THE COMMUNION!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY APRIL 20, 2024.

SUBJECT: THE COMMUNION!

Memory verse: "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.” (First Corinthians 11 vs 26.)

READ: Luke 22 vs 17 - 22:

22:17: Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves:”

22:18: for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.

22:19: And He took bread, gave thanks and brake it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you: do this in remembrance of Me.

22:20: Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you. 

INTIMATION: 

The Communion is a Christian sacrament commemorating the Lord’s Supper by consecrating bread and wine. It is a religious ceremony conferring a specific grace on those who receive it. Whatever name your church uses for this event (Communion, Lord’s Supper, or Eucharist) and on whatever schedule you celebrate it, the importance is that through celebrating Communion together believers experience the presence of Christ. 

The celebration of Communion: (1) humbles us before God. We confess our sin and restate our need for Christ to guide us. (2) reminds us that we are forgiven. We remember that His shed blood paid the price. (3) expresses our oneness in Christ. We are unified in our faith. (4) encourages us to recommit. We are reminded to pledge ourselves to serve Him who died for us. 

Each name we use for this sacrament brings not a different dimension to it. It is the Lord’s Supper because it commemorates the Passover meal Jesus ate with His disciples. It is the Eucharist (thanksgiving) because in it we thank God for Christ’s work for us. It is Communion because through it we commune with God and with other believers. As we eat the bread and drink the wine, we should be quietly reflective as we recall Jesus’ death and His promise to come again, grateful for God’s wonderful gift to us, and joyful as we meet with Christ and the body of believers. 

Christians differ in their interpretation of the meaning of the commemoration of the sacrament (Lord’s Supper, Communion or Eucharist). There are three main views: (1) The bread and wine actually become Christ’s body and blood; (2) the bread and wine remain unchanged, yet Christ is spiritually present by faith in and through them; (3) the bread and wine, which remain unchanged, are lasting memorials of Christ’s sacrifice. 

No matter which view they favor, all Christians agree that the sacrament (Lord’s Supper, Communion or Eucharist) commemorates Christ’s death on the cross for our sins and points to the coming of His kingdom in glory. When we partake of it, we show our deep gratitude for Christ’s work of this on our behalf, and our faith is strengthened. 

Christians participate in Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice at the Lord’s table when they eat the bread and drink the blood from the cup, symbolizing His body and blood. Jesus asked His disciples to always partake of the sacrament (Communion, Lord’s Supper or Eucharist) to remember Him. He wanted them to remember His sacrifice, the basis for forgiveness of sins, and also His friendship, which they could continue to enjoy through the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Jesus death for us on the cross seals a new covenant between God and us. The old covenant involved  forgiveness of sins through the blood of an animal sacrifice (Exodus 24 vs 6 - 8). But instead of a spotless lamb on the altar, Jesus offered  Himself, the spotless Lamb of God, as a sacrifice that would forgive sin once and for all. Jesus was the final Sacrifice for sins, and His sacrifice sealed the new covenant between God and us. Now all of us can come to God through Jesus, in full confidence that God will hear and save us from our sins.

Although the exact meaning of Communion has been strongly debated throughout church history, Christians still take bread and wine in order to remember their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Do not neglect participating in the Lord’s Supper. Let it remind you of what Christ did for you. However, the sacrament is not to be taken lightly; this new covenant cost Jesus His life. It is not a meaningless ritual, but a sacrament given by Christ to help strengthen our faith. 

The apostle Paul gives specific instructions on how the sacrament should be observed. (1) We should take it thoughtfully because we are proclaiming that Christ died for our sins. (First Corinthians 11 vs 26). (2) We should take it worthily, with due reverence and respect (First Corinthians 11 vs 27).  (3) We should examine ourselves for any unconfessed sin or resentful attitude and be properly prepared (First Corinthians 11 vs 26). (4)?We should be considerate of others, waiting until everyone is there and then eating in an orderly and unified manner (First Corinthians 11 vs 33).

In reality, no one is worthy to take the Lord’s Supper. We are all sinners saved by grace. This is why we should prepare ourselves for Communion through healthy introspection, confession of sin, and resolution of differences with others. These actions remove the barriers that affect our relationship with Christ and with other believers. Awareness of your sin should not keep you away from Communion but drive you to participate in it. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the sacrament of the body and blood of Jesus offered to us in commemoration of Your Supreme Sacrifice on the cross to pay the debt we owed as sinners in need of a Savior. My desire is to partake of sacrament worthily at all times, and that the blessings wrought in the body and blood of Jesus will find full fulfillment in my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

WORSHIP IS WARFARE - APRIL 19

WORSHIP IS WARFARE - APRIL 19

Mark 5:6, "But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him."

MATTHEW 8:28-34; MARK 5:1-17; LUKE 8:27-39

The word "worshipped" is taken from the Greek word "proskuneo" which means "to prostrate oneself in homage to; do reverence to; adore." The fact that this tormented man ran to Jesus, and not away from Him, indicates that even "demon-possessed" people have a free will and Satan cannot control an individual without his consent.

Many battles have been fought over whether or not a Christian can be demon possessed. The Greek word for "possessed" literally means "to be demonized." The Bible makes no clear distinction between degrees of demon activity (such as oppressed, depressed, possessed, etc.), but simply refers to people as being "demonized." All Christians are fighting against spiritual powers. If we don't put on the whole armor of God, Satan can certainly affect us or even control us.

The best way to administer deliverance is through God's Word. As a person receives the Word, it will set him free and also help guard against this situation when the demon tries to come back in with seven other spirits. In severe cases of being demonized, the individual clearly needs the help of a believer, and that's the reason why Jesus equipped all believers with authority over evil spirits.

Anointed praise and worship will also drive off evil spirits. One thing reserved for God alone is worship, and the devil has always sought that. If he can't be the one to receive worship, then he seeks to turn others away from giving true worship to the most High God. Praise and worship to the Lord is such a powerful tool against Satan. He can't stand to see God worshipped. Worship God today in spirit and in truth. The Father seeks those who will worship Him this way. He's waiting for you.

GOD WELCOMES THE GUILTY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY APRIL 19, 2024.

SUBJECT : GOD WELCOMES THE GUILTY!

Memory verse: "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isaiah 1 vs 18).

READ Isaiah 1 vs 18 - 20:

18: "Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD, though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool.

19: If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land;

20: But if you refuse and rebel, you shall be devoured by the sword", for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.

INTIMATION:

God welcomes the guilty and will forgive you of any sin if you repent and seek His forgiveness. What God is mindful of is a sincere, humble, and contrite heart; a broken spirit that will manifest through repentance. Never let guilt feelings of sin keep you from praying (seeking the face of God), which is your only means of restoration, because only God forgives sin. Do you feel that you could never come close to God because you have done something terrible?

No matter how long you have been away from God, He is ready to hear from you and restore you to a right relationship with Him. Every situation can be salvaged if you are willing to turn to God. In Judges 16 vs 28 - 30, we would observe that in spite of Samson's past, God still answered his prayer and destroyed the philistines' heathen temple and worshipers. He killed more people at his death than he did in life because of the mercy of God when he turned to Him in prayer.

One of the effects of sin in our lives is keeping us away from praying, but it is noteworthy that perfect moral behavior is not a condition for prayer. Though the stain of sin seems permanent, but only God can remove such stain of sin from our lives. We don't have to go through life permanently soiled. God's Word assures that if we are willing and obedient in turning to Him, Christ will forgive and remove our most indelible stains of sin.

Christ said, “...For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9 vs 13). Christ came for sinners like you and I, and He expects us, the sinners, to come to Him for mercy. We can only go to God in prayer, acknowledging our need and admitting that we don't have all the answers, and God will come to our help. He desires to show mercy and His mercy endures forever.

Some people have turned their backs on God and rejected all faith, and are unwilling to ask for forgiveness. Even when they receive the prompting of the Holy Spirit, convicting them of sin, they reject it. And the deliberate rejection of the work of the Holy Spirit is blasphemy, because it is rejecting God Himself. Such person removes himself or herself from the only force that can lead him or her to repentance and restoration to God.

And the only unforgivable sin is the sin against the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12 vs 31 - 32). What then is the sin against the Holy Spirit? The unforgivable sin is the deliberate refusal to acknowledge God, and His power in Christ, expressed through the Holy Spirit. It indicates a deliberate and irreversible hardness of heart. It reveals a heart attitude of unbelief and unrepentant, which attributes to Satan the work that the Holy Spirit accomplishes, and that is blasphemy. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are the only God, there is no other. Before You there is no God, with You there is no other God, and there will be no other God after You. O Lord, according to Your loving kindness, and tender mercies that endures forever, blot out my transgressions, and forgive me my iniquities, in Jesus’ name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

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!