THE CALLED OF JESUS CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 22, 2024.

SUBJECT: THE CALLED OF JESUS CHRIST!

Memory verse: "Among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1 vs 6.)

READ: Romans 8 vs 28 - 30:

8:28: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.

8:29: For whom He foreknow, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

8:30: Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called: whom He called, these He also justified: and whom He justified, these He also glorified.

INTIMATION:

The called of Jesus Christ are the Christians who are invited by Jesus Christ to belong to God’s family, and to be saints (to be holy), set apart, and dedicated for His service. In being reborn into God’s family we have the greatest experience of love and the greatest inheritance. And because of all that God has done for us, we strive to be His holy people. What a wonderful experience of what it means to be a Christian!

The calling of Christ is a calling of an appointment or election to apostleship, to preach about Him. Each Christian has a job to do, a role to take, or a contribution to make. One assignment may seem more spectacular than another, but all are necessary to carry out God’s great plan for His world and for the Body of Christ. Therefore, as the called, be available to God by placing your gifts at His service. Then as you discover what He calls you to do, be ready to do it, and do it with all your might.

As the called of Jesus, your attitude should be of a complete dependence on and obedience to Christ. Our willingness to serve and obey Him enable us to be useful and usable servants to do work for Him—work that really matters. Obedience begins with identifying yourself with Jesus, discovering His will and living according to it, and consciously turn away from conflicting interests, even if these interests have been important to you in the past.

God’s unparalleled love—His nature—He commended toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us, and through His death, called us and reconciled to God. And we have been justified by His blood, and will be saved from wrath through Him if we believe. To those that believe, these are the called, and God has given them the ministry of reconciliation that they would continue His work of reconciliation on earth as His ambassadors.  

In obedience to this call. Christ promised to be with us always till the end of the ages (Matthew 28 vs 20), and all things will work together for our good in the end. Note that God is not working to make us happy but to fulfill His purpose. Note also that the promise is not for everybody. It can be claimed only by those who love God and are called by Him, that is, those whom the Holy Spirit convinces to receive Christ, and turn completely to God.

God’s ultimate goal for us is to make us like Christ (First John 3 vs 2); “He also predestined us to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren” (Romans 8 vs 29). As we become more and more like Him, we discover our true selves, the persons we were created to be. And in the end, we would be glorified at His appearing. 

How can we become like Christ? By reading and heeding the Word, by studying His life on earth through the Gospels, by spending time in prayer, by being filled with His Spirit, and by doing His work in the world. It’s noteworthy that the four Gospels are Jesus introducing the Father, and the epistles are the Father introducing Jesus and what He did. They also introduce the sons and daughters of God to the world.

From the passage we read today, we understood that God’s purpose for people was not an afterthought: it was settled before the foundation of the world. People are to serve and honor God. If you believe in Christ, you can rejoice in the fact that God has always known you. God’s love is eternal. His wisdom and power are supreme. He will guide and protect you until one day you stand in His presence.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank you for what You accomplished for me in Christ, and Your calling me to serve Your purpose on earth. Endue me with the spirit of raw obedience to You, and give me the grace to serve with the best in me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Our Servant, Jesus

 “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45)

Not only was he the servant of his people while he lived on earth, but he will also be our servant when he comes again. “Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them” (Luke 12:37). Jesus gave that as a picture of what he will do at his return.

Not only that, he is our servant now. “‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5–6).

Does this belittle the risen Christ — to say that he was and is and will ever be the servant of his people? It would, if “servant” meant “one who takes orders,” or if we thought we were his masters. Yes, that would dishonor him. But it does not dishonor him to say that we are weak and need his help.

It does not dishonor him to say that he is the only one who can service us with what we need most.

It does not dishonor him to say that he is an inexhaustible spring of love, and that the more he helps us and the more we depend on his service, the more amazing his resources appear. Therefore, we can confidently say, “Jesus Christ is alive to serve!”

He is alive to save. He is alive to give. And he is thrilled to be this way. 

He is not burdened down with your cares. He thrives on burden-bearing, not burden-giving. He loves to work “for those who wait for him” (Isaiah 64:4). He “takes pleasure . . . in those who hope in his steadfast love” (Psalm 147:11). His eyes “run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9).

Jesus Christ is exuberant with omnipotent service for the sake of all who trust him.

THE BELIEVERS’ DUTY TO THE WORLD!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 21, 2024.

SUBJECT: THE BELIEVERS’ DUTY TO THE WORLD!

Memory verse: "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden." (Matthew 5 vs 14.)

READ: Matthew 5 vs 13 - 16:

5:13: You are the salt of the earth: but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be salted? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.

5:14:  You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.

5:15: Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

5:16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.

INTIMATION:

Jesus said in John 8 vs 12, “I am the light of the world...” That same Jesus—the Light of the world—created us in His own image and after His likeness. He also said, “I have said, You are gods; and all of you are children of the most High.” (Psalm 82 vs 6.) Therefore, we are the light of the world because “the Light of the world” created us in His own image and after His likeness, and also called us gods. As the children of the most High, we are the same with Him.

But this our light was dimmed when our first parents committed the treason at the garden of Eden by doubting God’s integrity, and believed Satan, the known enemy of God. We were thrown out of the garden, and were subjected to the rulership of this world headed by Satan. The world was full of darkness—spiritual and moral decadence, emblematic of sin and evil which we were subjected to under the rulership of Satan. 

God is a just God, and has already said, “The soul that sin shall die” (Ezekiel 18 vs 4 & 20). All mankind ought to die for the consequences of sin. But God, in His love nature, sent His only begotten Son as a propitiation for us, who came in human form to save us from the consequences and penalty of the sin committed by our first parents. Christ paid the wages of sin—death—we owed, set us free, and reconciled us back to God. 

The only condition for partaking in free gift of saving us (salvation) is to accept what Christ has done for us, believing His word to us, and confessing with our mouth, His lordship over us as our Savior. The entrance of Christ’s Word gives us back the light we were, and lost under Satan’s rulership, and are under the new rulership of Christ. He then makes us His representatives or ambassadors in this world, and now as light of the world, we should illuminate the dark and depraved world. 

Light illuminates, and the entrance of it dispels darkness which cannot comprehend it. Darkness represents spiritual and moral darkness, emblematic of sin and evil. As children of God, and as gods, we are light of the world that dispels darkness. 

As children of God, and in the likeness of Christ, we should live like Him and for Him, and glow like light we are, and showing others what Christ is like. We should illuminate the world with our light to expose, counteract or dispel the darkness; the moral decay in our society. 

When we do not illuminate the world, our light is hidden. We hide our lights, that is, conforming with the world, and shutting off our lights from the rest of the world, instead of being a beacon of truth. We do this by; (1) being quiet when we should speak, (2) going along with the crowd, (3) denying the light, (4) letting sin dim our light, (5) not explaining our light to others, or (6) ignoring the needs of others. 

Many Christians today are hidden from sight, reluctant to be identified as Christians. Such a Christian is like a brand-new light that never leaves the carton it came in. If a lamp doesn’t help people see, it isn’t worth much. Does your life show other people how to find God and how to live for Him? If not, find out how you have hidden your light. 

Such things as complacency, resentment, embarrassment, stubbornness of heart or disobedience could keep you from shining. If you light is not shining, find out what you need to do to let your light shine.

When the light of the truth about Jesus illuminates us, we have the duty to shine that light to help others. Our witness for Christ should be public, not hidden. We should not keep the benefits for ourselves alone but pass them on to others. In order to be helpful, we need to be well placed. Seek opportunities to shine your light when unbelievers need help to see.

Many Christians blend into the world and avoid the cost of standing up for Christ. But Jesus says if Christians lose their distinctive saltness, or fails to emit the light so as to illuminate the world and dispel darkness, they become worthless. Just as salt flavors and preserves food, we are to preserve the good in the world and bring new flavor to life. 

As light dispels darkness, we should reveal sin and evil, and dispel them. This requires careful planning, willing sacrifice, and unswerving commitment to Christ’s kingdom. But if a Christian fails to be “salt,” or “light,” He or she fails to represent Christ in the world. 

If a seasoning has no flavor, it has no value. If Christians make no effort to announce Christ to the world around them, they are of little value to God. If we are too much like the world, we are worthless. Christians should not blend in with everyone else. Instead, we should affect others positively, just as seasoning brings out the best flavor in food.

The Scripture, in Philippians 2 vs 15, says, “That you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.” Our lives should be characterized by moral purity, patience, and peacefulness, so that we will “shine as lights” in a dark and depraved world. A transformed life is an effective witness to the power of God’s Word. 

Are you shining brightly or are you clouded by compromises or dissensions? Don’t let anything of the world snuff out your light. Shine out for God. Your role is to shine until Jesus returns and bathes the world in His radiant glory.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to shine brightly as the light of the world, and as the salt of the earth without losing my flavor, but rather will shine brightly until Christ’s return to illuminate the world in His radiant glory, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Amazed at the Resurrection

 This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder. (2 Peter 3:1)

As Easter approaches, let’s stir up our thankfulness and joy and admiration and amazement at what the resurrection of Jesus means for us. The curse of our fallen nature is that what once thrilled us becomes ordinary. The reality hasn’t changed. We have changed.

This is why the Bible exists. Peter says of his two letters that they are written to “stir up” or “arouse” by means of “reminder.”

So, let’s stir up our sincere minds by way of reminder.

What has God done in raising Jesus from the dead? Here are a few biblical answers.

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we are born again to a living hope.

1 Peter 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.”

Because of Jesus’s resurrection, he now has the glory for which we were made. Our ultimate destiny is to see him as he is.

1 Peter 1:21: “God . . . raised him from the dead and gave him glory.” 

John 17:5, 24: “And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed. . . . Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory that you have given me because you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

May the risen Lord Jesus himself awaken and arouse your sincere mind to new depths of worship and allegiance and joy.

THE WORD OF GOD YOU BELIEVE PERFORMS IN YOUR LIFE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 20, 2024.

SUBJECT: THE WORD OF GOD YOU BELIEVE PERFORMS IN YOUR LIFE!

Memory verse: "And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.” (Luke 1 vs 45.)

READ: Romans 4 vs 17 - 24:

4:17: (as it is written, “I have made you a father of many nations) in the presence of Him whom He believed—God, who gives life to the dead and calls things which do not exist as though they did;

4:18: who, contrary to hope, in hope  believed, so that he became the father of many nations, according to what was spoken, “So shall your descendants be.” 

4:19: And not being weak in faith, he did not consider his own body now already dead (since he was about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb.

4:20: He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God;

4:21: And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.

4:22: And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness.

4:23: Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him;

4:24: But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.

INTIMATION:

To believe is to be persuaded of, to place confidence, to trust in; it is to put a reliance upon, not mere credence. Therefore, when you believe the word of God, you are persuaded of its efficacy, and truthfulness. And because it is God’s Word, you are certain of its performance if you believe.

God is the same with His Word—immutable or unchangeable, and remains forever. God’s Word has the backing of His Throne, hence the Scripture says, “..For you have magnified  Your  word above all Your name” (Psalm 138 vs 2). And consequently, He says, “...For I will hasten my word to perform it” (Jeremiah 1 vs 12). In Numbers 23 vs 19, the Scripture says, “God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent: has He said, and will He not do? or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?” God’s Word is forever settled in heaven.

Performance of God’s Word in our lives is hinged upon our faith or believe in the Word. Therefore, knowing the certainty in God’s word, our responsibility for having His Word performed in our lives is hinged on our faith or believe in it.

In the passage we read today, Abraham had great faith in God and His Word, and that was credited to him as righteousness. He never doubted that God would fulfill His promise made to him; that he will be the father of many nations, even when he had no child, and had grown old. Abraham had to his credit that he consistently trusted God, His imperfections in his life not withstanding. His life was marked by mistakes, sins, and failures as well as by wisdom and goodness, but he consistently trusted God. 

He was strengthened in faith by the obstacles he faced, and his life was an example of faith in action. For instance, if he had looked only at his own resources for subduing Canaan and founding a nation, he would have given up in despair. But Abraham looked up to God, obeyed Him, and waited for God to fulfill His Word. And God did! Or if he had considered his age of about a hundred years—his own body now already dead, and the age of his wife Sarah—her womb also already dead, he would never believed they can bear a child. 

However, the Word of God never fails. God says, “For as the rain comes down, and the snow from heaven, and do not return there, but water the earth, and make it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater: So shall My Word be that goes forth from My mouth, it shall not return to Me void, but it shall accomplish what I please, and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55 vs 10 - 12.)

Nonetheless, to ensure the performance of God’s Word in our lives, we must do the following; (1) Receive the Word (2) Believe the Word in your heart, (3) Confess your believe with your mouth, (4) Walk the talk, that is, walk in the consciousness of that Word you believed, (5) Be expectant to reap the promise in the Word, (6) Continually walk in that consciousness and expectancy, (7) Give thanks to God for the expected provisions.

In the case of Abraham, he received the Word; “I have made you a father of many nations” and believed the Word in his heart; “in the presence of Him whom he believed—God, he confessed the Word with his mouth; “So shall your descendants be,” he walked in the consciousness of that Word he  believed; “so that he became the father of many nations,” he was expectant; “he did not waver at the promise through unbelief, he continually walked in the consciousness of his believe; “but was strengthened in faith,” and was giving thanks; “giving glory to God. And there was a performance of those things that the Lord said to him. Hallelujah!!

Abraham’s believe or faith was imputed to him as righteousness, and the Scripture says, “For You, LORD, wilt bless the righteous; with favour will You compass him as with a shield” (Psalm 5 vs 12). God Blessed him in all things (Genesis 24 vs 1). 

The Scripture says, “And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness. Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead.” (Romans 4 vs 22 - 24.) If you believe just as he did, it will be counted for you as righteousness, and will be blessed by God, and there will also be a performance of the Word of the Lord in your life!

Prayer: Abba Father, You said it, I believe it, and that settles it. Give me the grace never to waver at Your promise through unbelief, and strengthen me in faith and confidence in You and Your Word, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Kind of Cold That Kills

 He sends out his command to the earth; his word runs swiftly. (Psalm 147:15)

Tonight it will be forty degrees warmer in our kitchen freezer than it is outside here in Minneapolis. The high temperature tomorrow will be five degrees below zero (Fahrenheit). We receive this from the Lord’s hand.

He sends out his command to the earth;

his word runs swiftly.

He gives snow like wool;

he scatters frost like ashes.

He hurls down his crystals of ice like crumbs;

who can stand before his cold?

He sends out his word, and melts them;

he makes his wind blow and the waters flow.

(Psalm 147:15–18)

This is the kind of cold you do not play with. It kills. 

When I came to Minnesota from South Carolina, I dressed for it. But I did not prepare life-saving support in my car in case of a breakdown. 

One Sunday night on the way home from church, in this kind of cold, my car died. This was before cell phones. I had a wife and two small children in the car. 

There was no one on this road. I suddenly realized, this is dangerous. 

Soon it was very dangerous. No one came. 

I saw in the distance through a fence a house. I am the father. This is my job. I climbed the fence and ran to the house and knocked on the door. They were home. I explained that I had a wife and two small children in the car, and asked if they would let us in. They did.

This is a kind of cold you do not play with. 

It is one more way God says, “Whether hot or cold, high or deep, sharp or blunt, loud or quiet, bright or dark . . . don’t toy with me. I am God. I made all these things. They speak of me, just like the warm summer breezes do, and the gentle rains, and the soft moonlit nights, and the lapping of the lakeside, and lilies of the field and the birds of the air.” 

There is a word for us in this cold. May the Lord give us skin to feel and ears to hear.

WE ARE CREATED IN CHRIST FOR GOOD WORKS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY FEBRUARY 19, 2024.

SUBJECT: WE ARE CREATED IN CHRIST FOR GOOD WORKS!

Memory verse: "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” (Ephesians 2 vs 10.)

READ: Acts 9 vs 36 - 42:

9:36: At Joppa there was a certain disciple named Tabitha, which is translated Dorcas. This woman was full of good works and charitable deeds which she did.

9:37: But it happened in those days that she became sick and died. When they had washed her, they laid her in an upper room.

9:38: And since Lydda was near Joppa, and the disciples had heard that Peter was there, they sent two men to him, imploring him not to delay in coming to them.

9:39: Then Peter arose and went with them. When he had come, they brought him to the upper room. And all the widows stood by him weeping, showing the tunics and garments which Dorcas had made while she was with them.

9:40: But Peter put them all out, and knelt down and prayed. And turning to the body he said, “Tabitha, arise.” And she opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up.

9:41: Then he gave her his hand and lifted her up; and when he had called the saints and widows, he presented her alive.

9:42: And it became known throughout all Joppa; and many believed in the Lord.

INTIMATION:

Good signifies that which is morally honorable, pleasing to God, and beneficial. Good works therefore, are works honorable, pleasing to God, and beneficial to all. God had prepared believers beforehand to walk in those good works. God, by His nature, is an epitome of goodness. For instance, we become believers through God’s unmerited grace, not as the result of any effort, ability, intelligent choice, or acts of service on our part. 

However, out of gratitude for this free gift, we will seek to help and serve others with kindness, love, and gentleness, not merely to please ourselves. While no action or work we do can help us obtain salvation, God’s intention is that our salvation will result in acts of service. We are not saved merely for our own benefit but to serve Christ and build up His church.

To do good is the will of God for all believers, and they are to take thought of things good, prove it by doing them (Romans 12 vs 2), and cleve to it (Romans 12 vs 9). Good works are not only pleasing to God but also to man, and makes you outstanding in your society. The Scripture, in Romans 13 vs 3, says, “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise for the same.” 

The good works does not only earn you praise only in the society, but is also rewarded by God. And being conscious of this fact, the Bible says, “Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of God” (Galatians 6 vs 10). Obviously, sometimes your good works are not recognized, and it is discouraging to continue to do good or right and not receive no word of thanks or see no tangible results. But keep on doing good knowing that God will come with His reward, and in due time you will reap a harvest of blessing. 

When you do good, you receive the same from God (Ephesians 6 vs 8), and He rewards good works with glory, honor, and peace (Romans 2 vs 10). Therefore, Christians are to take thought for things honorable and do them, and also to follow after them. The Scripture instructs us thus, “See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all” (First Thessalonians 5 vs 15), and not to be wary in well doing (Galatians 6 vs 9), and to hold fast that which is good (First Thessalonians 5 vs 21).

We should be zealous of good works for it is for the reason that Christ saved us; “Who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2 vs 14). We are redeemed and purified to imitate Him in good works, and maintain them according to the Scripture; “This is the faithful saying, and these things I want you to affirm constantly, that those who have believed in God should be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable to men.” (Titus 3 vs 8.)

Now, knowing all the benefits of doing good, which includes avoidance of harm (First Peter 3 vs 13), and overcoming evil with it (Romans 12 vs 21), Christians must devote themselves to doing good works—faithful service, acts of charity, and involvement in civil affairs, and so on, for this is the will of God for us; to be more like Christ.

While good works cannot save us, or even increase God’s love for us because God had already loved and saved us with or without good works, they are true indications of our faith in, and love for Christ. We should then provoke them among ourselves (Hebrews 10 vs 24),  to bear testimony by them as children of God (First Peter 2 vs 12), knowing that if our actions are good and above reproach, even unbelievers will end up praising God, and consequently turning to Him.

In the passage we read today, Dorcas made an enormous impact on her community by her good works and charitable deeds—walking in the will of God; always doing kind things for others and helping the poor, by making coats and other garments. When she died, the whole community was thrown into mourning. They were very sorrowful they lost a good woman known for her good works which they will greatly miss in her passing. They were desirous of having her back, and searched for the apostle Peter, believing he can pray to God to bring her back to life.

When Peter came, the room was filled with mourners, very likely many of the people she had helped. He knelt down and prayed, and God restored her life. And when she was brought back to life, the news raced through the town, and obviously, there would have been jubilation all over the town and many believed in the Lord.

This passage teaches us that we all have our individual gifts God has endowed us with, for His use for building and edification of the body of Christ. Though, God uses great preachers amongst us to accomplish His will, but we can’t all be preachers, and we are all witnessing for Christ. He also uses those who have gifts of kindness like Dorcas (Tabitha) to accomplish His will. Rather than wishing you had other gifts, make good use of the gifts God has given you.

The pertinent question for us all is, “What are people saying about you now?” And “What will people say about you in your passing?“ “Will you be missed, and wished to come back to life?” Truthful and sincere answers to these questions will be a quick reminder to you, to know if you are walking in the will of God. May you never walk out of God’s will in Jesus mighty Name!

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of excellence in good works, that I may never relent in using the gifts, possessions, and talents You bestowed on me for service to You and others in good works, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!