we read today, Jesus is encouraging us not to be overly concerned about the future. In other words, we must not add worries about the future to the responsibilities of today. Worry works against faith (see James 1 vs 6). We must assume through faith that all things work together for good (Romans 8 vs 28). And thus we must work by faith (Second Corinthians 5 vs 7). The more one walks by faith, the less worry there is in his or her life. 

This leaves only one day, Today. It is easier to carry the burdens of one day than adding that of yesterday and tomorrow. It is only when we add the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow that we break down. There is no guarantee of how tomorrow may come, therefore, one should fully appreciate each day of his life. It is not the experience of today that drives people mad, it is the remorse of bitterness for something which happened yesterday and the dread of what tomorrow may bring. 

The psalmist said, “This is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118 vs 24) Everyday is a privilege in the life of frail men, hence we should be happy with each day as it comes. Moreover, God’s provision is daily, not all at once. We cannot store it up and then cut off communication with God. And we dare not be self-satisfied.

There are days when the last thing we want to do is rejoice. Our mood is down, our situation is out of hand, and our sorrow or guilt is overwhelming. But no matter how we felt, we should always be honest with God, telling Him how we truly feel. And as we talk to God, we should praise Him for who He is, and what He has done and can do. You will discover that God will give you a reason to rejoice. Even that day is a gift from God, for you to live and serve Him, therefore, be glad and rejoice!

It is good to have goals, but goals can disappoint us if we leave God out of them. There is no point in making plans as though God does not exist because the future is in His hands. We can plan ahead, but we must hold on to our plans loosely. If we put God’s desires at the center of our planning, He will never disappoint us. Planning for tomorrow is a time well spent, worrying about tomorrow is time wasted. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell the difference. Careful planning is thinking ahead about goals, steps, and schedules, and trusting in God’s guidance. When done well, planning can help alleviate worry. 

The beginning of good planning is to ask, “What would I like to be doing ten years from now? One year from now? Tomorrow? How will I react if God steps in and rearranges my plan? Don’t let worries about tomorrow affect your relationship with God today. Worriers are consumed by fear and find it difficult to trust God. They let their plans interfere with their relationship with God. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You care for us day by day, and every new day is an opportunity to get closer and draw strength from You. Daily will I empty myself before You that You fill me in with Your grace to function in accordance with Your precepts, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Christmas Solidarity

 The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. (1 John 3:8)

The assembly line of Satan turns out millions of sins every day. He packs them into huge cargo planes and flies them to heaven and spreads them out before God and laughs and laughs and laughs.

Some people work full-time on the assembly line. Others have quit their jobs there and only now and then return.

Every minute of work on the assembly line makes God the laughingstock of Satan. Sin is Satan’s business because he hates the light and beauty and purity and glory of God. Nothing pleases him more than when creatures distrust and disobey their Maker.

Therefore, Christmas is good news for man and good news for God.

“The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15). That’s good news for us.

“The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8). That is also good news for God.

Christmas is good news for God because Jesus has come to lead a strike at Satan’s assembly plant. He has walked right into the plant, called for the Solidarity of the faithful, and begun a massive walkout.

Christmas is a call to go on strike at the assembly plant of sin. No negotiations with the management. No bargaining. Just single-minded, unswerving opposition to the product. We won’t be a part of making it anymore.

Christmas Solidarity aims to ground the cargo planes. It will not use force or violence, but with relentless devotion to Truth it will expose the life-destroying conditions of the devil’s industry.

Christmas Solidarity will not give up until a complete shutdown has been achieved.

When sin has been destroyed, God’s name will be wholly exonerated. No one will be laughing anymore.

If you want to give a gift to God this Christmas, walk off the assembly line of sin and don’t go back. Take up your place in the picket line of love. Join Christmas Solidarity until the majestic name of God is cleared, and he stands glorious amid the accolades of the righteous.