HOW TO ATTRACT SPECIAL AUDIENCE IN PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 25, 2024.

SUBJECT : HOW TO ATTRACT SPECIAL AUDIENCE IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6 vs 33.)

READ: Psalm 37 vs 4 - 6:

37:4: Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He shall give you the desires of your heart.

37:5: Commit your way to the Lord, trust also in Him, and He shall bring it to pass.

37:6: He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, and your justice as the noonday.

INTIMATION:

One attracts special audience in prayer when one partners with God in ensuring the establishment of His Kingdom here on earth. Kingdom-oriented prayer gives you special audience with God. If you desire breakthroughs in your life, one of the fastest ways of achieving it is to have a strong affection for God and His kingdom. Let your thoughts be dominated with the desires of God, serve, and obey Him in everything.

Your delight in the Lord occasions strong affection for God and His kingdom. When you delight in the Lord, you will experience great pleasure and joy in Him and His kingdom. The Scripture says of the Lord, “Then you shall delight yourself in the Lord; and I will cause you to ride on the high hills of the earth...” (Isaiah 58 vs 14.) Desire to know God better, and to know His great love for you. When you do, you will entrust everything about you—your life, family, job, possessions—to Him and He will work out what is best for you. 

The reason God created the earth is for the extension of His kingdom. When Jesus taught His disciples how to pray in Matthew 6 vs 9 - 10, He said, "In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your Will be done on earth as it is in heaven." When you pray kingdom-oriented prayer, you are giving reference to God's spiritual reign. It is God's Will that His kingdom be established here on earth as was announced in the covenant with Abraham. 

When you pray "Your Will be done on earth," you are praying that God's perfect purpose will be accomplished in this world as well as the next. When you are interceding on kingdom matters, let it be from the depth of your being, as if you are praying for your own child who is dying, or even the healing of your ailment that has kept you at the corridor of death. Such prayers usually means much to you. 

If you concern yourself that much on ensuring the actualization of God's Will on earth, God will definitely concern Himself with your affairs, and you will experience additions to you of all the things the world is struggling to get. This is a prayer strategy that moves heaven to rain down favor on you, so much that you will not need to pray for most things before you get Them as the Scripture foretold, thus, "It shall come to pass that before you call, I will answer, And while they are still speaking, I will hear." (Isaiah 65 vs 24.) This is prevalent in the lives of those who are heartily mindful of His kingdom matters. Their prayers are answered at the right time. 

Most people are dying in their prayer rooms because they are self-oriented in their prayers. They the "needy-stars" of the kingdom. Their prayer is always all about self; "Lord, give me this; Lord, bless me; Lord, bless my children and my wife," and their demands are endless. All they remember to pray about is "me, I, and myself." They are least concerned about the welfare of anybody else or on any issue that does not touch them personally. Their idea is, "If God is concerned about His kingdom, let Him fix it."

When a kingdom prayer point is raised in the church, a lot of people just mumble through; you can hardly hear what they are saying. But when it is said, "Pray for yourself, that this year's prophecy may find fulfillment in your life," people begin to pray with much vigor and energy. But it is how much you take pleasure in the affairs of the kingdom of God that determines the quality of response you enjoy from God. 

The psalmist in Psalm 102 vs 12 - 13 says, "But You, O Lord, shall endure forever, and the remembrance of Your name to all generations. You will arise and have mercy on Zion; For the time to favor her, Yes, the set time, has come." When your concern for God's kingdom is deep-seated in your heart, you pray heart-felt prayers for the kingdom and His people. Your prayer shall be that, "The Lord endures forever, and be remembered throughout all generations." Then, He will arise with mercy and favor for you. As you begin to seek His kingdom in your prayers, I see every concern in your life become a testimony of answered prayers to you, in Jesus name.

Prayer: Abba Father, let the zeal of Your kingdom eat me up, that I may desire to do all the things required for the advancement of Your kingdom here on earth, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

You Are Greatly Loved

 We all once lived among [the sons of disobedience] in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ — by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2:3–5)

Would you not love to hear the angel Gabriel say to you, “You are greatly loved”? 

Three times this happened to Daniel.

“At the beginning of your pleas for mercy a word went out, and I have come to tell it to you, for you are greatly loved.” (Daniel 9:23)

“O Daniel, man greatly loved, understand the words that I speak to you, and stand upright, for now I have been sent to you.” (Daniel 10:11)

And he said, “O man greatly loved, fear not, peace be with you; be strong and of good courage.” (Daniel 10:19)

I admit that each year when I read through the Bible and come to these verses, I want to take them and apply them to myself. I want to hear God saying to me, “You are greatly loved.”

In fact, I do hear this. And you can hear it too. If you have faith in Jesus, God himself says to you in his word — which is more sure than an angel of God speaking — “You are greatly loved.”

There it stands in Ephesians 2:3–5, 8: We “were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ. . . . For by grace you have been saved through faith.”

This is the only place where Paul uses this wonderful phrase “great love.” And it is better than an angel’s voice. If you have seen Jesus as true and received him as your supreme treasure, that is, if you are “alive,” you are greatly loved. Greatly loved by the Creator of the universe. Just think of it! Greatly loved!

God Opens the Heart

 One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul. (Acts 16:14)

Everywhere Paul preached some believed and some did not. How are we to understand why some of those who are dead in trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2:1, 5) believed and some did not?

The answer why some did not believe is that they “thrust it aside” (Acts 13:46) because the message of the gospel was “folly to [them], and [they were] not able to understand” (1 Corinthians 2:14). The mind of the flesh “is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God’s law; indeed, it cannot” (Romans 8:7).

Everyone who hears and rejects the gospel “hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed” (John 3:20). They remain “darkened in their understanding . . . because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart” (Ephesians 4:18). It is a guilty ignorance. The truth is available. But “by their unrighteousness [they] suppress the truth” (Romans 1:18).

But why then do some believe, since all are in this condition of rebellious hardness of heart, dead in their trespasses? The book of Acts gives the answer in at least three different ways. One is that they are appointed to believe. When Paul preached in Antioch of Pisidia, the Gentiles rejoiced and “as many as were appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48).

Another way of answering why some believe is that God granted repentance. When the saints in Jerusalem heard that Gentiles, and not just Jews, were responding to the gospel, they said, “Then to the Gentiles also God has granted repentance that leads to life” (Acts 11:18).

But the clearest answer in Acts to the question why a person believes the gospel is that God opens the heart. Lydia is the best example. Why did she believe? Acts 16:14 says, “The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.”

If you are a believer in Jesus, all of these happened to you: You were appointed to believe; you were granted to repent; and the Lord opened your heart. The rest of your life you should be overflowing with amazed thankfulness at the miracle that you are a believer.

WE CONQUER SIN BY GOD’S GRACE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 24, 2024.

SUBJECT : WE CONQUER SIN BY GOD’S GRACE!

Memory verse: "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (First Corinthians 15 vs 57.)

READ: Romans 7 vs 15 - 25:

7:15: For that which I do I allow not: for what I would, that do I not; but what I hate, that do I.

7:16: If then I do that which I would not, I consent unto the law that it is good.

7:17: Now then it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

7:18: For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwells no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not.

7:19: For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.

7:20: Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

7:21: I find then a law, that, when I would do good, evil is present with me.

7:22: For I delight in the law of God after the inward man:

7:23: But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members.

7:24: O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?

7:25: I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin.

INTIMATION:

Revelation and understanding of the grace of God starts with the understanding of the Word of God—the Law of God (For better understanding always replace the “Word of . God” with the “Law of God”). The Word of God could be frustrating when we try to work the Word rather than the Word work in us. The most frustrating aspect of the Word of God is that it keeps convicting most believers. Incidentally this is what the law should do to us. But how do we take and handle the conviction?

Created as free-moral humans, we would not have known that sin existed in our lives unless the law stated that our behavior is against the law. Therefore, the law “was added because of transgressions” (Galatians 3 vs 19). When there is no law, one will not be aware of the intensity of the sin in one’s life. Without the presence of the written law, one is deceived into thinking that one’s life is right with God. 

Once one begins applying the law to one’s life, one immediately realizes that one cannot keep the law perfectly in order to live righteously before God, and consequently one sins. And the sin brings spiritual death. Therefore, the law was never given to man as a means of salvation. It’s obvious that law can never be given that will produce justification in the sight of God. The law is holy, just, and good because it drives us to recognize our sinfulness, and thus, we are driven to the grace of God.

As the “law” (the Word) would convict us of our wrong doings, we turn completely to our Lord for the grace to change. The devil would take that thing (conviction) that was intended for our good, and would begin to beat us over the head with it as condemnation. We would look in the Word and see our need to change, but we didn't know anything about the grace of God to bring about that change in us. We don't know how to allow the Spirit of the Lord come into our lives and cause the things to happen that needed to happen as we believed Him and exercised our faith. We thought we have to do it all by our own power.

The problem here is that most believers don't understand the difference between conviction and condemnation. When the “Word” convicts you in one thing or the other (which it ought to do), turn to God completely to accomplish the change you desire through His grace. Do not get frustrated when the devil will come to minister condemnation (which it ought to) because the devil's mission is "to steal, and to kill, and to destroy" (John 10 vs 10). We cannot suffer condemnation because Jesus Christ has already justified us as believers (Romans 8 vs 1).

When you try to change yourself, trying to make yourself be everything the “Word” (The Law) said you are supposed to be, you get frustrated because you cannot do it by your will power, but only by the grace of God. You have to submit yourself to the Lord and wait patiently on Him to accomplish all He planned for you. Trying to do something about something you can't do anything about is frustrating. 

It takes the grace of God to change to what the “Word” wants you to be. It is not automatic but gradual, being changed from glory to glory (Second Corinthians 3 vs 18). You conquer your enemies little by little (Deuteronomy 7 vs 22). When convicted by the Word, allow God (trust and surrender yourself to Him) to walk His perfect Will in your life.

In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul says that 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 the law in order to guard him or her from sin. 

The morally-minded person has a knowledge of the law. He knows what is right. However, since all men sin, one’s knowledge of the law does not guarantee that he will not sin. Knowledge and behavior do not always work in agreement with one another. All have sinned by either violating the precepts of law (First John 3 vs 4), or by failing to do biblical principles of good (James 4 vs 17). 

Though we desire to do what is right, our performance does not measure up to our desire. We often end up doing that which we know is wrong according to either law or conscience. Though we seek to do that which is good, the nature of our being free-moral individuals in a world of choice, we cannot live without committing sin. 

Therefore, because we know we sin, we are driven to the grace of God. Our arrogance is crushed by realizing that without God’s grace we have no hope of deliverance from this life of sin. In recognition of our inabilities to perform behaviorally in order to stand just before God, we are driven to thank God for the revelation of His grace through Jesus Christ (Titus 2 vs 11). However, once one recognizes the grace of God, he is driven to serve God. 

God’s deliverance from sin and death through the cross of Jesus moves one to obedient appreciation of the grace of God. Though the nature of free-moral behavior lends itself to sin, the Christian can find comfort in the fact of what apostle John wrote, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (First John 1 vs 7). 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for Your grace made available to us through Jesus Christ. May the availability of Your grace be alive in my thoughts, that I surrender myself entirely to You and the leading of the Holy Spirit in all things, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Hour of Unusual Threat

 If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. (1 Peter 4:14)

Many Christians in the world today do not know the life-threatening danger that comes with believing in Christ. We have gotten used to being free from such persecution. It seems like the way things must be. 

So, our first reaction to the threat that things might be otherwise is often anger. But that anger may be a sign that we have lost our sense of being sojourners and exiles (“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles . . .” 1 Peter 2:11). 

Perhaps we have settled too much into this world. We don’t feel as homesick for Christ as Paul did: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Philippians 3:20).

Many of us need the reminder, “Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you” (1 Peter 4:12). It isn’t strange.

Have you ever wondered how you will do in the hour of final trial? The gunman has you in his sights and asks, “Are you a Christian?” Here is a strong word to give you hope that you may do better than you think.

Peter says, “If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you” (1 Peter 4:14). This encouragement from Peter says that in the hour of unusual threat (whether insult or death) there will be “a Spirit of glory and of God resting on us.” Doesn’t that mean that God gives special help in the hour of crisis to those who suffer because they are Christians?

I don’t mean he is absent from our other sufferings. I just mean that Peter went out of his way to say that those who suffer “for the name of Christ” will experience a special “resting” on them of “the Spirit of glory and of God.”

Pray that this would be your experience when the trial comes. There will be resources of endurance in that moment that we do not have any other time. Take heart.

REJOICE ALWAYS IN THE LORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 23, 2024.

SUBJECT : REJOICE ALWAYS IN THE LORD!

Memory verse: "Rejoice always.” (First Thessalonians 5 vs 16.) 

READ: Philippians 3 vs 1; 4 vs 4:

3:1: Finally, My brethren, rejoice in the Lord. For me to write the same things to you is not tedious, but for you it is safe.

4:4: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say rejoice.

INTIMATION:

To rejoice is to delight, to be joyful, to be happy, or to make happy. To rejoice in the Lord is to be joyful, happy, delighted, or gladdened in the Lord for who He is, and what He does, is doing, and can do. Rejoicing is pleasing to God, hence His demand on people to be joyful. God encourages joy. God doesn’t intend that religion to be only meditation and introspection. He also wants us to celebrate. 

Serious reflection and immediate confession of sin is essential of course. But this should be balanced by celebrating who God is and what He has done, is doing, and can do for His people. Therefore, worship involves both celebration and confession. In believers meetings, there are times of meditations and celebration—rejoicing in the Lord and demonstration of His goodness. 

One of the feasts that God gave to Moses for the children of Israel is the feast of Tabernacles, also called the feast of ingathering (Leviticus 23 vs 33 - 44). It was a special celebration involving the whole family that lasts for seven whole days. The feast taught family members of all ages about God’s nature and what He had done for them, and it was a time for renewed commitment to God. 

In our societies in the world today, families need rituals of celebration to renew our faith and to pass it on to our children. Among Christians are Christmas and Easter. Also, Churches and Fellowships have other special days to commemorate God’s goodness and nature. 

But the apostle Paul tells us that rejoicing in the Lord should be a constant practice for us. It was so important to him that he emphasized the word ‘rejoice’ twice in a verse of just nine words (Philippians 4 vs 4.) In his letter from the prison in Rome to the church in Philippi, he emphasized the need of rejoicing in the Lord always. Although, it seems strange that a man in prison would be telling a church to rejoice. But his attitude teaches us an important lesson: As believers in Christ, and trusting in God, our inner attitudes do not have to reflect our outward circumstances. Paul was full of joy because he knew that no matter what happened to him, Jesus Christ was with him.

It is in our nature to get easily discouraged about unpleasant circumstances. It’s also easy for us to take unimportant events too seriously. There are times 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. Yes, but this is as a result of our not looking at life from the right perspective: Your focus is on the circumstance you face, instead of on Him who controls all circumstances. 

We can relate to the writers of the psalms in the Bible who often felt the way stated above. But no matter how low the writers felt, they were always honest with God. And as they talked to God, their prayers ended in praise. When you don’t feel like rejoicing, tell God how you truly feel, be attentive, and you will find out that God will give you a reason to rejoice; Even now, God has given you this day, this hour to live and to serve Him, be glad!!

You may not have been joyful because you have a wrong perspective of life. For instance, in the event of someone abusing you, calling you names indicative of the person’s regard for you as useless, such circumstance is mostly unpleasant and discouraging. But such should not be taken serious, and not worry you, knowing that the ultimate assessment that matters is God’s assessment, not fellow human’s assessment. “Let God be true and every man a liar” (Romans 3 vs 4.)

Several occasions necessitate our rejoicing in the Lord always. They include: (1) His Incarnation—the union of God and man in the person of Jesus Christ, (2) God’s power available to us, (3) His presence with the Father interceding for us, (4) His presence with us, (5) His ultimate triumph, (6) Hearing the gospel, (7) Our salvation, (8) Receiving the Lord, (9) Our enrollment in heaven, (10) Our liberty in Christ, (11) Our hope in Christ, (12) Our prospect of reward, and (13) The obedience and godly conduct of fellow believers. 

The apostle Paul, gives us three very important commands—be joyful, never stop praying, and be thankful (First Thessalonians 5 vs 16 - 18). Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should be continuous, and not fluctuating with our circumstances or feelings. However, obeying these commands often go against our natural inclinations. But when we make a conscious decision to do what God says, we will begin to see life and people in the right perspective as God sees it. And when we do God’s Will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to rejoice in You always; having the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, that I may be called a tree of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that You may be glorified, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Enjoying His Fullness

 From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. (John 1:16)

Just before the service last Sunday, the little band of praying saints was hard at work fighting for the faith of our people, and for the churches of the Twin Cities, and for the nations, as they prayed. At one point one man prayed the words of John 1:14, 16:

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. . . . For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.

It was one of those epiphany moments for me. God granted in that moment that the word “fullness” — from his fullness — carry a fullness that was extraordinary in its effect on me. I felt some measure of what the word really carries — the fullness of Christ.

I felt some of the wonder that, yes, I had indeed received grace upon grace from this fullness. And I was at that moment receiving grace upon grace. I felt right then that nothing would have been sweeter than to simply sit at his feet — or read my Bible — all afternoon and feel his fullness overflow.

Why did this fullness have such an impact on me — and why is it still to this moment affecting me unusually? In part because . . .

. . . the one from whose fullness I am being drenched with grace is the Word that was with God and was God (John 1:1–2), so that his fullness is the fullness of God — a divine fullness, an infinite fullness;

. . . this Word became flesh, and so was one of us, and was pursuing us with his fullness — it is an accessible fullness;

. . . when this Word appeared in human form, his glory was seen — his is a glorious fullness;

. . . this Word was “the only Son from the Father” (John 1:14) so that the divine fullness was being mediated to me not just from God, but through God — God did not send an angel but his only Son to deliver his fullness;

. . . the fullness of the Son is a fullness of grace — I will not drown in this fullness but be blessed in every way by this fullness;

. . . this fullness is not only a fullness of grace but of truth — I am not being graced with truth-ignoring flattery; this grace is rooted in rock-solid reality.

Is it any wonder, then, that I would feel astonished and full of joy at the fullness of Christ!