DO THE FIRST WORKS —REPENT!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

MONDAY JUNE 09, 2025.

SUBJECT: DO THE FIRST WORKS —REPENT!

Memory verse: "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent." (Revelation 2 vs 5.)

READ: Matthew 3 vs 1 - 2; 4 vs 17:

3:1: In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

3:2: and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

4:17: From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

INTIMATION:

Repentance means “to turn,” it is the state of being penitent, implying a change in behavior, turning from sin toward God. It is to be sorry for, or wish to have been otherwise, what one has done or left undone, it is a change of heart, and make a moral U-turn from sin to God in humility.

Jesus started His ministry with the message of repentance, and this underscores the importance of the message, and the relevance of its timing in our relationship with God. The first step in turning to God is to admit your sin. Then be sorry for it, and ask God (only Him forgives sin) to help you. God will receive you and help you live the way He wants. It is the nature of our 'Loving, and Ever Merciful Father' to forgive our sins, hence His call to us to repent. 

Consequently, in our memory verse, Jesus tells us to, "Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place - unless you repent." (Revelation 2 vs 5). And, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (First John 1 vs 9).

Your confessing your sin frees you to enjoy fellowship with Christ. It eases your conscience and lightens your care. God wants to forgive us, hence He allowed His beloved Son to die as a propitiation for us so that He could offer us pardon. When we come to Christ, He forgives all the sins we have committed or will ever commit. We don’t need to confess the sins of the past repeatedly, thinking that God will hear us by our many words. Confess your sin and believe God for forgiveness; “He that promised is faithful, and will do it.” 

Repentance happens inside with a cleansing that isn't seen right away when confession of the sin is made. True repentance is revealed in changed attitude. It does not end with words of confession, lest it would be mere lip service. It must lead to corrected behavior and changed attitude. When you sin and are truly sorry, confess this to God, ask for His forgiveness, then accept His grace and mercy. 

Then, as an act of thankfulness for your forgiveness, make the needed corrections. No matter how evil you have been, it is never too late to humble yourself, turn to God and ask for forgiveness. God puts no limit on the number of times we can come to Him to obtain mercy, but we must come in order to obtain it, recognizing our need and asking Him to help. Because we have a tendency to sin, repentance is the true measure of our spiritual sensitivity and makes us valuable to God.

Repentance has too sides; turning away from sin, and turning toward God. To be truly repentant, we must do both. We can't just say we believe and then live any way we choose, and neither can we simply lead a morally correct life without a personal relationship with God, because that cannot bring forgiveness of sin.

Our Ever Merciful and Loving Father is at your door knocking, calling you to repent, and do the first works. If you hear His voice do not harden your hearts. In turning to Him remains a rest for the people of God. For he who has entered His rest has himself also ceased from his works as God did from His.

Prayer: My Heavenly Father, ever Merciful and Loving, I am a sinner. I cannot help myself. I repent of my sins, and I come to you now, let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, my Strength and my Redeemer. Forgive me my sins. Be my Lord and personal Savior. Cancel my name in the book of death, and write my name in the Book of life. From henceforth I am yours forever, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen!

PRAISE THE LORD!

WALK NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SUNDAY JUNE 08, 2025.

SUBJECT: WALK NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY!

Memory verse: "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful." (Psalm 1 vs 1.)

READ: Psalm 1 vs 1 - 3:

1:1: Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

1:2: But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night.

1:3: He shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth its fruit in its season, whose leaf also shall not wither; and whatever he does shall proper.

INTIMATION:

Ungodliness is general impiety; lack of reverence for God or religious matters. The ungodly has disregard for, or defiance of God’s laws. They act without reverence for God, not merely irreligious but acting in contravention of God’s demands. Taking counsel from—walking in the counsel of ungodly people is a no-no for all believers. 

The Scripture does not forbid us to have contacts with unbelievers. Any contacts between believers and unbelievers should be aimed at converting them to Christ. We are encouraged by Christ to befriend sinners and lead them to Him: “Then Levi gave Him a great feast in his house. And there were a great number of tax collectors and others who sat down with them. And their scribes and the Pharisees complained against His disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Luke 5 vs 29 - 32).

Unbelievers, in their lifestyle, tolerate and make excuses for bad behavior, and obviously will recommend its practice to others. When a believer takes counsel from such people, they will definitely lure him or her to their side. Such people easily pollute the life of the believer and lead him or her astray. We must befriend unbelievers for the simple good reason of leading them to Christ, but we must be wary of those of them who are viciously evil, immoral, or opposed to all that Christianity stands for. Such people are more likely to influence believers for evil than the believers are to influence them for good. But on no account should counsel be taken from unbelievers by believers.

In the passage we read today, the psalmist was extolling the joys of obeying God and refusing to listen to those who discredit or ridicule Him. Our friends and associates can have a profound influence on us, often in very subtle ways. If we insist on friendships with those who mock what God considers important, we might sin by becoming indifferent to God’s Will. 

Those who diligently try to obey God’s Will shall be blessed. They are like healthy, fruit-bearing trees planted along a riverbank with strong roots, and God promises to watch over them. God’s wisdom guides their lives. In contrast, those who don’t trust and obey God have meaningless lives that blow away like dust.

The more we delight in obeying God, the more fruitful we are. On the other hand, the more we allow those who ridicule God affect our thoughts and attitudes, the more we separate ourselves from our source of nourishment. We must have contact with unbelievers if we are to witness to them, but we must not join in or imitate their sinful behaviors. If you want to despair, spend time with mocking sinners, but if you want God’s blessing, make friends with those who love God and His Word.

The apostle Paul urges believers in the same manner, saying, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness? And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what has a believer with an unbeliever?” (Second Corinthians 6 vs 14 - 16).

The apostle Paul urges believers not to form partnerships with unbelievers because such partnership might result in weakening their Christian faith or commitment, integrity, or standards, especially for those who are not strong in faith. He wanted believers to be active in witnessing for Christ to unbelievers, and should not lock themselves into personal or business relationships that could cause them to compromise their faith. Believers should do everything in their power to avoid situations that could force them to divide their loyalties.

Prayer: Abba Father, give me the grace never to walk in the counsel of ungodly nor stand in the path of sinners, nor sit in the seat of the scornful, no matter how wise they seem to be. 

Endue me with the spirit of delight in Your law, and empower me to always meditate on it, and strive to do all that is contained therein, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

Glorify God in Your Body

 Glorify God in Your Body

You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:20)

“Worship” is the term we use to cover all the acts of the heart and mind and body that intentionally express the infinite worth of God. This is what we were created for. It might be singing in church. It might be sweeping the kitchen floor.

Don’t just think about worship services when you think about worship. That is a huge limitation which is not in the Bible. All of life is supposed to be worship.

Take breakfast, for example, or midmorning snacks. First Corinthians 10:31 says, “Whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” Now eating and drinking are about as basic as you can get. What could be more real or more ordinarily human than eating and drinking? And Paul says, in effect, let all your eating and drinking be worship.

Or take sex. Paul says the alternative to fornication is worship.

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body. (1 Corinthians 6:18–20)

That is, worship with your body by the way you handle your sexuality.

Or take death for a final example. We will experience death in our bodies. In fact, it will be the last act of the body on this earth. The body bids farewell. How shall we worship in that last act of the body? We see the answer in Philippians 1:20–21. Paul says that his hope is that Christ would be magnified — worshiped, shown to be worthy — in his body by death. Then he adds, “For to me . . . to die is gain.” We express the infinite worth of Christ in dying by counting death as gain.

You have a body. But it is not yours. “You were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” 

You are always in a temple. Always worship.

WE SERVE A LIMITLESS GOD!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

SATURDAY JUNE 07, 2025.

SUBJECT : WE SERVE A LIMITLESS GOD!

Memory verse: "Now to Him who is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3 vs 20.)

READ: Genesis 18 bs 9 - 15:

18:9: And they said to him, “Where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “Here, in the tent.”

18:10: And he said, “I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door, which was behind him.)

18:11: Now Abraham and Sarah were old and well advanced in age; and Sarah had past the age of childbearing.

18:12: Therefore Sarah laughed within herself, saying, “After I have grown old shall I have pleasure, my lord being old also?”

18:13: And the LORD said to Abraham, “Why did Sarah laugh, saying, “Shall I surely bear a child, since I am old?”

18:14: Is anything too hard for the LORD? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.

INTIMATION:

Most definitions of the word “limit” expresses a point or level beyond which something is not to extend or pass. The key word in the definitions and descriptions of limit is the word ‘beyond.’ This may be reference to a boundary that ceases to be possible, a measure which cannot be exceeded, an amount that can be calculated, or a maximum amount allowed.

Then “limitless” is the quality of being infinite, without bound or limit.

God is limitless. Everything about God is beyond us, including our expectation and thought. The God we serve is beyond the intellectual capacity of finite men to fully comprehend. There is nothing difficult or impossible with Him. Hence there is no limit in God’s capability and capacity. Age couldn’t limit Him in making Abraham and Sarah fruitful in having a child at the age of 100 years and 90 years. The grave couldn’t limit Him in raising Lazarus to life after 4 days in the grave, and so many other instances in the Bible.

God wants us to know Him as the God who is capable to do, although His capability is beyond our comprehension. Sometimes we may humanly wonder can something be done. With the help of God it can because with God all things are possible. God is so able to do all that we ask, think or imagine. God’s ability to do is unlimited. The reason is because God is the Lord who is strong and mighty (Psalm 24 vs 8); power belongs to Him (Psalm 62 vs 11). He is of great power; one abundant in strength (Psalm 147 vs 5).

In our anchor Scripture, the apostle Paul also establishes that God’s capacity, or extent, of doing far exceeds our capacity for asking or imagining. In other words, God’s capacity is not limited to our thinking capacity: “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, said the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55 vs 8 - 9.)

To what extent then is God able to do? The apostle Paul encourages us thus God is able to do exceedingly, or more than, abundantly, or much more than, above all we can ask or think! God is able to do immeasurably far more or beyond all we have the capacity to ask or think for He is the God of super abundance. Because of God’s capability, he is able to do all. Because of God’s capacity, he is able to do above all.

‘Is there anything too hard for God?’ The obvious answer is, ‘Of course not!’ This question reveals much about God. Make it a habit to insert your specific needs into the question. “Is this day in my life too hard for the Lord?” “Is this habit I am trying to break too hard for God?” “Is the communication problem I am having too hard for God?” “Is this issue or problem I am in too hard for God?” Asking the question this way reminds you that God is personally involved in your life and nudges you to ask for His power to help you. 

From a practical standpoint, how should the reality that God can do above all impact our lives? Should our prayer life change as we become more confident in God’s unlimited ability? Our anchor Scripture possibly suggests that our thinking should affect our praying.

If God is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, why not believe the Lord for more? To experience God’s unlimited power, take the limits off your prayers. Take a little time to think before you pray.

Prayer: Abba Father, You are great and greatly to praised. There is nothing impossible or difficult for You. In everything You are limitless. Your greatness is unsearchable and Your ways past finding out. My unshakable confidence is in You in all things, and at all times. May nothing take away my fix on You, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!

We Live by Faith

 We Live by Faith

The life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. (Galatians 2:20)

Faith is a perfect fit with God’s future grace. It corresponds to the freedom and all-sufficiency of grace. And it calls attention to the glorious trustworthiness of God. 

One of the important implications of this conclusion is that the faith that justifies and the faith that sanctifies are not two different kinds of faith. “Sanctify” simply means to make holy or to transform into Christlikeness. It is all by grace. 

Therefore, it must also be through faith. For faith is the act of the soul that connects with grace, and receives it, and channels it as the power of obedience, and guards grace from being nullified through human boasting. 

Paul makes this connection between faith and sanctification explicit in Galatians 2:20 (“I live by faith”). Sanctification is by the Spirit and by faith. Which is another way of saying that it is by grace and by faith. The Spirit is “the Spirit of grace” (Hebrews 10:29). God’s way of making us holy is by the Spirit; but the Spirit works through faith in the gospel. 

The simple reason why the faith that justifies is also the faith that sanctifies is that both justification and sanctification are the work of sovereign grace. And it’s faith that corresponds to grace. Justification and sanctification are not the same kind of work (justification is the imputation of righteousness; sanctification is the impartation of righteousness), but they are both works of grace. Sanctification and justification are “grace upon grace” (John 1:16). 

The human corollary of God’s free grace is faith. If both justification and sanctification are works of grace, it is natural that they would both be by faith.

All Hostile to God

 All Hostile to God

And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death. (Colossians 1:21–22)

The best news in all the world is that our alienation from God is ended and we are reconciled to the Judge of the universe. God is no longer against us, but for us. Having omnipotent love on our side mightily steels the soul. Life becomes utterly free and daring when the strongest being in the universe is for you.

But Paul’s message of salvation is not good news to those who reject the diagnosis in Colossians 1:21. He says, you “were alienated and hostile in mind.” 

How many people do you know who say, “Apart from God’s grace, I am hostile to God in my mind”? People seldom say, “I hate God.” So, what does Paul mean that people are “hostile in mind” to God before they were reconciled by the blood of Christ? 

I think he means that the hostility is really there toward the true God, but people do not allow themselves to think about the true God. They imagine God to be the way they would like him to be, which seldom includes any possibility that they might be in really serious trouble with him.

But concerning the God who really exists — a God who is sovereign over all things, including sickness and calamity — we were all hostile to him, Paul says. Deep down, we hated his absolute power and authority. 

That any of us is saved is owing to the wonderful truth that the death of Christ obtained the grace by which God conquered our hearts and caused us to love the One we once hated. 

Many are still learning not to be hostile to God. It is a good thing that he is gloriously patient.

TRIALS IN THE FIRES OF HARD TIMES!

 EVERYDAY IN THE WORD!

FRIDAY JUNE 06, 2025.

SUBJECT: TRIALS IN THE FIRES OF HARD TIMES!

Memory verse: "So that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure,” (Second Thessalonians 1 vs 4.) 

READ: James 1 vs 2 - 4; First Peter 1 vs 6 - 8:

James 1:2:My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 

1:3: knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 

1:4: But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.

First Peter 1:6: in this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

1:7: that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, 

1:8: whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory:

INTIMATION:

Fires of hard times are the life’s difficulties we experience as we live for Christ. All believers face trials when they let their light shine into the darkness. They will experience troubles because they are trying to be God’s people in a perverse world. Believers must understand, therefore, that life’s trial is an occasion for joy when it comes as a result of one’s commitment in Christ. We must accept trials as part of the refining process that burns away impurities and prepares us to meet Christ. We must also understand that the many trials are occasions for spiritual growth and development of character. 

Since God uses Satan’s work against him, trials or persecution manifests that God is going to use Satan’s work to accomplish something that is good in the life every believer (Romans 8 vs 28). We should note that the candidates for heaven must be tried in the fires of hard times in order to prepare their characters for eternal dwelling. As gold is heated, impurities float to the top and can be skimmed off. Likewise, our trials, struggles, and persecutions refine and strengthen our faith, making us useful to God. Then we can count it all joy when we have to endure many trials. 

Instead of asking, “Why me?” we should respond to suffering with a new sets of responses: (1) Confidence that God knows, plans, and directs our lives for our good. It’s hard to calculate sometimes, but God always provides His love and strength for us. He leads us toward a better future. (2) Perseverance when facing grief, anger, sorrow, and pain. We express our grief, but we don’t give in to bitterness and despair. (3) Courage because with Jesus as our Brother and Savior, we need not be afraid. He who suffered for us will not abandon us. Jesus carries us through everything. 

The key to surviving life’s difficulties is in patience, faith and joy in the Lord. When faced with crushing troubles, we should have faith in God because it pleases Him, and be patient, for God uses our trials for our good and for His glory, knowing that God will not forsake His people (Deuteronomy 4 vs 31). The godly life in Christ brings about persecution because Satan will rise up against all that God represents in this world. God is fair and just, and will give us patience in our suffering because He has not forgotten us. In His perfect timing, He will relieve our suffering and punish those who persecute us. 

The apostle Paul said in Romans 5 vs 3 - 4; “And not only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation produces perseverance, and perseverance, character, and character, hope.” Paul tells us that in the future we will become, but until then we must overcome. This means that we will experience difficulties that will help us grow. We rejoice in suffering, not because we like pain or deny its tragedy, but because we know God is using life’s difficulties and Satan’s attacks to build our character. The problems we run into will develop our perseverance, which in turn will strengthen our character, deepen our trust in God, and give us greater confidence about the future.

Your troubles may be an indication that you are taking a stand for Christ. When you do so, you are experiencing the privilege of showing that you are worthy of God’s kingdom (Second Thessalonians 1 vs 11). As believers, our calling from God is to become like Christ; be patient in suffering, and have faith in God to actualize, at the long run, His purposes in our lives. Becoming like Christ is a gradual, lifelong process that will be completed when we see Christ face to face (First John 3 vs 2). 

Some people say that troubles are the result of sin or lack of faith, but they may be a part of God’s plan for believers. Our problems can help us look upward and forward, instead of inward (Philippians 3 vs 13 - 14), they can build strong character, and they can provide us with opportunities to comfort others who also are struggling (Second Corinthians 1 vs 3 - 5). We must acknowledge that the proving of testing of our faith produces a character that is able to endure trials. It is also an opportunity for our faith to be proved genuine and strengthened. 

As believers we should react to various trials and temptations that we all encounter in life with endurance, steadfastness, and patience. We are to let these things do a thorough work in us so that we will come through them stronger and better than we were before.

Prayer: Abba Father, in all things I give You thanks, knowing that Your thoughts for me is of good and not of evil, to give me a future and a hope. I will rejoice in any situations I find myself because I know my Redeemer lives. Endue me with the spirit of endurance, steadfastness, and perseverance in the face of life’s trials, in Jesus’ Name I have prayed, Amen.

PRAISE THE LORD!