JESUS: THE GIFT OF GOD

It is written, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (John 3:16-17) Giving is love; love is giving. Gods giving is an expression of God’s love for all of His children. God gave a very expensive gift. The gift of God is a sacrificial gift that is meant to redeem man from every form of condemnation. The gift of God is a precious gift and is meant for everyone to preciously accept it. As precious as it is, He does not force it on anyone to receive it. Jesus becomes the gift of God to us.
Word gift is described as: something given voluntarily without payment in return, as to show favor toward someone. Looking at some synonyms of the word gift can also punch enough understanding of what the gift of God is to man: donation, contribution, offering. It should be concluded that with love, God donated to us a life saver; He contributed what it takes to be safe; He offered us life jacket.
The gift of God is available for all who desire it and accept it. God in His infinite (immeasurable, inestimable) mercy gave a gift which there is no excusable condition not to accept His gift. Jesus, the love of God, came unconditionally and makes Himself available without any condition. His statement in John 10:10 buttress the testimony of God, “…I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” God gave His love and His love declared Himself. Have you received and believed the Love of God; the gift to have life abundantly? For anyone who receives and believes the Love of God is granted access to living life abundantly. God does not lie and His Word does not return back to Him without fulfilling its purpose. Romans 10:9 identifies what it takes to have the Word of God manifest in the life of an acclaimed receiver of the love of God, “…if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” It is not possible for a true acclaimed believer to confess with their mouth and believe in the heart and not be one that conducts themselves according to the Word. However, not behaving what is confessed with the mouth and believed in the heart is the evidence of not being a believer. One cannot mix the Word of God with the world and have the Word respond with power. Imagine mixing a cup of Coca-Cola with four cups of water. Indeed the color might not fully disappear but it will never taste or serve the same way as the undiluted cup of Coca-Cola.

Truly, believing (behaving) the Word of God is having the fear of God in one’s life. With the fear of God, one takes a place under a banner that is impenetrable to the wicked. The Bible testifies the banner of God, “You have given a banner to those who fear You, that it may be displayed because of the truth.” (Psalm 60:4) Are you one who fears God in your walks of life?
Ones who receive and believe in the living Word of God have allowed Jesus to take a stand as a banner over every affair of their life. Isaiah 11:10 testifies about Jesus, the root of Jesse stating, “And in that day there shall be a Root of Jesse, Who shall stand as a banner to the people; For the Gentiles shall seek Him, And His resting place shall be glorious.” The banner set by God is to protect, heal and deliver us from all of our afflictions.
Are you one who is denying Him from being a covering upon your life? God does not waste words. He means what He says He will do if you will live life as one who has received and believed with the heart and not just with the word of the mouth. Allow His banner to be your covering and His signs over your life shall be evidence and the adversary shall be denied.

God gave His only begotten son because He loves us. In this season of celebration, consider giving back to God your love. To love God is to fear God. To fear God is to obey God and live by the word of His command. Give back to God just as He has given unto you.

SACRIFICE OF THANKS GIVING

Thanking and praising God is not a thinking engagement but a giving engagement. You do not think thanks; you give thanks. Also, thanks should be an every moment engagement. Giving thanks and praising God cannot be separated because both go together. Psalm 92:1 confirms, “It is good to give thanks to the LORD, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High”. When understanding backs up conviction, it delivers an undeniable miracle. When thanking and praising Him is backed without understanding, it becomes empty emotion. Thanking and praising God should not be rooted in emotion that is not backed with understanding because the Bible declares in Psalm 47:7, “For God is the king of all the earth; sing praises with understanding.” Whenever giving thanks and praise is not rooted in understanding, it becomes an entertainment. Thanking and praising God is an act of declaring His goodness at all times. The Psalmist buttress, “To declare Your loving kindness in the morning, And Your faithfulness every night.” (Psalm 92:2) How to thank and praise Him is not relegated to a particular guideline. However, Psalm 92:3 does mention: “On an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with harmonious sound.” The Psalmist went further by declaring why we should thank and praise Him stating, “For You, LORD, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands. O LORD, how great are Your works! Your thoughts are very deep.”(Psalm 92:4-5) God is worthy of thanksgiving and praise worship by declaring His work as the Psalmist did. Evidently, volumes and pages of book will never be enough to identify what thanking and praising God has done or could bring forth. Thanking and praising God gets Heaven’s attention because God inhabits the praises of His people. We do not only give thanks for what God has done or what He is doing but we also give thanks for what He can do or what we expect Him to do. Are you expecting God to move concerning your confronting situation? Regardless of the magnitude of your situation, believe and give thanks to God before manifestation of your expectation. Jesus believed that God was going to bring Lazarus back to life and as a result, Jesus did not wait for Lazarus to rise before He thanked God for Lazarus’ rising from dead. It is written, “Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me.’” (John 11:41) If you will begin to thank Him prior to the manifestation of your expectation, the Lazarus in your life will rise in Jesus name.

Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” The Word of God goes further concerning the issue of thanksgiving when it states in Ephesians 5:20-21, “Giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Clearly and evidently, these two Scriptural verses point to the truth that those who give thanks for all things will have all things work together for good on their behalf. As difficult or as challenging situations can be, there is never a reason not to give thanks for all things and in all things.
God, who is a jealous God, desires and deserves our attention and will always expect thanksgiving and praise worship from us. This is evident in the documentation of Jesus and the ten lepers who were healed. When ten lepers were healed, “…one of them, when he saw that he was healed, returned, and with a loud voice glorified God.” (Luke 17:15) One leper’s return to give thanks with a loud voice prompted Jesus’ response, “Were there not any found who returned to give glory to God except this foreigner?” And He said to him, “Arise, go your way. Your faith has made you well.” (Luke 17:18-19) Only God knows how long the returned leper had been trusting God for his healing before Jesus spoke healing into his life. The important point here is that he was able to go back and offer the sacrifice of thanksgiving. Also, he was not just thinking thanksgiving in his heart but rather gave thanks with a loud voice. Jesus’ response testifies to the fact that He was waiting for the lepers to return for thanksgiving. Just as He waited for the leper to return for thanks giving, so He is waiting for us to return and give thanks. Return and do not wait until the year is out. Give thanks for all year long prayer requests manifestation. Have you been trusting God for any miracle that is not yet in your hand? Provoke the hand of God by thanking Him expressively for the prayers that are not yet manifested. God performs in prayer and perfects in thanksgiving. One leper went back for thanksgiving and Jesus added perfection to his healing deliverance. Consider this month your month of thanksgiving and your coming month will become your month of manifestation. Thanking God before prayer manifestation is exercising faith to provoke God’s hand to move on your behalf.

Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of giving a reasonable sacrifice of thanksgiving.

DO NOT DESPISE GOD’S WORD

Despising the word of God is to dishonor God’s command. It is disobedience to despise God’s word. Proverbs 13:13 cautions, “He who despises the word will be destroyed, but he who fears the commandment will be rewarded.” Despising the word of God is also a demonstration of lack of fear for His commands. Obeying God is obtaining the blessing of obedience from God while disobeying God is engaging the curses of disobedience. The word clearly warns, “He who despises the word will be destroyed…” God is forever consistent and will never lower the standard of His word to violate His word that does not return to Him void. All that God says He will do is a done deal.

King Saul despised the word of God by his act of disobedience and the consequence of his disobedience was fully manifested in his life. When the Philistines gathered to fight against Israel, Saul could not wait for Samuel’s instruction to wait seven days for Samuel to carry out the burnt offering. Saul went ahead to carry out the burnt offerings which was a violation of God’s command.  As a king, he was not in the place to offer burnt offering which was a priest’s assignment as commanded by God. As simple as Saul’s violation appeared to be, Samuel responded to Saul’s disobedience. “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the Lord your God, which He commanded you. For now the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. But now your kingdom shall not continue. The Lord has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the Lord has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the Lord commanded you.” (1 Samuel 13:13-14) Saul despised God’s command and his lineage was forever terminated from becoming king. Before God, a sin is a sin and there is no minor sin or major sin. Plan to live life abundantly by abstaining from despising God’s command and you shall not be destroyed.
To disregard the works of God is another way of dishonoring God. Dishonoring God is despising His word. Are you one who is disregarding God consciously or unconsciously? It is a sin to disregard God; before God there is no excuse for sin but only repentance. Ignorance is not an excuse before God; it only makes destitution of a believer.

One of King David’s psalms testifies, “Because they do not regard the works of the Lord, nor the operation of His hands, He shall destroy them and not build them up.” (Psalm 28:5) Are you one who consciously or unconsciously despises the works of the Lord or the operation of His hand? The works of God are created by His word and that makes His work to be qualified as His word. Also, the operations of His hand are encased in His word. Disregarding the works of a jealous God is evidence of not paying attention to God. Attention is the antidote of jealousy. When one gives God attention, it shall provoke God to attend to whoever gives Him attention. What is it that is denying you from regarding the works of His hand so that He may give regard to you in all your ways?
The operation of His hands deserves to be regarded as much as the works of His hand. How God operates is beyond any human comprehension and that is why He deserves all regards. In all our conduct and communication, we owe regards only to the Lord. Boasting is an act of disregarding God. Often times, man boasts unconsciously and/or consciously by words and actions.  James 4:13-16 documents what it means to boast: “Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit’; whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.’  But now you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.” Pay all attention to God and give Him all the regards. Lean not on your own understanding in action or by the word of your mouth. God will not fail to regard those who give Him all regards by not despising His words of command and the operation of His hands.

BE STEADFAST

One that is asleep is not active in his or her duty. Also, one that is awake is alive in his duty. The church is asleep.  During the days of the early church, a sick person will not walk into the church sick and leave sick for the hospital. There has to be a healing touch. Today, the church often fails to deliver in areas of duty. Jesus said in Mark 16: 17, “And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”  In most cases, signs are no longer following believers as supposed to. It is the believers that are following the signs. As a temple (church) of God, a believer, how do you respond to Mark 16:17?

Are you aware of the practices of the early church? The practices have to be right before you get the right results. In most churches where the practices are not right, the results are not right. The early church was doing it right and they were getting the right result. However, we are the church because the bible states it, “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (1 Corinthians 3:16-17)

Do you, as a temple of God desire the right result in your walk with God?
The practices which gave results were identified “And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Acts 2:42)
Two practices that worked perfection for the early church were: Steadfast continuation of the apostles’ doctrine; steadfast continuation of the apostles’ fellowship.

The early church steadfastly continued the daily teaching about God and how to live for God. Teaching about God was on a consistent basis. In the early church, breaking of bread was also done with consistency at every fellowship gathering. In most of today’s church, there are defined times in keeping some of the doctrines. The doctrines today are mixed up or substituted with the doctrine of this world.

Every change in what the word has said is the result of lack of power in the changed word. To be able to maintain the power of the word of God, the word should never be substituted. Imagine a glass of Coca-Cola which is mixed with two glasses of water. Definitely the color might not be fully changed but the taste shall never be the same. The same case applies to mixing the word of God when believers claim it loudly with no power manifestation because it has been mixed; diluted and not powerful to deliver true taste (result).

Fellowship
The word of God makes us realize that, the early church steadfastly continued daily with one accord sharing with gladness. Family operates in union, they were not in divisions. They were sharing what they have and not showing off what they have. There was commitment not convenience in serving God. Divisions were not documented for the early church as it is today. The early church fellowship demonstrated and expressed like-mindedness, it is evident that the early church communicated acceptance among believers. It is recorded that steadfast fellowship of the early church enabled growth and sharing in good times or tough times. Above all, the true meaning of fellowship was fully demonstrated unlike the fellowship today where inconsistency and lack of steadfast commitment is foreign.

In any fellowship where sound doctrine and steadfast fellowship can be identified, the power of prayer and its effectiveness will not be found missing. Sound doctrine and fellowship flows together with the power of prayer. It is always evident and clear because miracles are always having its way. In the days of early church, the fear of God was in place and centered upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles (Acts 2:43). Where there is fear of God, miracles and wonders will never cease. As a temple of God, do you fear Him enough? Is any sign following you or you are following the signs? Steadfastness and faith cannot be separated. Every walk in the word of faith demands steadfastness. To be steadfast in line of the word is a commitment which builds up to reasonable sacrifice. Be awake; be alive and fear God steadfastly.

                                 RUNNING THE RACE

The word of God admonishes in Hebrews 12:1, “Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us.” The journey of life is a race of life. Running the race is not by strength or by determination, but only by the grace of God. There is no strong man in the race of life and that is why the word declares, “…For by strength no man shall prevail.” (1 Samuel 2:9) Despite the truth that the race can only be successfully run by grace and not by strength, there should be no reason to abuse the grace to run through. To run the race through, two things have to be avoided as mentioned in the scriptural verse above are: weight and sin.
The action we take in living life is the evidence of our faith. It is faith that propels action and action is what God sees to determine how He is pleased with us. The book of 1 Samuel 2:3 states it better, “For the Lord is the God of knowledge; and by Him actions are weighed.” What’s the weight of your action before God? Weight is the unnecessary thing that adds nothing to man but take away from man by slowing man down. Weight is major hindrance which is often considered as minor. Weight is what man should fully let go and not carry along while answering to God’s calling in running the race of life. Weight is heavy and that makes it burdensome. It is written, “Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved. (Psalm 55:22) Engaging any burden instead of casting burden on God is enough to move a believer outside of walking in line of righteousness. It is also the evidence of asking God to withdraw His helping hand. Burden often comes inform of unnecessary religious weight which can only make a believer to look good but not complete in every good works to do the will of God. A failure not to let go weight is the avenue not run successfully. What is it that can be considered weight in your race? Do not ignore nor excuse the representative of weight in your life but seek for it to be terminated.
Sin is the evil which man often engages consciously or unconsciously. Sin is missing the mark of God’s will by choice and because of human weakness. It is when man’s action or attitude disobeys God and it always brings pain. The major root of sin is pride. Where pride reigns humility is absent and sin in abundance exist. When sin takes control in man’s life, his/her action becomes rooted in it. Which sin reigns and rule your life? Is it manipulation, unforgiving, lying, deception, malice, fornication, adultery, stealing and all kinds of race terminating baggage?
The race is already set for everyone born of a woman and there is no choice but to run it. To run the race requires endurance through the grace of God. In this world of challenges, running with determination will not be enough but running with endurance is what it takes to run successfully. Running the race with endurance can only be engaged by looking up unto Jesus Christ, the author and finisher of our faith. Jesus occupies the position at the starting and end point on the race track. Those in the race should remain focused from the beginning of the race to the end by holding on at a steady pace. For effective and successful running, Jesus paid the price on the cross with His blood. The Blood of Jesus never runs out or short of supply, therefore take to the word by “Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2) In the race of life, it is not palatable to look away from Jesus, the One who has been at the beginning of the race and will be waiting for us at the end of the race.
Are you getting weighed down in the race of life? Be encouraged; keep pace in your race and do not be discouraged in the race of life. Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith already stated, “Come to me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28) Hold on to Him by keeping your eyes on Him and He will see you through.
Remember that, the race is not to the swift but those who run it from the beginning to the finish line. It is important to know and run the race without any weight or sin because weight will slow any runner down. Slowing down will bring forth the temptation of abandoning the race; abandoning the race will lead to eternal damnation.

FAITH CAPSULE:
Be encouraged and do not be discouraged in the race of life.
With Jesus, you will run with peace and find rest.