You Were Made for God

 You Were Made for God

“For the Lord will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the Lord to make you a people for himself.” (1 Samuel 12:22)

The name of God often refers to his reputation, his fame, his renown. This is the way we use the word “name” when we say someone is making a name for himself. Or we sometimes say, that’s a “name” brand. We mean a brand with a big reputation. This is what I think Samuel means in 1 Samuel 12:22 when he says that God made Israel a people “for himself” and that he would not cast Israel off “for his great name’s sake.”

This way of thinking about God’s zeal for his name is confirmed in many other passages. 

For example, in Jeremiah 13:11 God describes Israel as a waistcloth, or belt, with which God chose to highlight his glory, even though there were times when Israel was temporarily unfit. “For as the loincloth clings to the waist of a man, so I made the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah cling to me, declares the Lord, that they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would not listen.” Why was Israel chosen and made the garment of God? That it might be a “name, a praise, and a glory.” 

The words “praise” and “glory” in this context tell us that “name” means “fame” or “renown” or “reputation.” God chose Israel so that the people would make a reputation for him. God says in Isaiah 43:21 that Israel is “the people whom I formed for myself that they might declare my praise.” 

And when the church came to see itself in the New Testament as the true Israel, Peter described God’s purpose for us like this: “You are a chosen race . . . that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

In other words, Israel and the church are chosen by God to make a name for him in the world. This is why we pray first and foremost, “Hallowed be your name” (Matthew 6:9). This is why we pray, “Lead us in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake” (see Psalm 23:3).

When we speak of being a God-centered people, remember, this is because we are joining God in his God-centeredness. And on this side of the cross, that means being a Christ-dependent, Christ-exalting people. “I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake” (1 John 2:12). “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3:17).

FEED YOUR MIND WITH GOOD THINGS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY APRIL 26, 2025.

SUBJECT : FEED YOUR MIND WITH GOOD THINGS!

Memory verse: "Finally brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things." (Philippians 4 vs 8.)

READ: Philippians 2 vs 5 - 8:

2:5: Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 

2:6: who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 

2:7: but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 

2:8: And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death of the cross.

INTIMATION:

The mind is the seat of reflection, consciousness, comprising the faculties of perception, understanding, feeling, judging and determining. The activities of the mind, therefore, is usually expressed outwardly, and determines our attitudes. Our attitudes color our whole personality. Essentially, what we feed our minds is absolutely very important, just as important as what we feed our bodies to be good and healthy. The secret to a happy heart is filling our minds with thoughts that are true, lovely, and pure; thoughts that dwell on the good things of life. And the secret of a spiritually healthy life—the Christlike life—is to be spiritually minded; filling our minds with things that heavenly and eternal.

What we put into our mind determines what comes out in our words and actions. The apostle Paul tells us to program our minds with thoughts that are true, noble, right, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy. Always examine what you are putting into your mind through television, internet, books, conversations, movies, and magazines. The kinds of books we read, the people we talk with, the music we listen to, and the films we watch are all part of our mental diet. 

Be discerning because what you feed your mind influences your total health and spiritual well-being. Be careful to replace harmful inputs with wholesome materials. Above all, read God's Word and pray. Ask God to help you focus your mind on what is good and pure. It takes practice to effect perfection, and know it can be done. 

Do you have problems with impure thoughts and daydreams? The Bible gives an antidote to this problem—renewal of your mind: “And do not be conformed to this world,  but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, Will of God.” (Romans 12 vs 2.) God has good, pleasing, and perfect plans for His children. He wants us to be transformed people with renewed minds, living to honor and obey Him. 

We live in a corrupt world with behavior and customs that are usually selfish and often corrupting. The worldly behavior should be off-limits for ever child of God. Our refusal to conform to this world’s values, however, must be even deeper than just behavior and customs; it must be firmly planted in our mind: 

It is possible to avoid most worldly customs and still be proud, covetous, selfish, stubborn, and arrogant. Only when the Holy Spirit renews, re-educates, and redirects  our mind are we truly transformed. Let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. The transformed mind helps us face the struggles of daily living, being completely focused on God. It is noteworthy that we cannot always choose what happens to us, but we can choose our attitude toward each situation. 

Prayer: Abba Father, renew my mind to be in union with the mind of Christ, and not in conformity with the world’s standards, that I may do Your Will at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen. 

PRAISE THE LORD!

Paul’s Salvation Was for You

 Paul’s Salvation Was for You

Formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. . . . I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. (1 Timothy 1:13–14, 16) 

Paul’s conversion was for your sake. Did you hear that? Here it is again: “I received mercy for this reason, that Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” That’s us — you and me. 

I hope you will hear this very personally. God had you in view when he chose Paul and saved him by sovereign grace just the way he did.

If you believe on Jesus for eternal life — or if you may yet believe on him for eternal life — Paul’s conversion is for your sake. The point of his conversion happening the way it did is to make Christ’s incredible patience vivid for you. 

Remember that Paul’s pre-conversion life was a long, long trial to Jesus. “Why are you persecuting me?” Jesus asked on the Damascus road (Acts 9:4). “Your life of unbelief and rebellion is a persecution of me!” And yet Paul tells us in Galatians 1:15 that he had been set apart by God for his apostleship since before he was born. That’s amazing. It means that all his life up to the point of his conversion was one long abuse of God, and one long rejection and mockery of Jesus — who had chosen him to be an apostle before he was born.

That is why Paul says his conversion is a brilliant demonstration of Jesus’s patience. And that is what he offers us today.

It was for our sake that Jesus saved Paul when and how he did. To “display his perfect patience” to us (1 Timothy 1:16). Lest we lose heart. Lest we think he could not really save us. Lest we think he is prone to anger. Lest we think we have gone too far away. Lest we think our dearest one cannot be converted — suddenly, unexpectedly, by the sovereign, overflowing grace of Jesus.

THE HUMBLE AND CONTRITE HEART!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY APRIL 25, 2025.

SUBJECT: THE HUMBLE AND CONTRITE HEART!

Memory verse: "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, these O God, You will not despise." (Psalms 51 vs 17.)

READ: Isaiah 57 vs 15:

57:15: For thus says the High and Lofty One Who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy; “I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.”

INTIMATION:

The heart is the seat of the affections or sensibilities, collectively or separately, such as love, hate, joy, grief, courage, and the like; It is the spring of all our actions and purposes; the seat of moral life and character; the individual disposition and character; as, a good, tender, loving, bad, hard, or selfish heart.

Though God is exalted above the heavens, at the same time the Omnipresent God dwells in the hearts of the humble and contrite. In our relationship with God, He demands a humble and contrite (grieving and penitent for sin) heart. Humility means proper respect for God, and only in such manner can one fellowship and hear Him. You can never please God by outward actions (no matter how good) if your heart attitude is not right. The heart attitude is what God is mindful of.

God’s demand for a humble and contrite heart is because with such heart, one recognizes his humanity, his spiritual poverty and destitution. One must empty himself of self-reliance and learn to humble himself before God. Those with such attitude of mind will submit to the kingdom reign of God. Such people recognize their spiritual poverty and, therefore, humbly grieve over their sinfulness—their inadequacies before God.

When one mourns over his sin, his relationship with others change. He becomes mild, gentle, lowly and unselfish in character. He is not arrogant or self-seeking. Those who realize their sinful condition and mourn or contrite over their sin, hunger and thirst after justification (righteousness) that can come only from God by His grace. They seek the knowledge of God through His word. It is the Word of God that will supply the knowledge of how to be justified of one’s sin. God is the source of all righteousness. 

Those who recognize their own spiritual poverty are merciful to others. They sympathize and have pity on others. They, therefore, seek to relieve the suffering of others because God has had mercy on them in relation to their sin. And the mercy will reap mercy from God. Those who recognize their own sinfulness will seek peace of mind with others. Such are sons of God for they portray the spirit of God in their relationship with others. They are not contentious, nor do they have a spirit to argue with others.

One’s honest recognition of his spiritual dilemma leads him to frustration. The morally conscious person who seeks to do right realizes the law of his own natural fallibility to live flawlessly in reference to law. Every man must come to the point of self-recognition. Each person must recognize that his life is a “body of death” because we cannot obey law in a manner to justify ourselves before God. Therefore, we must humble ourselves before God for justification by His grace.

Christians have been chosen by God as Christ’s representatives on earth. They, therefore, should conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the calling they have received—the awesome privilege of being called Christ’s very own. This includes being humble, gentle, patient, understanding, and peaceful. People are watching your life. Can they see Christ in you? How well are you doing as His representative?

Being humble involves having a true perspective about oneself. It does not mean you should put yourself down. Before God, we are sinners, saved only by God’s grace, but we are saved and therefore, have great worth in God’s kingdom. We are to lay aside selfishness and treat others with respect and common courtesy, God desires a broken spirit that is manifested through repentance, and this is what a humble and contrite heart offer.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the excellent spirit of humility, and create in me a clean heart contrite for my sins always, that I may please You and have fellowship with You at all times, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Liberating Power of Forgiveness

 The Liberating Power of Forgiveness

“Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:48)

A woman comes to Jesus in a Pharisee’s house weeping and washing his feet. No doubt she felt shame as the eyes of Simon communicated to everyone present that this woman was a sinner and that Jesus had no business letting her touch him. 

Indeed, she was a sinner. There was a place for true shame. But not for too long. 

Jesus said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Luke 7:48). And when the guests murmured about this, he strengthened her faith by saying, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace” (Luke 7:50). 

How did Jesus help her battle the crippling effects of shame? He gave her a promise: “Your sins have been forgiven! Your faith has saved you. Your future will be one of peace.” He declared that past pardon would now yield future peace. 

So, the issue for her was faith in God’s future grace, rooted in the authority of Jesus’s forgiving work and freeing word. That is the way every one of us must battle the effects of well-placed shame — not false shame, but shame that we really should feel, but shame that threatens to linger too long and cripple us. 

We must battle the unbelief of crippling shame by taking hold of the promises of future grace and peace that come through the forgiveness of our shameful acts. 

“With you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.” (Psalm 130:4) 

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.” (Isaiah 55:6–7) 

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

“To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43)

All of us need forgiveness. And we will need it tomorrow. Jesus died to provide it today and tomorrow. Today or tomorrow the reality is this: God’s forgiveness liberates us for our future. It frees us from crippling shame. Forgiveness is full of future grace. 

When we live by faith in future grace, rooted in God’s forgiveness, we are freed from the lingering, paralyzing effects even of the shame we deserve to feel. That’s what forgiveness means.

THE FORCE OF FAITH IN PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY APRIL 24, 2025.

SUBJECT : THE FORCE OF  FAITH IN PRAYER!

Memory verse: "But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he that comes to God, must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him." (Hebrews 11 vs 6.)

READ: Hebrews 10 vs 19 - 23:

10:19: Therefore, brethren, having boldness to enter the Holiest by the blood of Jesus, 

10:20: by a new and living way which He consecrated for us, through the veil, that is, His flesh,

10:21: and having a High Priest over the house of God,

10:22: let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

10:23: Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.

INTIMATION:

Building up your faith is a prerequisite for effectual communication with God. Faith is a potent force without which prayer will be absolutely unproductive. The Bible defines faith as "The substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11 vs 1.) You are holding in confidence the things you have asked in prayers, and perceiving as real facts what is not revealed to the senses. It is the ticket on which you take delivery of anything from heaven.

Your confidence in God must first be in place before you ask Him for anything, because though His Word presented before Him, in accordance with His Will, He grants you audience in the Throne Room. It’s your faith in Him and in His Word that motivates Him to act on your behalf. Therefore, it is you, not God, who determines whether your prayer gets answered or not. Though ‘He is ready to perform His Word’ (Jeremiah 1 vs 12), He demands your faith that leads to a personal, dynamic relationship with Him.

You don't only approach God with His Word, you must come with an unwavering assurance that ‘He abides faithful and cannot deny Himself’ (Second Timothy 2 vs 13). Therefore, your approach to the Throne Room must be with unwavering faith. The apostle James, in James 1 vs 6 - 7 says, "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. For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord."

Once faith and trust in God is established, you can rest assured of results when you pray in accordance with His Will. You will not only believe in the existence of God, but also believe in His loving care. That is relying on God with full  expectations that He will hear and answer when you pray rightly.

In Matthew 9, two blind men prayed to Jesus for the restoration of their sight. Even though Jesus heard them, He did not heal them until He was assured of their faith in Him: "When Jesus departed from there, two blind men followed Him, crying out and saying, "Son of David, have mercy on us!" And when He had come into the house, the blind men came to Him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this? They said to Him. Yes, Lord. Then He touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith let it  be to you." And their eyes were opened...." (Matthew 9 vs 27 - 30.)

Jesus didn't respond immediately to the blind men's pleas. He waited to see if they had faith. They followed Him all through to the house, pleading with Him to heal them, and that shows believe and commitment. Not everyone who says he wants help really believes God can help him. Jesus may have waited and questioned these men to emphasize and increase their faith. When you think that God is too slow in answering your prayers, consider that He might be testing you as He did the blind men.

Jesus, by His death and offering of His blood in atonement for our sins, has made it possible for us to approach God in the Throne Room directly. We must not come halfheartedly or with improper motives or pretense, but with pure, individual, and sincere worship in faith. We can know that we have “a true heart” If we evaluate our thoughts and motives according to His Word. Christians can approach God boldly, free from our “evil conscience” and in full assurance because of the work Jesus Christ did for us in redemption.

Under the new covenant of accepting the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, our hearts and consciences are cleansed completely, not partially or temporarily, from dead works to serve the living God (Hebrews 9 vs 14). Christ’s sacrifice transforms our lives and hearts and make us clean on the inside. Our clean conscience allow us to enter God’s presence with boldness. We have a personal access to God through Christ and can draw near to Him without an elaborate system, and growing in faith to deepen our relationship with God.

Prayer: Abba Father, my trust is in You who made heaven and earth. Forever You are my God and in You I live, and move, and have my being. Whatever You cannot give me, let me not have it. Whatever You cannot do for me, let it remain undone. My absolute faith is in You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Seek Your City’s Good

 Seek Your City’s Good

“Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, to all the exiles whom I have sent into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon: Build houses and live in them; plant gardens and eat their produce. . . . But seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the Lord on its behalf, for in its welfare you will find your welfare.” (Jeremiah 29:4–5, 7)

If that was true for God’s exiles in Babylon, it would seem to be even more true for Christian exiles in this very “Babylon-like” world. What, then, shall we do?

We should do the ordinary things that need to be done: build houses; live in them; plant gardens. This does not contaminate you if you do it all for the real King and not just for eye service as men-pleasers.

Seek the welfare of the place where God has sent you. Think of yourself as sent there by God for his glory. Because you are.

Pray to the Lord on behalf of your city. Ask for great and good things to happen for the city. Ask that they happen by God’s power and for his glory. Never lose sight of the ultimate good that the city needs a thousand times more than it needs material prosperity. Christians care about all suffering — especially eternal suffering. That’s the greatest danger every city faces.

But neither God nor his people are indifferent to the health and safety and prosperity and freedom of the city. We all want these things, and Jesus said, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). In fact, the Lord says in Jeremiah that loving your city is a way of loving yourself: “In its welfare you will find your welfare.”

This does not mean we give up our exile orientation. Peter says that Christians are “sojourners and exiles” (1 Peter 2:11) and Paul says “our citizenship is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20). In fact, we will do most good for this world by keeping a steadfast freedom from its beguiling attractions. We will serve our city best by getting our values from “the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). We will do our city most good by calling as many of its citizens as we can to be citizens of “the Jerusalem above” (Galatians 4:26).

So, let’s live — let’s do so much good (1 Peter 2:12) — that the natives will want to meet our King.