For God’s Little People

 For God’s Little People

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration when Quirinius was governor of Syria. And all went to be registered, each to his own town. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the town of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. (Luke 2:1–5)

Have you ever thought what an amazing thing it is that God ordained beforehand that the Messiah be born in Bethlehem (as the prophecy in Micah 5:2 shows); and that he so ordained things that when the time came, the Messiah’s mother and legal father were living not in Bethlehem but in Nazareth; and that in order to fulfill his word and bring two unheard-of, insignificant, little people to Bethlehem that first Christmas, God put it in the heart of Caesar Augustus that all the Roman world should be enrolled each in his own town? A decree for the entire world in order to move two people seventy miles!

Have you ever felt, like me, little and insignificant in a world of seven billion people, where all the news is about big political and economic and social movements and outstanding people with global significance and lots of power and prestige?

If you have, don’t let that make you disheartened or unhappy. For it is implicit in Scripture that all the mammoth political forces and all the giant industrial complexes, without their even knowing it, are being guided by God, not for their own sake, but for the sake of God’s little people — the little Mary and the little Joseph who have to be got from Nazareth to Bethlehem. God wields an empire to fulfill his word and bless his children.

Do not think, because you experience adversity in your little world of experience, that the hand of the Lord is shortened. It is not our prosperity or our fame but our holiness that he seeks with all his heart. And to that end, he rules the whole world. As Proverbs 21:1 says, “The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the Lord; he turns it wherever he will.” And he is always turning it for his saving and sanctifying and eternal purposes among his people.

He is a big God for little people, and we have great cause to rejoice that, unbeknownst to them, all the kings and presidents and premiers and chancellors and chiefs of the world follow the sovereign decrees of our Father in heaven, that we, the children, might be conformed to the image of his Son, Jesus Christ — and then enter his eternal glory.

CRAVE FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY DECEMBER 04, 2024.

SUBJECT : CRAVE FOR DIVINE GUIDANCE!

Memory verse: “At the command of the Lord they remained encamped, and at the command of the Lord they journeyed; they kept the charge of the Lord, at the command of the Lord by the hand of Moses.” (Numbers 9 vs 23.)

READ: Psalm 25 vs 4 - 5, 8 - 10:

25:4: Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths.

25:5: Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day.

25:8: Good and upright is the Lord; therefore He teaches sinners in the way.

25:9: The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way.

25:10: All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

INTIMATION:

Divine guidance comes only to prepared hearts. Such hearts are receptive to God’s guidance, and follow His leading even when they don’t understand His plans. However, the end result always prove that God’s ways are right and the best. Only God’s guidance helps us make the best decisions. Christians who put their absolute trust in God are always guided by Him, though they may not have always recognized God’s guidance, but He is always with them every step of the way. As they go about their daily tasks, God is working in their lives in ways they may not even notice. Events do not occur by luck or coincidence. There are no coincidence with God, all we have is God-incidence. 

How do we receive God’s guidance? The first step is to want to be guided and to realize that God’s primary guidance system is in His Word, the Bible. Psalm 119 tells of the endless knowledge found in God’s Word. By reading the Bible and constantly learning from it, we will gain the wisdom to perceive God’s direction for our lives. When we are willing to seek God, learn from His Word, and obey His commands, then we will receive His specific guidance.

When you follow God’s guidance, you know you are where God wants you, whether you are moving or staying in one place. God has His reasons for creating the world. He has a purpose for creating all that are in the world, and determines the purposes to be served by all He created. God has predetermined purposes for you, and it is only when you are guided by Him you will be inline with His purposes for You. 

Obviously, you are physically somewhere right now, pray and ask God for guidance. You can pray, “God, what do you want me to do while I’m right here?” Direction from God is not just for your next big move. He had a purpose in placing you where you are right now. Begin to understand God’s purpose for your life by discovering what He wants you to do now, and per time!

We often pray for God’s guidance as we struggle with decisions. What we need is both God's guidance and His guide. We need His map that gives us landmarks and directions along our way and a constant companion who has an intimate knowledge of the way and will make sure we interpret the map correctly. The Bible is the map and the Holy Spirit is constant companion and guide. As you make your way through life, use both the map and your Guide.

Sometimes we fail to receive God’s guidance if we have not acted on His previous directions. When you feel as if God has abandoned you, check to see if there is anything He has already told you to do which you have not done. You may not receive new guidance from God until you have acted on His previous directions. When you are not sure of God’s guidance, seek to fulfill the mission to all believers—to love, obey, and serve God—until His guidance becomes more clear.

Each day we must put our confidence in something or someone. If you are willing to trust a plane or car to get you to your destination, are you willing to trust God to guide you here on earth and to your eternal destination? Do you trust Him more than  any human being? How futile it is to trust anything or anyone more than God. 

Prayer: Abba Father, my trust is in You. Show me your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths, lead me in Your truth and teach me, for on You I will wait all the day, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Prayer for God's Forgiveness

 Prayer for God's Forgiveness

Today, we're praying for God's forgiveness. The devil always uses the guilt of our sin to deny us our salvation. Today, I pray for you as you confess and repent, God's grace to overcome sin will enable you to live a holy life in Jesus Name. David understood God's forgiveness in the whole of Psalms 51.

St. Matthew 6:12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

PRAYER POINTS

1.  - Oh Lord deliver me from the sin of the lust of the eyes in Jesus name.

2.  - Oh Lord, deliver me from the sin of fornication in Jesus name.

3.  - Oh Lord, deliver me from the spirit of lying in Jesus name.

4.  - Oh Lord, let me receive your thorough cleansing by your Blood from all my sins today so that I will be victorious in my prayers in Jesus name.

5.  - Oh Lord, every work of iniquity in my life that will bring me back to the world I destroy them in the name of Jesus.

6.  - Oh Lord, save me from every iniquity in my life that make me rise and fall in Jesus name.

7.  - Father, i come against every evil spirit of deceit that bring iniquity into my life, let them be destroyed today in Jesus name

8.  - Oh Lord, let your mercy cover up my sins today and forever in Jesus name.

9.  - Oh Lord that is full of grace and mercy, pardon all my sins so that I will see your face today in Jesus name.

10.  - Oh Lord, let every addiction of the sins of my youth that is still tormenting me today come to an end today, give me a new page so that my past will not continue to haunt me in Jesus Name.

11.  - Oh Lord, I reject every evil thoughts and desires that lives in me today,i cleanse my heart with the blood of Jesus and the word of God in Jesus name.

12.  - Oh Lord, By the blood of your Son Jesus Christ, consume all sins in my life that go contrary against the laws of God in Jesus name.

13.  - Oh Lord, have pity on me for my sins, do not let the consequences of my past sins overwhelm me in Jesus name.

14.  - Oh Lord forgive me for all the evil deeds carried out by my hands in Jesus name.

15.  - Oh Lord! Show me your unconditional mercy, do not let sin drag me into self destruction in Jesus name.

16.  - Oh Lord, In humility, I turn from my wicked ways today, forgive me and heal my land in Jesus name.

17.  - Oh Lord! help me to rebuke the power of sin in my life before it expose me openly in Jesus name.

 18. Oh Lord! Let your mercy prevail over your judgment in my life in Jesus name.

May God's mercy speak on your behalf in Jesus Name. Don't hesitate to share your testimony on form on https://miheanyi.blogspot.com or you send your testimony to WhatsApp or Telegram on +2349016233784.

The Long-Awaited Visitation

 The Long-Awaited Visitation

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.” (Luke 1:68–71)

Notice two remarkable things from these words of Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband, in Luke 1.

First, nine months earlier, Zechariah could not believe his wife would have a child. Now, filled with the Holy Spirit, he is so confident of God’s redeeming work in the coming Messiah that he puts it in the past tense: “he has visited and redeemed his people.” For the mind of faith, a promised act of God is as good as done. Zechariah has learned to take God at his word and so has a remarkable assurance: God “has visited and redeemed!” (Luke 1:68).

Second, the coming of Jesus the Messiah is a visitation of God to our world: The God of Israel has visited and redeemed. For centuries, the Jewish people had languished under the conviction that God had withdrawn: the spirit of prophecy had ceased; Israel had fallen into the hands of Rome. And all the godly in Israel were awaiting the visitation of God. Luke tells us that another old man, the devout Simeon, was “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25). Likewise, the prayerful Anna was “waiting for the redemption of Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38).

These were days of great expectation. Now the long-awaited visitation of God was about to happen — indeed, he was about to come in a way no one expected.

BE HOSPITABLE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD

TUESDAY DECEMBER 03, 2024.

SUBJECT : BE HOSPITABLE!

Memory verse: “Di not neglect to entertain strangers, for by this some have entertained angels without knowing it." (Hebrews 13 vs 2.)

READ: Romans 12 vs 9 - 13:

12:9: Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

12:10: Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

12:11: Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;

12:12: Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

12:13: Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality.

INTIMATION:

Being hospitable is a disposition of receiving and entertaining strangers and guests with cordiality, kindness, and generous liberality, and without expecting any reward. Being hospitable is about focusing on the other person, understanding their needs and offering to help them to meet those needs. 

When you do that, people become comfortable with you. When someone is comfortable with you, he or she will share more, opening the opportunity to learn from one another and they will begin to look for ways to help you should you need something someday. 

Hospitality is the act of being hospitable, and it is a characteristic of those who have understood the principle of love. It's a way to show love. One’s brotherly love must extend beyond those he or she personally knows. It must extend to strangers; those who are passing through one’s area. It’s foundational in building relationships. Being receptive, respectful and open to others says, “you are important to me.” If you let others know you value them, they will most likely have a similar feeling about you.

A person’s reputation is largely connected to his hospitality—the sharing of home and food. Even strangers were to be treated as highly honored guests. Hospitality also prompts you to remember what you have to offer. Meeting another’s need for food or shelter is one of the most immediate and practical ways to obey God. It is also a time-honored relationship builder. This thought should be on our minds the next time we have the opportunity to meet a stranger’s need.

Hospitality of the early Christians was a means by which the evangelists could go forth and preach the gospel. When one is hospitable to a fellow brother in Christ as he passes through, he may be entertaining a messenger of God as he went on his way preaching the gospel. In so doing one may unwittingly entertain angels of God which is tantamount to entertaining God. In the Bible, three Old Testament people unwittingly entertained angels: (1) Abraham (Genesis 18), (2) Gideon (Judges 6), (3) Manoah (Judges 13). 

Some people say they cannot be hospitable because their homes are not large enough or nice enough. But even if you have no more than a table and two chairs in a rented room, there are people who would be grateful to spend time in your home. Giving hospitality is very important today because so many people struggle with loneliness. In our self-centered society, we can show that we care by being hospitable. 

Christian hospitality differs from social entertainment. Entertaining focuses on the host: The home must be spotless; the food must be well prepared and abundant; the host must appear relaxed and good-natured. Hospitality, by contrast, focuses on the guests’ needs, such as a place to stay, nourish in food, a listening ear, or just acceptance. 

Hospitality can happen in a messy home. It can happen around a dinner table where the main dish is as simple as a canned soup. It can even happen while the host and the guest are doing chores together. Don’t hesitate to offer hospitality just because you are too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain.

We would benefit from inviting people to eat with us—visitors, fellow church members, young people, those in need. God wants us to be generous, and hospitable with non-Christians. It allows you to meet interesting people and gain a broader perspective. When you are approachable and engage with others, they will open up and share their knowledge and insights, and through such friendship some may be won to Christ. 

Are there visitors in your church with whom you could share a meal? Do you know single people who would enjoy an evening of conversation? Is there any way your home could meet the needs of traveling missionaries? Hospitality simply means making other people feel comfortable and at home. This makes us happier as children of God doing His will.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of hospitality—showing kindness and generous liberality without reward to guests and strangers. Help me to lead a love life that is very pleasing to You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Mary’s Magnificent God

 Mary’s Magnificent God

“My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for he who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is his name. And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation. He has shown strength with his arm; he has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts; he has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate; he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent away empty. He has helped his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, as he spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his offspring forever.” (Luke 1:46–55)

Mary sees clearly a most remarkable thing about God: He is about to change the course of all human history; the most important three decades in all of time are about to begin. 

And where is God? Occupying himself with two obscure, humble women — one old and barren (Elizabeth), one young and a virgin (Mary). And Mary is so moved by this vision of God, the lover of the lowly, that she breaks out in song — a song that has come to be known as “The Magnificat.”

Mary and Elizabeth are wonderful heroines in Luke’s account. He loves the faith of these women. The thing that impresses him most, it appears, and the thing he wants to impress on Theophilus, his noble reader of his Gospel, is the lowliness and cheerful humility of Elizabeth and Mary as they submit to their magnificent God.

Elizabeth says (Luke 1:43), “And why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” And Mary says (Luke 1:48), “He has looked on the humble estate of his servant.”

The only people whose soul can truly magnify the Lord are people like Elizabeth and Mary — people who acknowledge their lowly estate and are overwhelmed by the condescension of the magnificent God.

WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY OF YOU?

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY DECEMBER 02, 2024.

SUBJECT : WHAT WOULD JESUS SAY OF YOU?

Memory verse: “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." (Revelation 3 vs 5.)

READ: Luke 12 vs 8 - 9:

12:8: Also I say to you, whoever confesses Me before men, him the Son of Man also will confess before the angels of God:

12:9: But he who denies Me before men will be denied before the angels of God.

INTIMATION:

Our true value is God’s estimate of our worth. How would Christ confess your name before His Father, and the angels of God? Jesus said, “Whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God.” Anyone who confesses Jesus Christ (that is, publicly acknowledges faith in or declares allegiance to Him) will be acknowledged by Christ before His Father in heaven, and before the angels of God. 

We acknowledge Him when we (1) live moral, upright, Christ-honoring lives, (2) look for opportunities to share our faith with others, (3) help others in need, (4) take a stand for justice, (5) love others, (6) acknowledge our loyalty to Christ, and (7) use our lives and resources to carry out His desires rather than our own.

Now, considering the seven points above, how would you score or rate yourself? The points are not multiple choice or a pick and drop option, but rather an all-inclusive demand of any follower of Christ. In our memory verse, Jesus was admonishing the church in Sardis, He said to them, “He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name out of the Book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels." 

To be “clothed in white” means to be set apart for God and made pure. Christ promises future honor and eternal life to those who stand firm in their faith. For such believers, their names are registered in the Book of Life. This Book symbolizes God’s knowledge of who belongs to Him. All such people are guaranteed a listing in the Book of Life and are introduced to the hosts of heaven as belonging to Christ.

For those who reject Jesus, they will be sentenced to eternal condemnation, and they will also be denied by Him before the Father in heaven, and the angels of God. What a tragedy! Rejecting Christ will guarantee an eternity of shame later. 

We deny Jesus when we (1) hope no one will find out we are Christians, (2) decide not to speak up for what is right, (3) are silent about our relationship with God, (4) blend into society, and (5) accept our culture’s non-Christian values. We can reject Jesus now and be rejected by Him at His second coming, or we can accept Him now and be accepted by Him then. 

Have you ever thought of such idea or bothered about who Jesus would say you are? Interestingly, this should be the most important question in everyone’s life, and requires a sincere answer. This is because of the Day—the judgement Day—when every one will appear before Christ; ”For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what He has done, whether good or bad.” (Second Corinthians 5 vs 10.) “As it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment” (Hebrews 9 vs 27). 

Christ will judge each and everyone of us at His second coming, both the living and the dead, and He will reward us for how we have lived. Although judgment is already working in our lives, there will be a future, final judgment when Christ returns (Matthew 25 vs 31 - 46), and everyone’s life will be reviewed and evaluated. 

For the believers, their eternal destiny is secure, but Jesus will look at how they handled gifts, opportunities, and responsibilities in order to determine their heavenly rewards. God’s gracious gift of salvation does not free us from the requirement of faithful obedience. Everybody, Christians and non-Christians,  must give account of how they lived before Christ.

All believers in Christ should strive and endure to the end, that Jesus could say of them, “I know your works. See I have set before You an open door, and no one can shut it, for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.” (Revelation 3 vs 8.) Enduring to the end is not a way to be saved but the evidence that a person is really committed to Jesus. Persistence is not a means to earn salvation; it is the by-product of a truly devoted life.

Prayer: Abba Father, Give me the grace to lead a life pleasing to You at all times, enduring to the end that the Son of Man will confess my name before You, and Your angels, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!