WHEN GOD IS WITH YOU!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JUNE 13, 2024.

SUBJECT : WHEN GOD IS WITH YOU!

Memory verse: "But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive." (Genesis 50 vs 20.)

READ: Genesis 37 vs 26 - 28;  45 vs 5 - 8:

37:26: So Judah said to his brothers, “What profit is it if we kill our brother, and conceal his blood?

37:27: Come, and let us sell him to the Ishmeelites, and let not our hand be upon him; for he is our brother and our flesh. And his brothers listened.

37:28: Then Midianites traders passed by; so the brothers pulled Joseph up and and lifted him out of the pit, and sold him to the Ishmeelites for twenty pieces of silver: and they brought Joseph into Egypt.

45:5: But now, do not therefore be grieved, nor angry with yourselves because you sold me here: for God sent me before you to preserve life.

45:6: For these two years the famine has been in the land; and there are still five years, in the which there will  be neither plowing nor harvesting.

45:7: And God sent me before you to preserve you a posterity in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

45:8: So now it was not you who sent me here, but God: and he hath made me a father to Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and a ruler throughout all the land of Egypt.

INTIMATION:

People get into problems of various kinds in life. Some of the problems are caused by ourselves, some are caused by some externalities we have no control over, and yet some are planned against us by others. Some problems ensue after a careful planning, some by occurrence of natural disasters, and some out of jealousy and wickedness of others. In all these things losses of all kinds may abound along the line. But if God is with you, they turn at last to be for our own good, and necessary pathways planned by God to actualize His predetermined purposes.

The pathways of children of God are determined and ordered by Him. The prophet Jeremiah says, “O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man who  walks to direct his steps.” (Jeremiah 10 vs 23.) God is involved in our lives. At times the path of the righteous doesn’t seem smooth, and it isn’t easy to do God’s Will, but we are never alone when we face tough times. God is there to help us, to comfort us, and lead us. God does this by giving us a purpose (keeping our mind centered on Him) and making provisions for us as we go along. Also God gives us wisdom to make decisions and faith to trust Him. He also, provides us with relationships of family, friends, and mentors. 

We are often confused by the events around us. But for a child of God, many things we will never understand will fall into place in years to come as we look back and see how God was working. Therefore, you should not worry if you don’t understand everything as it happens. Instead, you should trust that God knows what He Is doing, even if His timing or design is not clear to you. Remember, the end is known to Him from the beginning!

The psalmist says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in His way. Though he fall, He shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholds Him with His hand.” (Psalm 37 vs 23 - 24.) The person in whom God delights is one who follows God, trusts Him, and tries to do His Will. God watches over the person and makes firm every step that he or she takes. If you will like to have God your way, then seek His advice before you step out.

Instances abound where people planned evil against another good person, and eventually God turned the evil in the long run to good for the victim. In the passage we read today, Joseph’s bothers planned to eliminate him out of jealousy and hatred. Although they didn’t kill him outright, but they wouldn’t expect him to survive for long as a slave. They were quite willing to let cruel slave traders do their dirty work for them. Joseph faced a 30-day journey through the desert, probably chained, and journeyed on foot. He would be treated like baggage and once in Egypt, would be sold as a piece of merchandise. His brothers thought they would never see him again. But God was in control of Joseph’s life and had other plans.

Although Joseph’s brothers had wanted to get rid of him, God used even their evil actions to fulfill His ultimate plan. He had sent Joseph ahead to preserve their lives, save Egypt, and prepare the way for the beginning of the nation of Israel. God is sovereign. His plans are not dictated by human actions. When others intend evil toward you, as a child of God, just know that they are only God’s tools. As Joseph said to his brothers, “You meant evil against me, but God meant it for good.” 

The Scripture says, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” (Romans 8 vs 28.) God brought good from the brother’s evil deed, Potiphar’s wife’s false accusation, the butler’s neglect, and seven years of famine. The experiences in Joseph’s life taught him that God brings good from evil for those who put their trust in Him. Do you trust God enough to wait patiently for Him to bring good out of bad situations? You can trust him because, as Joseph learned, God can overrule people’s evil intentions to bring about His intended results.

Prayer: Abba Father, I am persuaded that in all situations You are my God, my refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. My absolute faith and trust are in You. Let whatever that will make me lose Your leading never come my way, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Prayer against Stagnation

 Today we are praying against devilish instrument called "Stagnation" 

We are going to pray with God's word because all things were created by God's word. John1:1-2.

PRAYER POINTS

1. Every yoke of stagnancy operating in my life, break by fire, in the name of Jesus.

2. Every witchcraft power working against my progress, die, in Jesus name.

3. Satanic cobwebs from my father’s house, mother’s house or from my household, catch fire, in Jesus name.

4. My tied hands in the realm of the spirit, be loosed out, in the name of Jesus.

5. The blood of Jesus shall flow through the work of my hands, in the name of Jesus.

6. All my glories that are under satanic torment, now arise and locate me, in Jesus name

7. Every generational curse of eating from hand to mouth, break by fire, in Jesus name

8. I break the monitoring spirit of poverty around my life, in the name of Jesus.

9. Any man or woman assigned to pull me down from my ladder of greatness, die, in Jesus name.

10. Every evil pattern of loss, break by fire, in the name of Jesus.

11. Every evil load upon my life, I shake you out, in the name of Jesus.

12. The anointing of, GO SLOW, upon my life, expire, in the name of Jesus.

13. Every power that wants me to forget the day of my blessings, scatter by fire, in Jesus name

14. Powers planted in my childhood to trouble my future, hear the word of the Lord, die, in Jesus name

15. Spirit of procrastination, die, in Jesus name.

16. I bind the evil power of stagnation in my life, in Jesus name

17. Any power assigned to make me sleep a sleep of regret, go back to the sender, in Jesus name.

18. I will not be a slave to others in Jesus name.

19. The prayers of my enemies will not work over my life, in Jesus name

20. O God arise and let my head be lifted up, in Jesus name.

Help My Unbelief

 For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. (Romans 12:3)

In the context of this verse, Paul is concerned that people were thinking of themselves “more highly than [they] ought to think.” His final remedy for this pride is to say that not only are spiritual gifts a work of God’s free grace in our lives, but so also is the very faith with which we use those gifts. “. . . each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”

This means that every possible ground of boasting is taken away from us. How can we boast if even the qualification for receiving gifts is also a gift?

This truth has a profound impact on how we pray. Jesus gives us the example in Luke 22:31–32. Before Peter denies him three times Jesus says to him, “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” 

Jesus prays for Peter’s faith to be sustained even through the sin of denial, because he knows that God is the one who gives faith. So we should pray the way Jesus did — for ourselves and for others that God would sustain our faith. 

Thus, the man with the epileptic son cried out, “I believe; help my unbelief!” (Mark 9:24). This is a good prayer. It acknowledges that without God we cannot believe as we ought to believe.

Let us pray daily, “O Lord, thank you for my faith. Sustain it. Strengthen it. Deepen it. Don’t let it fail. Make it the power of my life, so that in everything I do, you get the glory as the great Giver. Amen.”

THE NEED OF PATIENCE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY JUNE 12, 2024.

SUBJECT : THE NEED OF PATIENCE!

Memory verse: "For you have need of patience, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise."  (Hebrews 10 vs 36.)

READ: Hebrews 10 vs 32 - 36:

10:32: But recall the former days, in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings:

10:33: partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations; and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated;

10:34: for you had compassion on me in my chains, and joyfully accepted the plundering of your goods, knowing that you have a better and enduring possessions for yourselves in heaven.

10:35: Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward.

10:36: For you have need of patience, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.

INTIMATION:

Patience is the quality of being able calmly to endure suffering, toil, delay, vexation, or any similar condition. Patience is a divine virtue or spiritual fruit. It can be simply defined as “waiting without complaint.” And it is listed as one of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5 vs 22 - 23). It perfects Christian character. Fellowship in the patience of Christ is therefore, the condition upon which believers are to be admitted to reign with Him. For in this patience believers are ‘strengthened with all power,’ through His Spirit in the inward man.’

Hence the Lord teaches us to love as God loves, and to be patient as Christ is patient.

The Scripture we read today encourages believers to persevere in the Christian faith and conduct when facing persecution and pressure. We don’t usually think of suffering as good for us, but it can build our character and our patience. During times of great stress, we may feel God’s presence more clearly and find help from Christians we never thought would care. Knowing that Jesus is with us in our suffering and that He will return one day to put an end to all pain helps us grow in our faith and our relationship with Him.

When faced with a difficult decision, don’t allow impatience to drive you to disobey God. When you know what God wants, follow His plan regardless of the consequences. God often uses delay to test our obedience and patience. Trusting God when nothing seems to happen is difficult. But it is harder still to live with the consequences of taking matters into our own hands. Resist the temptation to think God has forgotten you. Have patience and courage to wait for God to act.

The Scripture abounds with those who through patience obtained the promise. For instance, David did not become king over all Israel until he was 37 years old, although he had been promised the kingdom many years earlier (First Samuel 16 vs 13). During those years, David had to wait patiently for the fulfillment of God’s promise. If you feel pressured to achieve instant results and success, remember David’s patience. Just as his time of waiting prepared him for his important task, a waiting period may help you by strengthening your character.

Although God promises to reward our good deeds, we sometimes feel our “payoff” is too far away or delayed. Be patient. God steps in when it will do the most good. In the Book of Esther, Mordecai had exposed a plot to assassinate Ahasuerus—thus, he had saved the king’s life (Esther 2 vs 21 - 23). Although the good deed was recorded in the history books, Mordecai had gone unrewarded. But God was saving Mordecai’s reward for the right time. Just as Haman was about to hang him unjustly, the king was ready to give the reward. 

Misfortunes are designed to build virtues in us, and among the virtues gained through difficulty is patience. That family member or work associate who annoys you is God's gift to you to build your patience. If you're stuck with a job you don't like, and you can't find any other work, then God is building your patience. Each nuisance, long wait, affliction, every mosquito bite, traffic jam, and body ache in the life of the Christian raises his or her threshold of tolerance ever so much. Even tedious sermons and difficult reading (perhaps including what you are enduring right now!) can make you a more patient person.

So through the daily grind, the Christian grows morally, improving in virtue through various experiences that he might not even consider morally relevant, much less significant. But we who affirm the sovereignty of God shouldn't be surprised by this moral growth through even incidentals, for we believe God is always at work in the details, moving always to bring us into closer conformity to His image (Romans 8 vs 28).

This is why the apostle James says, "My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the trying of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.” (James 1 vs 2 - 4.) It has been said that nothing teaches like experience. To some degree this is true of the virtues. Pain and suffering teach us endurance and empathy. The experience of mercy and forgiveness incline us to be more merciful and forgiving. We gain moral maturity each day precisely because each day brings some difficulty that we must overcome. Like it or not, we persevere, and we are morally the better for it. 

Prayer: Abba Father, let the virtue of patience be developed in me by the working of the Holy Spirit, that I may be strengthened in the inner man to persevere in Christ to the end, and obtain the promise, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Faith for the Future

 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

If “all the promises of God find their Yes in [Jesus],” then to trust him now in the present is to believe that his promises will come true. 

Those are not two separate faiths — trusting him, and believing in his promises. Trusting Jesus — believing in Jesus for salvation — means believing that he keeps his word. Being satisfied in the crucified and risen Jesus includes the belief that at every future moment, to all eternity, nothing will separate us from his love, or keep him from working all things together for our good. And that “good” is ultimately seeing and savoring the beauty and worth of God in Christ as our supreme Treasure.

The confidence that this all-satisfying good will be there for us forever is based on all the glorious grace of the past, especially the grace that God did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all (Romans 8:32). 

We need to taste now the spiritual beauty of God in all his past achievements — especially the death and resurrection of Christ for our sins — and in all his promises. Rooted in this past grace, our confidence and trust lay hold on all that God himself will be for us in the next moment, and in the next month, and in the endless ages of eternity.

It is he and he alone who will satisfy the soul in the future. And we must be sure of this future, if we are to live the radical Christian lives that Christ calls us to live here and now. 

If our present enjoyment of Christ now — our present faith — does not have in it the Yes to all God’s promises, it will not embrace the power for radical service in the strength that God (in every future moment) will supply (1 Peter 4:11).

My prayer is that reflecting like this on the nature of faith in future grace will help us avoid superficial, oversimplified statements about believing the promises of God. It is a deep and wonderful thing.

PRAISE AND THANK GOD CONTINUALLY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY JUNE 11, 2024.

SUBJECT: PRAISE AND THANK GOD CONTINUALLY! 

Memory verse: "So we, Your people and sheep of Your pasture, will give You thanks forever; We will show forth Your praise to all generations." (Psalm 79 vs 13.)

READ: Psalm 69 vs 30 - 31; 92 vs 1 - 4:

69:30: I will praise the name of God with song, and will magnify Him with thanksgiving. 

69:31: This also shall please the Lord better than an ox or bull, which have horns and hooves.

92:1: It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High. 

92:2: To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night,

92:3: On an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with harmonious sound.

92:4: For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.

INTIMATION:

Praise is an act of worship, commending or given honor to; when you express yourself in such manner, it is praise. Thanksgiving is acknowledging a goodness. We can count the few things that make us feel better than receiving heartfelt praise and appreciation from someone else. God loves it too. He is pleased when we express our adoration and gratitude to Him. 

We praise God for who He is, and thank Him for what he has done. We acknowledge God when we shout our praises, appreciate His status as our Creator, accept His authority in every detail of life, enthusiastically agree with the guidance He gives us, and express our thanks for His unfailing love.

Praise and thanksgiving are forms of sacrifice to God. The Bible in Hebrews 13 vs 15 says, "Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name." These sacrifices are ever pleasing to God. Our lips should confess God’s name in praise. It is a sacrifice that can be offered anywhere and anytime. 

A “sacrifice of our lips” today would include thanking Christ for His sacrifice on the cross and telling others about it. Offering Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise and thanking Him for His kindness and wondrous acts are particularly pleasing to God, even when they go unnoticed by others. 

The psalmist, in Psalm 30 vs 12, says, "To the end that my glory may sing praise to You and not be silent. O Lord my God. I will give thanks to You forever." "I will bless the Lord at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth." (Psalm 34 vs 1.) In the Bible, praise and thanksgiving to God are emphasized over 350 times, indicating their usefulness in our relationship with our Maker.

The Lord inhabits the praises of His children (Psalm 22 vs 3). God comes in His might to answer to our prayers when we worship Him in praise and thanksgiving. For instance, the apostle Paul and Silas suffered persecution, and were imprisoned in Philippi. The Bible recorded in Acts 16 vs 25 - 26: "But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were loosed." 

The praises of Paul and Silas brought God to the scene in His might and power. The earth quaked at His presence, and the foundation of the prison was greatly shaken. The prison doors were opened. Can anything resist the Almighty? Certainly not. Amazing things happen when we offer praise and thanksgiving to God. When we give God enjoyment, our own hearts are filled with joy! 

Thanks should be on our lips every day. We can never say thank you enough to our parents, friends, leaders, and especially to God. When thanksgiving becomes an integral part of your life, you will find that your attitude toward life will change. You will become more positive, gracious, loving, and humble. 

Those you praise God always are assured of enjoying His presence at all times, and consequently the fullness of joy! We enjoy what God has done for us, and when we express that enjoyment to God, it brings Him joy and also increases our joy. 

Yet, in your typical day, how many times do you hear God’s name used profanely? Christians should turn the frequency of the use of His name toward praise! Praise God early in the day before the rush, then again in the hurried middle, and at the end as business winds down. It is pleasing to Him.

Have you worshipped God in all other forms and nothing seem to happen? Praise Him, and He will personally come in His might and power to attend to your prayers. No matter our circumstances, we should praise God. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of joy forevermore. Give me the grace to continually offer the sacrifice of my lips to You, and thank You for Your ever unchanging faithfulness in my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

NEVER BE SELF-CENTERED!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY JUNE 10, 2024.

SUBJECT: NEVER BE SELF-CENTERED!

Memory verse: "But He turned, and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offence to Me: for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."(Matthew 16 vs 23.)

READ: Matthew 16 vs 21 - 27:

16:21: From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

16:22: Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, “Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!

16:23: But He turned, and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offence to Me: for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.”

16:24: Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

16:25: For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.

16:26: For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

16:27: For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels; and then He will reward each according to his works.

INTIMATION:

Being “self-centered” is thinking mainly of oneself, caring only about oneself and own needs, being egocentric. A self-centered person leaves God out of the center of his or her life as Satan desires. But being “God-centered” is making God the center of your life. All you desire is to do God’s Will; always evaluating things from God’s perspective than from human or self perspective. 

Many people try to use God for their own self-actualization, but that is a reversal of nature and is doomed to failure. We are all made by God and for Him and His use, not vice versa. Life is all about letting God use His creation for the purpose He created it; it Is all about letting God use you for His purposes, not your using Him for your own purpose.

The obsession of self-centeredness is a dead end. The Bible in Romans 8 vs 6 states, "For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." Those who are self-centered live for themselves, and not for God, and consequently lose the spiritual dimension to their lives. Keep your commitment to Christ at full strength. Then you’ll be ready when He returns.

We must be committed to living for Christ that we should “hate” our lives by comparison. This does not mean that we long to die or that we are careless or destructive with the life God has given, but that we are willing to die if doing so will glorify Christ. We must disown the tyrannical rule of our own self-centeredness. By laying aside our striving for advantage, security, and pleasure, we can serve God lovingly and freely. Releasing control of our lives and transferring control to Christ brings eternal life and genuine joy.

In the passage we read today, Jesus said to Peter, ‘It is satanic to think of self rather than God’; ““Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offence to Me: for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men.” He further said to His disciples, ‘Anyone who intends to come with me has to let me lead. They should follow Him and He will show them their life's purpose. 

Jesus advised His disciples that self-help is no help at all, but self-sacrifice is the way, God's way to finding yourself, your true self. What kind of deal is it to get everything you want but lose yourself? What could you ever trade your soul for? Achieving your life's purpose ordained by your Creator is more valuable than gaining the whole world—your selfish desires.

God has not left us in the dark to wonder and guess. He has clearly revealed His purposes for our lives in the Bible. It tells us why we are alive, how life works, how the owner of life governs it, what to do, what to avoid, and what to expect now, and in the future. And it is only in Him, and His Manual you can find these answers. If that is the case, it makes no sense to center your life on yourself, but rather on the Owner of that life, and the determinant of how best to lead that life of yours.

God is not just the starting point of your life; He is the source of it. To discover your purpose in life you must turn to God's Word, not the world's wisdom—never lean on your own understanding. You must build your life on eternal truths, not self-driven ambitions. God, in His infinite wisdom, purposefully created you, and you are to serve His purpose.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of raw obedience to You, that You will take the first place in my life in all things. Give me the grace and enablement to center all that concerns me on You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!