ASSOCIATE WITH UNBELIEVERS TO TURN THEM TO CHRIST!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY JULY 13, 2024.

SUBJECT: ASSOCIATE WITH UNBELIEVERS TO TURN THEM TO CHRIST!

Memory verse: "But go and learn what it means: ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice.’ For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Matthew 9 vs 13.)

READ: Mark 2 vs 15 - 17: 

2:15: Now it happened, as He was dining in Levi’s house, that many tax collectors and sinners also sat together with Jesus and His disciples; for there were many, and they followed Him.

2:16: And when the scribes and the Pharisees saw Him eating with the tax collectors and sinners, they said to His disciples, “How is it that He eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?”

2:17: When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.”

INTIMATION:

Jesus came into the world to save sinners, and no sinner is beyond His saving power. During His earth walk, He gladly associated Himself with sinners because He loved them, and because He knew that they needed to hear what He had to say. He spent time with all manner of people—poor, rich, bad, good, etc. Therefore, as ambassadors of Christ, our ideal witnessing for Him is reaching out to those who have need for His saving grace, no matter their kind. We too, must befriend those who need Christ, even if they do not seem to be ideal companions. Are there people you have been neglecting because of their reputation? They may be the ones who mostly need to see, and hear the message of Christ’s love in, and from you.

However, this fact of associating with unbelievers to turn them to Christ has inadvertently been contrasted by many with the apostle Paul’s sayings in Second Corinthians 6 vs 14 - 16: “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belgian? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever? And what agreement has the temple of God with idols....” The apostle Paul advises that believers and unbelievers cannot be joined together effectively for a common purpose, such as; business partnership, marriage, etc, because of the difference in their beliefs. 

“Unequally yoked” means to refrain from aligning oneself with another wherein Christian principles and values are subjugated to the moral behavior of unbelievers. It would be a mismatch, and such can weaken the believer’s commitment, integrity or standards, especially for new converts, and those not yet deeply rooted in Christ. In a broader sense, the Christian should certainly not bind himself or herself to any non-Christian who would lead him into compromising his or her principles.

The apostle Paul had earlier explained that this does not mean isolating oneself from unbelievers which is against Christ’s leading: “But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is sexually immoral or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortionate—not even to eat with such a person.” (First Corinthians 5 vs 11.) The apostle Paul certainly did not mean with the sexually immoral people of this world, or with covetous, or extortioners, or idolaters, since then you need to go out of the world.” 

These class of people need to hear the message of Christ, and if the believers isolate yourselves from them how will they hear the saving gospel of Jesus. The apostle Paul even urges believers to stay with their unbelieving spouses: “But to the rest, I, not the Lord, say: If any brother has a wife who does not believe, and she is willing to live with him, let him not divorce her. And a woman who has a husband who does not believe, if he is willing to live with her, let her not divorce him” (First Corinthians 7 vs 12 - 13). 

The apostle Paul made it clear that we should not disassociate ourselves from unbelievers—otherwise we could not carry our Christ’s command to tell them about salvation (Matthew 28 vs 18 - 20). Rather, we are to distance ourselves from the person who claims to be a believer, yet indulges in sins explicitly forbidden in Scripture by rationalizing his or her actions. By rationalizing sin, a person harms others for whom Christ died and dims the image of God in himself or herself.

He wanted believers to be active in their witnessing for Christ to unbelievers, but they should not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise their faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties.

Also, the apostle Paul did not want single believers to enter into marriage with unbelievers. Such marriages cannot have unity in the most important issue in life—commitment and obedience to God. Because marriage involves two people becoming one, faith may become an issue, and one spouse may have to compromise beliefs for the sake of unity. Many people discount this problem only to regret it later. Don’t allow emotion or passion to blind you with someone who will not be your spiritual partner. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my utmost heart desire is to be a visible expression of Christlike character to the people around me. Endue me with the humble spirit to witness effectively for You in my day to day activities, even in my association with unbelievers, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

What Moves You to Minister?

 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. (Galatians 6:8)

Faith has an insatiable appetite for experiencing as much of God’s grace as possible. Therefore, faith presses toward the river where God’s grace flows most freely, namely, the river of love.

What other force will move us out of our contented living rooms to take upon ourselves the inconveniences and suffering that love requires? 

What will propel us . . . 

to greet strangers when we feel shy?

to go to an enemy and plead for reconciliation when we feel indignant?

to tithe when we’ve never tried it?

to speak to our colleagues about Christ when we are timid?

to invite new neighbors to a Bible study?

to cross cultures with the gospel?

to create a new ministry for alcoholics?

to spend an evening driving a van?

to invest a morning praying for renewal?

None of these costly acts of love just happens. They are impelled by a new appetite — the appetite of faith for the fullest experience of God’s grace. We want more of God. And we want this more than we want our private, disturbance-free security and comfort. 

Faith loves to rely on God and see him work miracles in us. Therefore, faith pushes us into the current where the power of God’s future grace flows most freely — the current of love. 

I think this is what Paul meant when he said that we should sow to the Spirit (Galatians 6:8). By faith, we should put the seeds of our energy in the furrows where we know the Spirit is at work to bear fruit — the furrows of love.

Faith Expels Guilt, Greed, and Fear

 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. (1 Timothy 1:5)

Paul is aiming at love. And one of the essential sources of this great effect is sincere faith. The reason faith is such a sure source of love is that faith in God’s grace expels from the heart the sinful powers that hinder love.

If we feel guilty, we tend to wallow in self-centered depression and self-pity, unable to see, let alone care about, anyone else’s need. Or we play the hypocrite to cover our guilt, and so destroy all sincerity in relationships, which makes real love impossible. Or we talk about other people’s faults to minimize the guilt of our own, which love does not do. So, if we are going to love, the destructive effects of guilt must be overcome.

It’s the same with fear. If we feel fearful, we tend not to approach a stranger at church who might need a word of welcome and encouragement. Or we may reject frontier missions as a vocation, because it sounds too dangerous. Or we may waste money on excessive insurance, or get swallowed up in all manner of little phobias that make us preoccupied with ourselves and blind us to the needs of others. All of which are the opposite of love.

It’s the same with greed. If we are greedy, we may spend money on luxuries — money that ought to go to the spread of the gospel. We don’t undertake anything risky, lest our precious possessions and our financial future be jeopardized. We focus on things instead of people, or see people as resources for our material advantage. So love is ruined.

But faith in future grace produces love by pushing guilt and fear and greed out of the heart. 

It pushes out guilt because it holds fast to the hope that the death of Christ is sufficient to secure acquittal and righteousness now and forever (Hebrews 10:14). 

It pushes out fear because it banks on the promise, “Fear not, for I am with you. . . . I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand” (Isaiah 41:10). 

And it pushes out greed because it is confident that Christ is greater wealth than all the world can offer (Matthew 13:44).

So when Paul says, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from . . . sincere faith,” he is speaking of the tremendous power of faith to overcome all the obstacles to love. When we fight the fight of faith — the fight to believe the promises of God that kill guilt and fear and greed — we are fighting for love.

SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF MONEY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JULY 12, 2024.

SUBJECT: SCRIPTURAL VIEW OF MONEY!

Memory verse: "For the love of money is the root of all kind of evil: for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (First Timothy 6 vs 10.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 24:

6:24: No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will be loyal to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

INTIMATION:

I know that money is a sore subject that a lot of people want to avoid, but in my considered opinion, learning how Scriptures view money is basic Christianity. The importance of this subject is reflected in how much the Bible teaches about it. The Bible has more to say about money than most Bible doctrines like heaven and hell. The influence of money in our lives is very real, so it isn't surprising that Jesus taught more on the subject of money than any other single topic like prayer or faith. 

It's a common scenario in our present time to see those who love money take exception to the Lord's teaching on money. We are in an age that measures people's worth by how much money they have. God doesn't operate by the world's value systems, and it's more important for us to understand how God's financial system works. One’s money cannot buy a relationship with God. Some people are so obsessed with money that they will change their God-given standards and lifestyle to get it. If money is a controlling force in your life, it must be curbed, or it will harm others and destroy your relationship with God. 

Money is a hard master, a deceptive and dangerous one. It is dangerous because it deceives us into thinking that wealth is the easiest way to get everything we want. It is so deceptive that it can take God's place in your life. Most people will trust in money rather than God to solve their problems. This is sinful, and those who pursue its empty promises will one day discover that they have nothing because they are spiritually bankrupt. Wealth promises power and control, but often it cannot deliver. Great fortunes can be made, and lost, overnight, and no amount of money can provide health, happiness, or eternal life.

Scripture recognizes that money is necessary for survival, but it warns against the love of money. Money is not evil. What is evil is the materialistic heart that is obsessed with obtaining it. In some people’s desire to satisfy their thirst for wealth, they had marginalized their relationships with friends, family and others. The sorrows that they produced through their striving to be rich manifests the error of the greedy motives of their hearts. If one sacrifices his or her good works in relationships because he or she has no time for others as a result of running after money, then his or her spiritual life is void of the very foundation of the community of God. 

In the passage we read today. Jesus used money and people's attitude towards money to reveal their hearts. Our integrity often meets its match in money matters. We are to make wise use of the money we have, geared toward realizing our eternal inheritance in Christ. If we use our money to help those in need or to help others find Christ, our earthly investment will bring eternal benefit. Heaven's riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth. When we obey God’s Will, the unselfish use of possessions will follow.

Jesus said we can have only one master. We live in a materialistic society where many people serve money. They spend all their lives collecting and storing it, only to die and leave it behind. Their desire for money and what it can buy far outweighs their commitment to God and spiritual matters. Whatever you store up, you will spend much of your time and energy thinking about. Don’t fall into the materialistic trap because “the love of money is the root of of all kinds of evil.” Can you honestly say that God, and not money, is your master? One test is to ask yourself which one occupies more of your thoughts, time, and efforts.

Whatever you store up, you will spend much of your time and energy thinking about. If you store up your treasures in heaven, definitely your thoughts will be heavenly bound. Don’t fall into the materialistic trap of busy pursuing after money to acquire wealth because “the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.” Many who chase after money, to be riche at all cost, fall into temptations, traps, and many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition; piercing themselves through with many sorrows. 

Jesus made it clear that having the wrong treasure leads to our hearts being in the wrong place. What we treasure the most controls us, whether we admit it or not. If money become too important to us, we must re-establish control or get rid of unnecessary acquisition of riches. Jesus calls for a decision that allows us to live contentedly with whatever we have because we have chosen eternal values over temporary, earthly treasures. Heaven’s riches are far more valuable than earthly wealth.

Always aspire to a spiritual vision of money, that is, visualizing it from God’s perspective. Spiritual vision is our capacity to see clearly what God wants us to do and to see the world from his point of view. But this spiritual insight can be easily clouded. Self-serving desires, interests, and goals block that vision. Serving God is the best way to restore it. A ‘good’ eye is one that is fixed on God.

Money can become your master. How can you tell if you are a slave to money? (1) Do you think or worry about it frequently? (2) Do you give up doing what you should do or would like to do in order to make more money? (3) Do you spend a great deal of your time caring for your possessions? (4) Is it hard for you to give money away? (5) Are you in debt?

Prayer: Abba Father, You are above all things and by You all things consist. My aspiration is to love You and adore You above all things. I will serve You the Creator. None of Your creations can ever take first place in my life, rather they will serve me as I serve You, in Jesus' Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

We Experience the Spirit Through Faith

 Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? (Galatians 3:5) 

Every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul said, “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9). The Spirit came to you the first time when you believed in the blood-bought promises of God. And the Spirit keeps on coming, and keeps on working, by this same means.

So Paul asks, rhetorically in Galatians 3:5, “Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?” Answer: “By hearing with faith.”

Therefore, the Spirit came the first time, and the Spirit keeps on being supplied, through the channel of faith. Whatever he accomplishes in and through us is by faith.

If you are like me, you may have strong longings from time to time for the mighty working of the Holy Spirit in your life. Perhaps you cry out to God for the outpouring of the Spirit in your life or in your family or church or city. Such cries are right and good. Jesus said, “How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13). 

But what I have found most often in my own life is the failure to open myself to the full measure of the Spirit’s work by believing the specific promises of God. I don’t mean merely the promise that the Spirit will come when we ask. I mean all the other precious promises that are not directly about the Spirit but, perhaps, about God’s provision for my future — for example, “My God will supply every need of yours” (Philippians 4:19). God’s Spirit is supplied in an ongoing and powerful way precisely through specific acts of faith in specific promises for specific situations. Do I trust him right now to do what he has promised to do?

This is what is missing in the experience of so many Christians as they seek the power of the Spirit in their lives. The Spirit is supplied to us “by hearing with faith” (Galatians 3:5) — not just faith in one or two promises about the Spirit himself, but about all the soul-satisfying presence of God in our future to do for us, and be for us, whatever we need.

THE UNDESERVED MERCY OF GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY JULY 11, 2024.

SUBJECT: THE UNDESERVED MERCY OF GOD!

Memory verse: "But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth." (Psalms 86 vs 15.)

READ: Zechariah 3 vs 1 - 4:

3:1: Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right hand to oppose him.

3:2: And the LORD said to Satan, The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! is this not a brand plucked from the fire?”

3:3: Now Joshua was clothed with filthy garments, and was standing before the Angel.

3:4: Then he answered and spoke to those who stood before him, saying, “Take away the filthy garments from him.” And to him He said, “See, I have removed your iniquity from you, and I will clothe you with rich robes.”

INTIMATION:

Mercy is defined simply as “not giving a person what he or she deserves in punishment.” It’s an outward expression of pity; it assumes need on the part of him who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of him who shows it. It’s used of God, who is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2 vs 4). This is exactly what God does for us (sinful humanity). Our disobedience demands judgement! But God shows mercy toward us by providing an escape from sin’s penalty through Jesus Christ, who alone saves us from sin. When we pray for forgiveness, we are asking for what we do not deserve. Yet when we take this step and trust in Christ’s saving work on our behalf, we can experience God’s forgiveness.

God must punish sin, but He is also merciful to sinners. This is because God does not take pleasure in destroying the wicked, but He must punish sin. Therefore, He is both just and merciful. God, in His mercy, can hold us back from committing sin in ways we can’t even detect. We have no way of knowing—we just know He can. God just works as often in ways we can’t see as in ways we can.

God’s mercy is unbelievable. It goes beyond what we can imagine. Even if we deliberately walk away from Him and ruin our lives, God would still take us back. God would give us inward spiritual renewal. God wants to forgive us and bring us back to Himself, too. Some people will not learn this until their world has crashed in around them. Then the sorrow and pain seem to open their eyes to what God has been saying all along. 

Countless times throughout the Bible we see God showing His love and patience toward men and women in order to save them. Although He realizes that their hearts are evil, He continues to try to reach them. When we sin or fall away from God, we surely deserve to be destroyed by His judgement. But God has promised never again to destroy everything on earth until the judgement day when Christ returns to destroy evil forever. Now every change of season is a reminder of His promise.

In the passage we read today, Satan accused (“opposed”) Joshua, who here represents the nation of Israel. The accusations were accurate—Joshua stood in filthy garments (sins). Yes God revealed His mercy, stating that He chose to save His people in spite of their sins. Satan is always accusing people of their sins before God (Job 1 vs 6). But He greatly misunderstands the breadth of God’s mercy and forgiveness toward those who believe in Him. Satan the accuser will ultimately be destroyed (Revelation 12 vs 10), while everyone who is a believer will be saved (John 3 vs 16).

Zechariah’s vision graphically portrays how we receive God’s mercy. We do nothing ourselves to deserve it. God, in His mercy and loving kindness removes our filthy garments (sins), then provides us with fine, new clothes (the righteousness and holiness of God—Second Corinthians 5 vs 21; Ephesians 4 vs 24; Revelation 19 vs 8). All we need to do is repent and ask God to forgive us. When Satan tries to make you feel dirty and unworthy, remember that the clean clothes of Christ’s righteousness make you worthy to draw near to God. 

God could have left us spiritually dead, in rebellion against Him and in bondage to our sins. But He didn’t. He didn’t save us because of, but rather in spite of, what He saw in us. Are you separated from God by sin? No matter how far you have wandered, God promises a fresh beginning if only you will turn to Him. 

How fortunate we are that God gives us mercy and grace rather than only justice. The next time you ask God for fair treatment, pause to think what would have happened if God gave you what you really deserve. Plead instead for His mercy.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are so loving, full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy. You have always showed us love and patience and will not give us the judgement we deserve for our sinfulness. Nothing I do can adequately compensate for Your lovingkindness. Endue me with the spirit of raw obedience to You in every area of my life, that I will obey and cherish You forever, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Success in Examination

 Today, we're praying for success in examination. May God grant many that study and facing examination with success in Jesus Name. May come out in flying colours in Jesus Name 🙏🙏🙏

PRAYER POINTS

1. Father, thank you for given me fresh wisdom, understanding and redemptive memory, in the name of Jesus.

2. Father, I cover all my courses/subjects in the blood of Jesus.

3. Let every difficult course becomes easy and simple for me, in the name of Jesus.

4. Holy Spirit, give me the power to answer all questions with your divine revelation, in Jesus name.

5. O Lord, cover my errors and expose my good points to my teachers, lecturers etc, in Jesus name.

6. I break every curse of forgetfulness during exams, in the name of Jesus.

7. Powers that want me to eat and suck my biro during exams, die by fire, in the name of Jesus.

8. Every garment of academic failure, catch fire, in the name of Jesus.

9. I shall not forget what to write in exams and remember them after the exams, in the name of Jesus.

10. Holy Spirit give me the direction on what to read and study for this examination, in Jesus name.

11. I receive the spirit of distinction over my exams, in the name of Jesus.

12. Father, baptize me with your wisdom and guidance of focusing relevant pages for my exams, in Jesus name.

13. Lord plant academic success in my life, in the name of Jesus.

14. I reject every spirit of carryover and slow learning, in the name of Jesus.

15. The powers that disgrace people at the prime of their career will not disgrace me, in Jesus name.

16. Let the strength of the Lord make me strong during my exams, in Jesus name.

17. I shall not collapse and die on the day or ending of my exams, in the name of Jesus.

18. Every arrow of sickness assigned to frustrate my exams, go back to the sender, in Jesus name.

19. Bad news fired against my exams, backfire, in the name of Jesus.

20. I receive the power of focus and concentration towards my exams.