You Are Able

You Are Able

YOU ARE ABLE

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13

God will not demand from us that which He has not already deposited in us. He grants us the ability to do the things that He requires of us. So although our challenges may be very tough and intimidating, we are not left helpless and powerless. We have the equipment and the tools to tackle life’s many challenges. To face our challenges, we must know what we have:

•   We have God. The Lord is on our side. His power is available to us to tap into. His grace is sufficient for us. His love for us is unfailing. He does not leave us alone nor abandon us when we get into trouble. In our moments of perplexity, He shows up in power to uphold us and carry us through.

•   We have Talents. Within each one of us are rich deposits of talents, gifts and abilities which are waiting to be discovered and deployed. God has fairly distributed to each one of us, the needed gifts to help us make our lives fruitful and useful.

•   We have Wisdom. Through the word of God, we have access to wisdom beyond our years and experience. God speaks to us when we read and study the Bible. He shows us the pitfalls we must avoid and the highway to follow. He shows us the signposts to success and the secrets to a happy life. Wisdom screams from the pages of the Bible and those who listen and apply its lessons to their lives enjoy the benefits of life.

•   We have opportunity. All around us are great opportunities that the Lord creates for us. Opportunities sometimes present themselves in garments of challenges. Those who take the challenge and respond to it appropriately, reap the benefits of their diligence.

Prayer: Thank and praise God for giving victory in Christ in all areas of your life.

Scriptural Reading: Philippians 4:10-20

You Are Able

The Redeemed Of The Lord

The Redeemed Of The Lord

THE REDEEMED OF THE LORD

Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” Galatians 3:13

The law as described in the New Testament is usually considered to be the Pentateuch, or more clearly the first five books of the Bible. In these first five books, Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy, the curse or punishment for breaking God’s law is broken down into three basic categories.

•      The curse of poverty

•      The curse of sickness

•      The curse of spiritual death

Deuteronomy 28 lists curses of breaking the law from verse 15 all the way to verse 60: Forty-five verses of sicknesses and financial disasters that would happen if the law was not kept. Then in verse 61 the list concludes by saying that not only would these things that were listed happen, but any sickness, disease or catastrophe that was not listed would happen also.

The consequences of breaking God’s law are horrific. And since the Bible declares that no one is able to keep the requirements of the law, poverty, sickness and spiritual death were virtually assured.

But, praise God! By His death and resurrection, the Lord Jesus took on Himself the curses that should have come to us because we all have broken the law. He died so that we could live. He bore our sicknesses so we could have health. He became poor so we may become rich. He has redeemed us from the curse of the law so that we might receive the blessing of God.

Prayer: Declare your redemption from the curse of the law. By faith, release all the blessings of your redemption into your life today.

Scriptural Reading: Galatians 3:1-14

The Redeemed Of The Lord

A Hindrance To Prayer

A Hindrance To Prayer

A HINDRANCE TO PRAYER

So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God. Matthew 5:23-24

An unforgiving Christian is an oxymoron. If you’re a Christian, then you must forgive, because forgiven people are forgiving people. Therefore, you cannot be an unforgiving Christian. And if you want your prayers answered in the affirmative, then you must forgive others. Jesus gave this command: “If you are presenting a sacrifice at the altar in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God.” Jesus also taught us to pray, “And forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us . . . (Luke 11:4). We need to learn to forgive, because we are all flawed. We will sin against people, and people will sin against us. Husbands will offend their wives, and wives will offend their husbands. Parents will offend their children, and children will offend their parents. Family members will offend one another. Friends will offend one another. So we must choose to forgive. We must determine not to let those offences keep us from communion and fellowship with God.

It may be that someone has really hurt you. You may even have every right to be angry and bitter. But do you know who gets hurt the most when you harbor anger and hostility and vengeful thoughts toward someone? You! And not only that, you are cutting yourself off from fellowship with God.

When God forgave you, did you deserve to be forgiven? Does the person who hurt you deserve to be forgiven? Forgive anyway. Based on God’s love and grace, we should forgive.

Prayer: Bind and cast out the unforgiving spirit from your heart.

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 5:17-26

A Hindrance To Prayer

God Is Able

God Is Able

GOD IS ABLE

For with God nothing will be impossible. Luke 1:37

God is a God of possibility. He specializes in turning hopeless situations around. To trust Him is to embrace a new mentality of possibility. To trust Him is to change your perspective from limitation to no limits. He makes a way where there is no way and opens up streams in the desert.

When Moses was eighty years old and well past the prime of his life, God looked for him in the dry desert and called him to a task of a lifetime. At the time when Moses had settled to a life of disappointed dreams and unfulfilled hopes, God stepped into his life and ordered an about-turn. That turn led to the greatest emancipation program of all time. It is possible to have a new start no matter how old you are.

Job had experienced the best of days and he was in the worst of days. After working so hard to achieve success, he lost everything – wife, children, health and business investments. In a short time, he fell from being the most successful man of his day to the most sorrowful man. In that place of hopelessness and disappointment, God stepped into his life and gave him a new life with a new family, health and wealth. It is possible to regain what you have lost!

Peter denied Christ and saw Him crucified. He was full of guilt and disappointment for his failure that he abandoned the mission that the Lord had given him. Yet on resurrection morning Jesus remembered him and later restored him. The man who failed Christ was asked to ‘feed My lambs.’ It is possible to regain your mission in life!

Prayer: Command every impossible situation in your life to turn around in Jesus’ name.

Scriptural Reading: Luke 1:26-38

God Is Able

Expect Great Things

Expect Great Things

EXPECT GREAT THINGS

Enlarge the place of your tent, and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwellings; do not spare; lengthen your cords, and strengthen your stakes. Isaiah 54:2

William Carey (1761 – 1834) was a Baptist missionary sent from England to India. He is considered the father of modern missions. Carey started out as a shoemaker in England.

In time, he became fascinated with the journeys of early navigators and explorers who brought news of the distant lands and peoples of the world. As a result, Carey developed a deep spiritual hunger to reach the ends of the world with the gospel of Christ.

Before he was thirty-one he could read the Bible in Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Dutch, French, and English. On the walls of his humble shoemaker’s shop he hung hand-drawn maps of the world on which he had noted the population, climate, vegetation, animals and religions of the different countries. Out of pieces of leather, he had constructed a globe, and as he turned it in his hands, he prayed in turn for the people of Africa, India and China as well as the Islands who had never heard the gospel.

His passion for God took him to India. Through self-denial, trials and persecutions he still persisted and built a lasting legacy for Christ. He led many to Christ and saw the translation of the Bible into forty different languages. For a man who started as a shoemaker, that is quite some achievement.

William Carey was a righteous man. His motto in life was, ‘Expect great things from God; attempt great things for God.’

What are you expecting from God? What would you attempt for God? This year 2018, attempt something great for God.

Prayer: By faith, declare that you will achieve extraordinary things this year.

Scriptural Reading: Isaiah 54:1-5

Expect Great Things

Waiting For God"s Best

Waiting For God’s Best

WAITING FOR GOD’S BEST

My times are in Your hands. Psalm 31:15

If we could understand God’s timing, we could better cooperate with His plan for our lives. However, we may never completely understand. When we don’t know, we must be satisfied to know the One who knows. If we are going to walk with Him and enjoy His blessings, we must learn to let God be God.

Most of us attempt to take the lead role in our relationship with the Lord. He has a position, and He will not change it. We must change. He has the lead role. He gives the instructions, and we follow – even though we don’t always like the way He chooses to take us.

Timing is an important issue in our walk with God. Why does it take God so long to do what we ask Him to do? Trust always requires unanswered questions which keep us growing in faith.

God has a plan and timing. While we are in God’s waiting room, He is getting us ready for what He already has prepared for us. We must grow up and mature. It takes time. As we reach new levels of maturity, God releases new levels of blessings. Yes, these times of waiting are uncomfortable for us. Sometimes they seem too painful. But if we try to make our own way instead of waiting on God, we will miss out on God’s best for us. Be encouraged today with some words from a man who had to do a lot of waiting in his life, but who was blessed beyond belief: In Psalm 27:14, David says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart, and wait for the Lord!”

Prayer: Pray for the wisdom to trust the Lord and always wait on Him; by faith declare that every blessing God has prepared for you will come to you.

Scriptural Reading: Psalm 31:1-24

Waiting For God"s Best

Set Your Agenda

Set Your Agenda

SET YOUR AGENDA

When she heard about Jesus, she came behind Him in the crowd and touched His garment. Mark 5:27

It takes great determination and spiritual violence to access the power of God. The traditions of this woman’s society required a woman with an issue of blood to stay indoors because she was ‘unclean.’ After waiting for twelve years and hiding in the shadows, she probably said to herself, ‘enough is enough.’ Enough of hiding and shame. She set her own agenda for change and began a process that totally transformed her life. But her journey of change was not an easy one. She had to overcome some stumbling blocks.

Her journey started from behind the crowd. She was behind but she was not deterred by her placement. She was confronted with a crowd of people who were all trying to get to the same Jesus she wanted to get to. Although there were many in contention with her, she was not discouraged. She came from behind and pressed through the rough and tumbling mob surrounding Jesus although she was feeble in strength. She did not make excuses nor gave herself any respite.

When she finally got to Jesus, she reached out and executed her agenda. She put her faith into action. She reached out and touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. That is faith in action.

She overcame:

1. Long-term disappointment

2. Physical weakness

3. Personal embarrassment

4. Society’s rejection

5. Physical barriers: the crowd of people.

You can reach out in faith and set a new agenda for your life if you press on without wavering.

Prayer: By faith, release God’s power into your life and destroy any situation contrary to God’s purposes for your life.

Scriptural Reading: Mark 5:21-43

Set Your Agenda

It Is A Fight Of Faith

It Is A Fight Of Faith

IT IS A FIGHT OF FAITH

And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. Matthew 11:12

I want you to get violent today. Yes, violent, determined, and zealous. I want you to get so spiritually violent that your mere presence will put the devil to flight. The Amplified Bible renders today’s scripture, “A share in the heavenly kingdom is sought with most ardent zeal and intense exertion.”

Too many believers live like the Israelites in the wilderness. They wandered around in a wilderness of defeat because of fear of giants on their Promised Land. They’re robbed of their rightful inheritance because they’re afraid to fight. They sat passive hoping that somehow their promised inheritance will fall in their laps on its own accord. They were utterly disappointed! You have to make demands where Satan and his demons are concerned.

Was it not God who promised the land of Canaan as an inheritance to the children of Israel? Yet, they had to possess it through battle. There were giants on the land. He said to them, “Send the armed men to go before you.” They were to go up armed—ready for the fight. He did not promise them an easy life. What He promised them was that they’d win every battle. The same is true for you. You can’t take possession of God’s promises lying down and taking things easy. Satan is not going to let you prosper in any area of your life without a fight.

You have been sitting in the wilderness for too long. Many Christians have become spiritually indolent thinking that God’s blessing will drop in their laps. Put on your armour and take possession of your inheritance by prayer, prophetic declarations and positive confessions. You have God’s permission and power to do that.

Prayer: By faith, command the blessings God has purposed for you to come into your life in the name of Jesus. Amen!

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 11:1-19

It Is A Fight Of Faith

God Is At Work

God Is At Work

GOD IS AT WORK

Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost. 1 Samuel 9:3

God used adversity to call the first king of Israel. In 1 Samuel 9 and 10, we find Saul working in the family business, employed by his father, Kish. Some of Kish’s donkeys were missing, so Kish told his son Saul to take a servant with him and go find the missing donkeys. Saul and the servant travelled the countryside three days in search of the missing donkeys – but without results. Saul thought his father might worry about him, so he told the servant, “Let’s go back.”

The servant replied, “Look, in this town there’s a man of God, a prophet. Let’s go see him and maybe he will tell us which way to take. So Saul and the servant went through the town and the prophet – a man named Samuel – was walking toward them along the street. As Samuel walked toward Saul, God told the prophet, “The man who is approaching is the one I told you about. He will be the leader of My people.”

Saul stopped Samuel in the street and said, “Sir, would you please tell me how to find the house of the prophet?” “I’m the prophet you’re looking for,” Samuel replied. “Today you’ll have dinner with me and tomorrow I’ll tell you everything that is in your heart.” Saul’s pathway to leadership led through the experience of a business setback: a missing herd of donkeys. God arranged every step of Saul’s journey.

It was God who sent the donkeys away, which made it necessary for Saul to go searching for them. When Saul was ready to give up the search, God arranged for the servant to suggest that they look for a prophet in a nearby city. The Lord spoke to the prophet and told him to expect Saul’s arrival. There was not a single detail left to chance. God’s plan worked flawlessly.

So it is in your life. God is in control of every detail in your life.

Prayer: Thank God for working everything in your life for your good and the fulfillment of your destiny.

Scriptural Reading: 1 Samuel 9:1-17

God Is At Work

The Carpenter

The Carpenter

HE CARPENTER

“Isn’t this the carpenter? Isn’t this Mary’s Son and the brother of James, Joseph, Judas and Simon? Aren’t His sisters here with us?” And they took offense at Him. Mark 6:3

In 2005, a movie entitled The Passion was released that chronicled the last twenty-four hours of Jesus’ life. During a flashback scene, Jesus was seen in his carpentry shop making a table with his mother standing by playfully observing. It was a very beautiful scene that reminds us that Jesus was a carpenter for most of his adult life. In fact, Jesus was more qualified to be a carpenter than the Son of God in the eyes of His people because that is the history they knew of this young working class man from Nazareth.

Consider that in the New Testament, of Jesus’ 132 public appearances, 122 were in the workplace situation. Of 52 parables Jesus told, 45 had a workplace context. Of 40 miracles in the book of Acts, 39 were in the market place. Jesus spent his adult life as a carpenter until age 30 before he went into a preaching ministry in the workplace. And, 54% of Jesus’ reported teaching ministry arose out of issues posed by others in the scope of daily life experience.

Work, in its different forms, is mentioned more than 800 times in the Bible – more than all the words used to express worship, music, praise, and singing combined. God created work and He is a worker. “My Father is always at His work to this very day, and I, too, am working” (John 5:17).

So, the next time you are tempted to look down on your daily work as anything less than a holy calling, remember that Jesus worked as a carpenter. He has called you and I to reflect His glory in our work. Do your work with the spirit of excellence and do it for the glory of God.

Prayer: I thank You, Father, for my work; I receive the spirit of excellence to bring glory to You through my work.

Scriptural Reading: Mark 6:1-5

The Carpenter

Godly Goals

Godly Goals

GODLY GOALS

Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. Colossians 3:2

Where your treasure is, there will your heart be. Your heart will pursue anything that you consider to be important. For your heart to pursue the right things, you must treasure the right things. You must have godly desires and godly goals.

A godly goal is any specific Christ-centered target that you set for yourself. It must be something that reflects God’s purpose for your life. God’s Word is filled with what is right and good, therefore reading and learning the Bible is a good place to start and a good place to stay.

A godly goal does not depend on people or circumstances beyond your ability or right to control. It is a goal that depends on God’s grace and the help of the Holy Spirit. Although people may let you down, you can still fulfil your godly goals and desires. When your desires are of God, His grace and favour abounds towards you.

Holiness is a godly desire. Walking in love is a godly desire. Knowing the will of God is a godly desire. Sharing the gospel with others is a godly desire. Set these desires as goals to pursue. Seek these first and all other things shall be added to you.

When your ways please the Lord, He answers your prayers before you pray. When your heart is in the right place, God’s will becomes your will. His thoughts become your thoughts. His ways become your ways. If these are your treasures in 2018, then your heart will be in the right place this year.

Prayer: Ask the Lord for grace to walk in all His ways this year.

Scriptural Reading: Colossians 3:1-16

Godly Goals

Discovering Your Purpose

Discovering Your Purpose

DISCOVERING YOUR PURPOSE

You know me inside and out, You know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Psalm 139:15 (The Message)

If you are going to discover how God wants to use your life and work, you must know why you were created. If you start trying to determine your purpose in life before understanding why you were created, you will inevitably get hung up on the things you do as the basis for fulfilment in your life, which will only lead to frustration and disappointment.

First and foremost, God created you to know Him and to have an intimate relationship with Him. In fact, God says that if a man is going to boast about anything in life, “boast about this: that he understands and knows Me” (Jeremiah 9:24). Mankind’s relationship with God was lost in the Garden when Adam and Eve sinned. Jesus’ death on the cross, however, allows us to restore this relationship with God and to have an intimate fellowship with Him. The apostle Paul came to understand this when he said, “I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience His resurrection power, be a partner in His suffering, and go all the way with Him to death itself” (Philippians 3:10, The Message).

Establishing this relationship with God is vital to understanding your purpose. If you don’t have this relationship with God, you will seek to fulfil your purpose out of wrong motives; such as fear, insecurity, pride, money, relationships, guilt, or unresolved anger. God’s desire is for you to be motivated out of love for Him and to desire to worship Him in all that you do. As you develop your relationship with God, He will begin to reveal His purpose for your life. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 29:11).

Prayer: Ask the Lord to help you discover your unique purpose and fulfil it to His glory.

Scriptural Reading: Psalm 139:14-18

Discovering Your Purpose

Perseverance

Perseverance

PERSEVERANCE

And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. – Romans 5:2-4

Perseverance is the key to every great accomplishment because nothing of lasting value has ever been achieved without it. Industrialist Henry Ford is one of the great success stories of American history, but he failed in business five times before he succeeded. A Ford Motor Company employee once asked his boss the secret of success, and Henry Ford replied, “When you start a thing, don’t quit until you finish it.”

The path ahead of you is strewn with obstacles. People will oppose you. There will be financial setbacks, time pressures, illnesses and misfortunes. Some of the biggest obstacles will be from within you: self-doubt, insecurity, procrastination, and worry. You must give yourself permission to succeed. When we persevere through adversity, we win the approval of our Lord Jesus Christ, who told the suffering church at Ephesus, “I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary” (Revelation 2:2-3).

Perseverance is a refusal to quit. It’s falling down 100 times and getting back up 100 times. We need to remember that perseverance is not a matter of forcing doors to open; it’s standing in front of the doors as long as it takes before God chooses to open them. Life is a marathon, not a sprint. The race doesn’t go to the swiftest, but to those who don’t give up. People give up or give out when they feel depleted – when they physically, emotionally and spiritually run out of gas.

When going through adversity, watch out for pessimists, mockers and toxic personalities. Beware of people who try to talk you out of your dreams and goals. Spend time with optimists and encouragers. Never give up. Persevere to the end.

Prayer: Ask the Lord for the inner strength to persevere till you break through.

Scriptural Reading: Romans 5:1-11

#YearOfPower

 

Perseverance

Finish

Finish

FINISH

Tell Archippus: ‘See to it that you complete the work you have received in the Lord.’ Colossians 4:17

Have you ever driven by an abandoned construction project? It is a striking example of an abandoned vision. The owner had a vision and maybe a significant amount of money, but something happened that killed the project. Why do projects fail to be completed? There could be a number of reasons. There could have been a failure to raise adequate funds to complete it. There could have been a fallout among management. The project could have been simply ill-conceived.

We often fail to complete projects because we fail to estimate what it will take to complete them. Our Lord Jesus said, “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it – lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish."” We must conceive the project and clearly write out the vision with detailed specifications that identify what will be needed to complete it.

Entrepreneurs have the tendency to conceive projects without estimating the financial and manpower requirements to complete the projects. Many a project has died because of this trait in entrepreneurs. Successful entrepreneurs understand their need to have detail-people around them that can take their ideas and put the details around them. These are wise entrepreneurs who have learned to complement their weakness with those who can help them achieve their vision.

Do you have a vision for your life? What do you need to achieve success?

Prayer: Ask the Lord for wisdom and anointing to start and finish all He wants you to accomplish this year.

Scriptural Reading: Colossians 4:10-18

Finish

Be Rich Towards God

Be Rich Towards God

BE RICH TOWARDS GOD

When these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh. Luke 21:28

The exact same event described by Jesus as being a dreadful and terrible day for some, who will quake with fear, is promised to others as a day of deliverance.

When the Son of man, Jesus Christ, returns to earth in all His power and glory, it will be the end of everything as we know it. On the one hand, for those who have sought their satisfaction in material things, it will be the end of all their hopes. For those who have been diligently seeking first the kingdom of God, it will be a deliverance from the afflictions and cares of this world.

How will it be for you? Are you laying up for yourself treasures here on earth, as Jesus warned us against, where moth and rust and thieves are able to corrupt and steal our heart’s treasure? Or is your heart’s treasure in heaven and all of your resources devoted to that which is eternal?

Will the coming of Christ be fearful, and the loss of all you have? Or will it be the joyful return on a careful and lifelong investment? It all depends on how you are living now, on what your priorities are now, on where your faith is now.

If your faith is now in Jesus Christ, and you are fervently following His ways, then when you see him coming in all his glory, look up! Your redemption, glory and eternal inheritance are here.

Prayer: Lord, help me live a life that echoes into eternity.

Scriptural Reading: Luke 21:25-28

Be Rich Towards God

The Unchanging God

The Unchanging God

THE UNCHANGING GOD

The Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17

The only thing constant in this world is change. Fashions change; people change; governments change; even the earth’s topography changes over time.

But God does not change; He is immutable. Although He is a person, He reminds us that He is not a human and therefore does not change His mind as humans do (Numbers 23:19).

It is this unique attribute of God that inspired David to compare God to a rock (mountain); He is stable, solid, reliable, firm, immovable. David asks the rhetorical question, “Who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?” (2 Samuel 22:32).

It is also this remarkable, eternally-the-same nature of God which God himself showcases in the proper name by which He describes himself to Moses: “I am that I am” (Exodus 3:14). God has always been, is now, and will always be the same. Therefore he is the great “I AM”—not “I was” or “I will be”, but from eternity past to eternity future, God says, “I AM.”

James points us to this invariableness of God in order to comfort and encourage us. The God who never changes will always make good on His promises. Nothing will get in His way, He will never need to reconsider.

This includes the wonderful work of salvation that He has begun in you, believer! He that has begun a good work in you will continue it to the end (Philippians 1:6).

Prayer: Thank You Father, for being the same yesterday, today and forever more.

Scriptural Reading: James 1:12-17

The Unchanging God

The Sovereignty Of God

The Sovereignty Of God

SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD

All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet. Matthew 1:22

That a virgin would bring forth a son is astounding; that Jesus will certainly save His people is reassuring; that God would condescend to be with us is humbling. But there is another point that Matthew purposefully interjects into the inspired account of Jesus’ birth, and it is this: “All this was done, that it might be fulfilled.”

When you think of Biblical prophecy, do you think of God describing events that will later come to pass, or of God declaring that events will later come to pass? In other words, is prophecy simply God “looking down through the tunnel of time,” seeing what is going to happen, and reporting what He sees? Or is prophecy the declaration of God, based upon His almighty power and wisdom, of what He has foreordained to happen?

If we speculated that prophecy is merely description based on foresight, then we would expect Matthew to say something like this: “so God had spoken all these things by the prophet because they were going to happen later.” But Matthew actually says the opposite! “All this was done, that it might be fulfilled…” All these things happened, Matthew says, because God said they were going to happen!

From Matthew’s careful wording in this story, we learn that God’s word is more certain, more secure, more immovable than any event on earth. Reality itself must conform to the perfect purpose and plan of God. And this choice of words by Matthew is no mistake or anomaly. Matthew uses the exact same phrase—“that it might be fulfilled”—no less than ten times throughout his gospel!

Clearly, Matthew intends for us to see God’s omnipotence shaping reality with His Word. Is that the way you view the world around you today?

Prayer: I praise You Lord, You rule in the affairs of this world.

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 1:18-25

 

The Sovereignty Of God

Inside First

Inside First

INSIDE FIRST

Even so you also appear righteous to men but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:28

People make changes in their lives for many reasons. Often it is when they face a crisis in life. It may be a life-threatening situation or a shameful embarrassment that stares them right in the face. It may be some other crisis that hits them and they begin to evaluate their priorities and take stock of their lives. They determine to make changes.

But often the same people who vow to change end up going back to their old ways. We often hear of prominent people who fall into all kinds of troubles. We hear about the great changes they have made. They tell their transformation stories on television and write a book about them. Sometimes they even become major campaigners for that cause. But then, a few months later, we read that they have gone back to their old ways. Why? Because they have made well-intentioned changes in their lives but they haven’t got to the root of their problem, which is the absence of God in their lives.

Jesus warned the Pharisees, “First wash the inside of the cup, and then the outside will become clean too” (Matthew 23:26). Jesus was telling them that they were missing the point when they only concentrated on the outward. They must first take care of the inward.

True and lasting change starts from God. And it starts from within us. It does not start with making outward boastful claims. True change starts with God planting the seed of change in our hearts which grows and later manifests outwardly for all to see.

Allow God to do a good work in you this year.

Prayer: Lord, plant Your seed in my heart, change me from within.

Scriptural Reading: Matthew 23:25-28

Inside First

What Is Repentance

What Is Repentance

REPENTANCE

Thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent. Revelation 2:4-5

Do you remember when your eyes were first opened to see the beauty and the grace and the power of Jesus Christ? Perhaps it was at a young age, or after many wrong and painful choices, or as a result of a long and arduous search for truth – but when Christ revealed Himself to you, you had eyes only for Him.

But since then, things have changed. Life has gotten busy, work has been stressful, the hunt for an escape has replaced your search for truth. Maybe you still go through the religious motions of church attendance or Bible studies, but your heart is not in it any more. You have left your first love.

If this describes you, then Jesus says to you “Remember.” Remember the peace and the joy and the satisfaction that is only found in a close relationship with Christ. Remember the worthiness and glory and humility of Christ on the cross. Remember what it’s all about. It’s all about Jesus.

And after you remember, then repent. Repentance involves admitting that you have been wrong but it means even more than that. It means changing your ways and doing what is right. Repent of the fact that you have let other things come between you and Christ; admit that you have not nurtured your love for Him as you ought; confess your need of His renewing and reviving work in your life. Remember, repent, and return to your first love.

Prayer: Lord, I repent. Please bring me to the place where I first met You.

Scriptural Reading: Revelation 2:1-7

What Is Repentance

God Is Our Refuge

God Is Our Refuge

GOD IS OUR REFUGE

My salvation, my high tower, and my refuge, my Saviour… – 2 Samuel 22:3

David had sought refuge in the mountains countless times while being hunted by King Saul. He knew both the discomfort of being exposed and vulnerable, and the peace of being safely tucked away in a strong fortress. Now David, as an old man, writes a hymn of praise to God, after being delivered once again, and calls God his salvation, his tower, his refuge.

Do you have a refuge? Perhaps not from a ravaging army, but from a nagging conscience? Do you have a safe place to run when you realize that there are sins in your past that cannot be undone, mistakes that cannot be corrected, wrongs that cannot be righted?

When your sins come rushing in on you, when you come to realize how far short you have fallen of the perfect and good standard of God, then your first tendency may be to save yourself — but you cannot be a refuge for yourself. You need Someone else to shelter you from the just wrath of God. You need the perfect goodness and atoning sacrifice of Jesus to be your refuge, your high tower of defence.

When you feel exposed and helpless before the storms of life, when the powers of darkness seems to have laid a siege around you and help seems to come from nowhere, know that Jesus Christ is a strong tower, a refuge into which you can run and find safety. This refuge will last, the tower will hold, this saviour will save. The name of the Lord is a strong tower. Run to Him and He will save you from all your troubles.

Prayer: Lord, you are my strong tower and refuge. In you I am completely covered.

Scriptural Reading: 2 Samuel 22:1-18

#YearOfPower

God Is Our Refuge

In Him Is Life

In Him Is Life

IN HIM IS LIFE

God has given to us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. 1 John 5:11-12

There are some things in life you can do without. You can survive without your phone, shopping malls, or internet. You can even get by without life insurance, a pension plan, or work. But you cannot do without the Son of God.

God has given us eternal life. What a mercy! What a revelation! Everything in our experience screams to us that our life is temporary. Pets rotate through our life; family members die; we get older. Nothing lives forever. But God has given us eternal life!

How can mere mortals live forever? Certainly not in their own strength or by their own ingenuity. No, God has given us eternal life, but this life is in His Son Jesus Christ. Only the source of life Himself can carry us through death and bring us into an everlasting and glorious life on the other side.

The one who has the Son of God has life right now. Eternal life begins the moment Jesus Christ takes up residence in your heart. If you have Jesus Christ then you are already enjoying the eternal life, the abundant life right now. But the one who does not have the Son has no such promise, no such current and joyful reality.

The good news of the gospel, then, is only to those who have Jesus Christ. If you don’t have the Son, nothing else you have matters. Do you have the Son? Do you have eternal life?

Prayer: Father, by faith, I receive Jesus Christ Your Son as my Lord and Saviour. Thank You for eternal life.

Scriptural Reading: 1 John 5:6-12

In Him Is Life

The Strength Of The Lord

The Strength Of The Lord

THE STRENGTH OF THE LORD

Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Ephesians 6:10

You have perhaps had someone at one time or another seek to comfort or encourage you in the midst of a personal trial by slapping you on the back and telling you to “be strong.” The counsel was well-meant but not too helpful. If you could just make yourself “be strong” then you wouldn’t need encouragement to begin with.

But Paul is here providing much more than a simple pat on the back and optimistic slogan. He is reminding us of exactly where all true and lasting strength comes from. He is saying to you, “Turn your eyes away from your problems and place them on the Almighty.”

Perhaps you do not have the strength to tackle the huge challenges that are facing you now, but God does. He can give you the strength to go through them, or the ability to overcome them.

Stop relying on your own solutions, your own efforts, your own wisdom; instead, look to the wisdom of God’s Word and the strength of God’s Spirit to energize and direct your daily life. Confess your weakness and your helplessness to Him, and throw your burdens on Him.

Only God can give you the power you need in order to successfully battle with sin, with sickness, with selfishness, and with Satan. But He can and does give that power to those who turn to Hun in faith. No matter the challenges confronting you today, turn to the Lord by faith and be strong in the power of His might.

Prayer: Lord, I turn to You today for strength to overcome all my challenges. In You, I can do all things.

Scriptural Reading: Ephesians 6:10-20

The Strength Of The Lord