I know Your Works

That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God
[Colossians 1:10, NKJV]

If your life is laid bare on a table in public glare, how would you feel? Would there be things in your exposed life that you'll scramble to cover up, saying, 'no not that one please'? Would there be things you'd be so embarrassed about for your family and friends to see? Would there be things in there that would make people gasp? Or would there be things you'll gladly showcase with joy and happiness declaring, 'It was not by my strength, God surely helped me'. Would there be things that would inspire people to strive to achieve too?

As it were, our lives are not exposed before people, but are openly revealed before God. He sees it all and knows it all. In Rev 3:1, Jesus says, 'I know thy works'. Having been called to God as sons and daughters of a loving Father, He washed us with the blood of Jesus and erased our transgressions so we have a clean slate and a pure conscience before Him. However, salvation is a daily and continuous process so we continue in works, but which works do we continue? We are encouraged to continue in every good work and increase in the knowledge of God. This is so that we identify works that don't glorify God and remove them from our lives. As we increase in the knowledge of God, we know the things that don't please Him, and try to stay clear from them.

As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent us. Night is coming, when no one can work. Let us not wait for everything to fall perfectly in place before we register good works in our lives. Let us not wait for the ordination of a man of God, but identify the gifts that God has placed in us and begin to bear fruits that will speak for us if we are exposed.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I receive the strength of Your word to do good works. Thank You for reminding me of this today, to consciously do works that glorify Your name. Open my eyes to my gifts and my opportunities, let me do Your good work in my life I pray in Jesus name.

The Need To Share

Your testimonies are wonderful; Therefore my soul keeps them

[Psalms 119:129. NKJV]

The word of God is the door by which faith enters the heart of a man. Faith is a highly priced virtue that anyone who believes in Christ must have. Everything the devil does to anyone is to the final goal of removing the person’s faith in God. And with a seed of faith stirred up in the heart, great conquests are fought and overcome, great victories are attained. ‘… This is the victory that has overcome the world - our faith’, 1 John 5:4. On a daily basis, the treasure to hold closest to our heart is our faith bearing in mind that faith grows and faith diminishes. It is important to position ourselves for the growth of our faith.

‘So then, faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God’, Rom 10:17. Testimonies are an act of faith, as faith can enter the heart of a person through the door of testimonies. Whenever you share your testimony, it stirs up faith in the heart of the hearers. Even when you rehearse your testimonies to yourself it achieves the same effect. It builds up your faith and gives you courage to overcome other tests. Giving of testimonies is a good thing which glorifies the name of God amongst men. When Jesus delivered the man in Mark 5:1-20, He asked him to go testify. When God does a great thing in our lives, He wants us to go testify likewise.

Testifying of God’s goodness helps to trigger more testimonies. A testimony signals the end of a test. Sharing a testimony is therefore an act of faith that signifies the end of a challenge. It makes concrete the blessing. Testimonies are like the word of God, it benefits the testifier, the hearer and glorifies God Almighty. God bless you as you go about with boldness, testifying of His goodness to everyone you meet.

Prayer: Gracious and merciful father, I am so grateful to you for your victories in my life. Indeed Lord, I can’t finish counting them, you have not minded my inabilities and weaknesses but have delivered me from so much because of your love. I am grateful Lord. I receive the Holy Spirit’s boldness to share with others your faithfulness to me according to your word. Loving Father, I give you all the glory in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - Aug. 19 2010 - Jeremiah 34 - 38 (OT), Colossians 2 (NT)

Pray for someone today – Pray for Christians, pray for yourself that you will rightly divide the word of truth and have understanding of what God desires of His children.

God’s love and mine…

What Comes Before Me

I am the Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.

You shall have no other gods before Me or besides Me.

[Deuteronomy 5:6-7, AMP]

This scripture for today not only shows God’s prohibition against idolatry, but His reasons for that prohibition. It was the Lord God who had the power to bring His people out of bondage in Egypt. He alone cared enough for them to choose them to be His own, and He alone delivered and protected them. For all this, He declares that He alone deserves to be worshipped and reverenced. There should be no other god beside Him. A god is something that is worshipped, idolized, idealized, or followed.

Today, we may not have idols or graven images that we have before or beside our Loving Father. However there are things we may put before God. It could come in the form of relationships, spouses, jobs, ambitions, money, communication media, or even other human beings (like men of God or someone who is providing for us). These are things that take our time, our passion, most of our focus and our heart, and make us relegate God to "when we have time" or "when we have a need".

God, your loving Father, deserves your respect, worship and reverence. He is the one who brought you out of Egypt - a place of bondage and slave mentality. In His eyes and heart, you are no longer a slave, but His child, whom He has chosen. He cared enough for you to send His only begotten son that you may have life, and have it more abundantly. He still cares for you, loves you and protects you. He is the one who has given you freely good things to enjoy. May those things He has blessed you with not become your god. Nothing or noone should come before Him or beside Him.

Prayer: My Loving Father, You have commanded me not to have any god beside You. You alone deserve my worship and reverence. Father, please help me to identify any area of my life that has become a god, any thing or person in my life that comes before You. Help me to let go of such area, if any. May all I do and my life be to give You glory and a representation of my worship and reverence for You. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Relationship With The Boss

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men
[Colossians 3:23, NIV]

As children of God, He is interested in every aspect of our lives to the minutest detail. Our work life is equally important to Him, hence He gives the guideline regarding how we should do our secular tasks. The objective of which is to give us peace in all our doings and prosperity. At times as Christians we may feel that good work ethics and biblical injunctions apply only when we deal with a fellow Christian boss, and with others we need to be witty and smart about things. By the instructions and guidance of God's word, more is expected from us towards an unbelieving boss.

Our reading from Colossians 3:22-25, educates us of the need to be obedient to our bosses in the work place not minding if they are believers or not. We are enjoined to shun eye service and do our services as unto Christ not unto man. Such characters as going late for work and leaving regularly before the agreed closing time brings the character of Christ to question.

We are the light of the world, a city that is set on a hill cannot be hid and is visible to believers and unbelievers alike. As we are watched by the rest of the world consciously or unconsciously, may our colleagues and bosses in the office be able to say, 'this person will never receive a bribe, and will sign the exact time at which he arrives at work, etc.' This will build trust in you and build faith in the God that you serve. The Lord reward us as we do our work to please Him and not our bosses.

Prayer: Dear God, thanks for your truth that is able to guide all aspects of my life and give me wisdom to overcome. I pray that my life and conduct at my place of work will be acceptable to you. I pray that all who come in contact with me will see Jesus in my life and encounter Christ. Everything that exists in my attitude to work that doesn't glorify you, heavenly Father please prune it out of me in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - Aug 17 2010 - Jeremiah 22-27 (OT), Philippians 4 (NT).

Pray for someone today - Pray for Christians who are undergoing any form of persecution at their work places because of their faith. May the Lord defend them and glorify His name in their lives. Lift this person to God in prayer.

God's love and mine...

Need For Refill

But you, dear friends, build yourselves up in your most holy faith and pray in the Holy Spirit

[Jude 1:20, NIV]

There’s hardly anything in existence that has permanent strength. Virtually all things need refilling in one way or the other. Man, animal, plants or machines invented by man need to be refilled to function properly. Jesus was aware of this need and exercised himself accordingly in order not to run dry. He used a spiritual thermometer to gauge his level of anointing. He knew when virtue had gone out of Him and did not allow Himself to be completely burned out. He would retreat to refill his energy spiritually by prayers and physically by rest. ‘Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place and rest a while…’ [Mark 6:31].

The child of God needs constant refilling by the Holy Spirit to continue the Christian walk in strength and to accomplish good works, but if we do not know when the thermometer is reading ‘red’, we would continue until we attempt to spend what is not there. There is need to be sensitive to the spirit. When you have exhausted your spiritual reserve, all your decrees, requests or demands may go dishonored. There is need to frequently refill.

To refill means to spend quality time with God. Praise and worship Him, pray in tongues to edify your spirit, study the Word of God and commit it to memory. The more of the Word you hide in memory, the more of His power and life you will receive. Refill your battery before going on the next assignment else you may be unable to offer any benefit to those you minister to. And as you take time to refill your spiritual containers regularly, you will remain relevant to God’s plan.

Prayer: Dear Holy Spirit, sensitize me to your presence in my life that I may know the need for spending quality time with you. Open the eyes of my understanding and help me to manage my time and schedule not to be too busy for God. Lord for every time I spend in your presence, fill my heart and abide in me. Keep me moving by your great strength I pray in Jesus name.

War Of Words

The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit

[Proverbs 18:21, NIV]

Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear' Heb 11:3. Words are powerful! Life's events are controlled, shaped or determined by words. Destinies can change for good or bad through words. A way can be opened or blocked by words. Whether you succeed in your existence depends to a large extent on words - what God says about you, what you say about yourself and what others say about you.

God's words are powerful. Jesus says, 'They are spirit and life'. They are forever settled in heaven. They were the avenues for framing the worlds. They cannot fall to the ground unfulfilled because God hastens his Word to perform them in due season. Anything God has spoken concerning you shows you His intention. Once He has said it, He is committed to fulfilling it. What do you say about yourself?

God says, it shall be well with you. He says you will prosper and be the head, He says you will defeat your enemies, but what do you confess about yourself? If your confession contradicts Gods words concerning you, it gives the devil room to manipulate your life based on your words, but if your words, confession and lifestyle align with Gods words, the enemy's forces are neutralized and God's word will prevail in your life. Start to believe and confess what God says about you, control your life with your words.

Prayer: Heavenly Father, I believe all your words concerning me. I believe your words are spirit and life and is able to change every unpleasant situation in my life. I embrace your words with my whole heart and confess your words to my salvation in Jesus name.

One-Year Daily Bible Reading Plan - Aug 15 2010 - Jeremiah 11-15 (OT), Philippians 2 (NT).

Pray for someone today - Lift to God all who are trusting Him for healing of one form or the other.

God's love and mine...