YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY OCTOBER 17, 2024.

SUBJECT: YOU ARE NOT AN ACCIDENT! 

Memory verse: "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their pre-appointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings." (Acts 17 vs 26.)

READ: Psalm 139 vs 13 - 16:

139:13: For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother's womb. 

139:14: I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; marvelous are Your works, and that my soul knows very well.

139:15: My frame was not hidden from You, when I was made in secret, and skillfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. 

139:16: Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, the day's fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them."

INTIMATION:

You are not an accident. Your birth was not a mistake or mishap, and your life is no fluke of nature. Your parents may not have planned for you, but God did. Long before your conception in your mother's womb, God had already conceived you in His mind. He is the "Alpha" - the very beginning. He thought of you first. It is not fate, nor chance, not luck, nor coincidence that you are breathing at this very moment. The days fashioned for you is already written in His Book, and only Him will conditionally fulfill the number of those your days (Exodus 23 vs 25). 

Every single detail of your body is by God's prescription. He deliberately chose your race, the color of your skin, your hair, and every other feature. Your body is made according to His needs of you, and impacts you with the natural talents you would possess and the uniqueness of your personality. Because God made you for a reason, He also decided when you would be born and how long you would live. God also planned where you would be born and where you would live for His purpose. Your race and nationality are no accident. God left no detail to chance. He planned it all for His purpose.

Nothing in your life is arbitrary. It's all for a purpose predetermined by the Owner—God! Regardless of the circumstances of your birth or who your parents are, God had a plan in creating you. It doesn't matter whether your parents are good, bad, or indifferent. While there are illegitimate parents, there are no illegitimate children. Many children are unplanned by their parents, but they are not unplanned by God the Creator. God's purpose even took into account human error, and even sin.

Though omnipresent and omniscient, God is mindful of every individual of His creation. In the passage we read today, the psalmist was concerned that our understanding of the awesomeness of God might lead us to believe that He is indifferent to the details of His creation, and thus might overlook individuals. 

Remember King David, Bathsheba, and Solomon. David and his son Solomon were Israel's two most famous kings. Bathsheba was lover and wife to one—David, and mother to the other—Solomon. Her adultery with David almost brought an end to the family through which God planned to physically enter His world. Out of the ashes of that sin, however, God brought good. Eventually Jesus Christ, the salvation of mankind, was born to a descendant of David and Bathsheba.

God never does anything accidentally, and He never makes mistakes. He has a reason for everything He creates, be it human, animal, or plant. All are designed with a purpose in His mind. The motive of God for creating us was His love. And it was with that same motive He gave us a Savior. 

God’s character goes into the creation of every person. Therefore, you should have as much respect for yourself as your Maker and Owner has for you. God made you for a reason, and your life has profound meaning! We discover that meaning and purpose only when we make God the reference point of our lives. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is, and by what He does for us.

Prayer: Abba Father, You own me, and created me for a purpose, show me that path of life predetermined for me by You, that I may walk in it to achieve Your purpose for me, that I may lead a purposeful life to earn Your approval, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Prayer Against Evil Pattern

 PRAYER AGAINST EVIL PATTERN.

Today, we're praying against evil pattern in our lives and family.

Isaiah 54:17

No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.

PRAYER POINTS

1.  - O Lord, manifest your glory in my family, in the name of Jesus.

2.  - Every curse of disorder upon my family, be broken by fire, in the name of Jesus.

3.  - Crying shall not be my lot again, in the name of of Jesus.

4.  - Every river of sadness, dry up by fire, in the name of Jesus.

5.  - I disconnect my life from all evil calendars in the name of Jesus.

6.  - Every evil pattern of infirmity in my life, break in the name of Jesus.

7.  - I command every pattern of Chronic disease in my life to cease, in the name of Jesus.

8.  - You evil pattern of poverty, die, in the name of Jesus.

9.  - Every giant of almost -there in my family, drop dead, in the name of Jesus.

10.  - Every evil pattern of non-achievement in my family clear out now, in the name of Jesus.

11. Today, we're praying against evil pattern in our lives and family.

12.  - Every garment of evil pattern against my divine goal, roast, in the name of Jesus.

13.  - Every messenger of death operating in my family line, die in the name of Jesus.

14.  - Every stronghold of death and tragedy in my family, scatter by fire, in the name of Jesus.

15.  - O God arise, and let every witchcraft power release my destiny, in the name of Jesus.

16.  - Every pattern of household witchcraft in my family, I bury you today, in the name of Jesus.

17.  - Every plantation of witchcraft in my family, what are you waiting for? Die, in the name of Jesus.

18.  - The failure that happened in the lives of my parents, will not happen in my life, in the name of Jesus.

19.  - Every bacteria of poverty in my life, die in the name of Jesus.

20.  - O Lord, let my life attract prosperity, in the name of Jesus.

Fear and Hope in God’s Jealousy

 Fear and Hope in God’s Jealousy

“The Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.” (Exodus 34:14)

God is infinitely jealous for the honor of his name, and responds with terrible wrath against those whose hearts should belong to him but go after other things, like a spouse running after another lover. 

For example, in Ezekiel 16:38–40 he says to faithless Israel,

“I will judge you as women who commit adultery and shed blood are judged, and bring upon you the blood of wrath and jealousy. And I will give you into their hands, and they shall throw down your vaulted chamber. . . . They shall strip you of your clothes and take your beautiful jewels and leave you naked and bare. They shall bring up a crowd against you, and they shall stone you and cut you to pieces with their swords.”

I urge you to listen to this warning. The jealousy of God for your undivided love and devotion will always have the last say. Whatever lures your affections away from God with deceptive attraction will come back to strip you bare and cut you in pieces. 

It is a horrifying thing to use your God-given life to commit adultery against the Almighty.

But for those of you who have been truly united to Christ and who keep your vows to forsake all others and cleave only to him and live for his honor — for you the jealousy of God is a great comfort and a great hope. 

Since God is infinitely jealous for the honor of his name, anything and anybody who threatens the good of his faithful wife will be opposed with divine omnipotence. That’s good news for the faithful wife — the faithful people of God.

God’s jealousy is a great threat to those who play the harlot and sell their heart to the world and make a cuckold out of God (James 4:3–4). But his jealousy is a great comfort to those who keep their covenant vows and become strangers and exiles in the world.

THE VICISSITUDES ARE PART OF GOD'S PLANS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY OCTOBER 16, 2024.

SUBJECT : THE VICISSITUDES ARE PART OF GOD'S PLANS!

Memory verse: "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." (Romans 8 vs 28.)

READ: Genesis 50 vs 19 - 21:

50:19: Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in the place of God?

50:20: 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.

50:21: Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones,” And he comforted them and spoke kindly to them.

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 His purposes known to Him alone, and has fashioned our ways to achieve His purposes. The ways to achieve His purposes are planned by Him and known to Him from the foundation of the earth. 

The vicissitudes we encounter are part of His plans for our journey in life to achieve His purposes. 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 members 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 Potiphar’s 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 precisely the way he had announced to them. 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 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 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 to, 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. For I know Your thoughts for me are good, and You will never leave me nor forsake me. You have given me a glorious destiny, and only You will make it happen. Though it might tarry, but it must surely come to pass! Give me the strength to trust absolutely in You , and follow You to the end, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Plan for Prayer

 Plan for Prayer

“If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. . . . These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:7–8, 11) 

Prayer pursues joy in fruitful fellowship with Jesus, knowing that God is glorified when we bear fruit in answer to prayer. Why do God’s children so often fail to have consistent habits of happy, fruitful prayer?

Unless I’m badly mistaken, one of the reasons is not so much that we don’t want to, but that we don’t plan to.

If you want to take a four-week vacation, you don’t just get up one summer morning and say, “Hey, let’s go today!” You won’t have anything ready. You won’t know where to go. Nothing has been planned.

But that is how many of us treat prayer. We get up day after day and realize that significant times of prayer should be a part of our life, but nothing is ready.

We don’t know where to go. Nothing has been planned. No time. No place. No procedure. And we all know that the opposite of planning is not a wonderful flow of deep, spontaneous experiences in prayer. The opposite of planning is the same old rut.

If you don’t plan a vacation, you will probably stay home and watch TV. The natural, unplanned flow of spiritual life sinks to the lowest ebb of vitality. There is a race to be run and a fight to be fought. If you want renewal in your life of prayer, you must plan to see it.

Therefore, my simple exhortation is this: Let us take time this very day to rethink our priorities and how prayer fits in. Make some new resolve. Try some new venture with God. Set a time. Set a place. Choose a portion of Scripture to guide you.

Don’t be tyrannized by the press of busy days. We all need midcourse corrections. Make this a day of turning to prayer — for the glory of God and for the fullness of your joy.

DESIRE TO MEET THE NEED OF OTHERS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY OCTOBER 15, 2024.

SUBJECT: DESIRE TO MEET THE NEED OF OTHERS!

Memory verse: "Is not to share your bread with the hungry, and that you bring to your house poor who are cast out; when you see the naked, that you cover him, and not hide yourself from your own flesh?" (Isaiah 58 vs 7.)

READ: Matthew 25 vs 34 - 40:

25:34: Then the King will say to those on his right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:

25:35: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in;

25:36: I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

25:37: Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You? or thirsty and gave You drink?

25:38: When did we see You a stranger and take You in? or naked and clothed You?

25:39: Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’

25:40: And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’

INTIMATION:

A need is a necessity, a requirement; a shortage of an indispensable item. It is anything that is necessary but lacking, a condition requiring relief. Helping those in need is one of the most important ways to honor God. God created all things to coexist, and are interdependent. No one is an island. As humans, we are not equally gifted; some are better than others in diverse ways. As we are different so are our needs. Many people have physical and spiritual needs you can meet, either by yourself or with others who are also concerned. 

The passage we read today is a parable Jesus told His disciples to describe the acts of mercy we all can do everyday. These acts do not depend on wealth, ability, or intelligence; they are simple acts freely given and freely received. We have no excuse to neglect those who have needs. Jesus demands our personal involvement in caring for others’ needs. How much we love God can be measured by how well we treat others. Jesus’ example of caring for the needs of the least of our brethren is a good model of unselfish service. The least of our brethren usually can’t or won’t return a favor. God notices every good deed we do as if He is the one receiving it. Is there something unselfish you can do for someone else today? Although no one else may see You, God will notice.

However, the point in this parable is the importance of serving where service is needed. The focus of the parable is that we should love every person and serve everyone we can. Such love for others glorifies God by reflecting our love for Him. The apostle John said, “But whoever has this world’s goods and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him? My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” (First John 3 vs 17 - 18.) These verses give an example of how to lay down our lives for others—to help those in need. How clearly do your actions say you really love others? Are you as generous as you should be with your money, possessions, and time?

The apostle James says, “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” But you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” (James 2 vs 15 - 17.) We cannot earn our salvation by serving and obeying God. But such actions of meeting people’s needs show that our commitment to God is real. Deeds of loving service are not a substitute for, but rather a verification of, faith in Christ.

In our society today, there are many needy people. God has allowed them among us to test our faith or believe in Him. If we say we follow Christ, we should be like Him, who was so unselfish that He gave His life of inestimable value for our own lives that are completely worthless, to save us. We see these needy people lining the streets. How much of their needs do you meet? Or are you so selfish to give to them only when you have surplus to give out? John the Baptist, in preparing the way for Christ, spoke to the people when they asked him, “What shall we do then?” And he answered and said to them, “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” (Luke 3 vs 10 - 11.) 

Some believers are too disinterested to the needy. How sad when the followers of Christ are so preoccupied with their own relationships and agendas that they don’t even see those who are in need. The simple acts of giving to the needy, can draw them to Christ. If Jesus is present in our lives, our faces should reflect His love, and our hands extended in fellowship to the needy, and open a way for others to come in. It is possible to become so occupied with spiritual matters that we become oblivious to the needs around us. This may be true especially if we are prejudiced against needy people or if they cause us inconvenience. Instead of being annoyed, be aware of the opportunities that surround you, and make an effort to look for ways to minister to others. 

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to lay down my life for others—to help the needy, even when it is not comfortable for me, and endue me with the spirit of sharing what I have with others, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

God Heals by Humbling

 God Heals by Humbling

“I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will lead him and restore comfort to him and his mourners, creating the fruit of the lips. Peace, peace, to the far and to the near,” says the Lord, “and I will heal him.” (Isaiah 57:18–19)

In spite of the severity of man’s disease of rebellion and willfulness, God will heal. How will he heal? Isaiah 57:15 says that God dwells with the crushed and humble. Yet the people of Isaiah 57:17 are not humble. They are brazenly pursuing their own proud way. So, what will a healing be?

It can only be one thing. God will heal them by humbling them. He will cure the patient by crushing his pride. If only the crushed and humble enjoy God’s fellowship (Isaiah 57:15), and if Israel’s sickness is a proud and willful rebellion (Isaiah 57:17), and if God promises to heal them (Isaiah 57:18), then his healing must be humbling and his cure must be a crushed spirit.

Isn’t this Isaiah’s way of prophesying what Jeremiah called the new covenant and the gift of a new heart? He said, “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel. . . . 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 31:31, 33).

Isaiah and Jeremiah both see a time coming when a sick, disobedient, hard-hearted people will be supernaturally changed. Isaiah speaks of healing. Jeremiah speaks of writing the law on their hearts. And Ezekiel puts it like this: “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh” (Ezekiel 36:26) 

So the healing of Isaiah 57:18 is a major heart transplant — the old hardened, proud, willful heart of stone is taken out, and a new soft, tender heart is put in, which is easily humbled and crushed by the memory of sin and the sin that remains. 

This is a heart that the lofty One whose name is Holy will dwell with forever.