OBSERVE TIMES OF SILENCE BEFORE GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

WEDNESDAY MAY 21, 2025.

SUBJECT : OBSERVE TIMES OF SILENCE BEFORE GOD!

Memory verse: “When He opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour." (Revelation 8 vs 1.)

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 mountain and broke the rocks 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; an absence of sound. This necessitates concentration and attentiveness. Observing a quiet or silent time before God is reverently honoring Him and His power and majesty. Concentration and attentiveness is a prerequisite for hearing God’s still small voice. 

How proper, then for us to be still in honor and reverence to Him, and in patience to hear from Him. Take time each day to be still and honor God. This is a command from God. In Psalm 46 vs 10, God said, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” God is exalted and reverenced in quietness, and His works are also done quietly. 

In communing with God in prayers, we often dump our requests on Him, and end our prayers with ’in Jesus’ name,’ without really waiting to hear from Him. We hardly allow Him to speak in the conversation, but do all the speaking while He listens. But we require to hear what He has to say to us. And when He speaks, we can only hear Him in quietness because He speaks in a still small voice. We must wait for God “in quietness and confidence.” No amount of fast talking or hasty activity could speed up God’s grand design. 

God does not need to appear in great physical events as earthquakes and fires in order to initiate His work. In the passage we read today, Elijah knew that the sound of a still small voice belonged to God. He realized that God doesn’t reveal Himself only in powerful, miraculous ways. To look for God only in something big (rallies, churches, conferences, highly visible leaders) may be to miss Him because He is often found gently whispering in the quietness of a humble heart.  

Our memory verse notes that when Christ opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. With all the activities, this dramatic pause must have seemed to last for an eternity. During this time, the only activity was prayers of the saints; “Then another angel, having a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of saints ascended before God from the angel's hand“ (Revelation 8 vs 3 - 4). 

Are you listening to hear 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. 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 and exalt God. Silence also conveys trust and confidence in God. We can trust God, and be peacefully confident that He will give us strength to face our difficulties, and provide the justice against oppressors that we seek. 

In Habakkuk 2 vs 20, the Scripture says, “But the Lord is in His Holy temple. Let all the earth keep silence before Him.” We who worship the living God come to Him in silent awe and reverence. In so doing we acknowledge that God is in control and knows what He is doing. 

Prayer: Abba Father, endue me with the spirit of quietness and confidence in You, that I may humbly come to You daily in reverential silence, and hear You speak to me, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed. Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

 

THOSE WHO CONSIDER THE POOR ARE BLESSED!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

TUESDAY MAY 20, 2025.

SUBJECT: THOSE WHO CONSIDER THE POOR ARE BLESSED!

Memory verse: "He who has pity on the poor lends to the Lord, and He will pay back what he has given.” (Proverbs 19 vs 17.)

READ: Psalm 41 vs 1 - 3:

41:1: Blessed is he who considers the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble.

41:2: The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: You will not deliver him to the will of his enemies.

41:3: The LORD will strengthen him on his bed of illness: You will sustain him on his sickbed.

INTIMATION:

The Bible often speaks of God’s care for the weak, poor, and needy, and of his blessing on those who share this concern. Providing for the poor is not just a suggestion in the Bible. The need for believers to care for the poor is a constant theme in the Scripture. But often we do nothing, caught up in meeting our needs and desires. Perhaps we don’t see enough poverty to remember the needs of the poor. 

God said neglecting the poor is a sin. Helping the poor is a command that may require a change of attitude on your part. 

God wants our generosity to reflect His own giving. Helping the poor is also an active part of religious life. As He has blessed us, we should bless others. God has a special concern for the poor. He insists that those who have material goods should be generous with those who are needy. He who gives to the poor is assured deliverance, blessing, strength, and mercy from the Lord because he had shown the same to the poor. 

When you show mercy to others, the Lord will show you mercy as well: “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy.” (Matthew 5 vs 7.) We should reflect God’s concern for the poor by giving and by helping those less fortunate than ourselves. God counts on believers to provide for the poor, and we should use what God had given us to aid those less fortunate. Look beyond your regular giving and think of ways to help the needy. This will help you show your regard for God (as Creator of all people), His creation, share God’s goodness with others, and draw them to Him. It is a practical and essential way to make faith work in everyday life.

Many times we do nothing, not because we lack compassion, but because we are overwhelmed by the size of the problem and don’t know where to begin. God doesn’t expect you to eliminate poverty, nor does He expect you to neglect your family while providing for others. He does, however, expect that when you see an individual in need, you will reach out with whatever help you can offer. 

Many people conclude that people are poor through some fault of their own. This kind of reasoning makes it easy to close their hearts and hands to the needy. But we are not to invent reasons for ignoring the poor. We are to respond to their needs no matter who or what was responsible for their condition. There is no excuse for ignoring the poor and needy within our reach.

It is everyone’s responsibility to care for those less fortunate. Families should help other family members, and towns are to help their community. One will not only seek out the poor to help them, one will ensure to make it easy in society for the poor to survive. 

Helping and caring for the poor and less privileged amongst us is a demand placed on us by God, and it is strictly for our own benefit because God has promised to reward us with deliverance, blessing, strength, and mercy. And God is not a man that He can lie and the son of man that He can repent or change His promise. What He says He will do is as sure as day and night.

Prayer: Abba Father, I know Your word is yes and amen. Endue me with the spirit of generosity, especially to the poor and needy in our society, that I may obey You in giving and showing mercy to others and qualify for Your rewards, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 7.

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY MAY 19, 2025.

SUBJECT: BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 7.

Memory verse: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ.” (Ephesians 1 vs 3.)

READ: Revelation 5 vs 9 - 12:

5:9: “You are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seal; for you were slain, and have redeemed us to God be Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,

5:10: and have made us kings and priests to our God: and we are to reign on the earth.”

5:11: Then I looked, and heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 

5:12: saying with a loud voice: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing!” 

INTIMATION:

The obvious truth is that believers have been blessed with every spiritual blessings in the heavenly realm, which was purchased in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. All that Jesus did and accomplished were for us—the body of Christ. As a Deity, He has no need for them because they are His from the beginning!

“Who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places” means that in Christ we have all the benefits of knowing God—being chosen for salvation, being adopted as His children, forgiveness of our sins, insight into the deep things of God, the gifts of the Spirit (especially the wisdom and revelational knowledge of our inheritance in Christ), power to do God’s Will, the hope of living forever with Christ. Because we have an intimate relationship with Christ, we can enjoy these blessings now. The “heavenly places” means that those blessings are eternal, not temporal. 

Upon Christ’s victory over Satan—the ruler of this world, He received power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing! All these things are His from the beginning, and given to man from creation, hence He charged man to “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion...” (Genesis 1 vs 28). Obviously, that was a command of rulership (kingship) and priesthood bestowed on man from the beginning. To “have dominion over” something is to have absolute authority and control over it. However, at the fall of man, he handed over these rights to Satan. But Christ came, conquered him, stripped him of all those authorities, and handed it back to man.

As Christians we can be confident that Christ has won the final victory and is in control of everything as He stated, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth” (Luke 28 vs 18). “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand” (John 3 vs 35). And the glory which God gave Jesus Christ, the same glory Christ has given to us believers (John 17 vs 22). The contract has been signed, and sealed, and the time of delivery is now. We need not fear any dictator or Satan or even death.

The song of God’s people praises Christ’s work: He (1) was slain, (2) redeemed them with His blood, (3) gathered them into a kingdom, (4) made them priests and kings, and (5) appointed to reign upon the earth. Jesus has already paid the penalty for sin. He is now gathering us into His kingdom and making us priests to reign with Him, now on this earth, and eternally be with Him in future. While now we are sometimes despised and mocked for our faith (John 15 vs 17 - 27), in the future we will reign over all the earth (Luke 22 vs 29 - 30). Christ’s death made believers priests of God—the channel of blessing between God and people (First Peter 2 vs 5 - 9).

Prayer: Abba Father, I worship and praise You for what You have done, what You are doing, and what You will do, for all who put their trust in You. Thank You for the power and riches and wisdom, and strength and honor and glory and blessing You received for us. Give me the grace to embrace, and live to the fullest, all that You received for us, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Light Beyond the Light

 The Light Beyond the Light

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. (Colossians 3:1–2)

Jesus Christ is refreshing. So, seek the things that are above. Don’t replace Christ this summer with trifles. Flight from Christ into Christless leisure makes the soul parched. 

At first it may feel like freedom and fun to skimp on prayer and neglect the word. But then we pay: shallowness, powerlessness, vulnerability to sin, preoccupation with trifles, superficial relationships, and a frightening loss of interest in worship and the things of the Spirit. 

Don’t let the coming of summer make your soul shrivel. God made summer as a foretaste of heaven, not a substitute. 

If the mailman brings you a love letter from your fiancé, don’t fall in love with the mailman. Don’t fall in love with the video preview and find yourself unable to love the coming reality.

Jesus Christ is the refreshing center of summer. He is preeminent in all things (Colossians 1:18), including vacations and picnics and softball and long walks and cookouts. He invites us this summer, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). 

Do we want it? That is the question. Christ gives himself to us in proportion to how much we want his refreshment. “You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart” (Jeremiah 29:13). 

Peter’s word to us about this is, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19–20). Repentance is not just turning away from sin, but also turning toward the Lord with hearts open and expectant and submissive.

What sort of summer mindset is this? It is the mindset of Colossians 3:1–2, “If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

It is God’s earth! It is a video preview to the reality of what the eternal summer will be like when “the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb” (Revelation 21:23).

The summer sun is a mere pointer to the sun that will be: the glory of God. Summer is for seeing and showing that. Do you want to have eyes to see? Lord, let us see the light beyond the light.

BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 6.

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY MAY 18, 2025.

SUBJECT: BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 6.

Memory verse: "But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” (First Corinthians 1 vs 30.)

READ: First Corinthians 1 vs 2; 15 vs 22; Second Corinthians 5 vs 17 - 21:

First Corinthians 1:2: To the church of God which is in Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:” 

15:22: For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

Second Corinthians 5:17: Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

5:18: Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

5:19: that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation.

5:20: Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.

5:21: For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

INTIMATION:

We have seen in our series that God chose us in Jesus Christ way back before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blemish in His presence, and out of His love for us, He foreordained us into the position of sons and daughters to Himself through Jesus Christ.

In creation, God created us in His own image and after His likeness. His major reason being that, in all He created, He can only have fellowship with humans who are like Him, hence His visit to Adam and Eve every evening in the Garden. Humans could have fellowship with Him at that time because they were created in righteousness and holiness. But after the fall of man, the relationship and fellowship were broken. 

However, out of His love for us, He restores us to our former position in Christ Jesus through  His substitutionary work in restoring our righteousness, and sanctification, to continue in our relationship and fellowship with Him. Our sins are forgiven, and He remembers them no more according to His Word— His promise (Jeremiah 31 vs 33 - 34).

God, in His infinite wisdom, did all out of His love for us, and personally invites us to be partakers of the deep things of God. A personal invitation makes a person feel wanted and welcome. He “called to be saints”—holy and righteous, and to be citizens of His eternal kingdom. All these He wrought through Jesus Christ, His Son, and He is the only One who can bring us into this glorious kingdom because He is the only One who removes our sins. 

Remember that Satan and his cohorts—the fallen angels (the demons), were chased out of heaven in a war (Revelation 12 vs 7 - 9). Consequently, they are not there when God planned the coming of His Son, Jesus Christ. When He came, they were expecting that He came to continue the physical war with them, for the world is a tremendous battleground, where forces under Satan’s power and those under God’s authority are exercising their power and authority. Hence they thought that by killing Him they had defeated Him and had achieved their aim of dominating the world. 

They had no part in the spiritual wisdom and revelation of His substitutionary work, in coming to rescue the world from their dominion through the legal payment of the wages of sin (Ezekiel 18 vs 4 & 20; Romans 6 vs 23), for God set Him forth as a propitiation for our sins. If they knew, they wouldn’t have killed Him.

We are made righteous, and sanctified, which means that we are chosen or set apart by Christ for His service. We accept God’s invitation haven accepted His Son, Jesus Christ, and trusting in the work He did on the cross to forgive our sins. God Himself, is the source of, and reason for our personal and living relationship with Christ. Our union and identification with Christ results in our having God’s wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2 vs 3), possessing right standing with God (righteousness), being holy (First Thessalonians 4 vs 3 - 7), and having the penalty for our sins paid by Jesus in redeeming us (Mark 10 vs 45).

Christians are brand new people on the inside. The Holy Spirit gives them new life, and they are not the same anymore. They are not reformed, rehabilitated, or reeducated but they are re-created (new creation), living in vital union with Christ (Colossians 2 vs 6 - 7). At conversion they are not merely turning over a new leaf, they are beginning a new life under a new Master—Jesus Christ.

When we trust in Christ, we make an exchange—our sin for His righteousness. Our sin was poured into Christ at His crucifixion. His righteousness is poured into us at our conversion. This is what Christians mean by Christ’s atonement for sin. But God offers to trade His righteousness for our sin; something of immeasurable worth for something completely worthless. How grateful we should be for His kindness to us.

In restoring our fellowship, He made us ambassadors in His kingdom. An ambassador is an official representative on behalf of one country to another. As believers we are Christ’s ambassadors sent with His message of reconciliation to the world. Because we are reconciled to God, we have the privilege of encouraging others to do the same, and have been given the ministry of reconciliation. An ambassador of reconciliation has an important responsibility. We dare not take this responsibility lightly.

Prayer: Abba Father, there is none like You. Even before the foundation of the earth You planned my adoption as Your son. I am exceedingly grateful to You for Your kindness, and ever enduring mercy. You restored my fellowship with You, and elevated me to be Your ambassador and has given me the ministry of reconciliation. Give me the grace to serve You aright in this assignment, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 5.

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY MAY 17, 2025.

SUBJECT: BELIEVERS’ INHERITANCE IN CHRIST! - PART 5.

Memory verse: "Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 3 vs 24.)

READ: Romans 8 vs 1 - 2; 31 - 34:

8:1: There is therefore no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.

8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death.

8:31: What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?

8:32: He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?

8:33: Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies.

8:34: Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, also makes intercession for us.

INTIMATION:

Justification is the translation of the Greek word “Dikaiosis,” Which denotes the act of pronouncing righteous, pronouncing a person just by acquittal from guilt. When a judge in a court of law declares the defendant not guilty, all the charges are removed from his record. Legally, it is as if the person had never been accused. 

When God forgives our sins, our record is wiped clean. He could do this because Jesus, by His Death, took the penalty that we deserved. From God's perspective, it is as though we had never sinned. Christ purchased our freedom from sin, and the price was His life. All that was necessary on God’s part for our justification had been effected in the Death of Christ, as a propitiation for us. On that note of the propitiation being perfect and complete, He was raised from the dead; His resurrection was the confirmatory counterpart of the perfection and completeness of the propitiation.

God is a just, and righteous God, and demonstrated His righteousness in the act of given His Son as a propitiation for our sins. If He had just wiped away or forgiven our sins without properly serving the consequence of sin, He would have been considered unjust, and His Word wouldn’t have been true. 

Consider this: “But now the righteousness of God apart from the Law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness....that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” (Romans 3 vs 21 - 26).

Therefore, after God’s prove of His righteousness by justly presenting His Son as a propitiation for our sin, in the eyes of the Law and its fulfillment, and observed by the Prophets, as the wages of sin is paid by the death of Christ, we are set free from sin and acquitted. There is, therefore, no condemnation for us anymore. For the same God who condemns has set us free by His act of righteousness, and our believe or faith in Jesus Christ. 

We are human and still exist on the earth. God has not removed us from here. Sometimes we fall into the temptations of the ‘tempter,—Satan, who then accuses us before God. But Jesus is pleading for us in heaven. God has acquitted us and has removed our sin and guilt, so when Satan accuses us, Jesus, our advocate, sits at God’s right hand to present our case, that He has justifiably paid the price, and we are set free. As humanity’s representative, He intercedes for us before God. As God’s representative, He assures us of God’s forgiveness. 

Prayer: Abba Father, thank You for setting me free from condemnation, and justifying me in Christ Jesus. In Him I live and move and have my being. I am in Christ and Christ is in You therefore, Satan has no portion in me, and so it is, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

The Freest Love

 “Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day.” (Deuteronomy 10:14–15)

God’s electing love — the love by which he chooses a people for himself — is absolutely free. It is the gracious overflow of his boundless happiness guided by his infinite wisdom. 

Deuteronomy 10:14–15 describes the delight God had in choosing Israel from all the peoples of the earth. Notice two things. 

First, notice the contrast between verses 14 and 15. Why does Moses describe the election of Israel against the backdrop of God’s ownership of the whole universe? Why does he say in verse 14, “To God belongs everything in heaven and on earth” and then say in verse 15, “Yet he chose you for his people”? 

The reason seems to be to get rid of any notion that God was somehow boxed in to choose this people — that there were some limits to his choosing and he was somehow forced to choose them. The point is to explode the pagan idea that a god may have the right and authority to have his own people but no more. 

The truth is that Yahweh is the only true God. He owns everything in the universe and has the right and authority to take any people he wants for his own special possession. 

Thus the unspeakably wonderful truth for Israel is that he chose them. He did not have to. He had rights and privileges to choose absolutely any people on the face of the earth for his redeeming purposes. Or all of them. Or none of them.

Therefore, when he calls himself “their God” he does not mean that he is on a par with the gods of Egypt or the gods of Canaan. He owns those gods and their peoples. If it had pleased him, he could have chosen a totally different people to accomplish his purposes.

The point of putting verses 14 and 15 together in this way is to stress the freedom and the universal rights and authority of God.

The second thing to notice (in verse 15) is the way God exercises his sovereign freedom to “set his heart in love on your fathers.” “He delighted in your fathers to love them.” He freely chose to take pleasure in loving the fathers. 

God’s love for the fathers of Israel was free and merciful and wasn’t constrained by anything that the fathers were in their Jewishness or in their virtue.

This is a lesson for us. For us who are believers in Christ, God has chosen us just as freely. Not because of anything in us, but because God simpl

y delighted to do it.