SERVANT POWER - APRIL 18

SERVANT POWER - APRIL 18

Mark 4:41, "And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?"

MARK 4:35-41

When God created this physical world and all of its inhabitants, He gave mankind authority to rule and subdue His creation. Although God still owned the universe and all that was in it, He gave control of the earth to man.

When man sinned, he began to use this power against God's wishes. God did not ordain all the terrible things that have happened throughout history, and yet He did not take back man's right to dominate the earth. Instead, He became a man and took back that authority to Himself by conquest. After Jesus' resurrection, He said in Matthew 28:18, "...All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth," and then He gave the great commission to His disciples, thereby conferring that authority upon them, also. Jesus becoming flesh was absolutely essential for gaining all power (or authority) in heaven and in earth. Jesus was a "God-man." As stated in 1 Timothy 3:16, He was God manifested in the flesh, which is a great mystery.

Jesus came in the power and authority of His Father to point men to the Father God. Jesus existed before His advent on this earth in the form of God and was equal with God; yet, He humbled Himself and became a servant while here on earth. He did not come to promote Himself but to give Himself as the way unto the Father.

This is radically different from the way so called "great men" present themselves. The Roman Caesar of Jesus' day proclaimed that he was God and demanded worship. Lesser leaders ruled by exalting themselves over the people they governed. But, Jesus showed us that "whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many" (Mt. 20:26-28).

LIFE IN ETERNITY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY APRIL 18, 2024.

SUBJECT: LIFE IN ETERNITY!

Memory verse: "But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, nor have entered into the heart of man the things which God had prepared for those who love Him.” (First Corinthians 2 vs 9.)

READ: Revelation 21 vs 1 - 4:

21:1: Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.

21:2: Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

21:3: And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them, and be their God.

21:4:And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. 

INTIMATION: 

The earth as we know it will not last forever, but after God’s great judgment, He will create a new earth (see Romans 8 vs 18 - 21; Second Peter 3 vs 7 - 13). God had also promised Isaiah that He would create a new and eternal earth (Isaiah 65 vs 17; 66 vs 22). We don’t know how the new earth will look or where it will be, but God and His followers—those whose names are written in the Book of life—will be united to live there forever.

How do we get eternal life? Jesus tells us clearly here—by knowing God the Father Himself through His Son, Jesus Christ. Eternal life requires entering into a personal relationship with God in Jesus Christ. When we admit our sin and turn away from it, Christ’s love lives in us by the Holy Spirit. 

The gate to eternal life is called “narrow” (John 10 vs 7 - 9). This doesn’t mean that it’s difficult to become a Christian but that there is only one way to eternal life with God and that only a few decide to walk that road. Believing in Jesus is the only way to heaven because He alone died for our sins and made us right before God. Living His way may not be popular, but it is true and right. Thank God there is one way!

Have you ever wondered what eternity will be like? The “holy city, New Jerusalem” (Rev 21 vs 2) is described as the place where God will “wipe away every tear.” Forevermore, there will be no death, sorrow, crying, or pain. What a wonderful truth! No matter what you are going through, it’s not the last word—God has written the final chapter, and it is about true fulfillment and eternal joy for those who love Him. We do not know as much as we would like, but it is enough to know that eternity with God will be more wonderful than we could ever imagine.

What we know about eternity.

1. A place prepared for the believers in Christ, (John 14 vs 2 - 3). 
2. It’s unlimited by physical properties (First Corinthians 15 vs 35 - 49). 
3. We will be like Jesus (First John 3 vs 2).
4. We will have knew bodies (First Corinthians 15).
5. A wonderful experience (First Corinthians 2 vs 9): 
6. A new environment (Revelation 21 vs 3)
7. A new experience of God’s presence (Revelation 21 vs 3).
8. New emotions (Revelation 21 vs 4)
9. No more death (Revelation 21 vs 4). 

The Bible devotes much less space to describing eternity than it does to convincing people that eternal life is available as a free gift from God. Most of the brief descriptions of eternity would be more accurately called hints, since they use terms and ideas from present experience to describe what we cannot fully grasp until we are there ourselves. These references hint at aspects of what our future will be like if we have accepted Christ’s gift of eternal life.

Christ promises future honor and eternal life to those who stand firm in their faith. They will be set apart and made pure—“clothed in white” (Revelation 3 vs 5). The names of all believers are registered in the Book of Life. This Book symbolizes God’s knowledge of who belongs to Him. All such people are guaranteed a listing in the Book of Life and are introduced to the hosts of heaven as belonging to Christ (see Luke 13 vs 8 - 9). 

Whoever believes in God’s Son has eternal life (First John 5 vs 12). He is all you need. You don’t need to wait for eternal life because it begins the moment you believe. You don’t need to work for it because it is already yours. You don’t need to worry about it because you have been given eternal life by God Himself—and it is guaranteed. 

God is faithful to His children. Although we may suffer great hardships here, God promised that someday we will live eternally with Him. What will this involve? It means believers will live in Christ’s kingdom and that we will share in the administration of that kingdom. Just as God finished the work of creation (Genesis 2 vs 1 - 3), and Jesus finished the work of redemption (John 19 vs 30), so the Trinity will finish the entire plan of salvation by inviting the redeemed into a new creation. 

Those who patiently and persistently do God’s Will find eternal life. It is not contradicting the fact that salvation comes by faith alone. We are not saved by good deeds, but when we commit our life fully to God, we want to please Him and do His Will. As such, our good deeds are a grateful response to what God has done, not a prerequisite to earning His favor.

Prayer: Abba Father, Your faithfulness endures forever, and I thank You, most gracious Lord, for Your plan to live with the redeemed in eternity. Strengthen me to patiently and persistently do Your Will at all times, abounding in good deeds as a graceful response to what You have done for me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM

 

PEACE IN THE MIDST OF THE STORM - t 17

Mark 4:37-38, "And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship so that it was now full. And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master carest thou not that we perish?"

MATTHEW 12:46-50; 8:23-27; MARK 3:31-35; 4:35-41; LUKE 8:19-26

Considering the fact that the boat was filled with water, it is amazing that the disciples had to awaken Jesus. This was not a large ship with cabins below deck but rather a small, open boat and Jesus was, no doubt, "soaked to the bone." This reflects Jesus' humanity and how tired He must have been. It also shows that Jesus must have been in a very deep sleep. Medical science has discovered that the deeper we sleep, the more rest our bodies get. This is a clue as to how Jesus could maintain the grueling pace He kept, along only with an occasional all-night prayer time. He was receiving the maximum benefit from His sleep.

Jesus did not say "Let us go out into the midst of the sea and drown in a storm." He was going to the other side. This shows that the disciples still didn't understand Jesus' authority. They were committed to Him as their Messiah, but they hadn't yet realized that Jesus was Lord even over the physical elements. Many Christians still do this today. They receive the spiritual benefits of salvation but have not reaped the physical benefits of health and prosperity, which are also part of our salvation.

Whichever we focus upon - the storm, or the Lord in the midst of our storm - will determine how we manage the storms we face in life. He is not aslee upp concerning the things you face in this life, He's right there in your "ship," resting, because He knows you'll both get to the "other side." His peace is yours. Believe His Word. Rest in His love.

BE ETERNITY CONSCIOUS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY APRIL 17, 2024.

SUBJECT: BE ETERNITY CONSCIOUS!

Memory verse: "While we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal." (Second Corinthians 4 vs 18.)

READ: Psalm 39 vs 5 - 6:

Psalm 39:5: Indeed, You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; Certainly every man at his best state is but vapor.

39:6: Surely every man walks about like a shadow; Surely they busy themselves in vain; He heaps riches, and does not know who will gather them.

INTIMATION:

To make the most of your time on earth, you must maintain an eternal perspective. You should be mindful of eternal inheritance than what you can get now. Everything you see and have now will one day pass away. This will keep you from majoring on earthly things which are minor, and it help you concentrate on the things that are eternal, and that is the ultimate! 

When we don’t know Christ we make choices as if there were no afterlife. In reality, this life is just the introduction to eternity. How we live this brief span determines our eternal state. What we accumulate on earth has no value in gaining eternal life. Even the highest social or civic honors cannot earn us entrance into heaven. Evaluate your lifestyle from an eternal perspective, and you will find your values and decisions changing.

Clinging to this life may cause us to forfeit the best from Christ in this world and in the next. The more we love this life’s rewards (leisure, power, popularity, financial security), the more we will discover how empty they really are. The best way to enjoy life, therefore, is to loosen our greedy grasp on earthly rewards so that we can be free to follow Christ. In doing so, we will inherit eternal life and begin at once to experience the benefits of following Christ.

The faithful Christian will concentrate on the things that are eternal and not on the things that are of this world. His mind sees beyond this world to the existence of the new heavens and new earth that is yet to come. Therefore, he is not willing to sacrifice the eternal for the enjoyment of the temporary. Though the Christian may enjoy the benefits of this world, he does not obsess over the temporary earthly things to the exclusion of the eternal.

Ironically, the brevity of life on this earth has been of little concern to many people. They spend so much time securing their lives on earth but take little or no thought about where they will spend eternity. Wisdom, riches, and personal achievements matter very little after death, and everyone must die. We must not build our lives on perishable pursuits, but on the solid foundation of God. Then even if everything we have is taken away, we still will have God, Who is all we really need anyway.

Nothing seen or experienced in this life is worth the eternal life with God, and nothing we have here on earth will matter a thing in eternity. Even now, so much of what we waste our energy on will not matter even a year from now, much less for eternity. Don't trade your life for temporary things. The Bible, in First Corinthians 7 vs 31, says, "....For the form of this world is passing away." We should be unhindered by the cares of this world, not getting involved with the burdensome pursuit of earthly things, and should deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you because the world, as you see it, is on its way out.

You've probably heard the expression "You can't take it with you.” That is absolutely right. But the Bible says you can send it on ahead by investing in people who are going there! The Bible, in First Timothy 6 vs 18 - 19, says, "Let them do good, that they are rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share, storing up for themselves a good foundation for the time to come, that they may lay hold of eternal life." Be wise, be selfless, and be rich in good works.

Because life is so short, there is folly in trying to amass riches. For this reason, the wise see beyond the temporary futility of riches in order to focus on those things that go beyond life. By the time one realizes the futility of a wasted life in seeking riches at the expense of eternity with God, it is often too late to repent and turn to God. 

Jesus warned us on distractions by earthly things when He said in Luke 9 vs 62, "No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God." What does Jesus want from us? Total dedication, not halfhearted commitment. We can't pick and choose among Jesus' ideas and follow Him selectively; we have to accept the cross along with the crown.

Prayer: Abba Father, in You all things consist. Endue me with the spirit of complete obedience and trust in You—the Owner of all things. I pray that the cares of this world will not hinder me from fighting the good fight of faith that I may lay hold of eternal life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST - APRIL 16

 JOINT HEIRS WITH CHRIST - APRIL 16

Matthew 12:50, "For whosoever shall do the will of my Father which is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

MATTHEW 12:46-50

We are not just heirs, we are joint-heirs with Christ. It would be wonderful to inherit any amount of God's glory and power. But, the idea that we share equally with the one who has inherited everything God is and has is beyond comprehension. This is an awesome blessing, but it also places a tremendous responsibility on us.

In the same way in which a check made out to two people cannot be cashed without the endorsement of both parties, so our joint-heirship with Jesus cannot be taken advantage of without our cooperation. Unaware of this, many Christians are just trusting that the Lord will produce the benefits of salvation for them. They are acutely aware that they can do nothing without Him, but don't realize that He will do nothing without us (Eph. 3:20).

The idea that God will do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, PERIOD, is not true. He has power, but it is the use of His ability combined with the power that works in us. "No power working in us" means no power of God will come through us. The exceeding greatness of His power that is to us-ward who believe is power that is not external, but is internal, within the believer. It is working according to the faith that we exercise in the indwelling Savior. It was this principle that Paul was stating when he declared, "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."

The way we place our endorsement on the check is to believe what God promised in His Word and act on it as if it were true. IT IS! Jesus has already signed His name to every promise in the Word. We aren't waiting for Him. He is waiting for us.

GOD IS EVER-CARING!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY APRIL 16, 2024.

SUBJECT: GOD IS EVER-CARING!

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

READ: John 10 vs 11 - 16:

10:11: I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.

10:12: But a hireling, He who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep, and scatters them.

10:13: The hireling flees because he is a hireling, and does not care about the sheep.

10:14: I am the good shepherd, and know My sheep, and am known by My own.

10:15: As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father: and I lay down My life for the sheep.

10:16: And other sheep I have which are not of this fold, them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd.

INTIMATION:

God has deep interest in all that concerns you and I. We are fragile but God's care is eternal. God is so committed to us in love that He gave us His only Son to die for our sins. Too often we focus on God as Judge and Lawgiver, ignoring His compassion and concern for us. When God examines our lives He remembers our human condition. His mercy takes everything into account. God will deal with you compassionately. God is so caring that when He forgives us our sin, He separates it from us and doesn't even remember it anymore. We need never wallow in the past, for God forgives and forgets.

Carrying your worries, stresses, and daily struggles by yourself shows that you have not trusted God fully with your life. It takes humility, however, to recognize that God cares, and to admit your needs, and let God take care of you. Sometimes we think that struggles caused by our own sins and foolishness are not God's concern. But when we turn to God in repentance, He will bear the weight of those struggles, including our sins. Remember, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5 vs 8.)

Our loving Father will never leave you; that is His promise to us. But the enemy of our souls wants us to doubt God, and to question His ability. Obviously, if you have told a big enough lie long enough, people would have believe it. And this undoubtedly, is the trick the father of lies—Satan—has used from the beginning of human history. In the Garden of Eden our first parents were set up to live happily ever after, haven been placed in a paradise-like setting by a Loving, Caring, and Personal God. They had been given everything they could ever want, but with only one small restriction: "Don't eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2 vs 17.)

We easily will say today, 'What a simple innocuous request and easy to obey.'

But when they were enticed by the devil, they fell into his trap of questioning the love and goodness of the One from whom they had only experienced good. Satan told them a monstrous lie, but they bought the lie hook, line and sinker! And mankind has been wretched ever since, but for God's intervention through His Son, Jesus Christ, Who laid down His life of inestimable value for our completely worthless lives of sin to save us from sin consequences, and cleansed us from our sins.

We do the same today. We willingly swallow the lie that we cannot trust our Heavenly Father. We allow our earthly hurts from parents or others to distrust our view and our understanding of God. Our many feelings, emotions, fears, and human experience effectively block a clean perception, consequently stifling all truth about Him. Pray that God will help you not allow negative human relationship and experience interfere with having a close relationship with your Loving, and Caring Father, and hindering your enjoying the never ending and limitless benefits of His care.

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

PRAISE THE LORD!

IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY APRIL 15, 2024.

SUBJECT : IN TIMES OF TROUBLE!

Memory verse: "If My people, who are called by My name, will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” (Second Chronicles 7 vs 14.)

READ: Ephesians 6 vs 10 - 13: 

6:10: Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might.

6:11: Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

6:12: For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual wickedness in heavenly places.

6:13: Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

INTIMATION: 

Trouble is the work of the evil one—the devil—the source of all evil that is seen in the world working with his demonic agents (Luke 13 vs 16; Acts 10 vs 38). In such times, we must seek the Lord. Satan is a permanent enemy of God who has continued to work against God to turn the world to his side against God. Though Christ came and defeated Satan, striping him of all powers, but he has continued to influence the world by subterfuge—deceptive stratagem—in order to destroy the work of God through Jesus. 

Through deception, Satan has instigated those institutions and governments that control society, especially to lead people against the truth of God. He has been deceiving the whole world through every means of intimidation of the evil environment in which the believers live. Satan’s means include plagues such as the world has always been at various times of history. We must be aware that Satan is alive and working in a deceived world of secular enticements and religious misdirection. Our awareness of such is the first step in preparing ourselves not to led astray. 

In the Old Testament days, before the coming of Christ, God gave four conditions, as stated in our memory verse, for forgiveness and healing: (1) Humble yourself by admitting your sins, (2) pray to God, asking for forgiveness, (3) seek God continually, and (4) turn from sinful behavior. Whether we sin individually, as a group, or as a nation, following these steps will lead to forgiveness, and subsequent healing. Humility and obedience to God’s Will is the hallmark of a repentant heart. Therefore, if we would have God answer our prayers, there must be humility and obedience to the word of God. Our sincerity is determined by our humility and our obedience. 

Jesus Christ came and freed the believers from the clutches of sin and Satan by His substitutionary work on the cross, and has given them the free gift of salvation. By confessing Christ and accepting the free gift, believers have met the four conditions given by God for forgiveness and healing stipulated above. Believers have been bought with a price (First Corinthians 6 vs 20), and He has given them rich and glorious inheritance, as well as His power of incredible greatness (see Isaiah 53 vs 4 - 5; Ephesians 1 vs 18 - 22). Now, with all these available to the believers, what will the believers do to safeguard themselves from the works of the devil and his demons? 

Believers must realize that, though they have been saved through the redemptive work of Jesus on the cross, God does not take them out of the world nor make them robots, they are still in the world and will be subject to negative influences in the world caused by Satan and his agents. Therefore, they will still engage in battle of life but are assured of victory even before the battle. However, they are fighting not against the physical things of this world (flesh and blood), but against “principalities” and “power” (the powerful evil forces of fallen angels headed by the devil). 

God has empowered the believers by giving them His Holy Spirit and His armor surrounding them. Believers must put on the whole armor of God is to be able to stand against Satan’s deceptions. Satan has deceived the whole world through various forms of intimidation and negative influences in the evil environment in which the believers live. To withstand these attacks through deceptions, the believer must depend on God’s strength and use every piece of His armor through the Holy Spirit fo battle. They face a powerful army, not mere fantasies, they are very real, whose goal is to defeat the body of Christ—the church. 

The believers strength is maintained if he or she remains in fellowship with the Lord who is the source of the supernatural power to defeat Satan. This imperative command places the responsibility of being strong on the shoulders of the believers. They must maintain the spiritual armor of the Lord by its strength they guard against the wiles of Satan. Although they are assured of victory, they must engage in the struggle until Christ returns, because Satan is constantly battling against all who live on the Lord’s side. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for availing me of Your whole armor to battle against the rulers of darkness of this world, and my victory by the blood of the Lamb and with word of my testimony in Christ, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!