We Live by Faith

 The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Faith is a perfect fit with God’s future grace. It corresponds to the freedom and all-sufficiency of grace. And it calls attention to the glorious trustworthiness of God. 

One of the important implications of this conclusion is that the faith that justifies and the faith that sanctifies are not two different kinds of faith. “Sanctify” simply means to make holy or to transform into Christlikeness. It is all by grace. 

Therefore, it must also be through faith. For faith is the act of the soul that connects with grace, and receives it, and channels it as the power of obedience, and guards grace from being nullified through human boasting. 

Paul makes this connection between faith and sanctification explicit in Galatians 2:20 (“I live by faith”). Sanctification is by the Spirit and by faith. Which is another way of saying that it is by grace and by faith. The Spirit is “the Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10:29). God’s way of making us holy is by the Spirit; but the Spirit works through faith in the gospel. 

The simple reason why the faith that justifies is also the faith that sanctifies is that both justification and sanctification are the work of sovereign grace. And it’s faith that corresponds to grace. Justification and sanctification are not the same kind of work (justification is the imputation of righteousness; sanctification is the impartation of righteousness), but they are both works of grace. Sanctification and justification are “grace upon grace” (John 1:16). 

The human corollary of God’s free grace is faith. If both justification and sanctification are works of grace, it is natural that they would both be by faith.

GOD USES ANYBODY TO ACHIEVE HIS PURPOSE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JUNE 07, 2024.

SUBJECT: GOD USES ANYBODY TO ACHIEVE HIS PURPOSE!

Memory verse: "Now Joshua the son of Nun sent out two men from Acacia Grove to spy secretly, saying, “Go view the land, especially Jericho.” So they went, and came to the house of a harlot named Rahab, and lodged there.” (Joshua 2 vs 1.)

READ: Acts 23 vs 16 - 22:

23:16: So when Paul's sister's son heard of their ambush, he went and entered the barracks and told Paul.

23:17: Then Paul called one of the centurions to him and said, “Take this young man to the commander, for he has something to tell him.”

23:18: So he took him and brought him to the commander and said, “Paul the prisoner called me to him and asked me to bring this young man to you. He has something to say to you.

23:19: Then the commander took him by the hand, went aside, and asked privately, “What is it that that you have to tell me?”

23:20: And he said, “The Jews have agreed to ask that you bring Paul down to the council tomorrow, as though they were going to enquirer more fully about him.

23:21: But do not yield to them: for more than forty of them lie in wait for him, men who have bound themselves by an oath that they will neither eat nor drink till they have killed him: and now they are ready, waiting for a promise from you.

23:22: So the commander let the young man depart, and commanded him, “Tell no one that you have revealed these things to me.”

INTIMATION:

God has no favorites; none preferred above others, liked or loved above others. We are all created in His own image and after His likeness. We are equally loved by Him; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3 vs 16). God’s works in history are not limited by human failures or sins, and He works through ordinary people. He can use anyone, of any age, and any background, who is willing to yield to Him. Just as God used all kinds of people to bring His Son into the world, He uses all kinds today to accomplish His will. And God wants to use you. Nobody is excluded from God’s Love, but we appropriate it to ourselves by believing in His Son—Jesus Christ—He sent to us. 

Several heroes in the Bible were common people: Jacob was known as a deceiver but God used him to “father” the Israelite nation (Genesis 27 - 28). Joseph was a slave in Egypt, but God used him to save his family, and the birth of Israelite nation (Genesis 39). Moses was a shepherd in exile and a murderer, but God used him to lead Israel out of bondage to the Promised Land (Exodus 3). Gideon was a farmer but God used him to deliver Israel from the Midianites (Judges 6 vs 11 - 14).Jephthah was the son of a harlot, but God used him to deliver Israel from the Ammonites (Judges 11). 

David was a shepherd boy and last-born of the family, but God used him exceedingly to defeat the enemies of the Israelites, and he became Israel’s greatest king. Esther was a slave girl, but God used her to save her people from massacre (Esther). Mary was a peasant girl, but God made her the mother of Jesus (Luke 1 vs 27 - 28). Matthew was a tax collector, but God used him as one of the apostles and Gospel writer (Matthew 9 vs 9). Paul a persecutor of Christians, but God converted him to be the most influential of the apostles (First Corinthians 15 vs 9 - 10).

Our memory verse relates to the use of prostitute by God to accomplish His plan. Rahab was a prostitute in the city of Jericho. As a prostitute, she lived on the edge of society, one stop short of rejection. Her house, built right into the city wall, provided both lodging and favors to travelers. God used her and gave her the courage to hide the spies and lie to the authorities. God works through people, like Rahab, whom we are inclined to reject. God remembered her because of her faith, not her profession.  If at times you feel like a failure, remember that Rahab rose above her situation through her trust in God. You can do the same.

In the passage we read today, God used a child to accomplish His plan to save the apostle Paul’s life. It is easy to overlook children, assuming that they aren’t old enough to do much for the Lord. But this young man played an important part in protecting Paul’s life. Even Jesus made it clear that children are important (Matthew 18 vs 2 - 6).

The encounter of Jesus with the woman of Samaria in John 4 vs 7 - 42, clearly emphasizes God’s character of not being particular about your background, and loves us equally. The woman (1) was a Samaritan, a member of the hated mixed race, (2) was known to be living in sin, and (3) was in a public place. No responsible Jewish man would talk to a woman under such circumstances. But Jesus did, her social status, past sin, and her race notwithstanding. The same woman was used to convert a whole city—the city of Samaria. Jesus selected “ordinary” men with a mixture of backgrounds and personalities to be His disciples. He can use you!

Prayer: Abba Father, I love You, all I have is Yours, Yours I am, Yours I want to be, use me as it pleases You. Here I am, with my utmost heart desire to serve You acceptably with the talent, abilities, and resources You put in my care. Here I am, use me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

All Hostile to God

 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death. (Colossians 1:21–22)

The best news in all the world is that our alienation from God is ended and we are reconciled to the Judge of the universe. God is no longer against us, but for us. Having omnipotent love on our side mightily steels the soul. Life becomes utterly free and daring when the strongest being in the universe is for you.

But Paul’s message of salvation is not good news to those who reject the diagnosis in Colossians 1:21. He says, you “were alienated and hostile in mind.” 

How many people do you know who say, “Apart from God’s grace, I am hostile to God in my mind”? People seldom say, “I hate God.” So, what does Paul mean that people are “hostile in mind” to God before they were reconciled by the blood of Christ? 

I think he means that the hostility is really there toward the true God, but people do not allow themselves to think about the true God. They imagine God to be the way they would like him to be, which seldom includes any possibility that they might be in really serious trouble with him.

But concerning the God who really exists — a God who is sovereign over all things, including sickness and calamity — we were all hostile to him, Paul says. Deep down, we hated his absolute power and authority. 

That any of us is saved is owing to the wonderful truth that the death of Christ obtained the grace by which God conquered our hearts and caused us to love the One we once hated. 

Many are still learning not to be hostile to God. It is a good thing that he is gloriously patient.

GOD’S GRACE MANIFESTS AT HUMAN IMPOSSIBILITY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JUNE 06, 2024.

SUBJECT: GOD’S GRACE MANIFESTS AT HUMAN IMPOSSIBILITY!

Memory verse: "Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?” (Genesis 17 vs 17.)

READ: Genesis 18  vs 8 - 14:

18:8: And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed, and set it before them; and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.

1&:9: And they said unto him, Where is Sarah thy wife? And he said, Behold, in the tent.

18:10: And he said, I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life; and, lo, Sarah thy wife shall have a son. And Sarah heard it in the tent door, which was behind him.

18:11: Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well stricken in age; and it ceased to be with Sarah after the manner of women.

18:12: Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, After I am waxed old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?

18:13: And the LORD said unto Abraham, Wherefore did Sarah laugh, saying, Shall I of a surety bear a child, which am old?

18:14: Is any thing too hard for the LORD? At the time appointed I will return unto thee, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

INTIMATION:

When we come to the point of human impossibility, God’s grace is manifested. God delivers to man such things that are impossible with man through His grace (unmerited favor of God to man to achieve the impossible). God loves us and sees our situation. Nothing is difficult or impossible with God. All He demands from us is our trust and faith in Him. When faced with an impossible situation, seek His grace to come to your aid. 

The passage we read today is about Abraham and Sarah whom God gave a child at old age. It seemed incredible that he and Sarah in their advanced years could have a child. He questioned the possibility of childbirth simply because with human ability, such would be impossible for both him and Sarah since they were old. But the point is that the promise was to be the work of God, not man. It would have been impossible with man, not with God. 

In this event, therefore, both Abraham and Sarah would understand the grace of God as God worked directly in order to make it possible for Sarah to have a child. The child was given through grace, not through the works of man. Abraham, the man of God considered righteous because of his faith, had troubles believing God’s promise to him. Despite his doubts, however, Abraham followed God’s commands and received the seemingly impossible promise by God’s grace.

Isaac came forth as the result of God’s grace, not by the parental planning work of Abraham, and Sarah. The conception of Issac was miraculous in the sense that Abraham and Sarah were past the age of child bearing. Therefore, the promise was the result of grace. It is noteworthy that even people of great faith may have doubts. When God seems to want the impossible and you begin to doubt His leading, be like Abraham, focus on God’s commitment to fulfill His promises to you, and then continue to obey.

It was impossible for us to save ourselves from the clutches of sin and Satan, but God did the impossible. He sent His Son as a propitiation for our sins. He paid the wages we owed; He gave His life of inestimable value for our lives of sin that are completely worthless, that we may live. He saved us by grace through faith in Him. His grace is always available to the believer to do the impossible.

God is personally involved in the life of a believer, and nudges him or her to ask for His power to help, even in impossible situations.

Now, one may ask, “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” Asking the question this way reminds you of the obvious answer which is, “Of course not!” This question reveals much about God. Therefore, as a child of God, make it a habit to insert your specific needs into the question, such as, “Is this day in my life too hard for the Lord?” “Is this habit I’m trying to break too hard for the Lord?” “Is the communication problem I’m having too hard for the Lord!” Of course not! Then trust completely in His power (grace) to come to your aid in that specific situation.

Trust doesn’t come easy. Instances abound in the Bible on this; It wasn’t easy for Moses to believe that him and his people, the Israelites, would escape Egypt, even after God spoke to him from a burning bush. But he trusted God (Exodus 3 vs 1 -  4; 20). It wasn’t easy for David to believe that he would become king, even after he was anointed. But he trusted God (First Samuel 16 vs 31). It wasn’t easy for Jeremiah to publicly buy land already captured  by the enemy. But he trusted God (Jeremiah 32 vs 6 - 15). It wasn’t easy for us to believe that God can fulfill His “seemingly impossible” promises either, but we must trust Him. God, who worked in the lives of biblical heroes, will work in our lives, too, if we will let Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are God of the whole heavens and the earth. In You all things consist. There is nothing difficult or impossible with You. Endue me with the spirit of absolute trust and commitment to You in all things. Give me the grace to aid me in any impossible situation I find myself, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD! 

Prayer against Generational Curses.

 Today, we are praying against life obstacle of destiny called generational curses.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Lord, arise and attack every evil member attacking us with curses in Jesus name.

2. Oh Lord! By the blood of Jesus, erase every curse following me in Jesus name.

3. Oh Lord, uproot all curses that have been linked to my name and wash it away with your blood in Jesus name.

4. Oh Lord! Let your blood wash away every satanic pronouncement i have made, that is working against my life in Jesus name.

5. Anyone among my father’s children or my mother’s children that my blessings has been given to, retrieve them back to me now in Jesus name.

6. Oh Lord! If there anything my fore-fathers have done that will not let me reach my promised land, I separate myself from it today, for I am a new creation in Jesus name.

7. Because my God did not sanction it, every curses on my life is null and void and of no effect in Jesus name.

8. I prophesy that those who trouble my life shall die by fire in Jesus name

9. Oh Lord, deliver me by fire from every ancestral curses that i have been initiated into in Jesus name.

10. Oh Lord, deliver me from the curse of the sword in my generation and cancel any death by sword (or gun) in my family in Jesus name.

11. Oh Lord, deliver me from famine due to the bloodshed of this nation in Jesus name

12. Oh Lord! Every curse of hatred and blood shedding in my family are washed by the blood of the Lamb in Jesus name.

13. Oh Lord, remove the curse of famine from my life and family in Jesus name.

14. Oh Lord, I refuse to share of the curses of my family for your word said that the soul that sinneth it shall die. Therefore, every generational curses hanging over my head is null and void in Jesus name.

15. Every sure evil covenant that will not favor me is consumed by the Holy Spirit fire in Jesus name.

16. Every curse and oath that my parents entered into but did not keep and am bearing the consequences are washed away by the blood of Jesus in Jesus name.

17. The Lord my shield, protect me, the Lord my glory, bring forth my glory, the Lord my lifter, lift up my head in my family in Jesus name.

18. I prophesy into my life that every curse fighting my foundation and that of my family members shall collapse in Jesus name.

19. Oh the glorious God, overturn every curses in my family to blessings to the glory of your name in Jesus name.

20. Oh Lord, save me totally from the enemies within my family in Jesus name.

Dependable in the Mundane

 “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33)

One of the most powerful testimonies to the all-sufficiency of God’s future grace is the “faith principle” that has governed the lives of so many missionaries, notably those of Overseas Missionary Fellowship (OMF). 

Without condemning those who follow a different pattern, it has been the practice of those who follow in the steps of Hudson Taylor and George Mueller to move the hearts of supporters to give by directing their requests to God and not to people. 

James H. Taylor, the great-grandson of the founder of OMF, explains how this faith in future grace, rooted in demonstrations of bygone grace, honors God. 

We . . . begin from a position of faith. We believe God does exist. We have become convinced of this in a variety of ways, but all of us have experienced the grace of God in bringing us to know Himself through Jesus Christ and through rebirth by His Spirit. We believe we have good grounds for believing in Him through the historical fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead: we believe that someone who said He would die and rise again, and did it, is credible in every other way. Therefore we are prepared to trust Him, not only for the eternal salvation of our souls, but also for the practical provision of our daily bread and financial support.

OMF publishes testimonies of God’s amazing faithfulness to demonstrate the glory of his all-supplying future grace. “We want to demonstrate that God can be trusted to do all that He says He will do, by sharing how He has provided for such mundane needs as plane tickets, meals, medical expenses, and the regular support of a whole group of Christian people for well over a hundred years.”

What OMF is devoted to is glorifying the dependability of God — in their message and in their method. Hudson Taylor put it this way: “There is a living God. He has spoken in the Bible. He means what He says and will do all that He has promised.” 

Lives of faith are the great mirror of the dependability of God.

BEING AN EFFECTIVE SALT OF THE EARTH AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JUNE 05, 2024.

SUBJECT : BEING AN EFFECTIVE SALT OF THE EARTH AND LIGHT OF THE WORLD!

Memory verse: "Having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation.” (First Peter 2 vs 12.) 

READ: Matthew 5 vs 13 - 16:

5:13: You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt have loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? it is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and to be trampled underfoot by men.

5:14: You are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hidden.

5:15: Nor do they light a lamp, and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

5:16: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father in heaven.

INTIMATION:

Salt is a seasoning that possesses purifying, perpetuating, and antiseptic qualities. In the Lord’s teaching it is symbolic of that spiritual health and vigor essential to Christian value and counteractive of corruption that is in the world. Light is an electromagnetic radiation which makes vision possible. It illuminates. In Scriptures, it emphasizes spiritual enlightenment; exposure to the truth. In darkness, light illuminates. In our Lord’s teaching, Christians are figuratively the salt and light of the world.

If a seasoning has no flavor, it is worthless. If Christians make no effort to affect the world around them, they are worth nothing before God. If they are too much like the world, they are worthless. Christians should not blend in with everyone else. Instead, they should affect others positively, just as seasoning brings out the best flavor in food. 

Jesus used salt to illustrate three qualities that should be found in His people; (1) They should remember God’s faithfulness, just as salt when used with a sacrifice recalls God’s covenant with His people (Leviticus 2 vs 13). (2) They should make a difference in the “flavor” of the world they live in, just as salt changes meal’s flavor. (3) They should counteract the moral decay in society, just as salt preserves food from decay. When they lose this desire to “salt” the earth with the love and message of God, they become useless to Him.

Salt can lose its flavor when it gets wet and then dries, nothing is left but a tasteless residue. Many Christians blend into the world and avoid the cost of standing up for Christ. But Jesus says if Christians lose their distinctive saltiness, they become worthless. Just as salt flavors and preserves food, they are to preserve the good in the world and bring new flavor to life. This requires careful planning, willing sacrifice, and unswerving commitment to Christ’s kingdom. But if a Christian fails to be “salty,” he or she fails to represent Christ in the world. How salty are you? 

Christians—Christ followers—as the light of the world, should illuminate the world they live in. If they live for Christ, they will glow like lights, showing others what Christ is like. If Christians then fail to illuminate the world, they are worthless or valueless before the Lord. When they fail to live in accordance with Christian beliefs—being Christ-like, they hide their light. And they hide their light by (1) being quiet when they should speak, (2) going along with the crowd, (3) denying the light—denying Christ, (4) letting sin dim their light, (5) not explaining their light to others, or (6) ignoring the needs of others. Christians ought to be a beacon of truth. They should not shut their light off from the rest of the world. 

The lives of Christians should be characterized by moral purity, patience, and peacefulness, so that they will “shine” as “lights” in a dark and depraved world. Their actions should be above reproach so much so that even hostile people will end up praising God. Those hostile people are in the habit of spreading vicious lies about Christians. 

Gracious, godly, and winsome behavior on the part of Christians could show these rumors to be false and might even win some of the unsaved critics to the Lord. A transformed life is an effective witness to the power of God’s Word. Are you shining brightly, or are you clouded by complaining and arguing? Don’t let dissensions snuff out your light. Shine out for God. Your role is to shine until Jesus returns and bathes the world in His radiant glory.

Many Christians today are hidden from sight, reluctant to be identified as Christians. Such a Christian is like a brand-new light that never leaves the carton it came in. If a lamp doesn’t help people see, it isn’t worth much. Does your life show people how to find God and how to live for Him? If not, ask what “basket” have hidden your light. Complacency, resentment, embarrassment, stubbornness of heart, or disobedience could keep you from shining. What do you need to do to let your light shine? Show Christ to the world by your life.

When the light of the truth about Jesus Christ illuminates us, Christians have the duty to shine that light to help others. Their witness for Christ should be public, not hidden. They should not keep the benefits for theirselves alone but pass them on to others. In order to be helpful, you need to be well placed. Seek opportunities to shine your light when unbelievers need help to see. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to be an effective witness, and ambassador of Christ in this world, being an effective salt of the earth and light of the world, in accordance with Christlike conducts, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!