Just so with you. Since you are zealous for spiritual gifts, seek to excel in gifts that will edify the church.
One sister told me sometimes I think what are the believers are doing instead of worshipping together. Church has to go out and reach more people for Christ. I understood her burden for the perishing souls. As for my opinion and in scriptures it is written that universal church that is the body of Christ, the believers must be given more importance than unbelievers. Every soul is important for God. So is the edification of the church as whole.
For an biblical Illustration aposte Paul as well known person called to preach the Gospel to gentiles when heard about the Jews suffering because of persecution helped them in their needs and in fact went to see them even when situations became tough to travel. Nobody like Apostle Paul could have the burden for souls to reach Christ as we learn in the book of Acts. 1 Corinthians 10:24
No one should seek his own benefit but each one the benefit of others.
As here the words says we have to seek to excel in spiritual gifts so that it is used for the edification of the Church. (Believers in our community).
Edification of the church is most important priority than rest all. Afterwards the church itself will have the burden for perishing souls.
What is edification?
The moral or intellectual instruction or improvement of someone by knowledge that is taught
Church that is believers must be continuously taught in scriptures encouraged comforted, coming together in worship.
Building us up in spiritual maturity.
Praise Jesus I knew nothing about A0J until I was given a role to play. Sr Angelica chose me as core team secretary of gift schools as well as other roles I helped my team in all the ways. We knew more about gift schools, classes. We also meet in zoom for prayers especially for the families of team members this is what is practical edification of the church. We were taught comforted and encouraged in Christ We brought more members to this divine knowledge, as BFF follow up coordinator I call to soldiers who attended BFF I would ask about their life problems we share. we pray together. What a joy to be together in Christ
Prayer
Lord we come before the heavenly throne of grace. Lord your grace abounds to those who are your family. Ministry to God is not about the count, its not about the quantity but quality. Lord help us to be in order and be disciplined in serving the king of kings and the Lord of Lords. Edification of the church is as important as equally to the burden of perishing souls. Let us also excel in seeking spiritual gifts. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ and the peace that passeth all understanding surround us wherever we are. Amen.
Love not the world, neither the thing that are in the world,If any man love the world, the love of the father is not in him.
James 4: 4
You adulterers and adulteress, know you not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? Whosoevertherefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.
Romans 12:2
And be not conformed to this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind , that you may prove what is that good an acceptable and perfect will of God.
Mathew 6:24
No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.
Galatians 1:10
For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
The world refers to the vast earth and all the people, places and things on it. In biblical terms we use the term “world” to be the territory of satan and his followers. In 1 John 2:15 the term world is referred to the earthly or fleshy desires which is offered to the people to entice them away from the Kingdom of God. Here we get the thought that we have to be away from all that is considered evil, immoral and sinful pleasures that the earth offers us in all the spheres of occupation.
In medical field we see satan using means in making abortion legal.
In agriculture we see the life destroying products such as alcohol and narcotics.
Education is used to promote ungodly and humanistic philosophy
Entertainment offers means to destroy Godly standards.
Law offers gay marriage.
As a Christian we have to be careful when we deal with people who advocate the worldly ways.
Romans 12:2 Paul implies
1. We must realise that the present world system is evil and under the rule of satan.
2. We must stand against the prevailing and popular forms of the worldly desires, but instead proclaim the Word of God.
3. We must have our minds conformed to God ‘s way of thinking, by reading and meditating on His Word.
4. We must have our plans, goals and ambitions determined by heavenly and eternal truths.
Thus we have to maintain a personal relationship with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to keep us focused on the Kingdom of God.
Prayer:-
Abba Father I surrender myself into your mighty hands, and pray that you will always lead my way towards your Kingdom. Please keep me from wavering and help me to be focused to do your will.
I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it.
John 17-14,15,16
The word SEPARATION teaches me many things in my spiritual life. During my first days when I received the salvation God separated me from my family, Relatives, Friends, and their relationships.
I was totally confused because I love them most, I love to spend time with them. During my personal prayer I submit this application about this bitter feeling to God. I was eagerly waiting for a positive answer, but God replied I MYSELF SEPARATED YOU FROM YOUR FAMILY.I was totally upset and thinking about this answer from God. Finally, I got answer when I enter ministry like Troop church. I gained many spiritual friends, Brothers, sisters. We used to discuss more things about God, Testimonies, and many Ministries’. God need my time to spend for his work that’s why he separated me from my family love. I came to know clearly separation is intimate relationship with God where we cannot replace any person in that place.
Separation for God
This word is leading me till now whenever I was getting close to my relatives and friends. How great is god’s love he is so possessive about us.
36.As it is written: “For your sake we face death all day long; we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”37. No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8:36,37
In my family life God blessed an understanding husband, children but though sometimes when I was sick God closed the door of help from them. During that time, I could not express my tears, but this is also purely by God to depend on him in difficult situation. I strongly understand we will receive love, compassion, affection when God permits them to give otherwise, we will never receive though he/she is so much lovable to us. God wants to trust him alone in all our difficult situation.
I finally close my words through a song. JESUS, you called me, You Kept me, You Blessed me, Filling my heart with singing Your love to me is amazing, My life, in you, I see. Lord, oh, when will you come unto and say. You are My rest Forever. With perfect heart that you favour I’ll wait for you each day. EVERTHING IS GIVEN BY GOD
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God. not by works, so that no one can boast.
Lord Jesus Christ has told us very clearly that we should love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, strength and all our mind Luke 10: 27.
But when we do not give the Lord God, the first place in our lives, but love, family members, wealth, power, things of the world more than God. Then we create idols in our heart and mind when we love anything or anyone more than God, this is to commit adultery against the Lord, our God.
So we need to be careful, that we are not just seeking the Lord with our mouth, and not our hearts as warned in Jeremiah 2: 27 .
Because the things of the world cannot save us in times of trouble it’s only the Lord who can save us according to Psalm 118:16.
We need to humble ourselves in front of God and repent in our heart truly for our sins and ask for forgiveness with a humble heart and turn away from our wicked ways, so that the Lord may have mercy on us and heal us 2Chronicles 7:14.
Let us check ourselves and make sure that we seek the Lord with all our heart and be obedient to His word and will , because it is better to obey than offer sacrifice 1 Samuel 15:22 .
Prayer
Lord God Almighty work within our hearts, so that we should do your will in our lives help us to do what is right and just so that all goes well with us .Help us to rend our hearts and not just our garment . Strengthen us Lord, so that we are obedient to your word, and to your will in our lives. In Jesus’ mighty name we pray . Amen
GOD’S PLAN FOR. US – TO LIVE A FULFILLED LIFE JOHN 10:10
God’s plan for mankind is seeing the big picture that will give our life context. Unless we know the big picture, the stuff of life – the things we see around us and the things He is doing – will not make sense. You will not have the context to understand it.
“The works that He is doing in the individual lives of His people and in the Church of God are all related to the overarching big picture. At its core, it’s about reconciliation and restoration – the reconciliation of all things back to Himself, and the restoration of all things back to His original vision and purpose.” which was distorted, perverted & tainted by the enemy & made difficult to access.
The word “restoration” means “a return of something to a former, original , normal, or unimpaired condition,” or the “restitution of something taken away or lost”. This restoration work is happening in phases and will end in the establishment of the new earth, and the full re-establishment of God’s rulership over all.
The Lord has shown three main areas of restoration that He’s working on at this time, so that we might be fully restored back to the following:
Our original and true identity
Our original and true wholeness
Our original and true representation and commission
The Lord was clear that with the use of the word “true,” He was implying that there are false or untrue identities which people are living under that need wholeness and restoration.
Original Identity
God is working to restore us so that we can walk in our true identity as those who are made in His image and likeness. Over the past decade or so, God has been highlighting and speaking to the Church about identity – knowing who He is and also knowing ourselves with more clarity. Part of His work in our lives is bringing us into a revelation and subsequent understanding of how much of the knowledge of that identity we have lost.
Here are the three areas of identity that He is working on:
Knowing who He is. Genesis 1 tells us that God made mankind in His image and likeness, in both nature and character. To understand this, we must understand God’s true nature and character. God is teaching us what He is like, exposing false ideas that the world and the enemy have given us of God, and revealing His true identity, nature and character. He is love, and all that He does comes out of that. He is taking us on a journey of untangling and sifting through two things: 1) untruths about God that have been perpetrated throughout the centuries, and 2) our own personal filters and wounds that have caused us to see Him in a particular way, putting things on Him that are not who He actually is.
Knowing who we are in Him. This means understanding what Christ has done, what He has gifted us in the New Covenant, and what He has made available for us to access. We see in Christ the model for what a true son or daughter of God is like.
Knowing ourselves. He is showing us our strengths and weaknesses; dealing with wrong mindsets, worldviews, wrongful self-assessments, false identities; exposing trauma and wounds that have shaped the way we view ourselves and life. And in this process, He is renewing our minds. He is developing us, growing us in new areas; releasing into us untapped innovation and creativity; revealing treasures hidden within each of us that have awaited this time, so we can walk in the fullness of who He created us to be as individuals, and as the Church. Original Wholeness
God’s plan is to bring us into the fullness of our salvation, restoring us to wholeness in spirit, soul and body. Christ has made this available to us through His life, death and resurrection. And our part is to receive what He did and work with Him in establishing the fullness of that wholeness in our lives.
He is making us into the image of Christ, reforming within us a harmonious ‘working together’ of all our parts (spirit, soul and body). He does not want one part of us being fragmented or out-of-sorts with another. He wants us to have a healthy, harmonious life. He wants us to have the kind of life where our internal and external lifestyles work according to and from our Christ-gifted wholeness, instead of from fractured and false identities, ungodly mindsets and beliefs, trauma-informed emotions and lifestyles, and disease in our physical bodies. In this process, God is helping us to see ourselves as He sees us, helping us to hear His words of acceptance and love, and to know their truth by experience. He is enabling us to embrace the goodness that He has planned for us, and to live a fulfilling life (John 10:10).
As we receive healing and our minds become renewed, instead of seeing and therefore living life from a distorted perspective, we will be able to live from a place of communion with Him that brings us into freedom, truth and confidence. He is restoring our hearts so that we see and care as He does. And, within the healing work He does in us, He is also teaching us how to move in wisdom in our righteousness, so that we treat others with respect, dignity and lovingkindness. This then enables us to model what it looks like to walk as a child of God in the earth.
Original Representation and Commission
Mankind, being made in God’s image, was commissioned to be a representation of God in the earth, and given stewardship and dominion of the earth. That multi-generational commission was never removed from mankind, and we are its inheritors and stewards today.
God is restoring the vision for that stewardship and rulership in His people – not that we might rule as overlords and dictators (moral, spiritual or physical), but as true stewards who care for the planet and its peoples. And He is working in us so that we can represent Him in a wise and righteous manner. We are learning to walk as those made in God’s image and, therefore, as those who are loving, kind, faithful, merciful, patient, etc. – having received and formed His character and nature within us.
Alongside the original commission to steward the earth itself wisely, and to care for its inhabitants, we have Christ's commission to go into the world as ministers of reconciliation to share the good news with them, and to model, teach and disciple them in what it looks like to walk as those made in His image and likeness, with His power and love working in us and through us.
Keeping in place of God, the things other than God and serving them with complete devotion or commitment. They necessarily need not be statues but people, object, material thing, project etc
Are we into idolatry ? Many of us may give a straight away answer No ! Yes true we may not be into total idolatry but there is a possibility of playing this sin to some measure of it.
As children of God, We serve God with all our heart and soul, We worship God in spirit. When we worship God in spirit, we obviously mean, there is no activity of flesh involved. That is…… As we worship in spirit, we offer our bodies as living sacrifice (zero flesh activity). – Romans 12 : 1
But if we haven’t mortified flesh through Spirit, our interests of flesh start manifesting while worshiping God, which at least play to some measure the sin of idolatry.
(NB: We know worship is not just about singing and speaking with God but it’s our life with God)
In our life with God and in our service to God, we may prioritise something other than God, may it be family, spouse, children, spiritual leader, ministry activity, profession, talent etc. Instead of being a priest of God, we become self consumed priest to serve and worship self interests unknowingly.
Idolatry is not just the act of worshiping idol but it’s rather the act of worshiping self interests out of not mortifying flesh.
Galatians 5 : 19,20 Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies,
The question is asked again now ! Are we into idolatry ? Or some measure of it?
Greed is a strong and selfish desire to have more of something, most often money or power. There are many warnings in the Bible about giving in to greed and longing for riches. Jesus warned, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions” (Luke 12:15). “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal… You cannot serve both God and money”
(Matthew 6:19, 24b). Did Jesus pursue the acquisition of money? No. On the contrary, He became poor for our sake (2 Corinthians 8:9) and had “no place to lay his head” (Matthew 8:20). Neither did Jesus pursue power. Rather, He instructed, “Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43–45).
How can I know if I’m greedy?
There are many signs of greed. Before we look at these signs, let me warn you that we need to be careful to judge ourselves and not others (Matt. 7:1-5). It’s easy to apply this to others and to justify myself, but I need to remove the log from my own eye. If you think that another Christian is being deceived by greed, your responsibility is gently to seek to restore him (Gal. 6:1). But we each have to stand before God someday. So we need to face these matters personally and honestly on the heart level before Him. Hence
Would You Call Yourself a Materialistic Person?
For example . . How many items do you usually buy when you’re “window shopping” at the mall? Do you need what you buy, or do you simply want it? Do you have more “stuff’ than you have space in which to store it? Does buying new clothes make you feel better? For how long? Do you use cash or a credit card? Are your credit cards maxed out? Will we ever be satisfied with what we have? The answer is No if we are gripped in the vise of greed and its twin sister, materialism. To be materialistic is to take interest exclusively, chiefly, or excessively in the material or bodily necessities and comforts of life. To be greedy is to never have enough.
Is it possible to be a believer and a materialist at the same time? Yes, most definitely. But it’s not possible to be a committed, growing believer with divided priorities: Money is God’s great rival for our hearts. Jesus said, “No man can serve two masters. Either he will hate the one and love the other or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and Money” (Luke 16:13).
The love of money and the things it can buy makes us greedy for more, no matter how much we have. As Scripture teaches us, “Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Eccles. 5:10). Have you noticed that we’re talking about a love affair with money? Love of money will impede our growth to maturity because it keeps us from loving God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. Greed results in displacing the One who has the right to be King on the throne of our lives. That’s why greed is called “idolatry” in Colossians 3:5.
Here’s a standing and perfect example in the Bible what greed can lead to A King Who Wanted More Ahab, king of Israel, had just about everything but character, and he was married to a woman who was even worse than he was, Jezebel. He was very wealthy. He had one entire palace inlaid with ivory. And he had another palace in Jezreel. One day as he looked out the window of his Jezreel palace he saw a vineyard that he thought would make a nice vegetable garden for himself. The only problem was it belonged to someone else, a man named Naboth.
Here’s what the story enfolds
“Ahab said to Naboth, ‘Let me have your vineyard to use for a vegetable garden, since it is close to my palace. In exchange I will give you a better vineyard or, if you prefer, I will pay you whatever it is worth” (1 Kings 21:2-3).
Naboth refused to sell because he was obedient to God’s instructions about the land. When Israel first took possession of the land, every family received their plot of ground. The land could never be permanently sold and was to remain in that family’s possession forever. But instead of respecting Naboth’s reasons for not selling, look what Ahab did:
“Ahab went home, sullen and angry because Naboth the Jezreelite had said, ‘I will not give you the inheritance of my fathers’ He lay on his bed sulking and refused to eat” (1 Kings 21:4).
Real mature, wasn’t he?
But he demonstrates something we all do. He focused on what he didn’t have. Ahab expressed no gratitude for all his wealth, his power, or his palaces. Instead, he lay on his bed sulking and fasting in protest for not getting his way.
How do you react when you don’t get what you want?
Maybe you want to redecorate the bedroom, order new carpet or furniture, but your husband isn’t ready for that. Maybe he’s saying no because you’re over the limit on all your credit cards. Or it may be that he just doesn’t agree with you about the need for such things. Maybe he’s tight with money. Whatever the reason, your reaction is your responsibility. Do you shop around and find the best prices and show him how much you’ll save by doing some things yourself? Do you pray and tell the Lord you are willing to wait for His timing? Or do you nag, sulk, and give your husband the silent treatment?
Ahab sulked and fasted long enough to irritate Jezebel, who is a perfect example of what a wife shouldn’t be. When she found out about Naboth’s refusal to give up his vineyard, she came up with a plot to get Naboth murdered. And because she was queen, her plan worked perfectly.
“When Ahab heard that Naboth was dead, he got up and went down to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard” (1 Kings 21:16).
Rampant greed led to the murder of an innocent man and the confiscation of his property. But God had seen it all. Elijah the prophet met Ahab when he went to take possession of Naboth’s vineyard, and he pronounced God’s punishment upon Ahab for what he and Jezebel had done. His grim prophecy predicted that dogs would lick up the couple’s blood and that God would wipe out their descendants from the face of the earth—the worst imaginable curse for an Israelite. God already had a great deal against Ahab and Jezebel, but their greed-inspired brutality against Naboth was the last straw.
Thus we all have to Be content – as greed is a snare. Greed is the foundation for destruction. If I must have a future on earth and an eternity with God, I must embrace CONTENTMENT. There is no destiny for the greedy and there is no future for the covetous.
Prayer
O LORD, I thank You for Your Word to me today. Uproot every root of greed and covetousness from my life and baptize me LORD with the spirit of contentment, Lord God, I pray that you Grant me the grace to bask in my contentment. Give me the grace to set my focus on the things that you have done with the hope and assurance that you will still do the things I have always looked unto you for, in the name of Jesus.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the Holy one is understanding
The path of wisdom is Peace according to Proverb 3:17- 19
We know that all those who have wisdom will be like a tree of life. For us God is Wisdom. When we are all filled with His spirit He Takes control of our life. As we read more and more of His word his presence starts abiding us. It cleanses and gives a pure life. It gives joy and Consolation for those who suffer in life according to Jer 15:16
In this earth the love of The Father is incomparable. When the Child makes a mistake he scolds him, get angry, but the next moment he forgives his child. Like a child we also make many mistakes, but we have an eternal father who forgave our sins, inequities. The love of a Heavenly Father is much greater than the love of a earthly father
According to Heb 10:38 and Heb 11:6 faith it is in possible to please Him. But without faith it is impossible to please him.
Testimony:
I had a severe pain in my right leg from knees to foot & cannot bend backwards. I took newest medicine but all goes in vain. But when I prayed in tears and faith, God healed me with a miracle. All praise and glory to God Almighty
Prayer
Loving Heavenly Father, we bow down to the throne of grace. You are our refuge and Stronghold in the day of trouble. Lord we Surrender at your feet, give us your divine peace. Sanctify with your blood, forgive our sin. I ask this prayer in Jesus mighty name Amen.
God encourages us to cast our burdens upon the Lord.He will sustain us because he sustains the whole Universe by his WORD.
Psalm 55:22—- Says- He’ ll never let the Righteous fall.
1Peter 5:7 ——Cast all your cares upon the him for he cares for you. It means cast every worry, fear and anxiety upon him. But first and most important thing is to SURRENDER your life completely to him ; then we become his Personal Property.
A : 2Tim 1 : 12 God is only able to keep that which is committed to him
B : MEDITATE ON HIS WORD:Psalm 1: 3–Says ;Those who do it would be like a tree planted by the rivers ,he shall bear fruit in his season and his leaf shall never wither. It brings health to his body and whatever he does will prosper.
C. BRlNG YOUR THOUGHTS INTO CAPTIVITY. :– 2 Cor 10: 3-5. Says:–. “Though we live in the world we do not war after the flesh. The weapons of our warfare are not carnal but they have devine power to demolish all the demonic strongholds. “.
To demolish such strongholds of the enemy ,use the Word of God as the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, and fight against the fear 2 Timothy 1: 7. Keep on doing it. It is God given solution.
And if we confess the Word aloud the strongholds of the enemy will come down and you will be free.
The HEALING PEACE comes to us only through the constant love for God’s Word. God wants his people to be completely free from every Physical, Mental , Emotional and Spiritual problem. ..
Then the ETERNAL life is restored so we are Born Again and the HOLY SPIRIT comes to live in us. The greatest Mistry that the gentile world does not know is. :- JESUS CHRIST THE HOPE OF GLORY IN US. Some people are unaware of this fact hence there’s no spiritual growth in them .They do not know that there’s Power in the Word of God to heal , transform and even raise the dead.
Eph 4: 23 “— Be made new in the attitude of your mind, put on the new self created to be like God in true Holiness and Righteousness. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit with whom we are sealed for the Day of Redemption. When he Ascended he gave spiritual gifts and daily loads us with benefits.
PRAYER:
Thank you Lord for giving us gifts of Holy Spirit and Salvation.We praise you, worship you and glorify you. Amen.
He answered to Joshua “I am here, as a Commander of the Lord’s Army” Jos 5:1a
After reaching Canaan, God asked Joshua to do two important things.
To circumcise all men folks in the Camp.
To observe pass over.
These are to be done from their part to purify themselves Thereafter, the Lord of Host will lead them to Victory, whenever they wage war against Canaan’s Kings. Without God, they can’t do anything. As God directed, they observed passover on the 14th day of the first month. The procedure of Passover is as follows. They should select a lamb/Sheep according to the size of the family. If it is a small family, they can observe with their neighbour. The lamb should be one year old and without any blemish. The whole congregation should strike the lamb at the same time and the blood should be applied on two side posts and on the upper door Post of the house, wherein they eat. The lamb should be roasted in fire and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. It should not be kept till morning. They should eat with loins girded, shoes on feet, staff in hands and eaten hastily. It is the Lord’s Passover. (Exo.12:1-13)
From this we understand that for deliverance, one should obey gods voice as such and be disciplined. Unity, integrity and faith in God are all the requirements needed. The flesh of our body longs to sit, relax and enjoy life. But, we Christians need to march forth with great speed, as life is like a shadow or an air bubble.
Jesus, the Lamb of God was slaughtered for our Redemption and salvation. So let us follow life’s journey, under the banner of Jesus and his blood.
Eph 6:10-16 Suggest us to put on the whole armor of God, so that we will be able to stand against the wills of the devil (11) and stand in the evil day (13). The armour of God are “Truth as belt, righteousness as breast plate, our shoes of readiness to announce the Good News and peace, “faith as shield”, “salvation as a helmet” and “word of God as the sword” which the Holy spirit gives us Let us do all these in prayer as seek Gods help
Witness:
Jesus is the best example who accomplished God’s plan on earth in every aspect. He redeemed us from the bondages of Satan. He directs, us the same path he walked to win the eternal glory.
Prayer:
We thank you Lord for the redemption and salvation,you gave us through cross. Give us strength to wear the armor of God and follow you towards victory Amen.
