James 1:17 says that every good and perfect gift comes from God.
Apostle Paul in Acts 17:28 says “In Him we live, and move and have our being” .
God gave us life and He is the source of all wisdom and abilities (Deut8:18– But remember the Lord your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your ancestors, as it is today.)
Without the blessing of God upon our lives, we would not have the ability to prosper . Heb 6:13,14-When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, 14 saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”
Abraham became rich because of the blessing of God in His life .We need to realize that the money we receive does not belong to us , but to God and we are His stewards. Neither is the blessing of God dependent on your performance or according to what you deserve. (Gen 13:8-11)
When the herdsmen of Abraham and Lot fought, they decided to split.Lot chose the better fertile land . But look what God says thereafter in vs 14 to 17 :14 The Lord said to Abram after Lot had parted from him,
14“Look around from where you are, to the north and south, to the east and west.
15 All the land that you see I will give to you and your offspring[a] forever.
16 I will make your offspring like the dust of the earth, so that if anyone could count the dust, then your offspring could be counted.
17 Go, walk through the length and breadth of the land, for I am giving it to you.”
Abraham was blessed with more than 300 strong servants( Gen 14:14), who would help save and retrieve Lot , his family, the people and spoils of Sodom , who were taken captives by foreign kings .
Gen 14:21 says that the king of Sodom offered goods to Abraham, but Abraham refused (vs22-24). He realized that no matter what the situation, God was his eternal source of blessings
Gen 15:1 : After this, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: “Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield, your very great reward”
1Corinth 3:7-So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.
Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. Matthew 16:24 NKJV
Deny oneself, and be ready to take one’s cross, that means be ready to die. Same advice is given in Mark and Luke also. The Jewish community would not allow any one to follow another religion. The disciples left everything and followed Jesus and they all except one, were martyred.
“Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household. If a jew had to believe in Jesus’ teachings it could bring a sword of separation in relationship.
Further He said “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me’. Matthew 10:34-37 NKJV
What does Paul say about this? Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Colossians 3:18-19 NKJV
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, Ephesians 5:22-25 NKJV
About the decision to follow Him, 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’? Luke 14:28-30 NKJV
Disciples had to sacrifice a lot many things in order to follow Christ. Jesus wanted to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. But His own people did not recognise Him and He was not accepted by them. As fulfillment of the Law He taught them to love their enemies, to show the right cheek to those who slap on the left: and to go two miles with those who want you to go one mile;, to lend money without the desire to get back, do good to all irrespective of relationship; and the list goes on and on. “.To be generous to all.
“Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.” Luke 6:37 NIV These were/are difficult to practice. And to the rich man He told to sell his riches and distribute among the poor in order to invest in the Kingdom. All these teachings were for the Jews among whom He wanted to establish His Kingdom. But the New Testament believers are citizens of heaven. We are saved by faith. We come under the grace of God. Our dispensation is that of grace, not Law. The change over is happening in the book of Acts with Paul as the chief Architect of the N T church.
“Therefore, my friends, I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is set free from every sin, a justification you were not able to obtain under the law of Moses. Acts 13:38-39 NIV But in Acts 15 we read : Certain people came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the believers: “Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved.” Acts 15:1 NIV A great dispute at the Jerusalem Council regarding this finally came to a consensus with a Word of Knowledge. They wrote : “It seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us not to burden you with anything beyond the following requirements: You are to abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality. You will do well to avoid these things. Farewell.” Acts 15:28-29 NIV The gentiles or all who believe in the redemption of God are saved by faith which sanctifies their hearts. Peter professed: God, who knows the heart, showed that He accepted them by giving the Holy Spirit to them, just as He did to us. He did not discriminate between us and them, for He purified their hearts by faith. Acts 15:8-9 Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of Gentiles a yoke that neither we nor our ancestors have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” Acts 15:10-11 NIV But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” Galatians 4:4-6 NIV So we are sons through adoption. A heavenly transaction took place at the Calvary, He bought us with the Price of His own life.
But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: John 1:12 NKJV For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. Romans 8:14 NKJV This is the great privilege we are blessed with. So lead a life that is worthy of the Father. Children take after the character and image of the father. He is Holy. He wants us to be holy.
Prayer.
Our loving Heavenly Father, thank you for giving Your Son to redeem us. Help us to lead lives worthy of the great sacrifice of Jesus, our Lord. Help us to listen to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Thank You. In the name of Jesus. Amen.
“Turn you to the stronghold you prisoners of hope; even today do I declare that I will render double unto thee”. Zechariah 9:12
The Lord is our stronghold.We need to keep turning to the Lord in prayer and with thanks giving every day and in every situation and circumstances. God will help us to bear the test and trials of each day.We are not to be the prisoners of sorrow,anxiety,anger,jealousy, bitterness etc. But we are declared “ the prisoners of hope”, the hope that the Gospel inspires in us.
We need to have the hope in Jesus for Christ in us is the hope of salvation, freedom from every curse , limitations and shortcomings in our lives.
Colossians 1:5 says”For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven,whereof you heard before in the word of the truth of the Gospel”.
Hebrew 6:11says” And we desire that everyone of you do show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope unto the end”.
We get strength and grace in every negative situation .Our endurance gives rise to the patience and patience gives rise to character and character gives rise to hope.We need to continuously claim the promises given by the Lord and thanking and praising Him for the hope it inspires on us.
Psalms 18:2 says “The Lord is my rock, and my fortress,and my deliverer, my God, my strength, in whom I will trust;my buckler,and the horn of my salvation,and my high tower
We can rush to Him and hide under His wings of prayer.He will restore us a double portion of His blessings.We need to practice the spiritual habits in our life like praise,prayer,,confess,declare and possess the double portion.What all things we lost in the past,God will restore in double.
We can tear down every spiritual stronghold of darkness with the power and authority of Jesus in us .He has fulfilled everything for us on the cross and declared”it is finished”.He do not want us to look back to our past.As we are in the Lord and renew our strength,He promises to restore us to former glory and grace.He also promises us a double share of His manifold blessings,grace,anointing,power,mercy and power. Our hope will never cut off.
Proverbs 23:18 says “surely there is an end:and thine hope( expectations) shall not be cut off”.
When we suffer losses or setbacks, we should realise and hold on to this hope that the Lord will bless us even more and doubly when we patiently endure our afflictions. We should never doubt God or fear, but hold on to Him and His promises.
Heavenly Father we surrender ourselves to you. Give us the grace to trust you fully and have the hope that you are always there for us in our tests and trials. In Jesus name I pray.Amen
“Giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge, self-control, to self control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.”
It is important to note the scripture begins with the words “giving all diligence.” Diligence is defined as a careful, earnest, dedicated, committed, and persistent effort. Diligence conveys more than a once-a-week church experience. Simply stated, for each of us, growing into Christian maturity is a daily, and sometimes moment-by-moment exercise of diligence; as He lovingly prepares our hearts and souls for eternity
Note:
How each step builds upon one another, and each step supports the steps above. For example, consider the 4th step: self-control. It is very difficult for someone to persevere (5th step) in situations when they do not have self-control—especially when the flesh (our sinful nature) is screaming for some type of fulfillment (retribution, fulfillment of an addiction, and so forth).
Similar to a latter, each step provides a means to spiritually elevate to the next step. Meanwhile, as we progress upward, we witness a radical transformation of our thoughts, our emotions, our desires, and our behavior—including how we look at ourselves, and how we view the world around us. What’s more, each step brings us into a closer relationship with our Lord as we become more like Him and less like ourselves.
It is His grace and His love that changes the desires of our heart as He compels us to move upward and towards Him. Each step is a free-will choice that results in transformational changes in our heart, soul, and spirit
Faith: Internal Transformation: Born Again – Mark 9:23 Virtue: Internal Transformation: Integrity, Honesty, Morality – 2 Corinthians 5:17 Knowledge: Internal Transformation: Understanding, Wisdom – Ephesians 2-8-9 Self- Control: Internal Transformation: Discipline, Restraint, Will -1 John 1:8 Perserverance: Internal Transformation: Steadfastness, Character – Romans 5:4 Godliness: Internal Transformation: Righteousness, Goodness – 1 Timothy 3:16 Kindness: Internal Transformation: Benevolence – John 13:34- 35 Love: Internal Transformation: Agape Sacrifice – 1 John 3:16
Prayer :
Our Heavenly Father God’s grace—and your Love—is the powerful agent that cleanses our heart and soul of impurities. This cleansing process is magnified when the desires of willing Christian heart prays… “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me, and know my anxieties; and see if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” Psalm 139:23-24 Cleanse our Heart From all Evil. In JESUS name we Pray AMEN.
John 1-5 and the light shines in the darkness ,and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Here in these scripture light represent the word of God and Jesus Christ and darkness represent Power of evil Spirit Light always drives away the Darkness fer E.g During night when there is no light room will be of full darkness but as soon as power supply comes there is no darkness in the room
When Jesus comes into us it will drive away all the darkness when we allow Lord Jesus to enter in our life. Jesus is always eagerly waiting to enter in our heart and flood it. But He stands at the door and knocks. The measure in which you open your heart will be the measure in which He floods it with his life
John 1-14 And the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory ,the glory as the only begotten of the Father ,full of grace and truth
Testimonies
Whenever I am troubled or disturbed I Meditate these words and recive joy and peace. Once my friend during lock down happen to speak regarding my salary and I told him I have not recived my salary for 6 mont and he said brother how are you still so happy 😊
I said no one can take peace and joy that lord Jesus christ has given to me all glory to our lord Jesus christ Amen
“For this child I prayed: and the Lord hath given me my petition which I asked of him” (I Sam, 1:27) Samuel was a great prophet and was the last of the great judges who anointed Saul the first King and David the second King of Israel.
About his childhood:
Samuel ministered unto the Lord before Eli the priest
(I sam2:11).
Samuel ministered before the Lord, being child girded with a linen
Ephod ( I sam 2:18).Samuel grew up in the presence of the Lord ( I
Sam 2:21)
The Lord stood and Called Samuel Samuel (I Sam 3:10)
He Spoke to Samuel.
The word of Samuel came to all Israel (I Sam 4:1)
Samuel was a great blessing to Israel. Because of the fervent prayers of his dedicated mother Hannah, he was born. Elkana’s family visited Shiloh every year to worship and offer Sacrifices to the Lord. His first wife Hannah a barren, always came back from there weeping and crying because she was humiliated and tormented by her rival Peninnah. She used to cry bitterly and did not have her food. One day after her meals, She went up to the house of the Lord and prayed. Eli the Priest was seated in his place by the door. She made a solemn promise before God.
Prayer:
Almighty God!, look at me your servant, See my trouble and remember me. Don’t forget me. Give me a son. I promise to dedicate him to you for his whole life that he will never have his hair cut”.
Mode of Prayer:
She prayed for a long time silently. Her, lips moved; but no sound came. Thinking that she was drunk, Eli said to her “Stop making a drunken show and stop your drinking and sober look” . She answered that she was not drunk. But, was a desperate woman pouring out her trouble to the Lord.
Blessing:
Eli, blessed her and asked her to go in peace. “May the god of Israel give you what you have ask him”. God blessed her. She gave birth to Samuel and she fulfilled her vow as she promised. A God’s child may have innumerable problems in life .One has to take it to the Lord Elshadai in Prayer. The prayer should be strong and intense as that of Hannah or as that of Isaac (He prayed for his wife.) For sterility, the only medicine is the name of Jesus Christ, his precious blood and his words alone. Everything is Possible with Christ.
Witness:
My niece didn’t have a child for eight years. More over she had lost her mother. So I prayed for her seeking God’s help. A friend of mine suggested her to read Bible from the beginning till the end. God would answer her as she was reading through. My niece bought a DAKE bible and read Genesis first and then Revelation in detail. God blessed her with a child and then again with another child. Our god is a wonderful and mighty God.
Prayer:
Oh the creator of the whole universe! you are a wonderful and mighty God. The Key to open a barren’s womb is in your hands. Kindly answer to those who appeal to you like Hannah or Isaac. Thank you Jesus for answering the requests. Amen.
“And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and neighbours, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep which was lost!’” (Luke 15:5-6).
Here we read about the good shepherd who goes in search of his lost sheep. The Lord who called Himself as the ‘Good Shepherd’, talks about His own shoulders through this gospel verse. His shoulders are the ones that carry us, from this world to eternal Canaan.
In chapter 15, of the Gospel of Luke, we find three parables, in quick succession. But they all have the same central concept. In the first parable – we have the shepherd finding his lost sheep, in the second – the woman who found her lost silver coin, and in the third – the loving father who accepts his wayward younger son.
Those who go away from the Lord, toward worldly desires, are like the lost sheep. But the Lord, in His eternal love, searches for the lost sheep, through difficult terrains, even when His feet are bleeding because of the thistles and thorns. He lifts them up from the miry clay and cleanses them with His own blood. And carries them on His shoulders.
Is there any one in your family who is yet to be saved? Do you have any wayward son who has backslidden and dwelling in sin? Today the Lord wants to meet them. The Son of Man has come only to search and to redeem those lost souls. Look unto His shoulder. You will find the bruises and wounds of bearing the Cross of Calvary. In His shoulder, on which He bore the sins of the whole world, there is a place for every sinner.
Once a man of God saw a school student, carrying another student on his shoulder. He was very surprised to see this and asked the lad about it. And he said, ‘Sir, He is my friend. Because of a fire accident, he has burns all over the body and is not able to walk. So, I am carrying him to the hospital to get him treated”. That man of God, started meditating on this. And immediately thought of Jesus, as his friend and praised Him as the Lord has place for him on His shoulder.
The love of the Lord is wonderful! Even when we were in our sins, He gave His life for us; He carried us on His shoulders, to show His love for us. Could there be any love that can equal this?
In those days, when He communed with sinners, everyone mocked and said: ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ (Mathew 11:19). He never minded those comments, and wants to have fellowship with sinners, to save them and carry them on His shoulders. Children of God, remember that you are upon His shoulders.
In Matthew 18:19 Jesus says unto his disciples, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
What a promise left for us to activate in our lives. Find a friend who would agree with you having of the same mind and same Spirit, Jesus said these two can bring heaven’s blessings here on earth.
It’s a promise dear friends from Jesus, this morning let’s do it to find a like minded believer friend and enforce Jesus will, here on the earth.
Husband and wife, two friends coming together in one mind and Spirit can turn the world upside down. If you have one start activating this morning besides your normal personal prayer time the desires of your heart in line with the will of the Father in heaven to enforce in this dark world.
In Psalms 133 it says Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! 133:3b ….. for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.
Minimum requirements of unity in New Testament church is 2 or 3 brethren. As the Lord knew that it’s difficult for people to come together in unity of mind and Spirit. A big group can also come together but if they are not in oneness then what’s the point of gathering, can the LORD command blessing and life forever more?
Oh no, so when we come together let us exhort one another to maintain a unity and oneness of one mind concerning the kingdom of God.
When a group of believers in two’s or more come together in one mind and Spirit and agree on earth, as touching anything they ask, Jesus said it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven.
Want Souls of men to be saved, work to be done, Job, marriage, releasing finance, children, healing, Deliverance etc anything my friend we will definitely receive from our dear God, Abba Father who loves us very much.
Be blessed. Not worry. Find a friend. Start activating. Win souls.
Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.
These are challenging times and the moment we face a crisis we tend to run to the phone, take people’s opinion or rely on facts and reports, we tend to speak as the people of the world speak. In this verse Isaiah commands to go to God’s word, the bible, wherein believers ought to consult on, what God has to say of the situation. The law is God’s commands and testimony is about what God did for His people and which is recorded in the bible.
Here Isaiah says if we do not speak according to the word, it means there is no light in us. Who is this light? John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” So, this verse indicates that Jesus is the light and Isaiah says if we speak not in agreement to the word of God, we don’t have Jesus in us.
Exodus 6:29 that the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, “I am the LORD; speak to Pharaoh king of Egypt all that I speak to you.”
Here the Lord instructs Moses to speak to the Pharaoh all that He says, we are asked to speak to the Pharaoh in our life the words that God has to say. Who is the Pharaoh in your life that ties you down from fulfilling your destiny and God’s plan? Is it sin, is it sickness, is it a situation at work? Speak to it with the word of God and instead of speaking about the situation day and night.
Jeremiah 1:7 But the LORD said to me, “Do not say, ‘I am a youth, ‘Because everywhere I send you, you shall go, and all that I command you, you shall speak. Here the Lord says don’t say you are youth, you are sick, you have debt, you are a failure, you can’t do this, you cannot make it, you have no future, you are useless etc.
Say what I have commanded to say to you says the Great I AM!!
Jesus in Mark 11:22-23 said three things, have faith in God, don’t doubt, believe and say what you believe, speak the word of God, then this mountain that stands before you will be cast away.
In Jeremiah 23:29 the word of God is compared to a hammer and fire that no obstacle big or small, can stand before it’s power. It is the word of God that breaks fetters and iron bars, sets you free, heals, delivers, restores, saves.
Speak the word of God into your life and situations. When you declare Psalm 23:6 “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever”, instead of saying what a dreary, miserable day it is, then SURELY mercy and goodness shall follow you each day.
Hebrews 4:12 affirms this: For the word of God is living and powerful.
“For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the Lord; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after.”
~ Jeremiah 30:17
Restore – to bring back into existence, use, or the like; reestablish: to restore order; to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition; to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor; to put back to a former place, or to a former position, rank, etc ; to give back; make restitution of (anything taken away or lost) ; to reproduce or reconstruct in the original state.
Health – the general condition of the body or mind with reference to soundness and vigor. Soundness of body or mind; freedom from disease or ailment
Heal – to make healthy, whole, or sound; restore to health; free from ailment; to free from evil; cleanse; purify.
Wound – an injury, usually involving division of tissue or rupture of the integument or mucous membrane, due to external violence or some mechanical agency rather than disease; an injury or hurt to feelings, sensibilities, reputation, etc.
Healing scriptures restore our faith and provide us with insight into God’s Heart. When we need healing for our bodies, minds, or spirits, God’s word provides answers for our afflictions. Reflecting on what God says, refocuses our perspective and allows our healing to take place. Rest and read God’s word knowing that it will speak into your situation today.
We know from reading the Bible that these are not empty promises. God fulfills all His promises, every single Word. Over and over He proves His Word is true… and so we can be confident that His Word will come to pass.
Jeremiah 30:17 is a reminder that God will never leave you. his word is alive and active to address on our need for physical healing. This verse gives us insight into the biblical meaning of restoration, healing and wholeness.
For our Lord is greater than any of those health issues or problems. He is able to restore health of all who seek Him. Very importantly, as the above verse says, the almighty God is merciful to those who turn to Him. Moreover, we ourselves go away from Him, by virtue of our sinful living. Even more, we cease to have the protection of His righteous hand because of our transgressions and abominations, But when we repent and turn to the all merciful God, He definitely binds up our wounds and heals us. As the following verse says:
Come, let us return to the Lord . He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds. Hosea 6:1
Lord, we know that nothing is impossible for you, you are all we need, you are our healer, our shield, our defender and protector and I thank you for your amazing love and protection. Please bring healing to those who need healing, bring healing to our wounds, our heart, souls, marriages and relationships, O God. Give us peace and strength in the middle of despair and sorrow, and make us whole again as we trust in you, I pray in Jesus' name. Amen
