A Dangerous Motive

 A Dangerous Motive

“Who has given a gift to [God] that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. (Romans 11:35–36)

When it comes to obedience, gratitude is a dangerous motive. It tends to get expressed in debtor’s terms. For example, “Look how much God has done for you. Shouldn’t you, out of gratitude, do much for him?” Or, “You owe God everything that you are and have. What have you done for him in return?”

I have at least three problems with this kind of motivation. 

First, it is impossible to pay God back for all the grace he has given us. We can’t even begin to pay him back, because Romans 11:35–36 says, “‘Who has given a gift to [God] that he might be repaid?’ [Answer: Nobody!] For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever.” We can’t pay him back because he already owns all we have to give him — including all our efforts.

Secondly, even if we succeeded in paying him back for all his grace to us, we would only succeed in turning grace into a business transaction. If we can pay him back, it was not grace. If someone tries to show you a special favor of love by having you over for dinner, and you end the evening by saying that you will pay them back by having them over next week, you nullify their grace and turn it into a trade. God does not like to have his grace nullified. He likes to have it glorified (Ephesians 1:6, 12, 14).

Thirdly, focusing on gratitude as a motive for obedience tends to overlook the crucial importance of having faith in God’s future grace. Gratitude looks back to grace received in the past and feels thankful. Faith looks forward to grace promised in the future — whether five minutes from now or five centuries from now — and feels hopeful. “Faith is the assurance of things hoped for” (Hebrews 11:1).

This faith in future grace is the motive for obedience that preserves the gracious quality of human obedience. Obedience does not consist in paying God back and thus turning grace into a trade. Obedience comes from trusting in God for more grace — future grace — and thus magnifying the infinite resources of God’s love and power. Faith looks to the promise, I will be “with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1:9), and ventures, in obedience, to tak

e the land.

LESSONS FROM OUR LORD’S PRAYER!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MAY 04, 2025.

SUBJECT : LESSONS FROM OUR LORD’S PRAYER!

Memory verse: "And the Lord will deliver me from the evil work and preserve me for heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!" (Second Timothy 4 vs 18.)

READ: Matthew 6 vs 9 - 13:

6:9: In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.

6:10: Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

6:11: Give us this day our daily bread. 

6:12: And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors.

6:13: And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. 

INTIMATION:

Jesus thought His disciples how to pray. This is often called the ‘Lord's Prayer’q because Jesus gave it to them as a model for them (and us) to keep in mind as we pray. Our prayers should be modeled in that pattern. Jesus provided a pattern to be imitated as well as duplicated. We should praise God, pray for His work in the world, pray for our daily needs, and pray for help in our daily struggles.

The phrase "Our Father in heaven" indicates that God is not only majestic and Holy, dwelling in His eternal place—heaven, but also personal and loving—our Father. The first line of the prayer is a statement of praise and a commitment to hallow, or honor God's Holy name. Praise is to be ascribed to God in respect of His glory; the exhibition of His character and operations. We honor God's name by being careful to use it respectfully. If we use God’s Name lightly, we aren’t remembering God’s holiness. 

The phrase "Your kingdom come" is a reference to God's spiritual reign to be heralded by the coming of Christ. God's kingdom was announced in the covenant with Abraham; “...in You all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Genesis 12 vs 3). The kingdom  is present in Christ's reign in believers' hearts; “...For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you” (Luke 17 vs 21), and will be complete when all evil is destroyed and God establishes the new heaven and earth (Revelation 21 vs 1). The kingdom of God begins with the work of God’s Spirit in people’s lives and in our relationships.

When we pray "Your will be done" we are not resigning ourselves to fate, but praying that God's perfect purpose will be accomplished in this world as well as the next. And how does God accomplish His purpose on earth? He does it largely through people willing to obey Him. This part of prayer allows us to offer ourselves as doers of God’s purposes or Will, asking Him to guide, lead, and give us the means to accomplish His purposes. Consequently, the lines of prayer hereafter are geared toward His means, guidance, and leading to accomplish His purposes.

When we pray "Give us this day our daily bread" we are acknowledging that God is our sustainer and provider. It is a misconception to think that we provide for our needs ourselves. We must trust God daily to provide what He knows we need, “...For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him” (Matthew 5 vs 8), and promises to provide those needs to enable us serve His predetermined purposes.

God’s thoughts toward us is of peace, and not of evil (Jeremiah 29 vs 11). God doesn't lead us into temptations, but sometimes He allows us to be tested by them in preparing us for His predestined services. He knows the future, and His plans for us are good and full of hope. As disciples, we should pray to be delivered from these trying times and for deliverance from Satan, his deceit, and his cohorts.

All Christians struggle with temptation. Sometimes it is so subtle that we don't even realize what is happening to us. God has promised that He won't allow us to be tempted beyond what we can bear; “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (First Corinthians 10 vs 13). 

We will always ask God to help us recognize temptation and to give us strength to overcome it and choose God's way instead. As long as God, who knows the future, provides our agenda, and goes with us as our Leader, to fulfill His mission, we can have boundless hope. 

Prayer: Abba Father, You are my Loving Father, my Faithful Companion, and my Sacrificial Savior. Outside of You I am nothin, worthless, and can do nothing. Endue me with the excellent spirit of follower-ship and obedience to You in all things, all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

How to Ask Forgiveness

 How to Ask Forgiveness

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins. (1 John 1:9)

I recall hearing one of my professors in seminary say that one of the best tests of a person’s theology was the effect it has on our prayers. 

This struck me as true because of what was happening in my own life. Noël and I had just been married and we were making it our practice to pray together each evening. I noticed that during the biblical courses which were shaping my theology most profoundly, my prayers were changing dramatically. 

Probably the most significant change in those days was that I was learning to make my case before God on the ground of his glory. Beginning with “Hallowed be Thy name” and ending with “In Jesus’s name” meant that the glory of God’s name was the goal and the ground of everything I prayed. 

And what a strength came into my life when I learned that praying for forgiveness should be based not only on an appeal to God’s mercy, but also on an appeal to his justice in crediting the worth of his Son’s obedience. God is faithful and just and will forgive your sins (1 John 1:9).

In the New Testament, the basis of all forgiveness of sins is revealed more clearly than it was in the Old Testament, but the basis, namely, God’s commitment to his name, does not change. 

Paul teaches that the death of Christ demonstrated God’s righteousness in passing over sins, and vindicated God’s justice in justifying the ungodly who bank on Jesus and not themselves (Romans 3:25–26). 

In other words, Christ died once for all to clear the name of God in what looks like a gross miscarriage of justice — the acquittal of guilty sinners simply for Jesus’s sake. But Jesus died in such a way that forgiveness “for Jesus’s sake” is the same as forgiveness “for the sake of God’s name.” There is no miscarriage of justice. God’s name, his righteousness, his justice is vindicated in the very act of providing such a God-honoring sacrifice. 

As Jesus said as he faced that last hour, “Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name” (John 12:27–28). That is exactly what he did — so that he might be both just and the justifier of those who trust in Jesus (Romans 3:26).

COVET EARNESTLY THE SPIRIT OF SERVANTHOOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY MAY 03, 2025.

SUBJECT: COVET EARNESTLY THE SPIRIT OF SERVANTHOOD!

Memory verse: "And whoever desires to be first among you, let him be your slave.” (Matthew 20 vs 27.)

READ: Luke 22 vs 24 - 27: 

22:24: Now there was also a dispute among them, as to which of them should be considered the greatest. 

22:25: And He said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles exercise leadership over them, and those who exercise authority over them are called 'benefactors.' 

22:26: But not so among you, on the contrary, he who is greatest among you, let him be as the younger, and he who governs as he who serves. 

22:27: For who is greater, he who sits at the table, or he who serves? Is it not he who sits at the table? Yet I am among you as the One who serves."

INTIMATION:

The world's system of leadership is very different from leadership in God's kingdom. Worldly leaders are often selfish and arrogant as they claw their way to the top. In the ancient world, leaders exercise authority over their subjects. Even in their high-handedness, as their subjects worship them, they ironically called themselves “Benefactors,” that is “Friend of the people.”

But among Christians, the leader is to be the one who serves best. No matter your style of leadership, you need a servant's heart. Always ask the people how you can serve better. And pray for the servant's spirit to indwell you.

Jesus' teaching, and servanthood turned the world upside down. By the world's standard and interpretation, being a leader is being in a position of authority, and power, which serves as a tool to gain control over others. But Jesus, in the contrary, did the opposite; He possesses all the powers and authority in heaven and on earth, but chose to serve others. Jesus said to His disciples in Matthew 20 vs 28, “...The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and give His life a random for many.”

Jesus, during His earth walk, did all He preached—leading by example; He was always ready to serve. For instance, He offered Himself for service almost immediately He told the disciples about service in the passage we read today. As they were leaving Jericho, two blind men demanded His service to care for them. Even when the crowd that followed Jesus were rebuking them to keep quiet, they cried out the more for His service. Jesus stopped, called them, asked them of the service they required of Him, and offered His service to them by restoring their sight according to their request. (See Matthew 20 vs 29 - 34.)

Jesus also held children in His arms, healed the sick, washed the disciples' feet, and ultimately died for the sins of the world. Following Jesus means receiving this same power to serve. As believers, we are called to be servants of Christ, and others. As He served, so shall we serve.

Jesus described leadership from the perspective of service. He showed that a real leader, of which He is One, should have a servant's heart—endued with the spirit of servanthood. In our memory verse, Jesus said, ‘A leader should serve the people, instead of being served by the people.’ Such leaders are known as servant-leaders, and they appreciate others' worth and realize that they're not above any job.

The spirit of servanthood is a godly spirit that identifies a child of God. For instance, in Genesis 24 vs 18 - 21, the spirit of servanthood in Rebekah erupted in her when Eliezer beckoned on her to help serve him and his camels. She gladly, and quickly drew water for them. The pots used then for carrying water were large and heavy. It takes a lot of water to satisfy a thirsty camel—up to 25 gallons per camel after a week's travel. 

Seeing Rebekah go to work, Eliezer knew this was a woman with a heart for doing far more than the bare minimum, the heart of a child of God. This should be our attitude at all times. Do you have a servant spirit? When asked to help or when you see a need, go beyond the minimum.

Prayer:Abba Father, You created me to serve You, and others. Endue me with the spirit of servanthood, that I may gladly serve You, and others, according to Your Will, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

WORSHIP GOD ONLY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY MAY 02, 2025.

SUBJECT : WORSHIP GOD ONLY!

Memory verse: “And I fell at his feet to worship him. But he said to me, “See that you do not do that! I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren who  have the testimony of Jesus. Worship God! For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy." (Revelation 19 vs 10.)

READ: : Acts 14 vs 8 - 15:

14:8: And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother's womb, who had never walked.

14:9: This man heard Paul speaking. Paul observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed,

14:10: said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked.

14:11: Now, when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!”

14:12: And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermès, because he was the chief speaker.

14:13: Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitude.

14:14: But when the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard this, they tore their clothes, and ran in among the multitude, crying out

14:15: and saying, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you, and preach to you that you should turn from these useless things to the living God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all things that are in them,

INTIMATION:

Worship is to make obeisance, do reverence to. It is used as an act of homage or reverence. Regarding God Almighty, it is the appropriate response to God’s self-revelation. The worship of God is nowhere defined in the Scriptures. Broadly it may be regarded as the direct acknowledgement to God; of His nature, attributes, ways and claims, whether by the outgoing of the heart in praise or thanksgiving or by deed done in such acknowledgement. 

God is Supreme, and there is none like Him (Exodus 9 vs 14; Isaiah 46 vs 9). In recognition of God’s supremacy and unique attributes, the Scripture says we should worship Him alone. In our memory verse, this truth is reiterated; the angel instructs John to “worship God,” and worship is a major emphasis in the book of Revelation. The Scripture says, “Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I had heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things. Then he said to me, “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book: worship God.” (Revelation 22 vs 8 - 9.) 

In the passage we read today, the apostle Paul, after performing a miracle of raising the crippled man in Lystra, observed that the people wanted to honor and sacrifice to them as gods. Paul and Barnabas refusing to allow such, tore their clothes, and ran in among the multitude, cried out in a loud voice and said to the people, “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men with the same nature as you...” 

In the same manner, the apostle Peter corrected Cornelius when he visited him at Caesarea as instructed by the Spirit of the Lord: “As Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshipped him. But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I am also a man.” (Acts 10 vs 25 - 26.)

However, this wrong practice of not worshiping God alone is common among believers. They put aside worshiping the Creator in order to worship the creation. Their reverence and worship of their spiritual leaders are far more pronounced than what the angel and apostles admonished their followers not to do. It is a common site in our churches and fellowships where the congregants fall on their knees before the spiritual leaders to acknowledge them, even in ordinary greetings. 

While the name of Jesus is often called in vain and without reverence by many; a small occurrence in their lives, like something falling off their hands, occasions the shout of the name ‘Jesus.’ Where is the reverence of the name in such circumstance? The Lord, in Malachi 1 vs 6, says, “A son honors his father, and a servant his master, If then I am the Father, where is My honor? And if I am a Master, where is My reverence?”  

God should be worshipped alone. That we do not see Him, is not an excuse not to honor and worship Him appropriately. Reverence to His name should be at all times, and in all situations. Never use His name in vain: “You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.” (Exodus 20 vs 7.) 

God’s name is special because it carries His personal identity. Using it frivolously or in a curse is so common today that we may fail to realize how serious it is. The way to use God’s name conveys how we really feel about Him. We should respect His name and use it appropriately, speaking it in praise or worship rather than in curse or jest. We should not take lightly the abuse or dishonor of His name.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are the only God, there is no other. You alone will I worship. Give me the grace to acknowledge You always for who You are, in all my ways, and to thank You for all You do, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Dirty Rags No More

 Dirty Rags No More

We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. (Isaiah 64:6)

It is true that any shortcoming of God’s law offends his perfect holiness and makes us liable to judgment, since God cannot look with favor on any sin (Habakkuk 1:13; James 2:10–11). 

But what brought a person to ruin in the Old Testament (and it is the same for us today) was not the failure to have the righteousness of sinless perfection. What brought them to ruin was the failure to trust in the merciful promises of God, especially the hope that he would one day provide a Redeemer who would be a perfect righteousness for his people (“The Lord is our righteousness,” Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16). The Old Testament saints knew that this is how they were saved, and that this faith was the key to obedience, and that obedience was the evidence of this faith. 

It is terribly confusing when people say that the only righteousness that has any value is the imputed righteousness of Christ. To be sure, justification is not grounded on any of our righteousness — even Spirit-given righteousness by faith — but only on the righteousness of Christ imputed to us. But sometimes people are careless and speak disparagingly of all human righteousness, as if there were no such righteousness worked in us that pleased God. This is not helpful.

They often cite Isaiah 64:6, which says our righteousness is as filthy rags, or “a polluted garment.” 

But in the context, Isaiah 64:6 does not mean that all righteousness performed by God’s people is unacceptable to God. Isaiah is referring to people whose righteousness is in fact hypocritical. It is no longer righteousness. But in the verse just before this, Isaiah says that God approvingly meets “him who joyfully works righteousness” (Isaiah 64:5).

It’s true — gloriously true — that none of God’s people, before or after the cross, would be accepted by an immaculately holy God if the perfect righteousness of Christ were not imputed to us (Romans 5:19; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 5:21). That is true! But that does not mean God does not produce in those very “justified” people an experiential righteousness that is not a “polluted garment” — even though it is not yet perfected. 

In fact, he does produce such a righteousness, and this righteousness is precious to God and is, in fact, required — not as the ground of our justification (which is the righteousness of Christ only), but as an evidence of our being truly justified children of God. This is what Paul prays for, and we should pray for. He prays in Philippians 1:10–11 “that you may approve what is excellent, and so be pure and blameless for the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.”

BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MAY 01, 2025. 

SUBJECT: BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS!

Memory verse: "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thornbushes, or figs of thistles?" (Matthew 7 vs 16.)

READ: Matthew 7 vs 15 - 20:

7:15: Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves.

7:16: You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thornbrushes, or figs of thistles?

7:17: Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but a bad tree bears bad fruit.

7:18: A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.

7:19: Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.

7:20: Therefore by their fruits you will know them.

INTIMATION: 

There are those who claim to be followers of Christ, but in actual facts they are wolves in sheep’s clothing, deceiving believers with their seemingly godly actions. The Scripture calls them ‘False prophets.’ They are very common today, and prophesy only what the people want to hear, claiming it is God’s message even when it is obvious that the people and the nation are wallowing in sin, and not following God’s ways. 

Their words usually sound religious but they are motivated by money, fame, or power. You can tell who they are because in their teaching they minimize Christ and glorify themselves. We should not be fooled by smooth talk and glowing word. Their miracles are short-lived, their teachings hardly point out people’s sins. They allow and even encourage all kinds of immorality, especially sexual sin. We must be careful to avoid them today. 

Their works can come through books, tape series, or TV messages, and must be evaluated in the light of God’s Word. Beware of special meanings or interpretations that belittle Christ or His work. God admonishes us in the Scripture, thus, “Do not listen to the words of the prophets who prophesy to you. They make you worthless; They speak a vision of their own heart, not from the mouth of the Lord. They continually say to those who despise Me, ‘The Lord has said, “You shall have peace”’; and to everyone who walks according to the dictates of his own heart, they say, ‘No evil shall come upon you.’” (Jeremiah 23 vs 16 - 17.)

Christians who study God’s Word, asking Him to reveal the truth, will not be fooled, even though superficial Christians may easily be taken in. The Bible gives us example of believers who carefully checked God’s Word in Acts 17 vs 11; “These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily, to find out whether these things were so.” 

True nobility in the sight of God is that one allow God to speak to him through His inspired Word. Those who do not allow God to speak to them through the Bible will be mislead either by their emotions, traditions, or the teachings of the false prophets or teachers. 

The Bible says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone into the world.” (First John 4 vs 1.) There are many ways to test teachers to see if their message is truly from God. One is to see if their words match what God says in the Bible. Other tests include their commitment to the body of believers, their lifestyles, and the fruit of their ministries. But the most important test of all is what they believe about Christ and the Word of God. 

Our world is filled with voices claiming to speak for God. We should evaluate their words by examining their lives. Just as trees are consistent in the kind of fruit they produce, good teachers or prophets consistently exhibit good behavior and high moral character as they seek to live out the truth of Scriptures. This does not mean that they are perfect, but rather striving to lead a godly lifestyle. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the excellent spirit of humility, and obedience to Your Word, that I may please You and have fellowship with You at all times. Give me the grace to prove all things in accordance with the Scriptures, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!