SEPARATING THE TARES FROM THE WHEAT - MAY 16

 SEPARATING THE TARES FROM THE WHEAT - MAY 16

John 6:61, "When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?"

JOHN 6:60-69

This scripture, as well as Matthew 15:12, reveals that people will be offended by the Gospel. As much as possible, however, we should make sure that it is not ourselves that are offensive. But we cannot labor under the deception that everyone will receive the Gospel, even if the truth was presented properly. We know that Jesus represented His Father perfectly and yet most people rejected His message.

In these two instances, when Jesus realized He had offended the listeners, He didn't apologize and try to make concessions to gain their acceptance. Instead, He got harder. This hard message of commitment is not only beneficial to those who receive it, but it serves a dual purpose in that it exposes the "tares among the wheat."

It is important to be aware that the children of the wicked one are placed among the true believers. We should be very careful about putting just anyone who professes Christianity into any position of authority (1 Tim. 3:10). Our best defense is to preach the Word of God without watering it down. False brethren will not endure sound doctrine (2 Tim. 4:3). They leave when the Word, which is sharper than any two-edged sword, begins to expose the thoughts and intents of the heart. There will still, however, be those who are deceived and unaware that they are not born again, remaining among the Church until the end of this world.

As long as Jesus was in the world in His physical body, He was lighting the way to the Father. He now shines through our lives. It is our responsibility to be a witness. The purpose of a light is to dispel the darkness. So "let your light shine before men...." (Matt. 5:16).

YOUR PRAYER CAN CHANGE EVENTS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MAY 16, 2024.

SUBJECT : YOUR PRAYER CAN CHANGE EVENTS!

Memory verse: "Therefore He said that He would destroy them, had not Moses His chosen one stood before Him in the breach, to turn away His wrath, lest He destroy them." (Psalm 106 vs 23.)

READ: Exodus  32 vs 9 - 14:

32:9: And the LORD said to Moses, "I have seen this people, and indeed it is a stiff-necked people!

32:10: Now therefore, let Me alone, that My wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them. And I will make of you a great nation."

32:11: Then Moses pleaded with the LORD his God, and said: "LORD, why does Your wrath burn hot against Your people whom You have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand?  

32:12: Why should the Egyptians speak, and say, 'He brought them out to harm them, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth'? Turn from Your fierce wrath, and relent from this harm to Your people.

32:13: Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, Your servants, to whom You swore by Your own self, and said to them, 'I will multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven; and all this land that I have spoken of I give to your descendants, and they shall inherit it forever.'"

32:14: So the LORD relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.

INTIMATION:

In response to fervent prayer God may change the course of our lives or His attitude toward us. Although we do things that deserve God's anger, we receive God's forgiveness from sin by asking Him in prayer for it. When we pray He is always willing to forgive us and restore us to Himself because His mercy endures forever. 

God is just, and there is no injustice with Him. He is also, a merciful God, and His mercy endures forever. These two natures of God came to the fore when the children of Israel angered Him. God was ready to punish them to remain consistent with His nature of justice. But when Moses interceded for the people, God relented in order to act consistently with His nature of being a merciful God. He changed His behavior to remain consistent with His nature.

This is one of the countless examples in the Bible of God's mercy. Although we deserve His anger, He is willing to forgive and restore us to Himself. We can receive God's forgiveness from sin by asking Him. Like Moses, we can intercede in prayer in any circumstances, and God may use us to bring the message of His mercy by forgiving others. In the passage we read today, God was ready to destroy the whole nation of Israel because of their sin, but Moses interceded and pleaded for mercy and God spared them. 

In Second Kings 20 vs 1 - 6, Hezekiah the king was sick and near death. God sent Isaiah the prophet to him telling him to set his house in order, for he shall surely die. Hezekiah prayed to the Lord and wept bitterly, reminding God how he has walked before Him in truth and with a loyal heart, and has done what is good in God's sight. God heard his prayer and saw his tears. Not only did God spare his life and added more fifteen years to him, He also healed him of his sickness and saved his city from the Assyrians. His faith and prayer changed the course of events. 

You too can make a difference, even if your faith puts you in the minority. Faith and prayer, if they are sincere and directed toward the one true God, can change any situations. Never hesitate to ask God for radical changes if you will honor Him with those changes. God has asked us to bring forth our strong reasons for whatever we ask Him in prayers. He is a just God, and ready to reason with us. 

He is also, ready to grant our prayers if our reasons are strong, convincing, good enough, and in consonance with His will: "Come now, and let us reason together, says the LORD....."Present your case," says the LORD. "Bring forth your strong reasons," says the King of Jacob......"Put Me in remembrance; let us contend together; state your case, that you may be acquitted." (Isaiah 1 vs 18; 41 vs 21; 43 vs 26.)

Prayer: Abba Father, hear me O LORD, and attend to my cry. Let my prayer come to You as sweet smelling savor, and give me an answer of peace. There is nothing impossible nor difficult with You. You are the God that listens to the cry of Your children. Thank You Lord for You have heard me. To You be all the honor and glory for the great things You have done, is doing, and will do, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

PRAYER FOR UNCOMMON FAVOUR

 PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, relocate me from the place of disfavor to my place of favour and destiny I shall not be an abandoned project in Jesus name.

2. My destiny shall not be diverted in Jesus name.

3. In Jesus name, you spirit of disfavour and rejection, I break your power over my life.

4. Lord, create strategic opportunity for my uplifting in life.

5. I shall never miss my timing, season and chances in Jesus name.

6. Helpers of my destiny arise.

7. Like Daniel and Esther of old, Father, clothe me with the spirit of preference in Jesus mighty name.

8. Everywhere I go, the favour of God will make me an irresistible attraction and acceptance.

9. Uncommon favour of God shall attend unto all my requests, applications and prayers and appearances in Jesus name.

10. Where others have been rejected, I shall be accepted, where they’ve been abused and condemned, I shall be praised and commended, where they’ve failed, I shall succeed, and where they’ve been tolerated, I shall be celebrated because of God’s aroma of favour on me.

11. My destiny shall not be wasted in Jesus name.

12. Thou divine wind that blow Joseph, Esther and Daniel to their correct destinies, blow over me in Jesus name.

13. O thou God of grace and mercy, intervene in my destiny in Jesus name.

14. Dear Holy Spirit, please always give me spiritual network of prayers.

15. My prayer requests will not go into the heavenly voice mail in Jesus name.

16. Lord, raise for me godly destiny supervisors.

17. Wind of destiny; blow me to the correct location for my allocation in life.

18. I break by fire every curse, spell and covenant of disfavor in Jesus name.

19. Thank you father for your quick answers to my prayers of favour; I receive by faith in Jesus’ name.

PRAYER AGAINST DELAY AND DISAPPOINTMENT

 PRAYER AGAINST DELAY AND DISAPPOINTMENT

PRAYER POINTS

1. Thank God for what He has done for you this year. 

2. Let frustration and disappointment, be the portion of every object fashioned against my life and family, in the name of Jesus.

3. Every tie to polluted objects and items between my life and family, break, in the name of Jesus.

4. Every unspoken curse against my life, break, in the name of Jesus.

5. Every curse pronounced inwardly against my destiny, break, in the name of Jesus.

6. You inward curses, militating against my virtues, break, in the name of Jesus.

7. Let every spirit of Balaam hired to curse my progress, fall down and die, in the name of Jesus.

8. Every curse that I have brought into my life through ignorance and disobedience, break by fire, in the name of Jesus.

9. Every power magnetizing physical and spiritual curses to me, I raise the blood of Jesus against you and I challenge you by fire, in the name of Jesus.

10. Father, Lord, turn all my self-imposed curses to blessings, in the name of Jesus.

11. Every instrument, put in place to frustrate me become impotent, in the name of Jesus.

12. I reject every cycle of frustration, in the name of Jesus.

13. I break the curse of constant disappointment in my life, in the name of Jesus.

14. I curse every spirit of disappointments, in my life, in Jesus name.

15. I destroy every altar of disappointments at the edge of success, in the name of Jesus.

16. Every arrow of disappointment and confusion fired into my life, backfire, in the name of Jesus

17. You spirit of disappointment, you cannot hold me ransom, so therefore pack your loads and get out from my life and destiny, in the name of Jesus.

18. Every disappointments in my marriage, be cancelled by the blood of Jesus.

19. Any power given the mandate to curse and hinder my progress, summersault and die, in the name of Jesus.

20. I shake off every spirit of disappointment and worry in my marriage, in the name of Jesus.

RECEIVING CHRIST - MAY 15

 RECEIVING CHRIST - MAY 15

John 6:56, "He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him."

JOHN 6:47-59

Many thought that Jesus was speaking of cannibalism, but He was speaking of the spiritual man. Just as the physical man receives life from the food he eats, so the spiritual man receives life as he partakes of Jesus, the life of men (Jn. 1:4; 10:10; 14:6) or the "Bread of Life." Just as the life of a root is found in the soil, or a branch in the vine, or a fish in the sea, so the believer's true life is found to be in union with Christ.

The Bible presents salvation as a life transforming experience. Change is one of the distinguishing characteristics of a true believer. Yet, failure to understand that this change takes place in the spirit first, and is then reflected in the outward thoughts and actions, proportional to the way we renew our minds, has caused much confusion. This change has to take place in our bornagain spirit. Why is that? If you were overweight before you got saved, you will be overweight after you get saved, unless you go on a weight loss program. Your body doesn't instantly change. Also, your soulish or mental realm doesn't instantly change. How you thought about things before you got saved will be how you think after you get saved, until you start renewing you mind. The only part of you that is left is your spirit. It is your spirit that is instantly changed at salvation. It is perfect (Heb. 12:23). It cannot sin (1 Jn. 3:9). Everything that is true of Jesus is true of our bornagain spirit. Your spiritual salvation is complete. At salvation, you receive the same spirit that you will have throughout all eternity. It will not have to be changed again or cleansed again. It has been sealed with the Holy Spirit (Eph. 1:13) and is therefore sanctified and perfected forever (Heb. 10:10, 14; 12:23). Jesus lives in the spirit of believers. All that He is will be available to you if you will depend on Him instead of your own abilities.

FELLOWSHIP WITH THE GODHEAD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 15, 2024.

SUBJECT : FELLOWSHIP WITH THE GODHEAD!

Memory verse: "Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8 vs 12.)

READ: First John 1 vs 3 - 7: 

1:3: That which we have seen and heard we declared to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. 

1:4: And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.

1:5: This is the message which we have heard from Him and declared to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.

1:6: If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness we lie and do not practice the truth.

1:7: But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

INTIMATION:

The highest honor God has ever conferred upon us is to be joint-fellowshippers with Himself, with His Son, and with the Holy Spirit in carrying out His dream for redemption of the human race. Fellowship is the very mother of faith, the parent of joy, the source of victory; and He has called us individually into fellowship with His Son.

Jesus is the light of the world. He is the Creator of life, and His life brings light to humankind. In His light, we see ourselves as we really are (sinners in need of a Savior). If you have fellowship with Him—the true Light—you will have the light that helps you ovoid walking blindly and falling into sin. If you are walking in the light as He is in the light, He lights the path ahead of you so you can see how to live. 

Fellowship with the Godhead is in prayer, and meditation in His Word; in this, prayer becomes one of the sweetest privileges, and one of the greatest assets that we have in Christ. Consequently, your joy is guaranteed to be full. In fellowship with Him you are not alone. Romans 8 vs 26 then can be a reality;  "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered."

As a believer, you are not left to your own resources to cope with problems. Even when you don't know the right words to pray, the Holy Spirit prays with, and for you, and God answers. If the Holy Sprint is voicing the desires of the Father through your lips, those desires will be met and granted. With God helping you to pray, you don't need to be afraid to come before Him.

Light represents what is good, pure, true, holy, and reliable. Darkness represents what is sinful, and evil. The statement “God is light” means that God is perfectly holy and true and that He alone can guide us out of the darkness of sin. Light is also related to truth, in that light exposes whatever exists, whether it is good or bad. In the dark, good and evil look alike; in the light, they can be clearly distinguished.

Just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, sin cannot exist in the presence of a holy God. Our fellowship with the Godhead is the very heart reason for redemption.  Fellowship means sharing, equally bearing the burden, and sharing in the victories. In First Corinthians 1 vs 9 the Bible says, "God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord." He has called us to share with His Son.  

Again a believer is in fellowship with the Godhead, it is necessary for us to know the authority of the name of Jesus; not as a part of a creed or a doctrine, but to know it as an actual reality.  The Father has given us the power of attorney to use the name of Jesus, and that name has all authority in heaven and on earth. (Philippians 2 vs 9 - 10). That makes us absolute masters of Satanic forces.

The Scripture says, "In my name they shall cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover” (Mark 16 vs 17 - 18); “If you ask anything in My name, I will do it (John 14 vs 14); “Whatever you shall ask of the Father in My name He will give it you." (John 15 vs 16; 16 vs 23).

This is limitless. It is the limitlessness of the prayer life and it belongs to every child of God. Therefore, fellowship with the Godhead—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—is the key of life that helps us walk in the light of the world. You will never stumble but have the best of life, and consequently, receive the crown of glory—eternal life with Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, thank you very much for the privilege of sonship and for calling me into fellowship with You. In You there is no darkness but the light of life.Give me the grace never to fall out of fellowship with You, fully pleasing You, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

IF YOU WILLINGLY RECEIVE JESUS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 14, 2024.

SUBJECT : IF YOU WILLINGLY RECEIVE JESUS! 

Memory verse: "Then they willingly received Him into the boat, and immediately the boat was at the land where they were going." (John 6 vs 21.)

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 has 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 or four miles, they saw Jesus walking on the sea and drawing near the boat; and they were afraid.

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

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

INTIMATION:

It’s only in Jesus that we can find the purpose of our lives. God sent Him to the world as a revelation of Himself, and we can only truly know God through Jesus. Therefore, receiving Jesus willingly into your life immediately takes you to the source of the revelation of your purpose of being created. The Bible says in Ephesians 1 vs 11, "In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His Will." It is in Christ that we find out who we are (we obtain an inheritance), and what we are living for (the purpose of Him for us), and He did it all according to His Will. He works all things according to his overall plans and purposes in everything and for everyone.

Jesus means “the Lord saves.” Jesus came to earth to save us because we can’t save ourselves from sin and its consequences. No matter how good we are, we can’t eliminate the sinful nature present in our lives. Only Jesus can do that. Jesus didn't come to help people save themselves, He came to be their Savior from the power and penalty of sin. Receiving Jesus willingly into your life is the only immediate way to receiving salvation. Thank Christ for His death on the cross for your sin, and then ask Him to take control of your life. Your new life begins at that moment.

Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life,” (John 14 vs 6). He is the only way to God. By uniting our lives with His, we are united with God. Trust Jesus to take you to the Father, and all the benefits of being God’s child will be yours. As the way, Jesus is our path to the Father. The Scripture says, “And there is salvation in no other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4 vs 12). Jesus is the only means through which we can be saved. One cannot devise his or her own system of religion and expect to be saved on his or her own conditions. One cannot be saved outside the atonement that has been provided by Jesus on the cross. 

As the truth, He is the reality of all God’s promises. Jesus is the revelation of the grace and truth that proceeded from God for the salvation of all men. Salvation, therefore, must be accomplished through the revelation of the mystery of God that was revealed through Jesus (Ephesians 3 vs 3 - 5). Jesus Himself is the truth that sets us free. He is the source of truth, the perfect standard of what is right. He frees us from continued slavery to sin, from self-deception, and from deception of Satan. He shows us clearly the way to everlasting life with God. Thus Jesus does not give us freedom to do what we want, but freedom to follow God. As we seek to serve God, Jesus’ perfect truth frees us to be all that God means us to be. 

Jesus is the Creator of life, and His life brings light to humankind. In His light, we see ourselves as we really are (sinners in need of a Savior). When we follow Jesus, the true Light, we can avoid walking blindly and falling into sin. He lights the path ahead of us so we can see how to live. He removes the darkness of sin from our lives. If He guides your life, you’ll never need to stumble in darkness. Jesus gives life. The life He gives is abundantly rich and full. It is eternal, yet it begins immediately. Life in Christ is lived in higher plane because of His overflowing forgiveness, love, and guidance. 

He who is life can surely restore life. Whoever believes in Christ has a spiritual life that death cannot conquer or diminish in any way. The answer to man’s mortality is found only in Jesus. One cannot find life outside the sacrificial blood of Jesus (John 8 vs 13). In order to have life throughout eternity, one must come into a covenant relationship with Jesus. Jesus says that the only way to live a truly good life is to stay close to Him, like a branch attached to the vine. Apart from Christ our efforts are unfruitful. Have you willingly received Jesus into your life as your personal a Lord and Savior? Do that now and you will receive the nourishment and life offered by Christ the vine!

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of Your only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to the world as a propitiation for our sins, and the revelation of the purpose of our lives in Him. I have willingly received Him into my life, and have confessed Him as my personal Lord and Savior. In Him I live and move and have my being. Give me the grace to stay absolutely and everlastingly focused on Him, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!