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Saturday, June 19, 2010

Like a mustard seed

...The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed, which a man took and planted in his field. Though it is the smallest of all your seeds, yet when it grows, it is the largest of garden plants and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and perch in its branches.

The parable of Jesus Christ concerning the mustard seed is relevant to the life a Christian. The kingdom of God is the gospel, here compared to a mustard seed. When you plant the word of God in the garden of your life, it starts off as a tiny little aspect of your life. It may appear as not relevant or sufficient for dealing with other practical aspects of life and its demands. With many children of God it is left on the back burner for the day of emergency.

The word of God when allowed to grow in your life becomes a stabilizing force to reckon with. It produces results far beyond its initial planting and beyond natural explanation. The word of God grows into a shelter and refuge for God's child. Its broad branches extend in your life such that all who meet you recognize it. They gather to you for counsel, advice and help. The grown Spirit of God in you no longer serves you alone but reaches out to those around you. It started off as a tiny little process of planting the word of God in your life.

To enable the continuous growth of God's kingdom in your life, stay committed to the things of God, continue in fellowship with other Christians and maintain a personal study of God's word. May God grant you more grace in Jesus name.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me to embrace your word and your kingdom in my life. By your empowerment, let your word grow into a huge shelter in my life that I may enjoy your peace and reach out to those around me. Let the evidence of your steadfastness spread through me I pray in Jesus name, Amen.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - June 19 2010 - Job 25-27(OT), 2 Corinthians 8 (NT).

Pray for someone today - Pray for the evidence of God's word to manifest in the life of the Church of Jesus Christ that the Church will serve as a shelter where the world will gather for respite.

God's love and mine...

Friday, June 18, 2010

Remember The Past Miracles

Do you still not understand? Don't you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered?

The disciples of Jesus Christ had forgotten to bring bread with them on their journey. Jesus Christ started a discussion with them concerning bread. Though He was speaking of spiritual things, they misunderstood Him to be referring to bread for food. Jesus, being aware that they were discussing among themselves that they had no bread, expressed His surprise that they had forgotten the miracles that had happened in recent past. He expected that they would not bother about the fact that they had no bread with them, for they had Him who could provide bread for them.

There are certain situations that could be going on in your life or around you that leave you in doubt and with uncertainty. You may be concerned so much with present cares that you do not remember your former experiences of divine power and goodness. Today your Loving Father says to you, "Have you forgotten those repeated instances of mercy and miracles?" If God has done it before, for you or for others, He is more than able to do miracles for you today.  Take out time to remember the past miracles and supernatural provisions. Boost your faith once again for the things you are believing God for.

Prayer: My Loving Father, forgive me for forgetting those miracles and supernatural things You have done in my life. Forgive me for times I have not been thankful for great things You have done for me. You alone are God, the same yesterday, today and forever more. You who has done great things for me in the past is able to do exceedingly, abundantly, above all that I ask or ever think, according to the power that works in me. I pray, Father, that as I think on the past miracles and meditate on Your word, that my faith will grow to release the power that works in me. May my trust and expectation be on You alone. In Jesus Name I pray, Amen.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

He takes responsibility over us

Jesus replied, "They do not need to go away. You give them something to eat"

Although Jesus sought to be by himself, multitudes followed him about to hear him speak and to receive miracles. This moved Jesus to compassion so that he wouldn't drive them away. The behavior of the multitudes indicated their need for and dependence on him. As long as they were with him, Jesus took full responsibility for their welfare, beyond just teaching and healing. He fed them.

As children of God, all believers become the personal responsibility of a sovereign, all powerful God who cares for each of His children. He invites us to cast all our cares upon him, rather than take matters into our own hands trying to manipulate and control our circumstances. Like the multitude we need to show our dependence on Him by humility.

As members of God's family, all believers have direct access to God as their heavenly Father through Jesus Christ. While God knows our needs before we ask (Matt. 6:32), we are to take our needs and those of others to God's throne of grace in prayer. God is not only concerned with our spiritual wellbeing, He is concerned about our day to day affairs and has made provision to step in and help us.

Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need ...by casting all our cares upon Him, for He cares for us.

Prayer: Most high father, I humble myself before you and admit that i can't handle everything that comes my way. I submit myself to you alone, please represent me in all my affairs. When I am weak, you are strong. When I am poor, you are rich. When I am foolish Lord, you are wise on my behalf. I pray also for my friends and loved ones. We will continue to recount your everlasting faithfulness to us. Take the glory Lord, in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - June 17 2010 - Job 16-20 (OT), 2 Corinthians 6 (NT).

Pray for someone today - Pray for God's children engaged in essential and risky jobs. If you know anyone working in hazardous situations and is at risk, bring this person's safety up to God in prayer.

God's love and mine...

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Acceptance From Those Who Know You

Then Jesus told them, “A prophet is honored everywhere except in his own hometown and among his own family.”

Jesus Christ found it difficult being accepted by the people who knew Him and where He was coming from. Though they should have respected Him the more because he was one of them, they despised Him and did not believe in Him. As a result, He could not do many mighty works in His hometown, Nazareth.

For most people who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and personal saviour, the hardest people to convince of their new birth are the people who knew them and where they are coming from.  These are the people who know their weakness. These are the people who can make them backslide. These are the people that can taunt and persecute them. These are the ones who will be the first to say they are Christians yet they have committed a sin. These are the people who will remind them of their past and keep record of any mistakes they may make. Yet these are the very same people God wants them to reach.

Do you find it difficult reaching out to people who knew you when you were less passionate about God? Do you encounter people who remind you of things you want to put behind? Be comforted in the knowledge that Jesus Christ has been there before and He knows how you feel. Take heart for He has overcome the world for you. It is not by your effort that you will make people see the light in you, but by the Spirit of God who is at work in you.

Prayer: My Loving Father, indeed you know how I feel about reaching out to people who will not accept me because they know my weaknesses or where I may be coming from. Thank You Father for going ahead of me and overcoming the world. I pray for the grace to press on should I encounter people who want to make me feel that I am not truly Your child. I pray that where my words are not sufficient, my life will minister to them. If You are calling me to reach out to these people, I pray for Your guidance and enablement. I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength. Amen.

Tuesday, June 15, 2010

Do not worry

Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes?

Worry can be described as thoughts and images in which mental attempts are made to avoid anticipated potential threats. It is mostly negative in nature as it distracts the mind from focusing on solutions to the problem at hand. Worry could have positive effect if it propels a person to take precautions such as fastening their seatbelt or avoiding risky behavior. More often than not, worry takes away a person's ability to tackle a problem objectively. It magnifies the threat out of proportion and places the person at risk of loss.

Our lives are like jigsaw puzzles. The aspects of our lives constitute the pieces of the puzzle; education, job, marriage, achievements, loss, pain, relationships, minute events or colossal circumstances. The final picture of who we are and what we are purposed to be is in the hands of God our father. By accepting to be His children, we give Him the mandate to put our pieces together. For the promises He's made in His word concerning us, we know the end picture designed for our life is a glorious one. He lovingly and faithfully puts our pieces together to this end.

Our Lord encourages us not to worry about the events of our lives especially as worry cannot add a single extra hour to our life. In every trying situation or moment define the worst thing that can happen and admit to yourself, even that thing will not break you. You will experience fear give way to faith, worry give way to hope, just as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego decided that even if God does not rescue them from the fiery furnace, they'll not bow to the king's image, Dan 3:16-18. Let's cast our cares upon Him, for He cares for us and will complete in us the perfect picture of His purpose.

Prayer: O Lord, I pour the weight of my thoughts and heaviness unto your shoulders. I exchange with you my cares and concerns for your peace and progress. My redeemer, save me from every worry that had held me back in the past or threatens my future. Use the unpleasant pieces of my life to mould glorious ones. Let my picture give you praise, my father I pray in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - June 15 2010 - Job 6 - 10 (OT), 2 Cor 4 (NT).

Pray for someone today - Pray for students in every class of learning. As many as look up to God for excellence may they find it in abundance. As many as do not know God, may they have an encounter with Him through the course of their study and find Him faithful.

Monday, June 14, 2010

The Words We Speak

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.

These words of Jesus Christ tells us that on Judgement Day, people will give account to God for every idle word spoken. The words we speak are very important. It does not matter if we are speaking it to ourselves or others. Our words are one of the most powerful forces in existence because they are creative forces. By words the entire universe was created. God takes our words seriously. 

Idle words are words which we have wasted because when we said them to others (or to ourselves), we did not season our words with grace to honor the Lord. Such words are not agreeable to the Chrisitan character. Some examples include speaking words that hurt and destroy rather than build people, speaking words that contradict the word of God, or speaking words of agreement to negative thoughts and imaginations.

Our words should be seasoned with the grace of God's Word, holding forth the Word of life, and causing people to become thirsty for more. There are many people in the world today who are hungry for the truth of God's Word. We have the responsibility and opportunity to sow the Word of God. You can also find forgiveness in God for every idle word you may have spoken knowingly or unknowingly. Let us pray.
Prayer: My Loving Father, please forgive me for every idle word I have ever spoken up until this moment - to others, about others and to myself. I ask that you wipe me clean with the shed Blood of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Please help me to hold every thought captive and to be diligent in Your Word and putting into practice all that You teach me through Your precious Word. Even as I speak to others, may my words always be with grace and seasoned with salt. In Jesus Name, Amen.