GOD IS IN CONTROL!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 09, 2025.

SUBJECT: GOD IS IN CONTROL!

Memory verse: "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” (Proverbs 15 vs 3.)

READ: First Samuel 2 vs 4 - 9: 

2:4: The bows of the mighty men are broken, and those who stumbled are girded with strength.

2:5: Those who were full have hired out themselves for bread; and the hungry has ceased to hunger. Even the barren has born seven; and she who has many children has become feeble.

2:6: The LORD kills and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and brings up.

2:7: The LORD makes poor and makes rich; He brings low and lifts up.

2:8: He raises up the poor out of the dust, and lifts the beggar from the ash heap, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory. “For the pillars of the earth are the LORD's, and he has set the world upon them.”

2:9: He will guard the feet of His saints, but the wicked shall be silent in darkness. “For by strength no man shall prevail.”

INTIMATION:

God is sovereign, He is in charge, and in control of the affairs of the world. God is not only the Creator of the world but He is also the Sustainer. In Him, everything is held together, protected, and prevented from disintegrating into chaos. At times it seems that God has let evil run rampant in the world, and we wonder if He even notices it. But God sees everything clearly, both the evil actions and the evil intentions lying behind them. God is All-knowing, and He will judge all sin. He will weigh everyone’s deeds and will reward all deeds accordingly: “...For the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” (First Samuel 2 vs 3.) 

Neither the righteous nor the wicked can escape His presence. God is not an indifferent observer. He cares and is active in our world. Right now His work may be unseen and unfelt, but don’t give up. One day He will wipe out evil and perish the evildoers, just as He will establish the good and reward those who do His will. God does not lie, forget, change, or leave His promises unfulfilled. God’s plan stands forever! Remembering God’s sovereign control helps us put both world and personal events in perspective. 

Because we live in a world where evil abounds and where war and terrorism always threaten, we may forget that God is in control: He is solid as a rock, the One who knows what we do, sovereign over all the affairs of people, and He is the Supreme Judge who administers perfect justice. The Lord said, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor your ways My ways.” 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 8 - 9.) God’s wisdom and knowledge are far greater than any human’s. 

Many of us, observing the evils in our world, want God to act now. God will act when He is ready. We are like children who have difficulty grasping the concept of time. “It’s not time yet” is not a reason children easily understand because they only comprehend the present. As limited human beings, we can’t understand God’s perspective about time. We want everything now, unaware that God’s timing is better. When God is ready, He will do what needs to be done, not what we would like Him to do. We may be impatient as children, but we must not doubt the wisdom of God’s timing. 

When God planned and executed the redemption of the world through His Son, Jesus Christ, the world didn’t understand His plans. Satan thought that, as the ruler of the world then, the killing of Jesus, through his wicked agents, will accomplish his victory and establish his continued rulership over the world. But he didn’t know God’s plan: “Which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (First Corinthians 2 vs 8.) Jesus was misunderstood and rejected by those whom the world considered wise and good. He was put to death by the rulers in Palestine—the High priest, King Herod, Pilate, the Pharisees and Sadducees. And through their wicked deeds, God’s plan was accomplished. 

Let us not worry about the evils and misrule in the world today. The earth and its fullness are His. God will even work out His plans and purposes in the midst of them all. However, there is no ironclad guarantee that all believers will be delivered from difficulties and death in this cruel world. However, God can (and often does) miraculously deliver His followers from pain and death; although sometimes, for purposes known only to Him, He chooses not to. Thousands of Christian saints have been beaten to death, whipped, fed to lions, or executed (Romans 8 vs 35 - 36; Hebrews 11 vs 32 - 40). When faced with harsh realities, we must focus on the wise judgements of God. In times of crisis we can place our hope in God because He is in control.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are All-wise, All-knowing, and rules in the affairs of men. I staunchly trust in Your inconceivable wisdom, and I rest assured Your All-seeing eyes run over the earth, to reward everyone according to their deeds, and Your Throne will be established forever, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Are You Glad You Are Not God?

 Are You Glad You Are Not God?

Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples, ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! (Psalm 96:7)

Here’s at least part of the experience that the psalmist is referring to when he says, “Ascribe [= give] to the Lord strength.” What are we doing when we “Ascribe to the Lord strength”?

First, by God’s grace, we give attention to God and see that he is strong. We give heed to his strength. Then we give our approval to the greatness of his strength. We give due regard to its worth.

We find his strength to be wonderful. But what makes this wonder that we experience a “giving” kind of wonder — “Give to the Lord strength!” — is that we are especially glad that the greatness of the strength is his and not ours.

We feel a profound fitness in the fact that he is infinitely strong, and we are not. We love the fact that this is so. We do not envy God for his strength. We are not covetous of his power. We are full of joy that all strength is his.

Everything in us rejoices to go out of ourselves and behold this power — as if we had arrived at the celebration of the victory of a distance runner who had beaten us in the race, and we found our greatest joy in admiring his strength, rather than resenting our loss.

We find the deepest meaning in life when our hearts freely go out of ourselves to admire God’s power, rather than turning inward to boast in our own — or even think about our own. We discover something overwhelming: It is profoundly satisfying not to be God, but to give up all thoughts or desires to be God.

In our giving heed to God’s power there rises up in us a realization that God created the universe for this: so that we could have the supremely satisfying experience of not being God, but admiring the Godness of God — the strength of God. There settles over us a peaceful realization that admiration of the infinite is the final, all-satisfying end of all things.

We tremble at the slightest temptation to claim any power as coming from us. God has made us weak to protect us from this: “We have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us” (2 Corinthians 4:7).

Oh, what love this is, that God would protect us from replacing the everlasting heights of admiring his power with the futile attempt to boast in our own! It is a great gladness not to be, but rather to see, God!

NEVER SPEAK HARSH WORDS TO GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY FEBRUARY 08, 2025.

SUBJECT : NEVER SPEAK HARSH WORDS TO GOD!

Memory verse: "You have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet you say, “In what way have we wearied Him? In that you say, “Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delights in them,” or, “Where is the God of justice?” (Malachi 2 vs 17.)

READ: Malachi 3 vs 13 - 17:

3:13: “Your words have been harsh against Me,” says the LORD. “Yes you say, ‘What have we spoken so much against You?’

3:14: You have said, ‘It is useless to serve God; what profit is it that we kept His ordinance, and that we have walked as mourners before the LORD of hosts?

3:15: So now we call the proud blessed, for those who do wickedness are raised up; they even tempt God and go free.’”

3:16: Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them;  so a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD, and who meditate on His name.

3:17: “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “On the day that I make them My jewels. And I will spare them, as a man spares his own son that serves him.”

INTIMATION:

What you say and what you don’t say are both important. To use proper speech you must not only say right words at the right time but also not say what you shouldn’t. God is Supreme and made all things, including you, according to His plans and purposes which is known to Him alone. The Creator has control over the created. The created, therefore, has no right to demand anything from its Creator—its very existence depends on Him. 

Keeping this perspective removes any temptation of speaking harsh words against God, or having any misgivings against Him in unpleasant life’s circumstances, especially when you are convinced you toed the right path, and put your trust in God. The Scripture says, “But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” (Romans 9 vs 20.) From birth to death, we are continually in God’s grip. 

It is important to know the kind of God we worship: He is Sovereign; He alone knows the end from the beginning; He is not arbitrary; in all things He works for our good, and in accordance with His plans and purposes; He is trustworthy; He will save all who believe in Him; His thoughts for us is of good not of evil. When we understand these qualities of God, we know that His choices are good even if we don’t understand all His reasons: “For all things work together for good to those that love Him, to those who are the called for a purpose.” (Romans 8 vs 28) Never allow life’s circumstances to prompt you to speak harshly against God. Rather focus continually on God who controls all circumstances. 

At times the wicked prospers, leaving the godly people wondering why they’re not, even when they are good. Eventually, the wealth of the wicked looks so inviting that faithful people may wish they could trade places. But these two themes come to unexpected ends, for the wealth of the wicked suddenly loses its power at death, and the rewards for the godly suddenly take on eternal value. What seemed like wealth is now waste, and what seemed worthless now lasts forever. 

Don’t wish you could trade places with evil people to get their wealth. One day they will wish they could trade places with you and have your eternal wealth. Look around you and observe the wealth of many whose source of wealth is questionable. After their death, the wealth usually develop wings and begin to fly away in the hands of their survivors.

As humans, our contradictory speech often puzzles us. At times our words are right and pleasing to God, but at other times they are harsh and faithless. Which of these speech patterns reflects your true identity? We were made in God’s image, but the tongue gives us a picture of our basic sinful nature. God works to change us from the inside out. When the Holy Spirit purifies a heart, He gives self-control so that the person will speak words that please God.

God will remember those who remain faithful to Him, and who love, fear, honor, and respect Him. God’s “jewel” are those faithful to Him. Jesus said, “And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matthew 11 vs 6.) Being offended in Him who made you, for His plan and purpose, is the most senseless thing anybody can do. You had no contributions of any sort in His work and therefore, no choices are available to you. Knowing that His counsel stands and He does His pleasure (Isaiah 46 vs 10) should inform us to resign completely to His leading, and never murmur against Him. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of complete obedience to You, that I may do Your will, humbly and wholeheartedly accept Your counsel and leading, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Eleventh-Hour Breakthroughs

 Eleventh-Hour Breakthroughs

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” (Luke 23:42)

One of the greatest hope-killers is that you have tried for so long to change, and have not succeeded. 

You look back and think: What’s the use? Even if I could experience a breakthrough, there would be so little time left to live in my new way that it wouldn’t make much difference compared to so many years of failure.

The former robber (the thief on the cross next to Jesus) lived for another hour or so after his conversion. Then he died. He was changed. He lived on the cross as a new man with new attitudes and actions (no more reviling). But 99.99% of his life was wasted. Did the last couple hours of newness matter?

They mattered infinitely. This former robber, like all of us, will stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of his life. “We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:10). How will his life testify in that day to his new birth and his union with Christ? How will his life confirm his newness in Christ?

The last hours will tell the story. This man was new. His faith was real. He is truly united to Christ. Christ’s righteousness is his. His sins are forgiven.

That’s what the final hours will proclaim at the last judgment. He is changed! And his change mattered. It was, and it will be, a beautiful testimony to the power of God’s grace and the reality of his faith and his union with Christ.

Now back to our struggle with change. I am not saying that struggling believers are unsaved like the robber was. I am simply saying that the last years and the last hours of life matter.

If in the last 1% of our lives, we can get a victory over some long-standing sinful habit or hurtful defect in our personality, it will be a beautiful testimony now to the power of grace; and it will be an added witness (not the only one) at the last judgment to our faith in Christ and our union with him.

Take heart, struggler. Keep asking, seeking, knocking. Keep looking to Christ. If God gets glory by saving robbers in the eleventh hour, he surely has his purposes why he has waited till now to give you the breakthrough you have sought for years.

IN QUIETNESS YOU WILL HEAR THE LORD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY FEBRUARY 07, 2025.

SUBJECT: IN QUIETNESS YOU WILL HEAR THE LORD!

Memory verse: "It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence; then I heard a voice saying,” Job 4 vs 16). 

READ: First Kings 19 vs 11 - 13:

19:11: Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And, behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rock in pieces before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake;

19:12: and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

19:13: So it was, when Elijah heard it, that he wrapped his face in his mantle, and went out, and stood in the entrance of the cave. Suddenly a voice came to him and said, “What are you doing here, Elijah?”

INTIMATION:

Silence is the state of remaining quiet and still, and it engenders full or better concentration. God speaks to us mostly in the quietness of our hearts. And to hear Him requires our being silent, and maintain a quiet disposition for better concentration to be able to hear Him clearly. Therefore, we must seek God in times of silence. How proper for us to be quiet and honor God for His power and might. Take time each day to be silent or quiet and exalt Him. 

Quietness or silence also convey trust and confidence in God, reverently honoring Him and His power and majesty. Take time each day to be still and honor God. God works in quiet ways to bring about His long-range purposes. We should know that no amount of fast talking or hasty activity could speed up God’s grand design. We have nothing to say to God but thank you. 

Quiet time is the time you spend with God alone. This is the greatest secret of developing a close relationship with God, and the most important relationship of your life. Jesus, during His earth walk, separated Himself from everybody to have a quiet time with the Father; “Now in the morning, having risen a long while before daylight, He went out and departed to a solitary place, and their He prayed.” (Mark 1 vs 35.) He also taught His disciples to observe a quiet time with the Lord (Matthew 6 vs 6.) 

God speaks in a still small voice, such that could be heard in quietness of our hearts. Elijah knew that the sound of a still small voice belonged to God. He is often found gently whispering in the quietness of a humbled heart. God doesn’t reveal Himself only in powerful, miraculous ways. To look for God only in something big (rallies, churches, conferences, highly visible leaders and so on) may be to miss Him. 

God does not need to appear in great physical events as earthquakes and fires, in order to initiate His work. His power can be concealed in a whisper. Are you listening for God? Step back from the noise and activity of your busy life and listen humbly and quietly for His guidance. It may come when you least expect it.

From the beginning of creation, God desires to associate with us in our quiet times. In the Garden of Eden, God visited Adam and Eve in the cool of the day; “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.” (Genesis 3 vs 8.) It was during their quiet time that they experienced the presence of God. And the greatest search and want of every human being is the presence of God.

A daily quiet time will make you have a personal relationship with the Lord. Nothing else can make you have a personal relationship with the Lord better than this. Coming to church a thousand times is different from having a personal one to one interaction with the Lord. And it is this personal interaction with the Lord which many Christians lack. 

Many people may be working in a company, they know the name of the Managing Director, some can recognize him when he comes around, but not many has a personal relationship with him because they do not interact with him personally. It is proper for us to be still now, reverently honoring God and His power and majesty. Take time each day to be still and honor God. He works in quiet ways to bring about His long-range purposes.

Prayer: Abba Father, early will I seek You daily. My soul thirsts for You in quietness and confidence. I yearn for a personal relationship with You. May I have the privilege and honor to daily draw near to You, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Reviled Here, Rewarded There

 Reviled Here, Rewarded There

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. (Psalm 1:3)

How does the promise in Psalm 1:3 point to Christ? 

It says, “In all that he does, he prospers.” The righteous prosper in everything they do. Is this naïve or profoundly true?

In this life, it certainly seems that the wicked prosper. “Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!” (Psalm 37:7). “Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape” (Malachi 3:15).

And in this life the righteous often suffer and their goodness is rewarded with abuse. “If we had forgotten the name of our God . . . would not God discover this? . . . Yet for your sake we are killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered” (Psalm 44:20–22). The psalmists themselves knew this. We are not protesting something they didn’t already know.

Therefore, when the psalmist says, “In all that he does, he prospers,” he is not naïve. He is pointing through the ambiguities of this life to life after death, where the true effectiveness — the true prosperity — of all that we have done will appear. 

This is the way Paul thought. 

First, he celebrates the victory of Christ over death. “‘O death, where is your victory?’ . . . Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:55, 57).

Then, he draws out the implication that, because of this triumph, every work that believers have ever done will prosper. “Therefore, my beloved brothers . . . in the Lord your labor is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58). When something is not in vain, it prospers.

Because Jesus died in our place, he guaranteed that every good deed prospers — sooner or later. “Whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord” (Ephesians 6:8). “Blessed are you when others revile you. . . . Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven” (Matthew 5:11–12). Reviled here. Rewarded there. 

What seems naïve in the Old Testament (“in all that he does, he prospers”) points profoundly to the work of Christ and the reality of resurrection. As the words of that great hymn by Katharina von Schlegel, “Be Still My Soul,” says, “Be still, my soul: thy Jesus can repay / From his own fullness all He takes away.”

THE WISDOM WE NEED!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY FEBRUARY 06, 2025.

SUBJECT : THE WISDOM WE NEED!

Memory verse: "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask from God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (James 1 vs 5.)

READ: Psalm 119 vs 97 - 104:

119:97: Oh, how I love Your law! it is my meditation all the day.

119:98: You through Your commandments, make me wiser than my enemies; for they are ever with me.

11:9:99: I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.

119:100: I understand more than the ancients, because I keep Your precepts.

119:101: I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Your word.

119:102: I have not departed from Your judgments, for You Yourself have taught me.

129:103: How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!

119:104: Through Your precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way.

INTIMATION:

Wisdom is simply defined as the ability to discern right from wrong. It is the ability to apply knowledge or experience or understanding or common sense and insight. Wisdom is the ability to see life from God’s perspective and then to know the best course of action to take. Most people would agree that wisdom is a valuable asset, but how can we acquire it? Proverbs 9 vs 10 teaches that the fear (respect and honor) of the Lord  is the beginning of wisdom. 

The wisdom that we need is not only gotten by acquiring knowledge, that is, it’s not just sensual. But we need both knowledge (an understanding heart with the ability to discern what is best in every circumstances), and the strength of character to act upon that knowledge. Therefore, wisdom is the ability to make good decisions based on proper discernment and judgement, and applying such decisions to the peculiar circumstances confronting you. Knowledge refers to the practical know-how necessary for handling everyday matters. Wisdom therefore, is applied knowledge. 

However, this required wisdom comes from God, and the first step to such wisdom is the “fear of God”; to honor and respect God, and to live in awe of His power. Therefore, we need the ability to see life from God’s point of view, and to know the best course of action to take. This ability can only be given to us by God, and He gives it liberally and without reproach when you ask. 

Faith in God should be the foundation for your understanding of the world, your attitudes, and your actions. You can’t be wiser than the Creator and Owner of the world Himself. We should ask God to give us the wisdom to know what to do and the courage to follow through on it. Wisdom is both the ability to discern what is best and the strength of character to act upon the knowledge. 

The wisdom that we need has three distinct characteristics: (1) It is practical: The wisdom from God relates to life even during the most trying times. It is the ability to make good decisions based on proper discernment and judgement, and applying such decisions to the peculiar circumstances confronting you. It is applied to all facets and circumstances of life, even in suffering and trials. For instance, an intelligent person may have profound ideas, but a wise person puts profound ideas into action. Intelligence will allow someone to describe several reasons why the car broke down, the wise person chooses the most likely reason and proceeds to take actions. 

(2) It is divine. God’s wisdom goes beyond common sense. Common sense will let us sorrow in the midst of troubles or trials, but divine wisdom leads us to choose joy in the middle of trials, and giving thanks to God in negative circumstances. This wisdom begins with respect for God, leads to living by God’s direction, understanding that God is Supreme and controls all things, including the negative circumstances confronting us, and results in the ability to tell right from wrong. Such wisdom leads us to do good to those who hate, or don’t wish us well. This wisdom is the tool by which trials are overcome. 

(3) It is Christlike. Asking for wisdom is ultimately asking to be like Christ. The Bible identifies Christ as the “wisdom of God.” Knowing Christ personally is the greatest wisdom anybody can have. Christians don’t have to grope around in the dark, hoping to stumble upon answers. We can ask for God’s wisdom to guide our choices. We seek the wisdom of being lead by the Hoy Spirit in every area of our lives. We should never trust on our intellect or speaking ability, but on the knowledge of God. 

Wisdom is both God-given gift and the fruit of an energetic search (the pathway to wisdom is strenuous). Wisdom’s starting point is God and His revealed Word—the source of knowledge and understanding. Therefore, we must trust and honor God, and also, realize that the Bible reveals God’s wisdom to us. This gift of God is given only to those who earnestly seek it. With God is true wisdom—Divine wisdom, and we cannot create it by our own efforts. And because God’s wisdom is hidden from the rebellious and foolish, it takes effort to find it and use it.

True wisdom can be measured by a person’s character. Just as you can identify a tree by the type of fruit it produces, you can evaluate your wisdom by the way you act. Foolishness leads to disorder, but wisdom leads to peace and goodness. Are you tempted to escalate the conflict, pass on the gossip, or fan the fire of discord? Careful, winsome speech and wise, loving words are the seeds of peace. God loves peacemakers (Matthew 5 vs 9.)

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace to acquire Divine wisdom that I may see life from Your perspective, knowing the best course of action to take in all circumstances, and taking it, and being Christ-like In my attitude in this life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!