13 October 2007
' In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land. And a certain man of Bethlehem of Judah went to sojourn in the country of Moab, he, his wife, and his two sons.' Ruth 1:1
Naomi and her husband and two sons left home and moved to Moab because there was famine in Bethlehem. Bethlehem in Hebrew means ' house of bread' The reason they left the house of bread is because there was no bread in the house. People leave churches because there was no bread. Bread was part of the temple practices and it was a proof of His Presence - the showbread, the bread of the presence (Num 4:7)
The reason why people are flocking to other 'attractions' is because the church has failed them and they find no bread in the spiritual cupboards, except for a few crumbs of yesteryears' revivals. The church can talk about what God has done and where he has been but can say very little about what He is doing among us today. We camouflage of our emptiness like the priesthood in Jesus' day kept the veil in place with no ark of the covenant behind it. Religious spirits, pride in protecting religious traditions, and activities that are used to prevent the congregation of realising that there was no glory behind the veil.
People have come to the house of bread time and again only to find that there was too much of man and too little of God. Over and over, we talk about the Glory of God covering the earth, but how is it going to flow through the streets of our cities if it cannot even flow down the aisles of our churches. It's got to start somewhere, and it's not going to start out there. It must start right at the temple as Exekiel saw ' I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple...' Ezek 47:1
If God's glory cannot flow through the aisles of the church because of seducing spirits and manipulating men, then God will have to turn somewhere else as He did the day Jesus rode past ' the house of bread' (temple) in Jerusalem on a donkey.
Let us pray the church today is filled with God's presence and all walls of religious spirit, manipulative spirit, pride and seducing spirit be broken down and a total restoration of His temple takes place.
Amen
Tree of Righteousness
12 October 2007
"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; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 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 prosper." Ps 1:1-3
It is possible to spend your whole life knowing about the word of God and never experiencing any of them. Simply knowing about the word of God does not mean that they have become a part of your life. Here is the important question: What are you doing with the Word?
Some people allow themselves to come under the influence of ungodly thinking to the point that God's Word makes no difference to them. If you seek your counsel from ungodly persons, you will find yourself moving away from the direction God's Word commands. They will lead you down paths that take you far from God. If you choose to join those who are scornful, you will eventually become cynical.
The righteous man does not find encouragement in the opinions of others but in God's Word. He is not content with a surface knowledge of Scripture but meditates on it day and night until he is satisfied that what he reads reflects his own experience. He becomes like a fruit tree standing firmly on the bank of the river. The tree is well nourished and produces delicious fruit and bountiful leaves.
People come from miles around to sit in its shade and eat its fruit.If you allow God to implement His Word in your life, others will draw encouragement from you. The more you grow in God's righteousness, the stronger you will become. Some people would look in vain to find anyone they were encouraging, but not so the righteous person. A constant stream of people will seek you out because they know that your life will be a blessing Amen
"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; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 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 prosper." Ps 1:1-3
It is possible to spend your whole life knowing about the word of God and never experiencing any of them. Simply knowing about the word of God does not mean that they have become a part of your life. Here is the important question: What are you doing with the Word?
Some people allow themselves to come under the influence of ungodly thinking to the point that God's Word makes no difference to them. If you seek your counsel from ungodly persons, you will find yourself moving away from the direction God's Word commands. They will lead you down paths that take you far from God. If you choose to join those who are scornful, you will eventually become cynical.
The righteous man does not find encouragement in the opinions of others but in God's Word. He is not content with a surface knowledge of Scripture but meditates on it day and night until he is satisfied that what he reads reflects his own experience. He becomes like a fruit tree standing firmly on the bank of the river. The tree is well nourished and produces delicious fruit and bountiful leaves.
People come from miles around to sit in its shade and eat its fruit.If you allow God to implement His Word in your life, others will draw encouragement from you. The more you grow in God's righteousness, the stronger you will become. Some people would look in vain to find anyone they were encouraging, but not so the righteous person. A constant stream of people will seek you out because they know that your life will be a blessing Amen
Sowing and Reaping
11 October 2007
'But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.' 2Co 9:6
This is the basic rule in our christian living. You must understand and know how you invest your time in order to experience the fullness of God in every area of your Christian life and never to settle for a shallow, lackadaisical relationship with almighty God. God will bless you according to how you respond to His invitations. If you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. If He finds in you a generous heart that willingly and freely gives what it has to others, then God responds toward you in like manner.
When the apostle Paul encouraged the believers in Corinth to help the Christians in Jerusalem, he promised them that if they would sow generously, they would reap a generous return from God.
This is a life-changing truth for you and you need to embrace this truth in order to see His power and potential He can do in your life. If you invest everything you have in your relationship with God, you will experience the fullest dimension in your spiritual life as children of God. If your desire is to know God more intimately, and if you spend ample time studying His word, God will generously enrich your relationship with Him. If you discipline yourselves to remain in prayer even when praying is difficult, He will reward you with a deeper, more powerful prayer life. If you reconcile any broken relationships and prepare your hearts before worship, and if you participate fully and reverently in every part of worship, God promises that you will meet Him and your lives will be changed.
Why is it that some Christians grow rapidly in their Christian faith and others remain unchanged year after year? Our Christian maturity is deeply affected by what we sow. Let us choose to sow generously in everything we do in our Christian lives. The harvest we reap will be Christlikeness. Amen
'But this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.' 2Co 9:6
This is the basic rule in our christian living. You must understand and know how you invest your time in order to experience the fullness of God in every area of your Christian life and never to settle for a shallow, lackadaisical relationship with almighty God. God will bless you according to how you respond to His invitations. If you draw near to Him, He will draw near to you. If He finds in you a generous heart that willingly and freely gives what it has to others, then God responds toward you in like manner.
When the apostle Paul encouraged the believers in Corinth to help the Christians in Jerusalem, he promised them that if they would sow generously, they would reap a generous return from God.
This is a life-changing truth for you and you need to embrace this truth in order to see His power and potential He can do in your life. If you invest everything you have in your relationship with God, you will experience the fullest dimension in your spiritual life as children of God. If your desire is to know God more intimately, and if you spend ample time studying His word, God will generously enrich your relationship with Him. If you discipline yourselves to remain in prayer even when praying is difficult, He will reward you with a deeper, more powerful prayer life. If you reconcile any broken relationships and prepare your hearts before worship, and if you participate fully and reverently in every part of worship, God promises that you will meet Him and your lives will be changed.
Why is it that some Christians grow rapidly in their Christian faith and others remain unchanged year after year? Our Christian maturity is deeply affected by what we sow. Let us choose to sow generously in everything we do in our Christian lives. The harvest we reap will be Christlikeness. Amen
God Will Protect
10 October 2007
“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” Jn 17:12
Nothing that Satan can do to you should cause you to fear (2Ti 1:7). Jesus chose the twelve disciples the Father had given Him and then jealously guarded them from the evil one. Jesus sent His disciples into the world where they experienced difficult and dangerous circumstances, but He interceded on their behalf with His Father that they would have His strong protection from the evil one (Jn 17:15).
In the same way, Jesus said that we, as His sheep, are held securely in the Father's strong hand (Jn 10:28). There is no better place to be than safely in the hand of almighty God. Do you believe this, or are you fearful of what Satan or people can do to you?
The apostle John encourages us that we do not need to fear: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1Jn 4:4). This is not merely a theological concept but a profound reality in which you can have absolute confidence. It is not just a truth for meditation in the security of your home; it is a promise you can cling to in the midst of a hostile world.
What you do reveals what you believe. If you are living a fearful, anxiety-filled life, you are proving your lack of confidence in God's protection, regardless of what you may say. Live your life with confidence that Jesus is continually interceding with the Father on your behalf.
Trust Him completely, you will have nothing to fear! Amen
“While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of them is lost except the son of perdition, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.” Jn 17:12
Nothing that Satan can do to you should cause you to fear (2Ti 1:7). Jesus chose the twelve disciples the Father had given Him and then jealously guarded them from the evil one. Jesus sent His disciples into the world where they experienced difficult and dangerous circumstances, but He interceded on their behalf with His Father that they would have His strong protection from the evil one (Jn 17:15).
In the same way, Jesus said that we, as His sheep, are held securely in the Father's strong hand (Jn 10:28). There is no better place to be than safely in the hand of almighty God. Do you believe this, or are you fearful of what Satan or people can do to you?
The apostle John encourages us that we do not need to fear: “He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world” (1Jn 4:4). This is not merely a theological concept but a profound reality in which you can have absolute confidence. It is not just a truth for meditation in the security of your home; it is a promise you can cling to in the midst of a hostile world.
What you do reveals what you believe. If you are living a fearful, anxiety-filled life, you are proving your lack of confidence in God's protection, regardless of what you may say. Live your life with confidence that Jesus is continually interceding with the Father on your behalf.
Trust Him completely, you will have nothing to fear! Amen
Jealous God
9 October 2007
'For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.' Dt 4:24
Our God is a consuming fire. He is satisfied only when His love totally consumes us. We usually think of a jealous person as someone resentful and suspicious, but the Lord's jealousy on our behalf is something that should be precious to us! He gave us life, and He wants to protect us from anything that could harm us. That is why He has commanded His children to worship no other gods, allowing nothing to distract us from His consuming love.
The Lord opposes anything that hinders our relationship with Him (Dt 6:15). He knows the danger of other gods, how they will lure us away, deceive us, and leave us empty. He will tolerate nothing that takes precedence over our love for Him. Our faithfulness to God assures us of the abundant life He wants to give us. If we reject Him, He will pursue us until we return to Him.
We should not resent the fact that God wants to guard our relationship with Him. Our relationship with God should be our top priority. It should dictate how we spend our time, our money, and our energy. If certain people or our possessions separate us from God, we must reexamine our hearts and give our devotion first to Him, as He commands. God wants each of us to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mk 12:30). Our love for God should extend to every corner of our lives. God loved us so much that He gave us His own Son.
Let us respond by giving Him our highest devotion in return. Amen
'For the Lord your God is a consuming fire, a jealous God.' Dt 4:24
Our God is a consuming fire. He is satisfied only when His love totally consumes us. We usually think of a jealous person as someone resentful and suspicious, but the Lord's jealousy on our behalf is something that should be precious to us! He gave us life, and He wants to protect us from anything that could harm us. That is why He has commanded His children to worship no other gods, allowing nothing to distract us from His consuming love.
The Lord opposes anything that hinders our relationship with Him (Dt 6:15). He knows the danger of other gods, how they will lure us away, deceive us, and leave us empty. He will tolerate nothing that takes precedence over our love for Him. Our faithfulness to God assures us of the abundant life He wants to give us. If we reject Him, He will pursue us until we return to Him.
We should not resent the fact that God wants to guard our relationship with Him. Our relationship with God should be our top priority. It should dictate how we spend our time, our money, and our energy. If certain people or our possessions separate us from God, we must reexamine our hearts and give our devotion first to Him, as He commands. God wants each of us to love Him with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength (Mk 12:30). Our love for God should extend to every corner of our lives. God loved us so much that He gave us His own Son.
Let us respond by giving Him our highest devotion in return. Amen
Seek the Mountains
8 October 2007
“Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” Jos 14:12
Caleb's faith in God was unwavering. Everyone around him doubted. Despite God convinced Caleb that the children of Israel should enter the Promised Land, the people were fearful of the giants and fortified cities in front of them. (Nu 13:28-33). Their unbelief forced Caleb to wait forty years in the wilderness before he finally entered the Promised Land.
Even after all those years, Caleb was as confident as ever in God's power.
When God was dividing the land among the Israelites, the people were asking for the lush valleys and grassy plains as they saw from their physical eyes. Caleb asked for a mountain. The Israelites had driven their enemies into the mountains, where they had built fortresses. Caleb's faith in God was steadfast and asked for a challenge! He did not trust in his own strength but in God's presence. Caleb longed to see God work in power, and he knew he would be less likely to rely on God if he dwelt in the easy places. He chose a situation in which he would have to trust in God. Caleb knew his inheritance from God was on the mountain. He refused to allow the difficulty of gaining it to stop him from enjoying all that God had promised him.
If you always choose the easy way, asking for the peaceful valleys, you will never see God's power displayed to enable you to take a mountain. Seek out the mountains, and you will witness God doing things through your life that can be explained only by His mighty presence today!
Amen
“Now therefore, give me this mountain of which the Lord spoke in that day; for you heard in that day how the Anakim were there, and that the cities were great and fortified. It may be that the Lord will be with me, and I shall be able to drive them out as the Lord said.” Jos 14:12
Caleb's faith in God was unwavering. Everyone around him doubted. Despite God convinced Caleb that the children of Israel should enter the Promised Land, the people were fearful of the giants and fortified cities in front of them. (Nu 13:28-33). Their unbelief forced Caleb to wait forty years in the wilderness before he finally entered the Promised Land.
Even after all those years, Caleb was as confident as ever in God's power.
When God was dividing the land among the Israelites, the people were asking for the lush valleys and grassy plains as they saw from their physical eyes. Caleb asked for a mountain. The Israelites had driven their enemies into the mountains, where they had built fortresses. Caleb's faith in God was steadfast and asked for a challenge! He did not trust in his own strength but in God's presence. Caleb longed to see God work in power, and he knew he would be less likely to rely on God if he dwelt in the easy places. He chose a situation in which he would have to trust in God. Caleb knew his inheritance from God was on the mountain. He refused to allow the difficulty of gaining it to stop him from enjoying all that God had promised him.
If you always choose the easy way, asking for the peaceful valleys, you will never see God's power displayed to enable you to take a mountain. Seek out the mountains, and you will witness God doing things through your life that can be explained only by His mighty presence today!
Amen
7 October 2007
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Mt 16:19
The keys of the kingdom represent the access you have to the Father through your relationship to Jesus Christ. The keys of the kingdom have the power to unlock God's intervention and power in practically everything. Whatever and whenever the keys are used, we can bind and loose all things on earth as well as the same will happen in heaven.
With this relationship you have access to everything both in heaven and on earth. However, this special access is not given indiscriminately; Jesus gave the keys to His disciples only after they recognized that He was the Christ. Once the disciples were convinced that Jesus was the Savior, they entered into a unique and personal relationship with Him and have the keys to the kingdom. Likewise, your relationship with Christ opens the door of heaven for you and gives you direct access to the Father. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever is loosed on earth, will be loosed in heaven.
Peter discovered that once he had keys to the kingdom, he could go to the Father in every situation. When he stood to preach before thousands on the day of Pentecost, this simple fisherman opened the door to the kingdom for three thousand people in one day (Ac 2:41). When he encountered a lame man, he used his access to God and His healing power, and the man was healed (Ac 3:6). When he was imprisoned, Peter discovered that the keys of the kingdom could open even the most secure prison door (Ac 12:6-10).
If you are a Christian you, too, have keys to the kingdom of heaven. You do not need an intermediary, for you have a direct access to God. With that access come all the resources you need to face any circumstance. When you are afraid, you have access to God's peace that surpasses comprehension (Phl 4:6). When you have a broken relationship, you have access to the God of reconciliation (2Co 5:18-21). When you meet someone in need, you have access to God's provision for that person. What an incredible privilege to be entrusted with keys to the kingdom of heaven! Let us use and appropriate this for His Glory today
Amen
“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Mt 16:19
The keys of the kingdom represent the access you have to the Father through your relationship to Jesus Christ. The keys of the kingdom have the power to unlock God's intervention and power in practically everything. Whatever and whenever the keys are used, we can bind and loose all things on earth as well as the same will happen in heaven.
With this relationship you have access to everything both in heaven and on earth. However, this special access is not given indiscriminately; Jesus gave the keys to His disciples only after they recognized that He was the Christ. Once the disciples were convinced that Jesus was the Savior, they entered into a unique and personal relationship with Him and have the keys to the kingdom. Likewise, your relationship with Christ opens the door of heaven for you and gives you direct access to the Father. Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever is loosed on earth, will be loosed in heaven.
Peter discovered that once he had keys to the kingdom, he could go to the Father in every situation. When he stood to preach before thousands on the day of Pentecost, this simple fisherman opened the door to the kingdom for three thousand people in one day (Ac 2:41). When he encountered a lame man, he used his access to God and His healing power, and the man was healed (Ac 3:6). When he was imprisoned, Peter discovered that the keys of the kingdom could open even the most secure prison door (Ac 12:6-10).
If you are a Christian you, too, have keys to the kingdom of heaven. You do not need an intermediary, for you have a direct access to God. With that access come all the resources you need to face any circumstance. When you are afraid, you have access to God's peace that surpasses comprehension (Phl 4:6). When you have a broken relationship, you have access to the God of reconciliation (2Co 5:18-21). When you meet someone in need, you have access to God's provision for that person. What an incredible privilege to be entrusted with keys to the kingdom of heaven! Let us use and appropriate this for His Glory today
Amen
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