Text; Isaiah 54:1-17,53:5, Galatians 4:27, Habakkuk 3:17-19
In our text, God’s Word says to those who are experiencing barrenness in any area of their lives to rejoice and “sing O barren”. Why should God admonish the barren to rejoice when she or he is under a humiliating and frustrating situation in his or her life? For the avoidance of doubt , barrenness here covers all facets of our physical, soulish and spiritual life, where there is no fruit bearing. It could be in soul winning (Romans 1:13); in holiness (Romans 6:22); in righteousness (Hebrews 12:11); in love (Galatians 5:22-23); in our lips –giving continual thanks and praise to God and our Lord Jesus(Hebrews 13:15); in our mouth (Proverbs 18:20, 13:2, 12:14), in our body(Psalm 127:3,92:14);in our labor(1 Corinthians.15:58); in knowledge (Hosea 4:6); in our thoughts (Jeremiah 6:19), of our hands or the ground(Proverbs 12:14, Genesis 4:3) This is because in Isaiah 53:5 the Bible says “the chastisement for our peace (blessing, completeness, healing etc) was laid upon Jesus.
All these benefits and blessings are ours because Jesus was punished on the Cross of Calvary for our sins, transgression and iniquity of ourselves and our fore-fathers which gave rise to barrenness and sickness in our lives, and He paid with His precious blood on the Cross to redeem us from these curses so that we do not bear the yoke and burden of barrenness anymore as members of the body of Christ(Galatians 3:13-14, 1 John 2:2).
So The Lord wants us to look at our lives and in any area where there is barrenness for us ,to start rejoicing as if the fruit we desire to see was already with us. We should begin to think, speak and act as if the barrenness is no more. Faith calleth those things which are not as though they were, and declares the end from the beginning(Romans 4:17, Isaiah 46:10)
We should start planning what we would do when our desired blessings are manifested physically. God says, “Rejoice because you are prosperous in Christ.” In Christ, you are already blessed with every spiritual blessing, including prosperity etc. (Ephesians 1:3) “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.” (2 Corinthians 8:9)
If you are sick, start rejoicing now in your healing because Jesus has already borne your diseases and carried your pains, and by His stripes you have already been healed. (Isaiah 53:4–5, 1 Peter 2:24)
Whatever barren situation you are in, rejoice and tell God, “Father, because of the sacrifice of Your Son on the Cross of Calvary and the redemptive blood shared for my sake, I am blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ. You have already given me everything. Therefore I am going to start to think, speak and act like it is so and rejoice!” until the manifestation of my blessing comes.
As you rejoice in the Lord you will be established in righteousness (Isaiah 54 vs.14) and even though the adversary may gather together against you, they will fall for your sake (Isaiah 54:15) and no weapon fashioned against you shall prosper and any mouth that rises against you in judgment you shall condemn.This is our heritage in Christ and our righteousness is of me saith the Lord (Isaiah 54:17).
God bless you as you rejoice in the Lord continually in this season of thanksgiving. Our God is good and worthy of our praises.
Sunday, November 21, 2010
Friday, November 12, 2010
Abundant Life in Christ manifests through LOVE for God and Others
Text: John 3:16; 1 John 3:15, 4:7-8; Matthew 22:37-40; 1 Corinthians 2:9,13:2; John 14:15
God’s power flows towards and manifests in our lives when we think, say and do or walk in love with god and then with man. When we walk in love, it is a proof that we are genuinely connected to God. And when we are connected to the source of blessing, the blessings begin to flow.
Everyone who walks in hatred is disconnected from the source of life. That means he is like a branch that has been cut off from the vine. He has no life in him so everything around him is bond to wither and die off.(John 3:15, 4:7)
Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40:…thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Everything in the kingdom: faith, grace, power, praise, healing, salvation, sanctification, Holy Spirit and gifts etc are predicated on love. That means nothing works without love, especially love for God and for your neighbor. Therefore we should let love for God by our first priority. Let it be the basis for everything we do. If we love God for who He is, He will abundantly bless us. If we are only seeking miracles from God and not seeking God Himself, we will remain stranded for a long time and our blessings will be delayed. The unmerited favor of God is reserved for believers who genuinely love God -1 Corinthians 2:9
The evidence that we love God and the true meaning of love for God is to obey Him in all things. Jesus said, If ye love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15.
And what is His commandment: That we should believe on the Name of his Son, Jesus Christ and love one another as He gave us commandment.-1 John 3:23
Jesus said : By this shall men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another-John 13:35
Love is a commandment and the fulfillment of the whole law. If we love God and our neighbor, we have fulfilled the whole law and we will experience God’s manifest presence, grace, mercy and favor in our lives.
God’s power flows towards and manifests in our lives when we think, say and do or walk in love with god and then with man. When we walk in love, it is a proof that we are genuinely connected to God. And when we are connected to the source of blessing, the blessings begin to flow.
Everyone who walks in hatred is disconnected from the source of life. That means he is like a branch that has been cut off from the vine. He has no life in him so everything around him is bond to wither and die off.(John 3:15, 4:7)
Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-40:…thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Everything in the kingdom: faith, grace, power, praise, healing, salvation, sanctification, Holy Spirit and gifts etc are predicated on love. That means nothing works without love, especially love for God and for your neighbor. Therefore we should let love for God by our first priority. Let it be the basis for everything we do. If we love God for who He is, He will abundantly bless us. If we are only seeking miracles from God and not seeking God Himself, we will remain stranded for a long time and our blessings will be delayed. The unmerited favor of God is reserved for believers who genuinely love God -1 Corinthians 2:9
The evidence that we love God and the true meaning of love for God is to obey Him in all things. Jesus said, If ye love Me, keep My commandments. John 14:15.
And what is His commandment: That we should believe on the Name of his Son, Jesus Christ and love one another as He gave us commandment.-1 John 3:23
Jesus said : By this shall men know that ye are my disciples if ye love one another-John 13:35
Love is a commandment and the fulfillment of the whole law. If we love God and our neighbor, we have fulfilled the whole law and we will experience God’s manifest presence, grace, mercy and favor in our lives.
Monday, November 8, 2010
Seek and be hungry for the presence of God
Text: Proverbs 27:7, Leviticis 9:6, 2 Chronicles 12:14
Our text says if we are hungry for God(focus our attention on God and His Word and look away friom our challenges), bitter things in our lives will be turned to sweet.When we obey God's command , the glory of God will appear to us(Leviticus 9:6)
Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12:14 did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord. Until we make up our minds and consciously , moment by moment prepare our heart to seek the Lord, we will fall into sinful habits.(Amos 4:12)
Therefore God requests us to give him our hearts.(Proverbs 23:26).God is the preparer of our hearts(Proverbs 16:1), but it is our responsibility to voluntarily and willingly give God our hearts so that He can prepare it to be a good ground ready for harvest of blessings.
One of the principal ways of doing this is by singing psalms and praises, worshipping God and giving thanks and making melody in our hearts. The gates of heaven and the court of heaven require singing songs of thanksgiving and praises to open them.(Psalm 100:1-4)
God bless you as you engage your heart in this season of thanksgiving-Jeremiah 30:19a harvest of blessings will be your portion by the power in the blood of Jesus in Jesus Name, Amen.
Our text says if we are hungry for God(focus our attention on God and His Word and look away friom our challenges), bitter things in our lives will be turned to sweet.When we obey God's command , the glory of God will appear to us(Leviticus 9:6)
Rehoboam in 2 Chronicles 12:14 did evil because he did not prepare his heart to seek the Lord. Until we make up our minds and consciously , moment by moment prepare our heart to seek the Lord, we will fall into sinful habits.(Amos 4:12)
Therefore God requests us to give him our hearts.(Proverbs 23:26).God is the preparer of our hearts(Proverbs 16:1), but it is our responsibility to voluntarily and willingly give God our hearts so that He can prepare it to be a good ground ready for harvest of blessings.
One of the principal ways of doing this is by singing psalms and praises, worshipping God and giving thanks and making melody in our hearts. The gates of heaven and the court of heaven require singing songs of thanksgiving and praises to open them.(Psalm 100:1-4)
God bless you as you engage your heart in this season of thanksgiving-Jeremiah 30:19a harvest of blessings will be your portion by the power in the blood of Jesus in Jesus Name, Amen.
Monday, November 1, 2010
Giving thanks to Jesus Christ releases the power of God through Faith
Text: Hebrews 13:15-16, 1 Peter 1:5, Romans 4:20
The central truth of the Bible which sets man free is that JESUS IS OUR SUBSTITUTE.HE TOOK VICARIOUS LIABILITY FOR ALL OUR WRONG DOING.WE NO LONGER HAVE TO WORK RIGHTEOUSNESS BUT WE ARE JUSTIFIED OR DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE JESUS PAID THE PRICE FOR ALL OUR WRONG DOING AND ACCEPT HIM AS LORD OVER OUR LIVES. AS WE FOCUS ON AND FOLLOW JESUS AS OUR SHEPHERD BY THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WE WALK UPRIGHTLY AND PRODUCE THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS HOLY LIVING, AND THEREFORE ENJOY GOD'S DIVINE PRESENCE AND WHAT ACCOMPANIES IT: POWER, SOUND MIND, LOVE,JOY,PEACE,WISDOM,HONOR,GLORY,STRENGTH, RICHES, BLESSING.
THE STRONGER OUR FAITH IS, THE STRONGER AND MORE ACCESS WE HAVE TO THIS GRACE OF GOD TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE AND SERVE GOD ACCEPTABLY(Romans 4:20,5:2, Hebrews 12:28)
The natural response to the supply of unconditional favor or grace to us is THANK YOU JESUS. Our text in the Amplified version says we are offering sacrifices to God like the burnt offerings of bullocks offered to GOD by King Solomon in 1 Kings 3:3-14 and Prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 7:7-10 which provoked God's immediate response to bless and to deliver Israel respectively and as advised by Prophet Hosea in Hosea 14:2 to engender the outpouring of God's blessings as a way out of iniquity which made Israel to fall and suffer shame.
Therefore CONTINUALLY say THANK YOU JESUS FOR ALL HE DID FOR US ON THE CROSS; AND COMMUNICATE THE GRACE OF GOD IN CHRIST TO OTHERS THROUGH THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS
(1 CORINTHIANS 1:18)ESPECIALLY THE UNSAVED AND YOUR FAITH WILL BE EMPOWERED TO QUENCH THE FIERY DARTS OF THE DEVIL, ATTRACT GOD'S DIVINE PRESENCE AND RECEIVE BLESSINGS FROM GOD. GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU PRACTISE GOD'S DIVINE PRESENCE AND RELEASE GOD'S POWER THROUGH CONTINUAL THANKSGIVING.
The central truth of the Bible which sets man free is that JESUS IS OUR SUBSTITUTE.HE TOOK VICARIOUS LIABILITY FOR ALL OUR WRONG DOING.WE NO LONGER HAVE TO WORK RIGHTEOUSNESS BUT WE ARE JUSTIFIED OR DECLARED RIGHTEOUS BECAUSE WE BELIEVE JESUS PAID THE PRICE FOR ALL OUR WRONG DOING AND ACCEPT HIM AS LORD OVER OUR LIVES. AS WE FOCUS ON AND FOLLOW JESUS AS OUR SHEPHERD BY THE LEADING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT WE WALK UPRIGHTLY AND PRODUCE THE FRUIT OF RIGHTEOUSNESS WHICH IS HOLY LIVING, AND THEREFORE ENJOY GOD'S DIVINE PRESENCE AND WHAT ACCOMPANIES IT: POWER, SOUND MIND, LOVE,JOY,PEACE,WISDOM,HONOR,GLORY,STRENGTH, RICHES, BLESSING.
THE STRONGER OUR FAITH IS, THE STRONGER AND MORE ACCESS WE HAVE TO THIS GRACE OF GOD TO LIVE A HOLY LIFE AND SERVE GOD ACCEPTABLY(Romans 4:20,5:2, Hebrews 12:28)
The natural response to the supply of unconditional favor or grace to us is THANK YOU JESUS. Our text in the Amplified version says we are offering sacrifices to God like the burnt offerings of bullocks offered to GOD by King Solomon in 1 Kings 3:3-14 and Prophet Samuel in 1 Samuel 7:7-10 which provoked God's immediate response to bless and to deliver Israel respectively and as advised by Prophet Hosea in Hosea 14:2 to engender the outpouring of God's blessings as a way out of iniquity which made Israel to fall and suffer shame.
Therefore CONTINUALLY say THANK YOU JESUS FOR ALL HE DID FOR US ON THE CROSS; AND COMMUNICATE THE GRACE OF GOD IN CHRIST TO OTHERS THROUGH THE PREACHING OF THE CROSS
(1 CORINTHIANS 1:18)ESPECIALLY THE UNSAVED AND YOUR FAITH WILL BE EMPOWERED TO QUENCH THE FIERY DARTS OF THE DEVIL, ATTRACT GOD'S DIVINE PRESENCE AND RECEIVE BLESSINGS FROM GOD. GOD BLESS YOU AS YOU PRACTISE GOD'S DIVINE PRESENCE AND RELEASE GOD'S POWER THROUGH CONTINUAL THANKSGIVING.
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