THE PLACE OF LOVE IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 07, 2024.

SUBJECT: THE PLACE OF LOVE IN OUR CHRISTIAN LIFE! 

Memory verse: "Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God, and knows God." (First John 4 vs 7.)

READ: Mark 12 vs 30 - 31 & 33:

12:30: And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength: this is the first commandment.

12:31: And the second like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”

12:33: And to love Him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love one’s neighbor as oneself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.”

INTIMATION:

A Christian life without love is purposeless. When you love God completely and care for others as you care for yourself, then you have fulfilled the intent of the Ten Commandments and the other Old Testament laws. According to Jesus, these two commandments summarize all God’s laws. Let them rule your thoughts, decisions, and actions. When you are uncertain about what to do ask yourself which course of action best demonstrates love for God and others. 

Jesus says that if we truly love God and our neighbor, we will naturally keep the commandments. The best tact to deal with this is rather than worrying about all we should not do, we should concentrate on all we can do to show love for God and others. After learning to love God, learning to love others is the second purpose of your life. 

Everyone believes that love is important, but love is usually thought of as a feeling. In reality love is a choice and an action, as First Corinthians 13 vs 4 - 7 shows. God is the source of our love. He loved us enough to sacrifice His Son for us. Jesus is our example of what it means to love; everything He did in life and death was supremely loving. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to love; he lives in our heart and makes us more and more like Jesus. God’s love always involves a choice and an action, and our love should be like His. 

We are often preoccupied with our own self, and act as if relationships are something to be squeezed into our schedule. We think always that we are doing others favor by loving them. But that is wrong, instead we are doing ourselves the favor of walking in the command of God to fulfill His law. It is another test of discipleship. If one maintains a behavioral character of actively loving his brother, then such is born of God. The more one applies the principles of God’s attributes, the more one understands the nature of God. 

We talk about finding time for our children or making out time for people in our lives. That gives the impression that relationships are just part of our lives along with many other tasks. But God says relationships are what life is all about. Four of the Ten Commandments deal with our relationship with God while the other six deal with our relationships with people. But all ten are about relationships! We might say it is in Old Testament laws, but Jesus summarized what matters most to God in two statements: ‘love God and love people.’

Relationships, not achievements or the acquisition of things, are what matters most in life. Now you know this, why will you allow relationships to get the short end of the stick? When our schedules become overloaded, and overcrowded, we start skimming relationally, cutting back on giving the time, energy, and attention that loving relationships require. What is most important to God is displaced by what's urgent to you. 

Busyness is the greatest enemy to relationships. We become preoccupied with making a living, doing our work, paying bills, and accomplishing goals as if these tasks are the point of life. They are not. The point of life is learning to love God and people. Life minus love equals zero.

Our society confuses love and lust. Unlike lust, God’s kind of love is directed outward toward others, not inward toward ourselves. It is utterly unselfish. This kind of love goes against our natural inclinations. It is impossible to have this love unless God helps us set aside our own natural desires so that we can love and not expect anything in return. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are love, and I have demonstrated Your own love toward me, in that while I am neck deep in sin, Christ died for me. My utmost heart desire is to live a life hinged on Your greatest commandments; to love You and others. Endue me with the spirit of love, that I may be worthy to be called Your Son, in Jesus’ Name I prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Present and Powerful Love

 Present and Powerful Love

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? (Romans 8:35)

Notice three things in Romans 8:35.

1. Christ is loving us now.

A wife might say of her deceased husband: Nothing will separate me from his love. She might mean that the memory of his love will be sweet and powerful all her life. But that is not what Paul means here.

In Romans 8:34 it says plainly, “Christ Jesus is the one who died — more than that, who was raised — who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” The reason Paul can say that nothing will separate us from the love of Christ is because Christ is alive and is still loving us right now.

He is at the right hand of God and is therefore ruling for us. And he is interceding for us, which means he is seeing to it that his finished work of redemption does in fact save us hour by hour, and bring us safely to eternal joy. His love is not just a memory. It is a moment-by-moment action by the omnipotent, living Son of God, to bring us to everlasting joy.

2. This love of Christ is effective in protecting us from separation, and therefore is not a universal love for all, but a particular love for his people — that is, those who, according to Romans 8:28, love God and are called according to his purpose.

This is the love of Ephesians 5:25, “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her.” It is Christ’s love for the church, his bride. Christ has a love for all, and he has a special, saving, preserving love for his bride. You know you are part of that bride if you trust Christ. Anyone — no exceptions — anyone who trusts Christ can say, I am part of his bride, his church, his called and chosen ones, the ones who, according to Romans 8:35, are kept and protected forever no matter what.

3. This omnipotent, effective, protecting love does not spare us from calamities in this life, but brings us safely through them to everlasting joy with God.

Death will happen to us, but it will not separate us. So when Paul says in verse 35 that the “sword” will not separate us from the love of Christ, he means: even if we are killed, we are not separated from the love of Christ.

So the sum of the matter in verse 35 is this: Jesus Christ is right now mightily loving his people with omnipotent, moment-by-moment love that does not always rescue us from calamity but preserves us for everlasting joy in his presence even through suffering and death.

BE CANDID IN YOUR PRAYERS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 06, 2024.

SUBJECT: BE CANDID IN YOUR PRAYERS! 

Memory verse: "But Hannah answered and said, “No , my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD." (First Samuel 1 vs 15.)

READ: First Samuel 1 vs 10 - 11; 15 - 16:

1:10: And she was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the LORD and wept in anguish.

1:11: Then she made a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if You will indeed look on the affliction of Your maidservant and remember me, and not forget Your maidservant, But will give Your maidservant a male child, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall come upon his head.

1:15: But Hannah answered and said, “No , my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD. 

1:16: Do not consider your maidservant a wicked woman, for out of the abundance of my complaint and grief I have spoken until now.

INTIMATION:

Knowing that God is an All-knowing God, we should go to Him in prayers with total sincerity of heart, and frankness in all intents and purposes. Don't keep anything back. Don't ask for what you really don't want, or promise to do something you can't or won't do. Remember He already knows your heart. 

In the passage we read today, the Scripture tells us the story of Hannah. She had no child for her husband who really loved her. She was greatly discouraged and bitter because the husband's other wife had children and ridiculed her. Her loving husband could not solve her problem. She then turned to the Provider of solutions to all problems in prayer. Eventually, Hannah discovered that an honest and fervent prayer opens the way for God to work. 

Hannah made a vow in return for having a mail child; to dedicate him to God for lifetime service. God gave her a son named Samuel. She lived up to her promise, and God even blessed her with five more children excluding Samuel. 

Each of us may face times of barrenness when nothing seems to work in our work, service, or even relationships. It is difficult to pray in faith when we feel so ineffective, but Hannah did. We should always be careful what we promise in prayer because God may take us up on it. Hannah so desperately wanted a child that she was willing to strike a bargain with God. God took her up on her promise, and to her credit, she did her part, even though it was painful.

Although, we are not in a position to barter with God, He may still choose to answer a prayer that has no promises attached. When you pray, ask yourself, 'Will I follow through on any promises I make to God if He grants my request?' It is dishonest and dangerous to ignore a promise, especially to God. God keeps His promises, and He expects you to keep yours. The antidote to discouragement is telling God honestly of your problem, how you feel, and then leave your problems with Him.

God created you and knows you. All you are passing through, and the circumstances surrounding you in life are all known to Him, hence He is called “the All-knowing God.” If you know this why present yourself in prayers in partial sincerity. God hates lie, and liars are of the devil—the father of it. Prayers without complete sincerity is a sin, and an abomination before God.

Prayer: Abba Father, the earth is Yours and the fullness thereof, Your counsel stands forever. I will commune with You in prayers in complete frankness, for You already know my thoughts before I say them, and is pleased with the truth. Give me the grace to commune with you in all sincerity and truth, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Goal of Christ’s Love

 The Goal of Christ’s Love

“Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory.” (John 17:24)

Believers in Jesus are precious to God (we’re his bride!). And he loves us so much that he will not allow our preciousness to become our god.

God does indeed make much of us (he adopts us into his family!), but he does so in a way that draws us out of ourselves to enjoy his greatness.

Test yourself. If Jesus came to spend the day with you, sat down beside you on the couch, and said, “I really love you,” what would you focus on the rest of the day that you spend together with him?

It seems to me that too many songs and sermons leave us with the wrong answer. They leave the impression that the heights of our joy would be in the recurrent feeling of being loved. “He loves me!” “He loves me!” To be sure, this is joy indeed. But not the heights, and not the focus.

What are we saying with the words “I am loved”? What do we mean? What is this “being loved”?

Would not the greatest, most Christ-exalting joy be found in watching Jesus all day and bursting with, “You’re amazing!” “You are amazing!”

He answers the hardest question, and his wisdom is amazing.

He touches a filthy, oozing sore, and his compassion is amazing.

He raises a dead lady at the medical examiner’s office, and his power is amazing.

He predicts the afternoon’s events, and his foreknowledge is amazing.

He sleeps during an earthquake, and his fearlessness is amazing.

He says, “Before Abraham was, I am” (John 8:58), and his words are amazing.

We walk around with him all afternoon, utterly amazed at what we are seeing.

Is not his love for us his eagerness to do for us all he must do (including die for us) so that we can marvel at him and not be incinerated by him? Redemption, propitiation, forgiveness, justification, reconciliation — all these have to happen. They are the act of love.

But the goal of love that makes those acts loving is that we be with him, and see his jaw-dropping glory, and be astounded. In those moments we forget ourselves as we see and savor all that God is for us in him.

So I am urging pastors and teachers: Push people through the acts of Christ’s love to the goal of his love. If redemption and propitiation and forgiveness and justification and reconciliation are not taking us to the enjoyment of Jesus himself, they are not love.

Press on this. It’s what Jesus prayed for in John 17:24, “Father, I desire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where I am, to see my glory.”

ATTRACTING GOD’S COMPANIONSHIP!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 05, 2024.

SUBJECT : ATTRACTING GOD’S COMPANIONSHIP!

Memory verse: "He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6 vs  8.)

READ: Psalm 101 vs 3 - 7:

101:3: I will not set nothing wicked before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; it shall not cling to me.

101:4: A perverse heart shall depart from me; I will not know wickedness.

101:5: Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; The one who has a haughty look and a proud heart, him I will not endure.

101:6: My eyes shall be on the faithful of the land, that they may dwell with me; He who walks in a perfect way, he shall serve me.

101:7: He who works deceit shall not dwell within my house; He who tells lies shall not continue in my presence.

INTIMATION:

God desires to be our companion. Companions come in different sizes and shapes and for various reasons. But we will examine a very specific kind of companion: the teacher-mentor, which is God's kind of companionship.

In our memory verse, God tells us the manner in which we are to walk with Him. God is ready to teach us, to let us be with Him, to be a true and faithful companion, if we will seek such a relationship. God’s kind of companionship is the teacher-mentor, the Superior Being with ordinary man, a privileged association of the Creator with the created.

There are four areas that constitute the major ingredients for a relationship that would be described as a companionship. These areas are: (1) Agreement (2) Experience (3) Conversation (4) Learning. These ingredients are required in our companionship with God.

God defines the first one: "Can two walk together, unless they are agreed?"(Amos 3 vs 3) So agreement is the first requirement. You have to want to spend time together. With God we know this is the desire of His heart. He tells us in many different ways in the Word that He desires to be with us.

Second, you would share experiences together because you are together by definition. One of the special privileges we have as believers is sharing our heart with God, and in turn learning more about His heart toward us and others. We get to see His overwhelming goodness, infinite patience, unchanging love, and unending mercies as we read the Bible—His "Code of Conduct," and "Owner's Manual" to us. The Holy Spirit makes the Word come alive in our hearts and points things out from it that are specifically for us and our situation. 

The third ingredient is conversation. There should be conversation between you and God. Not just one way, but rather an exchange of ideas from both parties. Think of your own experience where you have been with someone who monopolizes the conversation, or who does not let you talk but only wants you to listen, you feel uneasy, dominated, and useless in the conversation. You may feel you are only a listening board, and your opinion matters little since it is rarely sought.

Sometimes we are guilty of doing this to God. We rush into His presence with our "want" list and then, in essence, after presenting our requests and/or complaints, we close the time with "In Jesus' name, Amen." No time to hear His input, no time to seek His advice. Only a time to "dump" on Him. Yes, Peter advised us in First Peter 5 vs 7 to give the Lord all our burdens and cares. Surely, we are to present our anxieties to Him, but then, we are to wait for His response.

The fourth ingredient is learning. A relationship that culminates into companionship entails learning from superior partner. As we spend time with God, our relationship allows us to learn about Him, about ourselves, and about others. We come to appreciate Him more as we get to know Him better. We become more relaxed in His presence as we now are His companion.

We understand ourselves better; our strengths and weaknesses, how to overcome them, why we do things the way we do, how to change our negatives responses, and the likes. We also learn much about others and how better to interact with them, showing forth all the fruit of the Spirit.

Somebody will quickly ask, 'How do we hear from God or learn from Him?' A classical illustration is made with a product you bought from the store. The manufacturer is in Germany, but has included a manual in the package to enable you study and know more about the product and how to use and/or operate it. The same is true of our relationship with God. He has given us His 'Code of Conduct," and owner's Manual' -the "Bible" for our study. In it God speaks and you hear from and learn about Him. As the spiritual relationship develops, God can speak to you in a vision, an audible voice or even through others in such relationship with Him.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my faithful companion, and has promised to be with me till the end of age. Thank You Lord for fighting my unseen battles, and giving me victory. Help me to walk humbly with You at all times, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!

Prayer against Spiritual Husband and Wife

 Today, we're  praying against enemies of our destiny consciously or unconsciously but they are obstacles to destiny may be due evil connections through parents or family foundation. May God deliver us from evil connection that's fighting against destiny in Jesus Name 🙏🙏🙏🙏🔥

PRAYER POINTS

1. My Father, I thank you for the grace to see the light of today as a living soul.

2. My Father, My Father, by thunder and fire, separate me from every spiritual spouse in Jesus Name.

3. Oh Lord, arise in your power and render the activities of every spiritual spouse upon my life useless in Jesus Name.

4. Oh Lord, by your fire put an end to every spiritual connection I have with any spiritual spouse in Jesus Name.

5. My Father, My Father, I decree and declare that today, every spiritual husband blocking my way shall be consumed by fire in Jesus Name.

6. Oh Lord, separate me from anyone I know physically that is sponsoring the activities of the spiritual husband in my life in Jesus Name.

7. Oh Lord, in your power, break me free from the bondage of spiritual spouse in Jesus Name.

8. My Father, My Father, by fire set ablaze and consume by fire every demonic headquarters sponsoring the activities of spiritual spouse in my life in Jesus Name.

9. My Father, My Father, break me free from every yoke of spiritual husband and oppression of spiritual spouse in Jesus Name.

10. Oh Lord, by your power I put an end to every relationship I have with every spiritual spouse in Jesus Name.

11. My Father, I decree an abrupt end to my connection with any spiritual husband in Jesus Name.

12. Oh Lord, demolish and consume by fire every demonic altar erected in my life and sponsoring demonic spouses into my life, consume them by fire in Jesus Name.

13. My Father, silence and cut off every tongue speaking forth negativity into my destiny in Jesus Name.

14. Oh Lord, I soak my life and destiny with the blood of Jesus Name in Jesus Name.

15. My Father, My Father, separate me from every satanic relationships and establish me martially in Jesus Name.

16. Oh Lord, come against and consume every power fighting against my marital life in Jesus Name.

17. My Father, My Father, by fire and thunder, go to my foundation and uproot every demonic power fighting my marital life in Jesus Name.

18. My Father, My Father, unseat all powers and forces fighting against my marital settlement in Jesus Name.

19. Oh Lord, send your fire into the camp of every wicked enemy sponsoring spiritual spouse into my life in Jesus Name.

20. Thank you Jesus, for answering my prayers

What’s New About the New Covenant

 What’s New About the New Covenant

“This is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people.” (Jeremiah 31:33) 

Jesus shatters any absolute dissociation of commandments and love. 

He says, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. . . . Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father” (John 14:15, 21). “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love” (John 15:10). 

Thinking in terms of commandments and obedience did not stop Jesus from enjoying the love of his Father. And he expects that our thinking of him as one who commands will not jeopardize our love relationship with him either. 

This is crucial to realize because the new covenant relationship that we have with God through Jesus Christ is not a covenant without commandments. The basic difference between the old covenant offered by God through the Mosaic law and the new covenant offered by God through Christ is not that one had commandments and the other doesn’t. 

The key differences are that (1) the Messiah, Jesus, has come and shed the blood of the new covenant (Matthew 26:28; Hebrews 10:29) so that henceforth he is the Mediator of a new covenant, so that all saving, covenant-keeping faith is conscious faith in him; (2) the old covenant has therefore become “obsolete” (Hebrews 8:13) and does not govern the new-covenant people of God (2 Corinthians 3:7–18; Romans 7:4, 6; Galatians 3:19); and (3) the promised new heart and the enabling power of the Holy Spirit have been given through faith. 

In the old covenant, the gracious enabling power to obey God was not poured out as fully as it is since Jesus. “To this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear” (Deuteronomy 29:4). What’s new about the new covenant is not that there are no commandments, but that God’s promise has come true! “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts” (Jeremiah 31:33). “I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes” (Ezekiel 36:27).