WORD POWER - MAY 07

WORD POWER - MAY 07

Matthew 14:29, "And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus."

MATTHEW 14:29

This one word "come" was spoken by the one who made all things (Jn. 1:3) and it had just as much power in it as the words that were spoken at creation. This is where the power came from for Peter to walk on the water. Likewise, any word spoken to us by God carries in itself the anointing and power it takes to fulfill that word, if we will release it by believing it and acting on it.

We need to not only know God's power, but the greatness of God's power, and then the exceeding greatness of God's power. This exceeding greatness of God's power is towards us. That means that it is for us and our benefit. Some people get glimpses of God's power, but very few have the revelation that it is for us and at our disposal. It doesn't do us any good to believe that God has power if we don't believe that it will work for us. This great power of God is effectual only for those who believe. We must believe to receive, or if we doubt, we do without.

Despite all the criticism that might be leveled at Peter in this instance, he did walk on the water. There were eleven other disciples in the boat and although they clearly saw Jesus and Peter walking on the water, they still did not participate. One of the important steps in receiving a miracle from God is to leave the security of your natural resources (get out of your boat) and put yourself in the position where there has to be a miracle from God to hold you up. God is no respecter of persons (Rom. 2:11). Any of the disciples could have walked on the water, if they would have asked and gotten out of the boat.

CHRISTIANS ARE OVERCOMERS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 07, 2024.

SUBJECT: CHRISTIANS ARE OVERCOMERS!

Memory verse: "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; and they did not love their lives to the death." (Revelation 12 vs 11.) 

READ: First John 5 vs 4 - 5:

5:4: For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

5:5: Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

INTIMATION:

Christians are overcomers; They have been brought forth from God by their response to the grace of God that was demonstrated by offering of His only begotten Son on the cross as a propitiation for the sins of the whole world. They have obeyed the gospel, and thus, have been born of water and the Spirit. Their faith is their victory insofar as they are moved to respond to the Will of God. Therefore, the Christians’ faith has made it possible for them to overcome the world. Those who have obeyed have overcome the mentality and behavior of the world that is dominated by Satan as the temporary ruler of the part of the world that chooses to follow him. While Jesus is the permanent ruler of the whole world.

Christians became overcomers when Jesus, the Lamb, dealt the critical blow to Satan by the shedding of His blood on the cross for sins of the whole world. The victory was won by sacrifice—Christ’s death in our place to pay the penalty for our sins, and the sacrifice they make because of their faith in Christ. 

Jesus disarmed Satan and his agents—principalities and powers—and made made a public spectacle of them on the cross where He nailed them, and triumphed over them in victory for all believers (Colossians 2 vs 14 - 15). What Christ ‘disarmed’ on the cross was any embodiment of rebellion in the world—whether that be Satan and his demons, false idols of pagan religions, evil world government, or even God’s good angels when they become objects of worship. 

Christ has delivered the Christians from the power of darkness and conveyed them into the kingdom of the Son of His love (Colossians 1 vs 13). True believers have been transferred from darkness to light, from slavery to freedom, from guilt to forgiveness, and from the power of Satan to the power of God—the ultimate power in the universe. Satan has great power, but people can be delivered from his reign of spiritual darkness because of Christ’s victory on the cross. Satan is powerful, but Jesus is much more powerful. 

Christians have not only conquered the sin and death, they have also conquered the world because nothing in this world can separate them from the love of God. Satan has no subjective power over the Christian. Satan cannot of his will snatch the Christian from the love of God. He may go about in the world as a roaring lion (First Peter 5 vs 8), but His power of deception is not effective in reference to those who know and love the truth. He does not have the power to subject any Christian against his will who has given himself or herself to God. 

Christians now has power over the results of their sins by the power of the cleansing blood of Jesus. They have power over the kingdom of darkness by the power of the gospel and the word of God that they believe and preach. They are willing to die in Christ because they know that death is only a transition into a better realm—eternal life with Christ. And in Christ, God has freely given us all things that pertain to godliness and to a life of victory in this present evil age in which we are living (See Second Peter 1 vs 3). 

The Scriptures, in Romans 8 vs 37 - 39, contain one of the most comfortable promises in all Scriptures. Believers have always had to face hardships in many forms: persecution, hardship, illness, and even death. These sometimes cause them to fear that they have been abandoned by Christ. It is impossible to be separated from Christ. His death for us is proof of His unconquerable love. Nothing can separate us from Christ’s presence. God tells us how great His love is so that we will feel totally secure in Him. If we believe these overwhelming assurances, we will not be afraid in the face of life’s circumstances. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You, our most merciful and faithful God, for all You wrought in Christ for us. We have eternally overcome the world in Christ. Give me the grace to live worthily—in obedience, trust, and love for You, and in response to all You have done for me in Christ, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

ABOUT HUMILITY - MAY 06

 ABOUT HUMILITY - MAY 06

John 6:15, "When Jesus therefore perceived that they would come and take him by force, to make him a king, he departed again into a mountain himself alone."

JOHN 6:15

Jesus "was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (Heb. 4:15). The temptation for Jesus to submit to the crowd and exalt Himself must have been there but He didn't respond to it. He came to do the Father's will and not His own will (Jn. 6:38). He immediately withdrew from everyone and spent all night in prayer with His Father. Prolonged prayer is an antidote for the temptation of pride and will work a God-type of humility in your life.

In Galatians 2:20, Paul is preaching a death to self, but it is very important to notice how this death took place. Paul said he was dead through what Jesus did. He experienced this death by simply reckoning what had already happened through Christ to be so (Rom. 6:11).

There are people today who have taken the "dying to self" doctrine to an extreme and, instead of being free of self, they are totally self-centered. They constantly think of self. It may be in all negative terms, but it is still self-centered. A truly humble person is one who is Christ-centered. Dying to self is not a hatred for self but rather a love of Christ more than self.

There are false religions that preach a denial of self. We need to be not just dead to self, but alive to God. A focus on the denial of self without the enthronement of Christ leads to legalism. True humility is not a debasing of self, or a hatred of self, or our accomplishments. It is simply an awareness that all that we have and are is a gift of God. Therefore, only a person who acknowledges God can operate in true humility.

ENSURE TO FULFILL YOUR PROMISES IN PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MAY 06, 2024.

SUBJECT: ENSURE TO FULFILL YOUR PROMISES IN PRAYER! 

Memory verse: "Then she made a vow, and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You wilt indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, but wilt give Your maidservant a mail child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head." (First Samuel 1 vs 11.)

READ: First Samuel 1 vs 20 - 28:

1:20: So it came to pass in the process of that time Hannah conceived and bore a son, and called his name Samuel, saying, “Because I have asked for him from the LORD.”

1:21: Now the man Elkanah and all his house went up to offer to the LORD the yearly sacrifice and his vow.

1:22: But Hannah did not go up, for she said to her husband, “Not until the child is weaned; then I will take him, that he may appear before the LORD, and remain there forever.

1:23: So Elkanah her husband said to her, “Do what seems best to you; wait until you have weaned him. Only let the Lord establish His word.” Then the woman stayed and nursed her son until she had weaned him.

1:24: Now when she had weaned him, she took him up with her, with three bulls, one ephah of flour, and a skin of wine, and brought him to the house of the LORD in Shiloh:. And the child was young.

1:25: Then they slaughtered a bull, and brought the child to Eli.

1:26: And she said, “O my lord! As your soul lives, my lord, I am the woman who stood by you here, praying to the LORD.

1:27: For this child I prayed; and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him.

1:28: Therefore also I have lent him to the LORD; as long as he lives he shall be lent to the LORD.” So they worshipped the LORD there.

INTIMATION:

No one is forced by law to make a promise or vow to God, but once made, they ought to be fulfilled. God takes our promises or vows seriously, and requires that they be carried out (Deuteronomy 23 vs 21 - 23). We often have good intentions when making promises or vows because we want to show God that we are determined to please Him. God, however, expects you to fulfill your vow even if it is difficult to do so. For instance, if you vow to give ten percent of your income and suddenly some unexpected bills come along, God expects you to keep your promise, even when your faithful stewardship is costly. Therefore, be careful what you promise in prayer because God may take you up on it. 

Breaking a vow or promise is tantamount to breaking a trust, and breaking a relationship. Trust is still the bases of our relationship with God and others. Keeping vows and promises is important; it builds trust and makes committed human relationships possible. When you pray, ask yourself, 'Will I follow through on any promises I make to God if He grants my request?' It is dishonesty to ignore a promise, especially to God. God keeps His promises, and He expects you to keep yours. Although, we are not in a position to barter with God, He may still choose to answer a prayer that has an attached promise, and gets you committed to Him. 

Go to Him in prayers with total sincerity of heart and frankness in all intents and purposes. Don't keep anything back. Don't ask for what you really don't want, or promise to do something you can't or won't do. Remember He already knows your heart. Hannah so desperately wanted a child that she was willing to strike a bargain with God. God took her up on her promise, and to Hannah’s credit, she did her part, even though it was painful.

To do what she promised, Hannah gave up what she wanted most—her son—and presented him to Eli to serve in the house of the Lord. In dedicating her only son to God, Hannah was dedicating her entire life and future to God. Because Samuel’s life was from God, Hannah was not really giving him up. Rather, she was returning him to God, who had given Samuel to Hannah in the first place. These verses illustrate the kind of gifts we should give to God. Do your gifts cost you little (Sunday mornings, a comfortable tithe), or are they gifts of sacrifice? Are you presenting God with tokens, or are you presenting Him with your entire life?

Hannah had no child for her husband who really loved her. She was greatly discouraged and bitter because the husband's other wife had children and ridiculed her. Her loving husband could not solve her problem. She then turned in prayer to the Provider of solutions to all problems. Eventually, Hannah discovered that an honest and fervent prayer opens the way for God to work. Hannah made a vow in return for having a mail child, to dedicate him to God for a lifetime service. God gave her a son named Samuel. She lived up to her promise, and God even blessed her with five more children excluding Samuel. 

Any of us may face times of barrenness; when nothing seems to work in our work, service, or even relationships. And it is difficult to pray in faith when we feel so ineffective. But Hannah did! She so desperately wanted a child that she was willing to strike a bargain with God. God took her up on her promise, and to her credit, she did her part, even though it was painful. We should always be careful what we promise in prayer because God may take us up on it. It is better not to make promises than to make them and then later not keep them. It is best to count the cost beforehand and then to fulfill them. Prayer without complete sincerity is a sin, and an abomination before God.

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to commune with You in complete frankness and sincerity of heart. For You already knows my thoughts before I say them, and is pleased with the truth. Give me the grace to keep any promises or vows I make to You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

GOD'S OPTIONS OR OURS? - MAY 05

GOD'S OPTIONS OR OURS? - MAY 05

Matthew 14:27-28. "But straightway Jesus spake unto them, saying, Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid. And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou bid me come unto thee on the water."

MATTHEW 14:22-33

It is important to analyze Peter's statement. Peter was overwhelmed when he saw Jesus walking on the water, and he wanted to do the same. While there is really nothing wrong with his desire, the request he put before Jesus was totally wrong. He didn't ask the Lord if he wanted him to walk on the water, or if his faith was up to it. Instead he said, "If it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water." What was Jesus going to say, "It isn't me. Don't come."?

There are no other examples of someone walking on water in the Word of God. Jesus had a definite reason for walking on the water; however, Peter simply wanted to see if he could do it. God will permit us to do things that are not His perfect will for us.

Many times we hinder our own prayers by the way we ask things of God. We say, "Do you want me to do (a) or (b)?" The Lord may not want us to do either one. We should offer Him a third choice - (c) none of the above. We should trust God's wisdom and even allow Him to select the options.

FILLING THE VACUUM!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MAY 05, 2024.

SUBJECT: FILLING THE VACUUM!

Memory verse: "And you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power. (Colossians 2 vs 10.)

READ: John 6 vs 16 - 21:

6:16: Now when evening came, His disciples went down to the sea,

6:17: got into the boat, and went over the sea toward Capernaum. And it was already dark, and Jesus had not come to them.

6:18: Then the sea arose because a great wind was blowing.

6:19: So when they had rowed about three to four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea, and drawing near to the boat; and they were afraid.

6:20: But He said to them, “It is I; be not afraid.”

6:21: Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going.

INTIMATION:

Life without its Owner creates a vacuum. This vacuum needs to be appropriately filled. If you look around, you will notice that few people seem content within themselves. But when you get closer, they will tell you of a vacuum in their lives that needs to be filled. Many people are searching for something that will give their lives a boost. A strange and often hard-to-identify inner vacuum gives most people an uneasy sense of incompleteness. Christ fills that vacuum! As Jesus’ person is fully divine, so we, united by faith with Jesus, find personal fulfillment in Him: “You are complete in Him.”

Jesus is the Creator and Sustainer of all things: “All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life and the life was the light of men.” (John 1 vs 3 - 4.) With Him you are something valuable and unique; apart from Him you are nothing, and can do nothing (John 15 vs 5). Christ alone holds the answer to the true meaning of life because He is life. He is the unique source of knowledge and power for the Christian life. No Christian needs anything in addition to what Christ has provided to be saved, and to live; ‘as His divine power has given us all that pertains to life and godliness’ (Second Peter 1 vs 3). 

In our life’s experience and circumstances, some days may not feel like it, but in Jesus, the vacuum is gone; the full power and presence of God have taken up residence in your mind and heart. In Christ you are a new person, equipped for life and satisfied in God. In union with Christ through His empowering Spirit, we are complete. We have all the fullness of God available to us. But we must appropriate that fullness through faith and through prayer as we daily live for Him. You can ask the Holy Spirit to fill every aspect of your life to the fullest. Take some risks—God will guide you. Give more generously—God will supply. Love more freely—God will energize you. Say “can do” more often—God will amaze you.

Jesus said, “I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” (Revelation 22 vs 13.) Alpha and Omega are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet, and it signifies the eternity of God. Without Him you have nothing that is eternal, nothing that can change your life, nothing that can save you from sin. When you place your life in Christ’s hands, He restores you now and resurrects you later to an eternal, peaceful relationship with Him. Is the Lord your reason for living? “the Alpha and the Omega” of your life? Honor the One who is the beginning and the end of all existence, wisdom, and power.

In the passage we read today, the apostle John recorded the very significant and unique attribute of Jesus! When you willingly accept the entrance of Jesus into your life, you will immediately arrive at your ultimate life’s destination. Just as His disciples willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going (John 6 vs 21). When you catch this revelation, you will willingly receive Him into your life, trust, and rest in Him, assured of your ultimate arrival to your life’s destination.

Prayer: Abba Father, all to You I surrender, all to You I freely and willingly give my life. I will ever love and trust You , and in Your presence I will daily live. Fill me in with Your abundant grace to follow You to the end, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

HE BLESSES WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE - MAY 04

HE BLESSES WHAT WE ALREADY HAVE - MAY 04

John 6:9, "There is a lad here, which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?"

JOHN 6:1-13

Notice that Jesus didn't just turn some of the stones into bread (as Satan had tempted Him to do in Lk. 4:3). We find only one instance in scripture where God created a supply to meet a need (Num. 11:21-23). Usually, the Lord simply blesses what we set our hand to do. The resources were totally inadequate to meet the need in this instance, but when the Lord blessed it, there was more than enough.

Jesus didn't just teach the disciples, but He trained them also. He was constantly trying to involve them in these miracles. Just a matter of days later, He again asked His disciples what they could do to feed the multitude of four thousand men. It was like He was saying "You missed this question when I asked you how we could feed the five thousand men. Now, here are less people and more food. What would you suggest this time?"

Instead of remembering the previous miracle, they acted like they had never seen Jesus feed the multitude and they looked at their own resources again (Mt. 15:32; Mk. 8:1). Likewise, we all too often try everything we can do first and forget God's supernatural power until all we can do is pray. Many people have missed their miracle because they never took that first step of faith and used what they had. This young lad was certainly credited with part of this miracle for offering what he had. When in need, we should seek God's direction for something to set our hand to, and then trust Him to bless it and multiply the results of our work.