JESUS THE WAY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MARCH 17, 2025.

SUBJECT: JESUS THE WAY! 

Memory verse: "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14 vs 6.)

READ: John 14 vs 7 - 11:

14:7: If you had known Me, you should have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.

14:8: Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.

14:9: Jesus said to Him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?

14:10: Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak of My own authority; but the Father who dwells in Me does the works.

14:11: Believe Me that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me: or else believe Me for the sake of the works themselves.

INTIMATION:

God has preordained our pathways. God, from the beginning, has set each of us apart for a particular purpose or purposes, and particular ways to function respectively. Identifying the preordained pathway for you ensures you’re leading a glorious, victorious, pleasurable, joyous, and stress-free life, as predetermined by God—our Loving Father. 

Since God has preplanned all things concerning us, it is therefore given, and realistic that all keys to our preordained pathways are with Him. God, in His infinite wisdom, mercy, unparalleled love, and faithfulness sent us His Son to help us identify our predetermined pathways through the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him who fills all in all. 

In our memory verse, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life...." Three principal things are in Him; ‘the way,’ ‘the truth,’ and ‘the life.’ Therefore, outside of Jesus you are in the wrong way, you can’t discover the truth, and you have no life. Jesus, as the way, is our path to the Father. He is one with the Father, and the same with the Father. He is the image of the invisible God (Colossians 1 vs 15) and the exact representation of God. Jesus is not only equal to God (Philippians 2 vs 6), He is God (John 10 vs 30 & 38). 

As the truth, He is the reality of all God’s promises. He not only reflects God, He reveals God to us (John 1 vs 18; 14 vs 9). Jesus said these of Himself, "Most assuredly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, but what He sees the Father do; for whatever He does, the Son also does in like manner." "I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgement is righteous, because I do not seek My own Will but the Will of the Father who sent Me." "....When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am He, and that I do nothing of Myself; but as the Father taught Me, I speak these things" (John 5 vs 19, 30 & 8 vs 28).

As the Life, He joins His divine life to ours, both now and eternally. He is Supreme over all creations(Colossians 1 vs 15), and has all priority and authority. He came from heaven, not the dust of the earth (First Corinthians 15 vs 47), and He is Lord over all (Romans 9 vs 5; 10 vs 11 - 13). He is, in truth, the only living way to the Father.

Following Jesus is knowing the way of the Father. No one has seen the Father, and no one can see Him. But Jesus Christ came to reveal the Father to us. Observing the ways of Jesus is tantamount to observing the ways of the Father, because He is the same with the Father. Everything you need is in Him, and without Him you can do nothing (John 15 vs 5).

Now Jesus has come, and has gone back to the Father, to come again for the final union in marriage with His people—‘the marriage of the Lamb’ (Revelation 19 vs 7 & 9). While He is away, He has left with us the instructions on what to do, and also has given us an Helper, just to help us to occupy until He comes (Luke 19 vs 13). The instructions are in the Holy Book—the Bible, and our Helper is the Holy Spirit. Outside of these two, you will never discover the way.

The Book of instruction—the Bible—tells us that the starting point is embracing Jesus and declaring Him as Savior and Lord of your life. When you do this, He will help you to ensure that all other things would fall in pleasant places if you follow His instructions (Psalm 16 vs 6). Therefore, today if you hear His voice do not harden your heart. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11 vs 28.)

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for the gift of Your only begotten Son Jesus Christ, who gave His life for me on the cross to pay the wages of my sin. I wholeheartedly declare Jesus as my Lord and personal Savior. O Lord, reveal to me the predetermined pathway for my effective functioning according to Your will for my life, in Jesus Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

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This Book of Revelation by Dax

 This Book of Revelation by Dax

Jesus Will Finish the Mission

 Jesus Will Finish the Mission

“This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” (Matthew 24:14)

I don’t know any more inspiring missionary promise than this word from Jesus.

Not: This gospel should be preached.

Not: This gospel might be preached.

But: This gospel will be preached.

This is not a great commission, nor a great commandment. It is a great certainty, a great confidence.

Who can dare talk like that? How does he know it will? How can he be sure the church will not fail in its missionary task?

Answer: The grace of missionary service is as irresistible as the grace of regeneration. Christ can promise universal proclamation because he is sovereign. He knows the future success of missions because he makes the future. All the nations will hear!

A “nation” is not a modern “country.” When the Old Testament spoke of nations, it referred to groups like Jebusites and Perizites and Hivites and Amorites and Moabites and Canaanites and Philistines. “Nations” are ethnic groups with their own peculiar language and culture. Psalm 117:1: “Praise the Lord, all nations! Extol him, all peoples!” Nations are peoples — people groups, as we call them.

As the sovereign Son of God and Lord of the church, Jesus simply took up this divine purpose and stated as an absolute certainty, “This gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations” (Matthew 24:14).

The cause of world missions is absolutely assured of success. It cannot fail. Is it not reasonable, then, that we pray with great faith, that we invest with great confidence, and that we go with a sense of sure triumph?

WHEN GOD SEEMS FAR AWAY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MARCH 16, 2025.

SUBJECT : WHEN GOD SEEMS FAR AWAY!

Memory verse: "If He goes by me, I do not see Him; if He moves past, I do not perceive Him.” (Job 9 vs 11.)

READ: Job 23 vs 8 - 12:

23:8: Look, I go forward, but He is not there. And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; 23:9: When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. 

23:10: But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.

23:11: My foot has held fast to His steps; I have I kept His way and not turned aside.

23:12: I have not departed from the commandment of His lips; I have treasured the words of His mouth more than my necessary food.

INTIMATION: 

There are times when God seems far away, and you eventually feels abandoned. You may have been working in righteousness, and obedience to God, but still nothing seems to work for you. Worst still, you may look around you and see the wicked and unrighteous prospering. People may even be asking you, “Where is your God.” When God seems distant, you may feel that He is angry with you or is disciplining you for some sin. Though it is a fact that sin does disconnect us from intimate fellowship with God because it grieves His Spirit and quench our fellowship with Him. By our disobedience, conflict with others, busyness, friendship with the world, and other sins we grieve His Spirit. 

But quite often this feeling of abandonment or estrangement from God has nothing to do with sin. It is a test of faith, and is obvious we all must face this test. In such situations, will you continue to love, trust, obey, and worship God, even when you have no sense of His presence or visible evidence of His work in your life? That is the test, and just the right thing to do!

The most common mistake Christians make in worship today is seeking an experience rather than seeking God. They look for a feeling, and if it happens, they conclude that they have worshiped. This is very wrong! In fact, God often removes our feelings so we won't depend on them. Seeking a feeling, even the feeling of closeness to Christ, is not worship. When you are a baby Christian, God gives you a lot of confirming emotions and often answers the most immature, self-centered prayers, so you'll know He exists. But as you grow in faith, He will wean you of these dependencies. 

God's omnipresence and the manifestation of His presence are two different things. One is a fact, the other is often a feeling. God is always present, even when you are unaware of Him, and His presence is too profound to be measured by mere emotion. Of course, God wants you to sense His presence, but He is more concerned that you trust Him than that you feel Him. Faith, not feelings, pleases God. 

The situations that will stretch your faith most will be those times when life falls apart and God is nowhere to be found. This happened to Job. On a single day he lost everything—his family, his business, his health, and everything he owned. Most discouraging, in thirty-seven chapters in the Book of Job God said nothing! 

The realization of the fact that God, at some points in our lives, tests us with His deliberate silence to observe our commitment and trust in Him, gave Job hope when he could not feel God's presence in his life. He said, "Look, I go forward, but He is not there. And backward, but I cannot perceive Him; When He works on the left hand, I cannot behold Him; When He turns to the right hand, I cannot see Him. But He knows the way that I take; When He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23 vs 8 - 10.) What a great and awesome faith!

How do you praise God when you don't understand what's happening in your life and God is silent? How do you stay connected in a crisis without communication? How do you keep your eyes on Jesus when they're full of tears? You do what Job did: "Then Job arose,......and fell to the ground and worshiped. And He said: "Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord. In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." (Job 1 vs 20 - 22.)

Job didn't hide his overwhelming grief. He had not lost his faith in God; instead, his emotions showed that he was human and that he loved his family. God created our emotions, and it is not sinful or inappropriate to express them as Job did. Even the Lord Jesus expressed His when He wept (John 11 vs 35). 

If you have experienced a deep loss, a disappointment, or a heartbreak, admit your feelings to yourself and others, and grieve. Job had lost his possessions and family, but he reacted rightly toward God by acknowledging God's sovereign authority over everything God had given him. Job proved that people can love God for who He is, not for what He gives. In the unfortunate circumstances Job worshiped the Lord, blessed His name, and never sinned nor charged God with any wrong! This should be the believers’ attitude or reaction in such situations as Job’s—when God seems far away.

Prayer: Abba Father, forever Yours I am and Yours I want to be. Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vine; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the flocks die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the Lord! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation. Do to me, and with as it is pleasing to You, in Jesus’ Name I prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Subversive for the Savior

 Subversive for the Savior

When Jesus met the man filled with demons at Gadara, the demons cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time?” (Matthew 8:29)

Demons learned a mystery here. They knew they were doomed. They knew the Son of God would be the victor. But they didn’t know until it happened that Christ was coming before the time of final defeat. 

Christ is not going to wait for the end of the war to lead his troops into combat. He has begun to lead a subversive force into the territory of Satan. He has trained a “life-squad” to perform daring rescue operations. Christ has plotted many tactical victories before the time of the final strategic victory.

The resulting wartime mentality is this: Since Satan’s doom is sure, and he knows it, we can always remind him of it when he tempts us to follow him. We can laugh and say, “You’re out of your mind. Who wants to join forces with a loser?!”

The church is the liberated enemy of “the god of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4). We are the guerrillas and the gadflies. We are the insurgency against the rebel kingdom of “the prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2). 

It is not safe. But it is thrilling. Many lives are lost. Satan’s forces are ever on the lookout for our subversive activity. Christ has guaranteed resurrection for all who fight to the death. But he has not guaranteed comfort, or acceptance from the world, or prosperity in enemy territory. 

Many have gladly given their lives behind the lines running errands for the Commander. I can think of no better way to live — or die!

THE DOUBLE-MINDED MAN!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY MARCH 15, 2025.

SUBJECT: THE DOUBLE-MINDED MAN! 

Memory verse: "Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them." (Mark 11 vs 24.)

READ: James 1 vs 5 - 8:

1:5: If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.

1:6: But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.

1:7: For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord;

1:8: he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

INTIMATION:

A double-minded man is a two-souled man. The soul is the seat of the will and purpose of the human’s life. If the human’s will and purpose is unstable and wavers between two opinions, he is two-souled, that is double-minded. Such people, in the morning they are confessing Christ and His finished works on the cross, but in the evening they are rebuking Satan for his hold on them. The mind that wavers is not completely convinced that God’s way is the best. It treats God’s Word like any human advice and retains the option to disobey. It vacillates between allegiance to subjective feelings, the world’s ideas, and God’s command. 

First Kings 18 vs 21 gives us a graphic description of that kind of human: "And Elijah came to all people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word." Elijah was confronted with the problem of dealing with double-minded men. In the modern church, and indeed the world, we have the same problem. 

Many people, including believers, are very unstable in their ways. They hardly can take a stand in their lives. In fact, it is grievous when they cannot take a stand in their relationship with God. It is absolutely important to take a stand for the Lord. If you just drift along with whatever is pleasant and easy, you will someday discover that you have been worshipping a false god—“yourself!”

If you have ever seen the constant rolling of huge waves at sea, you know how restless they are; subject to the forces of wind, gravity, and tide. Doubt leaves a person as unsettled as the restless waves. If you want to stop being tossed about, rely on God to show you what is best for you. Ask Him for wisdom, and trust that He will give it to you. Then your decision will be sure and solid. 

The Scripture is very apt on trusting in God and receiving from Him: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.” (Hebrews 11 vs 6.) We must believe not only in the existence of God but also in His loving care. This include relying on God and expecting that He will hear and answer when we pray. We must put away our critical attitude when we come to Him. And trust in His assurance of His reward to those who honestly seek Him; who act in faith on the knowledge of God that they possess. 

Some people need to doubt before they believe. If doubt leads to questions, and questions leads to answers, and if the answers are accepted, then doubt has done good work. It is when doubt becomes stubbornness and stubbornness becomes a prideful lifestyle that harms faith. When you doubt, don’t stop there. Let your doubt deepen your faith as you continue to search for the answer.

Prayer: Abba Father, my total trust and confidence is in You. You are my everything. I resist and rebuke any planting of doubt in my mind by the evil one. Endue me with unwavering faith in You in all things and at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Triumph Is Sure

 The Triumph Is Sure

Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you. (Isaiah 25:3)

Isaiah sees the day coming when all the nations — representatives from all the people groups — will no longer be at odds with Yahweh, the God of Israel and his Messiah, whom we know to be Jesus. 

They will no longer worship Bel or Nebo or Molech or Allah or Buddha or utopian social programs or capitalistic growth possibilities or ancestors or animistic spirits. Instead they will come in faith to the banquet on God’s mountain. 

And they will have the veil of sorrow removed and death shall be swallowed up and the reproach of God’s people will be removed and tears shall be gone forever.

That’s the setting for understanding the vision of Isaiah 25:3: “Therefore strong peoples will glorify you; cities of ruthless nations will fear you.” In other words, God is stronger than the “strong peoples” and he is so powerful and so gracious that in the end he will turn ruthless nations to revere him.

So the picture Isaiah gives us is one of all nations turned to God in worship, a great banquet for all the peoples, the removal of all suffering and grief and reproach from the nations, who have become his people, and the final putting away of death forever. 

This triumph is sure because God is doing it. Therefore we can be certain of it. 

Not one life spent in the cause of world evangelization is spent in vain. Not one prayer or one dollar or one sermon or one letter of encouragement or one little light shining in some dark place — nothing in the cause of this advancing kingdom is in vain.

The triumph is sure.