THE GREATEST NEED OF MAN.

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2024.

SUBJECT : THE GREATEST NEED OF MAN.

Memory verse: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6 vs 33.) 

READ: Mark 8 vs 34 - 38:

8:34: When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, "Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take his cross, and follow Me.

8:35: For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel's will save it.

8:36: For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? 

8:37: Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

8:38: For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels."

INTIMATION:

Human beings have always seen their greatest need as financial. Governments and their leaders, businesses, families, even churches get trapped into thinking in the same manner, and that money is the answer to every problem. Though, the Bible states that "Money answers everything" (Ecclesiastes 10 vs 19), it is not the greatest need of man. The greatest need of man is God's kingdom, and His righteousness, and all other of man’s needs, including financial, will be added to man (Matthew 6 vs 33).

God should be first in all things. In the passage we read today, Jesus said, a man's soul is worth more than the entire world. The exchange of your soul for the world's possessions is a huge loss. Invariably, the soul is worth more than the whole world. And to ensure the safety of your soul, you must come to the point where you are willing to give up everything to follow God. The profit to be gained from doing God's Will is more than just spiritual; it is total, and in all aspects of life, and to eternity. 

Our willingness to lose our lives for the sake of the gospel, is not because our lives are useless, but because nothing—not even life itself—can compare to what we gain with Christ. Jesus wants us to choose to follow Him rather than to lead a life of sin and self-satisfaction. He wants us to stop trying to control our own destiny and to let him direct us. This makes good sense because, as our Creator, our Maker, Christ knows better than we do of what real life is about. He asks for our submission, not self-hatred; He asks us only to lose our self-centered determination to be in charge, instead of yielding to Him.

To "seek the kingdom of God and His righteousness" means to put God first in your life, to fill your thoughts with His desires, to take His character for your pattern, and to serve and obey Him in everything. Obviously, in our lives, people, objects, goals, and other desires all compete for priority attention. Any of these can quickly become most important to you if you don't actively choose to give God first place in every area of your life. Therefore, never allow your natural human desires and feelings overshadow God's purpose in your life.

Jesus said, however, that worldliness, which is centered on possessions, position, or power, is ultimately worthless. Whatever you have on earth is only temporary, and will one day be burned away: "But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up." (Second Peter 3 vs 10.)

Realizing that the earth is going to be burned up, we should put our confidence in what is lasting and eternal, and not be bound to earth and its treasures or pursuits. We should strive to develop Christlike character, rather than spend more of our time piling up possessions. Whatever you have on earth is only temporary; it cannot be exchanged for your soul. Your greatest need is not possessions culminating in pleasurable living, your greatest need is your relationship with your Creator, and it is the only thing that follows you and qualifies you for abundant life here on earth, and to have eternal life with Him as well.

We are left here with a choice; reject Jesus now and be rejected by Him at His second coming, or accept Him now and be accepted by Him then. Rejecting Christ may help you escape shame for the time being, but it will guarantee an eternity of shame later.

Prayer: Abba Father, life in You engenders abundance, and culminates in eternal life with You. Help me, in my utmost heart desire, for an intimate relationship with You, that You will be first in life in all things, and at all times, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Jesus’s Pursuit of Joy

 Jesus’s Pursuit of Joy

[Look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

Does the example of Jesus contradict the principle of Christian Hedonism? Namely, that love is the way of joy and that one should choose it for that very reason, lest one be found begrudging obedience to the Almighty or chafing under the privilege of being a channel of grace or belittling the promised reward.

Hebrews 12:2 seems to say fairly clearly that Jesus did not contradict this principle.

The greatest labor of love that ever happened was possible because Jesus pursued the greatest imaginable joy, namely, the joy of being exalted to God’s right hand in the assembly of a redeemed people: “For the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross!”

In saying this, the writer means to give Jesus as another example, along with the saints of Hebrews 11, of those who are so eager for and confident in the joy God offers that they reject the “fleeting pleasures of sin” (Hebrews 11:25) and choose ill-treatment in order to be aligned with God’s will.

It is not unbiblical, therefore, to say that at least part of what sustained Christ in the dark hours of Gethsemane was the hope of joy beyond the cross. This does not diminish the reality and greatness of his love for us, because the joy in which he hoped was the joy of leading many sons to glory (Hebrews 2:10).

His joy is in our redemption, which redounds to God’s glory. We share the joy with Jesus and God gets the glory.

IT IS A GREAT THING TO KNOW THE LORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 24, 2024.

SUBJECT : IT IS A GREAT THING TO KNOW THE LORD!

Memory verse: "Those who do wickedly against the covenant he shall corrupt with flattery; but the people who know their God shall be strong , and carry out great exploits, " (Daniel 11 vs 32) 

READ: Second Peter 1 vs 2 - 4:

1:2: Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord,

1:3: According as his divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that has called us to glory and virtue:

1:4: Whereby are given to us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these you might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

INTIMATION:

Many believers want an abundance of strength, grace, and peace, but they are unwilling to put forth the effort to get to know Him better through Bible study and prayer. To enjoy the privileges God offers us freely, we must grow in our knowledge of God and of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

To power to lead a godly life comes from God. Because we don’t have the resources to be truly godly, God allows us to “be partakers of the divine nature” in order to keep us from sin and help us live for Him. When we are born again, God by His Spirit empowers us with His own goodness.

In our relationship with the LORD, we draw more on God's strength. In our memory verse, the Scriptures made it very clear in declaring, "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits," The great promise here is that to know God is to be more stronger, more powerful, and ready to take actions. 

To understand this verse, we must understand a little of Jewish history. The Jewish people have faced many periods of intense persecution. Probably the most devastating period was under the tyranny of Antiochus Epiphanes, the Syrian King who reigned from 175 to 164 B.C. He changed his name to Theos Epiphanes, which means "the manifest God" He was literally insane with hatred for all Jews.

Prophet Daniel predicted rightly what course of events would take place under the leadership of Antiochus Epiphanes. The king ordered the Jewish sacrifice to stop, desecrated the temple with a "pig offering" on the altar, prohibited the observance of the Sabbath and the circumcision of children, set up idolatrous altars, and ordered all copies of Scriptures to be destroyed. 

To disobey was to incur his wrath in the form of an ancient holocaust. How would the Jewish people ever survive this atrocity? Daniel knew; "The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits," This is exactly what happened. A band of courageous men called the Maccabees led a heroic revolt against Antiochus. They were overwhelming; their exploits, nothing less than phenomenal. They knew their God, claimed His strength and power, took action, and broke through the tyrannical stronghold of the enemy. 

People today who truly have a sense of God's presence and guidance have at their disposal the same degree of courage and power. There is no other way to gain this spiritual power except through an intimate knowledge of God.

Prophet Daniel knew His God intimately. When the leadership of the Medo-Persian Empire prevailed upon King Darius to issue a decree prohibiting anyone from praying to any god or man except to the King or be cast into the lions' den,  Daniel continued to pray to the God of heaven (Daniel 6 vs 4 -15). He had no fear, because he knew God, and the people who know God will have the courage and strength to do His Will despite the odds. 

Prayer: Abba Father, all powers belong to You. With You nothing is impossible. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and Your enablement to do all things through Your strength in me. In You victory is mine in all things. Thank You Everlasting Father for the great works You have done in and for me, and has made me a partaker of Your divine nature, In Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

VICISSITUDES ARE IN GOD'S PLANS FOR US!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY SEPTEMBER 23, 2024.

SUBJECT : VICISSITUDES ARE IN GOD'S PLANS FOR US!

Memory verse: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55 vs 9.)

READ: Isaiah 55 vs 8 - 9:

55:8: "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD.

55:9: "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts."

INTIMATION:

Our God is a perfect God, and His ways are also perfect. His wisdom, knowledge, and understanding are unsearchable. His ways are far away from our ways and his thoughts far away from our thoughts. God has good plans for us. He created us for a purpose known to Him alone, and has fashioned our ways to achieve His purposes for us, even before we are formed in our mothers' womb. God has good thoughts for us, to give us a future and a hope. The way to achieve that is known to, and planned by Him from the foundation of the earth. 

The vicissitudes of life we encounter are part of His plans for our journey in life to achieve His purpose. Therefore, when you encounter them, as a child of God, do not be dismayed, for He is still with you. If you are obedient, you will eat the fruit of the land, and if obedient to the end, you will obtain the crown of life—eternal life with Him.

Perhaps no other account in all of Scriptures illustrates the strange vicissitudes of life more vividly than the biography of Joseph (The Dreamer). Joseph was born into privilege. He was the eleventh, and the favorite son of Jacob, one of the patriarchs of Israelite history. Though Joseph was loved by his father, he was hated by his brothers because of his favored status. 

Joseph stoked his brothers' hatred by telling them of dreams he had, dreams in which his brothers bowed down to him. One day the brothers could contain their rage no longer. They seized Joseph and threw him into a pit. Their first thought was to kill him, but they changed their minds when they saw a caravan heading for Egypt. Instead of murdering him, his brothers sold him as a slave to occupants of the caravan. They returned home and told their father that Joseph had been killed by a wild beast.

In Egypt, Joseph became the trusted servant of Potiphar, an official in the king's court. Unfortunately, Potiphar's trust was shattered by one false accusation against Joseph by his wife. Without so much as a court hearing, Joseph was thrown into prison. He was doomed, or so he thought. But a perplexing turn of events raised him to unexpected heights, because Joseph was faithful to the end.

In prison, Joseph met the king's cup bearer and the king's baker. Both men were troubled by strange and mysterious dreams. When they told Joseph their dreams, he interpreted the strange visions for them. Days later his words came to pass in precisely the way he had announced. What kind of special powers did Joseph possess? How could he interpret these dreams? Joseph merely attributed his ability to the God of Israel, a God not worshiped in Egypt.

Two years later, Pharaoh had a dream. His advisors could not even begin to interpret it. Joseph was summoned from the prison to decipher the strange, troubling images. After a moment of silence, Joseph declared that the visions meant that Egypt would be blessed with seven years of abundance, followed by seven years of famine. 

In grateful response, Pharaoh appointed Joseph second-in-command in Egypt (a Prime Minister in a foreign land). Again, Joseph downplayed his own abilities and spoke instead, of the power of the Awesome God. And just as he predicted, the seven years of abundance came, as did the seven years of famine.

Joseph's appointment to second-in-command, remains an astonishing moment in ancient history. How do we explain his rise from an impoverished foreigner to an imperial leader? However, God was with him in his journey of life, and empowered him to overcome all temptations, because he puts God first in all things.

God predetermined the fame of Joseph, and even showed him in a vision of the night what He has planned and purposed for him. God packaged all the encounters in the life of Joseph to achieve His purpose. And now, look at the words of Joseph to his brothers; "God turned into good what you meant for evil. He brought me to to high position I have today so I could save the lives of many people" (Genesis 50 vs 20). 

Are you a child of God? Are you engulfed in the vicissitudes of life? Do you place your absolute trust in Him, and is obedient and serving Him? Is God first in your life? If your answers are 'yes,' then, rest assured of your great visitation from Him, and your testimony is on the way. What you are passing through are all en-route to your glorious destiny.

Prayer: Abba Father, though the labor of my hands may fail, nor the fields will not yield its food, though life turns sour, and I hardly can eat, though I crush under human hardship, I will put my trust in, and rejoice in you. You are first in, and the Lord of, my life. For I know you will never leave me nor forsake me. My destiny in You is glorious. Though it might tarry, I will wait, for it must surely come to pass, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Hope for the Worst of Sinners

 Hope for the Worst of Sinners

“I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy.” (Exodus 33:19)

Moses needed hope that God really could have mercy on a stiff-necked people who had just committed idolatry and scorned the God who brought them out of Egypt.

To give Moses the hope and confidence he needed, God said, “I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious.” In other words, “My choices do not depend on the degree of evil or good in man but solely upon my free, sovereign will. Therefore no one can say he is too evil to be shown grace.” That would imply God is not free, and election is not unconditional.

The doctrine of unconditional election is the great doctrine of hope for the worst of sinners. It means that when it comes to being a candidate for grace, your background has nothing to do with God’s choice. That’s good news.

If you have not been born again and brought to saving faith in Jesus Christ, do not sink into hopelessness thinking that the excessive rottenness or hardness of your past life is an insurmountable obstacle to God’s gracious work in your life. God loves to magnify the freedom of his grace by saving the worst of sinners.

Turn from your sin; call upon the Lord. Even in this daily devotion, that you are reading or hearing, he is being gracious to you, and giving you strong encouragement to come to him for mercy. 

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool” (Isaiah 1:18).

Let Goods and Kindred Go

 Let Goods and Kindred Go

Recall the former days when, after you were enlightened, you endured a hard struggle with sufferings, sometimes being publicly exposed to reproach and affliction, and sometimes being partners with those so treated. For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property, since you knew that you yourselves had a better possession and an abiding one. Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. (Hebrews 10:32–35)

The Christians in Hebrews 10:32–35 have earned the right to teach us about costly love.

The situation appears to be this: In the early days of their conversion, some of them were imprisoned for their faith. The others were confronted with a difficult choice: Shall we go underground and stay “safe,” or shall we visit our brothers and sisters in prison and risk our lives and property? They chose the way of love and accepted the cost.

“For you had compassion on those in prison, and you joyfully accepted the plundering of your property.”

But were they losers? No. They lost property and gained joy! They joyfully accepted the loss.

In one sense, they denied themselves. It was real and costly. But in another sense, they did not. They chose the way of joy. Evidently, these Christians were motivated for prison ministry the same way the Macedonians (of 2 Corinthians 8:1–9) were motivated to relieve the poor. Their joy in God overflowed in love for others.

They looked at their own lives and said, “The steadfast love of the Lord is better than life” (see Psalm 63:3).

They looked at all their possessions and said, “We have a possession in heaven that is better and lasts longer than any of this” (see Hebrews 10:34).

Then they looked at each other and said — perhaps sang — something like Martin Luther’s great hymn:

Let goods and kindred go

This mortal life also

The body they may kill

God’s truth abideth still

His kingdom is forever

REINSTATED TO ABUNDANCE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 2024.

SUBJECT : REINSTATED TO ABUNDANCE!

Memory verse: "You are worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honor and power; For You have created all things, and for Your pleasure they are and were created" (Revelation 4 vs 11).

READ: Psalm 50 vs 10 - 12; First Timothy 6 vs 17:

Psalm 50:10: For every beast of the forest is Mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills.

50:11: I know all the birds of the mountains, and the wild beasts of the field are Mine.

50:12: If I were hungry, I would not tell you; for the world is Mine, and all its fullness.

First Timothy 6:17: Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us all things to enjoy.

INTIMATION:

God created all things, and therefore, owns all things. He created all things for His pleasure, and as well as ours. God is not in want of anything because He is sufficient in all things. God created all things including us. He made us special by creating us in His image and likeness. And we are made sufficient in God's own sufficiency (Second Corinthians 3 vs 5).  

In the beginning God placed everything that man could use and enjoy in the Garden. God saw to it that Adam lacked nothing, as he was created in His own image and after His likeness, leaving nothing to be desired by him. God gave Adam dominion over everything. Adam was the master of the kingdom given to him, and was empowered to be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. God only placed Himself above Adam as his master.

God's Will of abundance for mankind was supreme until that fatal day Adam committed high treason against God by doubting God's integrity, and believing God's permanent enemy. According to the Scriptures, the woman was deceived but the man was not (First Timothy 2 vs 14), meaning that Adam knew what he did, and the implications of what he did. He tried shifting the blame on the woman when God enquired of him concerning his did (Genesis 3 vs 12).

When Adam partook of the deadly tree, he died, not physically but spiritually. Spiritual deadness is the nature of Satan. That nature consequently overtook Adam's once righteous spirit, and he became one with Satan. Every phase of Adam's life came under the curse of his new god, Satan. He was driven from the Garden; abundance was no longer his to enjoy. He had to toil and sweat in order to survive. His beautiful life was overrun by thorns and thistles both in the physical and in the spiritual world.

The Lordship of God provided only good. Poverty and lack came only after Adam changed god and began to operate under Satan's dominion, the author of poverty.

It is obvious that God desired man to live in abundance, but by Adam's own choice, the lordship of Satan engulfed him in a curse that resulted in poverty and lack. 

God's heart yearns for His people to be free, and through His infinite wisdom, He has continually provided deliverance for man and freedom from the curse of poverty. God, in His infinite mercy that endures forever, sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, for our sake, to pay the supreme price: "Surely He has borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows; Yet we esteemed Him stricken, Smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, And by His stripes we are heeled" (Isaiah 53 vs 4 - 5). 

Through our believe in Christ Jesus, our Sacrificial Savior, He gave us right to become His children (John 1 vs 12). We are reinstated to our original position with Him. His wish is that you shall prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers (Third John 2). In accordance with His Will for us, in prosperity and sufficiency, He has given us back all things in Christ Jesus to enjoy, Hallelujah!

Prayer: Abba Father, to You be glory for the great things You have done. My sufficiency is in You who made heaven and the earth. Thank You for my redemption in Christ Jesus, and uphold me by Your generous spirit, in Jesus' Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!