HELPING THE NEEDY!

 

EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MAY 20, 2024.

SUBJECT : HELPING THE NEEDY! 

Memory verse: "He who gives to the poor will not lack, but He who hides his eyes will have many curses.” (Proverbs 28 vs 27.)

READ: Isaiah 58 vs 7 - 12: 

58:7: Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to house the poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?

58:8: Then your light break forth like the morning, your healing shall spring forth speedily, and your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard.

58:9: Then you shall call, and the LORD will answer; you shalt cry, and He will say, “Here I am.” “If you take away the yoke from your midst, the pointing of the finger, and speaking wickedness,

58:10: If you extend your soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then your light shall dawn in darkness, and your darkness shall be as the noonday.

58:11: The LORD will guide you continually, and satisfy your soul in drought, and strengthen your bones; you shall be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters do not fail.

58:12: Those from among you shall build the old waste places; you shall raise up the foundations of many generations; and you shalt be called the repairer of the breach, The restorer of streets to Dwell In.

INTIMATION:

God wants us to identify with the needy, not ignore them. The Scripture makes it clear that those who open their eyes to human need shall be blessed. The Scripture says, “There is one who scatters, yet increases more; and there is one who withholds more than is right, but it leads to poverty. The generous soul will be made rich, and he who waters will also be watered himself.” (Proverbs 11 vs 24 - 25). These two verses present a paradox: We become richer by being generous. The world says to hold on to as much as possible, but these verses say God blesses those who give freely their possessions, time, and energy. Remember, “He who gives to the poor will not lack.”

When we give, God supplies us with more so that we can give more. In addition, giving helps us gain a right perspective on our possessions. We realize they were never really ours to begin with, but were given to us by God to be used to help others. What then do we gain by giving: Freedom from enslavement to our possessions, the joy of helping others, and God’s approval. The apostle Paul promises that God will supply all our needs (Philippians 4 vs 19); He usually does this through other people. What can you do today to help God supply someone’s need? 

In the passage we read today, God demands our personal involvement in caring for others’ needs. Anyone who does not help God’s people is God’s enemy. If you have withheld your help from someone in a time of need, this is sin. The Scripture says, “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin“ (James 4 vs 17). Sin includes not only what we do, but also what we refuse to do. Don’t ignore or refuse to help those in need. When a Christian brother or sister suffers, we all suffer (First Corinthians 12 vs 26). We should help needy believers, not exploit them. Make it a practice to help those in need around you. 

God promises that those who care for the needy will be restored and the power of a new life shall break forth from them speedily, their rightness or right relationship with God shall go before them and conducting them to peace and prosperity, and the glory of the Lord shall be their rear guard. God will hear and answer them when they call on Him, and when they cry to Him, He will say, “Here I am.” Their light shall rise in darkness, and their obscurity and gloom become like the noonday. They are assured of God’s guidance continually, and His satisfying their needs in drought, and they shall be like a watered garden and like a spring of water that will never fail. Any ruins around them, no matter how old, will be rebuild, and they raise up foundation for new buildings. 

It is everyone’s responsibility to care for those less fortunate, and helping the poor is also an active part of religious life. God counts on believers to provide for the needy, and we should use what God has given us to aid those less fortunate. Look beyond your regular giving and think of ways to help the needy. This will help you show your regard for God as Creator of all people, share God’s goodness with others, and draw them to Him. It is a practical and essential way to make faith work in everyday life.

Many times we do nothing, not because we lack compassion, but because we are overwhelmed by the size of the problem and don’t know where to begin. God doesn’t expect you to eliminate poverty, nor does he expect you to neglect you family while providing for others. He does, however, expect that when you see an individual in need, you will reach out with whatever help you can offer, including hospitality. Some people are prejudiced against needy people or they cause them inconvenience. Instead of being annoyed, be aware of the opportunities that surround you, and make an effort to look for ways to minister to others. If your convictions don’t allow to help certain people, your convictions may not be in tune with God’s Word. It easy to ignore the poor or forget about those who have less than we do. But God desires generosity. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to extend helping hands to the needy according to the resources You have entrusted in my care, and that I may bear others burdens and so fulfill the law of Christ, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

TAKING OFF THE MASKS - MAY 19

 TAKING OFF THE MASKS - MAY 19

Mark 7:6, "He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me."

MARK 7:6-9

This is the biblical definition of a hypocrite, "someone whose words and heart (actions) don't agree." A hypocrite may act the part of a Christian or he may talk like Christ, but he won't do both. When both confession and action from the heart are consistent with God's Word, there is salvation (Rom. 10:9-10).

The word "hypocrite" comes from the Greek word "hupokrites," meaning "the playing of a part on the stage; an actor." It was a custom for Greek and Roman actors to use large masks, when acting, to disguise their true identity. Hence, hypocrisy became "the feigning of beliefs, feelings, or virtues that one does not hold or possess; insecurity" (American Heritage Dictionary).

The dictionary defines "dissimulate" as "to disguise under a feigned appearance." The Greek word means "without hypocrisy, unfeigned." It has become customary in our society to conceal our real feelings behind a hypocritical mask. Although we should be tactful and not purposely say things to offend people, there is a time and a place for speaking the truth, even if it isn't popular.

In Leviticus 19:17, the Lord said, "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him." This verse is saying that if we fail to rebuke our brother when we see sin approaching, then we hate him. Many people have concealed their true feelings about evil under the pretense of, "I just love them too much to hurt their feelings." The truth is, they just love themselves too much to run the risk of being rejected. That's hypocrisy. Motives - not actions - are usually what makes a person a hypocrite. Let God's love be your motivation today and everyday.

CONTENTMENT IS A GODLY VIRTUE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MAY 19, 2024.

SUBJECT : CONTENTMENT IS A GODLY VIRTUE!

Memory verse: "Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (Hebrews 13  vs 5.)

READ: First Timothy 6 vs 6 - 11:

6:6: Now godliness with contentment is great gain.

6:7: For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.

6:8: And having food and clothing with these we shall be content.

6:9: But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.

INTIMATION:

Contentment is satisfaction, it primarily signifies to be sufficient, and happy with one's situation in life. Contentment is a godly virtue, and carries great gain. In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul lays a solid foundation for a godly living; being content in any circumstances you find yourself, and seeing life from God's perspective, and being grateful for all God has given you. The statement in our memory verse is the key to spiritual growth and personal fulfillment. God has said it, "I will never leave you nor forsake you." In realization of these facts, our contentment should be in God who made and owns all things.

The bane of humanity before the coming of the Savior was as a result of lack of contentment. Eve was approached by Satan in the Garden of Eden, where she and Adam lived. Satan questioned her contentment. How could she be happy when she was not allowed to eat from one of the fruit trees. Satan helped Eve shift her focus from all that God had done and given to the one thing He had withheld. And Eve was willing to accept Satan’s viewpoint without checking with God. 

Our attention is often drawn from the much that is ours to the little that isn’t. We get that “I’ve got to have it” feeling. Eve was typical of us all, and we consistently show we are her descendants by repeating her mistakes. Our desires, like Eve’s, can be quite easily manipulated. They are not the best basis for actions. We need to keep God in our decision-making processes always. His Word, the Bible, is our guidebook in decision-making.

The Tenth of the’Ten Commandments’ of God harps on covetousness, which is an offshoot of discontentment. To covet is to wish to have the possessions of others. It goes beyond simply admiring someone else’s possessions, or thinking, “I’d like to have one of those.” Coveting includes enviously resenting the fact that others have what you don’t. God knows, however, that possessions never make anyone happy for long. 

Since only God can supply all our needs, true contentment is found only in Him. When you begin to covet, try to determine if a simple selfish need is leading you to envy. For example, you may covet someone’s success, not because you want to take it away from him, but because you would like to feel as appreciated by others as he is. If this is the case, pray that God will help you deal with your resentment and meet your basic needs.

We deceive ourselves when we measure our happiness or contentment in life by the amount of wealth we possess. When we put riches at the top of our value system, we let power, pleasure, and financial security overshadow the eternal value of our relationship with God. We think we will be happy or content when we get riches, only to discover that they don’t really satisfy, and their pleasures fade away. The true measurement of happiness or contentment is found in God’s love and in doing His will. You will find true happiness if you put your relationship with God above earthly riches.

Are you able to be content (get along happily) in any circumstances you find yourself? In the epistle of the apostle Paul to the believers in Philippi (Philippians 4 vs 10 - 14), he stated his knowledge of how to be content whether he had plenty or whether he was in need. The secret was drawing on Christ’s power for strength. Do you have great needs, or are you discontented because you don’t have what you want? Learn to rely on God’s promises and Christ’s power to help you be content. If you always want more, ask God to remove that desire and teach you contentment in every circumstance. He will supply all your needs, but in a way that He knows is best for you.

However, we should separate our needs from our wants. God knows our needs even before we say it (Matthew 6 vs 32), and has promised to meet them (Philippians 4 vs 19). Your wants are mostly those things you require to feel good, and avoid discomfort or pain. But God never promised that life here on earth ‘is a bed of roses.’ Often, our wants are our desires to fill perceived empty places in our lives. But do we really need to fill the empty places? Are they really our needs? The answer lies in our perspective, our priorities, and source of power. We may not get all we want, but surely will get all we need. By trusting in Christ, our attitudes and appetites can change from wanting everything to accepting His provision and power to live for Him.

How can you learn to be content? Strive to live with less rather than desiring more; give away out of your abundance rather than accumulating more; relish what you have rather than resent what you're missing. See God's love expressed in what he has provided, and remember that money and possessions will pass away (First John 2 vs 17). We become content when we realize God's sufficiency for our needs. Christians who become materialistic are saying by their actions that God can't take care of them, or that He won't take care of them the way they want. The only antidote is to trust God to meet all our needs.

Prayer: Abba Father, my sufficiency is in You, and You are able to make all grace abound toward me, that I may have sufficiency in all things. Make me to be content in You, abounding in every good work, to live for You now, and live in eternity with You, in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BENEFITS OF CONSISTENT DEVOTION TO GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY MAY 18, 2024. 

SUBJECT : BENEFITS OF CONSISTENT DEVOTION TO GOD!

Memory verse: "Those who trust in the LIRD are like Mount Zion which cannot be moved, but abides forever." (Psalm 125 vs 1.)

READ: Psalm 91 vs 9 - 12; 14 - 16:

91:9: Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place.

91:10: No evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

91:11: For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways.

91:12: in their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

91:14: Because He has set His love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name.

91:15: He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. 

91:16: With long life I will satisfy him, and show him My salvation.

INTIMATION:

The person who trusts in God and obeys His commands is untouchable until God takes him or her. If we dwell and abide with Him, by entrusting ourselves to His protection and pledging our daily devotion to Him, we will be kept safe. To trust God is to have immeasurable peace.

No other scenario in the Scriptures, perhaps, most buttresses this point than the story of Daniel. Daniel was one of three governors set over his kingdom by King Darius. Daniel distinguished himself above other governors and satraps that the king gave thought to set him over the whole realm of his kingdom. Daniel had an excellent spirit in him, and consequently made enemies at work, and they sought to find a charge against him. He was, at that time, over 80 years old.

Daniel was a determined man, consistent in his devotion to God. He wouldn't bow to just any wish, even if it came from the emperor himself. Daniel kept praying to the God of Israel, the God he believed in. He stood for his convictions and would not redirect his prayers to a person he knew was a mortal.

In Babylon, the kings word was law. In the Medo-Persian empire, however, when a law was made, even the king couldn't change it. King Darius was an effective government administrator, but he had a fatal flaw—pride. By appealing to his vanity, the men talked Darius into signing a law effectively making him a God for 30 days, and that whoever petitions any god or man except king Darius, shall be cast into the lions' den. For praying to God, Daniel was guilty, and was to be food for hungry beasts in the king's special execution pits.

So Daniel was sentenced to the lions’ pit, and the sentence was carried out. But the lions did not disturb him. Although he sat right beside them, they didn't touch him. Daniel himself, walked out of the pit the next morning, alive and well. Why would lions suddenly go on a hunger strike? Lions eat only when hungry, not for recreation. And the whole point of having a bunch of lions caged up was to keep them hungry. The ancients would typically starve lions so they could watch the ferocious lions tear up the ones convicted. 

In accordance with Persian custom, this cruel punishment was transferred to those who had conspired against the king by provoking him into an unjust action (See also Esther 7 vs 9 - 10). The king’s great anger resulted in the execution of the evil officials and their families. The fact that these lions were starving is proven by how they savagely tore apart Daniel's false accusers. These were hungry lions. Evil deeds often backfire on those who plan cruelty.

Then what kept these lions from devouring Daniel? Though, to many It remains a mystery how Daniel survived a night trapped in a pit filled with hungry lions. Nonetheless, the Almighty God, whom Daniel worship consistently, sedated the lions’ wild instincts for just that night. Daniel himself put it more directly: "My God sent his angel to shut the lions' mouths so that they would not hurt me, for I have been found innocent in His sight" (Daniel 6 vs 22). 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are ever faithful, and Your companionship is sure for those who consistently obey, and put their trust in You. Endue me with the spirit of complete obedience , and devotion to You, that I may stand sure of Your protection, and fellowship with You at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH - MAY 18

 

THE LAW IS NOT OF FAITH - MAY 18

Mark 7:2, "And when they saw some of his disciples eat bread with defiled, that is to say, with unwashen, hands, they found fault."

MARK 7:1-7

Man looks on the outward appearance (this is what the scribes and Pharisees were concerned with), but the Lord looks on the heart (1 Sam. 16:7). Jesus looked on men's hearts. The Old Testament laws concerning washing served a secondary purpose of hygiene, but as stated in Colossians 2:16-17 and Hebrews 9:1,9-10, their real purpose was to shadow or illustrate spiritual truth.

Defiled food may hurt our bodies, but it cannot reach our spirits (Jn. 3:6).

The scribes and Pharisees missed the principle of spiritual purity taught by the Old Testament ordinances and became obsessed with strict adherence to their rituals. While they relentlessly enforced the laws dealing with the physical realm, they had become completely corrupt in the spiritual realm.

"The law is not of faith." When combined with Romans 14:23 which says, "...whatsoever is not of faith is sin," this statement must have been near blasphemy to the legalistic Jews, just as it is to legalistic Christians today. It is sin for the New Testament believer to try to relate to God by attempting to keep the Old Testament law. The law itself is not sin (Rom. 7:7). But it is sin to try to use the law for justification with God. This was never the purpose of the law.

Under the law a person got what he deserved. Under faith, the New Testament believer receives grace because of what Jesus did for him. Any departure from faith, especially a departure back to the Old Testament law, voids the work of Christ (Gal. 2:21) and is the worst sin of all. Only faith in Jesus Christ has the key that unlocks the door to the law's harsh imprisonment of guilt and condemnation. With a great price He has purchased your freedom. Walk in it today and enjoy His Life.

THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD ARE ONE - MAY 17

 THE SPIRIT AND THE WORD ARE ONE - MAY 17

John 6:63, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

JOHN 6:40-71; 7:1

Jesus is stating that our spirit, not our flesh, is where our life comes from. These people were so dominated by their physical lives that they were missing all the spiritual significance of His words. Although God's Word does benefit our physical man, the Word is spiritual and must be understood through the spirit. God's Word is spirit and it takes our spirit to illuminate its truths to our minds.

The Word of God is not paper and ink. Jesus is the Word, and He existed in spiritual form long before any words were inspired to be written down by the Holy Ghost. The Bible is simply a physical representation of Jesus and spiritual truth. It is inspired of God and therefore, totally accurate and reliable, and yet, until we receive the Spirit expressed in these words the Bible will not profit us. This is why many people have read the Word, maybe even memorized it, and yet aren't reaping its benefits.

Just as our physical man receives life from the food he eats, so our spiritual man receives life as we partake of Jesus, the "bread of life. Jesus plainly stated that the words He spoke were spiritual - not physical.

If we want to know what spiritual truth is, we must believe the Bible, for it is spirit and life. If we want to be led by the Spirit, then we must follow God's Word. If we want to hear from the Spirit of God, then we must listen to what God says in His Word. The Spirit (Holy Spirit) and the Word (Jesus - Jn. 1:1) are one.

OUR VICTORY IS IN OUR CONFESSION!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY MAY 17, 2024.

SUBJECT : OUR VICTORY IS IN OUR CONFESSION!

Memory verse: "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony...." (Revelation 12 vs 11.)

READ: Romans 8 vs 15 - 17:

8:15: For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry, "Abba Father."

8:16: the Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.

8:17: And if children, then heirs - heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.

INTIMATION:

Most Christians have never realized the vital place that our testimony or confession holds in our daily lives. Our positive confessions indicate the steadfastness of our faith in Christ. When our faith is anchored in Jesus Christ, our persistent, intelligent confession of what we are in Christ guarantees our victorious living against the devil and his cohorts. It is because of the importance of confession or testimony in our Christian life that the Scripture in Hebrews 10 vs 23 says, "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.”

When you came into the family of God, you made a confession of the Lordship of Christ over your life. His Lordship means; the bread-provider, the caretaker, the protector from all your enemies, and everything concerning your life. You actually become a partaker of the Divine Nature. (Second Peter 1 vs 4). And as you become a partaker of His Nature, you become a partaker of His ability. God's ability becomes your ability. God's Strength becomes your strength, and Jesus is the surety of that New Covenant for you. (Hebrews 7 vs. 22.)

Christ has already finished the work for us in redemption. Ours is to believe in our hearts the finished work and confess with our mouth our rich heritage in Him. When you acknowledge Him as your Lord, then God becomes automatically your very Father. All the resources of heaven are at your disposal.

The saints of old have 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 they preached. They were willing to suffer to death because they knew that death is only a transition into a better realm. 

In the passage we read today, the old bondage of fear and want and diseases is gone. You have another spirit now, a recreated spirit. God is no longer God to you: He is your Father, and as a Father, He is your Lover, Caretaker, and Faithful Companion. You aren't afraid of anything now. You are absolutely fearless before all your enemies. You lift up your banner; you shout His praises; you stand complete in Him over every circumstance and every attack of the enemy.

The Bible, in Second Corinthians 3 vs 4 - 6 says, "And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant......" We have tried to conquer the adversary with our own strength. We have tried to overcome temptation with our own wills. That is unnecessary, for His Will has become ours; His sufficiency is ours; His ability is ours. Now we become efficient as a member of the body of Christ with His efficiency.

Jesus said in John 14 vs 30, "....for the ruler of this world is coming, and he has nothing in Me." The same is true in a believer’s case. We are new creatures in Christ. If then we are new creatures, Satan has nothing in us. That new creation is all of God. The old thing that Satan owned and controlled is all passed away and the things that are in you now are all of God.

When you know this as you know the multiplication table, you will have something that will absolutely put to flight the forces of Satan. There isn't any reason why we should live in constant fear of sin and doubt when we are the very sons and daughters of God.

Believers should anchor their absolute faith in Christ just as the apostle Paul advised the believers in Philippi; that their conduct would be worthy of the gospel of Christ, ensuring that they, at all times, are expressly demonstrating in their conduct, their trust and confidence in Christ. (Philippians 1 vs 27.)

In the next verse he says, "And do not [for a moment] be frightened or intimidated in anything by your opponents and adversaries, for such [consistency and fearlessness] will be a clear sign (proof and seal) to them of [their impending] destruction, but [a sure token and evidence] of your deliverance and salvation, and that from God." (Philippians 1 vs 28 Amplified Version.)

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for what You wrought for me in redemption through Christ. In You I live, move, and have my being, You are the LORD over my life. I am in Christ, and Christ in You, therefore, Satan has no portion in me. My sonship with You has given me victory as an overcomer of the world through my faith in You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!