Pleased with His Precepts

 Pleased with His Precepts

This is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:3–5) 

What is plain in these verses is that being born again — being born of God — turns the commandments of God from being burdensome to being our delight. How does that work?

How does being born of God make the commandments of God a delight rather than a burden? 

The apostle John says, “This is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith” (1 John 5:4). In other words, the way that being born of God overcomes the worldly burdensomeness of God’s commandments is by begetting faith. This is confirmed in 1 John 5:1, which says, literally, “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God.” 

Faith is the evidence that we have been born of God. We do not cause ourselves to be born again by deciding to believe. God creates our willingness to believe by causing us to be born again. As Peter said in his first letter, God “caused us to be born again to a living hope” (1 Peter 1:3). Our living hope, or faith in future grace, is the work of God through new birth. 

So, when John says, “Everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world,” and then adds, “And this is the victory that has overcome the world — our faith” (1 John 5:4), I take him to mean that God enables us, by the new birth, to overcome the world — that is, to overcome our worldly disinclination to keep God’s commandments. The new birth does this by creating faith, which evidently includes a disposition to be pleased by God’s commandments, rather than put off by God’s commandments, so that they feel burdensome.

Therefore, it is faith that overcomes our inborn hostility to God and his will, and frees us to keep his commandments and to say with the psalmist, “I delight to do your will, O my God” (Psalm 40:8).

BENEFITS OF THANKSGIVING!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

THURSDAY MAY 08, 2025.

SUBJECT : BENEFITS OF THANKSGIVING!

Memory verse: "For the LORD will comfort Zion, He will comfort all her waste places; He will make her wilderness like Eden. And her desert like the garden of the LORD; joy and gladness will be found in It, thanksgiving and the voice of melody." (Isaiah 51 vs 3.)

READ: Jeremiah 30 vs 19 - 20:

30:19: Then out of them shall proceed thanksgiving and the voice of those who make merry; I will multiply them, and they shall not diminish; I will also glorify them, and they shall not be small. 

30:20: Their children also shall be as before, and their congregation shall be established before Me; and I will punish all who oppress them.

 

INTIMATION:

Giving thanks in everything is the Will of God in Christ for the believer. It is for the believers’ good and benefit. In it we access God’s many blessings. 

1. Thanksgiving and praise give us direct access to God. Psalm 100 vs 4 gives these familiar words "Enter into His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Be thankful to Him, and bless His name." 

The gate leads into His courts, the courts lead into His presence. You get through the gates with thanksgiving, and enter His courts with praise, then you are right there before Him. In the presence of God there is fullness of joy—joy unspeakable. (Psalm 16 vs 11). Joy and gladness are established in and around us as we announce with melodious voices. 

2. Thanksgiving preserves our blessings, as they abound through many thanksgiving to God (Second Corinthians 9 vs 12). This means acknowledging God for who He is—the Almighty Creator of the universe who alone is perfect and who reaches down to sinful mankind with perfect love, and has given us all things to enjoy (First Timothy 6 vs 17).

3. Thanksgiving judges God faithful, and by that reminds Him of what remains. We request from Him of our desires through thanksgiving, and receives strength for accomplishment of our desires. (Philippians 4 vs 6; Hebrews 11 vs 11).

4. Thanksgiving multiplies our blessings. In Matthew 15 vs 33 - 37, Jesus gave thanks and consequently fed four thousand people with seven loaves and a few little fish. Also in John 6 vs 1 - 11, Jesus gave thanks and fed five thousand people with five loaves and two fish. Even the believers are multiplied and glorified, ensuring our increase, sustenance, and establishment (Jeremiah 30 vs 19 - 20).

5. Thanksgiving keeps the anointing of the Holy Spirit alive in our lives, and working, ensuring that we are empowered to be rooted, built up in Him, and established in faith and abounding in it (Psalm 92 vs 10 - 11; Colossians 2 vs 7).

6. Thanksgiving moves God to punish and silence our enemies and oppressors, that our desires on them are not only heard by us, but also seen with our own eyes (Psalm 92 vs 11; Jeremiah 30 vs 20).

Thanksgiving therefore, is our means of ensuring our multiplication, establishment, accomplishment, and reminding God of our outstanding petitions. It is our weapon of offense against our enemies. In it believers obtain good reports.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are ever faithful, abounding in mercy, and kindness. I will continually thank You for who You are, what You have done, what You are doing, and what You are yet to do. Give me the grace to lead the life with a heart of gratitude, that I shall be thankful to You in everything according to Your Will for me in Christ, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Don’t Serve God

 Don’t Serve God

“The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him.” (2 Chronicles 16:9)

What is God looking for in the world? Assistants? No. The gospel is not a “help wanted” sign. Neither is the call to Christian service. 

God is not looking for people to work for him. “The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to give strong support to those whose heart is blameless toward him” (2 Chronicles 16:9). He’s the great worker. He’s the one with broad, burden-bearing shoulders. He’s the strong one. And he is looking for ways to show it. This is what differentiates God from the so-called gods of the world: he works for us. Isaiah 64:4, “From of old no one has heard or perceived by the ear, no eye has seen a God besides you [in other words this is his uniqueness], who acts for those who wait for him.”

What does God want from us? Not what we might expect. He rebukes Israel for bringing him so many sacrifices: “I will not accept a bull from your house. . . . For every beast of the forest is mine. . . . ‘If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and its fullness are mine’” (Psalm 50:9–10, 12).

But isn’t there something we can give to God that won’t belittle him to the status of beneficiary? 

Yes. Our anxieties. Our needs. Our cries for power to do his will.

It’s a command: “[Cast] all your anxieties on him” (1 Peter 5:7). God will gladly receive anything from us that shows our dependence and his all-sufficiency.

Christianity is fundamentally convalescence. Patients do not serve their physicians. They trust them for good prescriptions and therapy. The Sermon on the Mount is our Doctor’s therapeutic regimen, not our Employer’s job description.

Our very lives hang on not working for God. “To the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (Romans 4:4–5).

Workmen get no gifts. They get their due. Their wage. If we would have the gift of justification, we dare not work for it. God is the workman in this affair. And what he gets is the glory of being the benefactor of grace, not the beneficiary of service.

MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THANKSGIVING!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 07, 2025.

SUBJECT : MAJOR ELEMENTS OF THANKSGIVING!

Memory verse: "Remember His marvelous works which He has done, His wonders, and the judgements of His mouth." (First Chronicles 16 vs 12.)

READ: First Chronicles 16 vs 8 - 9; 28 - 29:

16:8: Oh, give thanks to the Lord! Call upon His name; Make known His deeds among the people! 

16:9: Sing to Him, sing psalms to Him; Talk about His wonderful works!" 

16:28: Give to the Lord, O families of the people, Give to the Lord glory and strength. 

16:29: Give to the Lord glory due to His name; Bring an offering, and come before Him. Oh, worship the LORD in the beauty of His holiness.

 

INTIMATION:

There are four major elements of thanksgiving. These four elements are:-

1. To remember what God has done.

2. To tell others about what God has done.

3. To show God's glory to others.

4. To offer gifts of self, time, and resources.

The bases of praise, and thanksgiving is declaring God's character and attributes in the presence of others. When we recognize and affirm His goodness we are holding up His perfect moral nature for all to see. And this praise benefits us because it takes our minds off our problems and needs and focuses on God's power, mercy, majesty, and love. Genuine praise, and thanksgiving involves ascribing glory to God, noting that this is our worship, and that we give God all the glory. This means that we give credit where credit is due.

The elements of thanksgiving is clearly expressed in David’s psalm to thank the LORD in First Chronicles 16 vs 7 - 36. Thanksgiving should be an integral part of our praise to God, and this theme is woven throughout the psalms. Thanksgiving should be in all areas of life, and If you are truly thankful, your life will show it. As we praise and thank God for material, and spiritual blessings, we should also thank Him for answered prayers, remembering His answers to our quest for protection, strength, comfort, patience, love, or other special needs that He supplied. 

Beware of taking God's provisions and answered prayers for granted. Jesus healed ten lepers in Luke 17 vs 11 -19, but only one returned to thank Him, and consequently, he was made whole. Only the thankful man however, learned that his faith had played a role in his healing. It is possible to receive God's great gifts with an ungrateful spirit. This was the guilt of nine out of the ten lepers that Jesus healed. Remember that only grateful Christians grow in understanding of God's grace. God does not demand that we thank Him, but He is pleased when we do so and uses our responsiveness to teach us more about Himself; revealing Himself more to us for our benefits. 

Thanksgiving is one of the acts of 'giving,' and 'giving' is the nature of God. As His children, adopted in Christ in the new birth, that nature is imparted in us and is to be expressed in us. The Scripture, in Luke 6 vs 38, says; "Give, and it shall be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you." Therefore, giving is for your own benefit. You can only receive when you give, and in the like manner you give, you receive. 

Giving to God is a wonderful tool for receiving from Him, and receiving quite in excess of your gift. It is noteworthy that you cannot out-give God. Study Genesis 22 vs 15 - 18, on how Abraham was blessed by God when He obediently offered Isaac. Also, study First Kings 3 vs 4 - 14, on the blessings of God on King Solomon when he offered his astonishing sacrifice.

Prayer: Abba Father, what do I have that I have not received from You? Everything within me will continually thank You for Your goodness, faithfulness, loving-kindness, and mercy that endures forever. Endue me with the excellent spirit of gratitude to You everyday of my life, and in everything, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Truer Knowledge Brings Greater Joy

 Truer Knowledge Brings Greater Joy

And all the people went their way . . . to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them. (Nehemiah 8:12)

The only joy that reflects the worth of God and overflows in God-glorifying love is rooted in the true knowledge of God. And to the degree that our knowledge is small or flawed, our joy will be a poor echo of God’s true excellence.

The experience of Israel in Nehemiah 8:12 is a paradigm of how God-glorifying joy happens in the heart. Ezra had read the word of God to them and the Levites had explained it. And then the people went away “to make great rejoicing.”

Their great rejoicing was because they had understood words — the true words of God. 

Most of us have tasted this experience of the heart burning with joy when the word of God was opened to us (Luke 24:32). Twice Jesus said that he taught his disciples for the sake of their joy.

John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

John 17:13, “These things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.”

And what we mainly see in the word is the Lord himself — God himself — offering himself to be known and enjoyed. “The Lord revealed himself to Samuel at Shiloh by the word of the Lord” (1 Samuel 3:21).

The point is that if our joy is going to reflect the glory of God, then it must flow from true knowledge of how God is glorious. If we are going to enjoy God duly, we must know him truly.

Seven Sources of Joy

 Seven Sources of Joy

In all our affliction, I am overflowing with joy. (2 Corinthians 7:4)

What is extraordinary about Paul is how unbelievably durable his joy was when things weren’t going well.

Where did this come from? 

First of all it was taught by Jesus: “Blessed are you when people hate you. . . . Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven” (Luke 6:22–23). Troubles for Jesus compound your interest in heaven — which lasts a lot longer than earth.

Second, it comes from the Holy Spirit, not our own efforts or imagination or family upbringing. “The fruit of the Spirit is . . . joy” (Galatians 5:22). “You received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:6).

Third, it comes from belonging to the kingdom of God. “The kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” (Romans 14:17).

Fourth, it comes through faith, that is, from believing God. “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing” (Romans 15:13). “I know that I will remain and continue with you all, for your progress and joy in the faith” (Philippians 1:25).

Fifth, it comes from seeing and knowing Jesus as Lord. “Rejoice in the Lord always” (Philippians 4:4).

Sixth, it comes from fellow believers who work hard to help us focus on these sources of joy, rather than deceitful circumstances. “We work with you for your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24).

Seventh, it comes from the sanctifying effects of tribulations. “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope” (Romans 5:3–4).

If we are not yet like Paul when he says, “I am overflowing with joy,” he calls us to be. “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). And for most of us this is a call to earnest prayer. Because a life of joy in the Holy Spirit is a supernatural life.

HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MAY 05, 2025.

SUBJECT : HAVE AN ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE!

Memory verse: "In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." (First Thessalonians 5 vs 18.)

READ: Luke 17 vs 12 - 19:

17:12: Then as He entered into a certain village, there met Him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off.

17:13: And they lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!”

17:14: So when He saw them, He said unto them, “Go show yourselves to the priests.” And so it was that as they went, they were cleansed.

17:15: And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God,

17:16: and fell down on his face at His feet, giving Him thanks: and he was a Samaritan.

17:17: So Jesus answered and said, “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?”

17:18: Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?”

17:19: And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.”

INTIMATION:

We have learned that every good thing that comes to us in this life comes by the grace of God. And until we recognize that truth, we will never be the kind of thankful, grateful people God desires us to be. God's attitude is that if His people really believe Him, then no matter what happens in life they will know that He is big enough to handle it and to make it work out for their good, if they continue to have faith in Him. God desires a thankful people, not a murmuring, grumbling, fault-finding, complaining people. Joy and peace are found in believing, not in murmuring, grumbling, fault-finding, or complaining.

It is God’s Will that we should give Him thanks in everything. Since we have been graciously adopted as children of God, and since we have been born of the Will of God, we should rest assured of His presence in our lives at all times. Therefore, in everything that happens to us, we should be thankful for God's presence, and for the good that He will accomplish through the happening in our lives. The Scripture says, "All things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose" (Romans 8 vs 28). 

God works in 'all things,' not just in isolated incidents, for the good of His children. This does not mean that all that happens to them is good. Evil is prevalent in our fallen world, but God is able to turn every circumstance around for the long-range good of His own. God does not demand that we thank Him, but He is pleased when we do so and uses our responsiveness to teach us more about Himself, revealing Himself more to us for our benefits. 

In the passage we read today, only one of the ten lepers had an attitude of gratitude and returned to give thanks to Jesus. And Jesus recognized this, and asked, “Were there not ten cleansed? but where are the nine?” “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God, except this stranger?” (Luke 17 vs 17 - 18.) Jesus then turned to the thankful man, noted his faith, and pronounced his wholeness or wellness—not just his being cured of leprosy. It is possible to receive God's great gifts with an ungrateful spirit. Nine out of the ten lepers did that. However, only grateful Christians grow in understanding of God's grace. 

The bases of gratitude or thankfulness is declaring God's character and attributes in the presence of others. When we recognize and affirm His goodness we are holding up His perfect moral nature for all to see. And this benefits us because it takes our minds off our problems and needs and focuses on God's power, mercy, majesty, and love, giving glory to God as our worship.

As human beings we are subject to selfishness and ingratitude. We can pray and believe God for something, and even be very thankful and grateful for it when we receive it. But it doesn't take us very long and we are no longer thankful and grateful for them. We quickly and easily can fall prey to an ungrateful attitude. For instance, we can believe God for a life partner, and even be thankful and grateful when we are married. Then within a matter of months, we are grumbling, murmuring, and complaining that God gave us a partner that is always "nagging."

Or we are believing God for the fruit of the womb, and thankful and grateful when we got pregnant and delivered to a baby. In a few years we are griping and complaining and questioning God for giving us  "a stubborn child." Or still, we can believe God for a bigger house, and even be thankful and grateful when we first received one. Then within a short period, we can find ourselves griping and complaining because now we have to clean that "big old house!"

You and I have multitudinous opportunities to complain on a regular basis. But all complaining do open the door for the enemy. It doesn't solve problems; it just creates a breeding ground for greater problems. We should be grateful and thankful to God always. In the event of our desiring something more, we then go to the Holy Spirit—the Spirit of grace and supplication—which is the power of God coming into our lives to help us solve every problem that we encounter, as well as helping us institute any changes we desire.

Let's learn to respond to the help we are already getting but don't deserve by developing an attitude of gratitude. This is not just an occasional word of thanks, but a continual lifestyle of thanksgiving. The person who has developed an "attitude of gratitude" is one who is thankful and grateful for every single thing that God is doing in his or her life day by day.

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of gratitude in all things, at all times, and in all situations, knowing that You work in all things for my good because You love me and has demonstrated that love in paying the debt I owed in dying the death I ought to have died and gave me the free gift of salvation I didn’t deserve. I love You Oh Lord and desire to serve you all the days of my life, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!