Christ Glorious Team - Sermon Notes

KEY PASSAGE: Hebrews 10:19-25 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Matthew 16:13, 15-16, 18; 22:37-39; 28:18-20 1 Corinthians 12:7, 27 | 2 Timothy 2:15; 4:1-4 | James 5:16

SUMMARY

Many Christians think being involved in church isn’t necessary.

Quite often, believers express the opinion that commitment to a local body isn’t required for a strong relationship with God. They argue that fellowships are far from perfect: Churches have conflict with other churches, people in the same congregation don’t always get along, and some Christians are hypocritical. I understand all of these complaints.

But as followers of Christ, we shouldn’t base our actions on merely an assessment of the facts; we must follow the counsel of Scripture. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “Let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another” (emphasis added). It’s true that some people can’t attend church due to physical limitations, and others have no Bible-believing congregations in their area. But aside from those exceptions, everyone who wants to maintain

a vital, growing relationship with Jesus Christ needs to be involved in a local body of believers.

SERMON POINTS

Who created the concept of church?

Scripture clearly teaches that the church was established by our Savior Himself. In Matthew 16, Jesus asked His disciples who they said He was. Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (v. 16). Jesus said, “Upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it” (v. 17). The “rock” Jesus referred to is the statement of faith Peter made: Jesus Christ is the Son of God. In other words, He’s the Savior of the world, humanity’s only hope. This is the foundation upon which Jesus established the church, and no evil force can prevail against it.

Throughout history, all kinds of movements have come and gone. In contrast, the church—also called the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:27)—has flourished for centuries, and in our time, is growing quickly all over the world. Why has the church survived when so many other institutions have failed? Because it belongs to God, not to men and women. Jesus is the Originator and Sustainer of the church. Today, He ministers to believers and unbelievers through His body.

When Christians claim they don’t need church, what does that imply?

If we can walk closely with God without the fellowship of other believers, then assembling on Sunday morning is a waste of time. People who believe this say that we don’t need other Christians for support, encouragement, or prayer. One of the main problems with this perspective is what it implies. If believers can maintain an intimate relationship with God apart from church involvement, then Jesus made a big mistake. Of course, our Lord didn’t make a mistake when He established His church. You and I need other believers in our lives, people whom God commands that we love as ourselves—a mandate second only to loving Him wholeheartedly (Matt. 22:37-39). The Christian life is all about relationships—with the Lord and other people. It is in the context of community that we exercise our spiritual

gifts, find encouragement to follow God’s will, and learn how to properly interpret Scripture. Our Father desires for us to be involved in a local fellowship.

If you aren’t currently committed to a church, I pray that you will find a body of believers with whom you can relate—Christians who believe as you do and teach the truth of God’s Word.

Why should believers assemble together as a church?

To worship. When we gather for church, we usually praise God in song, giving Him thanks for the good things He’s done. Worshipping Him lifts our spirits and strengthens our souls. Many of the songs are full of theological truths that educate us about the blessings we have in Him.

To learn the Word of God. In church, we often have the opportunity to learn from those with special biblical training or deep spiritual maturity. Be ready to check any teaching against the whole counsel of Scripture. Pulling verses out of context can lead to doctrinal errors. We are living in a time when many people don’t want to listen to sound doctrine; they prefer to have “their ears tickled”—that is, to hear only what sounds good to them (2 Tim. 4:3).

To fulfill the Great Commission. Most of us aren’t able to move across the world, learn a new language and culture, and try to reach the local people with the gospel. But as the body of Christ, we send missionaries to far-off places. We support them through our prayers,

letters or emails, and financial support. Together, we can fulfill the command to take the good news to the nations (Matt. 28:18-20).

To protect themselves. When someone stops attending church, it is almost inevitable that he or she will begin to drift away from God. Hearing scriptural truth each week helps hold believers accountable to high moral, ethical, and spiritual standards. Otherwise, the world’s messages, which constantly

bombard our minds, tend to distract us from the voice of God.

To exercise spiritual gifts. Our supernatural blessings such as administration, prophecy, and mercy are

to be used “for the common good” in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:7). For example, my gift is a mixture of exhortation and prophecy. Unless I shared that with

other people, it would be wasted.

To develop an atmosphere of support. The New Testament is full of advice concerning how we relate to others. As believers, we are told to love, forgive, accept, encourage, and serve one another. Also, we should be patient and always seek to comfort, inspire, and fellowship with other Christians. And lastly, Scripture calls on us to confess our sins to one another (James 5:16). It is through working together that believers are able to accomplish God’s will. No pastor is able to reach everyone.

To strengthen and broaden the Christian impact on the world. When believers are committed to a local fellowship, the influence of that church is greatly multiplied. Together, we can raise funds for both local ministry and world missions and develop effective ways to reach our communities. God works powerfully through churches where each person believes he or she is making a valuable contribution to the work of the ministry. In His eyes, all believers are equally important and loved.

RESPONSE

God’s purposes for you can be fulfilled only if you are committed to a local body of believers. There, you can receive solid instruction in the Word of God, participate in corporate worship, and find opportunities to exercise your spiritual gifts. Look for a church that believes the Bible and seeks to consistently follow its teachings. Don’t just attend regularly; find a way to get involved. Your life will never be the same.

BEING A SUCCESSFUL CHRISTIAN BUSINESS PERSON IN LIFE

Main Scripture Hebrews 8

Hebrews 8:13 By his saying “A new covenant”, he has made the first old. Now that which is old and has become obsolete📖 is ready to vanish away.

Hebrews 8:10 "I will put my laws in their mind, and write them in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.📖

As a businessman or businesswoman Jesus' covenant reloads is with blessings to do business and prosper. So we need the practice of following laws as instructed by God according to Hebrews 8:10 :

1. Law of Faith: Faith is beyond what you say Believe in the church building but it goes beyond what you live your life daily practically by the work you do for the benefit of you or for the benefit of other people for a better transformed society.

In support of the Law of Faith, James 2:20-24 But do you want to know, O foolish or Lazy📖 man, that faith without works is dead?📖 21 📚📖Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son on the altar? 22 📚📖Do you see how faith was working with his deeds, and that faith was made perfect by works? 23 📚📖And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”, and he was called “the friend of God”.📖 24 📚📖You see then that a man is justified by deeds, and not by faith only.

2. Law of Value: Whatever you want to attain in Life what Price do you put or offer to it so as to have the highest Value. Money comes with what do you have to offer for exchange to have it. If you need a Financial growth what problem are you solving with a possible solution to offer to attract exchange for money in your community.

In support of the Law of value, 1 Corinthians 3:10-15 10 📚📖In accordance with the grace of God which is given to me, as a wise master builder, I laid the foundation,📖 and another builds on it. But let everyone take care how he builds on it. 11 📚📖For no one can lay any other foundation than the one that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. 12 📚📖Now if anyone builds on this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble, 13 📚every man’s work will be made clear, for the day📖 will make it known, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test everyone’s work as to what sort it is. 14 📚If anyone’s work which he has built on the foundation remains, he will receive a reward. 15 📚If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss.📖 He himself will be saved, but as if through fire.📖

3. Law of Vision: Where are you going, how far do you want to go to reach your destination. So with a vision you need to set goals and create a clear defined picture of what you want to achieve in your life.

In support of this Law, Isaiah 29:11 11 📚And the whole vision has become to you like the words of a sealed book which men deliver to one who can read, saying, “Please read this”; and he says, “I cannot, for it is sealed”.

4. Law of Understanding the Power of Relationships: Learn to respect people you relate with because there is power of your successfulness in life. Be faithful and committed person as you interact with other people in society because hold a key to your well-being.

In support of this Law; John 17:24-26 Father, I desire that those whom you have given me, also be with me where I am, so that they may see my glory which you gave me. For you loved me before the foundation of the world. 25 📚📖“Righteous Father, the world has not known you, but I have known you, and these have come to know that you sent me. 26 📚📖And I have made our name known to them, and will make it known, so that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them”.

5. Law of Time Management: Understand the seasons, time changes as you do things in life. There is time for everything, time to sow and time to harvest. Mind how you spend your time wisely for your benefit and benefit of others to have a well balanced transformed developed life.

In support of Scripture, Ecclesiastes 3:1-2 To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under heaven: 2 📚A time to be born and a time to die; a time to plant and a time to uproot what is planted.

6. Law of Multiplication or Investment: Learn to invest in a diversified away with the resources you have at hand inorder to spread risk and secure the future.

In support of this Law in Scripture; Genesis 34:10 📚And you will live with us, and the land will be before you. Live and do business in it, and get possessions for yourselves in it”.

PRAYER:

Lord, my Rock and Redeemer, thank you that you made all things, and in you all things hold together. You have said that you have plans and a purpose for me, plans to prosper me not to harm me. Let me trust you with my business. May the word of Christ dwell in me

Father, I affirm that I obey Your Word by making an honest living with my own hands, so that I may be able to give to those in need. In Your strength and according to Your grace, I provide for myself and my own family. Thank You, Father, for making all grace, every favor and earthly blessing, come to me in abundance that I, having all sufficiency, may abound to every good work.

Lord, you have entrusted us as stewards of your creation Please guide our hearts as we make our decisions We seek you first in all we do together We give you our business, our suppliers, our customers and our workforce May we be always mindful of their service We confess that we are nothing without you And our trust is in you completely Amen

Dear Heavenly Father, Thank you for your unconditional love and guidance in all matters of business and life. I ask that you lead me to the opportunities that will bring me prosperity and success. I open my mind and heart to receive your wisdom and the love and energy I need to follow your signs and instructions.

I ask that you make my path clear and lead me through tough times so I can learn to make the right decisions. I look to you to open the doors of opportunity, success, growth, prosperity, and wisdom to love and appreciate your plan for this business. Amen.

Bless my workplace. I declare success in business today. Let my business be of great service to others, flourishing through decency, honesty and respect for my colleagues and customers.

May I be strong and courageous, making wise decisions guided by the Holy Spirit, and not terrified or discouraged.

Grant me wisdom and calm so that I can rightly access every situation and bring peace and productivity to the work environment. Amen.

Dear God, I praise you, and with great humility, I utter these prayers for business as a form of thanksgiving for your generosity and compassion towards me. I am not worthy of the gracious blessings you entrusted my family and me, but I would be willing to serve your kingdom till eternity if it is your will. As I talk with the stakeholders of my enterprise today, keep my mind focused and allow me to answer their questions correctly.

I pray through this prayer request that you grant me the gifts to help me create connections with our partners and extend our company’s visions to other businesses. Amen.

Father God, Hear these beautiful prayers for business and bless me with gifts that will help me achieve success in building my own company with strong foundational values and integrity. Bless me with the power to commit myself to do the best that I can to build my wealth with the purpose of giving back to others and bringing honor to your kingdom today.

Allow other generations to see the business I have created this day and help me stand boldly and set an example for other people who aspire to build their enterprise with great success. Amen.

All-Knowing God, thank you that you make known your love and that your purposes will stand, your plans will not fail. Your word says that the blessing of the Lord brings wealth, without painful toil for it. Protect me from going down the path of painful toil for no benefit, and bring success to my business. Hear my prayer, Lord. You are able to do far more abundantly than all that I ask or imagine, according to the power at work within me. To you be glory throughout all generations, forever and ever. Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

These Business Nuggets and Prayer are brought to You by your beloved Servant SEKAMANJE EDDY of Christ Glorious Team Online Ministry Email us: christgloriousteamministry@gmail.com

IN THE MIDST OF ADVERSITY

KEY PASSAGE: 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Joshua 1:9 | John 14:2-3 | 1 Corinthians 1:2

SUMMARY

Every person will eventually struggle with some type of adversity.

Because our fallen world is filled with sin and its consequences, we will all experience it. Adversity is a condition of suffering and hardship involving anguish, pressure, trials, heartaches, or disappointments. If we could, we’d probably try to avoid anything that causes us pain, but then we’d miss some of the best blessings in life.

SERMON POINTS

The Scriptures are filled with examples of people who faced adversity, and on the other side of the experience, discovered how God worked through their situation to bring about good. All these people could testify that their suffering was worth the final result.

Scriptural Examples

Joseph experienced betrayal, slavery, and imprisonment before becoming second in command to Pharaoh.
Moses was a fugitive in the wilderness before God called him to lead the children of Israel out of Egypt.
David spent many years running from King Saul before he became Israel’s most notable king in the Old Testament.
Esther was an exiled Jew until God elevated her to the position of queen of Persia and used her to save His people.
Daniel was a captive in Babylon but was promoted to the highest level of government by the king.
Jesus’ disciples suffered persecution, but God used them to spread Christianity throughout the entire Roman world.
Mary and Martha mourned the loss of their brother before seeing Jesus raise him to life.

The Example of Paul

Adversity can be one of God’s greatest blessings if we respond as Paul did in 2 Corinthians 12:7-10. Because he’d been entrusted with great revelations from the Lord, he was also given a painful “thorn in the flesh” to keep him from becoming prideful. Paul implored the Lord three times to remove it but was told, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness” (v. 9). Paul responded by saying, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me.” (v. 9).

Two Responses to Adversity

In the midst of affliction, some people choose to walk away from God. If the Lord doesn’t meet their expectations, they become disappointed and may:

Doubt the reality of God. Since the Lord let adversity happen, they question whether He is who the Bible says He is.
Blame Him. Because God didn’t prevent the situation, they decide it’s His fault.
Turn their back on God permanently. Some people cannot accept a hardship or loss in their lives and become so angry with the Lord that they never return to Him.
Reject the Bible. When people’s partial knowledge of Scripture and God’s ways lead to unmet expectations, they may close their Bibles thinking that He doesn’t keep His promises. The problem is not God’s faithfulness but their interpretation of His promises in accordance with their own plans.
Nurture their hurt and anger. The result of this response is deeper hurt and more intense anger that leads to bitterness. In turn, bitterness poisons every area of life and brings with it misery, both to the bitter person and those close to him.
Waste their lives. When people walk away from God and His Word, they forfeit all the good plans He had for them. The adversity He designed to draw them to Himself has been wasted and so have their lives.

Others, however, make the decision to walk into a deeper relationship with the Lord. Instead of turning away from the Lord, the better option is to draw close to Him in adversity. This approach results in the development of the following qualities:

Unshakeable faith. In the midst of our pain, the Lord proves Himself trustworthy, not to do what we want, but to keep His promises and stay with us through suffering.
Unwearied patience. When we understand that God is with us and has a purpose for our adversity, He gives us the patience to wait for His perfect timing. We can trust Him because He will never prolong our suffering beyond what is necessary and will see us through till the end.
Unwavering courage. God told Joshua to be strong and courageous because He would be with him wherever he went (Joshua 1:9). This same promise is ours today. Each time we trust the Lord in a time of adversity, we gain courage to persevere and to face the next challenge with confident faith.
Increasing purity. Adversity prompts us to examine our lives. As we turn to the Lord in the midst of pain and difficulties, He reveals sin and wrong thinking so we can repent, be cleansed, and live a holy life. This is one of the ways He conforms us to the likeness of His Son—He changes our heart until we don’t want anything in our lives that doesn’t fit our holy identity as His children. The Bible calls us saints, which is how we should see ourselves (1 Corinthians 1:2). Though not sinless, adversity moves us toward being fully committed to Christ with no desire to sin against Him.
Love for God’s Word. Our first response to adversity should be to open the Scriptures, asking the Lord what He desires to say to us. The Bible is our most precious possession because it’s God’s voice speaking to us in written language, giving us encouragement, direction, comfort, and correction. When we approach life with a surrendered will, a determination to follow Christ, and firm faith in His Word, we’ll accept God’s dealings with us, even if they include pain and hardship, knowing that His goal is to make us holy and useful for His purposes. When we have this attitude toward adversity, our witness for Christ attracts other people to Him.

We may not have a choice regarding affliction, but when it comes, we must decide how to respond. We can either yield to it, knowing that the Lord has something good in mind, or we can turn away from Him, live in rebellion, and waste our lives.

RESPONSE

Review the qualities that result from walking into a deeper relationship with God in times of adversity. What changes in your thinking, attitudes, behavior, and habits will you have to make for God to produce these in your life?
Now look at the ways people walk away from God. Have you ever let disappointment draw you into any of these responses? What was the result?
How has Scripture shaped your attitude toward adversity? What verses or biblical characters have given you guidance, encouragement, comfort, perspective, and faith in the midst of suffering or difficulty?

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GROWING IN OUR ADVERSITY

KEY PASSAGES: Ephesians 4:15 | 2 Peter 3:18

SUMMARY

When a child is born, we naturally expect him to grow, and if he doesn’t, there’s a problem.

This principle applies to the Christian life as well. Salvation is the beginning of our relationship with Christ, but God doesn’t want us to stay immature. After being born again through faith in Jesus, we should continually grow in the grace and knowledge of Him (2 Peter 3:18). By reading the Bible, praying, and observing how the Lord works, we will increase in Christlikeness and obedience. But the Lord also uses a surprising means to bring us to maturity. Adversity is part of the universal experience of all believers, and it can either hinder or accelerate our spiritual growth—it all depends on how we respond.

SERMON POINTS

Adversity is a condition of suffering and hardship involving anguish, pressure, trials, heartaches, or disappointments.

It may be physical or emotional in nature, and either long or short in duration, but it always causes pain. Although none of us want hurt or trouble, if it comes, we have two options: We can waste our sorrows or grow in our relationship with the Lord.

Spiritual growth in adversity depends on two factors.

Our understanding of God’s purpose for it. He allows adversity in our lives for specific reasons.
- To get our attention. When life is running smoothly, it’s easy to ignore the Lord; but in adversity, He suddenly has our undivided attention.
- To conquer pride. If we’re doing well, we might be tempted to look down on those who are struggling, but adversity humbles us. The apostle Paul was given awesome privileges and insights, but along with them came a “thorn in the flesh” to keep him from exalting himself (2 Corinthians 12:7-10). God allows humbling pain because He knows that pride prevents us from being useful to Him.
- To remind us of our weakness. A sense of personal strength and adequacy keep us self-sufficient, but the Lord knows how to weaken us with affliction so we’ll turn to Him for direction and strength.
- To increase our hatred of sin. The suffering that comes with disobedience reminds us of the awful impact of sin. God sometimes disciplines us with adversity so we will learn to hate sin and practice righteousness.
- To demonstrate His faithfulness. Only in our greatest need will we understand how dependable and trustworthy the Lord is. Pain and hardship drive us to seek Him for help, and in the midst of our suffering, we discover that He is always faithful.
- To equip us to comfort others. When God comforts us in our affliction, we become a spring of comfort to others (2 Corinthians 1:3-7). Having gone through pain, we are better able to empathize with those who are going through a similar situation.
- To prepare us for service. Experiencing hardship and suffering equips us to serve the Lord in various ways and meet the needs of others.
- To express His love for us. Because God loves us so much, He sends adversity to rescue us from dangers we don’t see and to draw us into the safety of a life fully surrendered to Him.
- To change our direction. God uses adversity to stop us from going astray and to redirect our path into His will.
Our response to adversity. To grow spiritually from the trials in our lives, we must respond as the Lord desires. He has promised to teach us the way we should go (Psalm 32:8).
- See it as coming from God. Our first response should be to read God’s Word in order to view our situation from His perspective. According to Romans 8:28, He “causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.” If He has allowed suffering, He has something good to achieve through it.
- Ask the Lord to reveal His goal for the adversity. The painful situations in our lives are not random events but learning opportunities. If we glean as much as we can from our suffering, the truths we learn will be worth the pain.
- Surrender to God’s will. Even if we don’t fully understand why we’re suffering, the right response is to yield ourselves to whatever the Lord is doing, knowing that He only does what’s best for His children’s lives.
- Rest by trusting in His faithfulness. The Lord always does what He’s promised and is trustworthy in every situation. Even in our pain, we can rest in His faithfulness to bring us through our adversity in a way that pleases and honors Him.

Biblical truths affirm that God’s goal for our adversity is our spiritual growth.

Adversity is the Lord’s most effective way of deepening our faith and commitment to Him. After He has brought us through it, the foundation of our trust in Him is strengthened (1 Peter 1:6-7). And with each trial, our confidence in Him increases as we look back and see how He has been faithful.
The area of adversity in our lives is where God is working to bring us to spiritual maturity. The Lord has a goal in mind and knows exactly how to achieve it. He is in the process of maturing us from the inside (Romans 5:3-5). This cannot be accomplished academically, but must be taught through the experience of suffering.

Our responses to adversity reveal something about us.

Our view of God. Do we think He’s trustworthy?
Our view of ourselves. Do we see ourselves as God’s beloved children?
The importance of things in our lives. If the Lord removes something we want to keep, our response reveals its priority in our hearts.
Our strengths and weaknesses. It’s in the difficulties that we discover how strong or weak we truly are.
Our capacity for endurance. Do we have a firm foundation of faith that enables us to endure, or do we quickly give up?
Our faith in God. How much do we trust the Lord and believe that He uses adversity for our good?

Our spiritual growth is determined by the way we view adversity.

We either see it as an obstacle in our lives or as an opportunity to grow in our relationship with the Lord. In every trial, His goal is that we increase in our knowledge and understanding of His ways, and trust in His faithfulness.

RESPONSE

Do you view adversity as an obstacle or an opportunity for spiritual growth? Why do you see it this way?
What keeps you from surrendering to God’s will—experiencing pain, disappointment, or loss?
How has God worked in your life through adversities? What sins has He revealed? What lessons has He taught you? How has He trained you for service?

AN INTIMATE LOOK AT ADVERSITY

KEY PASSAGE: 2 Corinthians 11:23-28

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Matthew 27:46 | Mark 15:34 | 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 | Galatians 6:7 | Hebrews 13:5

SUMMARY

The world in which we live is characterized by adversity.

Everywhere we look there are disasters, tragedies, trauma, misery, suffering, and loss. But what happens when our view of adversity becomes up close and personal? How does the Lord want us to respond when we come face-to-face with trials? And what is He trying to teach us through our difficulties?

SERMON POINTS

In 2 Corinthians 11:23-28, the apostle Paul described the various forms of adversity he experienced in his service for Christ—imprisonments, beatings, shipwrecks, exposure, hunger, thirst, and other dangers. Why would the Lord allow Paul, the man who introduced the Roman world to Jesus Christ, to suffer like this and be killed?

All adversity is not bad.

From a human perspective, Paul’s suffering may seemunfair, but God used his hardships and pain to accomplish His will. During his imprisonment in Rome, Paul wrote Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians. And his letter to the Philippians was filled with joy because he understood that through adversity God accomplishes His divine purposes and works for our ultimate good.

Characteristics of Adversity

Adversity is universal. It’s everywhere and can affect any area of our lives.
It’s impartial. Because we live in a fallen world, trouble comes to all of us—even believers—no matter what our financial or educational status.
Adversity is painful. The pain can be physical, emotional, or relational, but whatever the source, it hurts.
Sometimes adversity comes suddenly. Life could be going on as normal when an accident or a negative report from the doctor leaves us unexpectedly devastated.
Times of adversity may be prolonged. Sometimes the emotional or physical pain continues for years.
It may be intense. We may hurt so badly that even those who try to bring comfort feel the pain.
Adversity is often beyond our control. We may feel helpless and have no answer for why God would allow us to go through it.

Questions Regarding Adversity

When adversity leaves us confused, we often ask two primary questions:

Why? Even Jesus asked this question when He was hanging on the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). The Lord is compassionate toward our pain and understands our limited perspective and confusion, but He also knows the good He intends to accomplish through our adversity because He sees the future. Sometimes He reveals His purpose to us, but often we won’t understand until we’re in heaven. In the meantime, we can trust Him, knowing He always works for our best.
Who? We usually want to know who caused our trouble or pain, and there are three possibilities.
- Often, the “who” is me, Satan, or God. God has established the principle of sowing and reaping. If we sin against the Lord or others, adversity may be the consequence of our choices. The decisions we made in the past have led us to where we are today.
- Satan. He hates God’s people. The book of Job reveals that he could be causing our distress.
- God. The Lord is sovereign and He controls all adversity in our lives. That’s why it’s important to remember how much He loves us. If He allows us to go through pain, suffering, or loss, then He has something good He wants to accomplish in us. When the apostle Paul understood that his “thorn in the flesh” was designed to keep him humble and dependent on Christ, he was able to say, “Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me” (2 Cor. 12:9).

Responses to Adversity

Depending on our response, hardships and suffering will either drive us to the Lord or away from Him.

Blame. We could respond by looking for someone to blame, but this approach only intensifies our anger until we become bitter.
Escape. Another option is to try to avoid pain and problems by dulling our senses. Although drowning our sorrows with alcohol, taking drugs, or engaging in sexual affairs may seem like the answer, it only complicates our lives and leads to more problems.
Denial. If we claim that all is well when it isn’t, we will continue to suffer internal hurt and anger.
Self-pity. A pity party never accomplishes anything positive. It simply displays an unwillingness to take responsibility for the situation and our response to it.
Seek the Lord. We ought to come to God with our confusion and pain, asking Him to help us trust Him. He doesn’t take delight in our suffering, but wants to use it to achieve what’s best for us.

Principles to Help Us Through Adversity

If we’re confident of the Lord’s love for us and understand how He uses adversity in our lives, we will be able to trust Him and respond in a way that benefits us.

Adversity is one of God’s most effective tools for strengthening our faith. If we focus on the ways He is working within us and enabling us to endure affliction, our trust in Him will grow even if our circumstances stay the same.
The Lord sends adversity to help us, not to hurt us. God’s purpose for allowing pain is to achieve something good. He may be trying to correct us or produce godly character in us. In the case of the apostle Paul, God protected him from pride and taught him to depend on Christ (2 Corinthians 12:7-10).
God is always with us. We may not feel His presence, but He has promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). As believers, we have been united with Christ, and His Spirit lives within us.
Adversity can be a precious gift from the Lord. Pain and hardship are the instruments He often uses to correct our thinking, turn us around, and guide us onto His path.

The Guidebook for Adversity

The Word of God shows us how to walk through times of adversity. It reminds us of His love, tells us about His purposes for trials, encourages us to endure, and strengthens us in the process. One of the primary reasons we struggle in adversity and give in to despair and hopelessness is ignorance of the Scriptures. The Lord wants to help us through affliction, but we must open His Word to receive His guidance, comfort, and assurance.

RESPONSE

As you look back at past adversity, what greater understanding have you gained about God’s character, promises, and purposes?
What principles have you learned from God’s Word that will help you respond to your trials as He desires?

LIVING WISELY OR FOOLISHLY

KEY PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 3:19-23

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: 1 Corinthians 2:14 | Hebrews 9:27 | James 3:13-17

SUMMARY

We all make countless decisions during a lifetime, and as a whole, they determine whether we live wisely or foolishly.

The most important factor is whether or not we seek the Lord’s guidance in our choices. Those who base their decisions on their own reasoning, feelings, and desires, or on other people’s advice, will live foolishly because they’ve ignored the only true source of wisdom—almighty God. Too many people forget that choices have consequences. Our culture wants to live in the here and now, without regard for the eventual outcome of those choices. But beginning in the Garden of Eden, God has clearly told us that negative consequences always follow foolish, self-willed decisions.

SERMON POINTS

God should have priority in your decision-making process.

Whenever you’re faced with a choice—whether major or minor—always ask yourself: What is the wisest thing to do? God wants us to seek His wisdom and live the best possible life without suffering the consequences of foolish choices.

The Scriptures distinguish between two different kinds of wisdom (1 Corinthians 3:19-23). The people of Corinth, Greece, were considered some of the smartest in the world, but God says their wisdom is foolishness to Him. He catches them in their craftiness and sees right through their foolish reasonings. Man, apart from God, can boast in nothing.

True wisdom is seeing life from God’s viewpoint and responding on the basis of what He says in His Word.

This means that those who say they have no time for the Bible have automatically chosen a foolish lifestyle. They are deluding themselves by thinking they can live happily, peacefully, and successfully without the Word of God. But the Scriptures are the only way they’ll discover God’s wisdom regarding matters that concern them.

Just consider the vastness of the Lord’s wisdom. He is omniscient, which means He has infinite knowledge about everything. Nothing surprises Him because He sees yesterday, today, and tomorrow with perfect clarity. Unlike us, He’s never had to revise His Word. He knows each of us perfectly and has complete understanding of our every need.

On the other hand, man’s wisdom is based on what he sees, feels, hears, or thinks. Even the most brilliant people are limited in their knowledge. In fact, their intelligence is often the barrier between them and true wisdom. Knowledge has to do with the mind, while wisdom is a matter of the heart and the spirit. That’s why it’s possible to be very smart in some areas of life, yet unwise in others.

Those who choose to live apart from God must rely on themselves for their own security. However, no matter how well-prepared they are, unexpected circumstances can quickly destroy their illusion of safety. The only genuine, eternal security is found in a relationship with Jesus Christ. First Corinthians 3:23 tells believers, “You belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.” That’s genuine and lasting safety. Nothing and no one can touch us apart from the Lord’s knowledge and will. Although we may not always understand why He allows heartaches, tragedies, or burdens in our lives, we can trust that His way is always best and that He’ll walk with us through the hardships.

When we belong to God, we’re set apart for Him. As we let Jesus live His life through us, He faithfully guides us in every decision. Human knowledge and understanding are like a tiny grain of sand compared to a beach full of God’s wisdom. There’s no need to be anxious and fearful about what could happen because we can sleep soundly each night knowing that the Lord is sovereign over all the events of our lives.

God wants to share His wisdom with His children. He knows we need His help to live wisely because our understanding is so limited. When He leads the way, we can walk through heartaches and hardships beyond our natural ability to endure. As we listen and obey Him, He will faithfully lead us one step at a time. However, if we plow through the trials without the Lord, we’ll get ourselves in trouble.

Worldly wisdom sees life from man’s perspective.

People who choose this route think happiness is found in position, knowledge, talent, and possessions. However, none of these things will get them into heaven. In James 3:15, we see three adjectives to describe this type of wisdom.

Earthly. It’s limited to human reasoning and accomplishments. Although humans have made tremendous advances in science, they still haven’t learned to get along with each other. What they need is a heavenly source of wisdom to lead them in all they do.
Natural. Inside every person is a natural element that wants its own way. That’s why we struggle with temptation and sometimes resist obeying God. It’s that sensual part of us that relates to the fallen nature.
Demonic. The root of worldly wisdom is found in Satan himself. Throughout history, he’s tried the same deception he used on Eve—you’re smart, you can handle it, you don’t need God.

What is the wise way?

To live wisely we must seek the right counsel. We should never base our decisions on what everyone else is doing or what they think is best. Instead, we need to find out what God says. After all, He’s the one who knows everything and has all the power to handle the issues that are concerning to us. If we listen and wait for His instructions, we can be sure that we’ll discover His best for our lives. When His directions don’t make sense to us, or to anyone else, we must remember that all human understanding can’t equal God’s wisdom. We’ll never go wrong if we believe and obey Him.

There are really only two choices in life. We are either living in God’s wisdom or foolishly relying on human understanding. James 3:17 says, “Wisdom from above is first pure, then peace-loving, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial, free of hypocrisy.” That’s the kind of life we want to live, especially considering the alternative. Earthly, natural, and demonic wisdom is full of jealousy, selfish ambition, disorder, and evil (James 3:15-16).

RESPONSE

On what basis do you routinely make your decisions? Are you more likely to go with what makes sense to you or ask friends for advice rather than asking God what He would have you do?
Do you think seeking the Lord’s direction is only important for major decisions? How would your relationship with Him change if you relied on His guidance for small, seemingly inconsequential choices?
Are you learning to know and understand the Lord through His Word so you’ll see His perspective on your issues and choices?

THE FORGIVING FATHER

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 15:20-24

SUMMARY

Jesus was a skillful storyteller, and perhaps His most masterful parable was that of the prodigal son.

When He told this story, His audience was composed of tax collectors and sinners who were drawn to Jesus, as well as self-righteous scribes and Pharisees who criticized Him for His association with sinners. All these groups needed a lesson on the grace and mercy of God, and that’s exactly what the Parable of the Prodigal Son delivers.

SERMON POINTS

This parable is about a son who asked his father for his share of the estate, left home, and wasted his inheritance. But perhaps the most amazing character in this story is the forgiving father. Jesus was teaching that one can always turn back to God in repentance and receive forgiveness, regardless of their degree of sinfulness.

The Steps of the Prodigal Son Away From His Father

Dissatisfaction. This young man had everything he needed at home, yet he yearned for more.
Desire. He wanted to enjoy things he’d never experienced, thinking that satisfaction would come if he could indulge his cravings.
Deception. He was deceived, and believed he was missing something in life that could only be found outside his father’s house.
Decision. He chose to leave home and its restrictions in order to enjoy the life he imagined awaited him.
Departure. He took his fortune and left his family to go to a far-off country.
Delight. With plenty of money at his disposal, he filled himself with new worldly pleasures. He tasted sin and believed these new experiences were the fulfillment of all his dreams.
Disillusionment. Sin only satisfies for a season. What he had thought would give him pleasure began to leave him empty. Although sin may seem enjoyable at first, the wages always result in death (Romans 6:23). With a sinful lifestyle, there is the death of happiness, peace, and security.
Despair. After the money was all spent and a famine struck, the prodigal son ended up in a hog pen feeding pigs while he himself remained hungry. He’d begun life at home with everything he needed, and now he didn’t even have enough to eat. His expectations of a great life had ended, and he’d lost everything. With God’s grace, he came to his senses and in repentance and humility headed home to his father.

The Steps of the Father Toward His Son

Wounded heart. The prodigal’s father was hurt by his son’s desire to get his inheritance early and leave the home he’d provided for him.
Wondered about him continually. Like any parent whose child is far from home, this dad was concerned for his son—whether he was making good choices or was in need.
Waited patiently. As parents today wait for renegade sons and daughters to return, this father longed to see his son.
Watched for him. His son was never far from this father’s thoughts as he watched the road to see if his son was returning.
Wanted his son to return soon. Whatever had happened in his son’s life would never cause this dad to reject him. His desire was to see him as soon as possible.
Welcomed him home. Eventually the day came when the father saw his son on the road while he was still a long way off. He felt compassion and ran to meet him. Instead of greeting him with disapproval and shame, he repeatedly embraced and kissed his son despite his filthy condition. The young man barely managed to get out his confession of sin and of unworthiness to be called his son before his father called the servants to bring out the best robe, a ring, and sandals to clothe him. Then he told them to kill the fattened calf and prepare a feast to celebrate his son’s return.

Through this story, Jesus was using an earthly father to depict the readiness of the heavenly Father to forgive those who come to Him in humble repentance, no matter how far they have strayed from Him in the past. He was showing the scribes and Pharisees God’s attitude toward repentant sinners, and conveying to the tax collectors and sinners that His Father was willing to forgive and welcome them if they’d confess and return to Him.

We can each see ourselves in one of the characters in this parable—the rebellious child who’s far away from God, the forgiving parent who welcomes him home, or the bitter sibling who doesn’t think the prodigal deserves to be welcomed.

Running away from the Lord and living in sin is never the way to find happiness. Like the prodigal, we’ll eventually find ourselves disillusioned and despairing. Yet the heavenly Father forgives and welcomes us home when we forsake our sin and return to him. He’ll give us a new beginning, and there will be a great celebration in heaven.

The only hope for all of us is the grace, love, and forgiveness of almighty God. Since mankind is appointed for death and then judgment, we must not put off the decision to repent and trust Christ as our Savior (Hebrews 9:27). He died on the cross to pay the penalty we all deserve for our sin. Through faith in Him and His sacrifice for us, we can be saved.

What God Offers His Repentant Prodigal Children

Forgiveness. On the basis of Christ’s death and our faith in Him, we can receive forgiveness. If we’ll confess our sins, God will be faithful to forgive us and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).
Acceptance. The Lord accepts us not on the basis of our good works but because of Christ’s death on the cross, which paid our sin debt in full. Each one who believes in Him becomes a child of God who is welcomed into His household.
Restoration. We are given eternal life, and God restores our dignity, attitudes, and thinking.
Rejoicing. Not only do we rejoice but so do our family and friends who have been waiting for us to come home to the Father. But the greatest celebration of all is in heaven whenever a sinner repents (v. 10).

Returning to the Lord is the beginning of a relationship with Him that can never be severed. Although we may sin and experience His loving discipline, we can never lose our salvation.

RESPONSE

Has there ever been a time in your life when you’ve come in humble repentance to God, confessing that you’ve messed up your life and need His forgiveness? If so, how have you seen the Lord’s restoration in your life? If not, why are you delaying?
How has the representation of the earthly father in this story enriched your understanding of your heavenly Father?

ABSENT FROM THE PARTY

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 15:25-32

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Matthew 11:28 | Luke 15:1-24 | John 3:16 | 1 John 1:9

SUMMARY

Jesus was a master storyteller who knew His audience as well as the condition of each heart. When He presented the Parable of the Prodigal Son, tax collectors and sinners in the crowd drew near in order to hear what He had to say, but there were also scribes and Pharisees in the audience who came with grumbling voices and critical hearts. Jesus masterfully crafted a story that addressed exactly what both the sinners and the religious leaders needed to hear.

SERMON POINTS

The 15th chapter of Luke contains three separate stories—a man with 100 sheep who lost one, a woman who lost a coin, and a father who lost his youngest son. In each case, when the sheep, coin, and son were found, there was great rejoicing.

We’re probably all familiar with the Parable of the Prodigal Son, and he is usually our main focus. However, there are two other characters in the story, and we learn valuable lessons from them. In fact, we can probably each identify with one of the characters—a wayward child, a loving parent, or a resentful sibling.

The tax collectors and sinners in the audience could readily see the similarity between their lives and that of the prodigal son, because he had wasted his life on sinful pleasures and had found himself in the lowest state he could imagine—in a hog pen feeding swine. He was so hungry he would have gladly eaten the pods he gave the pigs. The only way out of the situation was to return to his father in repentance as a servant because he felt unworthy to be called his son. But instead of shaming and reprimanding him, his father welcomed him home, forgave him, and threw a party for him.

However, there was one person who was definitely not happy that the prodigal son had returned—the older brother who had faithfully remained at home serving his father. As he came home from the field, he heard music and saw dancing. After asking a servant what was going on and hearing that his father had thrown a party because his younger brother had returned, he became angry and refused to go inside. Even when his father came outside pleading with him to join the party, he refused, and what he said to his father revealed what was in his heart.

The Attitude of the Elder Brother

Anger. This was his first reaction when he discovered that his father had welcomed his rebellious younger brother despite all he’d done (v. 28).
Jealousy. He thought his father was being unfair to him. “Look! For so many years I have been serving you and I have never neglected a command of yours; and yet you have never given me a young goat, so that I might celebrate with my friends” (v. 29).
Bitterness. “But when this son of yours came, who has devoured your wealth ... you killed the fattened calf for him” (v. 30).
Resentment. He resented the fact that his father had never recognized him for his faithfulness but rewarded the disobedient son for simply coming home.
Rejection. He viewed his father’s celebration of his younger brother’s return as rejection of him (v. 29).
Unforgiveness. He focused on his brother’s sins and not on his repentance, saying that he “devoured your wealth with prostitutes” (v. 30).
Disrespect. He wouldn’t even acknowledge the prodigal as his brother but addressed him as “this son of yours” (v. 30).
Accusation. He found fault with his father because he had never given him a party like the one he was throwing for his rebellious brother (v. 29).
Self-righteousness. He saw no sin in himself.
Caustic Words. “This son of yours … has devoured your wealth with prostitutes” (v. 30).

In the story, the prodigal son represented the tax collectors and sinners, but the older son was an illustration of the scribes and Pharisees who considered themselves righteous. They faithfully attended synagogue every Sabbath, prided themselves in keeping the Law, and looked down on the sinners and tax collectors.

Lessons From the Elder Brother

In the same way, we too may be critical of people who live a sinful lifestyle and make a mess of their lives. Therefore, let’s learn some valuable lessons from the attitude of the older brother before becoming too critical of other people’s sins.

There are two pigpens in this story. The obvious one is in a distant country where the prodigal son ended up as a result of his wasteful, foolish choices. But the obedient older brother was in a hog pen at home because of his sinful mindset. He thought he was pious because of his external obedience to his father, but in his heart he was wallowing in a pigpen of resentful self-righteousness.
We can be in a far country without realizing it. A faraway country is anywhere we choose to go outside of God’s will. The prodigal left home to go where he could live as he pleased without any restrictions, but although the older brother stayed home physically, he was still in a far off country because his heart was filled with antagonism. Even though he’d remained with his family, he was miserable and separated from them emotionally. One brother was feeding on pods for pigs, but the other one had a heart full of unforgiveness, jealousy, and bitter resentment toward his brother and father.
The path of freedom from the hog pens of life is paved with repentance and surrender to the will of the Father. The condition of our hearts is not revealed so much by outward religious behavior but by our attitude toward people and God. The scribes and Pharisees resented Jesus for welcoming sinners who desired forgiveness, but in reality, they were in a worse condition because they refused to recognize the sinfulness of their hearts, and therefore, saw no need to seek forgiveness from God. If we want out of the pigpens of life, we must be willing to admit our sin and come to Jesus for the forgiveness of our sinfulness in both thought and deed.

RESPONSE

Which of the brothers can you relate to the most? Why?
Have you ever been in a hog pen of sin without even realizing it? What opened your eyes to your condition?

THE CROSS: A DEBT PAID IN FULL

SUMMARY

Each one of us has accumulated a variety of offenses, or sins, against God.

As a result, we all owe a spiritual debt. The good news is God has a plan to forgive us and make us righteous in His sight.

Colossians 2:13-14 says, “When you were dead in your wrongdoings … He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our wrongdoings, having canceled the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us … and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.”

SERMON POINTS

God has made a way for our sin-debt to be erased.

In our key passage, the apostle Paul uses an analogy from everyday life to illustrate the power of the Lord’s forgiveness. In the first century, financial obligations were noted on a certificate of debt, which was sometimes nailed to the doorpost of the debtor. When the bill was paid, the document was erased or marked as void, possibly with a nail driven through it.

Paul explained that, at one time, each one of us had the spiritual equivalent of a certificate of debt for the sins we’d committed. But for believers, God has completely and permanently erased our guilt because of Jesus’ death on the cross. Even more amazingly, He promises to continue to cleanse us of sin.

Sometimes people think they can erase their unrighteous past by committing to make a fresh start filled with only godly choices. But that’s like running up a store credit and then promising to pay cash for new purchases. The previous balance would still be unpaid. In Colossians 2, Paul explains that the cross is God’s way of dealing with our spiritual debt. No matter how righteous we have been, none of us can pay the penalty ourselves.

What motivated God to send Jesus Christ to earth?

John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish, but have eternal life.” Certainly, His love is one reason why the Father sent the Savior to us. But a second, equal motive is justice. Our sins make us worthy of death (Ezek. 18:20). Because of His righteous nature, God can’t just erase our guilt; instead, He planned to pay the penalty we owed.

The Lord could have responded to humanity’s sin with justice alone. In this scenario, every person would have received just what we all deserve—eternal punishment. Or He could have responded to all sins with love and mercy. Imagine how horrible the world would be if there were no natural consequences for sin.

Instead, God chose to respond with both love and justice. He sent Jesus, sinless and perfect, to take on our guilt and fully pay our spiritual debt. Romans 3:23-24 says, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.” How amazing that the Father gives us the gift of being no longer guilty in His sight!

Due to His nature, the Lord can’t overlook sin. Even when the Old Testament saints offered sacrifices for sin in obedience to God’s law, their forgiveness was actually based on the Messiah’s future death (Rom. 3:25-26).

Jesus Himself said the cross was the only way humanity could be forgiven.

Sometimes people try to discount the necessity of the crucifixion. They believe there are other ways to be righteous in God’s eyes. But after Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, He clearly concluded that the cross was the Father’s unavoidable will for Him(Luke 22:42). And on the road to Emmaus, Jesus asked two disciples, “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things?” (Luke 24:26). Then He used the Old Testament Scriptures to explain (v. 27). Despite not wanting to undergo the torture of the crucifixion, Jesus willingly laid down His life (John 10:18).

Jesus bore our sins on the cross so that we could live holy lives.

1 Peter 2:24: “He Himself brought our sins in His bodyup on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live for righteousness; by His wounds you were healed.” God placed our sin on Christ so that we could be spiritually whole and worthy.
2 Corinthians 5:21: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” The Lord clothes us in righteousness. This is more than just forgiveness: As regenerated children of God, it comes naturally to us to live holy and obedient lives through the power of the Holy Spirit.

What did it cost the Son of God to bear our sins?

Physical pain. Crucifixion was a horrible form of execution. Generally speaking, it was a slow death by suffocation. With a back torn open by whipping and nails piercing His hands and feet, Jesus fought for each breath until His mission was accomplished.
The weight of our sin. The Father laid the iniquity of all humanity—past, present, and future—on the Son during the crucifixion. Imagine the emotional, psychological, and spiritual heaviness He must have felt while bearing the spiritual guilt of the whole world.
The pain of abandonment. His disciples didn’t stay awake and pray in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt. 26:38-45). Then once Jesus was arrested, they scattered. Even more significantly, Jesus experienced emotional separation from the Father for the first time. Their perfect eternal fellowship was disrupted, and He felt forsaken (v. 27:46).

The crucifixion was a long ordeal, but eventually Jesus said, “It is finished!” (John 19:30) and “Into Your hands I entrust My spirit” (Luke 23:46).

The weight of God’s wrath. Revelation, chapters 6-19, describe God’s judgment unleashed on the earth. It must have been excruciating for Jesus to experience the Father’s wrath toward all humanity.

RESPONSE

By the power of the cross, you were given the free gift of righteousness and the power to make godly choices. Take a moment to thank God for this, and ask Him to empower you anew to live righteously.
If you’ve never personally responded to Jesus’ death on the cross, consider praying something like this, “Father, like everyone else, I have sinned against You. I believe that Jesus died on the cross and that He paid my spiritual debt in full. I ask You to forgive me of my sins based on Jesus’ death and resurrection, not based on anything I can do. I surrender my life to You as Savior and accept Your forgiveness and the gift of eternal life. By the power of the Holy Spirit, please enable me to live a godly life. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”

LESSONS LEARNED IN THE TEMPTATION OF JESUS

KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 4:1-11 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Matthew 3:14-17 | 1 Corinthians 10:13

SUMMARY

Because we live in a fallen world and have sinful natures, temptations are an unavoidable part of life.

This problem began when Adam and Eve sinned and has continued throughout every generation. However, as believers in Christ, we don’t have to yield to temptations. Yet too many of us do not have a method for dealing with them. In fact, some Christians are ensnared in sin because they don’t know how to resist. There is a way to respond that will help us build a strong defense. If we’ll go to the One who successfully conquered temptation every time, we can learn lessons from His example.

SERMON POINTS

When Jesus was baptized by John, the Spirit of God descended upon Him as a dove and a voice from heaven declared, “This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matt. 3:16-17).

It was shortly after this high point in His life that “Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil” (Matt. 4:1). This was not a spontaneous or accidental event but one planned by God for His divine purpose. The Holy Spirit deliberately led Jesus into a time of testing in order to prepare Him for ministry. This is the same reason the Lord allows temptations in our lives—for our testing and preparation.

Temptation is an enticement to act contrary to God’s will, and this is exactly what Satan was attempting in this situation with Jesus and what he continually tries to do with us. Every time we are enticed to disobey God with our thoughts, words, or actions, we must choose whether to walk faithfully with the Lord or go our own way.
The tempter is called by many names in Scripture: the devil, Satan, accuser, slanderer, and father of lies, just to name a few. He is an intelligent being who is completely evil and is directly involved in perpetrating evil in individuals, and on a larger scale, in the world. Satan is a fallen angel who first appears in the Scriptures in the Garden of Eden where he seduced Eve to believe a lie. He is the original source of sin and continues to spread his lies to this day.

One of Satan’s deceptions is convincing people that he doesn’t exist. The caricature of the devil in a red outfit with a long tail, horns, and a pitchfork causes some people to discount him as an imaginary creature. But if we fall for this lie, Satan has us right where he wants us. When we deny his existence, he is free to ruin our lives because we have no defense against him. Furthermore, to doubt Satan’s existence is to disbelieve the Bible, which testifies that he is a powerful source of evil. The Matthew 4:1-11 account of Jesus’ temptation clearly identifies the tempter as the devil.

The timing of this episode in Jesus’ life is also significant. Satan waited until Christ was weak with hunger after forty days of fasting. He also uses the same tactic in our lives by tempting us when we are the most vulnerable physically, emotionally, or spiritually.
The limits of our temptations are set by the Lord who has established boundaries over which Satan cannot cross. First Corinthians 10:13 tells us, “God is faithful, so He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.” In our own strength, we are weak and vulnerable, but the Lord is always faithful to give us the strength to endure when we depend upon Him, and to provide the way of escape when we obey Him.
The plan of defense against temptation is reliance upon the Word of God. When the devil came with tempting suggestions, Jesus didn’t argue or engage him in conversation but immediately responded with passages from the Scriptures.
First Satan tempted Jesus to use His divine, supernatural power to satisfy His hunger saying, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread” (Matt. 4:3). Christ immediately answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes out of the mouth of God’” (v. 4).
Then the devil suggested that Jesus jump off the pinnacle of the temple and miraculously land on His feet in order to attract a crowd (vv. 5-6). This time he even used Scripture verses to support his proposal. Again Jesus quoted the Word of God as His defense, “On the other hand, it is written: ‘You shall not put the Lord Your God to the test’” (v. 7).
Finally, Satan took Jesus to a very high mountain to show Him all the kingdoms of the world. He offered to hand them all over to Christ if He would bow down and worship him (vv. 8-9). Basically, the devil was offering Jesus a shortcut to the kingdom so as to avoid the cross. But Christ said, “Go away, Satan! For it is written: ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only’” (v. 10).

We have no power to beat the devil at his game of temptation apart from the Word of God. This is the ammunition the Lord has given us to defend ourselves. Within the Scriptures are the power and promises of God. However, we each need to find the particular verses that apply to our individual temptations. Satan doesn’t use the same enticements on all of us, but instead, he customizes them to our particular personalities and weaknesses. Furthermore, we will face varied temptations throughout our lives. We may overcome some that once enticed us, but the devil is always ready with new ones.

In order to consistently live in victory, we need to build a wall of truth around ourselves. When our minds are filled with Scripture, we start to think like God and respond as He desires. Each time we successfully fend off a temptation with His Word, our faith is ignited with assurance and confidence because of God’s faithfulness. We never walk through temptations alone because the Lord lives inside us. He will give us the strength to resist temptations when we cling to His Word and use it to defeat the tempter.

RESPONSE

What are the areas of temptation with which you most often struggle? In the past, what has been your strategy for dealing with these enticements? Using this method, how successful have you been at resisting?
How would using Scripture as a defense prevent you from entertaining the devil’s suggestions and yielding to them?
Do you have any specific Scripture passages that you can use to defend yourself against these temptations? If so, what are they? If not, what can you do to locate some?

PREPARATION FOR WARFARE

KEY PASSAGE: Ephesians 6:10-14 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Exodus 14:13 | Matthew 28:19-20 | John 4:24

SUMMARY

Believers are in a spiritual battle between the kingdom of light and the kingdom of darkness.

By every way possible, Satan seeks to hinder the work of God in our lives. Of course, if we are in Christ, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life and we are heaven bound. Nothing can change that truth. But the devil would love to make us miserable and ineffective Christians here on earth, and thus cheat us out of our heavenly rewards. How can we avoid falling prey to Satan’s destructive plans for us? According to Ephesians 6, we aren’t called to fight the devil; instead, we resist him by standing firm in the power of the Lord. Through His ability, believers can overcome temptation, even when facing difficult circumstances.

SERMON POINTS

In Ephesians 6, Paul encourages Christians to “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist on the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm” (vv. 10-13).

What is the nature of our battle against Satan?

Spiritual. Paul isn’t talking about physical armor (v. 11). He speaks of “forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (v. 12). Our current bodies are temporary but our spirits will last forever; it’s through them that we relate to God (John 4:24). Though Satan can’t change our eternal destiny, he’ll do all he can to interrupt our relationship with God while we’re on earth, drawing us away and making us unhappy and spiritually unproductive.
Personal. Paul says, “Our struggle is not against flesh and blood” (Eph. 6:12). Struggle here can also mean wrestle, indicating one-on-one combat. Christians experience similar types of temptations, but the devil attacks and tempts each of us individually.
Real. One of Satan’s tactics is to convince people that he doesn’t exist. Second Corinthians 4:4 says, “The god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they will not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” With such deception, the devil can easily execute his strategies of destruction. Although the Lord allows Satan to bring adversity, the Holy Spirit can enable us to walk through it victoriously, and even joyfully, as we trust in Him (James 1:2-4).

Why do God’s people give in to temptation?

As children of God, we are indwelt with the Holy Spirit. Why are believers still sometimes defeated in spiritual warfare?

Ignorance of the battle. Many Christians aren’t even aware there is a war going on. They attribute the good or bad in their lives to luck.
Denial of Satan’s existence. The devil is real: Jesus talked to him in the wilderness, cast out demons, and taught about the devil’s schemes. Christ would not have spoken of the adversary if he didn’t exist.
Lack of training. It’s not enough to be saved. Scripture calls us to “suffer hardship … as a good soldier” (2 Tim. 2:3). Soldiers in faith need to learn how to use the weapons of spiritual warfare: the Word of God and prayer.
The devil’s propaganda. Satan seeks to steal God’s glory and disrupt His kingdom. The evil one is always lying to us about what will satisfy. One of the ways he works is to make earthly goals, pleasures, and possessions so attractive that we are lured away from devotion to God.
Spiritual landmines. God’s people sometimes fail to anticipate the danger zones they will face. But certain sins are like landmines; they take us by surprise and cause great damage. The devil says, “Just a little won’t hurt you,” but soon, we develop a dangerous habit or make a life-destroying decision.
Inadequate biblical instruction. We call the Sunday morning service “worship,” but it’s also a time of learning. Sermons teach us principles to face the battle victoriously. Not attending church won’t cause us to lose our salvation, but spiritual knowledge and gathering with other Christians is an important part of preparing for spiritual warfare.

We must assume responsibility for our sin.

Sometimes people joke, “The devil made me do it.” In reality, he can’t make a believer do anything. What gives us the power to resist sin?

Believers have the strength of God. None of us can match Satan on our own; he’s too strong. He has been deceiving humans a long time, and he knows what tools and tricks to use. Our responsibility is to “be strong [continually empowered] in the Lord” (Eph. 6:10). We overcome in God’s strength, not ours.Earlier in Ephesians, Paul wrote, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know … the boundless greatness of His power toward us who believe. [This is] in accordance with the working of the strength of His might which He brought about in Christ, when He raised Him from the dead” (1:18-20). In other words, God’s mighty power, which was strong enough to bring Jesus from death back to life, enables us to overcome sin. He also equips us through the Holy Spirit to share the gospel (Acts 1:8; see Matthew 28:18-20). Truly, “greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world” (1 John 4:4).
We have the authority of God. A police officer directs traffic using the government’s authority, not his or her own physical power. Similarly, you aren’t facing Satan alone; you can resist him in the power of Jesus’ authority. When we are walking according to the Spirit, we can command Satan to leave us in the power of Jesus’ name.
As believers, we can be strong and watch God fight our battles. We are called to put on our spiritual armor and then “stand firm” (Eph. 6:11). This is similar to what the Lord told Moses (Ex. 14:13), and centuries later, King Jehoshaphat: “You need not fight in this battle; take your position, stand and watch the salvation of the Lord” (2 Chron. 20:17). Although we are in a spiritual war, God doesn’t call us to fight with the devil. We are simply to be strong in the Lord and watch the miracles unfold.

RESPONSE

Look through the reasons why believers fail when faced with spiritual warfare. Which one or two most often describe your tendencies? What changes can you make to experience more victory?
Many people deny the existence of Satan and spiritual warfare. What do you think is the best evidence that spiritual battles are a reality?
Meditate on the truth that God doesn’t expect you to fight your own spiritual battles. Describe how standing firm in the power of the Lord differs from attempting to fight the devil yourself.

THE FAITH TO FOLLOW

KEY PASSAGE: Proverbs 3:5-8

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Proverbs 3:1-4 | Proverbs 26:12 | Malachi 3:10

SUMMARY

The grace of God is demonstrated by the fact that He has a plan and purpose for our lives that He wants to reveal to us.

It’s a pathway He’s designed specifically for each one of us, yet some of us may fail to consider this. We move through life without giving God a second thought. Instead of wondering whether our lives have counted for anything, we can choose to believe that the Lord has the best plan for us, discover His path, and get on it as soon as possible.

SERMON POINTS

If we don’t fully trust God, we may be reluctant to follow the path He’s chosen for us.

Even though He always leads us the right way, our fears or uncertainty could cause us to sidestep His commands and opt for our own course. Proverbs 3:5-8 tells us what’s required to follow the Lord and what the benefits will be.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding” (v. 5).

God commands us to trust Him. Trust is a strong belief in someone’s integrity, ability, and character. This is the kind of confidence we are to have in the Lord. Then, whatever He says or requires of us, we will know with certainty that it is best. If we lack trust, we won’t follow Him and will find ourselves living outside the will of God. On the other hand, if we’ve spent a lifetime trusting and obeying Him, we can testify that He has never let us down.
The basis for trust in God is His sovereignty. He is the divine Ruler over all things and all people at all times. His sovereignty is His wisdom, power, and righteousness all wrapped into one. The Lord’s purpose is always right and good even if it doesn’t look that way from our perspective. We can’t always understand why He allows illness, trouble, or heartache, but we can know that He is a loving and trustworthy God. If we don’t believe this, we’ll question His will when situations don’t match our expectations. That’s why we’re told not to lean on our own understanding. When we don’t comprehend what’s happening, we can trust in God because He never changes. Knowing that He’s always gracious, merciful, and kind allows us to rest in His sovereign will for our lives. He knows us intimately and has chosen exactly the perfect path.
The degree to which we are to trust God is with all our heart. Instead of relying on our own knowledge, perception, or reasoning, we should put our total trust in the Lord. This requires more than just agreeing with Him. We can actually agree with God about many teachings in the Bible without actually trusting Him. Agreement means we believe something is accurate, but genuine faith responds to that belief with action—we do what God says because we trust Him to guide us the right way. Wholehearted trust also means we can’t pick and choose areas we entrust to Him while trying to keep other parts of our lives under our control. It’s foolish to rely on our own perception because it is so limited, but God’s understanding is complete and eternal. Even when we don’t comprehend or like what’s happening, we can still rely on His loving wisdom and respond in trust.

“In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight” (v. 6).

To acknowledge someone is to recognize him. But when we acknowledge God, we are not merely admitting that He exists but confirming that He is our Lord who has authority over us to give us direction in every area of our lives. In each choice or situation, we acknowledge Him by surrendering to His will and trusting Him fully.
“He will make your paths straight.” When we follow the Lord’s guidance, He protects us from side roads and eliminates obstacles and confusion along the way. In basic terms, the straight path is the one of obedience. We may stumble along the way or need redirection, but God repeatedly brings us back when we have a heart to obey Him. His path isn’t always easy, but it’s always the best. When we think we can do a better job of plotting our own course for happiness and prosperity, it may look good for a while, but eventually we’ll suffer the wear and tear that comes from taking unprotected detours.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil” (v. 7).

After instructing us on what to do, God then gives us a warning.

“Do not be wise in your own eyes.” Proverbs 26:12 says, “Do you see a person wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” Whenever we choose our own way instead of trusting the Lord, we are playing the fool because one day we are going to stand before God and give an account of how we lived. But if we’re wise, we’ll seek the Lord, listen to His directions, and trust Him. Since He cannot lie, we know that He will always keep His promises, and whatever He says is true.
“Fear the Lord and turn away from evil.” To fear God is to recognize and honor Him as not only the sovereign Ruler of the universe, but the Lord and Master of our lives. If we truly believe this, we’ll turn away from sin and seek to live in obedience to Him.

“It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones” (v. 8).

Every day we are faced with a variety of choices, and what we decide to do is based on whether or not we believe God—that He has a plan for our lives and has chosen the best possible path for us. If we’re willing to listen and trust Him, we’ll discover that His path leads to healing and refreshment. There will be an underlying sense of peace, assurance, confidence, and satisfaction when we follow Him instead of going our own way.

RESPONSE

In what area of your life do you have the most difficulty trusting God? Why do you think it’s so hard to trust Him with this? What promises in His Word could bring you assurance of His trustworthiness?
Does knowing that God is sovereign over all the events in your life help you trust Him? Why or why not? Which of His other attributes motivate you to trust Him?
It’s easier to trust someone we know very well than someone we don’t. With this in mind, how well do you know the Lord? Since the Scripture is God’s selfrevelation, what do you need to do to increase your trust in Him?

THE GOOD SHEPHERD

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 23:1-6 | John 10:11 | John 10:14 | John 10:27-30

SUMMARY

Some Christians have a difficult time believing that God loves and cares for them.

They can’t conceive how the Lord in all His glory and majesty could be interested in little things like their personal concerns. Sometimes guilt over past sins leads them to conclude that they’re too unworthy of His love. Others may view the Lord as too busy to be bothered with their insignificant problems and needs. But all such thinking is flawed because it doesn’t take into account that the Lord says He’s our Shepherd and He tenderly cares for His sheep.

SERMON POINTS

Psalm 23 is probably the best known and most loved passage of Scripture. David wrote it 3,000 years ago, but it’s just as applicable today as it was then. It describes the Lord as our Shepherd, and in every verse there’s a promise or an action of God showing how much He cares for us. There’s nothing He’s neglected or failed to provide for us as His beloved sheep.

What kind of Shepherd is the Lord?

He’s a personal Shepherd. “The Lord is my shepherd” (Ps. 23:1). When David wrote this psalm, he didn’t understand how the Messiah would one day fulfill this role, but today we have Jesus Christ as our Good Shepherd.

John 10:11, 14. “I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep … I am the good shepherd, and I know My own, and My own know Me.”
John 10:27-30. “My sheep listen to My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give them eternal life, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.”

The Lord is not a shepherd to everyone, but only to those who are His sheep. To be Christ’s sheep means we have trusted Him as our Savior through faith and have a personal relationship with Him. We belong to Him because He chose us before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4) and purchased us with His own blood on the cross (1 Corinthians 6:20). As His sheep we’re characterized by knowing the Shepherd, listening to Him, and following wherever He leads.

Psalm 23 is often quoted by unbelievers as a source of comfort in times of loss or trouble, but the truth is they’re not Christ’s sheep, and this psalm doesn’t apply to them. Only believers have this special, intimate relationship with God.

God is a providing Shepherd.

“The Lord is my shepherd, I will not be in need. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters” (Ps. 23:1-2). It’s the shepherd’s responsibility to provide for the physical needs of the sheep, and so it is with our Shepherd. But He also supplies our spiritual and emotional needs. Other passages of Scripture affirm His commitment to provide for His own.

Psalm 34:9-10. “Fear the Lord, you His saints; for to those who fear Him there is no lack of anything. The young lions do without and suffer hunger; but they who seek the LORD will not lack any good thing.”
Psalm 37:4. “Delight yourself in the Lord; and He will give you the desires of your heart.”
Philippians 4:19. “And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”

If we ever think that the Lord is not providing what we need, the problem is not His faithfulness but our perception of our own needs. Unlike us, our Shepherd is wise and omniscient and knows exactly what’s best for us. We can always trust Him to know our true needs.

The Lord is a pardoning Shepherd.

“He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness for the sake of His name” (Ps. 23:3). There are two ways He restores our souls.

He restores us when we wander. We stray when we take our eyes off our loving Shepherd and think we’ve found a better pasture than He’s provided. But because we belong to Him, He comes to bring us back into the safety of His will as soon as we confess our sins and receive forgiveness and cleansing (1 John 1:9).
He restores our souls when we’ve become weary with the busyness and burdens of life. He does this whenever we draw near to Him for fellowship and intimacy. As we pray and read His Word, our spirits are lifted, our hearts are cheered, and we’re encouraged to persevere and trust Him no matter what’s going on in our lives. Anxiety and fear are replaced with Christ’s peace and joy.

Having restored our souls, He then leads us in paths of righteousness and obedience, which result in a lifestyle that glorifies Him.

He is a protecting Shepherd.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me” (Ps. 23:4). His rod and staff are symbols of His comforting protection and companionship even when the path becomes darkened. The shadow of death may refer to actual death, but it could also signify any dark times of difficulties, loss, and struggles. In either case, we have no need to fear evil because the Lord is always with us. He’s promised to never leave or forsake us (Hebrews 13:5), and we can trust Him to safely guide us throughout our lives.

God is a preparing Shepherd.

“You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; You have anointed my head with oil; my cup overflows. Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, and my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever” (Ps. 23:5-6).

The Lord promises to prepare abundantly for us, even in the midst of all the things that are enemies of our peace. He invites us to come to His table and receive cleansing and refreshment in His presence. His goodness, mercy, and faithfulness will pursue us every day of our lives all the way to heaven, where Jesus has prepared a place for us in His Father’s house (John 14:1-3).

RESPONSE

Are you one of Christ’s sheep? If so, you can claim every promise in Psalm 23. If you don’t yet know Jesus as Savior and Lord, it’s not too late to receive Him by faith and come into His flock.
Are you confident that the Lord cares about your personal concerns? How have you seen Him shepherd you through life? How has He met your needs and led you in paths of righteousness?

EXPRESSIONS OF GOD’S GOODNESS

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 118:1

SUMMARY

Having a correct view of God is vitally important because it affects every aspect of our life.

How we perceive the Lord will either strengthen our faith or cause uncertainty; give courage or stir up fears; bring about obedience or result in rebellion; cause us to seek His will or go our own way; and draw us closer or separate us from Him. Since so much is at stake, we must keep pursuing deeper understanding of the God we serve. And the only way to gain an accurate perception of the Lord is to see what He says about Himself in Scripture.

SERMON POINTS

The Bible is filled with descriptions of God’s attributes or characteristics that help us know and understand Him. Psalm 118:1 says, “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; for His mercy is everlasting.” God’s goodness is His benevolence toward us. Since He’s infinite and eternal in all His attributes, He’s always good, and everything He does is done for good.

God’s goodness is constant.

His goodwill doesn’t waver; He isn’t benevolent sometimes and less so at other times. The dilemma we face is that there are some aspects of life that aren’t good, yet these events do not negate God’s goodness. Every blessing we have comes from the Father Who never changes (James 1:17). In fact, the whole world is filled with His goodness, which is expressed to all people.

“The Lord is good to all, and His mercies are over all His works” (Psalm 145:9).
“For He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil people” (Luke 6:35).
“For He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).

Too many people don’t recognize that God is the source of all the good things they have—health, enjoyment, family, and friends—so they never thank Him or give Him the credit. Yet His kindness continues throughout every generation.

The expression of God’s goodness varies.

Sometimes we compare our situations with those of others and conclude that God is not fair because He doesn’t treat us the same. But God’s attribute of goodness remains constant, even though His expression of it varies from person to person.

“For the Lord God is a sun and a shield; the Lord gives grace and glory; He withholds no good thing from those who walk with integrity” (Psalm 84:11).
“Taste and see that the Lord is good; how blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Fear the Lord, you His saints; for to those who fear Him there is no lack of anything” (vv. 34:8-9).
“And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose” (Romans 8:28).

Those who walk with Him, obey Him, love Him, and are called according to His purpose will always be recipients of God’s abundant, unending benevolence. His pathway of goodness is for those who walk uprightly, but those who think God is depriving them will make their own path and miss out on His full generosity.

Goodness is what God says it is.

So often we can’t see God’s goodness toward us because we compare ourselves with others or make judgments based on material, physical, and situational wellbeing. But the Lord in His wisdom knows that having everything the way we want is not what’s best for us. He uses hardships and suffering to mature us and teach us to trust and rely on Him. He has wisely outlined the best path for each person, which will accomplish His good purpose. No two lives will look the same. As we submit ourselves to His path and walk obediently before Him, we’ll taste and see His abundant love and care.

There are many expressions of God’s goodness.

The Lord displays His goodness in a variety of ways, but they are most obvious to us when we have reached the end of our strength and need His help. Let’s consider three.

His Mercy. God’s mercy is His tenderhearted love and concern expressed toward those in distress. If not for His mercy, we would all be lost because we need His mercy for salvation. No one can be saved who doesn’t recognize their hopeless, sinful condition and cry out for mercy (Luke 18:13). But God’s mercy isn’t limited to salvation. Jesus is our High Priest Who sympathizes with our weaknesses and invites us to the throne of grace, where we receive mercy and find grace for help in our time of need (Hebrews 4:15-16).
His Grace. God’s grace is His unmerited favor toward us, but it’s so much more than this, too. It was His grace that took the guilt of our sin and placed it on His Son at the cross. And since God is just, no sin can be overlooked. Every sin must be punished if He is to remain just. Jesus bore the punishment we deserved so that God could justify repentant sinners and declare them righteous. It’s in the death of His Son that God’s goodness is expressed through grace to all who believe in Christ by faith (Eph. 2:8-9). But we’re not only saved by His grace, we live by it every day of our Christian life.
His Love. This display of His goodness is especially beyond definition. God’s love is immeasurable, unfathomable, and indescribable. Unlike ours, His love is perfect and is not changed by external influences because it’s an aspect of His very nature. It’s expressed in the giving of blessings, but also in His discipline. In our sufferings, He lovingly corrects us so we may share in His holiness and bring Him glory. The pinnacle of His love for us was when He gave His Son to rescue sinful humanity from eternal condemnation (John 3:16).

As believers, we are showered with God’s goodness because we’re recipients of His endless mercy, His inexhaustible grace, and His unmatched love. The pathway of goodness that God has prepared for us is paved in the blood of Christ Jesus.

RESPONSE

Has your view of the Lord grown since you were first saved? If so, how has your greater understanding of God’s attributes affected how you view His goodness in difficult times?
Has there ever been a time when you doubted God’s benevolence? What circumstances caused you to doubt? As you look back, what good do you think the Lord was working in you through that situation?
The best response to God’s goodness is gratitude. Pause now and give Him thanks.

THE GREATNESS OF GOD

KEY PASSAGE: Isaiah 40:26 | Psalm 139:7-12

SUMMARY

When some people picture God, they imagine a grandfatherly type who loves everyone but only has so much control over the events of this world.

Regardless of what we imagine, it’s important that we look at Scripture to see what the Lord actually says about Himself. In it, we learn what He is like, what He loves, and how He relates to us. Otherwise, we run the risk of making incorrect assumptions and missing out on the joys of an enriching, truth-based relationship with our great and majestic God.

SERMON POINTS

Isaiah 40 centers on God’s greatness and majesty and describes Him as far superior to creation. Even the most powerful earthly ruler is nothing in comparison; the Father’s wisdom and might reign over everything. Psalm 139 further illuminates the greatness of the Lord, this time centering on His omnipresence: “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? ... Even darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You” (vv. 7, 12).

The Greatness of God

The Bible is replete with references to God’s majesty. Psalm 93:1 says, “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty.” Isaiah 40:1-26 explains how God is greater than all of His creations. In comparison to the Lord, the nations of the earth are “like a drop from a bucket, and are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales” (v. 15). Likewise, He is more powerful than lifeless man-made idols that cannot answer prayers or empower us (vv. 18-20). The Lord is also beyond this world: “It is He who sits above the circle of the earth … who stretches out the heavens like a curtain and spreads them out like a tent to live in” (v. 22). He’s more majestic than the greatest earthly king, as He “reduces rulers to nothing … [and] makes the judges of the earth meaningless” (v. 23). He is above the heavens and the stars, calling “them all by name; because of the greatness of His might and the strength of His power, not one of them is missing” (v. 26).

Four Attributes of God

Let’s look at a few of the most important characteristics of our Creator.

God is a person. The Bible reveals that our Maker is not an invisible force; instead He has emotions, intelligence, a will, and a personality. Adam and Eve were perfectly designed with these same characteristics (Gen. 1:26). It’s true that since their rebellion, everyone has been born into the world with a fallen nature. However, we are still made in His image and capable of having an intimate relationship with Him.

We see evidence of the personhood of God throughout the Bible. When God addressed Moses at the burning bush, He introduced Himself not as “It is” but “I am” (Exodus 3:14). The commands against idolatry in Exodus 20:1-5 reveal God’s emotional response when humans put other priorities in His place, but indicate that if we love and obey Him, we can expect His unfailing love and care (v. 6). And Jesus modeled praying to the heavenly Father. God is not an impersonal energy, but a loving Father Who invites us into a close relationship with Him.

God is spirit. Jesus said, “God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:24). In the book of Revelation, John describes a heavenly throne surrounded by glorious light, but he doesn’t describe the One sitting on it in physical terms. In fact, that same apostle wrote elsewhere, “No one has ever seen God” (1 John 4:12).

Of course, Jesus—God the Son—had a body when He walked on this earth, and people were able to see Him and learn about the Father. But now He comes to dwell in our hearts through the Spirit when we trust Him as our personal Savior.

Because God and the Holy Spirit are one, His presence is always with us. Because He is everywhere, we never have to face any trial, temptation, or difficulty alone. We are always within His perfect care for us and kept in His presence (Ps. 139:7-13; Matt. 28:20). As spirit, He is equally present with each one of us at all times, no matter where we are on the earth.

God is eternal. The Creator always has been, is, and always will be. His existence has no beginning and no end. He’s everlasting—unlimited by time (Ps. 90:1-2). This is difficult for us to comprehend, but the difficulty doesn’t change the fact that God has always existed. As part of the Trinity, Jesus shares this eternal nature; in John 8:58, He says, “Before Abraham was born, I am.”
God is unchangeable. When we speak of the steadfastness of the Lord, we mean His nature doesn’t alter and we can trust in His covenantal promises (Mal. 3:6; Isa. 40:28). He won’t go from Spirit to merely physical body, from person to non-person, or from eternal to temporary. His principles and character are immutable (James 1:17).

One passage that causes people concern is found in Exodus 32:12-14, in which the Bible says, “The Lord relented” (v. 14). But when we examine why the Lord decided not to destroy the people of Israel, we see that Moses interceded for them. Of course, God is omniscient, so He sees the future. He knew in advance that Moses would pray fervently for mercy, so the wording here in Exodus is anthropomorphic. In other words, the Bible uses human terms to record the Lord’s response to Moses’ prayers.

Another time God appears to change His mind is found in the story of the city of Ninevah (Jonah 3:1-10). Jonah declared this city would be destroyed due to its sinfulness. However, “When God saw their deeds, that they turned from their evil way, then God relented of the disaster which He had declared He would bring on them” (v. 10). Because the people responded to Jonah’s warning, God didn’t bring destruction. The story of Ninevah depicts an unchanging principle: the Lord is always ready to respond to anyone who seeks to reconcile with Him. Jesus said He would not turn anyone away (John 6:37) and He is “the same yesterday and today, and forever” (Heb. 13:8).

RESPONSE

God is personal, spirit, eternal, and unchangeable. Which of these attributes spoke the most to your heart today, and why?
As born-again believers, we have the privilege of calling the Creator of the universe “Father.” How can remembering that truth transform how you think about your life’s problems?

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE PRIVILEGE

KEY PASSAGE: Philippians 3:7-11

SUMMARY

We’ve all had the privilege of knowing someone who stands out above everyone else in our minds.

But the greatest privilege bestowed on any of us is the privilege of knowing God and His Son, Jesus Christ. That was the passion of the apostle Paul’s life, and should be the pursuit of everyone who claims Christ as Savior and Lord.

SERMON POINTS

Paul’s insatiable hunger for knowing Christ is recorded in Philippians 3:7-11. Everything he’d valued before salvation, he now considered as rubbish, saying, “I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them mere rubbish, so that I may gain Christ” (v. 8).

Why do so many people not know God?

It’s a great tragedy that so few people want to know the God who created them. People reject Him for several reasons.

Unredeemed society lives in spiritual darkness. Many haven’t heard about God, or His Son who made it possible for them to be saved and know the Father. That’s why our faithfulness to the Great Commission is so important (Matthew 28:19). We should take advantage of every opportunity to shine the light of the gospel of Christ into the darkness so people can hear and believe.
Many people have no interest in knowing God. They love the world and all that it offers. The avalanche of information that confronts them daily keeps them from seeking the truth found in the Bible. This can even happen to believers if they become so distracted they stop nurturing the desire to know God more intimately.
Some people are unwilling to pay the price required to know God more deeply. There are Christians who think that salvation is all there is. They’re content to stay in a shallow relationship with God. They never grow spiritually because they’re unwilling to give the time and effort required to learn to know Him through His Word.

Knowing God is progressive.

The Lord is infinitely beyond us, but He’s revealed what He wants us to know about Himself in His Word, through His Son, and by His Spirit. At salvation we begin with very basic knowledge about Him, but that’s not where we should stay. Every time we open His Word, God reveals more of His nature, attributes, and ways to us, so that little by little our understanding and love for Him will grow.

Right now we’re hampered by our fallen minds and bodies, but when we finally leave our earthly flesh and enter heaven, we’ll be perfect, pure, holy, and unhindered by sin. Then we’ll know our Savior as we never could while on earth.

God desires that we know Him.

The Lord created us to know, love, trust, obey, and serve Him. He is not at all impressed by the world’s value system or even by our religious activities, but only by our knowledge and understanding of Him and His glorious ways.

Jeremiah 9:23-24, “Let no wise man boast of his wisdom, nor let the mighty man boast of his might, nor a rich man boast of his riches; but let the one who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me.”
Hosea 6:6, “For I desire loyalty rather than sacrifice, and the knowledge of God rather than burnt offerings.”
John 14:9, Jesus said to him, “The one who has seen Me has seen the Father.”

What does it mean to know God?

Knowing facts about the Lord is not the same as knowing Him personally. Even seminary professors whose minds are filled with information may not know God personally. Thrilling feelings, mystical experiences, vivid dreams, or a sense of emotional closeness are also deceptive because they have nothing at all to do with truly knowing God.

Who is responsible for whether or not we’re known? In a human relationship, we are, because no one can know us unless we open up to that person. But this is not the case with God because He has complete and perfect knowledge of every person, whether they’re open to Him or not.
To know God, we have to open up. He’s revealed Himself to us in His Word, but the only way we can perceive it is by opening ourselves in complete dependence to receive it. Every time we read what God says about Himself in His Word and believe and apply it, our understanding of Him deepens.
It’s in brokenness that we discover truths about God that we wouldn’t know in any other way. In the trials, difficulties, and heartaches, we’re helpless and must fling ourselves on the Lord for support. We should never shun the hardships of life because God uses them to reveal Himself to us in a very personal way.
What’s involved in knowing God other than reading the Bible?
- Receive Jesus Christ as Savior. His death on the cross is the only thing that spans the gap between sinners and a relationship with holy God.
- Be interested in God’s interests. His concerns and desires should be ours as well.

How can we know God?

The Lord is the One who takes the initiative by revealing Himself to us through His Word. It’s by His grace that we’re saved, and it’s also by grace that we learn to know Him in response to His self-revelation.

We must read and listen to God’s Word and allow the Holy Spirit to interpret and apply it to our lives. This requires meditation as we read and talk to the Lord about the passage.
Observe the character and ways of God. As you read, look for His characteristics and actions.
Be willing to accept His invitation and follow His commands. For example, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened” (Matthew 11:28) is an invitation, but “Go, therefore, and make disciples” (Matthew 28:19) is a command.
Recognize God’s love for you and rejoice. The praise and worship that follow will open your heart to Him even more.

RESPONSE

How would you describe God? Does your description match the Bible’s revelation of Him, or have you added or subtracted from what He says about Himself? If you’re not sure, what do you need to do to make sure your view aligns with Scripture?
Is there anything more important in life than knowing God? Do you have a desire to know the Lord more deeply, or are you satisfied with knowing some facts about Him without having an intimate, relational knowledge of Him? What can you do to feed a desire to know Him more accurately and intimately?
How would reading Scripture with a mindset of seeing God in the passage change your perspective and love for Him?

NO GREATER LOVE

KEY PASSAGE: John 13:34-35 | John 15:12-13

SUMMARY

Love is one of the most overused and misunderstood words in our vocabulary.

We use it to describe how we feel about our families, spouses, hobbies, favorite foods, and television shows. It conveys our fondness, desire, or need for another person. Modern culture largely defines love in terms of the emotions the beloved feels or the benefits of being loved, rather than what it asks of the lover to give up. However, Scripture defines this concept in terms of actions— sacrificial ones.

Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). He instructed His disciples to love each other sacrificially: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you” (John 13:34). The way we treat other people demonstrates to the world that we are followers of Christ.

SERMON POINTS

Four Different Loves

Greek—the language of the New Testament—has specific words for various types of love. Eros is the word for passion, infatuation, sexual, or romantic love. Storge refers to the natural affection a mother has for her child and the child for his or her mother. Phileo refers to the intimacy that good friends share. Agape is sacrificial love—a commitment that motivates us to deny ourselves on behalf of another. This is the type of love Christ had in mind when He commanded His followers to love one another.

Jesus’ Command to Love

This was a new commandment. Leviticus 19 commanded the Jews to “love your neighbor as yourself” (v. 18). How was Jesus’ command any different? We are to treat people with the same affection and mercy that God has shown us. Christ’s instructions to the disciples raised the standard for how we are to treat others—thinking of their needs, not primarily our own.
Jesus told us to love our enemies. That doesn’t mean we have to like the actions, attitudes, or philosophies of those who oppose us. However, we are called to love them. When Jesus cleansed the temple of the money-changers, He hated what they were doing (Matthew 21:12-13). However, that didn’t change His feelings towards them (Matthew 23:37-38).
The distinguishing characteristic of a believer should be love (John 13:34-35). 1 Corinthians 13:1 says that if we don’t have love, we are like a solitary cymbal clang or a noisy gong—loud, unpleasant, and meaningless. We should be so kind to others that no one wonders whether or not we are Christians.
We are to walk in sacrificial love. In other words, it should be our lifestyle, part of our character (Ephesians 5:2). More than our words, our deeds should convey God’s love.

Loving as Jesus Did

John 15:12 says, “This is my commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you.” How did He love?

Selflessly. Our love should not be centered on what someone can do for us, but how we can bless him or her. Our attitudes should be the same as Jesus, who “did not come to be served, but to serve” (Matthew 20:28).
Understandingly. Jesus knew the backgrounds and limitations of His followers. He realized that sometimes they were fearful and weak. This is one reason why He was able to have compassion on them when they failed.

We should show the same consideration for others who mistreat us or live sinfully. Instead of judging them, we should ask ourselves, What happened to them in the past? How did their parents raise them? What is going on now in their lives? There is always a reason why people rebel against God. Trying to understand doesn’t change their guilt before Him, but it can help you love more freely.

People say, “Love is blind.” Yes, infatuation is usually rooted in ignorance, but true love sees people as they are and cares for them anyway. That’s why I counsel couples to really get to know each other before marrying. Everyone has faults and shortcomings, but it is wise to discover who someone really is before committing to a lifetime together.

Forgivingly. A person who loves genuinely will also be forgiving. For example, I remember a believer who told me he was heading to the prison to share the gospel with his mother’s killer, who had been driving drunk. That is real forgiveness!

There are countless ways we can take offense at what others do or say. Forgiving isn’t easy, but an unforgiving spirit has painful consequences. If we hang on to bitterness and resentment, our health will suffer, not just our relationships with God and others.

No matter what you have done, Jesus is willing to cleanse you. Keep that in mind the next time He asks you to extend mercy towards someone.

Sacrificially. In Mark 8:34, Jesus said, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.” The highest form of love is to be willing to lay your life down for another. You may not ever have to die to save someone, but genuine love almost always involves some level of sacrifice. Although we will never duplicate Christ’s atoning death on the cross, we can deny ourselves and serve others in love.

Love of this kind can be painful. In marriages where one partner is impossible to please, it might result in rejection and heartache. But those who love sacrificially aren’t focused on what they can get from the relationship. They seek to give. Remember, love doesn’t mean granting someone’s every want or demand. Genuine affection gives only what will ultimately benefit the beloved.

True love takes many forms. I’ve heard of loving husbands or wives who won their spouses for Christ through their selfless affection. In college, one particular friend went out of his way to demonstrate God’s sacrificial love to me. Godly mothers lay down their lives for a season to care for their infants and small children. And I am highly impressed by servicemen and women who are willing to risk death for our country. Sacrificial love has certainly inspired many to greatness.

RESPONSE

Has someone ever demonstrated God’s love towards you? Can you name a person whom you have loved sacrificially? Unless you experience genuine affection, you will never know true joy and contentment in life. To love and be loved—that is God’s best for us.

Maybe you feel all alone. Remember the Father’s love is always available if you have accepted His gift of salvation. Because Christ laid down His life on the cross, you and I can be reconciled to our Creator and have constant fellowship with Him. There is nothing more fulfilling and meaningful than experiencing His divine affection. Draw near to God, and let Him fill your heart with His perfect love.

CHRISTMAS: TEACHING US TO GIVE

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 2:1-20

SUMMARY

The Christmas season offers a wonderful opportunity to show love and appreciation for others by giving gifts.

However, because of the materialism that often accompanies our celebrations, some Christians wonder whether this practice has any scriptural basis. Although commercialism has corrupted this tradition to some degree, that alone is not a good reason to abandon the practice of giving gifts. There is no better time of the year to freely demonstrate generosity to others. Christ’s birth, life, and ministry were exemplified by giving. We should also be joyful givers.

SERMON POINTS

Jesus’ birth was characterized by giving.

Everyone who was involved in the Christmas story gave something:

Mary gave her body and reputation. She willingly surrendered her body to bear the Son of God. Furthermore, because she was not married, she gave her reputation. Although her engagement to Joseph was as binding as marriage, to be found pregnant before the actual ceremony would have been proof of adultery and just cause for stoning.
Caesar Augustus gave a decree. The Roman emperor called for a census to accomplish his plan of taxing all the people. Although Caesar thought it was his idea, God was simply using him to accomplish His divine purpose. Prophecy dictated that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, but Mary and Joseph were living in Nazareth.
The innkeeper gave a stable. When Mary and Joseph arrived in Bethlehem, the city was so crowded that there was no place for her to give birth. Although the inn was full, the innkeeper gave what he had—a stable for Jesus’ birthplace. In every aspect of His life, He helps us identify with Him—from His humble beginning to His ordinary home life and occupation as a carpenter.
The angel of the Lord gave an announcement. The first report of Christ’s birth was delivered by a glorious angel to a group of simple shepherds. Upon hearing the announcement and the location of the birth, they quickly hurried off to find the Child in a manger with Mary and Joseph at His side.
The shepherds gave a testimony. After seeing the Messiah, they couldn’t keep the news to themselves, but told everyone what they had heard and seen. However, those who heard simply wondered at the news, but they never attempted to see Jesus.
The wise men gave gifts and worship. They were probably astrologers or philosophers who came from Persia. When this star caught their attention, they went on a long journey to find the newborn King of the Jews. When they found Jesus, they worshipped Him and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
The shepherds gave a testimony. After seeing the Messiah, they couldn’t keep the news to themselves, but told everyone what they had heard and seen. However, those who heard simply wondered at the news, but they never attempted to see Jesus.
The wise men gave gifts and worship. They were probably astrologers or philosophers who came from Persia. When this star caught their attention, they went on a long journey to find the newborn King of the Jews. When they found Jesus, they worshipped Him and offered gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
God gave His only begotten Son. The greatest gift of all came from God the Father who gave His Son to the world to die as a sacrifice for our sins. What an awesome gift God gave us in His Son, Jesus!

Christ’s life was characterized by giving.

When Jesus began His ministry, every event in His life was a demonstration of giving.

He gave of Himself in teaching the truth. Jesus started sharing the truth at the young age of 12. He sat in the temple with the Pharisees and Sadducees, asking and answering questions.
He gave time to study the Word of God. From the time He was a boy until He was 30 years old, He studied the Scriptures, listened in synagogue, and learned from His parents so He’d be fully equipped to begin His ministry of teaching God’s Word.
He gave of Himself in healing the sick. Everywhere He went, Jesus healed countless people and cast out demons. He was never too busy to stop and meet their needs. When Bartimaeus heard Jesus was passing by, he loudly called to Him (Mark 10:47-49). Although he was just a poor, blind beggar who had no value in others’ eyes, Jesus stopped and healed him. No matter how unimportant we feel, Christ always has time to listen, answer our prayers, and provide for our needs.
He gave of Himself in training the 12 disciples. Although Jesus taught and ministered to the crowds, His primary ministry was to His 12 disciples. Knowing that they were going to be entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the whole world, Jesus trained them for three years (Matthew 28:19-20). After the Holy Spirit filled them, they faithfully carried out the mission. Today we have the same assignment and the same empowerment of the Holy Spirit—to give the message of salvation to a lost world.
He gave Himself away in friendship. Jesus was always pouring Himself into the lives of others. When He came to the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus for rest, He continued to give of Himself as Mary sat at His feet listening to His words.

Our lives should be characterized by giving to others.

A true follower of Jesus is a giver—not just at Christmastime, but throughout the entire year. Generosity is part of our identity in Christ and should be our natural response to God’s blessings and provisions. Giving continues to remind us that He is the source of all we have. The New Testament church set an example of giving by sharing their goods and possessions with one another (Acts 4:32). Some things we can learn about generosity are that:

If we give generously, we’ll reap generously. In 2 Corinthians 9:6, Paul reminds us that our generosity, or lack of it, affects our future in some way.
We should give the gospel to others as much as possible. Of all the gifts we have ever received, the gift of eternal life is by far the most valuable. That’s why we must be willing to tell others what Jesus has done in our lives. The Christmas season is an opportune time to share the most precious gift of all. We’ll never know how our words will influence someone else unless we speak up.

RESPONSE

What is your attitude toward giving gifts at Christmas? Have you let the world’s materialism and commercialism steal your joy and generosity?
What can you do this Christmas to extend giving beyond your own home? What could you offer to someone in need? What gifts can you give that are cost-free?
Is anything keeping you from giving someone the gospel message at Christmas? What can you do to overcome these obstacles?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

CHRISTMAS: THE WISDOM OF GOD

KEY PASSAGE: Romans 11:33

SUMMARY

Knowing that God is guiding our lives and choosing what’s best for us is a great source of comfort and peace.

He will always bring about the best outcome—at the right time and in the appropriate way—in order to achieve His purposes. God’s all-encompassing wisdom in our lives is emphasized by Romans 8:28: “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

SERMON POINTS

From Genesis to Revelation, God’s wisdom is on display. Romans 11:33 sums it up, saying, “Oh, the depth of the riches, both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!”

God’s Wisdom at Christmas

Nowhere is God’s wisdom more apparent than in His plan of redemption. In eternity past, He planned a way for sinful humankind to be saved. To appreciate God’s unfathomable ways, we need look no further than the events of the Christmas story when His Son came to earth.

God’s Timing

“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, so that He might redeem those who were under the Law, that we might receive the adoption as sons and daughters” (Galatians 4:4-5).

Throughout history, empires have risen and fallen, each with their own unique achievements and contributions to civilization—the Egyptians, Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, Greeks—but the Lord chose the time of the Roman Empire for the coming of His Son. This was the predetermined time, and all the events came to pass just as He planned.

Jesus Christ’s life didn’t begin on the day of His birth. The Son of God existed forever, but when the incarnation occurred, His deity joined with human flesh. Some were looking for the Messiah’s arrival, but many were not. And they certainly didn’t expect Him to come as a baby. Many were awaiting a strong military leader who would set them free from Roman domination.

The Place of Jesus’ Birth

Hundreds of years beforehand, Micah prophesied God’s choice for the location of the Messiah’s birth: “But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, too little to be among the clans of Judah, from you One will come forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His times of coming forth are from long ago, from the days of eternity” (5:2).

God didn’t choose an impressive city as the setting for His Son’s birth, but a town of little to no significance. The name Bethlehem means “house of bread,” which is an appropriate birthplace of the One who said, “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35).

The fact that Mary and Joseph were in Nazareth was no hindrance to God’s plan. He ordained that Caesar Augustus would take a census, requiring everyone to register at the place of their origin. Mary and Joseph had to travel to Bethlehem because they were descendants of David (Luke 2:1-7). The leaders may have thought they were in charge, but they were merely used by the Lord to fulfill His plan that the Messiah be born in Bethlehem, the city of David.

The Birth Announcement

Great events are usually announced by important dignitaries, and to authenticate the message of the Messiah’s birth, God sent a holy angel from heaven. But instead of proclaiming the birth to multitudes, He sent the angel to a group of shepherds in a field (Luke 2:8-20). By doing so God identified His Son with these humble men, because Jesus would become the Good Shepherd who leads people to salvation.

In response, the shepherds hurried to where Jesus lay and then made known to everyone they knew what the angel had said and how they’d seen the newborn Savior.

The Incarnation

God’s wisdom is on full display in Jesus’ incarnation. His birth was that of a normal human baby, but His conception was miraculous because He was conceived by the Holy Spirit in the womb of a virgin (Luke 1:26-35). The eternal Son of God, who has no beginning and no end, became a human baby without surrendering His deity.

To be the Savior, He had to have the perfection of God, but He also needed to be human in order to identify with humankind and die for their sins. The incarnation was the only way to accomplish God’s plan of redemption.

The Surroundings

We also see God’s wisdom in the surroundings of Christ’s birth. He wasn’t born in a palace or even an inn. Because He was the Lamb of God who would take away the sins of the world (John 1:29), it was fitting for Him to be born in a place used by cattle and sheep. He came into the world without riches and prominence because God’s ways are not like ours. The manger scene is a proclamation that God the Son came in humility to be our Savior.

The Name

The name Jesus was very common in that day. In Hebrew, it’s Joshua, which means “Jehovah’s deliverer,” and that’s exactly what the Messiah was. God told Joseph to name the child Jesus “because He would save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:20-21). It’s the name above every other and the only one by which we can be saved. One day at the name of Jesus every knee will bow in heaven and on earth (Philippians 2:9-11).

God’s Purpose

The Lord’s wisdom is expressed in the purpose for which He sent His Son—our redemption. The baby in the manger was born to be the Lamb of God who came to “give His life as a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). Mankind could never be good enough to be reconciled with God because everyone is born with a sin nature. Jesus alone was qualified to bear God’s wrath for our sins so we could be forgiven. There was no other way. Every detail of the plan of redemption was wisely and meticulously fulfilled by our heavenly Father.

RESPONSE

Does seeing God’s wisdom in the events of Christmas bring you comfort? What does it say about His care and wisdom in directing your life?
What have you learned from the Christmas story about God’s unfathomable wisdom and ways? Are you willing to follow where He leads, even when it doesn’t make sense to you?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE TRUTH THAT SETS US FREE

KEY PASSAGE: John 8:28-32

SUMMARY

Do you feel free?

Most likely, you’d answer yes to that question. However, I’m not talking about external bondage, but internal. Regardless of where you are physically, you might be trapped in negative thought patterns or unhealthy behaviors. You confess your sin and resolve to do better next time. But when the pressure mounts, you fall into the same destructive pattern. Others might consider you a faithful believer, but you experience anxiety, fear, and turmoil on a regular basis. The peace, joy, and righteousness promised in the Word of God seem unattainable.

The good news is there is hope. Jesus said, “You will know the truth and the truth will make you free” (John 8:32). Christ has the power to break the chains that hold you captive.

SERMON POINTS

Many people are in bondage to error.

These incorrect ideas include:

“There is more than one way to get to heaven.” In fact, Jesus said, “No one comes to the Father but through Me” (John 14:6).
“You can get to heaven through good works.” But the Bible teaches we are saved through faith, not our deeds (Ephesians 2:8-9).
“God accepts or rejects me based on how well I perform.” No, our heavenly Father loves us unconditionally (Romans 5:8).
“God is loving, so everyone will go to heaven.” The truth is, those who reject Christ will not be accepted into heaven (John 3:36).
“Your salvation can be lost and regained.” Some believe that eternal life is a free gift that must be maintained by good deeds. But eternal life, by definition, lasts forever (John 3:16).

Others are enslaved to evil deeds.

No one ever intended to become enslaved to alcohol. No drug addict planned to be in bondage to a substance. The same is true for those ensnared in patterns of dishonesty, stealing, cheating, slothfulness, profanity, gossip, or any other type of sin. But little by little the control of sin grows in their lives. One day they realize they are in bondage. While no one is without sin, God wants us to deal with our wrongdoings honestly and quickly.

People can find themselves in emotional bondage.

Here are a few emotions that can enslave us:

Fear. Although we should act with wisdom and caution in certain situations, those who are filled with fear are not trusting God.
False guilt. We often place expectations on ourselves that are not God-given. Sometimes they are unattainable. Then when we fail, we feel guilty.
Jealousy. You cannot be envious and happy at the same time.
Anxiety. We might be surprised if we knew how much money was spent every year on medicines to treat anxiety and sleeplessness. Jesus said, “My peace I give to you; not as the world gives. ... Do not let your heart be troubled” (John 14:27).
Guilt. Do you live with regret and sorrow over past mistakes? If you are a child of God, and you have asked Him to forgive something, He has (1 John 1:9). Receive His mercy rather than asking Him over and over for forgiveness.
Bitterness. If you are resentful, hostile, or angry toward someone, it will spill over into your relationships with other people, too.
Unforgiveness. The Bible says we are to forgive others as God in Christ has forgiven us (Ephesians 4:32). When you are tempted to withhold forgiveness, remember how gracious God has been to forgive you—every time you ask.
Inadequacy. You should have a healthy sense of dependence on God. But a deep sense of insecurity interferes with your ability to perform necessary tasks. It’s often more important to get something done—even imperfectly—than to not do it at all.

What is the destructive power of spiritual bondage?

It hurts your personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You can’t be who He wants you to be if you are tied up in unbelief and bondage.
It hurts your personal testimony. If you are in bondage to sin, your rebellion in that area will weaken your influence in the lives of unbelievers. Living a godly life increases your effectiveness for the gospel.
It grieves the heart of God. Good parents mourn the self-destructive choices of their children; the Father is saddened when we are caught in sin.
It limits the Lord’s use of you. If you never deal with the issues that hold you in bondage, you will be unable to reach your full potential in Christ.
It has detrimental, long-term effects on your body. Anxiety, bitterness, unforgiveness, anger, and other negative emotions wreak havoc on our bodies.

What is the cure? Remember your . . .

Personal relationship. If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, all your sins are forgiven. You can never lose your salvation.
Position. You are not an enemy of God. As His child, you have the privilege of accessing His throne at any moment to find grace to handle any situation (Hebrews 4:16).
Possession. You are indwelt with the Holy Spirit who will empower you in any and every circumstance of life. God has given you His nature and all you need to live a godly life (2 Peter 1:3-4).
Personhood. As God’s child, you are of great worth and value to Him.

RESPONSE

Do you struggle with any of the areas of bondage mentioned above? If so, you can be free through the power of Jesus Christ. If you have accepted God’s gift of salvation, you are His child. You have access to God’s throne, where you can find grace and mercy to overcome any struggle. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you can reject unhealthy patterns and begin walking in righteousness again.

As children of God, we already have our freedom. We just need to declare it by faith. You could pray something like this: “Lord, I confess this area of bondage has held me captive for too long. Thank You for Your forgiveness. I claim Your victory over this sin in my life. I trust You to set me free.” God wants to deal with your bondage. Are you ready to be set free?

What stands in the way of you becoming completely free to experience Christ’s love in your life? Is this a selfimposed bondage?
If you saw a loved one living with these constraints, what advice would you pass along to him or her? Why do we find it so much easier to give advice than to take it?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE KEY TO MAKING WISE DECISIONS

KEY PASSAGE: Jeremiah 5:14-28

SUMMARY

How do you make significant decisions?

Some people simply give in to the desire of the moment. Others carefully consider the pros and cons, then make the choice that seems most beneficial. However, both of these approaches can be based merely on a person’s preference. The best way to make decisions is to rely on the principles found in God’s Word.

Daniel knew how to make choices based on the unchanging truths of Scripture. Although he was under tremendous pressure to live like the Babylonians, he stayed true to the biblical principles he had learned as a young child.

SERMON POINTS

The Historical Setting

Daniel lived in Babylon during the period of Hebrew exile. After conquering Jerusalem, King Nebuchadnezzar selected the brightest and most capable young Jewish men. His plan was to make them act and think like Babylonians. Along with others, Daniel was trained in the culture, literature, religion, and world view of his captors.

Daniel and the other young men cooperated with the king’s plan as long as it didn’t conflict with their faith in God. They knew how to make righteous choices, even in an ungodly setting.

Principle and Preference

There are two fundamental bases for making decisions.

The first is principle—a fixed or predetermined mode of conduct or moral rule based on the Word of God. As Christians, we should live by convictions that are grounded in the Word of God. For example, the Ten Commandments tell us not to steal, lie, cheat, murder, commit adultery, or worship false gods. Issues such as these should be non-negotiable for believers.

The second basis for decisions is preference. These are moral choices based on likes and dislikes—whatever seems best in the moment. A person who operates on this basis asks, “What is going to make me feel good, please me, honor me, or benefit me?” He or she is like someone speeding down a dark highway with no centerline. Without clear boundaries, that person is in great danger.

Daniel’s Example

As part of their regimen, Daniel and the other young Jewish nobles were expected to eat the king’s food—the best the nation had to offer. However, the meat was not kosher; it had not been prepared properly according to Mosaic law. Moreover, it had been offered to idols. That’s why Daniel asked his supervisor if he and his friends could eat only vegetables and water for 10 days. After the trial period, Daniel and his friends not only looked fine, they looked healthier than the other young men. God honored them for keeping their convictions (Daniel 1:1-16).

Daniel lived such an exemplary life that, years later, some of his fellow leaders became jealous. They convinced the king to outlaw prayer to any god or man except himself. Those who disobeyed the law would be thrown into a pit full of lions. Despite this threat, Daniel continued to kneel daily before the Lord. Although he was arrested and thrown to the hungry beasts, God spared his life (Dan. 6:4-24). Not only was Daniel restored to his position of authority, he also had the opportunity to serve as a leader for approximately 70 years under four different kings: Nebuchadnezzar, Belshazzar, Darius, and Cyrus. He had a tremendous influence on the kingdoms they represented. He also wrote some of the most significant prophecies in the Bible.

Areas of Principle

Our choices should be guided by core beliefs such as these:

Jesus is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. He is more than a good man, a prophet, or a healer; Jesus is the only way to God (John 14:6).
The Bible is the inspired Word of God and, as such, is infallible and inerrant (2 Timothy 3:16). We can’t discount certain passages because they are hard to accept.
Our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Believers should not abuse their bodies with drugs, alcohol, immorality, or other destructive behaviors.
Money is not a god. Accumulating wealth is not our highest priority (Hebrews 13:5).
The proper place for sexual relations is within the sanctity of your marriage (1 Thessalonians 4:3-7).

Living by Preference

Why do people fail to align their lives with the Word of God? Common reasons include:

The fear of rejection: People are afraid that if they go against the crowd, others will not like them.
Greed: Some are willing to be dishonest or unkind to acquire more money or get the promotion they seek.
Compromise: Rationalizing sin is a quick route to bondage to it. For example, many people think, “One drink won’t hurt.” They fail to consider the long-term effects on themselves and others.

Living by Principle

Although the Lord ultimately delivered Daniel and his friends from the fiery furnace, they were willing to die rather than worship a false god (Dan. 3:18). We should have the same commitment to obeying God. Sometimes He will rescue you; other times, He will walk with you through difficulty or persecution.

How can you become a person of conviction?

You must:

Live for a cause greater than yourself. In other words, live for Jesus Christ and His kingdom.
Know what you believe. Some things should be nonnegotiable for you. Don’t even consider choices that are forbidden in God’s Word.
Expect conflict. If you live by godly principles, not everyone will understand. Your high standards may make others so uncomfortable that they reject you.
Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. Decide to follow His direction without regard to the results of obedience. He is with you no matter what happens.
Remember our Lord is sovereign. He is absolutely in control of all that happens in this world.

RESPONSE

Principle or preference: Which of these words better describes how you make moral decisions?

My prayer is that you will choose to live your life based on the unchanging truths found in God’s Word. His guidelines will save you from many different kinds of heartache.

Will you still experience difficulty? Yes. But obeying Him always results in internal peace and joy. Surrender your preferences to God, and let Him show you how to live by His holy, unchanging principles.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE CIRCLE OF OUR IMPACT

KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 5:13-16

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Acts 7:54-60 | Acts 9:5

SUMMARY

What is the purpose of your life?

In Matthew 5:13-16, God has told us: “You are the salt of the earth. … You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. … Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”

As believers in Christ, God has instructed us to live our lives in such a way that we have a lasting and purposeful impact for good on the people around us.

But you may have noticed that many today are living secluded lives, interested only in satisfying their own needs, hungers, and desires. They walk among people day by day with no thought or interest in influencing or impacting them for good. This is not the way the Father intended for us to live. In the passage above, Jesus didn’t suggest that we be salt and light—He told us that we are salt and light. And just as salt is used to season and alter whatever it touches—and light is used to dispel the darkness—we are commanded by Christ to “flavor” and “light” the lives of others around us by using our actions and our words to point them to the Father.

SERMON POINTS

As you live your life for Christ, there are two kinds of impact you can have on the people around you: purposeful or passive.

Purposeful impact is intentional. When you determine to teach others from the example of your life that certain principles will influence them for good, that’s purposeful impact. Whether it’s to help them understand the truth of Scripture, help them grow in their relationship with Christ, or help them live their lives in obedience to God, purposeful impact is planned intentionally and lived out relationally as an example of good before others.
Passive impact is inactive or indifferent. When you live your life with no thought or plan for where you’re going or how your actions affect the lives of others, that’s passive impact. You’re interested in satisfying your own selfish dreams and wishes, with no concern for what others around you think or how their lives may be impacted by the choices you make. And others may use your unintentional and passive example as an excuse to live their lives in the same way.

Where does your purposeful impact begin?

At home—One of the most important things you’ll ever do is live a godly life at home. As you deepen and grow in your relationship with Christ, you become a living example to your family of the faithfulness, love, and provision of God. And the spiritual treasures you leave with each of your family members will have an immeasurable and eternal impact that is both beneficial to them and pleasing to the Lord.
At work—In your conversations, with your conduct, and by your character, you reflect the Christ who lives in you. When you live with purposeful intention, you can light your workplace with the love of Christ in such a way that others are drawn to the Jesus they see being lived out in you.
With your friends—Friendships enrich your life and help you navigate the ups and downs found in each day. When you decide to live your life grounded in Christ, focused on fulfilling His calling, and resolved to living according to His instructions and commands, God will use your influence to have a profound impact on the lives of your friends.

How has God made it possible for you to impact and influence others for Christ?

Through prayer—Praying for others is one of the simplest and most important ways you can impact them for Christ. Prayer can touch anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world. When you offer up prayer on behalf of others, God uses your influence to ripple to the ends of the earth.
Through speaking with and encouraging others—When you share what the Lord is doing in your life, you encourage others in ways you cannot even imagine. God can use your testimony and your message of encouragement to make a difference in the life of someone you never knew was in need of an uplifting word.
Through the fellowship of the church—When you fellowship and minister within your church and give to the ministry efforts outside of your church, your testimony and witness for God travel beyond the walls of the church. How far does your testimony and witness go? You will never be able to measure all that the Lord will do with your faithful offerings to and for His church.
Through the skills, abilities, gifts, and talents the Lord has given you—God has entrusted each of us with certain skills, abilities, gifts, talents, and opportunities to impact the world for His kingdom. The more of these He’s given to you, the more responsibility you have to use them for His glory—and He intends for your circle of influence to be wide and far-reaching for Him.

Final Thoughts

You are the salt of the earth; you are the light of the world. God has given you an opportunity and has commanded you to impact this world for His glory. Just as a pebble tossed in a lake ripples outward in circles beyond what the eye can see, God wants the impact and influence of your life to ripple outward in waves that will circle the globe for the sake of the gospel. From your family and friends to your co-workers, neighbors, fellow church members, and others you encounter, it’s the Father’s desire that your circle of impact be far-reaching and bear much fruit for the kingdom of God.

Are you ready for Him to make you as salty and as bright as you can possibly be? Will you allow Him to make your circle of impact ripple outward beyond your wildest dreams? If so, never underestimate the influence you can have when you live your life for the glory of God. View each day as an opportunity to allow Jesus Christ to live His life in and through you. As you shine your light brightly for Him, do so in such a way that the people you encounter will want to know the source of your strength, the light of your life, and the joy of your heart, today and every day.

RESPONSE

How would you describe the strength of your salt and the brightness of your light?
Are there things in your life that are causing your salt to be impure? Is there anything causing your light to be dim? If so, what steps can you take to correct this?
Are you living intentionally for Christ? If not, what are some things you can implement today to help you have a purposeful and intentional impact on others?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

MAKING A LASTING IMPACT

KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 5:13-16

SUMMARY

We all impact others whether we’re aware of it or not.

The degree varies according to each individual’s sphere of influence and opportunities, but all of us touch other people’s lives for good or bad. Only Christians, though, can have a spiritual impact for Christ because we alone are indwelt by His Spirit.

SERMON POINTS

Each believer is a unique person created by God for His purposes, and it’s His will that we live to impact other people for their spiritual good. It begins with those close to us and extends outward as far as the Lord allows.

The power of our impact is determined by the integrity of our lives. To help us understand this, Jesus used two common terms—salt and light—to emphasize the importance of character and lifestyle for the effectiveness of our witness for Him.

“You are the salt of the earth” (Matt. 5:13).

Salt is different from the substance it touches, and the same is true for believers. We’re different and separate from the world we impact (2 Cor. 6:17). In a society characterized by sin, our holy and purified lives stand in stark contrast. We’re warned in Romans 12:2 not to be conformed to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds.

We relate to the world as salt does with the substance it touches.

Salt flavors. It has the power to turn what is tasteless into something enjoyable. In the same way, we bring flavor to a world filled with people whose lives are empty and void because they don’t know Jesus.
Salt preserves. In Roman times, salt was a very valuable commodity because it was the only means of preserving food. Christians have a similar preserving influence on a corrupt world. Our witness can help turn an unbeliever to Christ and preserve them from the decay of sinful choices.
Salt penetrates. The Holy Spirit uses our godly example and witness to drive the truth into the heart in such a way that it permeates the entire person.
Salt creates thirst. Believers are living examples of spiritual transformation. The joy, peace, and contentment that Christ gives us are attractive to thirsty souls whom the Spirit is drawing to the Savior.
Salt is quiet. Sometimes God draws people to Christ through the quiet means of observation. As they see our godly behavior, gracious responses, and patient endurance, their hearts may be opened to the gospel.
Salt heals. As salt gives relief to a sore throat, so we are called to offer healing to a broken world. Compassion, kindness, and a listening ear let hurting people experience Christ’s love through us.

Jesus’ Warning

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people” (Matt. 5:13).

In those days, salt was collected from evaporated sea water. It was scraped up from the ground along with impurities. If there were too many impurities, the salt became tasteless and useless. Sin has the same corrupting influence on our ability to impact those around us for Christ. When a believer tolerates sin, he becomes useless to the Lord. Those who become like the world have nothing different to offer them.

“You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14).

According to 1 John 1:5, “God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” Jesus also says, “I am the Light of the world” (John 9:5). Yet now He declares to those who have trusted Him as Savior, “You are the light of the world” (Matt. 5:14). Then He adds, “Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (v. 16). Our light isn’t our own, but rather a reflection of Christ within us. God uses that light to draw people to Himself, not to us, so that He alone receives the glory.

We impact the people around us just as light does darkness.

Light is clear and pure. Our lives should be characterized by purity and clarity. The person we are in public ought to be the same person we are in private.
Light reveals what’s hidden in the darkness. When we’re characterized by godliness, those who are unrighteous see the difference between their lives and ours. Sometimes they feel guilty because they know they’re not living as they should. Others may ask us why our lives are so different, and that opens the door for us to share the gospel with them.
Light drives darkness away. When people are uncomfortable around us, it might be because they’re feeling the conviction of the Holy Spirit. This could lead to antagonism and even persecution. John 3:19 says, “The Light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the Light; for their deeds were evil.” But sometimes the Lord uses the light in us to drive them from darkness to salvation.
Light guides. God uses us like a lamp to guide the unbelieving onto the path of truth.
Light warns. Without light we can’t see the obstacles before us, and this is spiritually true for the lost. We can warn them that they’re in danger and need the Savior.
Light warms. We should never be cold and unfeeling toward those trapped in darkness. They need to know we care, so they can see Christ’s love flowing through us.

While Jesus was in the world, He was the Light of the world (John 9:5), but now He’s at the Father’s right hand in heaven, and He’s left His church here to be the light to the world. As the church proclaims the Word of God, it’s a bright beacon showing people the way to salvation.

Another Warning

Just as salt is made useless by impurities, so light becomes ineffective if it doesn’t shine brightly. Sin in our lives is like soot covering the globe of our lantern or like a short wick that barely flickers. We need to be clear, strong lights so we can impact the lost world with the knowledge of Christ.

RESPONSE

If you were the only Christian someone knew, would they see Christ’s light in you and want to know Jesus?
What kinds of impurities are keeping you from being the salt and light of the world? How have you been distracted by the world’s values and pursuits? What sins are you tolerating in your life?
Do the people at work or in the neighborhood know you’re a believer? How is your life different from those around you?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

OUR VERY BEST FRIEND

KEY PASSAGE: John 15:12-17

SUMMARY

No matter how great a friend is, there will always be misunderstandings and disappointments.

That’s just the nature of human relationships. But believers have a friend Who’s superior to all others, and that’s the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s not only our Creator, Sovereign Ruler, Savior, and Lord, but our intimate friend as well. He will never leave, and nothing can ever separate us from His love.

SERMON POINTS

Because of His awesome greatness, the idea of Jesus being our friend may be difficult to imagine, but He has no problem seeing us as His friends. When He lived as a man on earth, He referred to many people as a “friend.”

Luke 5:19-20. When some men who were bringing a paralyzed man to Jesus for healing couldn’t get in the door, they let the man down through the roof. Seeing their faith, Jesus responded, “Friend, your sins are forgiven you” (v. 20).
Luke 7:33-34. The Pharisees and Sadducees were offended by Jesus because of His association with sinful people. They accused Him, saying, “Behold, a gluttonous man and a heavy drinker, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” (v. 34).
Luke 12:4. On another occasion, Jesus said to His disciples, “Now I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have nothing more that they can do.”
John 11:11. When Jesus heard that His friend Lazarus was sick, He told His disciples, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going so that I may awaken him from sleep.”
Matthew 26:49-50. The most shocking instance in which Jesus called someone “friend” was when Judas was betraying Him. “Jesus said to him, ‘Friend, do what you have come for.’ Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him” (v. 50).

How Jesus Expresses His Friendship

John 15:12-17 is a wonderful description of how Christ demonstrates His friendship with us.

With Sacrificial Love. “Greater love has no one than this, that a person will lay down his life for his friends” (v. 13). There have always been people who’ve given their lives to save others, but Jesus’ sacrifice is much greater. When someone lays down his life to save another, it’s usually a spontaneous act in a moment of great danger. In contrast, Jesus Christ planned to give His life for us before the foundation of the world. He loved us before we were born and died on the cross to rescue us from sin while we were still His enemies (Romans 5:10). Unlike a person who dies to save a person physically, Jesus’ death on the cross rescues us from eternal punishment and gives us eternal life.
By Taking the Initiative in the Relationship. “You did not choose Me but I chose you” (John 15:16). No one can choose to be Christ’s friend; He alone takes the initiative. He didn’t choose us as His friends because of anything worthy in us or because of our good works. The only reason we can have a relationship with the Lord is because of what He did for us. Our only role was to respond to the Holy Spirit’s conviction of our sin and cry out for mercy and salvation.
By the Revolutionary Effect on Our Lives. “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you” (v. 12). “You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends” (vv. 14-15). When we were saved, our lives were completely changed. We were given a new heart and spirit. Now we relate to Christ in an entirely different fashion—as His intimate friends. This transformation is characterized by a life of obedience to His commands and Christlike love for one another.
By Revealing Divine Truth. “I have called you friends, because all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you” (v. 15). While Jesus was with His disciples, He revealed divine truths from His Father that couldn’t have been known any other way. These revelations weren’t given to everyone, but only to those He called friends. After Christ’s ascension, the Holy Spirit brought to mind all that Jesus had told His disciples, and now they are recorded in the Bible for all of us to know.
By Challenging Us. “I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain” (v. 16). The fruit Christ wants us to bear as His friends are internal qualities of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control) and good works that He’s planned for us to do. In other words, He challenges us to become who He desires us to be and accomplish what He’s planned for us to do.

The Kind of Friend Jesus Is

He accepts us as we are but doesn’t leave us that way.
He has time for us and is never too busy.
He talks to us through His written Word.
He listens to us when we pray.
He forgives us and grants us His perfect record of righteousness.
He understands us in our struggles and weaknesses.
He walks with us through our trials.
He’s available to meet our needs in every circumstance.
He’s open and doesn’t try to hide Himself. He’s revealed His ways and thoughts in His Word.
He’s sensitive and knows us better than we know ourselves.
He encourages us throughout life.
He’s patient and longsuffering with us in our personal battles and frailties, and guides us in our spiritual growth.
He’s a giver. Everything we have is from Him, including life itself.
He touches us in our times of need through the hands of His people and His presence with us.
He’s always truthful and will never deceive us.
He’s always faithful. Whatever He says, He will do.
He’s committed to us and will keep His promises.
He confronts us when we sin because He loves us.
He desires the best for us. Sometimes that means He must rearrange our plans in order to make them like His.
He loves us unconditionally. There’s nothing we have to do to earn or merit His love.
He gave His life for us.
He’s prepared a place in heaven for us.
He’s going to spend eternity with us.

RESPONSE

Do you have a difficult time seeing Jesus Christ as your friend? What misconceptions keep you from enjoying the intimate relationship that He died to give you?
What aspects of His friendship bring you encouragement and strength during this season of your life?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

TROUBLED FRIENDSHIPS

KEY PASSAGE: Proverbs 16:28

SUMMARY

“Make new friends but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.”

This is a familiar saying that affirms the value of friendships. A friend is someone who loves you when you’re unlovable, catches you if you fall, sees you at your worst, helps you become the best you can be, shares your deepest experiences, and stays by your side when others walk away. Such relationships are God’s gift of mercy to us and are worth nurturing, and if necessary, repairing when damaged.

SERMON POINTS

To avoid troubled relationships, we must be discerning about our associations. Scripture clearly tells us six kinds of friendships to avoid.

Unwise Friendships

The Gossip. “One who goes about as a slanderer reveals secrets; therefore do not associate with a gossip” (Proverbs 20:19). One who slanders others will eventually gossip about you.
The Quick-tempered. “Do not make friends with a person given to anger, or go with a hot-tempered person, or you will learn his ways and find a snare for yourself” (22:24-25).
The Disloyal and Discontent. “My son, fear the Lord and the king; do not get involved with those of high rank, for their disaster will rise suddenly, and who knows the ruin that can come from both of them?” (24:21-22). Those who have a rebellious spirit, especially toward authority, are oftentimes unstable and prone to anger.
The Undisciplined. “He who keeps the Law is a discerning son, but he who is a companion of gluttons humiliates his father” (28:7). This refers not only to food but to any lust that is out of control.
The Immoral. “A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad, but he who involves himself with prostitutes wastes his wealth” (29:3). An immoral person is a bad influence who drags us down into sin.
The Fool. “One who walks with wise people will be wise, but a companion of fools will suffer harm” (13:20). A fool is someone who rejects God and spiritual matters.

Building Blocks for Genuine Friendships

If we want a relationship to develop and endure, we must use the proper building materials. When all these building blocks are put together, they convey love for our friend.

Time. No relationships will flourish without the investment of our time in a friend’s life.
Talk. Every friendship is founded upon two-way communication.
Tears and laughter. A genuinely open relationship requires sharing of both our joys and sorrows.
Triumphs. We must be willing to share each other’s accomplishments and victories as well as victories as well as all that the Lord is doing in our lives.
Trials and tragedies. Difficulties, hurts, hardships, sorrows, and disappointments are part of life, and we need each other to share the burdens.
Thankfulness. We need to express gratitude to our friend for their companionship and thank the Lord for blessing us with such a good relationship.
Thoughtfulness. Being thoughtful requires thinking about how we can help the other person. Our love and care can be manifested in a variety of ways, depending on our friend’s needs or circumstances.
Tolerance. Being a genuine friend requires tolerance of the other person. We need patience to overlook annoying habits or ugly attitudes.
Touch. A godly touch is a wonderful way to convey our love, tenderness, and care for a friend.
Transparency. To build an intimate friendship, we must be willing to be honest and open. Instead of trying to hide our weaknesses and faults, we should freely share our struggles with our friend.
Truthfulness. Without a foundation of truth, we cannot build a relationship. We must be honest with ourselves and each other.

Behaviors That Damage Friendships

Beware of behaviors that damage our relationships.

Selfishness. Always focusing on ourselves and our needs will eventually ruin a friendship.
Manipulation. We should never use or try to control a friend for our own ends.
Jealousy. Trying to jealously limit the other person’s friendships will smother the relationship.
Criticism. If we continually look for shortcomings and find fault with our friends, we’ll drive them away. Plus, criticism causes us pain because we don’t want to hurt our friend with the critique. Major issues should be addressed, but we can let minor ones pass.
Explosive temper. Pent up anger that explodes in rage can do irreparable damage to a relationship.
Covetousness. To envy what someone else has is the opposite of focusing on what’s best for them.
Disloyalty. Unfaithfulness is not only painful and disheartening, but it breaks apart relationships.
Dishonesty. Lies destroy trust. If we’ve been dishonest in any way, we need to admit it and seek our friend’s forgiveness.
Busyness. If we are too busy to spend time with our friend, the relationship will wither.

Repairing Damaged Friendships

If you have a relationship that’s in trouble but worth rescuing, you must be willing to take steps to make it right.

Address it. Tell your friend you want to work on the friendship.
Determine what went wrong. How did the relationship get off track?
Apologize. Take responsibility for whatever you may have done to damage the friendship.
Refuse to blame and don’t defend yourself. The goal is to save the relationship, not to prove who’s right.
Ask what you can do to repair the relationship. This opens the door for suggestions from the other person.
Commit to change. Promise to make the changes required to be faithful and carry out your commitment.

Questions to Ask Yourself

Am I projecting on my friend something that happened in my past?
Am I afraid to have a close relationship with anybody?
Do I have unrealistic expectations of this relationship?
Are any feelings of rejection due to this person’s actions or poor self-image?

Damaged friendships can be repaired if you’re committed to making the necessary corrections. With the Lord’s guidance, ask your friend how you are doing and what you can do to improve.

RESPONSE

Review the warnings God gives about the types of friends to avoid. Have you had friends who displayed these qualities? How did they affect your character and choices?
To have an intimate and loyal friend, you need to become one to someone else. See the list of requirements for building a true friendship. Which ones are characteristic of you? Which ones do you need to develop or improve?
Do you have any troubled friendships? What do you think has caused the strained relationship? What can you do to bring healing to that friendship?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

BUILDING WISE FRIENDSHIPS

KEY PASSAGE: Proverbs 18:24 SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 15:33

SUMMARY

Friends are some of the greatest assets we have in life. But more is not necessarily better.

Proverbs 18:24 warns, “A person of too many friends comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.” In other words, it’s better to have one loyal friend who encourages, helps, and lifts us up than to have many casual friends who come and go. When we’re indiscriminate in our choice of friends, we’re headed for ruin because some of them will drag us down.

SERMON POINTS

Devoted, intimate friendships don’t just happen; they require an investment of time and energy. The quality of the building materials we use determines how lasting and satisfying these relationships will be.

Cautions Regarding Relationships

Because of the influence friends have in our lives, we must be careful whom we choose for friends. We need wise governing principles and standards to gauge the heart of potential friends.
We must also be wise in how we form friendships. Scripture warns, “Do not be deceived: ‘Bad company corrupts good morals’” (1 Corinthians 15:33). Bad company is anyone who draws us away from the Lord. If we build a relationship with someone with a corrupted nature, we’ll be affected in negative ways.

Impact of Friendships

Relationships have the power to affect us in both positive and negative ways. They can . . .

Delight us. Intimate relationships are often a great source of enjoyment.
Develop us. Friendships teach us how to get along with others, shape our personality, and teach us to relate on a deeper level.
Drive us. Close companions motivate and energize us to do our best.
Disillusion us. Sometimes even the best of friends can let us down or walk away, but that is never a good reason to refuse to trust anyone again.
Distress us. There may be times when we see a faithful friend violate God’s Word, head in the wrong direction, or even walk away from the Lord.
Drag us down. If a friend drifts from God and no longer desires to please Him, he may pressure us to follow him down the wrong path. No relationship is so valuable that we can’t do without it. We may have to let go of a friend in order to stay true to the Lord.
Destroy us. Unwise companionships may lead us to make decisions that will destroy our lives and futures.

Rewards of Friendships

Despite the risks, close relationships are very rewarding.

Acceptance. They provide feelings of acceptance and belonging.
Love. There’s also the encouragement of being loved.
Change. Although bad company corrupts good morals, good company strengthens our character and devotion to Jesus Christ.
Intimacy. When friendship reaches its deepest level, we can speak freely from the heart about our struggles, without fear of condemnation. Instead of being shocked at our weakness or sin, an intimate friend walks with us through the challenges of life.
Fruitfulness. Genuine friends inspire us to be productive. The joy we receive from their company gives us energy and excitement for life.
Security. A loyal companion gives us a sense of security when we face criticism or the storms of life because we know we’re not alone. Other than the Lord Jesus, there’s no one more reassuring in life than a godly friend who walks with us through every circumstance.
Spiritual growth. When two believers become devoted friends, their mutual interests are things of the Lord. Having developed an intimate relationship, they freely discuss God’s character and seek to understand how He operates in their lives through the trials and sorrows. They’re committed to growing in their relationship with Christ and in helping each other mature.

How to Build Close Friendships

Share a deep mutual interest. This isn’t the most important aspect of a friendship, but it’s the one with which we generally begin a relationship.
Meet the needs of the other person. The goal is not to focus on self but on our friends. We consider what’s best for them and how we can build up and encourage them in their walk with Christ.
Risk rejection and pain. To develop a genuine friendship, we must be willing to let our guard down, even if it means possible offenses or rejection. Sometimes we need to see past our hurt to discover that the relationship is worth pursuing.
Love sacrificially. This means we’re willing to give without expecting anything in return. Friendship is not all about receiving what we want and need. There may be times when we put ourselves second by laying down our needs and desires in order to help our friend.
Be open and transparent. Authentic friendships are built on mutual transparency and the willingness to reveal who we really are.
Serve gladly. Genuine friendships are not based on what the other person can do for us. Instead, we look for ways to help and encourage our friend. There’s great joy when we view the relationship as an opportunity to give of ourselves without hesitation to meet the needs of the other person.
Ask forgiveness. In every relationship there will be occasions when we hurt or offend each other. If we refuse to acknowledge our wrong or forgive a wrong done to us, we hinder that relationship. How can we withhold forgiveness when our Savior has forgiven all our sins?
Accept criticism and praise gladly. Most of us are much better at handling commendations than we are criticism, but to be a genuine friend, we must accept and learn from criticism, knowing that it’s given to us by someone who loves us and desires our best.
Be committed to each other’s spiritual growth. When we truly love someone, our desire is to encourage them in God’s Word and prayer and help them understand His ways. Conversations about the Lord, prayers for and with each other, and open sharing about our struggles are all part of building a relationship centered on Christ.
Let principles of Scripture govern your relationship. When our words, reactions, and conduct in public and private are directed by God’s Word, we have a strong foundation for true and lasting friendships.

RESPONSE

What has governed your choice of companions until now? What guidelines do you need to adopt to choose friends wisely?
How many loving, devoted friends do you have? If you don’t have any friends like this, are you willing to give the time and effort it takes to develop loving, devoted friendships?
Does the prospect of letting someone know you intimately cause you fear? How has your past experience with relationships influenced your willingness to be open and honest? Are you willing to tear down any walls of separation and let someone into your life?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

A STRONG CHURCH

KEY PASSAGE: Matthew 16:13-20

SUMMARY

What makes a church strong?

We can’t tell the strength of it by looking at the building or even at the size of the congregation. The only way to make this determination is to find out what Jesus says is essential for His church. After all, He’s the builder (Matt. 16:18). When He asked His disciples who they thought He was, Peter quickly answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matt. 16:16). It’s upon this statement of faith that Jesus builds His church. If this truth is removed, the foundation crumbles, and the church becomes simply an institution.

Christ is also the One who guards, protects, and grows His church. Because He’s omnipotent, all the forces of evil will never be able to destroy it. Although the church has been persecuted throughout history, the gates of Hades have never overpowered it (Matt. 16:18). Even death cannot stop it because the blood of the martyrs actually strengthens the church. The body of Christ accomplishes its work under the authority of almighty God. He’s the One who guides events and decisions according to His predetermined will in heaven.

SERMON POINTS

Since we are part of the body of Christ, we need to understand the characteristics of a strong church, such as

Spirit-filled leadership: When Jesus gave His followers the task of making disciples of all nations, He knew they weren’t equipped for the job. That’s why He told them to stay in Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit to fill and empower them. In the same way, no church staff is adequate for the work God has called them to do unless they, too, are filled with the Holy Spirit. He’s the One who gives them divine guidance, strength, and ability to accomplish His purposes.
Doctrinally sound messages that meet people’s needs: To be doctrinally sound means the church’s beliefs originate from God’s Word, and the teaching is not a matter of opinions, preferences, or feelings but is based upon Scriptural truth. However, this doesn’t mean we have to agree on the interpretation of every passage. No one has absolute clarity on every issue, but there are enough clearly revealed truths upon which we can agree.
Uncompromising convictions: Strong churches are composed of people with steadfast convictions. They are not afraid to stand against public opinion in order to uphold the unwavering truth of God’s Word.
Strong emphasis on faith and prayer: When a church has people who are filled with faith and committed to prayer, the power of the Holy Spirit flows through them and strengthens the church. That’s why we need to cultivate the habit of starting our days with God’s Word and prayer. It’s in those quiet times alone with the Lord that we develop an intimate relationship. As we listen and talk to Him, He gives us understanding of His Word and guidance for the day ahead so we’ll know what to do, where to go, and how to live. We’ll learn to walk by faith, believing what God says in His Word. However, if we neglect our relationship with Him, we’ll drift because our minds and hearts won’t be in step with Him.
Worship services that allow people to experience God’s presence and renew their commitment to obey and serve Him: Sunday mornings are a time to gather with other Christians and focus our attention on the Lord and His Word. In a strong church, the teaching, prayers, and songs exalt and honor God. The worshippers come with a prayerful and teachable attitude, ready to hear what the Lord wants to say. It’s also a time for fellowship. What makes church so special is that we are worshipping God together with other believers. The Lord doesn’t want us to stand alone, but to be interdependent. The words of Hebrews 10:25 admonish us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together.
Faithful and generous giving: A strong church not only worships the Lord with words and songs, but with financial resources. In fact, anyone who’s chosen to obediently follow Christ will be a giver because the indwelling Holy Spirit motivates generosity. When we listen to God’s Word and believe it, we’ll understand that it’s a privilege to contribute to the work of the church. Furthermore, since the Lord blesses, provides, and protects us in so many ways, we’ll want to give the first part of our income to Him—even in the tough times.
Strategically organized to reach their God-given goals: The work of the church does not happen accidentally or in a chaotic environment. It requires planning and order to effectively accomplish God’s will. Even the first church demonstrated organization. Despite the huge addition of 3,000 new members, Acts 2:44-45 says that no one was in need. Although organization lies beneath the surface, it’s what enables the church to serve and worship the Lord in a manner pleasing to Him.
Filled with people who serve in the strength of their spiritual gifts: God has given believers spiritual gifts with which to serve the body of Christ (Romans 12:6-8). When we all operate in the area of our gifting, the church is strengthened because all the needs are met. That’s why we each need to discover our spiritual gifts and begin using them to accomplish what the Lord created us to do.
United in spirit: Although the church is composed of people from various races, languages, backgrounds, and cultures, we are all one body in Christ. Therefore, we must guard against letting individual differences and preferences divide us. Our unity is only maintained when we address our problems and concerns to the church staff and seek to understand one another. No matter how diverse we are, our goals should be to love, help, and strengthen each other.
Genuine love of one another: Love is the glue that holds a church together. However, this kind of love is not born out of mutual interests but originates from God. If we’ll pray for those people we don’t naturally like, God’s love will begin to flow through us.
A vision for a lost world: Jesus Christ gave His church the job of spreading the gospel throughout the world. When a body of believers is committed to this task, the Lord opens doors of opportunity to accomplish His will.

RESPONSE

Since believers compose the church, we each play a part in whether or not our church is strong. That’s why we need to evaluate our contribution to our churches. Ask yourself these questions:

What are you doing to contribute to the strength of your church?
If others follow your pattern, will the church continue to be strong and fruitful for the kingdom of God?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE REQUIREMENTS OF A GODLY INFLUENCE

KEY PASSAGE: Daniel 1:1-9

SUMMARY

Influence is both a privilege and a responsibility

It has the power to affect someone else’s life or persuade a person toward a particular course of action. Influence can be either purposeful or passive, conscious or unconscious. But whatever form the power of influence takes, the most important factor is that it be godly.

SERMON POINTS

Godly influence helps people understand the gospel, grow in their knowledge of Scripture, walk in righteous- ness, serve and follow Christ, support His work, and spread the message of His salvation.

Daniel is an example of someone whose godly influence reached to all those around him. As a Jewish youth, he was exiled to Babylon by King Nebuchadnezzar. Daniel was part of a group of Jewish teenagers chosen to be trained in Babylonian culture for three years and then enter the king’s personal service. During his lifetime, Daniel was a godly influence to his friends, the king’s servants, three Babylonian kings, and one Persian king.

Requirements of Godly Influence

Daniel’s life demonstrates what’s required to be a godly influence on those around us.

Strong Conviction About God’s Word. Daniel’s first challenge in Babylon came shortly after he arrived. The king ordered that this group of youths be given food and wine from his table. “But Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself with the king’s choice food or with the wine which he drank” (Dan. 1:8). His strong conviction came from the Scriptures. The Lord had commanded the Israelites not to eat or drink anything sacrificed to idols (Exodus 34:15).

Daniel sought permission from the commander of the officials not to defile himself. He suggested a test in which he and his three friends would be given

vegetables and water instead. After ten days, the official could evaluate their appearance.

Because Daniel held to his conviction and sought to obey the Scriptures, God gave him favor with the official, and he continued to withhold the king’s food and drink. The Lord also blessed Daniel and his friends with knowledge, intelligence, and wisdom beyond all the other youths, which resulted in their promotion in the kingdom.

A conviction is something we believe because we’re convinced and persuaded that it’s true. And that’s how we should feel about God’s Word. It’s infallible and inerrant, and it contains principles by which we are to live and by which we’ll be judged by God. If we don’t hold fast to Scripture, we’ll be tossed about by every difficulty we face and begin making decisions based on our preferences, rather than the truths of Scripture.

Commitment to Our Convictions. “Daniel made up his mind that he would not defile himself” (v. 8), and that’s exactly what we must do as well. Commitment begins in the mind, but it’s demonstrated in our actions. The true test of commitment to our convictions is whether we live by them, not just when it’s convenient, but all the time. Jesus said to let our light shine so people would see our good works and glorify God (Matthew 5:16). When we say we believe one thing, yet live another way, it ruins our witness.
Courage to Stand for Our Convictions. Daniel and his friends bravely stood firm in their conviction to obey the Lord despite threats and dangers. They faced the anger of a powerful king, but remained faithful to their God. Daniel kept praying to the Lord when it was forbidden by Persian law, knowing that he could be thrown into a lion’s den. And Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego refused to worship Nebuchadnezzar’s statue, even though the penalty was death in a fiery furnace. In every challenging situation, they courageously obeyed their God and trusted Him to handle the consequences. And that’s exactly what we’re to do when our convictions are tested.
Confidence in the God of Scripture. We must be convinced, not only that the Bible is true, but that God Himself is trustworthy. Every promise He makes in His Word, He will fulfill, and everything He says about Himself in Scripture is true. We may be quick to claim we trust God, but what happens when He tests our faith? When difficulties come, are we still confident that He’ll keep His promise to walk with us through it?

To be a godly influence we need unshakeable faith. Like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, can we confidently say, “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to rescue us … but even if He does not, let it be known to you, O king, that we are not going to serve your gods nor worship the golden statue that you have set up” (Dan. 3:17-18)?

A Calm Spirit When Under Fire. When our convictions are challenged, we must keep our focus on the Lord. If we don’t, we’ll become anxious, frustrated, fearful, or shaken. When Daniel heard that Nebuchadnezzar had ordered the death of all the Babylonian wise men, including him, his first response was to pray (Dan. 2:17-18). When we turn immediately to the Lord when under fire, He’ll calm our spirits and strengthen our trust in Him. He’s sovereign over everything in heaven and on earth (Psalm 103:19), and He promises to take care of us and work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
A Christlike Spirit. We’re never more like Christ than when we forgive. Daniel had many reasons to be bitter and resentful toward Nebuchadnezzar. He’d attacked his city, uprooted him from his family, and taken him captive in a foreign land. Yet there is no evidence in Scripture that Daniel held a grudge or ever retaliated. On the contrary, he faithfully served all the kings who were over him, without animosity. Sometimes our greatest influence on others is when they see us forgive those who wrong us.
A Consistent Walk. Throughout his life, Daniel was consistent in his walk with God. He didn’t proclaim one thing and do another, but lived with integrity. His uncompromising stance earned him the respect of his friends, the governing officials, kings, and an entire nation. His is an example every believer should follow. The consistency of holding to our convictions and walking in obedience to God is what makes our influence godly and effective.

RESPONSE

You may not have the scope of influence that Daniel had, but you’re influencing others—either for good or bad—whether you know it or not. Who in your life is listening to what you say and watching how you live? What kind of influence are you exerting on them?
Are you convinced that the Bible is true and that God is trustworthy? Do your actions and attitudes support your claim?
How do you usually respond when your convictions are challenged? What have you learned from Daniel’s example that will help you stand firm in times of testing?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

ACQUIRING WISDOM

KEY PASSAGE: Proverbs 2:1-7

SUMMARY

There is a difference between knowledge and wisdom.

Our current period in history is described as the information age, and we have access to more knowledge than we know what to do with. But something is still missing—great wisdom. For example, there are many people who boast about their level of education and degrees, but they make disasters of their lives because they lack true spiritual discernment and understanding.

Although few Scriptures advise us to acquire more information, many admonish us to seek wisdom. Because God is the only source of truth, all wisdom comes from Him. He sees beyond the immediate circumstances and knows the future. That’s why, if we follow biblical principles, He will give us understanding and guidance for every decision and situation we encounter in life.

SERMON POINTS

What is wisdom?

The Bible makes a distinction between two very different kinds:

Worldly wisdom is the combination of knowledge and information. It’s based on human understanding and reasoning, but it is foolishness to the Lord (1 Cor. 3:19).
Godly wisdom is the capacity to see things from the Father’s viewpoint and respond according to scriptural principles. With it, a person can survive any circumstance.

How do we acquire godly wisdom?

It takes time and effort to become truly wise, and it comes as a result of learning from the decisions we make. Throughout life, we’ll face challenging questions and situations that demand a greater wealth of knowledge and understanding than human beings can possibly possess. We can acquire the godly wisdom we need by:

Seeking it. No one is born with wisdom, so we have two options—seek it or face the consequences of living without it. However, we must ask ourselves if we truly want wisdom or if we are searching for something else. The world offers other things that cater to our desires—security, wealth, friends, health, popularity, prestige, or beauty. But Proverbs 8:11 says all desirable things pale in comparison to wisdom. It’s a gift God gives to those who search for it like hidden treasure (Prov. 2:4-7). Wisdom won’t come with half-hearted attempts at reading the Scriptures; it requires diligent pursuit.
Meditating on God’s Word. The Bible is God’s mind recorded for us on paper. It reveals His ways, plans, and purposes, and when we read and understand it, His thoughts become a part of us and affect how we live. That’s why we should begin every day with the Lord and ask Him to give us direction from His Word. Since the Lord is the only one who knows what is ahead, we need His perspective concerning our plans, actions, and choices. If we neglect His Word, we can’t understand His ways and will make poor choices. Instead of experiencing God’s best blessings, we’ll encounter discipline because every unwise action comes with a high price.
Obeying scriptural principles. Merely having knowledge of the Bible cannot make us wise. God’s wisdom is reserved for those who heed His instructions and choose to apply His truths to their lives (Proverbs 8:33-34). Any time we need divine direction, it’s available to us in His Word. When we believe in and abide by His principles, we’ll reap the blessings of wisdom that come with obedience.
Praying for it. The book of Proverbs doesn’t specifically emphasize praying for wisdom, but James tells us to ask God for it if it’s something we lack (James 1:5-6). However, just requesting wisdom is not enough. We must ask in faith, obey what the Lord says, and watch the results of our actions. Obedience always benefits us, but negative consequences occur when we ignore God and go our own way. To avoid making foolish and costly decisions, we need to begin each day in prayer, asking the Lord how He wants us to operate.
Observing how God works in the world. The Word of God teaches us that wisdom also comes from observing various lifestyles and the results they produce. For example, wise men are cautious and turn away from evil, but fools are arrogant and careless (Proverbs 14:16). God even uses ants to teach us the importance of working diligently for our provisions because laziness invariably leads to poverty (Proverbs 6:6-11).

When we pay attention to the behaviors of others, we can see that consequences—both good and bad—always follow. In our culture, which emphasizes personal achievement and pleasure, few people think about the future effects of their actions. But the Bible helps us understand life from God’s perspective and helps us make the wise choices that produce positive results.

Heeding godly counsel. Everyone needs guidance at times, but not all advice is godly. Some people—even trained counselors—can actually lead us astray instead of helping us find God’s way. Whenever we seek out someone for direction, we should examine that person’s lifestyle and determine the source of his or her advice. Is the counsel based on God’s Word or on academic knowledge and personal opinions? Once we’ve determined that the guidance is from Him, we must be willing to heed it and accept reproof if necessary (Proverbs 15:31-32).
Associating with the wise. We should never underestimate the influence of friends. They can either help us grow in wisdom or cause us to suffer harm (Proverbs 13:20). That’s why we need to examine our friends closely to determine whether they’re building us up spiritually or leading us astray. We should also evaluate what kind of friends we are to others. Are we willing to tell them the truth based on what Scripture says, or is our goal only to tell them what they want to hear? Giving people bad advice just to make them feel better or to gain approval for ourselves is a disservice.

RESPONSE

Wisdom is a choice, one that begins with the decision to trust Christ as Savior and increases as we follow the teachings of God’s Word. If we want to be wise, we must have a passion for the Lord’s guidance because there are many ideas, people, and situations that will tempt us to ignore scriptural principles.
The world tells us to live for today’s pleasures and pursuits, but knowing our time on earth is limited should actually prompt us to correct sinful behaviors and attitudes and begin living wisely. Our heavenly Father will always strengthen, defend, and help those who trust in Him, and blessings are promised to those who heed His perfect counsel.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR WORK

KEY PASSAGE: Colossians 3:22-25 | Colossians 4:1

SUMMARY

Since we should provide for ourselves and others, we all ought to work.

God ordained man’s labor from the beginning of creation, and we’re all responsible to do whatever job He’s given us, whether in the home, the church, or the workplace. The important issue is not so much what we do, but how we do it.

SERMON POINTS

Since this is our common responsibility, we should learn how to get the most out of our work. Some people think the goal is to make as much money as possible, but God’s purposes for work include much more than merely gaining financial wealth.

The Lord uses our employment, whether at home or in the workplace, for a variety of reasons: to develop the skills and abilities He’s given us, to make a valuable contribution to others and society, to build our character through the challenges and stresses of our jobs, and to teach us how to interact with people in a godly fashion and build relationships with them.

How can you get the most out of your work?

Since God established work and achieves His purposes through our labor, He alone knows the best way for us to carry out our tasks, and Colossians 3:22-4:1 contains His instructions. This passage is addressed to Christian slaves and masters. When Paul wrote this letter, slavery was widespread in the Roman Empire—perhaps half of the population. Although our culture has changed, the following biblical principles outlined in this passage can be applied to employers and employees.

1. View yourself as a servant. “Slaves, obey those who are your human masters in everything, not with eye-service, as people-pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord” (3:22). This is contrary to our society’s beliefs. It values rights, independence, and prominence. No one wants to be a servant.

But Jesus promoted a servant heart. He told His followers, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles domineer over them, and those in high position exercise authority over them. It is not this way among you, but whoever wants to become prominent among you shall be your servant, and whoever desires to be first among you shall be your slave; just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28).

As Christians, we are to have the same humble attitude Christ had (Philippians 2:5-8). When we come to work as a servant of those who employ us, we’re demonstrating Christlike character. This attitude also affects our motives and the quality of our work because we aren’t there just to get something for ourselves but to benefit others and to be a witness for Christ.

If you have a servant spirit, others may take advantage or mistreat you just as they did Jesus and Paul. But ultimately, you can never lose when you obey the principles of God’s Word. Your attitude should not be determined by how you’re treated, but by how the Lord says you are to behave as His follower.

2. Do your work for the Lord. “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people” (Col. 3:23). Whether under a supervisor’s authority or working for ourselves, the Lord is the one we aim to please. Because He is our Lord, every area of our lives is submitted to Him, and that includes our professions.

Doing your work for the Lord means you’ll do your tasks “not with eye-service, as people pleasers, but with sincerity of heart, fearing the Lord” (3:22). You won’t slough off when no one’s looking. The Lord sees when no one else does, and He’s the one you serve. Out of fear and reverence for Him, always do your best whether anyone sees or not. You may not like your job, but that’s where God has placed you at this time. Your responsibility is to serve Him faithfully in that position whether the conditions are pleasant or difficult.

3. View Christ as your authority. “It is the Lord Christ whom you serve” (3:24). Ultimately, the Lord is your boss, and He commands you to do what your employer says unless it’s something immoral, corrupt, unrighteous, dishonest, or contrary to God’s Word. If for any of these reasons you can’t obey your employer, then you must trust the Lord to protect you and provide a different job.

Obedience in the workplace is an essential part of obedience to God. If you refuse to do what you’re told at work, then you’re rebelling against the Lord, who tells us to obey those in authority over us. The Lord chose to set that person over you, and your responsibility is to serve Him by serving your boss. Complaining to others or talking about the boss behind his back dishonors God and ruins your witness.

4. See other people as worthy. “Masters, grant your slaves justice and fairness, knowing that you also have a Master in heaven” (4:1). Christian employers are warned not to treat their employees unfairly. People are not to be used for self-advancement, but are to be loved and respected. God is our ultimate authority and judge. If we mistreat or disrespect people, we’ll receive the consequences of our wrongdoing without partiality (3:25).

5. View your rewards as both present and future. “Do your work heartily, as for the Lord and not for people, knowing that it is from the Lord that you will receive the reward of the inheritance” (3:23-24). Through labor we earn a paycheck, but there are other rewards that come to us when we do our work according to God’s principles.

Our ambition as believers should be to please the Lord in everything we do, whether at home, in the church, at work, or anywhere else. “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10).

God has given each of us work to do, and it’s our responsibility as believers to do it with all our heart out of love for Him and with humility and respect for others.

RESPONSE

What is your attitude toward work? Do you see it as a dreaded burden to be endured each day or a blessing from God given for your provision? How often do you complain about your job? How often do you thank God for it?
What would it look like to do your work heartily as to the Lord? How would a servant heart improve your attitude, performance, and interactions with others?
What changes will you need to make in your thinking and behavior in order to apply the biblical principles mentioned above?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

ARE YOU WALKING WITH GOD?

KEY PASSAGE: Genesis 5:21-24

SUMMARY

When you come to the end of your life, what do you want people to remember about you?

Perhaps you’d like to be known for admirable qualities like kindness, love, generosity, knowledge, or wisdom. Or maybe your skills and abilities, or the way you related to others, are what you want people to recall. If you’re a believer, the greatest compliment you could receive is the recognition that you walked with God.

SERMON POINTS

To walk with God means to keep Him at the center of our lives—in everything we do, say, and think in our relationships, finances, plans, and every other area of life. Genesis 5:21-24 says Enoch was a man who walked with God until the Lord took him to heaven. He is also mentioned in Hebrews 11:5 and Jude 1:14-15 as a righteous man who didn’t die because he was pleasing to God. Noah, Enoch’s descendant, also walked with God. He lived at a time when “the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually” (Gen. 6:5). Conditions were so bad that the Lord was sorry He had made man, and as a result, He eventually sent a worldwide flood to destroy everyone except Noah and his family.

Today, we too live in a very sinful world in which many people are lost and living in darkness. Their path is so spiritually dark that they can’t see where they are going or what dangers or obstacles are ahead. Yet many of them claim they don’t need help and want nothing to do with the only source of light, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Criteria for Walking With God

In contrast, those of us who have placed our faith and trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior desire God’s help because we want to live in a manner that pleases and honors Him, and results in the best possible life for us as well. In order to walk with God as Enoch and Noah did, we should pursue the following criteria:

We must accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. This is the first and most essential requirement because the only way to come to God is through His Son Jesus (John 14:6). Once we have believed in Him and received the forgiveness of our sins, our walk with God can begin.
We need to learn to listen to God. The time we spend alone with Him, reading and meditating on His Word and talking to Him in prayer, is essential. This is how we receive instructions and guidance for the day ahead. Then throughout the day, we are reminded of His ways and can ask the Lord for wisdom or direction whenever we need it.
We have to trust Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” If we don’t trust the Lord, we won’t follow Him but will prefer to rely on our own judgment. This is especially true when His path makes no sense to us or the timing doesn’t seem right. What we must remember is that we cannot fully understand God’s ways this side of heaven, but we can trust Him to always lead us on the right path.
We should agree with God. When we disagree with His direction and think we know a better way, we foolishly or ignorantly try to make everything work out right. But God’s Word tells us to follow the Lord, not our own limited understanding. He alone is omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent. We ought to align ourselves with Him instead of expecting Him to line up with us.
We must obey the Lord. If we claim to agree with God and His Word but are not obeying Him, we are not walking with Him. The Lord requires that we do what He says, when He says, and how He says, even if we don’t fully understand or like it. Without obedience, we cannot truly be followers of Christ. It must become our lifestyle. Every morning we should wake up with the intention to surrender our will to Him, trust His guidance, and follow His leadership throughout the day ahead.
We have to walk in the same direction God walks. He has a uniquely designed will for each of us. This is why it’s so important to seek His guidance every day and be committed to doing whatever He desires by the power of His Holy Spirit, who always leads us to make wise and godly decisions. Although another direction may seem shorter, faster, and less costly, only God’s way is the right one. Sometimes we may have to lay down our own desires and pursuits or separate from people who are going the opposite direction.
We must stay in step with the Lord. The idea is to walk together in the same direction and at the same pace. Oftentimes, we either lag behind or become impatient and get ahead of God because we don’t want to wait. That’s why it’s so important to make the Scripture a daily part of our lives. God’s Word is our compass that shows us whether we’re walking in the right direction and at the right pace. As we read the Word and listen to the Lord, we’ll become receptive and sensitive to His leadership so we can obey Him. Since He’s omniscient and knows the future, we can be certain that His timing for our lives is always best.
We ought to love God. If we truly love the Lord, we will do what He says because our desire will be to please and obey Him. We’ll keep our ears open to hear His directions and wait for His timing.
We must forsake sin. To walk with God we need a clean heart. Whenever we sin in thought or action, we must deal with it immediately and turn from it. Furthermore, we should ask the Lord to reveal any sins in our lives that are causing us to stumble, so we can forsake them and continue walking with Him and enjoying the blessings of obedience.
We also have to pursue a life of holiness. This isn’t a perfect life but one that is surrendered and committed to the will of almighty God. When we pursue holiness we will be quick to confess and turn from sin so we can be forgiven and cleansed (1 John 1:9).

RESPONSE

In light of all these criteria, can you say that you are walking with God? Which ones are true of you? Which ones could use some improvement?
What can you do to be more consistent in walking with God? What inspires you to persevere in your walk with Him?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

TOUCHING THE HEARTS OF THE NEXT GENERATION

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 78:1-8

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Psalm 37:4-7 | Proverbs 22:6 | John 14:6 | Ephesians 6:1-4

SUMMARY

Christians are under a divine obligation to teach the next generation the truth of God’s Word so they will understand that they are His children, know that He has a plan for their lives, and be equipped to face life.

This pattern of instruction should continue without a gap from one generation to the next. Parents, in particular, have the responsibility to introduce their children to the Lord.

SERMON POINTS

The writer of Psalm 78 describes how God’s truth should be passed down from one generation to the next.

Serving Christ Is God’s Will.

The apostle Paul gives the following explanation of what it means to walk in God’s will.

“Tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord, and His strength and His wondrous works that He has done” (v. 4).
“For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel, which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children” (v. 5).
“That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children” (v. 6).
“That they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments” (v. 7).

At the time this psalm was written, the Bible had not yet been completed. As the words of Moses in Genesis through Deuteronomy were taught to the people, they were expected to pass down information about the Lord to their children. They didn’t have written copies of the Scriptures so the parents taught God’s truths verbally from one generation to the next. Today we have the Holy Bible, the infallible, eternal Word of God in which is written everything we need to know about the Lord and His instructions to us.

The Divine Obligation

Like the Israelites, we too have been entrusted with the responsibility to teach by instruction and example the truth of God’s Word, which results in a desire to walk obediently before the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit. Since both instruction and example are necessary, we must have consistency between what we say and what we do if we hope to pass down God’s truths to the next generation.

Our instruction should include the principles of

God’s Word that we have read, learned, and lived out in our own lives—in other words, our personal testimony. And like the Old Testament saints, we must also teach our children who God is, what He has done, and how He expects us to live. But instruction alone is not enough; we must also teach them by example how to obey the Lord.
Although we may feel as if we don’t know enough to pass on scriptural truths, we all have a story to tell. First of all, everyone who’s been saved by the grace of God understands what’s required for salvation. And as we read the Bible, we should share what we are learning. Furthermore, we can explain how the Lord has worked in our lives by protecting, providing, encouraging, and helping us through life’s hardships and pain.
Christian parents cannot entrust this divine obligation to someone else. Ephesians 6:4 says, “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.” We don’t have to be well-educated or seminary-trained to fulfill this assignment. Simply reading the Bible to our children and assuring them that God’s Word is true will be effective.
The state of our culture makes this divine obligation even more critical. The world our children inhabit is full of errors, dangers, and distractions that could lead them away from Christ. Today’s technology can be used to promote the gospel, but it also distracts young people from what’s truly important.
We have many ways to teach the next generation. We should begin with our own beliefs and life experiences, but there’s also value in passing down what we’ve learned about the Lord from our parents and grandparents. The key is diligence. We can’t afford to let teaching opportunities pass just because we feel inadequate. Although Sunday schools are important, they should never be a substitute for parental responsibility.
Grounding our children in scriptural truth is especially important as they head off to school. Because we live in an anti-God environment today, we cannot rely on teachers and professors to teach truth. Although there are many teachers who love the Lord, secular education systems hinder them from talking about spiritual things. God has given us the responsibility to teach our children to discern between truth and error so they’ll be prepared to go out into the world. If we don’t courageously stand up for the truth of Scripture, our children and grandchildren may drown in secularism and unbelief.
We must talk to our children about spiritual matters. Since our society is disinterested in the things of God, the most loving thing we can do for our children is to discuss spiritual truths with them. We should ask them what they are learning in school and what they believe about spiritual matters. It’s our responsibility to teach them that God is the Creator, and His Son, Jesus Christ, is the only way of salvation (John 14:6).
We are living in spiritually dangerous times and must take a stand for truth to protect our children. In the 1960s, immorality and the pursuit of success and wealth were promoted, and by the 1970s many parents had lost their children to rebellion against God. Ever since then, law and order, and love and respect for one another have degenerated. If God’s people do not take a stand, the culture will continue this downward trend. The line of testimony from faithful witnesses for Christ cannot be taken for granted, nor should it be ignored. Providing for our children doesn’t merely include physical needs, material possessions, and education. The most important thing we can do for them is to train them in the way they should go so they can live godly lives (Proverbs 22:6).
The task is not too big for us because we have the Holy Spirit living within us. He will guide our steps, help us understand God’s Word, and show us how to reach the next generation. As we open the Bible, we will become more familiar with it, our faith in the Lord will increase, we’ll learn His truths, and our lives will be changed. There are many searching, unsettled, and dissatisfied people who desperately need to hear what almighty God can do in a life, and we have a testimony to share with them.

RESPONSE

What obstacles might be keeping you from teaching the next generation about the Lord through example and instruction?
Think about your testimony and what you could share with someone younger. What have you learned in God’s Word? How has He worked in your life?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

BEFORE YOU STEP OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD

KEY PASSAGE: Colossians 3:23-25

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Numbers 32:23 | Galatians 6:7 | 1 John 1:9

SUMMARY

God has spoken very clearly in His Word regarding His will for our lives

In addition, He has given us the Holy Spirit to help us discern what He desires and to enable us to obey Him. However, we must each decide whether we are going to follow Him or go our own way.

SERMON POINTS

Life at its best can only be experienced by living according to God’s will because He alone knows what is best.

At times we may question why the Lord allows certain difficulties and struggles in one person’s life, while another may never have to go through such trials. From an earthly perspective, afflictions may not look like the best plan, but God alone knows what He desires to accomplish in each person’s life through various situations. However, when someone follows the Lord obediently in difficult circumstances, He is able to accomplish amazing things in that person’s life. God promises to work out every event for the good of those who obey Him.

In contrast, those who live outside God’s will reject the best possible life, which only He can offer. Although they think they are choosing a good course of action since it promises to give them what they want, they end up paying a costly price for their disobedience to almighty God.

Many people will not discover this truth until later in life, but it is never too late to submit to the Lord. The past cannot be changed, but God can forgive and change the direction of the life of anyone who turns to Him in repentance. All believers have the Holy Spirit within them who transforms their thoughts, habits, and way of life to help them live obediently according to God’s will.

Serving Christ Is God’s Will.

The apostle Paul gives the following explanation of what it means to walk in God’s will.

Colossians 3:23-24 “Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve.”

Some people think that after salvation, they can then do as they please, but that is not true. Paul says that once we are saved, we become servants of the Lord Jesus Christ. He is our Master, and every day of our lives is to be spent serving Him, knowing that one day we must all stand before Him to give an account for how we lived.

Warnings to Those Who Don’t Obey God’s Will

If we go through life without thinking about the Lord, reading His Word, or praying, this is evidence that we are living for ourselves rather than for Christ. Before we continue going down this path, we should stop and heed God’s warnings in Scripture so we won’t have to suffer the consequences of rebelling against Him.

Colossians 3:25 “For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality.”
Galatians 6:7 “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap.”
Numbers 32:23 “You have sinned against the Lord, and be sure your sin will find you out.”

The Consequences of Stepping Out of God’s Will

Before foolishly disobeying God and ignoring or rejecting His will, we must consider the consequences. The Bible provides many examples from which to learn.

Adam and Eve. Although they lived in a perfect environment, had every need met, and enjoyed intimate fellowship with God, they chose to disobey Him. As a result, the entire creation suffered the consequences of sin.
Those in Noah’s day. The wickedness of the human race became so great that God decided to destroy everything on the face of the earth with a flood. But Noah was righteous and obeyed the Lord by building an ark. Therefore, he and his family were rescued from the flood and that evil society.
Israel. The Lord God chose the nation of Israel to be His people. After 400 years of living in slavery to the Egyptians, He miraculously rescued them, gave them His law by which they were to live, provided for their needs, and promised to give them the land of Canaan as a home. But they continually disobeyed Him in the wilderness and refused to enter the land because they were afraid of the giants who lived there and didn’t trust God to do what He’d promised. Consequently, an entire generation was not allowed to enter the land but was sentenced by God to wander in the desert for 40 years until they all died.
Samson. God called Samson to live a holy life and gave him supernatural strength to overcome Israel’s enemies. However, he yielded to temptation when a woman named Delilah begged him to tell her the secret of his strength. In a moment of weakness he forsook God’s will and revealed his secret. As a result, he lost his strength and his eyesight, was captured by the enemy and confined in prison where he was forced to grind grain, and eventually lost his life.
David. David was the shepherd boy who killed Goliath and became the king of Israel. But when his kingdom was established, he yielded to temptation, committed adultery and murder, and suffered the consequences for the rest of his life.
Jonah. When the Lord told the prophet to preach repentance to Israel’s enemies in Nineveh, Jonah rebelled by boarding a ship sailing in the opposite direction. As a result of his refusal to follow God’s will, Jonah was thrown overboard in a storm and swallowed by a great fish. Finally, at the point of death, he cried out to God, was rescued from the fish, and obediently went to Nineveh.
Peter. As one of Christ’s inner circle of disciples, Peter had the privilege of spending three years with Him, seeing His miracles and hearing His teaching. But on the night that Jesus was arrested, Peter’s loyalty was replaced by fear, and he denied knowing Him three times. When Jesus turned and looked at Peter, he was overwhelmed with remorse.

RESPONSE

To the best of your knowledge, are you walking in God’s will? This doesn’t mean you have to be perfect, but by His grace and the power of His Spirit, do you desire to live in obedience to Him? How often do you stop to consider the consequences of disobedience?
Are you living as a servant of Christ and doing all your work for Him? Where do you need to make some changes in order to be a more faithful servant?
Have you surrendered your life to Christ? Are there any areas you want to keep under your control? How confident are you that His way is best?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE WILL OF GOD IN YOUR LIFE

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 22:39-42 SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: 2 Peter 3:17-18 | Hebrews 9:27

SUMMARY

Do you ask the Lord to show you His will, or do you decide each day how you want to live and what you will do?

The reality is that seldom do people give God much thought when it comes to their daily lives. This is understandable for those who don’t know Him, but for those of us who have trusted Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, seeking God’s direction and provision for each day should be a priority in our thoughts, prayers, and decisions.

SERMON POINTS

Although we may be tempted to relegate God’s will only to spiritual matters, if Jesus Christ is our Savior and Lord, there is no part of our lives about which He is not concerned and over which He does not have the right to rule.

The will of God is the principle by which we should live every single day.

To live independently without asking the Lord for His guidance and provision reveals that we don’t think we need Him. Although we might readily deny this, what we truly believe is not demonstrated so much by our words but by our attitudes, conduct, and habits.

If we believe what the Bible says about God, then we understand that He is sovereign over every area of our lives and that submission to Him as Lord is essential. Therefore, we should continually aim to please and honor Him in all we do by seeking His guidance in our relationships, financial decisions, work issues, and every other daily concern.

Jesus Christ is our example to follow.

Even the Son of God lived in complete dependence and submission to His Father. When the prospect of the cross was imminent, He did not face it independently.

Luke 22:39-42 “And He came out and proceeded as was His custom to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples also followed Him. When He arrived at the place, He said to them, ‘Pray that you may not enter into temptation.’ And He withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, and He knelt down and began to pray, saying, ‘Father, if You are willing, remove this cup from Me; yet not My will, but Yours be done.’”

In His time of distress, Jesus asked the Father if there was any other means to accomplish the redemption of mankind—there wasn’t—but His main concern was that He follow God’s will, not His own. And that’s exactly how we should think about every situation we face.

The will of God is that which He approves and determines to bring about.

It concerns His choices regarding what to do and what not to do. Since He is omniscient, we can trust that He knows the best path for us. God created us to find our satisfaction and fulfillment in Him alone. Therefore, to ignore His will and live as if He has no say in our lives is foolish. All our attempts to govern our own lives cannot bring us the lasting joy and peace we desire because there is no eternal satisfaction apart from submission to the Lord.

Living in God’s will is our protection.

2 Peter 3:17-18 says, “You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

If we don’t look to God for daily direction, we are sure to stumble and fall. We can’t know what the future holds, but the Lord does. He alone has complete understanding and wisdom to direct our path, not only in the crucial decisions, but in our daily concerns. Considering all this, our response should be to make Him our priority each day.

What is God’s will?

First and foremost, He desires that we trust in the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior and surrender fully to Him. The Lord knows every detail of our lives and has given each of us different capabilities and skills that enable us to accomplish whatever He has planned for us. Therefore, we must avoid the danger of comparing ourselves with others and longing for what He has entrusted to another person. In His wisdom, God has provided everything we need to live as He desires and has promised to guide us into His will if we are yielded to Him.

We need the Lord for every aspect of our lives.

Therefore, we should pray and read His Word every day to discover how He would have us live and to plead for His guidance. We need His wisdom in our marriages, with our children, on the job, and with problems that arise. No part of our lives is to be lived independently of our wise and loving Creator.

Those who don’t know Christ as Savior are living without God.

This is why some people’s lives are such a mess. They try to fill the divine void with substitutes, but the emptiness remains because there is only one person who can satisfy the deep longings of the human heart, and that is Jesus.

God loved mankind so much that He sent His beloved Son to die for them so that those who believe in Jesus Christ could be forgiven and reconciled to Him. Yet so many people in the world will never turn to the Lord because they don’t want anyone, including God, telling them how to live. As a result, they miss out on the best possible life because genuine peace, joy, and fulfillment are only found in a relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Life is serious business because after death, there will be judgment (Hebrews 9:27). As the Creator, God has a right to be the center of our lives. The reason our society is in chaos is because people think they don’t need God nor do they want to obey Him. But until they confess their sin, receive Christ as Savior, and surrender fully to Him, they will never know His salvation.

But to those of us who turn to Christ in repentance, faith, and submission, God gives guidance for every step of life. He is able to redeem our past and give us an entirely new heart and perspective on life—one in which He is the center and priority. Although His plans for our lives are not always easy, they are always best.

RESPONSE

Are you living according to God’s will? How do you know whether or not you are?
Do you seek God’s will each day, or do you only come to Him when you have a situation you can’t handle or figure out?
Does the prospect of surrendering to God’s authority make you uncomfortable, or does it give you a sense of security and peace? What does this say about your relationship with Him?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

SURVIVING OUR PRESENT CULTURE

KEY PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 3:1 SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 119:11 | Isaiah 40:8 | Titus 1:5-16

SUMMARY

Our culture today is not a friend to Christians.

Therefore, we must learn to live in a world that’s opposed to our beliefs, values, and lifestyles without being overcome by it. That’s what happened to the church in Corinth. They compromised with the culture around them and couldn’t receive Paul’s message to them as spiritually mature believers, because they were still like infants in Christ (1 Corinthians 3:1).

The same thing can happen to us today. Some believers are committed to Christ and growing in spiritual maturity, dependent on the Holy Spirit, obedient, and trusting in the Lord. But there are others who are lustful and immature because they’ve compromised with the culture and adopted its ideas, values, and practices.

SERMON POINTS

After Paul left Crete, he wrote a letter to instruct Titus, a local pastor. The culture in Crete was similar to ours today—filled with rebellious people, empty talkers, and deceivers. Paul told Titus to appoint elders in the churches who’d hold “firmly the faithful word which is in accordance with the teaching, so that he will be able both to exhort in sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it” (Titus 1:9).

Holding fast to the faithful Word is the key to living in this world without becoming conformed to it. Ours is a secular culture dominated by materialism, immorality, sensuality, and perversions of every sort. People live in defiance of God’s law, believing they can do whatever they please without any consequences.

The danger we face is the subtle influence of the culture. It seeps into our minds through the media, doing its damage in our lives, families, and churches with its corrupting philosophies, ideas, and values. The only way to combat this is to cling to God’s Word and let it influence us more than anything else.

Why should we hold firmly to God’s Word?

The Nature of the Bible
- This Book is unique because God is the author. His Spirit worked through men to record His thoughts in written form. The Scriptures reveal God to us—His power, works, character, truth, plan of redemption, and instructions for mankind.
- The Bible is the foundation for our beliefs and truth. We don’t live by opinions, but by the principles from God’s Word that shape our conduct, conversation, and character.
- The Scriptures are eternal. Human beings, along with their philosophies and ideas, are like grass that withers and flowers that fade, “but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8). The culture thinks the Bible is outdated and inadequate for our times. Some people even think it’s a hate book because they don’t want to be convicted regarding their sinful lifestyles. But no matter how much God’s Word is reviled and attacked, it cannot be destroyed. The Lord has preserved it throughout human history because it’s His eternal Word.
The Purpose of God’s Word
- The Lord gave us His Word so we could be saved. The gospel is His plan of salvation through His Son, Jesus Christ. It tells us how to receive forgiveness of sins through faith and be reconciled with our Creator.
- God’s Word is given so we can live godly lives. As we cling to it, we’ll be transformed by it. But this won’t happen if we hold it loosely.
- The Lord gave us Scripture so we could understand the truth and be able to defend the faith.
The Power of God’s Word

Because the Lord is almighty, His Word is too. It has the power to change lives and help us live as God desires.

It provides hope and help during hardship.
It gives guidance and wisdom.
It lifts burdens.
It brings us joy, peace, confidence, and courage.
It keeps us from sin. “I have treasured Your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against You” (Psalm 119:11).
It brings us back to God when we stray.
It equips us to identify and refute error so we can guard ourselves from false doctrines and ideas.
It gives us assurance.
It equips us to serve God in various ways.

God’s Word is our anchor in a corrupt culture.

The world does its best to drag us away from the Lord. It can’t steal our salvation, but it can deceive us and tempt us to let go of our anchor. That’s why we must be diligent to hold fast to God’s Word by:

Having Unwavering Faith. Doubts regarding the truth of God’s Word usually arise when we dismiss the verses and passages that forbid what we want to do or command what we don’t want to do. Before long, we rewrite the Bible by holding onto only the parts we find acceptable and rationalizing away the rest. Although there is much in Scripture we don’t understand and may not like, the proper response is to rest assured that all of God’s Word is trustworthy.
Applying Scripture to Our Lives. Biblical truths are not just the foundation for our beliefs, but the message in our hearts and minds, on our lips, and before our eyes. If we want pure lives, we must fill our minds with the purity of God’s Word. Every decision we make should be guided by biblical principles.

What are some practical ways we can hold firmly to God’s Word?

Read it carefully.
Meditate on it daily.
Study it seriously.
Believe it wholeheartedly.
Obey it consistently.
Apply it personally.
Share it confidently.

What happens if we don’t cling to Scripture?

The culture gets our attention.
Other things begin to influence us.
The world wins our affections.
Our focus is redirected from the Lord to the culture.
Cultural topics dominate our conversation.
The world influences our dress.
Our choice of music is influenced.
The culture steals the money we once gave to the Lord’s work.
We alter agendas to make time for worldly pursuits.
We fill our minds with sensual, immoral thoughts.
Our witness is ruined.
We’re led into idolatry.

The tragedy for believers who compromise with the world is that even though their souls are saved, their lives are wasted. The only solution is to repent by turning away from the culture, back to the Lord and His Word.

RESPONSE

What influences you more–the Bible or the culture?
Do you accept things today as normal, or can you see how corrupt the culture has become? How has it changed during your lifetime?
What effect is the media having on your thoughts, attitudes, emotions, and practices? How much does it occupy your time and focus compared with God’s Word?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

HELP FOR OUR HEALING

KEY PASSAGE: James 5:13-20

SUMMARY

We gain a right perspective on our health when we consider its Source.

Instead of looking in books and magazines for the latest advice, we should study what the Bible tells us about good health. God says a believer’s body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19-20). That means our bodies do not belong to us because we have been purchased with the blood of Christ.

We now serve as His representatives on earth, and that’s why our conduct, character, and conversation should be a reflection of Christ in the world. Knowing this should motivate us to maintain good health so the Lord can use us as He desires. However, since we can’t always avoid sickness, we need to understand exactly what the Bible tells us to do when we’re in need of healing.

SERMON POINTS

We must understand basic biblical teaching on the subject of healing.

The Lord gives us a pattern to follow in James 5:13-20. First century believers didn’t have the pharmacies, hospitals, and doctors we so readily rely upon. Although God has blessed us with these tremendous resources, we are just as dependent upon Him for healing as they were and should follow the same pattern set before us in Scripture. When we are ill, we should ask ourselves:

Is sickness a result of sin? Sometimes it’s due to personal sin, but not always.
Is it the Lord’s will to heal everyone? No, but there are times when it is.
What role do physicians play? God calls many of them to help. For instance, Paul often relied upon Luke, the beloved physician.
How should we respond when the Lord doesn’t heal us? Knowing He promises to work all things for our good, we can trust Him to accomplish His purpose, even through illness (Rom. 8:28).
Can unbelievers expect God to answer their prayers for healing? Since they don’t have a relationship with Him, He isn’t obligated to answer their prayers. However, God does extend mercy and give healing in order to draw people to the Savior.
Can sickness in the life of a believer be profitable? The psalmist testifies, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:71). Although no one enjoys affliction, the Lord uses it for His ultimate purpose—to shape us into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29).

Healing should involve other people.

The church is more than an organization. It’s the family of God, and we are told repeatedly in the Scriptures to love and care for one another. The early church demonstrated this interdependence, and their goal was to make sure everyone’s needs were met. The course of action outlined in James 5:14-15 gives every member of the body of Christ the steps to follow when facing sickness:

Whoever wants to receive prayer for healing must be willing to ask for it. When a believer is struggling, he or she should seek out the elders of the church who are tasked with guarding and leading the flock (Acts 20:28).
The elders should pray, anointing him or her with oil. Prayer is the most essential element of healing. Oil was used for medical purposes in the early centuries and has no power of its own. However, for us, it symbolizes the presence of the Holy Spirit.
It should all be done in the name of the Lord. These actions, when they are performed in obedience to the will of God, indicate that the elders trust the Holy Spirit to work in the person’s body.

The person who is praying must meet certain criteria.

God’s involvement is essential for healing, and this is why intercessors must be people of godly character. Nothing in their lives should prevent the Lord from hearing and answering their prayers (James 5:15-16). They possess:

Hearts of faith. This means their prayers are based on the Word of God and in confidence that the Lord will do what He’s said.
Pure hearts. Since sin is a barrier to the Lord’s blessings and hinders His work in a believer’s life, it must be dealt with before effective intercession can occur. The elders’ hearts must be pure, and the person who is sick should confess his or her sins because there is sometimes a link between the two.
Righteous lifestyles. Each and every believer who is firmly committed to Jesus and seeks to walk obediently in His will can be a healing agent God can use to intercede for those who are in need.

Why don’t Christians always follow this pattern?

Despite the guidelines in the book of James, many Christians fail to apply them because of misunderstandings and excuses. For example:

They think this pattern only applied to the first century church.
They don’t believe it works today.
They’re too embarrassed to admit that they need help.
They’re too proud to ask for help.
They’re afraid to pray for others because their prayers might not be answered.
They’re too embarrassed to confess their sins to someone else.
They’re consumed with their own needs and believe they don’t have time to sympathize with or pray for others.
They have sin in their own lives and doubt that God can heal.
They don’t feel worthy to be used by the Lord.
It’s easier to send a card or flowers than to engage in serious prayer for others.

RESPONSE

Are you allowing the Lord to use you as an agent of healing in the family of God? Many people are going through difficulties and need someone to listen and pray for them. You don’t have to be a pastor or elder to be used by the Lord. If you’ll allow His Spirit to give you sensitivity to the hurting people around you and seek to become a person with a heart of faith and purity who has a righteous lifestyle, your effective prayers will accomplish much.

HELP FOR OUR HEALING

KEY PASSAGE: James 5:13-20

SUMMARY

We gain a right perspective on our health when we consider its Source.

SERMON POINTS

We must understand basic biblical teaching on the subject of healing.

Is sickness a result of sin? Sometimes it’s due to personal sin, but not always.
Is it the Lord’s will to heal everyone? No, but there are times when it is.
What role do physicians play? God calls many of them to help. For instance, Paul often relied upon Luke, the beloved physician.
How should we respond when the Lord doesn’t heal us? Knowing He promises to work all things for our good, we can trust Him to accomplish His purpose, even through illness (Rom. 8:28).
Can unbelievers expect God to answer their prayers for healing? Since they don’t have a relationship with Him, He isn’t obligated to answer their prayers. However, God does extend mercy and give healing in order to draw people to the Savior.
Can sickness in the life of a believer be profitable? The psalmist testifies, “It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I may learn Your statutes” (Psalm 119:71). Although no one enjoys affliction, the Lord uses it for His ultimate purpose—to shape us into the image of His Son (Rom. 8:29).

Healing should involve other people.

Whoever wants to receive prayer for healing must be willing to ask for it. When a believer is struggling, he or she should seek out the elders of the church who are tasked with guarding and leading the flock (Acts 20:28).
The elders should pray, anointing him or her with oil. Prayer is the most essential element of healing. Oil was used for medical purposes in the early centuries and has no power of its own. However, for us, it symbolizes the presence of the Holy Spirit.
It should all be done in the name of the Lord. These actions, when they are performed in obedience to the will of God, indicate that the elders trust the Holy Spirit to work in the person’s body.

The person who is praying must meet certain criteria.

Hearts of faith. This means their prayers are based on the Word of God and in confidence that the Lord will do what He’s said.
Pure hearts. Since sin is a barrier to the Lord’s blessings and hinders His work in a believer’s life, it must be dealt with before effective intercession can occur. The elders’ hearts must be pure, and the person who is sick should confess his or her sins because there is sometimes a link between the two.
Righteous lifestyles. Each and every believer who is firmly committed to Jesus and seeks to walk obediently in His will can be a healing agent God can use to intercede for those who are in need.

Why don’t Christians always follow this pattern?

Despite the guidelines in the book of James, many Christians fail to apply them because of misunderstandings and excuses. For example:

They think this pattern only applied to the first century church.
They don’t believe it works today.
They’re too embarrassed to admit that they need help.
They’re too proud to ask for help.
They’re afraid to pray for others because their prayers might not be answered.
They’re too embarrassed to confess their sins to someone else.
They’re consumed with their own needs and believe they don’t have time to sympathize with or pray for others.
They have sin in their own lives and doubt that God can heal.
They don’t feel worthy to be used by the Lord.
It’s easier to send a card or flowers than to engage in serious prayer for others.

RESPONSE

Are you allowing the Lord to use you as an agent of healing in the family of God? Many people are going through difficulties and need someone to listen and pray for them. You don’t have to be a pastor or elder to be used by the Lord. If you’ll allow His Spirit to give you sensitivity to the hurting people around you and seek to become a person with a heart of faith and purity who has a righteous lifestyle, your effective prayers will accomplish much.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

LIFE PRINCIPLE 25: PASSING ON GOD'S BLESSINGS

Are you a giver or a taker? In tough economic times, we tend to be selfish with our resources. Dr. Stanley shares with us the truth behind the principle Jesus showed us here on earth, "God blesses us so that we might bless others." Jesus stressed that caring for the needs of others was more important than storing wealth for our own use. Will you freely share the blessings God has given you, trusting Him to provide for all of your needs?

KEY VERSE: Ephesians 4:28

How would you complete the following three statements?

God saved me because _________________.
God’s purpose for me is _______________.
I am most like Jesus when I ________________.

This little quiz is not to put you on the spot, but it is to set the proper framework for this life principle:

1. God saved me because He loves me.

The sole reason God sent His Son to this world to die for our sins was because He loved us. When we acknowledge our sin and need for a Savior, He forgives us, grants us eternal life, and gives us the gift of His Holy Spirit out of His immeasurable love and grace. There is no other reason.

Many people seem to believe that God saves a man or woman because of the person’s good works or service. Nothing could be further from the truth. No amount or type of service can earn salvation. The apostle Paul made this very clear when he wrote: “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). Even the faith by which we believe that God forgives us and saves us is a divine gift that flows from His love!

This point is critical to understand. Any good we do is in response to God’s gifts of salvation, eternal life, and the Holy Spirit—never in order to earn, win, or warrant salvation.

2. God’s purpose for me is to bring Him glory.

God saved you and me so that we would serve as examples to others of His love and mercy at work in and through a human life.

Many people seem to think the only reason for salvation is so that a person will go to heaven when he dies. Eternal life is part of God’s plan of forgiveness, but that is not the sole reason for our salvation. God saved us so that we each might reflect His nature—that we might be His people on this earth, doing the kinds of works that Jesus Himself would do if He were walking in our shoes, through our world, during our lifetime. He desires to manifest His character through our personalities and giftedness.

When we allow His Holy Spirit to work in us and through us to others, we become vessels of His love in action. We begin to reflect His compassion, love, and mercy to others. And in so doing, we become His witnesses. We bring credit, honor, and glory to Him.

3. I am most like Jesus when I serve others.

The foremost characteristic of the life of Jesus Christ was and is service. We are most like Him when we serve as He served.

Many seem to think that a person is most like Jesus when he preaches like Jesus preached, teaches like Jesus taught, heals like Jesus healed, or performs miracles like Jesus performed miracles. They look only at the outward manifestation of a person’s witness and ministry.

They need to look beyond the outer manifestation to the motivation for Jesus’ life. That motivation was always love. Jesus preached, taught, healed, and performed miracles in order to help others, never to call attention to Himself. He poured out His very life so that others might be saved. Paul wrote, “You know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

God calls us to serve one another just as Jesus did. He didn’t save you or call you to service so that you might be exalted, praised, glorified, or put on a pedestal. He saved you so you could serve Him and others. When we do this, we honor Him with our lives. The most important thing you can do outside of accepting Christ as your Savior is to give your life to Him and allow Him to lead you each day.

Some mistakenly think that what we do is unimportant to God, but this is far from true. He has a plan for each one of us. When we make a decision to walk by faith, He will reveal it to us. And that plan always includes service and dedication to Him and to those He brings into our lives.

God loved us so that we might love others. He blesses us so that we might bless others. That’s what the Christian life is all about.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE PROMISE TO HEAL

KEY PASSAGE: James 5:13-18

SUMMARY

Of all the promises in the Bible, those concerning healing are the most difficult for us to understand.

Our confusion is often caused by the sadness we feel if someone doesn’t recover. However, our unbelief in God’s ability, an ignorance of biblical teaching on the subject, and others’ false claims of healing also add to our misunderstanding. Perhaps that’s why many people immediately respond to sickness by seeking medical help instead of turning to God first. This doesn’t mean going to the doctor isn’t essential, but the Lord should never be our last resort when all else fails. Since He’s the Great Physician, why don’t we seek Him to begin with?

God is still in the healing business, but He does it according to His will and timing. When the Lord delays, it’s because He’s focused on something more important than a healthy body. His goal is to help us learn to listen to Him, and sickness has a way of grabbing our attention. Through it, we learn what He wants to teach us.

SERMON POINTS

The Lord never changes, and His purposes and ways remain consistent throughout the Bible.

By examining Old Testament teachings, Jesus’ ministry, and the apostles’ role in healing, we can come to a greater understanding of God’s willingness to intervene in our struggles.

Healing in the Old Testament

The first mention of the Lord’s healing power is found in Genesis 20:17-18 when He answered Abraham’s prayer and healed Abimelech’s household. Many years later when Abraham’s descendants became a nation, God promised to remove sickness from their midst if they served Him (Exodus 23:25). From that point, their wellness as a people depended on their obedience to the Lord. When they rebelled, God disciplined them with illness (Psalm 106:13-15), but whenever they cried out to Him, He “sent His word and healed them” (Psalm 107:20). They were restored when they believed and heeded His Word.

In Isaiah 53:5, God told His people about the healing that would come through the Messiah’s atonement for sin: “By His scourging we are healed.” Even though this promise is ours as a result of Christ’s sacrifice, it doesn’t guarantee that the Lord will restore our health every time we ask. All the benefits of redemption don’t come to us in this life—some are reserved for us in heaven. The biggest accomplishment of the cross was the healing of our separation from the Lord, which was caused by our sin.

Christ’s Ministry of Healing

Even though Jesus came to earth primarily to die for our sins, a major part of His ministry involved healing the sick. When teaching or traveling, He stopped to meet individual needs. Wherever He went, crowds of sick people formed around Him, and He took the time to heal many of them (Matthew 14:34-36). In order to understand this promise, we must recognize:

His purpose. Although Christ’s love for mankind was a powerful motivation, the primary reason for His healing miracles was to demonstrate that He was the Son of God.
His priority. Jesus’ main focus was always on the heart. When a paralytic was lowered through the roof, instead of immediately healing him, Christ said, “Your sins are forgiven” (Mark 2:5). The Lord dealt with his soul before restoring his body.
His present activity. Although Christ has ascended to the Father, He’s still healing people from heaven. Today, there are astonishing recoveries doctors can’t explain. The Lord is still answering our prayers about health issues and has never stopped performing miracles.
Our role. Despite His power, Jesus didn’t heal every sick person in Israel. For example, when He visited His hometown, He couldn’t perform many miracles because of the people’s unbelief (Matthew 13:58).

Like them, we also live in a society that doubts Jesus’ ability to heal. Instead of following this line of negative thinking, Christians should expect God to do the unusual and wait for Him to act on our behalf.

The Apostles’ Role in Healing

After the ascension, the apostles carried on Christ’s work, and curing people was part of their witness. For example, when Peter and John met a lame beggar at the temple, they both encouraged him to believe that Christ could do the impossible, and He did (Acts 3:6-7). The apostle Paul’s life also teaches us a great deal about how and why God restores us:

Paul’s Experience with Healing. Since Paul was such a prominent apostle, we’d expect him to play a major role in restoring the sick, but there is only one account of him doing so (Acts 28:8). Perhaps this is because Paul was called by God primarily to proclaim the gospel, not to heal people.
Paul’s Teaching about Healing. Because he was appointed to teach and explain divine truth, Paul’s writings are our guide to understanding what God has to say about spiritual gifts and healing. The Lord has gifted some believers with faith to pray for the restoration of others (1 Corinthians 12:9). The intercessors cannot heal anyone—only God can do that—but because of their great faith, the Lord answers their prayers and gives a gift of health to those who are sick.
Paul’s Experience with Illness. Being an apostle didn’t guarantee Paul’s prayers for wellness were always answered. At one point in his travels, he left a sick friend in another city (2 Tim. 4:20). He also struggled with his own health issues, so Luke, who was a physician, accompanied him. In 2 Corinthians 12:7-10, Paul described a trial that he called “a thorn in the flesh.” Despite his entreaties and prayers, God didn’t heal him, but He did explain the reason for his illness. Its purpose was to keep Paul from exalting himself. Also, God promised His grace was sufficient, and He gave the apostle both the strength to endure hardships and be content with his situation.

RESPONSE

Whenever you experience sickness, your first thought should be to ask the Lord how He wants you to respond. He may tell you to trust Him for healing or lead you to get medical help. Paul did both. He sought healing from the Lord, trusted God’s choice for his life, and relied on Luke’s aid in times of suffering. The goal is to be God conscious and realize that the One who saved you is walking with you through every illness. He will direct your steps if you set your mind on Him.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

HOW TO CLAIM A PROMISE

KEY PASSAGE: Hebrews 10:34-36

SUMMARY

The Lord’s promises are expressions of His love and care for us.

Through them, He accomplishes His will and plans for our lives as well as His purposes for the kingdom of God. His unconditional promises are unchangeable, and there’s nothing we can do to thwart them. However, the fulfillment of His conditional ones depends on our responses and behaviors based on our faith in Him.

His promises should be a vital part of our lives because our entire belief system is dependent on them; they are the basis for how we live each day. Although we have access to this amazing resource, some people never realize the answers to our needs are readily available in the Word of God. That’s why all scriptural promises are just words on paper unless they are claimed and applied in life situations.

SERMON POINTS

God’s promises are essential to our daily lives as Christians.

To understand how to personally claim them, we must answer some vital questions:

Are all the promises in the Bible meant for us today? No, sometimes they only apply to specific people, times, or situations. For example, His commitment to give Abraham and Sarah a baby in their old age does not apply to us today. However, many of the scriptural promises that are not to us can be for us because they illustrate how God meets needs, grants desires, and works in the lives of His children. Since His ways never change, we can count on Him to work in a similar style today with us.
Who has a right to claim a promise from God? The Lord’s promises belong only to believers, with one exception. Unbelievers are free to claim His promise of salvation when they trust Jesus as their personal Savior (Romans 10:9). Until they take that step of faith, there’s no assurance that God will answer their requests. However, even if we belong to the family of God, we forfeit our right to claim His promises when we live in sin (Isa. 59:2). The Lord will not contribute to our disobedience by blessing us with the fulfillment of His promises, but confession and repentance will bring us back under His canopy of blessing (1 John 1:9). Another essential requirement for claiming a promise is trust (James 1:5-6). We must believe that God will do what He has said.
Why does God promise us anything? First of all, the Lord makes promises because He loves us unconditionally and wants to give us guidance, provision, and protection. Secondly, He reveals Himself in ways that display His awesome wisdom, power, and grace. There’s nothing we can do to deserve His promises, so it’s our responsibility to simply believe and depend upon Him to fulfill them all.
How can we know God will keep His promises? His character is our guarantee. Since He’s perfect, unchanging, constantly truthful, and all-powerful, He won’t fail to keep His word. Nothing is impossible for Him. There is no situation the Lord does not have a solution for, and there is no question He can’t answer. Every promise in God’s Word is sure, and if we use the Scriptures as our compass, He’ll show us how we should live.

When can we claim a promise?

Although God’s promises belong to us, it’s essential for us to understand when we can claim one and know it will be accomplished. We can do so when:

It fits a personal need He wants to fulfill. For example, if we’re asking for instruction and direction regarding a decision, we can rely on the Lord’s commitment to teach us the way we should go because this promise fits our specific situations (Psalm 32:8).

The context of the Scripture allows it. No one should pluck a promise from the Bible and claim it without considering its context. For example, in 1 John 5:14-15, the Lord promises to answer our prayers, but the context reveals that it’s conditional—our requests must be made according to His will. We must make certain we meet the qualifications before claiming them.

Its fulfillment honors Him. We shouldn’t expect the Lord to answer selfish requests that don’t glorify Him. But when we have legitimate needs and claim His promise of provision, God will fulfill our petitions because doing so brings Him honor.

It is consistent with His immediate will for our lives. Whatever the need, we can claim God’s promise to meet it, but there are situations when His timing and methods don’t match our expectations. When this happens, we must remember that He has something even better in mind. If we’re unsure about His will in a particular situation, we can simply ask Him to show us what He desires (Matthew 7:7).

Its fulfillment is encouraging to others. If we ask God to provide reassurance to others, we can claim His promise to provide. When people around us see the fulfillment, they discover how faithful and good He is.

We are walking in His will. Choosing to live obediently gives us the right and privilege to claim His promises. But if we’re rebellious and living according to our own desires, we’ve positioned ourselves outside His will and made His promises ineffective. Although God is the one who fulfills His promises, we also have responsibilities in the process. We must be living in obedience to God so sin isn’t hindering our relationship. We must ask in faith, believing He will do what He’s promised.

The Spirit of God confirms it. One of the Holy Spirit’s responsibilities is to reveal truth. When we seek God’s thoughts on a particular subject and believe He’s leading us in a certain direction, the Spirit gives us quiet confidence. If it’s not the right path, we’ll feel static in our souls instead.

He gives us a sense of peace. Finally, we’ll know we have a right to stand confidently on our requests to God when there’s peace in our hearts that comes from knowing our requests fit who we are as children of God and that they are aligned with His Word. We must be patient and wait for His timing. He knows exactly when to fulfill every promise because His judgment is perfect. If we do, God will always provide His best.

RESPONSE

Can you name a particular promise that God has given you?
When is the last time you claimed a promise from God? What blessings came of that?
Have you found peace in a situation where God fulfilled a promise for you or your family?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

GOD'S PRECIOUS PROMISES

KEY PASSAGE: 2 Peter 1:1-4

SUMMARY

As believers, we are wealthy beyond measure.

However, the sad truth is many Christians live like spiritual paupers despite the many riches God has given them. Through “His precious and magnificent promises,” He’s granted us all we need to live godly lives (2 Pet. 1:3-4). The word precious describes something valuable and cherished, and magnificent means something is splendid or superb. The promises of God can be defined using both of these terms because of His trustworthiness. On the day of your salvation, you inherited all of God’s promises and became truly prosperous. However, in order to benefit, you must cash them in. To live without claiming what God has for you is like being a millionaire who has a bank account but never makes a withdrawal.

SERMON POINTS

God’s promises are like a treasure chest.

When you were saved, you gained a vast wealth of spiritual riches that are now at your disposal. And when you realize how much He wants to bless you with, you can’t help but be amazed. For example:

The Lord brought you into relationship with Him (Romans 5:6-11). When you trusted Jesus as your Savior, you became a child of God and a member of His household. This is the foundation of your heritage because all other promises flow from a relationship with Him.
You can have daily cleansing (1 John 1:9). As His child, you now have the privilege to come to Him each day, confess your sins, and receive His forgiveness in order to grow in unhindered fellowship with Him.
God’s presence is continually with you (Hebrews 13:5). You have a traveling companion in the person of Christ. He’s your intimate friend and has promised to never leave nor forsake you, no matter what’s going on in your life.
You have the Holy Spirit who is your Helper (John 14:16). Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He promised to send a Helper. You now have the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit to provide guidance and empower you to accomplish everything the Lord asks.
You have the assurance of God’s strength (Isa. 41:10). When you’re weak and helpless, you can rely upon the sovereign Ruler of the universe who has unlimited power and has promised to strengthen you.
God Himself will supply all your needs (Matthew 6:31-32). He knows exactly what you need and has committed Himself to provide it. Instead of worrying about your problem, you can simply rely on Him.
He answers your prayers (1 John 5:14-15). When you pray according to God’s will, He answers. In fact, prayer is the means of cashing in His promises. Just take your needs to Him and claim those that apply to your situation.
God is always ready to give you His best (Psalm 84:11). If you’re living a godly life, the Lord will never withhold any good thing from you. When you have a need, He will provide.
He daily bears your burdens (Psalm 68:19). There is no reason to wake up each morning hindered by trials and heartaches. If you lay your concerns down before God and believe in His promises, He’ll replace your worries with remarkable joy.
He comforts you in times of trouble (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). No matter what the difficulty may be, God knows what you’re going through, and He will come alongside you to provide comfort and encouragement.
The Lord sets limits on your trials and temptations (1 Corinthians 10:13). He will not allow you to be tempted beyond your ability to endure. When you think you can’t take any more, He’ll provide the way of escape so you can persevere.
He grants wisdom (James 1:5). In every decision and circumstance you face, God offers wisdom to see life from His perspective if you ask in faith and without doubt. However, sin can keep you from claiming this promise because it crowds out truth, creates uncertainty, and leads to unwise choices.
The Lord provides rest for your soul (Matt. 11:28-29). When your heart is burdened, Jesus offers both physical and emotional rest to those who come to Him.
God gives His peace (Philippians 4:6-7). Whenever you bring your anxieties to God in prayer, He provides His surpassing peace, and it creates an impenetrable wall that separates you from all your worries.
You can be strong and fruitful in old age (Psalm 92:12-15). Retirement can be one of the most spiritually productive times of your life if you remain strongly planted in the Lord. He desires you to be growing and producing fruit until He calls you home.
The Lord will give you the desires of your heart when you delight in Him (Psalm 37:4). If God is more important to you than anyone or anything else, He will grant your desires because, above all, you delight in worshipping, serving, and living for Him.
He is a very present help in trouble (Psalm 46:1-3). The Lord is your refuge in times of uncertainty and danger. Since His presence dwells within you, He is always available to help in every way.
God gives you direction for life (Psalm 32:8). He knows the pitfalls and dangers that lie ahead and has promised to teach you which way to go to stay on His path.
He heals in times of sickness (Psalm 103:1-3). Since God never changes, you can come to Him for healing just as people did in biblical times. Our heavenly Father did it then, and He can still do it today.
Nothing can separate you from God’s love (Romans 8:38-39). His unconditional love is a possession no one can ever take from you. When you doubt that, review this passage.
Jesus provides the gift of eternal security (John 10:27-30). Christ promised eternal life to His followers, so when you die, you’ll instantly be with Him.
You have a home in heaven (John 14:1-3). Before Jesus died and rose again, He told His disciples He was going away to prepare a place for them and would one day return and take them there. This is your ultimate hope.

RESPONSE

Why is it that Christians often forget about the promises of God when Scripture provides us with so much assurance of God’s faithfulness?
What promise has God given that you treasure in your heart on a regular basis?
When difficulties come, which Scripture promises have been the most reassuring for you to go back to time and again for comfort?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

OUR GOD OF PROMISE

Reflect on how you can be certain that God will keep His promises.

Our entire Christian life is built on promises, including those for eternal life and resurrection. These promises are either unconditional or conditional. God will fulfill certain promises regardless of the circumstances. Other times, He will do something only if we meet certain conditions.

Dr. Stanley explains why we know God will keep His promises—because He is truthful, faithful, immutable, and loving. Also, we can trust in His ability to keep those promises because our Lord is:

Omniscient: God knows everything about every decision we need to make. He knows what came before and what comes after. His promises to us are based on complete knowledge, so He doesn’t make mistakes.

Omnipresent: God is always with us no matter what’s going on in our lives. He promises to never leave nor forsake us.

Omnipotent: El Shaddai is the Hebrew name for God that means “God Almighty.” He is always in control whether we understand what He is doing or not. Nothing is too difficult for Him.

The only reasons a conditional promise might not be fulfilled is because our requests aren’t in the will of God or sin has gotten in the way. For these promises, God only requires two things from us: obedience and faith. If we follow the Lord and trust Him to keep His word, we will experience the great blessings of His fulfilled promises.

This sermon was recorded before COVID-19. For the protection of our staff members and the community, we are currently following safety guidelines by practicing social distancing. We appreciate your understanding.

SUMMARY

A promise is only as reliable as the one who makes it.

Because of circumstances beyond our control, we can’t always keep our promises, but the sovereign Lord of the universe has never failed to fulfill His word.

In order to understand how important the Lord’s faithfulness is, we must recognize that the Christian life is totally dependent upon His promises. For example, the only reason we’re certain we have eternal life, a home in heaven, and resurrection bodies awaiting us is because Jesus guaranteed these things to His followers. The Bible is filled with God’s promises. But the most important thing to remember is not how many there are, but the fact that He keeps every single one.

SERMON POINTS

Two Types of Promises

A promise is a spoken or written commitment to perform a certain act or to refrain from doing something. Therefore, a divine promise is God’s assurance that He will do what He says. In the Bible, the Lord makes two types of promises:

Unconditional. This is a commitment made without exceptions. The Lord’s covenant with Abraham is a great example of this (Genesis 12:1-3). God committed to make him a great nation and bless all the families of earth through him. As his descendent, Jesus Christ fulfilled this blessing because salvation is available to everyone who believes in Him.
Conditional. This type of promise is subject to certain mandates. For example, the offer of salvation in Romans 10:9 is conditioned upon faith in Christ. Although God makes both kinds in Scripture, we can only make conditional ones because we can’t control every circumstance.

Our Misunderstandings

Sometimes we become disappointed in God because we think He’s failed to keep His word to us. But the problem is our understanding, not His faithfulness. There are several reasons why we don’t always receive what we expect.

For example, desiring something and believing God will do it doesn’t mean He’s promised it to us. Sometimes we misunderstand His will. Also, the hindrance could be the result of unconfessed sins that create barriers in our relationships with the Lord. Finally, because God’s Word needs to be considered in its entirety—all the way from Genesis to Revelation—we can’t pick certain verses and claim promises outside their context. Many of His promises are conditional, and we may not meet the requirements.

God’s Trustworthiness

The validity of a promise is dependent on the character and ability of the one who makes it. People can always fall short, but thankfully, the Lord has both the willingness and the power to do everything He says. To truly understand why God will do what He says, we must fully understand His character and the attributes that prove He is trustworthy.

For example, He is:

Truthful (Titus 1:2)—Since truth is the very essence of His nature, it’s impossible for Him to lie. Therefore, we can believe in His promises because He will always tell the truth.
Faithful (Hebrews 10:23)—If the Lord ever breaks a promise, our Christian theology falls apart because He would cease to be who He says He is. But since God has never failed to keep His word in the past, we can trust Him for the future. However, we must remember that He might not do so according to our schedules, in the ways we desire, or through the people or situations we expect.
Immutable (Malachi 3:6)—This means He never changes. Therefore, we don’t have to worry that He will alter a promise. If conditions are attached, it may seem like He’s had a change of heart, but the truth is we just haven’t met the requirements set before us.
Love (1 John 4:7-10)—His promises are always based on our best interests. The cross is the ultimate proof of His love for us. Jesus said He would die for our sins, and He did. If He loved us enough to keep that promise, we have no reason to doubt Him.

God’s Ability

We must also understand just how capable and powerful He is. God is always able to fulfill His promises because He is:

Omniscient (Heb. 4:13)—God knows every detail of a situation. From His perspective, He can see all of our lives from beginning to end. Every promise He makes is based on His infinite, perfect, and complete knowledge, which means He never makes a mistake.
Omnipresent (Hebrews 13:5)—No matter what we’re going through, He will never leave nor forsake us. His continual presence guarantees the fulfillment of every promise.
Omnipotent (Psalm 103:19)—Because the Lord is completely sovereign over heaven and earth, nothing is out of His control. He has absolute power and authority, and nothing is too difficult for Him (Jeremiah 32:17).

Our Responsibility

Because the Lord is absolutely adequate and faithful, we have perfect assurance that He will keep His promises. However, we must position ourselves to receive what He wants to provide. We must:

Obey God—Throughout the Old Testament, the Lord issued covenants conditioned upon acts of obedience (Deut. 28). If we’ve asked God for something and He hasn’t yet provided it, we need to search our hearts to see if we’ve failed to obey Him in some area.
Believe the Lord—Faith is an indispensable requirement. Always ask yourself if you sincerely trust Him to fulfill His word. Many people are close to receiving God’s best, but they can’t get over the obstacle of unbelief.
Claim the promise—When we believe the Lord will do what He says, we can confidently claim the promise for ourselves. He’ll never change His mind and will be faithful to complete every promise. But if we have doubts, we’ll feel concerned and worried even after praying about it, and His will is hindered.

RESPONSE

Have you experienced any promises of God in your life recently?
What deters you from trusting that God will hold true to His word in situations you’re concerned about today?
How can you go to the next level in your faith, believing that God will continue to provide His promises as He has in the past?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A GODLY MOTHER

KEY PASSAGE: 2 Timothy 1:1-7 SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Ephesians 4:32

SUMMARY

Mothers are important not only to the family but to society as well.

Regardless of any challenges you may have faced in your relationship with your mother while you were growing up, she was given to you by God and played an essential role in your life. Even in Scripture, we find all kinds of mothers, and many of them show valuable characteristics of godliness. Timothy had a godly mother and grandmother who so greatly influenced him that he followed in their footsteps of faith.

SERMON POINTS

When the apostle Paul wrote to encourage Timothy as he led the church in Ephesus, he described Timothy’s faith heritage this way: “For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well” (2 Tim. 1:5).

The Characteristics of a Godly Mother

Mothers are characterized in many different ways based on external beauty, wealth, or accomplishments, but the most important quality of a mom is godliness. This doesn’t mean perfection, but she has a quality that serves as an important model for her children. No woman will completely express every single one of these characteristics, but the ideal godly mother is one who is growing in all these ways:

A godly mother prays and reads the Word of God. This is not an occasional practice but has become the habit of her life. She believes Scripture and knows its instructions will help her become a better wife and mother. In fact, prayer and Bible reading affect every area of her life—how she dresses, handles herself, and works. Her conversation, character, and conduct are rooted in the Word, and her children are a reflection of this.
She is a mother who has learned to trust God for every need. Because she is praying, reading, and meditating on Scripture, she comes to know and trust God’s promises. She is confident that He will meet her needs, whether physical, material, or emotional. Instead of focusing on what she lacks, she speaks of God’s sufficiency in her life and is grateful whether He provides much or little.
A godly mother is generous. Even if she has little to share, she willingly offers it to others. Sometimes her generosity comes in the form of encouragement. Her desire is to offer words that build others up rather than tear them down. Her example of generosity toward her family as well as to others sets a pattern for her children to follow in her footsteps.
She is obedient to God. Obedience honors God and is also profitable for her as well as for her children and husband. She understands that she is obeying an all-powerful, omniscient, loving God who she can trust. Her goal is to obey the Lord and leave the consequences to Him. There is no need to worry because she knows He can handle any situation. She brings all her cares and concerns to God and leaves them in His capable hands. Even when the issues are serious, she can sleep without being troubled by anxious thoughts. A godly mother who trusts and obeys God gives her home an atmosphere of freedom, welcome, and love because she is not stressed by worry. Even difficulties at home cannot disrupt that peaceful atmosphere for long.
A mother who’s godly is forgiving. This is essential for every follower of Jesus and is clearly taught in the Bible. Those who refuse to forgive remain in stress and tension that soon overflow into the home. Forgiveness is a vital part of family life because the close relationships inevitably result in misunderstandings and conflicts. However, living with a difficult person is no excuse for having an unforgiving spirit. Forgiveness can restore peace and eliminate stress and tension in the home. Furthermore, all believers are told in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
A godly mother has an attitude of persistence. When something needs to be accomplished, she knows what’s required and keeps working until it is finished. Instead of waiting for someone else to do it, she jumps in to complete the task. Persistence applies to relationships as well as work. It’s easy to stop communicating or walk away from difficulties in a relationship, but a godly woman doesn’t give up. She keeps loving, even when things are not going the way she desires. Instead of giving in to discouragement, she turns to God in prayer, asking Him for a pure heart and a forgiving spirit.

A mother of a young child is an example of persistence. No matter how many times she must get up in the middle of the night to care for that child, she does it. God has placed within the heart of a mother a willingness to do whatever her child needs. And a godly mother faces life’s demands without fussing, nagging, groaning, or comparing her situation with others’ circumstances. She is determined to be the person God wants her to be.

A godly mother is a servant. This is a quality we should all have as followers of Jesus because He was a servant. A mother with a servant attitude doesn’t live for herself, but for others. She serves her family in a variety of ways remembering that she is following in Christ’s footsteps. She doesn’t seek a reward or serve only when it’s convenient, or when she feels like it. She understands that in serving her family, she is serving the Lord.
She lives an orderly life. For family life to run smoothly there must be organization, especially when children are in school, since there are schedules to keep and tasks to complete. Without order in a family, there is confusion, frustration, anxiety, tension, and stress. Furthermore, an orderly life is something children need to learn in order to function well as adults. That’s why it’s so important to model it at home because children tend to pick up attitudes and habits from their parents. They need to develop characteristics that will build and enrich their lives.
A godly mother is an encourager. Children need the encouragement of their parents so they will feel valued and loved. This begins early in life when a baby is held close and expands to include words of encouragement as the child grows. Sometimes this takes the form of challenging them to persevere and do their best.
A godly mother loves unconditionally. Her love is not conditionally based on the behavior of her children or husband but is given without reservation. By her example, she demonstrates to her children how they too can love at all times.

RESPONSE

If you were blessed with a godly mother, what qualities do you admire in her? How has she shaped the person you are today?
If you are a parent, what godly character traits do you want to develop in your own life and model for your children?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

HEALING OUR HURTS

KEY PASSAGE: Ephesians 4:30-32

SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 19:14 | John 8:32 | John 13:35 | 1 John 2:9 | 1 John 4:20-21

SUMMARY

Everyone gets hurt at one point or another. It’s just part of living in this fallen world.

People say hurtful words, either thoughtlessly or deliberately. They abuse others, embarrass them, treat them unfairly, and may even inflict physical harm. There’s no way to avoid all possible hurts, but God wants us to respond to them in ways that honor Him, bring healing, and free us from anger, resentment, bitterness, and an unforgiving spirit.

SERMON POINTS

When we don’t deal with the hurts that come our way, they’ll linger in our souls despite all attempts to deny or suppress them. In time they’ll solidify in minds, dominate our emotions, and enslave us.

This is a load God doesn’t want us to bear, and He’s provided the solution in Ephesians 4:30-32.

“Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. All bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and slander must be removed from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”

Some hurts in life are minor and can be easily overlooked and quickly forgiven, but others are deeply wounding, and those who suffer from them usually have a hard time letting them go. Although they know what the Lord has said, the hurt may become a source of security and identity. The very idea of letting go seems more threatening to them than the danger to their souls that results from clinging to past hurts.

Unforgiveness is a natural response to offenses, but believers are called to live in the power of the Spirit, not in the naturalness of fallen humanity. When we refuse to forgive as the Lord commands, the hurt becomes a spiritual cancer deep within us. On the surface, things may appear fine, but poison is seeping into our souls.

God’s Solution

To handle lingering hurts properly, Scripture says to remove or put away sinful responses like bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, and malice. Instead of harboring these attitudes, we are to respond in the Spirit with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.

This means we must stop feeding our minds with the wrong done to us. Even when we pray, we may be guilty of this if we remind the Lord of how much we’ve been hurt and how bad the person is who caused our pain.

Attitudes of anger, resentment, bitterness, and malice cannot be contained. They spill internal poison, which overflows even on the innocent. The only solution is to deal with them as God says. If we do this immediately, healing can come quickly, but if we delay, there’s a progression downward.

The Progression

We begin to nurture the hurt by replaying it in our minds and emotions.
We may develop a degree of hatred toward the offender. It could be passively displayed by not wanting anything to do with that person, or aggressively with a desire to make the offender suffer.
We can’t praise or worship the Lord because we’re miserable inside. Truths from God’s Word can’t sink into our minds and hearts, and we know something is wrong deep inside us.

The Cause of Our Responses

We usually blame our bad attitudes on the wrong done to us. But no one can cause us to have an unforgiving spirit. We alone are accountable for our reactions. Anger and malice come from our heart. When they spring up, we can either accept them or reject them. If we allow these negative emotions to encompass us, they’ll gain control and overflow into every aspect of our lives.

Bitterness, resentment, anger, and malice do not fit our identity as children of God. Our lives are to be characterized by love. We can’t claim to love God if we hate others. “The one who loves God must also love his brother and sister” (1 John 4:21).

This command doesn’t only apply to those people who are lovable, but even to those who hurt or wrong us at times. Love for one another is supposed to characterize us as disciples of Christ (John 13:35). This isn’t something we can do in our own strength but only by the power of the Holy Spirit within us. He’s the one who enables us to lay aside negative emotions and forgive the one who hurt us so that healing can come. When we walk in the Spirit and not in the flesh, we’re able to overlook offenses, remove sinful attitudes, and respond with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness.

The greatest motivator for forgiveness is Christ. On the cross He took all our sins upon Himself, suffered the punishment we deserved, and offers us full forgiveness. How can we hold anything against anyone else, knowing that our offenses against God are so much greater, yet He forgave us?

The Consequences of an Unforgiving Spirit

Damages Emotions. Healing comes with forgiveness, but when we hold onto our hurts, it steals joy and contentment and replaces them with bitterness, anger, and resentment. Good emotions are frozen, and we can’t love or accept love from others or God.
Erodes Fellowship With the Lord. You can’t hold onto sinful attitudes and be right with God. Your prayers will feel useless, your love for Him grows cold, gratitude dries up, and your praise is empty. The only way to be set free is through the healing of forgiveness.
Erodes Human Relationships. There’s no way to hide internal bitterness, resentment, and hostility from family, friends, coworkers, and fellow believers. These attitudes poison all our relationships.
Harms Health. The attitudes and emotions we carry affect us physically in a variety of ways. Sometimes we seek relief from doctors, but they can never fix the root of the problem.

Forgiveness

God commands us to forgive one another. This doesn’t mean forgetting, denying, excusing, or tolerating mistreatment. It means putting aside the debt and no longer holding it against the offender. There’s no guarantee that everything will be right in the relationship. We’re not responsible for the other person’s actions. Our responsibility is to obey God by forgiving.

If one who hurt us is not available or has died, we can still forgive by imagining that person sitting in a chair across from us as we offer forgiveness, or by writing a letter. If we’ll let go of this burden, our healing will begin.

RESPONSE

Have you suffered a deep hurt that is still affecting you today? How have you dealt with it so far? How has rehearsing the wrong in your mind affected your pain?
If you’ve adopted the sinful attitudes in Ephesians 4:31, how have they damaged your life and your relationships with others and with God?
What stops you from forgiving? What steps can you take to begin the process?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

BECAUSE HE LIVES

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 24:1-12

SUMMARY

After Jesus’ crucifixion, no one expected Him to rise from the dead.

Multitudes of people had been crucified, and none of them came back to life. Why would the people of that time even consider such a possibility? Today, those who don’t believe in Christ’s resurrection can’t understand why Christians gather in churches to celebrate what to them appears to be foolishness. Yet this event is the foundation of our faith, not only because the Word of God speaks of it, but because believers all over the world know with certainty that Christ lives within their hearts.

SERMON POINTS

Those who knew and believed in Jesus didn’t think He could come to life after being crucified.

Joseph, who was a member of the Council, asked Pilate for His body, prepared it for burial, and placed Him in a tomb. Early on Sunday morning, some women came to the tomb with more spices for His body. If either Joseph or the women had expected Jesus to come to life, they wouldn’t have made all these preparations for His burial.

Even Jesus’ own disciples who had walked with Him for three years, heard Him teach, witnessed His miracles, and watched Him raise the dead didn’t expect His resurrection. Earlier in His ministry, when He first revealed that He was going to be killed and rise on the third day, Peter denied that this would ever happen to Him and was strongly rebuked by Jesus (Matthew 16:21-23).

But just as He had said, Jesus died on a cross, and when the women returned to the tomb, they discovered it was empty. Two angels told them that Jesus had risen. Only then did they remember His words about His resurrection. However, when they told the disciples, they thought the women were speaking nonsense (Luke 24:11-12). But Peter and John got up, ran to the tomb, and discovered it was true: Jesus was no longer dead.

What does Jesus’ resurrection mean to us today?

Although many people still don’t believe Jesus rose from the dead, for those of us who have trusted in Him as our Savior, His resurrection is not only true but also relevant and very personal.

Because He lives . . .

We don’t have to live with loneliness of heart. We have absolute assurance that Christ is alive and living within us just as He promised. He did not leave us as orphans. Instead, He sent the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, to indwell our hearts (John 14:16-18). Since Jesus now lives inside believers through His Spirit, we are never truly alone.
We don’t have to worry whether God will provide for us. Early in His ministry, Jesus told His followers that His Father, who takes care of birds, grass, and flowers, would also provide for their needs. This promise would have meant nothing had Jesus been just a man, but because He is the Son of God who overcame death, we know we can trust His word. No situation or need is too large for His almighty, sovereign hands. In His perfect time and way, He will provide whatever we need.
We can pray with confidence. After His resurrection, Jesus ascended to the Father’s right hand, where He intercedes for us. Knowing this assures us that He will answer our requests. And 1 John 5:14-15 says, “If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” and will grant us our requests. Instead of doubting, we should wait expectantly and look for His answer.
We can have a godly, powerful influence in others’ lives. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus told us that we are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (Matthew 5:13-16). Through the power of His indwelling Spirit, we can be an influential light in this dark world and a preserving flavor in our society.
We experience the Holy Spirit within us. Although the disciples had been with Jesus for three years, they were not equipped to complete the work He’d given them until the Holy Spirit came to indwell and empower them. That’s why Christ told them to stay in Jerusalem until they received the promised Spirit (Acts 1:4). This same Spirit who came to them also lives within every person who has trusted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior. He’s the one who opens our eyes, helping us understand that Jesus died in our place so our sins could be forgiven, and we could be saved. When we repent and believe in Christ, His Holy Spirit seals us as children of God, and no one can ever break that seal. Jesus’ resurrection makes our salvation certain, secure, and unbreakable.
We can have peace in the midst of the most difficult times. Before His crucifixion, Jesus told His disciples, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful” (John 14:27). Christ’s peace is like an anchor that sustains us in life’s storms. Although we may cry out to Him in confusion, He never forsakes us but sits at the Father’s right hand working on our behalf. Jesus understands our weakness and is always with us to take us through our difficulties and help us become the people He desires us to be.
We can face death courageously, boldly, and confidently. Jesus is alive and is the source of our eternal life. If He is our Savior, we will enter immediately into His holy presence when we die (2 Corinthians 5:8). Because Jesus lives, we never truly die but live forever with Him.

There is no hope without Jesus and all hope for eternity with Him.

When we trust Christ as our Savior, the gift of eternal life becomes ours.

Romans 10:9 “If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” Two things are essential for salvation: Confessing Jesus as Lord and believing in His resurrection.
Ephesians 2:8-9 “For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.” Salvation is wrapped up in God’s awesome love and power and not in our good works. We must admit that we are sinners and believe that Jesus is the only one who can forgive us and make us acceptable to God.

RESPONSE

What would you say to someone who doesn’t believe in Jesus’ resurrection? Which do you think would be more convincing—your testimony or a discussion about the possibility of His resurrection?
Which of the benefits of having a risen Savior are the most precious to you? Why?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE SUPREME MOMENT IN HUMAN HISTORY

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 24:13-26

SUMMARY

If you asked a historian, philosopher, and scientist to identify the supreme moment in history, they’d all have different answers. But from God’s point of view, that moment was the crucifixion, death, and resurrection of His Son, Jesus Christ. As humans we can’t comprehend all that happened at the cross, but God has given us deeper understanding of what transpired in His Word.

SERMON POINTS

After the resurrection, Jesus appeared to two disciples walking on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-26). They’d been in Jerusalem and were aware of Jesus’ death and reported resurrection but were disappointed and confused about these events. Jesus responded, “You foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to come into His glory?” (vv. 25-26). Then He explained to them all that was written about Him in the Old Testament. Jesus was the only one on earth who knew what had happened, and His Word is still explaining it to us today.

God judged sin the day Jesus was crucified.

Because He is holy and righteous, the Lord hates sin. He warned Adam and Eve that they would die if they disobeyed Him (Gen. 2: 17), and He continues to warn us in the scriptures not to rebel against Him because His wrath “is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (Romans 1:18).

In the Old Testament, God set up a system of animal sacrifices to deal with sin. According to Hebrews 9:22, “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” But those sacrifices were insufficient. What was needed was a perfect sacrifice, and that’s what Jesus came to be. When John the Baptist announced Him, he said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

Christ was the only qualified sacrifice because He was perfect. On the cross, God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin in our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21). Jesus was our substitute who bore the guilt and penalty of our sins so we wouldn’t have to. This was all according to the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God. He sacrificed His Son to bear the condemnation we deserved (Acts 2:22). Now there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1).

Christ defeated Satan on the cross.

Shortly before His crucifixion, Jesus said, “Now judgment is upon this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out” (John 12:31). Even though Satan is still working powerfully in this world today, Jesus won the war against him on our behalf with His death and resurrection.

The devil cannot condemn us. Jesus Christ paid our sin debt in full. Since we’ve all sinned, we have a certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, but Jesus has canceled it, having nailed it to the cross (Colossians 2:13-15). At the cross, God disarmed the rulers and authorities and made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Christ.

Satan is a defeated foe even though he still tempts and attacks us. Christ’s victory over him guarantees that none of his accusations against us can stand because the record of our sins has been removed, and we stand in Christ’s righteousness. When we sin and confess, God promises to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). In fact, His blood is continually cleansing us every day of our lives. God will never condemn one of His blood-bought children.

Satan cannot make us sin. Christ defeated the power of sin in our lives. According to Romans 6:6, “Our old self was crucified with Him, in order that our body of sin might be done away with, so we would no longer be slaves to sin.” Satan rules over unbelievers, and they have no power to defeat him, but he can’t make any believer sin. Yes, we sometimes do, but we have God’s supernatural power to resist if we’ll use it.
Satan cannot take our lives. Jesus alone holds the keys to death (Revelation 1:18). We are held securely by Him, and nothing happens to us apart from His permissive will. Death will eventually come, but God is the one whom the cross demonstrated how wicked he is. He tempted Jesus to come down from the cross and save Himself, yet despite the humiliation, abuse, and suffering, Christ did not revile in return, but quietly endured in obedience to His Father’s will, leaving us an example to follow in His steps (1 Pet. 2:21-23).

God reconciled us to Himself through Christ.

Reconcile means to bring back together two parties who were formerly estranged. Our sin has alienated us from a holy God, and there is nothing we can do to remedy the situation. But the Lord took the initiative to reconcile us to Himself by sending His Son to satisfy His righteous justice on the cross (2 Corinthians 5:17-18). Jesus bore the tidal wave of God’s wrath that we deserved so we wouldn’t have to. He was forsaken so we could be accepted (Matthew 27:46). Right before His death, Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” (John 19:30). Redemption and reconciliation were complete. Through faith in Christ, the enmity is gone, and as God’s beloved children, we’re clothed with the righteousness of Christ (2 Cor. 5:21).

RESPONSE

How has your understanding of the events on the cross been enlarged? What will you do in response to this supreme moment in human history?
In what ways have you believed Satan’s lies and accusations and allowed him power in your life that is not rightfully his?
The cross of Christ is the only way of salvation. Have you trusted in Jesus for reconciliation and forgiveness, or have you tried to add to His work on the cross to earn your acceptance?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

HUNGERING AND THIRSTING FOR GOD, PART. 2

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 63:1-8 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Matthew 16:18; 28:19-20 | Hebrews 10:25 | Revelation 3:15-16

SUMMARY

The feelings we have toward other people are determined by how well we know them, and this, in turn, influences how we relate, respond, and behave toward them. These same truths also apply to our relationship with the Lord and govern whether we hunger for Him or not.

SERMON POINTS

In Psalm 63:1-8, David expresses his longing for the Lord with his actions, acknowledgments, and commitments. David …

Seeks the Lord earnestly.
Sees His glory and power.
Acknowledges that God’s loving favor is better than life.
Commits to bless the Lord as long as he lives.
Prays in His name.
Is satisfied with the Lord as with the richest of foods.
Praises God from a joyful heart.
Remembers the Lord at night and meditates on Him.
Confesses that God has been his help.
Sings for joy because of His protection.
Clings to the Lord.
Recognizes that God is the one who holds him.

These are descriptions of an intimate relationship with the Lord. No matter what David faced in life, he always drew closer to God and found comfort, stability, and joy in Him despite all his hardships and sufferings.

To many people, God is more of a stranger than the delight of their lives because they haven’t gotten to know Him. They seldom think of Him, have no passion for Him, and have relegated Him to the periphery of their lives. Even though they may attend church, God has a very limited place in their lives during the rest of the week.

Every person is born with a vacuum within their souls that can only be filled by the Lord. When someone is saved, the Holy Spirit places a yearning for God in the heart. As it’s nurtured, hunger for the Lord grows, but if He’s neglected, that appetite diminishes. Then the pleasures and pursuits of the world and the lusts of the flesh become more appealing, and God is crowded out.

The Purpose of Hunger for God

There are several reasons why the Lord gives believers a longing for Him.

To Love Him. God created us as an expression of His love, and gave us a desire and hunger to love Him in return.
To Transform Us. He gave us a yearning to know Him intimately and become the person He designed us to be and accomplish what He wants us to do.
To Know Him. The Lord wants us to know His love, goodness, mercy, and kindness and avoid the disappointment and disillusionment that lesser pursuits produce.
To Protect Us. An intimate relationship with God is a protection against temptation and provides the stability needed to endure the trials and storms of life.
To Mature Us. A passion for the Lord produces growth in our knowledge of Him and results in less fear and anxiety and greater peace, joy, and contentment.

Distinguishing Between Hunger for God and Hunger for the Things of the World

When we nourish the hunger the Spirit of God places in us, we’ll move toward the Lord in our thinking, affections, and actions. Every aspect of our lives will be affected by our yearning for God. We’ll find our satisfaction in Him while at the same time hungering to know Him more.

If we lack this kind of longing for God, we’ll try to find satisfaction in the pleasures of this life. But material possessions, achievements, and relationships provide only temporary satisfaction. Eventually they’ll disappoint, leaving us searching for something or someone else. But nothing in this world can fill the spiritual void that God has placed in the human heart.

The world offers what pleases the flesh—the natural part of us that’s selfish and sinful. But the Lord offers that which gratifies the spirit—the person we truly are in Christ.

Indications of a Life That Hungers for God

Love and desire for God’s Word. The Bible is our only source for discovering who the Lord is. So those who hunger for Him are eager to read and meditate on His Word in order to know His thoughts, desires, attributes, works, ways, and commands. As they apply biblical truths, they gain knowledge, wisdom, strength, and guidance for life and see the blessings of obedience and the painful consequences of sin. Seeking the Lord in the pages of Scripture is like digging for nuggets of gold. With each truth and principle discovered, they gain greater faith in the Lord and deeper worship of Him.
Time spent with the Lord. When we yearn for God, we’ll want to spend time with Him in His Word and prayer. Our prayers will become a time to express our love, worship, praise, and gratitude to Him as well as our requests. We’ll be more secure in His love and care for us, and our trust in Him will grow stronger.
Increasing freedom from temptation and the appeals of the world and the flesh. As our knowledge and love of the Lord grows, our desire for the world and its pleasures will diminish.
Longing for fellowship with other believers. Loving God’s people flows from loving Christ. Attending church, being taught God’s Word, worshipping together, and serving one another will be the desire of our hearts.
Passion for sharing the gospel with others. Those who are growing in their knowledge and love of the Savior are eager to tell others about Him and the salvation He offers to those who will believe in Him.

Steps for Cultivating Hunger for God

Trust Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord. Only those who’ve been saved and receive the Holy Spirit can have a genuine hunger for God.
Make a commitment to pursue an intimate relationship with Him.
Ask God to create in you a heart that yearns for Him.
Read, study, meditate, and apply God’s Word.
Confess and repent of sin. As the Holy Spirit uses Scripture to reveal sin in your life, confess and repent of it right away. Your relationship with the Lord cannot progress without genuine confession and repentance,.
Be consistent in these steps. Hunger for the Lord is not developed with a sporadic approach but by a persistent pursuit. When you falter, don’t delay in beginning again.

RESPONSE

Do you consider God an intimate friend, or is He more like a distant stranger to you? How has your knowledge of God affected your perception of Him?
What longings dominate your life? Where do you seek satisfaction? What place does a God have in your search for fulfillment?
Are you presently cultivating hunger for the Lord? If not, what’s keeping you from doing what’s necessary to achieve this goal? What changes are you willing to make in order to develop a longing for Him?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 256772415972 | 256708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

HUNGERING AND THIRSTING FOR GOD

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 42:1-2 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 34:8; 51:10 | Isaiah 43:7, 21 | Revelation 3:15-16

SUMMARY

Have you ever stood in front of an open refrigerator looking for something to satisfy your hunger?

Chances are you eventually ended up eating something that tasted good but had very little nutritional value. And before long you might have found yourself going back for something else because you weren’t completely satisfied yet. Maybe you spent the entire evening snacking, and then wondered why you tried to find pleasure in non-nourishing junk food. Instead of asking, “What’s good for me?” you opted for food that was merely pleasing for the moment.

There’s nothing wrong with the appetites that God gave us. We need food to sustain our lives. But the most important desire we should have is for the Lord, who created us with a need for Him. But too often we turn to temporal, worldly pleasures to find our satisfaction, when the only One who can satisfy the empty place in our souls is the Lord Jesus Christ.

SERMON POINTS

The book of Psalms is filled with expressions of desire for the Lord. Psalm 42:1-2 says, “As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; when shall I come and appear before God?”

David wrote many of the psalms and often cried out to the Lord in his troubles and turmoil, seeking deliverance. Even in the midst of his despair, he meditated and sought the Lord with all his heart.

The problems and disappointments of life are still with us today, but instead of seeking the Lord, many people hunger for the other things, thinking that’s where they’ll find their fulfillment. They have no appetite for the Lord, but are seeking satisfaction in earthly pleasures and pursuits that provide no permanent or eternal value.

This can even happen to believers who don’t cultivate an appetite for the Lord. He’s formed us for Himself and desires our praise (Isa. 43:21). We exist for His glory (v. 7). That means we need to nourish a desire for God. If we neglect Him, we’ll naturally seek whatever the world has to offer that appeals to us.

Two Menus

Keeping with the food analogy, we have two different menus from which to nourish ourselves. Satan’s menu is long and offers many choices such as wealth, power and authority, recognition and approval by others, sexual pleasure outside God’s parameters, and the accumulation of material goods. All these are spiritual junk food, which tastes good in the moment, but provides no genuine nourishment for believers. Those who indulge in this menu are always searching for satisfaction but eventually find only disappointment, emptiness, and disillusionment.

In contrast, God’s menu is very short with only one item—Jesus. When we feast on Him, He gives us His peace, joy, contentment, and security. He’s the only one who completes us and gives us fulfillment and unfading satisfaction in Him.

Hungering and Thirsting for God

We only have one trip through life on earth, so we must choose wisely and develop a hunger and thirst for God rather than the things of the world. We need a deep longing and abiding desire for an intimate relationship with Him because that’s what really matters in life. When we hunger for the Lord, we seek to know and understand more about Him, and as He reveals more of Himself to us, our thirst for Him increases. The paradox is that the Lord continually satisfies us, and at the same time, creates a longing for more of Him.

If you truly hunger for the Lord, you won’t allow the pleasures and pursuits of this world to become competitors with Him. There are so many tempting pleasures that could easily grab our attention and sidetrack us. Many times we seek to find our fulfillment in people, but no person can possibly satisfy us because we were created for the Lord. Or maybe we think an experience or accomplishment will make us feel whole, but these bring only temporary satisfaction. Only God can fill the empty places in our lives.

The focus of our lives should be on our love and devotion to Christ—to desire Him above all else. Human relationships can be lost, but the Lord will never walk away from us if we belong to Him, because He loves us for all eternity. Devotion to Jesus is essential. Without it we could easily become lukewarm toward Him like the Laodiceans in Revelation 3:15-16.

Most people think that satisfaction and fulfillment are based on circumstances. So, if they don’t feel satisfied, they decide the solution is to change the situation. But when the Lord is our greatest love and delight, we’ll be content and satisfied in any circumstance.

Characteristics of Hungering and Thirsting for God

When the Lord is the greatest desire of our hearts, it affects every area of our lives.

Greater interest in God’s Word. This is the only source of accurate information for knowing Him—His character, works, and ways.
More desire for prayer. Communication is the way all relationships are developed, and this includes our relationship with God. Through prayer we deepen our fellowship with Him.
A longing to understand the ways of God. You’ll want to know how He operates and what He thinks. There’s no knowledge in the whole world as satisfying as knowing the Lord—His character, thoughts, ways, and desires.
Greater yearning for God’s will and way in your life. Your goal will be to follow His direction for your life and live as He desires. Whenever a difficult situation occurs, and you have no answers or solutions, you’ll cry out to Him for guidance, seeking to know His will. Whatever He wants is what you want.
Increasing faith in the Lord. The better you know Him, the more you’ll trust Him with everything in your life.

God’s plans and desires for His people are always best. He draws us to Himself, and places in our hearts a desire for Him. To cultivate hunger for Him, we may have to give up something else in order to pursue Him. But the benefits we derive from a deepening relationship with the Lord are far greater than anything we give up.

RESPONSE

What have you been pursuing to find satisfaction and fulfillment in life? Are any of them sidetracking you from cultivating a hunger for God? What changes should you make?
Psalm 34:8 says, “Taste and see that the Lord is good.” Stimulating an appetite for God begins with a satisfying taste. How faithful are you to open God’s Word and feed yourself with the knowledge of Him? How has prayer deepened your fellowship with Him?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

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WALKING IN FAITH

SUMMARY

The Christian life is a walk of faith.

From the moment you become a believer, you enter the school of faith because, from that point on, the Father’s goal is to teach you to trust in Him. Therefore, in order to live effectively and grow in your relationship with Him, you must have confidence that God—the Sovereign Lord of the universe—will do exactly what He says and fulfill every single promise He’s made to you.

This is why Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you” (Matt. 7:7). The Father has awesome blessings for you, but you must know that He cares for you enough to provide them.

Unfortunately, believers will sometimes miss God’s best in life simply because they do not trust Him. We get caught up in our circumstances and wonder why difficulties occur. However, when we realize that ups and downs are a natural part of maturing as Christians, we will continue to grow and progress in our faith.

SERMON POINTS

The Father of Our Faith

Abraham is known by this title because of his inspiring and historic trust in God. Although he grew up in a pagan land and knew nothing about Yahweh, he obeyed when the Lord called him (Josh. 24:2-3). God said, “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you; and I will make you a great nation, and I will bless you” (Gen. 12:1-2). It was an incredibly difficult command—Abraham was to leave his family and everything he had ever known to go to a place he had never seen.

Although Abraham’s faith was severely tried, we know that he remained devoted to God even when everything appeared contrary to the Lord’s covenant with him. And the Father blessed him beyond measure—fulfilling every promise.

Yes, Abraham failed at times and had doubts like we do. He wasn’t perfect. This is the reason he is an excellent example of what it means to live a vibrant life of faith. We all experience faith failures, but if we pick ourselves up and renew our trust in the Lord, we will see God’s promises to us fulfilled as this patriarch did.

Thankfully, Abraham also demonstrates what is necessary for remaining confident in the Father’s provision. These five requirements are as follows:

Requirement 1: Learn to Listen to God

The Lord is speaking to each of us individually—just as He did with Abraham. But if we do not learn to listen to Him, how will we ever have a relationship with Him?

The first question we should ask is, “How does the Father communicate with us?” He does so primarily through His Word and prayer. As we read the Bible daily, He shows us how to handle the issues that concern us. However, He may also communicate through other people, sermons, Christian books, songs, and circumstances. In fact, He will move heaven and earth to show us His will when we seek His face. The key is to begin each day by praying, “Father, if You have anything to say to me, please speak—I’m listening.” Though there may be times when God’s directions do not make sense to us, be assured that He would never tell us to do anything that contradicts Scripture.

Requirement 2: Learn to Obey God

As you and I grow in our relationships with the Father, we learn by trial and error how crucial it is for us to do exactly as He tells us. In fact, once we hear the Lord’s direction, our best course of action is to submit to His commands fully and immediately—no matter what it costs us— because obedience to God always brings blessings.

As we mature, we also discover that when we attempt to take shortcuts or circumvent God’s plan, we get ourselves into trouble. This is because partial obedience is disobedience, which always brings terrible consequences.

Requirement 3: Learn to Depend on God

The more closely we walk with the Father, the more we understand how perfectly He leads us. This is why God will sometimes only show us where to go one step at a time— so we will rely upon Him completely. When this happens, we may become frustrated or impatient with our progress and begin to doubt. However, when we do so, we show that we don’t truly trust and depend on God.

As a result, we begin to feel we must handle things on our own and pull away from Him. This is always a mistake. Instead, we must constantly remain in complete dependence upon the Father, which is the position of ultimate safety.

Requirement 4: Learn to Wait Upon God

Time is a tool in God’s hand, and its passing will either strengthen our faith or undermine it, depending on how we respond. Scripture is clear: “God . . . acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him” (Isa. 64:4). No matter how many days, weeks, months, or years pass, the Lord will still keep His promises to you. Trust is required of His children.

Requirement 5: Learn to Acknowledge,

Repent, and Profit from Faith Failures We all make mistakes and fail to rely on God at times. We run ahead of His timing, trying to invent our own solutions to the problems we face, or achieve the desires of our hearts in our own ways. Although there are certainly consequences for this, we must never imagine that the Father gives up on us. The Lord never turned His back on Abraham, and He will not forsake us either.

However, God will continue to try our faith until we are able to trust Him with everything we love in life. Therefore, instead of merely regretting our failures, we should acknowledge them, repent of our unbelief, and make every effort to avoid such mistakes in the future.

RESPONSE

Do you have confidence that God will fulfill every promise He’s made to you? Do you trust Him to lead you in the best possible path for your life? Are you willing to put those you love most in His capable hands?

I hope you can answer “yes” to these questions because when you became a believer, you entered the school of faith for this very purpose—to trust Him more.

Friend, don’t miss God’s best in your life because of fear. Grow in your relationship with the Father by listening to, depending on, waiting on, and obeying Him. At times when you fail, learn from your mistakes. Remain devoted to the Lord even when everything appears contrary to what He has promised you. You can rest assured that He is trustworthy and will keep His promises to you. You cannot lose by trusting Him, and there is no substitute for faith in the life of a believer.

What makes waiting on God’s timing so difficult?
Do you take an active role in the waiting process by praying, reading God’s Word, and counting on His promises with expectation? Would these make the waiting process easier to handle? If so, how?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE POWER OF A DISCERNING SPIRIT

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 119:66 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 119:130 | Ezekiel 44:22-23 | John 14:16, 26; 15:26; 16:13 | 1 Corinthians 2:10-15

SUMMARY

Do you sometimes find it difficult to discern whether it’s God’s voice you’re hearing or your own?

These challenges help us recognize our need for spiritual discernment, which is the ability to see beyond the appearance of our circumstances, perceive God’s viewpoint on them, and make wise judgments in response. If ever there was a time for this gift, it’s now. Today, culture bombards us with all sorts of information— but not necessarily truth. Therefore, it’s vital that God’s children attain spiritual discernment. Understanding this, King David prayed, “Teach me good discernment and knowledge, for I believe in Your commandments” (Ps. 119:66). Likewise, this petition must echo in our lives.

SERMON POINTS

Discernment is essential to ...

Understand God’s will. God will clearly communicate His purpose for our lives, but we must also discern His guidance on decisions that affect them. For example, the question of who to marry must be directed by God and compatible with His calling. Some people choose a spouse based on appearance, social status, financial security, or other fleshly qualities. But these things should never be the deciding factors. The important issue is whether or not the Father’s guidance has been sought and obeyed. Otherwise, our decisions lead to disaster.
Distinguish truth from error. Since truth is often mixed with error, only a discerning spirit can separate the two. This is why it’s quite common these days for young people who have been raised in church to lose their faith while in college. Either they attended a church that poorly nurtured their faith, or they were never taught to judge rightly. Considering this danger, it’s important for parents to prepare children using the Word of God and explain how to hear His voice.
Avoid being deceived by sin. The pleasures of sin are momentary, but their consequences affect us for a long time. When we’re tempted, discernment helps us by bringing the following question to mind: What will the consequences of my actions be? This precaution not only applies to obvious sins or moral matters, but also to any life choice from shopping expenses to music selections and more.
Differentiate between good and best. As followers of Jesus Christ, our aim is for excellence. If we settle for things that are good enough, we may hinder ourselves from receiving something better. A discerning spirit, however, prevents us from committing to a “good deal” before it’s necessary. Although you must sometimes make quick decisions, it’s wise to step back and consider your full range of options, asking God which is best. This is true with shopping for example. While some may argue that God doesn’t need to be consulted on every purchase, people often wish they had, once the bill comes in. In other words, it’s always best to seek His wisdom not when we’re in trouble, but before it occurs.
Distinguish between legalism and liberty. Simply put, legalism is the pressure of personal preferences we impose on others as moral mandates from God. Therefore, when someone insists that Scripture be interpreted a certain way, a discerning spirit will prompt us to seek God’s wisdom on the issue. In reality, the Bible is clear on any moral question; we just need to study it to find answers.
Recognize when God is speaking. Do you know how to listen to God? Sometimes people think He isn’t speaking, when the truth is they have not learned to recognize His voice. It’s crucial that we do so because He’s willing to speak into every decision and protect us from dangers we can’t foresee.
Receive godly counsel. When searching for a counselor, believers must be wise in their selection by choosing one who is spiritually discerning. Not just anyone with a “Christian counseling” license will do. You should be confident in that person’s ability to seek God’s perspective on your situation. Otherwise, your actual needs—those that can only be revealed by the Spirit—will not be adequately addressed. As the Word of God tells us, the natural mind does not grasp spiritual things (1 Cor. 2:10-15).

What is the source of spiritual discernment?

The Holy Spirit. Before ascending to heaven, Jesus promised His disciples the coming of the Holy Spirit. He referred to Him as the “Helper” and described what He would provide in the lives of believers. The Holy Spirit gives us direction, helps us understand truth, and reminds us of Jesus’ teaching. Dwelling inside of us, He enables our spiritual discernment (John 14:16, 26). And, thanks to His guidance, you and I never have to make decisions on our own (John 15:26).
The Word of God. In Psalm 119:130, we’re told that light enters us by the Word of God, which is our basis for all discernment. There is not a single moral question or problem in life that does not have an answer in Scripture. Our ability to see this develops as we continually absorb biblical principles. Over a period of time, our minds become so filled with them that we learn to see their application in any situation.
Godly teachers. With a biblical foundation in place, discernment can be fostered even further through godly teachers. In the Old Testament, one of the Levites’ priestly roles was to teach the Israelites how to “discern between the unclean and the clean” or between the holy and profane (Ez. 44:22). Similarly, we can learn discernment from biblical teachers and godly role models.
Experience. Lastly, our spiritual discernment will be enhanced as we obey God’s promptings. At times we’ll make mistakes, confusing His voice with our own thoughts, but we can learn from these instances. The process of trial and error is a great teacher if we’re honestly pursuing God and are faithful to fill our minds with His Word. Over time, we’ll be able to hear His voice more clearly and intimately.

RESPONSE

Each day we’re confronted with situations that require a discerning spirit. We live in a world that mixes truth with error and attempts to blur the line between good and evil. But as children of God, we can be protected from deception. By knowing the Father’s purpose for our lives—and walking in the center of His will—we’ll learn to recognize the choices that are best and most pleasing to Him. Thankfully, everything we need for spiritual discernment is available through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, the written Word, and godly teaching. When we acknowledge these sources, the One who leads us in all truth will direct our steps (John 16:13).

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

GOD’S WAY IS THE BEST WAY

KEY PASSAGE: Exodus 1:7-14 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Exodus 1:22; 2:1-25; 3:1-22; 4:19-20 | Psalm 32:8 Proverbs 3:5-6 | Isaiah 41:10; 55:8-9 | 2 Timothy 1:7

SUMMARY

In every situation, especially challenging ones, we have two options.

We can either respond our way or God’s way. Even though we know that doing what the Lord desires is the best choice, we’re naturally drawn to our own way. Yet God knows everything about us and our situations and has the power to work everything out for our good. Therefore, the only way to experience His best is to follow Him, not our c3own agenda.

SERMON POINTS

Many scriptural principles are illustrated in the lives of people in the Bible, and Moses offers us an example of both options—doing things God’s way and our way.

Historical Background

While Jacob and his 12 sons were living in Canaan, Joseph’s brothers became jealous of him and sold him into slavery in Egypt. After many years living as a slave and a prisoner, Joseph rose to the position of prime minister. When a famine hit the entire area, Joseph saved his family and brought them to Egypt.

There they increased to a great multitude, and eventually a new king arose who knew nothing about Joseph. He feared the Israelites might turn on Egypt in a time of war so he forced them into slavery and afflicted them with hard labor. But despite his attempts to subdue them, the people kept multiplying.

Moses was born when the king was seeking to kill all the male babies, but his mother kept him alive for three months until she couldn’t hide him anymore. Then she put Moses in a basket, placed it in the Nile River, and stationed her daughter to watch over him. Moses was found by the princess of Egypt who kept him as her own son. She appointed Moses’ mother to nurse him until he was weaned. Then he was raised in the palace as heir to the throne.

When Moses had grown up, he became concerned about the harsh treatment of his people, the Hebrews, and wanted to do something about it (Ex. 2:11-15). But he did it his way, and made several life-changing mistakes. When he saw an Egyptian man beating one of the Hebrews, he rescued the man by killing the Egyptian and hiding his body in the sand.

Moses’ Mistakes

He focused on an event rather than the big picture. Instead of considering how to save the entire nation, he focused on one act of cruelty.
He followed his reasoning. Moses thought the only way to help the Hebrew was to kill the Egyptian.
He acted on impulse. Moses didn’t pause to think, but responded spontaneously.
He acted in his own strength. He took matters into his own hands instead of relying on the Lord.
He acted in anger. His unchecked rage led him to murder.
He failed to consider the future consequences. Moses didn’t think about what would happen as a result of his actions.

When we do things our way, we’ll make these same mistakes. But if we’re in the habit of obeying the Lord, we’ll recognize that His thoughts and ways are higher than ours, and respond as He desires (Isa. 55:8-9). Walking in God’s ways can become the habit of our lives.

The Results of Moses’ Choice

He murdered a man.
He was full of fear.
He was banished from Egypt.
He became isolated from his family and the Hebrew nation.
He became a shepherd.
He had to think about what he’d done.
He lost his high position, power, and influence.
He lived in a desert, while his people were suffering in Egypt, and he couldn’t do anything about it.

When we choose our way over God’s, we too will experience difficult consequences. We’re usually filled with regret and disappointment and face costly consequences for our actions. They hurt not only us but others as well. Even though God’s way isn’t always the simplest, may run against the grain of our desires, and could be painful, it’s always the best option because it fulfills God’s plans and purposes for our lives.

The Prerequisite for Doing Things God’s Way

No one can follow the Lord’s way apart from a right relationship with Him through His Son. We must acknowledge and repent of our sins and believe that Jesus paid our sin debt on the cross so we could be forgiven and enter into a relationship with God as His beloved children.

The Result of Doing Things God’s Way

After 40 years in the wilderness, the Lord spoke to Moses through a burning bush (Ex. 3:1-6). By now, Moses had lost all confidence in himself and could now be used by God to rescue the Israelites His way. When Moses turned aside to see why the bush was not consumed by the fire, the Lord instructed him to go back to Egypt and demand that Pharaoh let His people go (Ex. 3:7-22).

Moses acted on divine command (Ex. 4:19-20). He obediently followed God’s instructions instead of his own agenda.
He proceeded on God’s timing, not his own.
God provided everything Moses needed. Aaron became his spokesman when Moses felt inadequate, and He gave him great signs to perform to convince Pharaoh.
The Lord banished his fears. He assured Moses that His presence and power would go with him. God gave Moses specific directions.
Moses experienced God’s power in his life. Egypt was a mighty nation, but Moses came in the power of almighty God.
He saw God’s power working in unusual ways. Moses witnessed the miracles God performed to deliver the Israelites from Egyptian bondage.
The Hebrews experienced great blessing. They carried away riches from the Egyptians.
Moses learned God’s ways. He witnessed the effectiveness of God’s way and the futility of his own.
He learned God could use him in his weakness. He stood before Pharaoh, armed only with a staff, and watched the Lord act on Israel’s behalf.
God accomplished in a short time what Moses couldn’t do in a lifetime his way. Moses rescued one man, but the Lord set a multitude free without a revolution or war.

When we follow Moses’ example and choose God’s way, we too will learn that He is faithful to accomplish His will through our weakness when we obey Him.

RESPONSE

Can you remember a time you chose to do things your way rather than God’s? What consequences and regrets followed your actions?
What keeps you from doing things God’s way? Do you tend to respond to situations based on emotions, human reasoning, or impulses; or are you prepared to respond according to God’s will as revealed in His Word?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

WISDOM FOR LIFE’S TRIALS

KEY PASSAGE: James 1:1-12 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 | 1 Peter 1:6-7, 4:12

SUMMARY

When facing trials, have you ever asked, “God, why did You allow this?”

While it is natural to question the difficult and painful circumstances that you endure, you will only find a truly fulfilling and comforting answer when you seek wisdom from the Father. When you ask for God’s viewpoint on your situation and respond to it using the scriptural principles He teaches, you will be able to endure your circumstances and grow through them.

In fact, James 1:1-12 tells us that God uses trials to accomplish His purpose in our lives. Through them, He strengthens our faith, makes us more Christ-like in character, and demonstrates His great love and power in personal and impactful ways.

Understanding this can change our viewpoint on hardship. And instead of feeling like victims, we can face difficulties with joy, peace, and expectancy—confident in God’s promise to reward our faithfulness and to bring something worthwhile from our pain.

SERMON POINTS

Understanding the Sources of Trials

More often than not, we want to point fingers and immediately place blame when trials come our way. However, it is always wise to ask, “What is the true source of this trial?” The answer will most likely be different for each one we face. Many difficulties are simply those you and I bring on ourselves because of poor decisions, but some troubles can be caused by other people.

For example, a young believer may face certain difficulties over and over again because he has only begun to walk with Christ and requires further refinement. Or he may see his troubles increase because of rejection or persecution by others. Peter warned believers not to be surprised or disheartened by such trials and explained that God will always work them out for good (1 Peter 4:12).

Still other pains happen simply because the world we live in is fallen. Ever since creation was corrupted by sin, sorrow has been one of the many consequences. And, of course, the Devil himself instigates a great deal of our suffering to make us question our faith.

Does God ever send trials Himself? Yes, He does. He also allows them, especially if they result from choices we’ve made that were not in His will. The Lord will even send trials when we are living obediently because our Father loves us too much to leave us where we are spiritually. His greatest desire is for each of us to grow closer to Him and to walk in the center of His will.

Regardless of the source, the Father promises to use each one of our trials for good. Knowing this should change our attitude toward them. Therefore, we should consider every challenge we encounter as a reason to rejoice rather than give in to feelings of helplessness and defeat.

As children of a sovereign God, we are never victims of our circumstances; our heavenly Father is in absolute control of everything that concerns us. With this in mind, trials should no longer be a source of anxiety or frustration for us because we understand they are His way of accomplishing His will in our lives.

Understanding God’s Purposes

In any trial, God has an opportunity to:

Test our faith. In 1 Peter 1:6-7, the testing of our faith is compared to the refining of gold. Both are purified by fire and are of great worth—faith even more so because of its eternal value. If it is this precious, isn’t God’s testing of it worthwhile? After all, untested faith is weak and unreliable, so exposure to trials is what best strengthens it.
Test our devotion to Christ. Trials can help us discover just how obedient we truly are. Sometimes, we have to go through difficult things. However, these moments give us the choice to obey, and doing so helps us grow.
Purify us. During trials, certain negative attitudes such as prejudice or scorn hidden deep inside of us will rise to the surface. God uses these moments to show us what is in our hearts—not to condemn us, but to cleanse us of those things that keep us from receiving His best blessings.
Demonstrate His love. If life was always easy and all our desires were met, God would be taken for granted. People never pray more than when they are in the midst of a trial, and it allows the Father to display His love and grace most abundantly.

For instance, someone who is in desperate need of a job may receive one in such a way that reveals God’s kindness, or someone who is struggling with illness may find his or her only relief through His healing.

Produce a Christ-like spirit in us. God knows us individually—where we are, where He wants us to be, and how to get us there. He is at work in our lives to make us more like Jesus.
Equip us. In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, Paul teaches that trials prepare us to comfort those who are experiencing similar struggles. That means the pain we endure will grant us the opportunity to bless others and to be stronger witnesses for the gospel.

Believe and Rejoice

In order to have the proper response to trials in our lives, we must always remember:

God controls their length and intensity.
The Father has specific purposes for everything we experience.
The Lord designed each challenge to meet a specific need in our lives.
God will cause our trials to produce good, positive results in us if we respond in obedience.
Through trials, God strengthens our faith.
Difficulties are opportunities for us to demonstrate perseverance under pressure.
Through challenges, God develops Christ-like character within us.
The hardships we face help us measure our spiritual walk with God.
The Father will be with us through every situation to accomplish His good.
God will always help us overcome our circumstances if we trust Him.

RESPONSE

Hurt and pain are inevitable while we are here on this earth, but we can always choose how we respond to them. We can blame others, turn to drugs and alcohol for relief, and throw our hands up in frustration. Or we can respond in the right way and view our trials from God’s perspective. This helps us realize our difficulties are opportunities for spiritual growth. We know that life will not always be easy, but because we have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, He will see us through.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

WALKING IN GOD"S PLAN

KEY PASSAGE: Colossians 1:9-12 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Exodus 20:1-17 | Psalm 16:11; 32:8 | Proverbs 3:5-6 | 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5

SUMMARY

After salvation, some believers are left wondering what’s next. Are they simply to attend church regularly and wait to go to heaven?

Perhaps they weren’t taught what the Bible says about living the Christian life, or they may have never considered what God desires for them as His children. But by reading Scripture, believers can discover that God has plans that He desires to work out in their lives today.

SERMON POINTS

The Lord wants us to know His will.

Colossians 1:9-12 makes this very clear and explains God’s goals for all believers.

[9] “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,

[10] so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

[11] strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously

[12] giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in Light.”

This passage describes what God wants for us, and first among them is the knowledge of His will. Every day of our lives is to be lived for Him rather than simply going through the motions of being baptized, joining a church, and then living as we please.

We are individuals created with unique personalities, abilities, and opportunities, and as such, God has specific plans and desires for each of us. His will can be defined as that which He approves and determines to bring about in our lives. It concerns His good and wise choices regarding what we are to do and not do.

None of us can make excuses, claiming we don’t have the right background or abilities to serve the Lord according to His plan. He knew each of us and designed His plans for our lives before we were born. Therefore, we should never underestimate what the Lord can do in us, even when we think we have little to offer.

There are three aspects of God’s plan.

His Predestined Will. This is God’s overriding sovereign will by which He operates in this world and in our personal lives. These events are irresistible, unchangeable, and unconditional because they have been ordained by almighty God. A good example is the death of Jesus Christ on the cross. This event was predestined before the creation of the world.
His Moral Will. These are God’s moral standards by which we are to live. They are explained in the Ten Commandments (Ex. 20:1-17) and enlarged in the New Testament in passages such as 1 Thessalonians 4:1-5, which speaks of the believer’s sanctification.
His Desired Will. This encompasses God’s desires for His people and includes aspects of our salvation such as baptism, service, prayer, wise decisions, and a character that displays the fruit of the Spirit.

Why should we seek to obey God’s will?

How we conduct ourselves in the Christian life is important because we are responsible to live according to God’s will. Scripture tells us that we will each stand before the judgment seat of Christ to give an account of our lives.

All of us who claim Jesus as Savior and hold to God’s Word are under the spiritual law of Christ who lives within us. Therefore, we must strive to be obedient to Him in every area of our lives. God’s responsibility is to enable, strengthen, guide, and help us make wise choices in accordance with His will.

One of the reasons we sometimes doubt that God could have a plan for our lives is because we compare ourselves with others who seem to have greater abilities, intellects, and opportunities. However, God is the one who gives life and determines what He will entrust to each one.

We may not understand why some people seem to have more benefits in life while others have an abundance of suffering, but we know that all God’s judgments are according to His good and perfect will. Our task is to simply be faithful and obedient in using the abilities, opportunities, and even the hardships He has given us.

We can all begin to live in God’s will today.

Even if we haven’t been living as the Lord desires, He is willing to pick us up right where we are and begin guiding us into His will if we’ll submit to Him. This has always been His desire for those who are in Christ—that we “may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9).

It’s amazing what the Lord can do in a life that is fully surrendered to Him. Although our past cannot be changed, when we come to Him in repentance, He enables us to walk in His footsteps and follow His will as He lives His life in and through us.

Even people who have hated God and rejected His Son are invited to turn to Him and find new life. Saul of Tarsus is a great example of this. He was a persecutor of Christians until the Lord appeared to him, blinded his eyes, and transformed him into His own apostle. No one is so evil that God cannot save him if he will turn to Christ in faith.

God delights in showing us His will.

Psalm 16:11 “You will make known to me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; in Your right hand there are pleasures forever.”
Psalm 32:8 “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will counsel you with My eye upon you.”
Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

What hinders us from discovering and doing God’s will?

Self-Will. We want our own way.
Influence of Others. We listen to them rather than trusting God.
Ignorance of the Word of God. We don’t know His promises.
Doubt. We question God’s ability.
Feelings of Unworthiness. We question that God could use us.
Fear. We question our ability.
Willful, Known Sin. We don’t want to change.

RESPONSE

What hinders you from living according to God’s will? Are you willing to submit to Christ and begin living in the fullness of His good and perfect will for you?
Is the mess you have made of your life keeping you from believing that the Lord can forgive and transform you if you will repent and turn to Him in faith?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

EXPERIENCING A FAITH FAILURE

KEY PASSAGE: Numbers 13-14 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 23:4; 27:1 | Philippians 4:13 | 2 Timothy 1:7 | Hebrews 13:5

SUMMARY

Faith is one of God’s most important gifts because we are saved through faith, and we are also called to live by faith every day.

Yet there are circumstances that may cause our faith to falter. If we yield to these doubts, negative consequences will inevitably follow. The Bible includes examples of people who walked by faith and those who failed to believe Him. In these stories we see how our focus determines whether our faith fails or grows stronger.

SERMON POINTS

A faith failure can be defined as a failure to express faith or trust God when confronted by a challenge, trial, or temptation. One of the most obvious examples of this is found in Numbers 13 and 14. The Lord had rescued the children of Israel from Egypt, divided the waters of the Red Sea so they could escape, and guided them through the wilderness. At this point in their journey, they were near the land of Canaan, which God had promised to give them.

Spies were sent into the land.

Moses chose 12 men from each of the tribes of Israel to spy out the land of Canaan. “See what the land is like, and whether the people who live in it are strong or weak, whether they are few or many … And how are the cities in which they live, are they like open camps or with fortification? How is the land, is it fat or lean? Are there trees in it or not? Make an effort then to get some of the fruit of the land” (vv. 18-20).

When the spies returned, they gave an account of what they had seen: “We went in to the land where you sent us; and it certainly does flow with milk and honey … . Nevertheless, the people who live in the land are strong, and the cities are fortified and very large; and moreover, we saw the descendant of Anak there” (vv. 27-28).

The spies came to differing conclusions.

Although all the spies saw the same things, their recommendations were different. Caleb told the people, “We should by all means go up and take possession of it, for we will surely overcome it” (v. 30). But some of the others said, “We are not able to go up against the people, for they are too strong for us … all the people whom we saw in it are men of great size … and we became like grasshoppers in our own sight, and so we were in their sight’” (vv. 30-33).

Moses had sent the 12 spies in order to determine what was the best strategy for conquering the land, but 10 of them gave a bad report that discouraged the people from even trying to enter Canaan. Only Caleb and Joshua believed God would enable them to take the land that He had promised them.

The 10 spies’ faith failure spread to the people.

The congregation chose to believe the bad report, and they grumbled against Moses and Aaron saying, “Would that we had died in the land of Egypt! Or would that we had died in this wilderness! Why is the Lord bringing us into this land, to fall by the sword? Our wives and our little ones will become plunder; would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?” (14:2-3).

The prospect of difficulty caused the people to forget all the ways God had blessed them and proved Himself faithful. He had miraculously rescued them from Egypt and guided them through the wilderness to the land He’d promised them. But instead of trusting the Lord to continue to fulfill His promises to them, they were ready to go back to Egyptian slavery.

Joshua and Caleb tried to reassure the people, saying, “If the Lord is pleased with us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us—a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the Lord; and do not fear the people of the land, for they shall be our prey. Their protection has been removed from them, and the Lord is with us” (vv. 8-9).

But the congregation chose to listen to the wrong voices rather than trust the word of almighty God. Their unfaithfulness cost them the Promised Land. Instead of possessing Canaan, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years until they all died. Only their children, along with Caleb and Joshua, were allowed to enter the land.

What causes a faith failure?

There are valuable lessons in this story to help us understand why faith may falter.

Fear of failure. “For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7). The Lord doesn’t want us to yield to our fears but to cling to His promises. Like the Israelites, we have every reason to believe God because we have experienced His faithfulness.
False information. Although all 10 spies saw the same things in Canaan, only Caleb and Joshua trusted God because they remembered His faithfulness in delivering them from Egypt. The other 10 men gave the congregation false information by predicting that they could not overcome the people of the land. Foolishly, the people listened to the wrong voices and believed the dire prediction.
Failure to recall the Lord’s past power. The congregation’s response to the situation was not based on the proven capability of God but on themselves and their inability to conquer the land He had promised them. Although the Lord had demonstrated His power through their miraculous deliverance from Egypt and the parting of the Red Sea, all this was forgotten in the face of what they perceived as an insurmountable obstacle. Only two of the spies believed that the Lord would empower them to conquer the land. If God had overpowered Egypt, surely He could overcome the people of Canaan.
Failure to see circumstances from God’s perspective. The Israelites looked at the giants and fortified cities through human eyes, but Joshua and Caleb saw them through the Lord’s eyes. He is almighty God and will accomplish whatever He promises.
Focusing on the obstacles rather than on the Lord. The people could only see defeat and death ahead because they saw their problem as bigger than God. Instead of looking ahead to all that God had promised them, they looked back to Egypt. What they failed to recognize was that the Lord was bigger than giants and stronger than walled cities.

RESPONSE

Where is your focus when you’re afraid or have a big problem? What part does God play in your thoughts?Have you seen prayer make your problems smaller?
How has listening to the wrong voices caused you to doubt the Lord?
Have you focused on your own limited resources when an obstacle seems insurmountable? What does God say about you and your situation in Philippians 4:13 and Hebrews 13:5?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

ESCAPING A DESPERATE SITUATION

KEY PASSAGE: Exodus 14:1-31 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Exodus 1:8 | Isaiah 41:9-13

SUMMARY

Many of us are familiar with one of the most interesting and amazing events in the Old Testament, but we may not understand how it applies to us.

After all, how could an event that happened thousands of years ago be relevant in the 21st century? It’s because nothing in the Bible is unnecessary or unimportant. Although civilizations and cultures frequently change, the principles found in Scripture remain constant because our God never changes. He has given us this Book to teach us who He is and how He operates so we can apply His Word to our lives.

SERMON POINTS

The book of Genesis records the story of Joseph, who was sold into Egyptian slavery by his jealous brothers. After God gave him the interpretation of Pharaoh’s dream, Joseph was promoted to the position of overseer of Egypt. His interpretation and wise advice saved the Egyptians from starvation due to an extended drought, and it also provided an opportunity for Joseph’s extended family to join him in Egypt. The Israelites multiplied so quickly during their 400-year stay in Egypt that a future pharaoh, who didn’t know Joseph, enslaved them because he was afraid they might become powerful enough to be a threat to the Egyptians.

God chose a Hebrew man named Moses to lead the sons of Israel out of Egypt. He’d been raised and educated as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. However, after he killed an Egyptian who was beating a fellow Hebrew, he was forced to flee for his life and ended up spending 40 years in the Midian wilderness until the day the Lord spoke to him from a burning bush. God sent Moses back to Egypt to set His people free and bring them to the land He’d promised to give them.

Because Pharaoh was hard-hearted and stubborn, the Lord sent 10 plagues to the land of Egypt. Finally, when the last plague resulted in the loss of all the firstborns in Egypt, Pharaoh relented and let the Hebrews go.

There are five principles we can learn from the Israelites’ great escape.

1. God always knows which way is best. Although Pharaoh had let the children of Israel leave Egypt after the 10th plague, shortly afterward he regretted his decision, assembled his army, and set out to bring them back. Under God’s leadership, the Israelites had arrived and set up camp near the Red Sea, when Pharaoh and his forces overtook them. Upon seeing the Egyptian army coming toward them, they realized they were trapped and, in fear, called out to God. Although the situation looked desperate to the Israelites, the Lord was in control and was going to use this circumstance to show the Egyptians that He was Israel’s God and the only true God.

Therefore, whenever we face difficult times, we too should call on the Lord and remember that He orchestrates such situations for His divine purposes, to demonstrate His glory, and to show us that His ways are always best.

2. God is faithful to provide for His people. When the Israelites lived in Egypt as slaves, they had nothing, yet they came out with the riches of the land because the Lord used the 10 plagues to compel the Egyptians to supply them with whatever they wanted. The citizens were so anxious to get rid of them that they gave them their gold, silver, jewels, and clothing.

3. God is always present to guide His people. Although the Israelites thought they were trapped by the Egyptian army, in reality, God was the one who put them in this impossible situation because He had a great goal in mind that they couldn’t perceive. The only way they could escape was if God intervened and rescued them.

Human reason is no match for the Lord’s omniscience because He knows the beginning and the end of everything. Our response should be to trust Him and obey whatever He tells us to do. A lack of understanding of all the details is no excuse for disobedience and doubt.

4. God’s simplest command can result in surprising and powerful consequences when we obey Him. The Israelites were no match for the Egyptian army with all their chariots. These former slaves were not trained soldiers and had no equipment with which to fight. Their only hope was to trust the Lord, who by His grace had kept them alive for all those years in the land of Egypt and caused them to proliferate into a great multitude.

“But Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear! Stand by and see the salvation of the Lord which He will accomplish for you today; for the Egyptians whom you have seen today, you will never see them again forever. The Lord will fight for you while you keep silent’” (Ex. 14:13-14). Then God said to Moses, “Tell the sons of Israel to go forward. As for you, lift up your staff and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it, and the sons of Israel shall go through the midst of the sea on dry land” (vv. 15-16).

As the people marched forward at God’s command, what seemed like an insurmountable situation became a miraculous deliverance. The pillar of cloud moved behind the Israelites to separate the Egyptians from them as they crossed over the seabed between two walls of water. When the Egyptians followed them, Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and the water flowed back, killing Pharaoh and his entire army.

We must never look at our situations based on our own abilities but on God’s faithfulness. Then in obedience we should follow His commands and trust Him to work out the situation and handle all the consequences.

5. Don’t look for someone to blame for your circumstance, but look for God to help you. When the Israelites first realized that the Egyptians were closing in on them, they said to Moses, “Is it because there were no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you dealt with us in this way, bringing us out of Egypt?” (v. 11).

It’s always easier to blame someone else for our difficulties rather than to trust God’s purposes and His faithfulness to us in the situation. But Isaiah tells us, “Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand” (Isa. 41:10).

RESPONSE

What is your first reaction when faced with a desperate situation? Have you ever tried to find your own way out instead of relying on the Lord? If so, what happened?
Which of these five principles do you need to apply to your current or your next difficult problem?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

HOW SHOULD WE WAIT?

KEY PASSAGE: Various scriptures from the Psalms | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 25:3; 27:13-14; 37:9; 40:1-3; 62:1, 5; 130:5 | Isaiah 40:28-31 | Matthew 7:7 | 1 John 5:14-15

SUMMARY

Whether you’re about to make a purchase or facing an emergency, the last thing you want to do is wait.

In fact, today, having what we want immediately is almost the norm. What we once waited a month to receive is now available the same day. Although this is very convenient, it has also led to a moral decline, including the actions of people who aren’t willing to wait for sex until marriage. Furthermore, it has resulted in the selfish conclusion that we should always get what we want right away.

SERMON POINTS

God doesn’t work by this world’s standards. Psalm 27:14 says, “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.” This command is given to us because God knows that it’s not easy for us to wait, especially if we’ve already had to do so for an extended period of time.

God speaks often about waiting because it’s important and essential for every area of our lives—in our relationships, finances, physical life, and spiritual life. That’s why Scripture often admonishes us to wait for the Lord. It’s one of the key lessons in the Bible that we’d do well to learn.

Yet so often we don’t see the value of waiting and prefer to get what we desire immediately. But God knows that sometimes we’re not ready to receive what we’ve requested, and some of the things we want are unwise or even physically, emotionally, or spiritually dangerous for us.

Waiting on God is a principle in His Word.

There are great advantages and protections for us in God’s delays. Some things become richer and more meaningful when we wait for them. Another benefit is that we avoid the consequences of impatiently running ahead of God.

Isaiah 40:28-31 “Do you not know? Have you not heard? The Everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth does not become weary or tired. His understanding is inscrutable. He gives strength to the weary, and to him who lacks might He increases power.
Though youths grow weary and tired, and vigorous young men stumble badly, yet those who wait for the Lord will gain new strength; they will mount up with wings like eagles, they will run and not get tired, they will walk and not become weary.”
To become the person God wants us to be and accomplish what He desires, we must learn to wait upon Him. Instead of making decisions based on our limited understanding, we need to wait until God shows us what He would have us do. If we ignore the Lord, there is a price to pay.
Psalm 25:3 “None of those who wait for You will be ashamed.” If we obey God, we will not be ashamed because He works in our lives as we follow Jesus and depend on Him rather than jumping ahead.
Psalm 37:9 “For evildoers will be cut off, but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.” God’s blessings come to us when we seek His guidance and obey. And since He is good and loves us, He will not forget our need. However, we must not assume that if God hasn’t stopped us, then it’s fine to do as we desire. The wiser approach would be to wait for Him to make His timing clear.

What are wrong ways to wait on God?

Impatiently. Fussing at the Lord because He hasn’t done anything.
Nervously. Being anxious about the outcome.
Complaining. Grumbling at the Lord for His lack of response.
Questioning. Doubting that God’s judgment is right.
Frustrated. Being annoyed because God isn’t working according to your desires.
Irritated. Becoming aggravated by His seeming inactivity.
Miserable. Feeling that God is withholding something from you.

All these attitudes result from a failure to realize that God is good and generous, giving us much more than we deserve. Because He is also wise and loving, He withholds those things that are not beneficial for us, that we’re not ready to handle, or that could become stumbling blocks in our walk with Him.

How should we wait on the Lord?

Patiently. “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He inclined to me and heard my cry. He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, and He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord” (Ps. 40:1-3). We can wait patiently for God if we understand that He is wiser than we are and that blessings follow obedience.
Quietly. “My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him” (Ps. 62:5). Instead of complaining, we should wait calmly for the Lord’s provision.
Trusting. Waiting isn’t passive resignation but active trust in God, which allows us to rest in Him and wait patiently. Instead of fretting, we bring our requests to Him and trust that He will answer as a loving Father would—in the right way and time. We can trust Him to keep His Word and do what is best for us.
Expectantly. “I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living” (Ps. 27:13). After salvation, the Holy Spirit came to take up residence within us and give us guidance for life. We can confidently expect that He will direct our paths and show us the way in His timing. For this reason, we should begin each day with the Lord in prayer and wait expectantly for Him to guide us through this sinful world.
Courageously. “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord” (Ps. 27:14). Waiting on God may require courage when we don’t understand why He is delaying His response.
Standing on God’s Word. “I wait for the Lord, my soul does wait, and in His word do I hope” (Ps. 130:5). Scripture is the foundation on which we stand as we watch for God to act according to His perfect timing and will. He has given us a promise: “This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from Him” (1 John 5:14-15).

RESPONSE

Look at the lists of right and wrong ways to wait for God. Which one more closely resembles your response?
How does your view of God influence your trust in Him and shape how you wait for Him?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE ATTRACTIVE QUALITY OF KINDNESS

SUMMARY

Do you think you are a kind person? Would those who are closest to you agree with your assessment?

Kindness is a virtue that stands out in a world of harshness and selfishness. It’s an attractive quality, evident not only on our faces but especially in our words and actions. More importantly, kindness is an attribute that should characterize every believer because it’s a reflection of Christ in us.

SERMON POINTS

Kindness is mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23 as part of the fruit God’s Spirit produces within us: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control.” It’s closely associated with the traits of goodness and gentleness, all of which are aspects of each other. If one is kind, he or she will also be good and gentle.

Although kindness is produced by the Spirit within us, it’s also an attribute that we are expected to cultivate because it is commanded in God’s Word.

Ephesians 4:32 “Be kind to one another, compassion, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.”
Colossians 3:12 “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.”

Kindness is the outflow of the indwelling Holy Spirit onto those around us. It isn’t merely being polite in public but should be especially evident in our closest relationships at home and in the workplace. It’s expressed in friendliness, generosity, patience, thoughtfulness, and a calm, warm-hearted disposition.

Although kindness isn’t very important in our society, it’s a very Christlike characteristic that should be apparent in every believer’s life. It begins with thoughtfulness because our minds are set on others, not on ourselves. We are sensitive to the needs of those around us and ready to offer help with our words or actions.

Christ is the perfect depiction of kindness. When He heard a poor, blind beggar named Bartimaeus calling out to Him, He didn’t consider him a nuisance but stopped and asked, “What do you want Me to do for you?” (Mark 10:51). Then with mercy and compassion, He restored Bartimaeus’ sight just as he requested.

As followers of Jesus, we, too, should be characterized by kindness. And because the Holy Spirit is working to produce this fruit within us, we have the capacity to be kind in every situation, even when others are unkind to us. However, this doesn’t mean that we become pushovers or easy targets for attack. As Christians, we should never ignore wrongdoing but should express ourselves in a Christlike manner, not striking at the person but at their actions.

God shows kindness to all mankind.

His supreme act of kindness is seen in His provision of salvation to sinful people.

Titus 3:4-6 “But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we did in righteousness, but in accordance with His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit, whom He richly poured out upon us through Jesus Christ our Savior.”

Although the Lord has the right to strike sinners down at any moment, He is patient, and His kindness is meant to draw them to repentance.

Romans 2:4 “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”

The only reason any of us are saved is because God’s kindness led us to repentance and provided the means for our salvation through faith in His Son. Having experienced His grace, we are now able to show kindness to those who mistreat us. Sometimes the best response to those who revile us is not self-defense but peaceful kindness. This is not a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of strength. Kindness conquers by disarming the attacker and ending the fight.

Expressions of God’s Kindness

He pardons us from our sin. There is nothing we can do to gain redemption on our own.
He provides for our needs. Having saved us, He now meets our emotional, physical, and material needs.
In times of danger, He often protects us. We’ve all experienced occasions when God has rescued us from danger, yet we are unaware of all the times He has intervened to protect us.
Every answered prayer is an act of kindness on God’s part. It’s only due to His grace, because none of us could say that we are worthy of receiving answers to our requests.
He gives us the gift of eternal life. When God reached down to save us, He not only forgave us our sins, but gave us eternal life that can never be lost. He holds and keeps us until our last breath and then takes us home to heaven to live with Him forever.
God keeps every promise He makes. Just as He keeps His promise to give us eternal life, so also He will be faithful to discipline us as a loving Father if we disobey Him. Both are acts of kindness toward us.
He is personally involved in our lives. The Lord not only saved us, but He sent His Spirit to live within us.
He always deals with us kindly whether through love, gentleness, truth, instruction, or discipline.
We have the promise of His presence with us. God gives no conditions that would limit His willingness to abide with us. Hebrews 13:5 says, “For He Himself has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever abandon you.’” Scripture reminds us that our lives should be a reflection of God’s kindness.
Proverbs 19:22 “What is desirable in a person is his kindness.” What God values stands in contrast with what the world considers masculine.
Proverbs 3:3 “Do not let kindness and truth leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.” Kindness begins in the mind and heart.
Zechariah 7:9 “This is what the Lord of armies has said: ‘Dispense true justice and practice kindness and compassion each to his brother.’” Kindness is not left in the heart but must be practiced, especially in the home.
1 Peter 2:3 “If you have tasted the kindness of the Lord.” After experiencing God’s grace and goodness, we should make it a part of our lives as well.

RESPONSE

It’s easy to overlook the Lord’s kindness expressed to us each day. This week make an effort to see all the ways God demonstrates kindness to you in both large and small ways.
Are your interactions with your family kind? Why is the home often the most difficult place to practice kindness? What would your home look like if everyone was kind to one another?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

LIVING BY GOD’S GUIDANCE

SUMMARY

Who or what is guiding your life?

This is an important question because whatever or whoever we depend upon for direction determines our thinking, attitudes, wishes, desires, and ways. Many people today are guided by their emotions, and as a result, they lack the stability that only comes through dependence upon God’s Word. When the Lord is our Guide, He gives us the clarity and strength we need to live as He desires—with confidence and trust in Him.

SERMON POINTS

When God rescued the children of Israel from Egyptian bondage, He didn’t leave them to find their own way to the land He’d promised to give them. According to Exodus 13:21-22, “The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.” Although they were traveling through unknown territory, they would never get lost as long as they followed the pillar of cloud and fire.

Today we have God’s written Word as our infallible guide for life’s journey.

The Lord has graciously revealed how He thinks and what He desires so we can know how to live in a manner that pleases Him. In addition, He has given His Holy Spirit to those of us who trust in Jesus Christ as our Savior. The Spirit imparts understanding of God’s Word, gives guidance, and enables us to follow and obey. It’s important to align our thoughts with the Lord’s because our thinking determines how we live. If we rely on our own ideas rather than God’s truths, we’ll end up on the wrong path and waste valuable time.

When the Israelites took their eyes off the Lord and focused on the obstacles, they rebelled against His instructions and refused to enter the Promised Land. As a result, they wandered in the desert for 40 years until that entire generation died.

In order to be guided by God, we cannot live automatically without giving Him a thought, rely on our emotions for guidance, or look around and imitate what everyone else is doing. Nor can we deliberately go our own way like the children of Israel did. If we’ve trusted Jesus as Savior, we must also trust Him as Lord and yield to His leadership and direction by opening our Bibles to see what He has said. Reading God’s Word every now and then will not be sufficient if we aspire to live as He desires in a world opposed to Him and the truths we believe.

Living according to God’s guidance requires …

Meditation upon His Word. “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Ps. 119:105). What the cloud and fire were to Israel, God’s Word is for us today. It’s adequate to guide us through life if we’ll read and meditate upon it regularly instead of just opening it when we have a problem.
Sensitivity to the leadership of the Holy Spirit. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come” (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit guides us into God’s truth so we can discern right from wrong, truth from error, and good from evil. With God’s Word and His Spirit, we have everything we need to live a godly life. Our responsibility is to be good stewards of these treasures entrusted to us.
Willingness to wait for God’s timing. “For from days of old they have not heard or perceived by ear, nor has the eye seen a God besides You, who acts in behalf of the one who waits for Him” (Isa. 64:4). Instead of rushing off to start the day, we need to wait for God’s direction by reading His Word and asking Him to implant it in our minds so it can guide us throughout the day.
Following God when the way is unclear. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your body and refreshment to your bones” (Prov. 3:5-8). When we are confused, we must trust God and learn to see our circumstances from His perspective as revealed in His Word. Then we will gain clarity and insight for each day.
Walking in the Spirit of God in order to be strong and courageous. “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go” (Josh. 1:9). When we live by faith in the Word of God, our obedience is energized by the Spirit’s presence in us. He is the source of our hope, strength, and courage.
Willingness to face conflict. “But Peter and the apostles answered, ‘We must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the one whom God exalted to His right hand as a Prince and a Savior, to grant repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses of these things; and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey Him’” (Acts 5:29-32). We live in a world that is hostile to God, and there may be times when our beliefs conflict with culture. Therefore, we must rely on the Holy Spirit to give us discernment, guidance, and strength to stay faithful in times of opposition.
Willingness to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. Since the Lord is always true to His Word and keeps His promises, we can trust Him to handle whatever happens as a result of our obedience.

RESPONSE

Although you may claim that God is guiding your life, the truth of your profession is seen in your daily activities. Do you begin each day by reading and meditating on God’s Word? How well do you know the Lord as He’s revealed Himself in His Word? Are you familiar with His ways?
What role do social media, television, friends, and cultural norms play in influencing how you think, what you value, and what you do? Do you know Scripture well enough to discern when these sources are in opposition to God?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE CHALLENGE OF WAVERING FAITH

KEY PASSAGE: James 1:2-8 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 33:1 | Matthew 7:7 | Hebrews 13:5

SUMMARY

How do you respond when God doesn’t answer your prayers?

Does your faith waver if He doesn’t provide what you’ve requested in the time and manner you expected? Although it may seem that the problem of fluctuating faith is the result of unanswered prayer, it’s actually caused by a misunderstanding of what God is doing in your life.

SERMON POINTS

The book of James tackles the issue of doubting by first addressing God’s purpose for our trials. He says, “Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:2-3). Sometimes God doesn’t immediately give the relief we seek because He’s using that particular trial to produce something good in us.

Then He tells us what to do. “And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him. But he must ask in faith without any doubting, for the one who doubts is like the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind. For that man ought not to expect that he will receive anything from the Lord, being a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (vv. 4-8).

God wants us to come to Him with our requests, trusting that He hears us. However, if He doesn’t answer them immediately, it’s not because He doesn’t care. His purposes are always accomplished according to His timing, not ours. He may answer in a different manner or a later date than we expect. That’s why we must wait and trust Him even when we see no evidence of an answer.

James says, when we doubt the Lord, we are like “the surf of the sea, driven and tossed by the wind” (v. 6). One minute we’re confidently trusting God, and the next moment we’re wondering if He answers prayer at all. Perhaps we’ll only believe Him if He gives us a little encouragement along the way. Or sometimes we fuss and argue with the Lord, thinking this will motivate Him to answer sooner. But all our doubts simply reveal that we are impatient, we don’t know God’s will, or we’re not yet ready to receive His answer.

Whenever God delays in responding to our petitions, He’s teaching us to consistently trust and believe Him, not because we see the answer, but because He’s promised to hear and answer our prayers. When doubts arise because God delays, it’s due to our lack of trust in Him, not a lack of care or ability on the Lord’s part.

What causes our faith to waver?

We choose to rely on our feelings rather than on the Word of God. If we shift our focus from the promises in His Word to our feelings, our faith will become unstable. But when our faith is grounded in the Word, we never have to question what God says because we stand on the truth.
We yield to reason rather than believing God. Human reasoning and faith are not always compatible. We may have all kinds of good reasons for making a particular request to God, but He sees more of the situation than we do. If the Lord delays in answering, He has a divine reason that is good, legitimate, and helpful.
We fail to see God at work in our circumstances. If the Lord doesn’t change our circumstances, it’s because He’s using them to bring us to maturity. His primary purpose is not to give us everything we desire but to shape us into the image of His Son, and He knows the perfect way to accomplish this. Knowing His good purpose frees us from worry and doubt and allows us to relax and wait patiently for the Lord to accomplish what He desires in our lives.
We listen to the negative counsel of other people. Sometimes those around us may discourage us from persevering in prayer since it appears useless from their perspective. They reason that since God hasn’t answered, there is something wrong with our request, and we should stop praying about it. That’s why it’s wise to keep some of our prayer requests between just us and the Lord.
We focus on the circumstances rather than God. His desire and objective is to increase our love, devotion, and commitment to Him, yet often all we want is for Him to fix our situation. If He doesn’t intervene according to our time schedule, it’s because He’s working in us to build and strengthen our loving relationship with Him.
We are ignorant of God’s ways. When we understand more about God’s ways as revealed in His Word, we will become more patient when His answers are delayed, knowing that He gives us what is best at just the right time. But if we are ignorant of His ways, we’ll react with anger, blame, and accusations toward God.
We carry guilt over present or past sins. Instead of looking forward and trusting God, we look back at our sins, forgetting that He has forgiven them. Then we doubt that He will ever answer our prayers since we think we are undeserving.

How do we correct our wavering faith?

We begin by asking ourselves the following questions:

Where are these doubts coming from? If we are currently living in sin, we can expect confusion and doubt to arise.
Did God promise to meet your needs? Yes, He did. However, we must learn to distinguish between our needs and our wants, some of which may be in conflict with His Word.
Did God not promise to be with you all the time? Hebrews 13:5 says, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (NKJV). His presence with us is a fact that does not depend upon our feelings.
Have you come to a fork in the road in your life? Our faith will waver if we are not living in God’s Word. The Bible is our spiritual compass to guide us, and it will never lead us the wrong way.
Did God not give you the greatest gift of all—the indwelling Holy Spirit? He is our guide, helper, and source of strength, who empowers us and gives us a sense of security.

RESPONSE

What causes your faith to waver? Is it feelings? Circumstances? Uncertainty regarding God’s will? What means has God provided to strengthen your faith in Him? Are you availing yourself of these means?
How have you seen God answer your prayers in an unexpected way or on a later date than you wanted? What has this taught you about God’s ways that will encourage you to trust Him the next time your faith begins to wobble?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE IMPACT OF A GODLY PARENT

SUMMARY:

Parents have tremendous influence on the happiness and success of their children. A son or daughter without a firm spiritual foundation will find the transition to a healthy, balanced adulthood more difficult. That’s why it’s so important that parents purposefully teach their children about the Lord as well as faithfully model how to live the Christian life.

The Bible talks frequently about the fruit of godly parenting. The New Testament tells us that Timothy’s mother and grandmother taught him the Scriptures from his youth. This instruction helped prepare him to be a leader of the early church.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

Parents should specifically teach biblical principles to their children and model them faithfully. My mother Rebecca taught me:

To read the Bible. “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work” (2 Tim. 3:15-17). She taught me the importance of God’s Word and patiently showed me how it applied to daily life (Deut. 6:4-7).

To pray. Jesus made a habit of seeking solitude so He could pray, and the Bible admonishes us to be “devoted to prayer” (Matt.14:23; Rom. 12:12). How did my mother teach me to talk with God? She kneeled before Him each night and prayed with me. She impressed upon me the absolute importance of praying about every area of my life.

To trust God for all of our needs. “They who seek the Lord shall not be in want of any good thing” (Psalm 34:10).Although my mother made very little money at the textile mill where she worked, she never indulged in self pity or begged for a handout. We would take our needs to the Lord in prayer and expect Him to provide. And she was a faithful steward of whatever God gave her.

To obey God. If children don’t learn to respect their parents’ authority in the home, they are unlikely to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit later in life. Unfortunately, many parents today are afraid to discipline their children for fear they will lose love and affection from them. But Proverbs 29:17 says, “Correct your son, and he will give you comfort; he will also delight your soul.” When I disobeyed my mother, she would sometimes lecture me, but she wasn’t afraid to use a switch to discipline me (Prov. 13:24).

To be forgiving. “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32).When I was nine, my mother married an abusive man. She never complained or became bitter. She served him his entire life even after he lost his sight. The lessons I learned from her about the benefits of forgiveness have served me well as a pastor.

To be persistent. “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith” (Gal. 6:9-10).My mother exemplified this verse. Once she determined the right thing to do, she could not be deterred from that course of action. When I was tempted to quit she’d tell me, “Don’t give up no matter what.” That’s why I advise people not to leave a position or relinquish a goal unless God gives them clear direction.

To do the right thing, regardless of feelings. Many times, I witnessed my mother going into work or cleaning our home when she was tired. Since emotions are unreliable, we shouldn’t let them dictate our actions or hinder us from doing the Lord’s will.“God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Tim. 1:7).

To have a servant spirit. “Do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another” (Gal. 5:13).My mother lovingly cared for those who could not care for themselves. She was always ready to help a neighbor or church member who needed it. After she retired from the textile mill, she went to work at a nursing home, where her genuine concern promoted the residents to call her “Sweet Becca.” From her, I learned the value of having a servant attitude.

To live an orderly life. My mother learned early on how much she could get done in a certain amount of time. So she didn’t try to do things that could only be completed if she hurried. She patiently and quietly completed her tasks (Eph. 4:1-3).Although the homes we lived in were small, our rooms were spotless. Everything was in its proper place (Prov. 31:27).“Cleanliness is next to godliness” isn’t found in the Bible, but my mother lived by this principle. She also instilled in me what people have heard me say many times: “Look your best, do your best, and be your best.”

To be an encourager. As a parent, encourage your child rather than shaming them for their mistakes and shortcomings. My mother never chastised me for bringing home poor grades. She would simply ask, “Did you do your best?” Later, when I began preaching, she showed her support by coming early, sitting in the front, and praying for me during the sermon. Her influence is why I prefer to encourage people with truth from the Word of God rather than focus on their sins or false beliefs.

To love unconditionally. Jesus said, “This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13).My mother knew my faults, failures, and weaknesses. Yet even when she disciplined me, I knew she loved me. Her affection helped me understand how much God loved me.

CONCLUSION:

Was my mother perfect? No. But the lessons she taught me about living the Christian life profoundly affect me to this day. What you communicate to your children, whether purposefully or accidentally, will shape how they respond to life’s challenges as adults. The most effective parents explain the Word of God to their children and consistently live by the principles they teach.

If you haven’t been the mother or father that God has called you to be, don’t let Satan condemn and discourage you. Instead, get on your knees before your heavenly Father and surrender your life and your parenting to Him. Ask the Lord to make you into the godly mother or father that He wants you to be. Will you still make mistakes? Yes. But God will begin to change you if you let Him have control of this and every other area of your life.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

BUILDING TRUTH INTO YOUR LIFE

SUMMARY:

Truthfulness is an essential character quality for believers.

When it’s lacking, both individuals and nations begin to crumble internally. Because Jethro understood this concept, he advised Moses, his son-in-law, to only appoint men who feared God and hated dishonest gain to positions of leadership (Ex. 18:21). But this character quality is not reserved just for a chosen few. We all influence others, so we must be people who know and speak truth.

Society is confused about this issue, and many people are asking the same question Pilate posed to Jesus, “What is truth?” (John 18:38). Though the world is reluctant to hear the answer, Jesus tells us He is the truth and that He has given His church the Spirit of truth so they can know and understand His Word. However, becoming people of truth won’t happen automatically. We must be willing to accept and speak it, even when it causes us discomfort (Gal. 4:16).

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

Truth is based not on feelings or desires, but on reality.

Falsehoods, however, are always misleading statements that misrepresent the truth. This is why you can’t claim to be honest and tell lies or half-truths at the same time. Also, honesty shouldn’t vary with external circumstances, so a person with this quality speaks truthfully, even if it’s inconvenient or costly.

How can we tell if we’re honest?

Self-examination is crucial in determining if we’re characterized by honesty. We should each consider the following questions because our answers reveal not only our attitudes toward truth, but also how much we truly value it. For example, ask yourself:

Do I consider myself to be a truthful person?
Do I have a tendency to slightly alter the truth?
Do I sometimes feel threatened by the truth?
Do I think it’s acceptable to lie as long as I don’t hurt anyone?
How do I feel when I don’t tell the truth?
How do I feel when I know someone isn’t telling me the truth?
Do I want people to be honest with me?

What are the benefits of building truth into our lives?

When the Bible is our source of truth, we have a firm foundation for life. It’s natural to want to believe whatever suits us best, so truth is our only protection from deception’s dangers. Knowing biblical truth anchors our souls in times of difficulty and gives us guidance for crucial decisions. Everything in life is distorted when it’s absent, and without it, we’re likely to go astray and miss God’s blessings.

A foundation of truth helps us live according to God’s will. It provides the:

Guidance to know what to do in any situation.
Wisdom to know the best way to go.
Strength to enable us.
Courage to motivate us to do what God asks.
Comfort to assure us that the Lord will handle all the consequences.
Faith to help us act on the truth.

What happens when we fail to build truth into our lives?

If we continue to deny or resist truth, we will:

Believe error. Those who don’t believe that God’s Word is the only source of truth will be misled and confused by false teaching.
Develop evil habits. When we disregard Scripture and deny that certain activities are sinful, we deceive ourselves and make them a part of our lives.
Live in emotional bondage. The sin of falsehood affects our personalities. That’s why there’s no such thing as a harmless lie.
Lack spiritual growth. As God’s children, we can’t ignore truth and mature in the Lord.
Be thrown off balance emotionally. Dishonesty always creates emotional and mental conflict in us.
Destroy our testimonies. If we have bad reputations and are known for not telling the truth, no one will believe us when we talk about Jesus.
Grieve God’s heart. In His eyes, lies are not categorized. Every falsehood causes Him grief.
Suffer continual disappointment. As Christians, we cannot lie and have peace in our hearts. We’ll always be dissatisfied if we don’t heed the Holy Spirit’s promptings.
Have poor relationships with others. Deception causes a lack of trust, which is essential in any relationship.
Hurt our self-image. If we always speak falsehoods and distort the truth, we’ll begin to see ourselves only as liars.
Dwell on past failures. If our lives have been characterized by dishonesty, we will likely keep looking back on our past wrongs rather than moving forward.
Fail to reach our full potential. Without truth, we’ll never achieve all God has planned for our lives.

How can we build truth into our lives?

Understanding truth’s importance is not enough. We must build it into our hearts and minds by:

Recognizing truthfulness is a foundational principle for life.
Examining past failures and understanding that dishonesty isn’t worth the consequences.
Accepting the Bible as the ultimate guidebook to practicing truth.
Choosing to speak the truth and carefully observing the results.
Being honest about our failures and why we veered from the truth.
Asking God to give us an ever-increasing desire for truthfulness.
Identifying any areas of weakness, finding applicable Scriptures, and quoting them daily.
Filling our minds with God’s Word.
Purposing in our hearts to be trustworthy, reliable people whose words are true.

CONCLUSION:

The most important truth to understand is that of eternal life. Until you recognize your sins have separated you from the Lord and that you can never be good enough to gain His acceptance, you’ll be deceived. The only way to receive His forgiveness is to believe in Jesus, acknowledge He paid the penalty for your sins, and accept His offer of salvation. This world tells you there are a thousand different paths you can take to be reunited with God in heaven, but the simple truth is that Jesus is the only way.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

SATAN’S STRATEGY TO DEFEAT US

KEY PASSAGE: Romans 8:5-9 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Matthew 4:1-11 | 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 |Philippians 4:19 | Hebrews 9:27

SUMMARY

Some people who have trusted Jesus Christ as their Savior have suffered repeated defeat throughout their lives simply because they don’t realize they have a spiritual enemy.

Many today mock the idea of a literal devil, but Scripture clearly states that Satan is real, and his goal is to draw people away from God, to thwart His purposes, and to cause division.

SERMON POINTS

Satan is a liar, and no one is immune to his attempts to deceive. Therefore, to stand firm against his lies, believers in Christ need to understand his strategies.

What is a satanic attack?

It’s a deliberate, willful assault by Satan upon an individual for the purpose of doing harm in the spirit, soul, or body, or all three. These attacks could come at any time or from anywhere. The devil tries to trip us up when we are at our weakest, and he knows exactly who or what to use as a lure. He often tempts us with what we do not need or should not have as he seeks to bring us down.

Romans 8:5-6 “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” The thoughts of the unsaved are governed by what Paul calls “the flesh,” and the result is death. He is not referring to the physical human body but to an internal drive that opposes God. In contrast, Christ’s Spirit lives within believers, governing their minds and their behaviors according to God’s desires and giving them life and peace.
Romans 8:7-8 “Because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God.” Since unbelievers are controlled by the flesh and influenced by Satan, their thoughts are opposed to God. Furthermore, without the Holy Spirit, they have no ability to obey Him or please Him.
Romans 8:9 “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” The indwelling Holy Spirit— not church attendance, baptism, or good behavior—is the distinguishing mark between Christians and the rest of humanity. Although Satan still deceives and tempts believers to sin, their disobedience does not result in the loss of their salvation.
2 Corinthians 4:3-4 “And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.” Satan is always working to mislead and blind people to the truth regarding Christ. The result is a world characterized by sin, conflict, and deception.

Satan’s battleground is the mind.

He infiltrates the world with his lies, and even believers can be deceived. He’s always ready to interject his ideas into our minds and lead us astray by convincing us that there will be no consequences for sin. If we believe his lies and disobey our heavenly Father, we will suffer His loving discipline. But the Holy Spirit also reminds us that we are God’s children whose sins have been forgiven through Christ’s death on the cross, and we can never be separated from our Savior.

Satan’s Strategies

He directs our attention toward a need or desire. This strategy began in the perfect environment of the Garden of Eden when Satan drew Eve’s attention away from the abundance of God’s provision to the one thing He withheld—the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil. And the devil has been using this same technique ever since to stir up lust for a particular person, greed for a certain possession, and envy for what belongs to another person. He promises that having the objects of our desires will satisfy us, but nothing outside God’s will ever brings lasting joy but only disaster.
The devil chooses times when we are the weakest. After Jesus fasted for 40 days and nights, Satan came to Him suggesting that He turn stones into bread to satisfy his hunger. Yet Jesus didn’t come to serve Himself but to obey His heavenly Father. In the same way, the devil comes to us when we are Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Together these form the word HALT, which is exactly what we should do when we are tempted at the point of our vulnerability. We must stop and consider that this is a satanic attack.
He creates doubt in our minds. Satan’s biggest target is the Word of God. He wants believers to rationalize themselves into disobedience by misinterpreting verses or taking them out of context to support their desired sin. Once the devil gets people to doubt the veracity of any part of the Bible or to declare those parts irrelevant or outdated, he gets a foothold in their lives from which he can promote his lies.
Satan wants to get us in a debate. Temptations are not to be debated but rejected. When Satan tempted Jesus in the wilderness, He always responded the same way by saying, “It is written,” followed by a passage of Scripture (Matt. 4:1-11). God’s commands are not given to keep us from something good but to protect us from the self-destruction of sin.
The devil uses deception as his key weapon. To deceive is to mislead by obscuring truth. Satan does this by making what is evil look good.
He wants to create division. He tries to convince young people that the Bible is outdated and that older people lack understanding of reality. His goal is to replace unity in the family, church, and society with strife, distrust, and division. Since the Word of God promotes harmony, peace, and godliness in relationships, he begins by stirring up doubts about its truth.
Satan’s goal is to destroy us. If he can convince people to doubt a portion of Scripture, he can then persuade them to reject even more of it. In fact, the verses that address the area of their temptation are the first ones they begin to doubt.

Satan is a liar who stands against the truth of God’s Word. Yet for those of us who belong to Christ and believe His Word, it is our greatest protection against the enemy’s lies. When we fill our minds with Scripture and live according to its principles, Satan’s schemes lose their power over us.

RESPONSE

What kinds of battles is Satan waging in your mind? Have you been listening and considering his ideas? What Scripture passages do you know that refute his lies?
Do you believe that the Bible is true from Genesis to Revelation? The veracity of your answer is revealed by how you live. Are you living according to God’s revealed truth, or are you ignoring or not practicing what it teaches?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

FACING A SATANIC ATTACK

KEY PASSAGE: Ephesians 6:10-12 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: 1 Corinthians 10:13 | 1 John 1:9

SUMMARY

When was the last time you felt vulnerable to a temptation?

We’ve all experienced this, and sometimes the pull is so strong that we begin to come up with reasons why yielding isn’t so bad. However, we need to stop and consider that the voice we’re listening to is Satan’s, and what he’s offering is a path to destruction.

SERMON POINTS

Today we are living in a sensual age in which enticements are everywhere, and we could respond in several ways. Will we yield quickly without a struggle, successfully fight against it, try to resist but eventually give up, or make excuses for surrendering?

Temptation began with Adam and Eve shortly after creation. Satan lied to Eve about the wonderful benefits of eating the forbidden fruit, and he’s been doing the same thing to humanity ever since. Only the elements of his temptations vary according to the desires and weaknesses of each person.

The devil knows when we are the most vulnerable, what suggestion is most appealing, and how to make us think we must have it. He is ready with a long line of excuses: “You deserve to have this. No one’s perfect. God still loves you and will forgive you.”

However, for those of us who belong to Christ, we are not without a defense strategy. It’s described at the end of the book of Ephesians. The first three chapters of this letter deal with the spiritual wealth that belongs to us when Christ is our Savior. The next two chapters tell us how we are to walk with the Lord in righteousness. Chapter 6 addresses the reality of spiritual warfare and the provisions Christ has made for us to successfully resist temptation and deception.

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph. 6:10-12).

What is a satanic attack?

What are Satan’s objectives?

To draw us away from God. One of his goals is to take our minds off the Lord and spiritual matters in order to get us to focus on material and sensual desires.
To thwart God’s purposes. Although the Lord is infinitely more powerful, Satan is always trying to undermine what He desires for us.
To deny God the worship and glory He deserves. Satan hates the fact that God alone is worthy of all worship and honor, so he offers us a plateful of other options to distract us from Him.
To destroy us. The devil wants to demolish our relationship with God, our interest and faith in Him, our desire to pray, and confidence in our eternal security. However, we know that God’s Word says nothing can separate us from Christ. Yet the devil keeps trying to move us in a direction away from the truth by convincing us that we don’t have time to read the Bible or that we won’t understand it. We must remember that he is our enemy who feeds us lies to keep us from living faithfully and righteously as God desires, which is the best possible life.

What are Satan’s strategies?

Deceive. Believing Satan’s lies is the first step toward following him. Those who love their sin are quick to question or twist the truth of God’s Word in order to justify their choices. They make excuses for their sin based on their situations and needs.
Divide. The devil seeks to cause division in nations, churches, families, and friendships. He wants to create chaos by stirring up criticism and distrust.
Destroy. This is Satan’s ultimate purpose—to destroy our testimonies, lives, finances, marriages, and families by deceiving and dividing us.

Since Satan is always seeking to deceive, divide, or destroy us, we must be alert and watchful at all times and never think that we are too strong to be tempted. This kind of overconfidence is no foundation at all because our only hope is to be strong in the Lord and His might, not in our own power.

We have a promise from the Lord that teaches us to rely fully on Him: “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it” (1 Cor. 10:13). Because God is faithful, we don’t have to yield to temptations. Therefore, we must choose to trust Him and reject the enticements Satan offers us. To do otherwise leads us down his path of destruction. Temptations should prompt us to turn away from every excuse and realize that what the devil is offering has no place in the life of a follower of Jesus.

When we have trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior and are surrendered to Him, we face temptations from a platform of strength because the Holy Spirit lives within us. He identifies Satan’s lies and helps us discern their destructive nature. Those who are sensitive to the spiritual realities He reveals are more cautious regarding temptations, but the undiscerning find themselves submitting without a fight.

God’s Word is our greatest defense against the devil. It helps us discern the truth, and His promises provide the faith and strength we need to resist temptations. However, if we keep our Bible closed, or open it only once a week on Sundays, we have lost our defense and will become victims of the schemes of the devil.

We need to bring every weakness and temptation to the Lord immediately, asking Him for the strength to resist. The more often we successfully stand firm, the stronger we’ll become. But if we stumble and fall, we have God’s promise to forgive and cleanse us (1 John 1:9).

RESPONSE

What kind of temptations do you regularly face? Do you have a particular weakness that makes you more vulnerable to these enticements?
What reasons have you used to excuse yielding to temptation?
How has successfully overcoming temptations affected your ability to resist next time?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

A HAPPY THANKSGIVING

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 105:1-5 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Genesis 1 Psalm 66:1-2; 81:1-3; 95:1-2; 98:4-6; 100:1-5 | Matthew 11:28 | 1 John 1:9

SUMMARY

When Thanksgiving comes around, we are reminded of the Pilgrims who crossed the Atlantic Ocean in 1620 to settle in the New World.

They were an adventurous group who came to an unknown land in search of religious freedom. Despite all the hardships and losses they experienced in that difficult first year, they gathered to celebrate a Thanksgiving feast to God for all His goodness toward them. And we continue that tradition each year.

SERMON POINTS

Psalm 100 is all about thanksgiving. There is nothing negative in it because each line is about the Lord. That should be our focus for thanksgiving as well, even in difficult circumstances. Like the Pilgrims, we need a spirit of gratitude that recognizes God’s provision, goodness, and guidance in our lives.

Although we aren’t making a fresh start in a new land, if we’ve trusted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we have been given new life in Him. Just as the Pilgrims’ new beginning was not free from problems, heartaches, and burdens, neither is the Christian life. But when we focus on the Lord, we have many reasons to be thankful.

Psalm 100

[1] Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth. [2] Serve the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful singing. [3] Know that the Lord Himself is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture. [4] Enter His gates with thanksgiving and His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him, bless His name. [5] For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations.

The action words in this psalm show us various ways we could express our gratitude to God. We can shout joyfully, serve Him, come with joyful singing, know Him, enter His presence with praise, give thanks, and bless His name. The psalm also describes the Lord as our God, Creator, and Shepherd, who is good, loving, kind, and faithful.

These are all reasons to be grateful, but we should also consider the many ways God has been good to us personally. Each breath we take is a gift from Him. He keeps us alive and wakes us up each morning to a new day. He provides air to breathe, clothes to wear, and everything we need for life. And beyond these are our spiritual blessings that come with our life in Christ. He works in our hearts to transform our attitudes and empower us to love others. We can confidently talk to the Lord in prayer and know that He hears us, protectively watches over us, and guides our path. Every event in our lives and in this world is under His control, and He works everything according to His good and perfect will.

Yet often we forget all this and moan and groan about the situations in our lives or in the world. No matter what goes on around us or how bad everything seems, we need not fear because we live in God’s grace. Even if we go through times of sickness, heartache, or disappointment, the Lord never changes. He is always protecting, providing, and caring for us.

Expressions of Thanksgiving

Psalm 100 describes reverent, joyful, and exuberant praise and thanksgiving to God as do other psalms.
Psalm 66:1-2 “Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; make His praise glorious.”
Psalm 81:1 “Sing for joy to God our strength: shout joyfully to the God of Jacob.”
Psalm 95:1-2 “O come, let us sing for joy to the Lord, let us shout joyfully to the rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving.”
Psalm 98:4 “Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth and sing for joy and sing praises.”

Reverence for God can be expressed in quiet contemplation of His character and works, but it can also be seen in exuberant praise and joyful singing. What’s important is our attitude of reverence as we acknowledge God’s attributes and deeds. There should be joy and gratitude in our hearts as we come together to be taught truths from God’s Word. Then what we have learned about the Lord should come out in praise, adoration, and worship, whether we express it in reverent silence or loud, joyful singing.

Reasons for Joyful Thanksgiving

The Lord is our God. “Know that the Lord Himself is God” (Ps. 100:3). Although there is an abundance of false gods, the Lord is the only true God who is the sovereign Ruler of His creation. Genesis 1 was written not only to describe all that He created but to emphasize that He is the source of everything that exists. He is also the One who has created new life in everyone who receives His Son as Savior and Lord.
He made us. “It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves” (v. 3). The Lord has given us life and designed each person with unique personalities, talents, abilities, and gifts. He made no mistakes so we should never compare ourselves to others.
“We are His people” (v. 3). Through faith in Jesus Christ we have become children of God and members of His household. We now belong to Him and are not our own.
We are “the sheep of His pasture” (v. 3). Our relationship with God is like that of sheep to their shepherd. As our Shepherd, the Lord protects, guides, and cares for us. We know His voice and follow Him, and if we stray, He pulls us back to Himself.
God is good. “For the Lord is good” (v. 5). The evidence of His goodness toward us is seen in our eternal salvation, but sometimes in the midst of our temporary trials and suffering, we forget this truth. Yet even in our trials, God is working for our good.
“His lovingkindness is everlasting” (v. 5). As His children and the sheep of His pasture, we live under the covering of His love and kindness. Although we may not recognize it at the time, even His discipline is an act of love as He brings us back into the fold.
His faithfulness continues to all generations (v. 5). Since God cannot change, His faithfulness will never cease. Therefore, we can trust Him because He is always true to His nature and does exactly what He says.

The Lord is worthy of our praise and gratitude because of His sacrificial love demonstrated at the cross, His continual goodness toward us, and His eternal faithfulness.

RESPONSE

What are the typical things for which you thank God? How often are His character and His works the focus of your gratitude?
What can you thank the Lord for in your times of difficulty or pain?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

A FORMULA FOR COURAGE

KEY PASSAGE: Joshua 1:5–9 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Joshua 6 | Proverbs 3:5–6

SUMMARY:

Where do you turn to for courage? Where do you go to strengthen yourself for everything you must face?

I recall the first time I preached a sermon and how feelings of inadequacy troubled me. My mother could see I was nervous about standing up in front of the church and knew I needed encouragement. So she said to me, “I want to give you a verse of Scripture that God has given me for you.” She then handed me a piece of paper with Joshua 1:9 written on it: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”

I tucked that verse of Scripture into my pocket and walked to the church. When I got to the corner across from where the church was located, I pulled out that little slip of paper and read it again. That verse taught me the awesome principle that when you or I need courage, we cannot look to ourselves or our own abilities to find it. Instead, we can go forward with confidence, knowing that the Lord God is with us. He is the One who empowers, equips, and enables us to serve Him.

That day, God filled me with unusual courage as I preached, and afterward I walked away knowing that more happened through that sermon than I could ever have accomplished on my own. The Holy Spirit not only guided my words, but He also opened the ears of the people listening and worked in their hearts. I saw the truth of Joshua 1:9 lived out powerfully. And that verse has become an anchor in my life, helping me to face the opportunities, obstacles, and challenges that have arisen throughout the years.

SERMON POINTS

My question to you is: Do you have Scripture passages you hold on to that remind you of the Source of courage who never fails you? My mother set me on the right path, anchoring me to God’s truth. I’ve faced many difficulties as a pastor, yet through His Word, Jesus has unfailingly and faithfully led me.

Therefore, I would say that the best thing you can do is to focus on how God empowers you, through the Bible, to live for Him. Because when you sink Scripture into your heart and it becomes a way of living, He leads you to the success that is truly worthwhile. That may not mean earthly renown, wealth, or any of that. Rather, it is a victory that pierces much deeper into the heart and soul—one that has lasting and profound value in eternity.

So what does Scripture instruct you to do so you can courageously face whatever happens? How do you overcome fear, inadequacy, and discouragement—three of our worst enemies? You must understand that:

1. Your intimacy with God determines the impact of your life and ministry. It is the time you and I spend getting to know the Father better, interacting with Him through His Word and in prayer, and being transparent before Him that strengthens us. When you spend time discovering who the Lord is—His attributes, character, and love for you, His child—you realize who is truly in control of all things and nothing can stand against Him. But you also recognize the importance of submitting to His commands and His timing.

2. God acts on behalf of those who wait for Him. Do you respect the Lord enough to wait on His timing? I think of how God directed the people of Israel to take a strange course of action—marching around the enemy city of Jericho for seven days—rather than follow a typical battle offensive. Because the Israelites waited on God, He gave them a stunning and memorable victory (Josh. 6). The same is true for you: Always wait on God.

3. You must fight your battles on your knees. Whenever a problem or hardship arises in your life, your first impulse may be to check your arsenal and come up with a battle plan. But resist that, and make prayer your first response. Ultimately, God is your Commander-in-Chief, and He knows the best strategy for your success. Yes, there will be times when you’re mistreated, circumstances are confusing, and the Lord’s directions don’t make sense. However, Proverbs 3:5–6 promises, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” God will lead you to victory in the very best manner.

4. You reap what you sow, more than you sow, later than you sow. The amount of effort you invest in your intimate relationship with God is always revealed when new challenges appear. The more devotion and faith you have sown over time, the greater your courage on the day of battle.

5. Adversity is God’s bridge to a deeper relationship with Him. The challenges and troubles you experience reveal your fears and the ways you rely on yourself rather than Jesus. Through adversity, He reminds you that He is the One who fights for you and provides. And because He is all-powerful, unfathomably wise, and unconditionally loving, you can put your full faith in Him and have unfailing confidence for whatever you may face.

6. Disappointments are inevitable, but discouragement is a choice. You will face setbacks. You will encounter delays, obstacles, and events that appear to throw you off course. What is important is that you do not accept that as the end of your story but continue serving God with faith.

RESPONSE

Your courage, friend, grows out of the relationship you have with God. Therefore, cultivate intimacy with Him by embracing Him as He has revealed Himself in Scripture. And as a way of preparing yourself to be fearless for whatever may come, evaluate your walk with Him by asking these questions:

Does my lack of courage reveal that I do not know God as intimately as I could?
What is my first response when challenges arise? Do I immediately turn to people, my own resources, or other earthly sources to form a combat strategy? Or do I fight my battles on my knees and wait on God?
What am I sowing into my life and the lives of my loved ones? Am I clinging to God’s Word, focusing on the Lord, and trusting Him with every trial? Am I keeping an attitude of confidence in Him?
What does the adversity I am facing reveal about me? What am I relying on that is failing? What Scripture could I claim as an anchor to my faith in Jesus?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

ARE YOU LIMITING GOD'S BLESSINGS?

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 81:1–16 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalms 23:1; 37:4; 103:1–6; 145:18–19; |John 14:6; | Philippians 4:19; | James 1:17

SUMMARY:

Are there needs in your life that aren’t being met?

Do you have strong desires that you pray about, yet somehow it feels like God’s not listening to you? Deep down inside, you wonder, What’s wrong? What’s going on?

You believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior and you know that He has promised to supply your needs. Yet somehow there’s still this need in your life that remains unmet.

Many people tell God what they want, but they fail to pray to Him specifically about their need and seek His will for their situation. Therefore, people often receive fewer blessings than God planned for them.

God has wonderful things in store for you, but you’ll miss His blessings if you limit His activity in your life.

SCRIPTUAL PRINCIPLES:

1 The Lord is the God of blessing.

In Psalm 81, we see how God has blessed the nation of Israel greatly. He delivered His people from Egyptian oppression and provided for all their needs, including the land He had promised would be their home. God wants to bless you in a similar way. James 1:17 testifies, “Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow.” Instead of being in bondage to sin and lacking the things that you need and desire, God wants to transform your life—giving you the abundant, joy-filled existence He created you for. God has all knowledge, power, and resources, and He delights in meeting your needs and giving you the desires of your heart.

2 Why are you missing out?

God provides everything you need when you’re listening to Him and receiving His wisdom, protection, and provision. However, if you’re missing out on God’s blessings, identify why that is so you can do something about it. Psalm 81:10–12 provides some insight as to what may be blocking your reception of God’s resources for you. “I, the LORD, am your God, . . . open your mouth wide and I will fill it. But My people did not listen to My voice, and Israel did not obey Me. So I gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart, to walk in their own devices.” Do you have a deep personal relationship with God, or are you living in defiance to Him? You’re going to do things God’s way or you’re going to insist on doing things your own way. You’ll either trust and obey Him, or you’re going to ignore Him and rely on your own resources. Many believers miss out on God’s best because they’re unwilling to have faith in Him.

3 Are you truly trusting God?

Psalm 145:18–19 promises, “The LORD is near to all who call upon Him . . . He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He will also hear their cry and will save them.” God is willing to bless you, but do you really trust Him? Do you truly believe that He is the God of goodness, love, mercy, power, wisdom, and kindness? Do you want His best for your life? God’s best for you is better than anything you can imagine, because it’s provided out of His omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, and unconditional love for you. He’ll never give you second best; however, you will always receive less than God’s best whenever you fail to have faith in Him.

4 Requirement for receiving His blessings: Ask.

God does not change. He blessed the nation of Israel as a whole as an example of how He wants to bless us individually. Yet, just as Israel was challenged to cry out to God for help, so are we. And the first thing we are to ask God for is salvation. God doesn’t accept you because of how good you are; rather, He receives you based on your relationship to His Son, Jesus Christ, who paid your sin debt in full at the cross. That’s the basis for God fulfilling your requests; it’s not about anything you can do. Therefore, start receiving His blessings by humbling yourself before Him and asking God to help you.

5 Requirement for receiving His blessings: Be specific.

Second, be very specific about what you’re asking God for. There is nothing wrong with asking for what you want. However, the more specific you are about your request, the better you can see God working in your situation. God told Israel, “I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you” (Psalm 81:16). God wants to provide the best for you, so don’t be afraid to ask for His finest.

6 Requirement for receiving His blessings: Anticipate His answer.

You may be wondering how God will respond to you when you ask Him for something. At times, God will say yes to your request immediately or He may also instruct you to wait for His perfect timing. At other times, He will help you understand that what you’re asking for doesn’t fit His plan for your life and that He has something much better for you. God doesn’t always answer in the way you think He will, but the most important thing is for you to expect Him to answer you—no matter what that answer may be.

7 Requirement for receiving His blessings: Walk in obedience.

How should you respond once God shows you His will in a particular situation? You must obey, even if you don’t understand why God answered you the way He did. The Christian life boils down to one thing— obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. If you truly believe that almighty God is who He says He is, then your only choice is to obey Him and trust that He’ll take care of your every need and desire.

CONCLUSION:

Are you walking in the ways of the Lord? Do you want God's best for your life? Then you must ask God to bless you, then be specific about what you desire, anticipate His answer, and walk in obedience to Him. Will God show you His plan and purpose for your life? Of course He will! God wants the best for you and because of that, He’ll teach you to walk in His ways with faith and confidence in Him. Because then He can work in and through your life in a way that will show others that He is truly God.

Don’t allow anything to hinder you from receiving God’s blessings. Deal with whatever sin and unbelief are in your life so that God can show you His power and love. Then, you’ll discover what God wants to do in your life and all the wonderful blessings He has in store for you.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

REQUIREMENTS FOR EFFECTIVE MEDITATION

KEY PASSAGE: 2 Samuel 7:18-19 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 46:10; 62:1-2 | Matthew 7:7 | Mark 1:35

SUMMARY

What do you consider important in your life?

Is it something you spend, save, wear, or drive? All the good things and activities of this world cannot be compared with the value of your personal relationship with Jesus Christ because it determines everything else in your life. If you believe this is true, then meditation on God and His Word should be the priority of your life.

SERMON POINTS

Godly meditation requires time alone with the Lord, listening to what He is saying in His Word, thinking deeply about it, and moving forward in obedience. We see an example of this in David’s life after the prophet Nathan told him that God was going to establish his kingdom forever. Second Samuel 7:18-19 records a small portion of his response to this amazing revelation from the Lord. As David sits before the Lord, he tries to digest the message delivered to him through Nathan the prophet, and praises God who so graciously gave him this promise.

“Then David the king went in and sat before the Lord, and he said, ‘Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me this far? And yet this was insignificant in Your eyes, O Lord God, for You have spoken also of the house of Your servant concerning the distant future. And this is the custom of man, O Lord God.’”

In the same way, we too need to sit before the Lord as we contemplate what He has said to us in His Word. This is the most important segment of time we can spend in any given day. The all-sufficient, omnipotent, eternal Creator of all things is worthy of our praise and attention every day. He is our heavenly Father who loves His children unconditionally and has called us into fellowship with Himself, and meditation is the way we avail ourselves of this awesome privilege.

Although many other concerns and activities vie for our attention, there must be a time in the day when we close off all the noise and distractions in order to concentrate on the Lord and what He has to say to us. Meditation begins with confession of sin so we can receive cleansing and come to God with a pure heart. It’s a time to read His Word, ask questions, bring our requests before Him, seek His will, and simply enjoy being with Him.

Practices That Aid Meditation

Making meditation a habit in our lives doesn’t come easily in a culture inundated with noise and activity, but it can be done if we will make the following practices a part of our lives:

Specific Period of Time. First we must set aside a segment of time each day for communion with the Lord. The length will vary depending on each person’s circumstances. The goal is to meet with the Lord each day whether it’s for 10, 15, 30 minutes, or longer.

Although we have the privilege of fellowshipping with God at any time or any place, we also need a segment of time alone with Him. Jesus often met with His Father early in the morning before facing the busy demands of the day (Mark 1:35), and that is a good pattern for us as well. If we don’t deliberately set aside time for the Lord, our days will be automatically filled up with other activities of much less value.

Stillness. Multitasking and meditation do not mix. When we try to combine other activities with our time alone with the Lord, we can and will quickly become distracted because of the competition for our attention. Psalm 46:10 says, “Cease striving (be still) and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” To grow in our knowledge of the Lord we must spend time focusing on Him and His Word.
Seclusion. Any intimate relationship requires time alone with the other person, and this is certainly true in our relationship with the Lord. Since the sinless Son of God felt the need to withdraw in order to be alone with His Father, how much more do we need to make this the practice of our lives? Being alone with almighty God as we read His Word takes away fears and apprehensions, infuses us with His power, and equips us for whatever we may face in the coming day.
Silence. We need a quiet place in which to concentrate on God and His Word. We must shut out the noise that usually surrounds and distracts us. Sometimes this means we must stop talking so we can listen to what God is saying. Other times, we need to quiet our minds and hearts so we can focus on the Lord. Psalm 62:1-2 says, “My soul waits in silence for God only; from Him is my salvation. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be greatly shaken.”
Self-Control. When meditation is our priority, we must exercise self-restraint by rejecting distractions. There’s no need to interrupt our conversation with the Lord every time the phone rings or a random thought enters our minds. This is a time to literally give the Lord first place in our lives.
Submission to God’s Will. As we read the Word and listen to what the Lord is saying, we may be convicted regarding an area in which we need to obey Him. It could be the need to repent, reconcile a relationship, or change an attitude. Whatever it may be, we must submit to His will, rely on His strength to obey, and do what He says.
Sensitivity. The Holy Spirit within us makes us sensitive to the things of God and interprets His Word to us so we can understand and apply it. He is always at work in us to give guidance and conform us into the likeness of Christ in our character, attitudes, and actions.

RESPONSE

Do you have a regular time for Bible reading, prayer, and meditation? If not, what obstacles are keeping you from consistently meeting with the Lord? What adjustments and sacrifices would you have to make in order for meditation to become the priority in your life?
Although there may be legitimate situations that make it difficult to set aside a quiet time with God, sometimes our reasons are really ways to excuse ourselves from this responsibility. What rationalizations and excuses have you used to explain why a daily time of communion with the Lord doesn’t work for you?
If you struggle with consistently meeting with the Lord, begin by setting aside a small segment of time to pray and meditate on Scripture. In time you will learn to value your fellowship with the Lord, and it will become your joy and delight.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

GOD'S VIEWPOINT ABOUT MONEY

SUMMARY:

People do all kinds of foolish things to become rich. They will rob, kill, kidnap, sacrifice their integrity, and prostitute themselves for money. Many destroy their families and ruin their health in pursuit of “just a little more.” All this—despite the fact that wealth can’t guarantee lasting happiness, health, or security.

On the other hand, money is an essential part of our lives. Those who have little or none of it will face many hardships. So what is the proper way for a Christian to view finances? Let’s examine what God’s Word says about money, and how we are to acquire, give, and spend it.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

1God is the source and owner of all wealth.

Scripture says, “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains” and “He owns the cattle on a thousand hills” (Ps. 24:1; 50:10).Although God blesses us with the health and ability to make money, we must never forget that He is the source and owner of all wealth.

2 Money is a major subject in Scripture.

There are more verses about wealth than there are about heaven, hell, or prayer. More than 2,000 scriptures mention money, and over half the parables have to do with monetary principles. Why did the Lord give us so much instruction about finances? Because it plays an important role in our lives. Understanding God’s viewpoint on our possessions can prevent us from making costly mistakes.

3 The Word of God encourages us about financial provision.

Money is not evil in itself; it is simply a means of exchange. But we must learn to use it wisely (Matt. 25-14-30). Also, God desires for us to have the money we need (Luke 6:38). We won’t necessarily be rich by the world’s standards. But as we are generous, the Lord provides for us. He gives us money for food, clothing, and other basic needs. Best of all, God enables us to enjoy His blessings (Eccl. 5:19-20).

4 The Bible warns us about the misuse of finances.

Scripture definitely cautions us about our attitudes towards earthly treasure. Proverbs warns us not to wear ourselves out to become rich because wealth is often fleeting (23:4-5). First Timothy 6:10 says, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” Financial blessing can turn into a snare if we aren’t careful (Prov. 15:6).

5 God shows us how to acquire wealth.

Working: The Lord provides for us primarily through our jobs. The apostle Paul wrote: “If anyone is not willing to work, he is not to eat, either” (2 Thess. 3:10).

Investing: Once we have a little money, we can grow it though investing (Matt. 25).

Giving: When you and I share our abundance with others, God blesses us with more: “Give and it will be given to you” (Luke 6:38).

Saving: Even a dollar a week adds up over time. Proverbs 21:20 says, “A wise man saves for the future, but the foolish man spends whatever he gets.”

Gifts: Sometimes, God will use other people to provide for us. While I was growing up, the Lord often blessed my mother and me through the generosity of others. Look for opportunities to give to those in need and willingly receive when others seek to bless you financially.

6 The Lord guides us in how to use money.

To meet personal needs: Philippians 4:19 says, “My God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory.” The Father also promises that if we delight ourselves in Him, He will give us the desires of our hearts (Ps. 37:4).

To carry on the Lord’s work: At least ten percent of the money that you earn should be returned to the Lord through tithes and offerings (Mal. 3:10). Financial gifts from believers support missions work around the world.

For God-given goals: For instance, you may set a goal to purchase a home, buy a more reliable car, get out of debt, or help your children attend college. While we shouldn’t be greedy, there is nothing wrong with seeking to improve our lives.

To provide for others: Follow the leading of the Spirit and generously assist those who are in genuine need.

7 God uses money to accomplish specific purposes.

To train us: The Bible promises that the Lord will supply. As we rely on Him for financial provision, God reveals His faithfulness to us. The Father also uses money as a tool to help us learn self-discipline. We need to learn to ask Him before making any purchase, rather than just making sure we can afford it.

To test us: The Lord tests our faith. He will withhold what we need until we turn from human resources and run to Him. God tests our love for Him. What we do with our money indicates what holds first place in our hearts (Matt. 6:21). The Father tests our obedience. For example, God instructs us to tithe (Mal. 3:10). How can you and I say we love the Lord if we are unwilling to obey His commands (John 15:14)?

For our testimony: Talk with others about how the Father miraculously provided for you. For example, share that tithing was a vital part of getting out of debt. When we testify about the Lord’s marvelous provision, the world listens and God is glorified.

To share the gospel: Jesus gave us the command to take the gospel to every creature (Matt. 28:19-20). The Lord wants us to experience the incredible joy of sharing the gift of eternal life with others. Giving is one way we participate in taking the Good News to the lost.

CONCLUSION:

Believers should evaluate the place money has in our lives. No matter how much money we have, you and I have a responsibility to discover God’s perspective on it. We should save, give, and tithe according to His instructions. If we simply use our finances to fulfill selfish desires, we are in rebellion against the Lord. But when we follow God’s commands in this area, He blesses us and provides for us in exciting ways.

From the Lord’s viewpoint, the issue is not how much money you have. The important thing is to be obedient in handling it.

This week, I challenge you to apply these scriptural principles regarding finances. If you aren’t already giving ten percent to the Lord, I encourage you to start there. God will be sure to honor your obedience.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

GOD'S MASTER FINANCIAL PLAN

SUMMARY:

Sometimes we know what the Bible says about an issue but choose instead to follow worldly advice. We make excuses as to why a particular principle does not apply to us. In doing so, believers imply—perhaps unconsciously—that we know better than God.

Take, for instance, our finances. The Bible tells us that God owns all the wealth in the world. He instructs us to give 10 percent of our income back to Him. Yet many times, Christians ignore this command to tithe. Or they rely on ungodly advice that discourages generous giving. However, no investment strategy can compare to God’s master financial plan. If you and I tithe faithfully, the Father will generously provide for us.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

God’s plan differs from the world’s. Secular wisdom says to accumulate as much wealth as possible. The reasons for doing so are selfish, such as fulfilling our desires and trying to guarantee financial security. But like a pond that has no outlet—and, as a result, grows stagnant and slimy—such an approach to money is unhealthy. An individual who doesn’t manage resources God’s way inevitably wastes them. A selfish attitude regarding finances diminishes a person’s quality of life and often causes friction within families.

The Lord desires us to be givers. We shouldn’t view ourselves as reservoirs: stockpiling money for our selfish desires. Instead, we need to be channels: willing to share with others. In God’s plan, believers receive in order to give. You and I can use some of our money for personal needs, but we should also donate to our church, to missions work around the world, and to those who are hurting financially. Generous people are happier and more peaceful, content, and secure.

How does the principle of giving and receiving apply to us? In Luke 6:38, Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Choose to view your bank account as a channel rather than a reservoir, then watch the Father abundantly supply all you need.

What are the elements of God’s financial plan?

Giving one-tenth of our income to the Lord is an integral part of biblical stewardship. The prophet Malachi wrote, “‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows’” (Mal. 3:10).

The amount: If you are obedient to give 10 percent, I believe the remainder will stretch further than if you kept the whole amount for yourself.
The portion: Don’t wait until you have paid all your bills before tithing. God’s people are to give the first and best of what we have (Prov. 3:9-10). This is one area in which the Lord encourages us to test Him. Those who tithe see God’s miraculous provision for their needs.
The place: The storehouse mentioned in Malachi 3 is the temple. Believers should give to the church.
The time: Generosity is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments (1 Cor. 16:1-2).We should start with 10 percent but not stop there. The early church not only tithed, they also sold their possessions and donated the proceeds.
The purposes:

1) To meet the needs in the temple: The priests needed money to keep the temple repaired, to purchase supplies, and to provide for their families. Christians today give to their local church for similar reasons.

2) To demonstrate His faithfulness: When you and I trust God in this area, He provides all we need. Our faith increases, and we grow closer to Him. The Lord teaches us about His trustworthiness through our tithing.

The results:

1) Prosperity: Abundant blessing results from giving one-tenth to the Lord (Mal. 3:10).

2) Protection: When God is your financial manager, He guards your supply (Mal. 3:11). As you give, the Father generously provides all you need (Luke 6:38).

3) Plenty: If money is tight, don’t try to figure out if you can afford to give to the Lord. Your budget might not work out on paper, but you will experience His provision if you are obedient.

4) Personal witness: Following God’s master financial plan will bring you contentment, joy, and peace. The changes in your life will provide a wonderful opportunity for you to testify about the blessings of obeying biblical principles (Mal. 3:12).

The attitude: “Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver” (2 Cor. 9:7). Believers should give willingly, not resentfully. Don’t fall into the trap of hoarding money, thinking that more of it will buy you happiness. For example, take a look at the lives of wealthy celebrities. Many of them do not experience fulfilling relationships, genuine peace, or lasting joy.
The penalty: You can not violate the Lord’s commands without experiencing the consequences. When the Jews failed to give one-tenth back to Him, God put them under a curse (Mal. 3:8-9). If you and I decide not to tithe, we lose the four-fold blessing associated with giving: prosperity, plenty, protection, and a strong personal witness.

What does a refusal to tithe indicate?

Rebellion: The Father’s will is for us to return to Him one-tenth of what He gives us. When we resist tithing, we are keeping for ourselves what God says is His.
Unbelief: The Lord promises to provide for our needs if you and I give. A refusal to tithe indicates a lack of trust in God’s promise to supply all our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).
Covetousness: When someone fails to obey this command, greed is often a motivator.
Stealing: Our Maker grants us the strength, intelligence, and ability to earn and invest money. According to Malachi 3:8, a failure to tithe is equivalent to robbing God.

CONCLUSION:

The biblical principle of tithing makes no sense to the world. Many financial advisors will tell you that you can’t afford to give away 10 percent. Tithing is a controversial subject even within the body of Christ. Some believers will tell you that this Old Testament principle is no longer valid for the church. But don’t let their arguments stop you from contributing to the Lord’s work.

The truth is, no financial plan is better than the one outlined in Scripture. When we give cheerfully, generously, and consistently, the Father blesses us with prosperity, plenty, protection, and a powerful personal witness. So put Malachi 3:10 into practice. Test God, and He will pour out a blessing that you can not contain.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

HOW TO LOVE YOUR MOTHER

KEY PASSAGE: John 19:25-27 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Exodus 20:12 | Ephesians 4:32

SUMMARY:

Does your mother know you love her?

Do you express your devotion to her and your gratefulness for all she’s done for you? It is one thing to say you love your mother, but it is another to be willing to pay the price to honor and care for her. Perhaps the greatest example of this was shown as Jesus hung on the cross.

John 19:26-27 tells us, “When Jesus then saw His mother, and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, ‘Woman, behold, your son!’ Then He said to the disciple, ‘Behold, your mother!’ From that hour the disciple took her into his own household.” Even in His dying moments, Jesus was concerned about His mother and made provision for her care.

Are you treating your mom with the same love and respect that Christ expressed? Even if you reside far away from your mother or if she is no longer living, how you talk about her to others and live your life will speak volumes about your attitude toward her. Here are ten ways you can love and honor your mother in a manner that is pleasing to God.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

Ten Ways To Love Our Mothers

Love your mother verbally.

A woman needs to hear that she is loved, so tell your mother that you care for her every day, if possible. Express your admiration for her best qualities, and do not criticize her in a manner that will hurt her. Remember, Exodus 20:12 says, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged.” If you must confront your mom about something, do it gently with love and respect. God promises that if you do so, your life will be full.

Love your mother physically.

Your mother was the first one to hold and cradle you. She fed you, clothed you, and built your character in a way that no one else could. She needs your caring touch. Therefore, hug your mother often. Even if she does not know how to return your affection, embrace her whenever you can. It will make a tremendous difference in her life—and yours as well.

Love your mother patiently.

No one is perfect, but if there is one who merits our tolerance and understanding, it is our mothers. Though it is true that our moms sometimes say and do things that we don’t like, we must remember that they labor under a huge responsibility. This is especially true when considering single mothers who are raising their children on their own. Not only do they bear the burden of feeding and clothing their family, but also of educating them, teaching them to seek God, and instructing them to behave in a moral manner. Instead of complaining, we should pray for them often.

Love your mother gratefully.

Regardless of how your mother raised you, she gave you life and did the very best she knew how. Are you thankful for her efforts? Or are you perhaps judging her by an unreasonable standard? Her heart holds memories that you will never know anything about. In fact, if you knew all the events that influenced how she brought you up, you might be surprised at how well she managed. Therefore, look for ways to express your gratitude for all that your mother has done for you. Make her proud by living a godly life and passing on the love and principles she’s taught you to your own children.

Love your mother generously.

When was the last time you did something for your mother to show your love for her? Have you considered what you can do to make your mother’s life easier? What is it that she wants or needs? Keep your ears and eyes open for the things you can provide for her. Always remember, it is displeasing to the Lord and unbecoming to a believer to accumulate wealth and yet leave one’s mother in poverty. Do not forget her. Instead, give her whatever she needs lovingly and sacrificially.

Love your mother tenderly.

Be open and sensitive to your mother’s emotions. In general, moms give an incredible amount, and all they really want in return is for us to appreciate them and listen to their thoughts and feelings. In fact, the longer your mother lives, the more she will crave meaningful time with you. Of course, this will require your careful attention and patience. But when you realize that you will not always be able to enjoy her presence, you’ll see how precious moments with her truly are.

Love your mother forgivingly.

The truth is, there is never a legitimate reason for you to hold a grudge against your mom. In Ephesians 4:32, the apostle Paul instructs, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.” If you ever begin to feel angry about some past hurt, remember how many times both she and God have forgiven you. Think about all the times that she has sacrificed for you, then show her forgiveness and compassion.

Love your mother devotedly.

When was the last time you prayed with your mother? Have you stood up for her lately, making sure she realizes that you are on her side? No matter what happens, your mom needs to know she has your support. So defend, protect, and comfort her. Pay attention to what she’s concerned about and what her interests are. And make sure she knows that you are there for her, regardless of what may come.

Love your mother cheerfully.

Many times, we take our troubles to our mothers, and forget to bring our joys and successes to them as well. Our moms need our encouragement—to know we are doing well. So we must be sure to stay positive, make them laugh, and remember all the good times we’ve had together.

Love your mother honorably.

Do you live in such a way that your mom is proud of you? Nothing honors your mother so much as seeing you and your children becoming godly believers that are fully devoted to Jesus Christ. Show her that the seeds of love she has planted in you have resulted in a wonderful harvest of fruit for the kingdom of God.

CONCLUSION:

Do you love your mother? Does she know you care for her? How do you encourage her and show your devotion to her? There is nothing in the world as valuable as a godly mother, and it is immensely important to realize it. So love your mom verbally, physically, patiently, gratefully, generously, tenderly, forgivingly, devotedly, cheerfully, and honorably. Start today. Whether she lives close to you or has gone on to be with the Lord, celebrate her life by how you live.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

LEAVING A GODLY INHERITANCE

KEY PASSAGE: 2 Timothy 1:1-7; 3:14-15 | Supporting Scripture: Luke 6:38

SUMMARY:

The word “inheritance” is usually associated with material possessions, but there is another kind of legacy that’s even more valuable.

Although it can’t be seen, counted, or measured, it’s the most priceless gift you can pass on to your children and grandchildren. I’m talking about a spiritual inheritance, which money can’t buy and death can’t take away.

Unlike an earthly inheritance that is passed on after death, a spiritual one is imparted over the course of a lifetime through godly words and actions. From the moment a child is born, parents have the opportunity to pour themselves into that young life. But remember, you cannot give what you do not have. This is why parents and grandparents should develop their own spiritual lives first so they can invest in the lives of their children.

The apostle Timothy is a wonderful example of someone who was blessed with such a treasure. When he was young, his mother and grandmother shared their faith and knowledge of Scripture with him, and because of it, he had a firm foundation to stand on when he was called into ministry.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

Components of a Spiritual Heritage

There are many spiritual treasures you can leave to your children that will have a lasting impact on their lives. You can instill:

A desire to follow Jesus. Although you can’t pass on salvation—that’s a choice each person must make for him or herself—your desire for the Lord is contagious. When your children experience the joy you feel when you talk about Christ, they’ll also become interested in Him. Take advantage of every opportunity to share your passion for the Savior. Talk about Jesus when you’re driving in the car or sitting down for a meal. They won’t develop a true desire to follow the Lord simply by going to church and hearing sermons. Their interest in Christ comes from watching and seeing that He is the center of your life.
A reverence for God’s Word. No other book in the world can match the Bible. It’s the most important message ever given to mankind, and parents have the responsibility to pass it on to their children. Let them see you reading the Word so they know how important it is. Be sure to give them their own Bibles and read to them regularly, explaining what each passage means. As your children grow, challenge them to go to Scripture to find the answers to all their questions.

If you want your children to respect the Word of God and live obediently, you have to make it a priority in your own life. Turn off the television and start having conversations about the Bible at home. Make your passion for this remarkable book obvious to your children because the pattern you establish in your own life will be the one they’re likely to follow.

An understanding of how to listen to the Lord. When my children were young, I told them the most important thing in life was to learn how to listen to God. Since He can’t be perceived by our physical senses, children must be taught to listen with their spirits. The best opportunity to learn this skill is when they need guidance. Instruct them to ask the Lord for direction and wait patiently until He answers—this could take days or even weeks. When they think the Lord has spoken, help them search the Scriptures to see if what they discerned is consistent with God’s Word.
A pattern of obedience. Since kids follow our examples more easily than our words, the best way to teach obedience is by modeling it. This means we must let them know when our actions are done out of submission to God. Training in obedience also requires we admit mistakes and explain why it was wrong for us to choose our own ways instead of following the Lord. The goal is to let our children learn from both our successes and our failures.
A faith that conquers the trials of life. Although we want to protect children from adult worries, we also need to let them know some of our struggles so they can see how we trust the Lord in hard times. I learned some of the greatest lessons about God’s faithfulness by watching my mother handle difficulties. Because I had repeatedly witnessed how God provided for us, I learned to trust Him in my times of need.
A forgiving heart. This one is a difficult lesson because granting forgiveness requires that we first suffer the pain of mistreatment. And like all the other benefits of a spiritual heritage, this one must be taught by example. Our children need to witness a forgiving response from us when we’re wronged. Christ holds nothing against us, so we do not have a right to do so against someone else.
An orderly lifestyle. One of our jobs as parents is to provide disciplined lives for our children. Since they learn how to handle responsibilities from us, it is important that we demonstrate self-control in our actions, finances, diets, and schedules. We cannot be focused on God and His plans for us when we’re living hectic and cluttered lives.
A servant’s spirit. A willingness to serve others is a valuable quality that will benefit children throughout their lives. It’s up to us as adults to model this characteristic for them by unselfishly putting others first. As we care for both our families and those around us by doing what we can to help them, children will learn to imitate our servant-hearted behaviors.
A generous hand. Every child enters this world bent away from God. That’s why so many of their quarrels include the words, “It’s mine!” As parents, we have a responsibility to teach them generosity because it won’t ever come naturally. When they see us freely sharing our money, possessions, and time, they’ll understand the joy of giving and how God is always faithful to provide for those who are charitable towards others (Luke 6:38).
Sincere love. All children need to feel loved. As they experience our genuine, unconditional affection, they’ll learn to give it to others. This kind of devotion is not demonstrated by the things we give them but by pouring our lives into theirs.

CONCLUSION:

We provide a spiritual inheritance to children in three ways. Most importantly, we do so by the pattern of our own lives. Secondly, we pass on the principles that govern our lives to them. That’s why we are responsible for explaining the Biblical truths we believe and follow. And finally, we provide a spiritual legacy through the power of our words as we interact daily with our children. As you tackle the task of leaving a spiritual inheritance, ask the Lord for wisdom and to help you teach the lessons that will equip them to live in a way that is beneficial to them and pleasing to God.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

GOD WILL SHOW YOU HIS WILL

SUMMARY:

God has a plan for you.

And He promises to reveal it to you if you genuinely want to know what it is. “‘For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart’” (Jer. 29:11-13).

Although this promise was specifically given to Israel, it also applies to anyone who desires to know His will. The Lord’s plans lead to “welfare”— happiness, well-being, and success; not “calamity”—trouble, affliction, and ruin. If necessary, God will move heaven and earth to show us His will. Fully understanding this principle is essential to discovering the Father’s plan and purpose for you.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

Why can we trust God to reveal His will?

In order for you and me to follow the Lord’s plan for our life, we must know what He has called us to be and do. It would be out of character for God to hide His will and then expect us to walk in it. The Bible also promises His guidance—all we need to do is ask Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.” The apostle Paul indicated that it was possible to know the Father’s will (Col. 1:9). The Lord is faithful to reveal “the path of life” to those who seek it (Ps. 16:11).

How can you discover God’s plan for your life?

The Bible: People neglect to consider scriptural truth and drift away from God’s will (Ps. 119:105). Trust Him to direct your life (Prov. 3:5-6).
Prayer: Ask the Lord for clear guidance. He promises to answer us when we pray according to His will (1 John 5:14-15).
Circumstances: For a child of God, there is no such thing as coincidence. And the Father usually does not close a door unless He plans to open a new one.
Godly counsel: Before taking advice, make sure the person is living righteously. And don’t ask, “What do you think I should do?” but “What do you think the Word of God says I should do?”
Your conscience: It is the moral filter of your life. Saturate it with the Word of God, and your decisions will become more Christlike.
Restless spirit: Right before every major life change, I’ve always felt restless. When this happens, get on your knees and ask God, “What are you saying to me?” But only expect Him to show you the next step rather than any long-term plans.
Unusual manifestations: The Lord spoke to Moses by calling his attention to a burning bush (Ex. 3:2). Paul saw a vision of a man from Macedonia, asking Him to come and preach to them (Acts 16:9). Especially in important matters, the Lord will sometimes manifest His will in an unusual way.

What are some hindrances to discovering God’s will?

Self-will: If you have already made up your mind, it will be difficult for you to hear what the Lord wants you to do.
The influence of others: They may give you reasons why you can’t do it or say that God would not expect you to make such a large sacrifice.
Ignorance of God’s Word: The next generation knows almost nothing about the Bible. Sunday school is wonderful. But children need to sit in the worship service, too—even if they don’t understand everything. Only by getting in the habit of attending church will they remain involved as adults.
Doubt: Matthew 7:7 says, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” Once you have heard God’s will, don’t start to second-guess it ( James 1:6-8).
Unworthiness: Every single believer is loved equally by the Father. Don’t believe the lie that you are undeserving of His guidance or grace.
Busyness: All of us have the same amount of time in a day; how we choose to invest it is an indication of what we value. If your life is too full to pray, you need to re-evaluate your priorities.
Fear: God’s will can seem impossible, destined to failure, or foolish. But remember that the Lord can bring good out of every situation (Rom. 8:28).
Known sin: If you are determined to live a rebellious life, the Father will not fully reveal His will to you.

How can you know for sure that you’ve heard Him correctly?

Ask yourself these questions: Is it consistent with the Word of God? The answer you hear should line up with the clear teaching of Scripture. Is it a wise decision? Carefully think through the consequences before making a commitment. Can I honestly ask the Lord to help me achieve this? If you are submitted to His will, you can boldly ask for His help. But the same isn’t true regarding your own agenda. Do I have genuine peace about it? Don’t rush to make a decision if you feel unsettled. If you lose an opportunity because you were obedient, God will bring you a better one. Does this decision fit who I am as a follower of Jesus? Does it fit the Lord’s overall plan for my life? The Father has the best planned for you. And finally, will this decision honor God? Unless your choice glorifies Him, it is not His will.

A Personal Example

During my senior year in college, I really struggled to know God’s will for my life. Had He really called me to preach? So I asked Him for a sign— two falling stars—meteors, really. The next day, as I was walking back from supper with a friend, God answered my prayer. But only later did I realize that the Lord had given me the confirmation I asked for. I fell on my knees and thanked Him for loving me so much. The Father graciously revealed His guidance for my life, and I’m confident He will do the same for you.

CONCLUSION:

How can you know the will of God? Begin with reading the Bible. Seek His face in prayer, and look for His direction through circumstances. Ask godly believers to help you know how to apply biblical truth. If you have a restless spirit, seek the Lord about what new thing He is doing in your life. And be prepared for God to reveal His will in unusual ways.

When you know what He wants you to do, don’t let doubt, fear, or willful sin keep you from obeying Him. Your own plans can’t compare to the good things the Father has in store for you. The wisest thing you can do is to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

CAN GOD USE YOU?

SUMMARY:

Are you actively serving God? Are you following Him in love, obedience, and faith? Or are you idle in your service to Him, wondering if God could really use someone like you?

Unfortunately, sometimes people decide that they can’t be of any use to God because they judge themselves unworthy of serving Him. Others do not really know what it means to serve God. They believe that as long as they are going to church on Sunday they are doing all He requires.

However, no matter who you are, God calls you to a much deeper relationship with Him and He wants to work through you in a way that will bring you purpose, joy, and fulfillment. Therefore, the real question is: Are you available to Him?

SCRIPTUAL PRINCIPLES:

1 God saves us for the purpose of glorifying Himself.

Ephesians 2:10 tells us, “We are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.” God saves you for the purpose of glorifying Himself through your service. It is His will and plan that you live as an active, obedient follower of Christ and imitate Him in all that you do.

How are you serving God on a daily basis? How do you represent God to those you live and work with? How are you carrying on His work and making Him known on the earth?

All throughout Scripture God used people to do His will and carry His message. Yet, it was never up to His servants to choose how they would serve Him. Rather, it is God who always knows how to best employ His people to their full potential. God assigned Noah the task of building an ark and preaching repentance. He instructed David to slay Goliath and be a godly leader of Israel. He transformed Paul into the greatest missionary the world has ever known. And the most amazing thing is God wants to use you to do astounding things for Him as well.

In fact, as a believer, you have a mandate to glorify God with your life. When you refuse to live a godly, obedient life, you are in rebellion against Him, which is a waste of your talents and resources. However, when you dedicate your time, abilities, skills, and spiritual gifts to honoring and obeying Him, you make the best investment of your life you could ever make.

You are part of the body of Christ—called to be part of His people and purpose on earth. Together, we should always be an energetic body of people filled with the Spirit of God, whose lives glorify God at work, at home, in our communities and among our friends and loved ones.

2 No matter what God asks us to do, He provides the resources we need.

Just as God knows the best way for you to serve Him, He also knows everything you need to be an effective witness for Him in the world. God will never ask you to do anything solely by your own strength or knowledge. He knows that there’s not much you can accomplish that way. Rather, He gives you everything you need—including your giftedness—and asks that you obey Him so that He can work through you and display His mighty power and profound wisdom in your life.

With that in mind, God has given various skills and talents to different people so that we can be supportive and useful to one another. No matter what the job, all are important in the eyes of God because all have the potential of influencing and blessing the people around us.

First Peter 4:9–10 instructs, “Each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” Therefore, understand:

• The gift you have is a special gift. It is especially suited to your personality because God created you with that giftedness and purpose in mind.

• The gift you have must be put to work. We serve God by ministering to other people—helping them, encouraging them to grow in the faith, and pointing them in the right direction.

• The gift you have requires your stewardship. You are responsible to God for using that gift effectively.

• The gift you have has been given to you because of the manifold grace of God. For you to experience the love of God fully, you must show it to others through the gifts He has given you.

This may sound somewhat challenging; however, God will always empower you to accomplish whatever He asks you to do—and the most powerful way He helps you is through the presence of His Holy Spirit.

3 Why don’t we live in a way that is pleasing to God?

You must decide whether or not you are going to be available to God—whether or not you will invest your life in the manner He created you to invest it. If you refuse to serve the living God, you are sinning against your Creator. He gave you everything you have—including your life—and the key to enjoying all of it is recognizing His lordship. Why do some people refuse to serve God?

• Poor self-image. People don’t feel worthy or talented enough to serve God. Yet, God Himself makes us worthy through Christ and will fill all our needs as long as we are depending on and obedient to Him.

• Comparison. People compare themselves to others and convince themselves that someone else could do the task better. Although this may be true, God wants an obedient servant—not a perfect performer.

• Weakness. People focus on their weaknesses instead of God’s strength. However, God often works through our imperfections, weaknesses, and faults to show that the success we garner is because of Him and not due to our own resources.

• Fear. People are simply too afraid to step out in faith. This is the natural consequence of measuring tasks against our ability to achieve them. However, when we measure them against God’s ability, we see that nothing is ever too difficult.

• Laziness. People are too apathetic and unmotivated to obey. Yet, we owe our lives and salvation to God, and we should live in thankfulness to Him.

CONCLUSION:

Do you live to please God or yourself? This is the question at the heart of whether or not you will join God in His amazing work. God knows exactly what He wants to do in your life, and what it will take to accomplish it. He will provide everything you need to pursue His will. If you reject Him, you doom yourself to a life of emptiness and disappointment. However, if you trust and obey Him, you will experience the best life possible.

Therefore, glorify Him by living in a manner that is pleasing to Him. Be available. Submit yourself to Him in humility and purity. Serve Him in whatever way He instructs and always trust Him to show you what to do. Because that is living life at its very best.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

TURNING OUR CRISIS INTO AN OPPORTUNITY

KEY PASSAGE: Genesis Chapters 37-50 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 103:19 | Isaiah 55:8-9 | Romans 8:28-29 |Ephesians 4:26

SUMMARY:

How do you respond to a crisis?

At some point in our lives, we all will face hardships, losses, and painful circumstances. Too often, we fail to view suffering with an eternal perspective. But our heavenly Father always has a purpose for adversity in our lives, and we can profit from it if we respond correctly.

The Old Testament patriarch Joseph experienced difficulty, but he learned to react to it wisely. From his example, we can learn how to turn our crises into opportunities.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

Seven Crises in the Life of Joseph

From the time Joseph was a young boy, he knew the bitter taste of adversity. However, each trial he encountered prepared him for God’s ultimate purpose for his life.

Misfortune number one was being hated by his brothers because he was Jacob’s favorite son. He made things worse when he told them of his dream that one day they would bow down to him. Learning how to live with ridicule and mistreatment without growing bitter, resentful, or hostile served him well during his years as a slave in Egypt (Gen. 37:1-17).

Second, Joseph’s brothers threw him in a pit (Gen. 37:18-24). Although helpless, he remembered God’s promise that his brothers would kneel before him one day. That meant the Lord would not allow him to die. Through this crisis, Joseph learned that God was completely trustworthy.

Third, Joseph was sold into Egypt as a slave (Gen. 37:25-36). Instead of rebelling against his captors, Joseph took advantage of the chance to learn about the Egyptian culture and language, trusting that God had a purpose for allowing that hardship.

He leveraged the fourth setback—being sold to Pharaoh’s chief bodyguard, Potiphar—into learning about how an Egyptian family operated. Though as a Hebrew and a slave Joseph was considered inferior, he discovered how to manage a large, prosperous household (Gen. 39:1-6).

His fifth challenge occurred when Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph. He knew that giving into temptation would mean being disloyal to Potiphar and unfaithful to God. He successfully resisted her, though it meant being thrown into prison (Gen. 39:7-20). Through this crisis, Joseph discovered his own strength to resist temptation and the depth of his devotion to the Lord.

Joseph’s refusal to yield to Potiphar’s wife brought on the sixth misfortune—prison. Even though Joseph was wronged, he was obedient to authority figures over him and learned how to treat others with kindness (Gen. 39:20-23).

The seventh and final trial was when Pharaoh asked Joseph to interpret a dream. When Joseph explained that famine was coming after seven years of abundant bounty, he advised Pharaoh to prepare by storing food from the years of plenty. In response, the ruler promoted him to second in command over all of Egypt and placed Joseph in charge administering food storage (Gen. 41:15-16).Why was Joseph ready for such a responsibility? He had used each crisis in his life as an opportunity to develop himself into a wiser, godlier person.

The Lord also wants to use adversity to strengthen your relationship with Him and prepare you for the challenges that lie ahead.

How to Turn a Crisis into an Opportunity

Trust that God is working everything in your life for your good (Rom. 8:28).
Believe that our heavenly Father is in control of everything. When you and I believe in God’s sovereignty, it’s easier to retain our hope—even if we don’t understand why we are suffering.
Accept that the Lord’s ways are higher than ours (Isa. 55:8-9). Don’t lose heart by asking why; simply trust God’s intimate involvement in your life.
Refuse to make quick judgments in the midst of a crisis. Ask, “God what are you doing in my life?”
Focus on the Father instead of the crisis. Meditate on Scripture, which fuels your awareness of the Father’s comfort and unconditional love.
Avoid dwelling on the pain. It’s normal to feel loss and suffering, but instead of fixating on the grief, go to the ultimate source of strength—the Word of God (Ps. 103:19).
Recall past crises and the opportunities that followed. Seeing God’s handiwork through past hardships will encourage you in your current trial (See Romans 8:29.)
Let go of your anger immediately. Even if you feel upset at first, don’t let that emotion take root in your life (Eph. 4:26). Releasing your irritation frees you to see God’s purpose in your circumstances.
Submit yourself to God’s will. Joseph faced every trial with a humble heart that was willing to grow and learn. When we believe the Lord’s promises, we are also motivated to surrender to His will in every situation.
Demonstrate a spirit of gratitude. Even in the darkest valley, knowing the Lord has good plans for your life is a powerful motivator of thankfulness.
Determine to view the trial as a chance to see God at work. Choose to approach the situation with hope and a desire to learn.
Refuse to listen to unscriptural interpretations of your situation. No matter how well meaning others are, they are not in your exact situation. Ask God how you are to respond to adverse circumstances.
Remain in constant prayer, listening for the Father’s instructions. God will often use hardship to draw you closer to Himself. Pain, trials, and suffering are all used by the Father to develop your intimate relationship with Him.
Do not give in to fluctuating emotions. When you pray and your situation doesn’t change, you may want to give up. But remember that feelings are often the enemy of obedience, and resist the temptation.
Obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. No matter what, know that the Father loves you and is in control. You can’t go wrong by trusting your entire life to Him.

CONCLUSION:

Are you facing a crisis today? If so, the Lord wants to turn it into an awesome opportunity for you to develop new skills, strengthen your character, and draw you closer to Him. If you obey God and leave all the consequences to Him, He will conform you to the image of His Son and use all situations for your ultimate blessing.

My prayer for you is that you will surrender to the grace and love of the Father, even in the midst of adversity. Then you will be able to turn each crisis of your life into an amazing opportunity to see Him work.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

TRAINING OUR CHILDREN

KEY PASSAGE: Proverbs 22:6 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Deuteronomy 6:1-9 | Exodus 20:15-16 | Psalm 119:105 Proverbs 3:12 | 1 Corinthians 13:8

SUMMARY:

What is your goal in raising children?

Is your main desire for them to be happy? Or do you dream of seeing them excel in sports, the arts, or another one of your interests?

The Bible teaches that parents’ top priority in raising children should be spiritual. Proverbs 22:6 says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it. ”Our primary task is to prepare them to walk according to God’s plan, will, and purpose for their lives. We are to instill in them an unshakeable faith that will protect them from the assault of the Devil.

You have an awesome responsibility to train your children to follow Jesus Christ. Teach them the ways of God from an early age, and you will be amazed at their resistance to sin and the strength of their faith.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

What does Scripture say?

In Deuteronomy chapter six, God instructed the Israelite families to teach their children His commands:“Talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up” (v. 7). That means parents should talk daily to their children about the things of the Lord.

You may feel too busy with your career, chores, and hobbies to invest in your children. But don’t leave this important task to someone else. If you don’t train your kids, then the television set, their peers, or their school will. And while the church can be a great help to families, it is not designed to take your place in teaching your child about Jesus. God has trusted parents with a unique role in their kids’ lives.

How should you teach your child?

By investing quality time. Nothing can take the place of a mother and father. Small children want to be just like their parents—the most important people in their lives. By the time a child is five, 85% of their personality is already set. So be sure to invest in your kids early and often.
By listening to them. Many teens stop listening to their parents because their mom and dad didn’t pay attention to them when they were small. When your children are ready to talk to you, give them your undivided attention. They will be more likely to do the same for you when the time is right.
By admitting when you are wrong. Parents often believe that if they confess mistakes to their children, the kids will lose respect for them. But don’t be too prideful to admit you’re wrong. You’ll be surprised at how confession removes barriers to intimacy and trust. And your kids will have an easier time admitting when they’ve sinned too.
By loving them unconditionally. Don’t make your acceptance contingent upon their appearance, personality, or performance (1 Cor. 13:8). Shower genuine affection on your kids, and they will do their best to please you.
By disciplining your children. Many modern parenting books discourage correcting, punishing, and—especially—spanking children, even when they willfully disobey. This idea is diametrically opposed to the clear teaching of Scripture (Prov. 3:12). If you don’t set limits on your children, their lack of self control will likely bring destruction to every area of their lives. Some will fall victim to the temptations of sex, drugs, and alcohol. Others may avoid these but still ruin their careers, close relationships, or finances through self-indulgence.
By encouraging them to fulfill their potential. Time after time, my mother said to me, “Charles, you need to look your best; do your best; and be your best. ”Although I only had two pairs of bib overalls when I was small, my mother made sure one of them was clean and ironed every day. I believe that the way a person dresses indicates his or her commitment to doing a quality job. Without criticizing or shaming your kids, challenge them to rise to their full potential.
By teaching them to be accountable to God. When my kids didn’t like one of my decisions, I told them to talk to the Lord about it. Until your children understand that their heavenly Father watches all they do, they are likely to rebel when you aren’t around.
By emphasizing the importance of a relationship with Jesus. Through your words as well as your lifestyle, teach your children the importance of committing to one-on-one time with the Lord.
By encouraging them to read the Word. The answers to life’s questions are found in Scripture. Daily Bible reading and prayer will give your children a strong moral compass. But rather than being tied to the translation you prefer, buy them a version of the Bible that they can easily understand. Unless the light of God’s Word shines on their paths, your children will stumble through life (Ps. 119:105).
By teaching them that God has a plan for their lives. I told my kids that the Lord had the right spouse, a particular career, and a specific calling for them. When children are raised knowing that God has planned their future, they are motivated to seek Him for direction. By the time they finish college, kids should have a pretty good idea of their calling.
By telling them to obey God and leave all the consequences to Him. In this one statement, you are teaching them to recognize the sovereignty of their Creator, His personal interest in them, and that they can trust Him to take care of the consequences.

CONCLUSION:

Parents have a special opportunity to influence their children for Christ. But children today are surrounded by temptation and danger. The world, the Devil, and their own desires war against God’s purposes for them. If you are a mother or father, you must be willing to build a close relationship with your children so they will trust you and listen to your instruction. You must also model a godly lifestyle, so that they will see the value in committing every aspect of their lives to Christ.

Train your kids in such a way that when they are old, they will continue to follow Jesus faithfully (Prov. 22:6).With your guidance and support, your children will be ready to overcome attacks from the Enemy, courageously defend their faith, and take a stand for truth. Despite a world that is hostile to our faith, they will be able to reach their full potential—both spiritually and in every other way.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

DISCIPLINE DETERMINES DESTINY

KEY PASSAGE: 1 Corinthians 9:23-27 | Supporting Scripture: John 4:4 | 1 Timothy 4:7-8 | Hebrews 12:5 1 Peter 1:15

SUMMARY:

As followers of Jesus Christ, it’s only right that you and I desire to fulfill His purpose for our lives.

But in order to do so, discipline is required. Without it, the distractions of this life interfere with our goals. To explain this point to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul used an illustration from sports. Like athletes in training, we must also exercise self-control and restraint—not living aimlessly, but with a definite purpose or “prize” in mind (1 Cor. 9:23-27). The more clearly our goals are defined, the better we understand which disciplines are needed to achieve them. Simply wanting to fulfill God’s will for our lives is not enough. It is discipline, not just desire, that determines both your destiny and mine.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

Self-Discipline and Divine Discipline

Self-discipline is personal training that develops self-control and character, resulting in an orderly and efficient life. Divine discipline, however, is God’s correction in our lives when we step out of His will or disobey Him (Heb. 12:5). The Father uses divine discipline to get us back on the right course. In contrast, self-discipline is what you and I must practice in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Why is self-discipline necessary?

Self-discipline is essential to godliness in all things (1 Tim. 4:7-8; 1 Pet. 1:15). It is required to overcome the three enemies that will otherwise hinder our destinies. One is the devil, and worldly systems are another. The third enemy, what Paul calls “the flesh,” is our carnality, or natural desires.

“Carnality” means there are desires within each of us that do not fit God’s plan for our lives. This can include legitimate desires that must be properly controlled. Food and rest, for example, are good things, but too much of either can be harmful. Companionship is also good, but without discipline, unhealthy dependencies can result. Likewise, sexual intimacy is a gift from God, but it is poisonous outside of marriage. In other words, many things in life aren’t inherently wrong; they just need to be properly controlled.

What to Expect from a Lack of Discipline

Without discipline, we’ll often step out of God’s will, justify indulgences, and experience the consequences. Poor health and financial debt are common examples. Credit card companies love undisciplined people. To avoid such trouble, we must budget wisely, honor God by tithing, and teach our children to do the same.

Another major area that suffers when someone lacks discipline is job performance. Many people have a hard time keeping a job because they show up late, work slothfully, or leave tasks for others to finish. When the next job opportunity comes, these people are likely to be overlooked.

A lack of discipline is harmful in other areas of life, too. For example, reckless speech and chronic tardiness cause turmoil in relationships. Someone who is undisciplined will probably waste time and energy. Usually, when a home is sloppy, other areas of life are also out of order. For instance, someone who never follows a schedule will more than likely complete tasks poorly or even neglect them entirely. Perhaps the most important consequence of an undisciplined life is that it compromises a believer’s testimony and the ability to witness in fuller measures (1 Cor. 9:27).

What is required for a disciplined life?

Have a definite goal or purpose. Goals clarify what disciplines are needed.
Detach from things that draw you away from your goals. Sacrifice those desires that pull you off course. For example, when Jesus decided to go to Samaria, He had to decline other opportunities (John 4:4).
Pursue your objectives with diligence. Goals of great value demand perseverance. Reflecting on their worth keeps us on course.
Be consistent. Discipline is ineffective if it is practiced one day and neglected the next. But don’t let moments of failure defeat you. Instead, keep trying, and consistency will develop.
Say “no” in the strength of the Holy Spirit. Remember, the indwelling presence of the Spirit is available to empower you to be self-controlled.

Rewards of Discipline

Being self-controlled has many benefits. For one, life becomes orderly and less stressful. When our goals are clear, we can easily set each day’s priorities and work to fulfill God’s purpose for our lives. Doing so helps us be productive, which typically leads to each of us feeling good about our accomplishments. Furthermore, discipline in one area of life often strengthens our self-control in other areas. For instance, we may find that when we are taking better care of our health, getting the right amount of rest and developing deeper relationships are easier to manage. Discipline can also have a positive impact on those around you. Observing my mother’s diligence, for example, motivated me as a boy to do my best at delivering newspapers. To this day, the foundation she laid in my life is part of what motivates me to work with excellence at whatever I do. In turn, I taught both my son and daughter to be disciplined instead of giving them everything they wanted the moment they asked for it. The self-control they learned when they were children has helped them succeed as adults. And they are now passing the same lessons on to their own children.

No matter how blessed you and I may be here on earth because of practicing self-control, we must always remember that the most significant benefit of discipline isn’t found in this lifetime. The greatest reward will come from Jesus on the day we stand before Him.

How do I start being disciplined?

Read God’s Word. Spend time reading a portion of Scripture every day.
Pray. Make time to be alone with the Father, eliminating other activities if necessary.
Tithe. Whatever we earn, you and I can always give a tenth to God.
Attend church. Meeting with other believers gives us the opportunity to worship God and grow together.

RESPONSE:

Are you self-disciplined when it comes to following God’s will in your daily decisions?
What obstacles are keeping you from a more structured lifestyle?
Can you think of a few areas of discipline you can adjust in your life starting this week?
How can you instill this concept of discipline in the thoughts and actions of your family members at home?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

GUIDANCE THROUGH GODLY MEDITATION

KEY PASSAGE: Acts 27 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Proverbs 3:5-6

SUMMARY

Meditation is a vital aspect of the Christian life.

It’s a sacred opportunity to be alone with the Lord. Even though we’re busy, our time of meditation must be guarded and protected because it’s the means by which we absorb the truths of Scripture into our hearts and minds, receive spiritual nourishment and guidance, and grow in our Christian lives.

SERMON POINTS

Meditation simply means focusing our hearts, lives, souls, and spirits on God by listening and responding to Him so we can grow spiritually. Although we can meditate on just a couple of verses, it’s also possible to think deeply about an entire chapter. Every part of the Bible is filled with truths, even those which, at first glimpse may seem irrelevant to our lives. Acts 27 is just such an example. Although it’s a story about a storm at sea that ends in a shipwreck, there is much God can teach us from this passage.

Meditation on Acts 27

This chapter is the account of Paul’s travels by sea as a prisoner on his way to Rome to present his case before Caesar. Although the contrary winds made sailing difficult, the ship eventually arrived at the island of Crete. At this point, they had to decide whether to proceed with their journey or stay at their current harbor because sailing had become very dangerous (vv. 1-9).

Meditation protects us from listening to wrong voices.

Paul began to warn them, saying, “Men, I perceive that the voyage will certainly be with damage and great loss, not only of the cargo and the ship, but also of our lives” (v. 10). However, the centurion who was in charge of the prisoners was more persuaded by the pilot and captain of the ship than by Paul. Since Fair Havens wasn’t suitable for wintering, the majority decided to put out to sea in an attempt to reach a safer harbor where they could spend the winter. Therefore, when a moderate south wind came up, they assumed this was their opportunity. However, after setting sail, a violent wind called Euraquilo caught the ship and drove it out to sea (vv. 11-15).

Meditation keeps us focused on what God says. If we neglect this practice, we could easily be led astray by other people’s advice, the majority opinion, or our own perspective based on human logic or the appearance of circumstances. None of these are reliable sources for making decisions because God’s will is only revealed in His Word. When we read Scripture, we are listening to the right voice—that of the Lord, who is Our wise, personal Counselor.

None of us are so competent that we don’t need God’s help. We never know what a day will bring. Like the centurion and sailors who left the port, we could find ourselves in an unforeseen storm. They expected a short trip to the next harbor but instead were driven out to sea and eventually shipwrecked. The unwise advice they accepted proved to be very costly.

Meditation helps us in life’s storms.

During the next few weeks the ship was so violently storm-tossed that they began to lose hope. After many days, Paul admonished them for not following his advice but also encouraged them saying, “Now I urge you to keep up your courage, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship. For this very night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve stood before me, saying, ‘Do not be afraid, Paul; you must stand before Caesar; and behold, God has granted you all those who are sailing with you.’ Therefore, keep up your courage, men, for I believe God that it will turn out exactly as I have been told. But we must run aground on a certain island” (vv. 22-26).

When some of the sailors tried to escape the ship, Paul warned the centurion and soldiers, “Unless these men remain in the ship, you yourselves cannot be saved” (v. 31). This time the soldiers listened to his advice and thwarted the escape plan. As a result, everything happened exactly as Paul predicted. The ship ran aground, but all 276 people survived because they trusted Paul’s advice.

Their rescue was the result of God’s faithfulness to Paul. He had decreed that Paul would go to Rome, and nothing including a storm and shipwreck could hinder His purpose. And the same is true of our lives as well. In our storms, whether physical, spiritual, emotional, or any other trying circumstance, meditation on God’s Word is our connection to Him and a stabilizing anchor. When we’re engulfed by uncertainty and losing hope, He gives us the guidance we need. But if we ignore Him, and rely on ourselves, we could suffer shipwreck and great loss.

Applications from Acts 27

This chapter teaches us what we are to do and how we are to respond in the various situations we face each day.

The most important activity in the life of a follower of Jesus is time spent alone with Him in meditation on His Word. It was a priority in Paul’s life and should be in ours as well. As we listen to His voice speaking through His Word, we are rescued from making foolish decisions and suffering the resulting consequences. Since God loved us enough to give His Son as a sacrifice for our sins and has kept us to this point, He will surely give us the guidance and protection we need for the future.
Make decisions based on the will of God. As those who have been saved by Christ, we are obligated to obey Him, not only in big decisions but in small ones that may even seem inconsequential. Through meditation on Scripture, the Lord warns us to be careful how we live, admonishes us not to sin, and tells us what to do. We learn what He desires to accomplish in our lives and how He wants us to respond to people and situations. God is continually working in our behalf, nurturing us through His Word, and empowering us by the Holy Spirit to understand and obey whatever He says.

RESPONSE

Is meditation on the Lord a priority in your life? What situations keep you from being consistent?

Have you set aside time each day to spend with God in His Word and prayer? To develop a consistent habit of meditation, pick a time that works for you. When do you have the fewest distractions? How can you work around responsibilities and family dynamics to come up with the best time?
When reading Scripture, are you quick to give up on passages that are difficult to understand or don’t seem relevant? If so, reread it, asking the Lord to give you understanding and teach you how to apply His truths to your life.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

MAKING WISE DECISIONS

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 25:12 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Psalm 27:14; 46:10; 62:5 | Proverbs 3:5-6 | Matthew 7:7 Colossians 3:15 | 1 Thessalonians 5:17

SUMMARY

Life is composed of a series of decisions, which is why it’s so important to have a plan for making wise choices.

This is something many people never consider, yet the Bible is filled with verses about prayer and discovering God’s will. If we follow a plan based on God’s Word, we’ll make decisions wisely and avoid the difficulties and heartaches that come from wrong choices.

SERMON POINTS

A key to making wise decisions is found in Psalm 25:12, which says, “Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will instruct him in the way he should choose.”

God’s guidance is promised to those who fear Him. This doesn’t mean we’re supposed to be afraid of Him, but that we have an attitude of reverence and absolute dependence upon Him.

However, many times we don’t depend on the Lord for guidance when we have a decision to make. Since God is omniscient, shouldn’t we come to Him first when we are facing an uncertain decision? Yet oftentimes we go to everybody else for advice, or we simply make up our own minds and do what we desire without regard to God’s will for us. We may think we’re smart enough to handle it ourselves, but we’re not. The Lord is willing to give us direction and answer our requests, but He may not do it in the manner or time we expect or desire.

A Plan for Decision-Making

To make wise choices, we need to rely on a plan based on God’s Word. The following steps will prepare us to receive and hear His guidance.

Step One: Clear our heart of any known sin. Sin introduces confusion in our minds and hinders us from receiving divine direction. The Bible is the record of the mind and heart of God. Those who heed it are wise, spirit-filled, and obedient, and they receive His guidance because they have an unhindered relationship with Him.

Before we can hear from the Lord, we must clear out anything in our lives that clouds our thinking or blocks His guidance.

First of all, we should ask the Lord to show us if there’s something sinful in our lives that is keeping us from hearing the truth. It could be a relationship, a habit, a thought pattern, or anything contrary to God’s will. The Holy Spirit will be faithful to point out whatever needs to be addressed.
Next, confess the sin by agreeing with God that it should not be a part of our lives.
Then, repent by turning away from that sin because it doesn’t belong in the life of a believer, and we desire to live in obedience to God.

Step Two: Bring our desires to a position of neutrality. This can be a real battle when our desire for a particular course of action is strong. However, if we want to receive God’s guidance, we must be willing to yield our preferences to Him and say, “I want to know what You want me to do.” The first time we voice these words we may not actually mean them because our thoughts are still focused on what we want. However, God hears this kind of prayer, and we can trust Him to guide us if we keep coming to Him and bringing our mind and heart into a neutral position of acceptance of whatever He desires.

Step Three: Exercise patience. Sometimes we may have to pray for a long time before God gives us an answer. He promises that if we ask and seek, we will receive and find, but He doesn’t say we will get an immediate response (Matt. 7:7). Therefore, to receive His best, we must be willing to wait for His timing. Waiting upon God means we live in confident expectation of His actions on our behalf and refuse to run ahead of Him or try to solve our problems on our own.

Psalm 46:10 – “Be still, and know that I am God” (KJV).
Psalm 62: 5 – “My soul, wait in silence for God only.”
Psalm 27:14 – “Be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”

God’s pauses are very important in His plan for our lives. We can trust that He has good reasons for any delays. He knows when we’re not ready for the answer even though we think we are. Perhaps we wouldn’t accept His answer if it came any sooner. Our all-wise, omniscient God knows us perfectly and sees clearly what needs to change in our lives before we are ready for His guidance.

Step Four: Be alert to pressure. The pressures we face when making decisions come from two places.

External pressure. Friends and family may offer their advice or urge us to quickly make a choice before we’ve heard from the Lord. However, they don’t really know God’s will on the matter, and their guidance may be offered out of a desire to please us so we’ll be happy. It’s better to be cautious about others’ well-meaning advice, and wait for God’s timing and direction.
Internal pressure. Sometimes we put pressure on ourselves to make the choice without God’s input because we fear loss or don’t want to go in a direction we think He’s leading us.

Step Five: Persist in prayer. First Thessalonians 5:17 says, “Pray without ceasing.” Even if we see no sign of an answer, we must not give up. While we are waiting, God is teaching us to trust Him. He wants us to move from doubt, fear, and unrest to confidence in Him and His timing.

Step Six: Rest in God’s promise. The Bible is our most valuable resource when we have a decision to make because it’s the mind of God in print and is filled with His wisdom. If we want to know what He thinks about anything, all we have to do is read His Word. It’s like a filter that sifts out the worldly thinking that continually bombards us. He also builds our faith with His sure and unfailing promises.

Step Seven: Wait for His peace. The Greek word for peace means “to bind together.” When we are in agreement with God on the decision, we are bound together with Him. That’s when His peace rules in our hearts (Col. 3:15).

RESPONSE

How do you usually make decisions? Whom do you consult for wise advice? What role does the Lord play in your decision-making?
Have you ever jumped ahead of the Lord and made a decision without Him? What was the outcome?
When you’ve waited for God’s answer, what did you learn during the wait?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

HOW TO STAY YOUNG AND USEFUL ALL YOUR LIFE

KEY PASSAGE: Psalm 92:12-15 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURES: Deuteronomy 6:5 | Psalm 37:1, 7-8 | 1 Peter 5:7

SUMMARY

Aging is inevitable, but it doesn’t have to make us unfruitful and useless.

The secret to living a productive life is not found in a pill, a drink, or an exercise routine but in heeding what the Lord says. None of us know how long we’ll live, but while we have breath, we should desire to be useful and fruitful for God. He is the one who ultimately determines the number of our days, but we have the responsibility of doing what we can to live long and productive lives.

SERMON POINTS

In Psalm 92:12-15, the Lord explains how to stay young and useful throughout our lives, however long we may live.

“The righteous man will flourish like the palm tree” (v. 12). This passage doesn’t apply to everyone but only to those who are righteous and godly. To flourish signifies abundance of growth and fruit. The palm trees in this passage are date palms, which not only produced fruit, but whose leaves were used for fences and roofs.
“He will grow like a cedar in Lebanon” (v. 12). These trees grow as high as one hundred twenty feet, and their branches extend straight out to a circumference of thirty feet. They are truly a majestic sight that symbolizes great strength.
“Planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God” (v. 13). Spiritual abundance comes to those who stay close to the Lord.
“They will still yield fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap and very green, to declare that the Lord is upright” (vv. 14-15). Instead of being dry and of little use, the righteous person can continue to produce fruit throughout his or her life.

The key to making this passage a reality in our lives is found in 10 essential attitudes.

Keep Learning. When we cease to learn, we stop growing because a lazy brain is an aging brain. So much has changed over the course of the years. As technology advances, we must continually learn skills our parents and grandparents never had to know. But the most important pursuits in life are learning the Word of God and memorizing Scripture.
Keep Loving. The first and foremost commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and might (Deut. 6:5). And Jesus taught and modeled love for one another as well. When we stop loving God and other people, bitterness, resentment, hostility, or hatred take up residence within us and damage our emotional, mental, and spiritual health. God created us to love Him and others. That’s why maintaining a loving spirit promotes good health within us.
Keep Laughing. Laughter affects every part of our body, including our nervous system, and sets us free from discontentment and grumbling. Of all the people in the world, Christians should be the happiest because we have the joy of the Lord within us and the greatest reasons to be grateful.
Keep Leaving. To stay youthful and productive, we must leave yesterday’s cares and problems behind us instead of dragging them with us into the next day. Since past experiences and situations have the potential to discourage and pull us backwards, we must learn to cast all our anxieties on the Lord, knowing that He cares for us (1 Pet. 5:7). Hanging on to past hurts, disappointments, and discouragements negatively affects our bodies, minds, and emotions. And if we’re anxious about the future, we must also leave these concerns with Jesus and trust Him to handle them.
Keep Longing. As we get older, we must keep dreaming about the future. Instead of looking at all the things we can’t do, we should concentrate on what we can accomplish and look forward to what awaits us in the future. As children of God, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to do whatever He desires. Though we may not feel adequate, we should never underestimate what the Lord can do through us when we’re willing and obedient.
Keep Looking Ahead. We should plan for tomorrow even if we don’t think we have many active years left. Looking forward to what God would have us do and pursuing activities we enjoy energizes us to continue being useful and productive.
Keep Looking Your Best. There’s something about looking and doing our best that stimulates and encourages us to keep going.
Keep Laboring. Although we may not be able to do what we once did, retirement from a career is not a time to cease working. It may be a time to change what we do, but telling ourselves that we no longer have to work sends a message to our bodies that they can stop functioning. In the Christian life there is no retirement because we can still bear spiritual fruit and make a difference in people’s lives until the day we die.
Keep Leaning on the Lord. Each day should be lived in dependence upon and trust in God. He’s the one we rely upon for wisdom, direction, and provision. There is no need to fret when we lean on the Lord in prayer. We can trust Him with all our concerns, knowing that He is always present and faithful. Hudson Taylor, the head of the China Inland Mission, once said, “Bear not a single care thyself; one is too much for thee. Thy work is Mine and Mine alone; thy work is to rest in Me.”
Keep Listening. The most important thing we can do is listen to the Lord. Though we cannot hear Him audibly, He speaks to us in our hearts through His Word and His Spirit. As we open the Scripture and pray for guidance and wisdom, He’ll answer us. But if we don’t listen to Him, we’ll be spiritually crippled throughout our lives and unable to discern His will. However, if we heed His voice, He will help us make wise decisions, guide us into the right relationships, empower us to avoid temptations, and convict us when we sin.

RESPONSE

Review the 10 essentials for staying young and useful throughout your life. Which ones are you already practicing? Which ones do you need to implement into your life?
If you are a young person, you may not think these practices are essential for you at this point in your life. However, what are the advantages of making these attitudes a part of your life as early as possible?
If you are an older person, you may think it’s too late for you to become productive again. Instead of focusing on productivity as the world defines it, consider God’s description of a righteous person in Psalm 92. What spiritual fruit would you like the Lord to produce in you during your later years?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

PATIENCE—ESSENTIAL TO EXPERIENCING GOD’S BEST

KEY PASSAGE: Galatians 5:22-23 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 27:14; 32:8; 37:7; 40:1 Proverbs 3:5-6

SUMMARY

There are people who have faithfully attended church for many years, been baptized, and heard a multitude of sermons, yet have not understood how to live the Christian life.

It’s not accomplished by self-effort but with complete reliance upon the Holy Spirit as He lives Christ’s life through us. One of the Spirit’s jobs is to provide the guidance we need throughout life. However, there are times when we must patiently wait until He reveals what He would have us do.

SERMON POINTS

Patience doesn’t come naturally but is a gift from God bestowed on us as the fruit of His Spirit. It’s essential that we cooperate with the Spirit as He develops patience within us, because this necessary quality can save us from the inevitable regrets that come when we refuse to wait for His direction.

Consider what the following scriptures say about waiting for God:

Psalm 27:14 “Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.”
Psalm 37:7 “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; do not get upset . . . ”
Psalm 40:1 “I waited patiently for the Lord; and He reached down to me and heard my cry.

Patience can be defined in several ways:

Quiet, uncomplaining endurance under stress or annoyance.
Being good-tempered.
Having the will to wait.

Why do we need patience?

There are times when we must make decisions, but we don’t know what to do. If God gives us a check in our spirit, we should wait. But most of us are reluctant to delay the decision and want God to act on our timetable. However, we must remember that the Lord is omniscient and knows everything about us and our circumstances. If He wants us to wait, it’s because He knows what’s best.

The Lord is our greatest protector.

He created us to live for Him, serve Him, and reflect Him. Therefore, if what we desire doesn’t fit with His purpose or timing, we would be foolish to be impatient and insist on having it. When He says no, He is not rejecting us but protecting us.

To benefit from God’s loving protection, we should consult Him about everything. But if we insist on having our own way, we are asking for trouble. In contrast, when we are patient, we’re able to calmly tolerate the delays that God places in our lives.

Impatience results in the following mistakes:

Assumption. If God delays in answering our requests, we assume we can go ahead with our plans, since He didn’t forbid it.
Misuse of Scripture. At other times, we may try to manipulate God’s Word to get the answer we want. We’ll search through the Bible until we find a verse that seems to support our desires.
Manipulation. We could also try to manipulate the circumstances in order to justify our own actions.

All these methods will only handicap our lives by sowing seeds of destruction. God has given us His Spirit of truth to guide us through all the complexities of life. However, when we don’t listen to Him, we could make a mess of our lives. If God says to wait, it’s because He loves us. All parents who love their children know that giving them everything they want immediately is not good for them.

What is required in order to live obediently and patiently?

Faith in God. We must believe that He will always direct us because He has promised to do so.
A Spirit of Obedience. To follow the Spirit’s guidance, we must be willing to obey God and wait patiently.
Discernment of God’s Timing. The Holy Spirit guides us regarding the proper timing for our requests, and if it’s not presently God’s will for us, He also gives us the grace to wait.
Love for God. Obedience to the Lord is proof of our love for Him because our hearts are bent toward Him, and we are willing to wait for as long as necessary. But when we are impatiently determined that a situation work out the way we desire, we are not demonstrating love for the Lord but for ourselves, others, or things. In contrast, God shows His love for us by withholding from us what we selfishly desire because it is not what’s best.
Courage. Sometimes it takes courage to obey God and patiently wait for Him to direct our path. We may start to feel desperate, as if we are coming to the edge of a cliff and are about to fall off, but almighty God is always there by our side.
Determination to Wait. In Psalm 32:8, God says, “I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; I will advise you with My eye upon you.” When we refuse to heed godly counsel and plunge ahead in impatience, the outcome will never be what we intend. Waiting for as long as necessary until God in His wisdom tells us what to do is always a wiser approach.

Why is patience essential to experiencing God’s best?

It’s essential to a life of obedience to God. We must listen, obey Him, and at times give up our own personal desires and opinions in order to wait for His direction.
It’s essential to building good relationships with other people. Patience is a quality that improves all our relationships because it graciously overlooks others’ mistakes.
It’s essential because timing is very important. The Holy Spirit will give us clear direction but not always immediately. If we truly treasure God’s wisdom, we will patiently wait for Him to reveal His will.
It’s essential for seeing God at work in the situation. When He finally brings it to a conclusion, we will be able to see how He worked it all out and will be so thankful that we waited.

We don’t have to live in the doubt and uncertainty that come with relying on our own wisdom. God saved us for His purposes and will give us guidance if we ask for it. But we must be careful not to think He is late if He doesn’t act when we think He should. God is always right on time; we’re the ones whose timing is off. The wisest action is to patiently trust God, wait, and watch to see what He will do.

RESPONSE

Would your family or co-workers describe you as a patient person? How does your character, conduct, and conversation display either patience or impatience?
What kinds of thoughts cause you to be impatient? In contrast, what truths about God could you dwell upon to build a foundation for patience and trust in Him?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

THE SEVEN HABITS OF A GODLY LIFE

SUMMARY

What is a godly life, and how is it achieved?

These are important questions because as believers, we are called to live sanctified lives that are fully surrendered to Christ. Although we know that this is God’s will for us and that He’s working toward this purpose in our lives, we have a responsibility in the process as well. What we habitually do has tremendous influence on whether we will have a godly life.

SERMON POINTS

There are seven habits that will help us in our pursuit of godly living. A habit is a recurring and often subconscious pattern of behavior that is acquired through frequent repetition. A godly life is one that is no longer seeking satisfaction through a sinful lifestyle but is now surrendered to God and His will.

The Seven Habits of a Godly Life

1. A life of prayer. We see this modeled by Jesus. Although the disciples and the crowds did not understand why He withdrew when there was so much good He could do, Jesus knew that prayer was an important priority of His life.

Mark 1:35 “In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there.”
Luke 4:42 “When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them.”

Prayer that promotes godliness is not merely occasional petitions offered in times of trouble or need but a daily conversation with the Father that springs from love for Him and gratitude for who He is and what He does. It’s not a duty but a delight.

Jesus’ disciples observed that His prayers were very different from the ritualistic prayers that were so common in that day. Seeing how He spoke so personally with His heavenly Father prompted them to ask Him to teach them how to pray (Luke 11:1).

Since we live in a world filled with temptations, trials, heartaches, burdens, and sin, an intimate prayer life should be a priority because it keeps us connected to almighty God and sensitive to His will. Whatever we do will be accomplished on our knees as we submit to the Lord, give Him our time, and listen for His instruction.

2. Faith. Psalm 103:19 says, “The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, and His sovereignty rules over all.” God controls everything—not only what happens but why and how it happens as well. His sovereignty is our firm foundation for believing and trusting Him. Proverbs 3:5-6 offers this advice: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”

The only other option to faith is fretting. A godly life is one that steps beyond worry and into trust. Each time a situation causes us to fret, we should stop and remember who’s in charge. If God’s sovereignty rules over all, we have no reason to worry.

The evidence of our faith is the absence of worry. Trust in the Lord also builds intimacy with Him. As we talk and listen to Him and respond in obedience, He guides us, and we develop closeness with Him both in our heart and in our thinking.

3. Meditation on the Word of God. The psalmist said, “When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches” (Ps. 63:6). Meditation includes reading Scripture, thinking about it, seeking to apply what God says, asking Him questions, and surrendering any issues He brings to mind. It’s like looking in the mirror of God’s Word to see what He says, but then looking beyond the mirror to see Him.

As we focus on the Lord, worries and concerns drift away, and our minds are freed from the contamination of the things that do us no good. Psalm 119:133 should be our prayer: “Establish my footsteps in Your word, and do not let any iniquity have dominion over me.”

Meditation keeps us alert and sensitive to whatever God wants to do in our lives. That’s why it’s so important to set aside a time to be alone with Him in His Word. As we read and think about what the Lord says, He speaks to our hearts.

If we want God to fill our minds with His Word, we must guard against letting the world dominate our thoughts. It’s easy to be occupied from morning until evening with the things of this world without giving much thought to God. However, taking time to be alone with the Lord to meditate on His Word is essential if we want to live a godly life. Each day we must choose whether to carry the Lord or the world with us.

4. Obedience. Moses told the nation of Israel, “If you diligently obey the Lord your God, being careful to do all His commandments which I commanded you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth” (Deut. 28:1). In a similar way, we walk on a higher level than the world when we live in obedience to God. It’s not a matter of looking down on others but choosing to live by God’s standards rather than following the world’s lifestyle.

5. Dependence upon the Holy Spirit. Every believer in Jesus is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but the apostle Paul also tells us to “be filled with the Spirit” (Eph. 5:18). The Greek verb signifies that this is a continuous action of filling. It means to live in obedience to Him, relying on Him to equip, empower, strengthen, teach, and guide us each day. Only as we depend on the Spirit will we be and do what God desires.

6. Giving to God and others. We have a promise in Luke 6:38: “Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” We can never outgive God. But by not giving, we are claiming that we really don’t need Him but can manage on our own. Only God can predict and provide for our future needs.

7. Forgiving other people. Forgiveness may not be easy, but it’s what the Lord commands (Eph. 4:32). Even if someone betrays us, we must forgive them and trust God to take care of the situation.

RESPONSE

What changes would you have to make to cultivate these seven godly habits?
Which areas are the most challenging for you? What obstacles will you need to overcome?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

RESPONDING TO OUR OPPORTUNITIES

KEY PASSAGE: Luke 10:25-37 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Leviticus 19:18 | Matthew 7:12 | Mark 10:43

SUMMARY:

How do you usually respond to the opportunities God gives you? An opportunity is a favorable time or occasion when we are in a position to make a decision that will have a positive impact on our lives or the lives of others. The Lord might prompt us to help the needy, begin new jobs, take mission trips, or share the gospel. However, sometimes we fail to discern God-given chances to serve because we see them as obstacles or interruptions to our lives.

The Good Samaritan willingly stopped to help a dying person, even though this cost him time, energy, and money. Why? The Samaritan recognized a God-given opportunity when he saw one. His godly response revealed his devotion to the Lord. We, too, reveal our spiritual condition by how we respond to the opportunities He sends.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

How we respond to opportunities reveals whether or not:

We can discern between an obstacle and an opportunity. There are times when God opens doors for us to minister to others, but we see these as interruptions. This is probably how the priest and the Levite viewed the man lying on the side of the road. As spiritual leaders, they should have been the first to want to help a suffering man, since the law commanded them to love their neighbors as themselves (Leviticus 19:18; Luke 10:27). They missed a chance to demonstrate God’s love, and in doing so, revealed the true nature of their relationships with Him.

Something similar happened to me while I was preparing this message. I received a phone call that, at first, seemed like a distraction. Then I realized that this conversation was a chance to minister to someone. Because I saw that God was giving me a divine opportunity, I was able to facilitate a reunion between a father and son who had been estranged for over 30 years.

Jesus is Lord of our lives. If we ignore God-given opportunities, we are not allowing Christ to direct our lives. Once we discern that the Lord is asking us to take a step of faith, we must act obediently.

Do you realize there are people in your life who are just waiting for you to reach out to them? They know you are a believer and would love for you to pray for them or share how Jesus is working in your life. But you must be sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit to know how and when to reach out to them.

We are ready to utilize our spiritual gifts. Responding properly to opportunities demonstrates that we are willing to exercise our spiritual gifts. For instance, if someone at work seems to be going through a difficult season of life, you might be able to encourage him or her. There are some people who are in such desperate need that you and I would have to be completely insensitive not to notice that they are crying out for help. I encourage you to reach out by saying things such as, “Is there any way I can help?” and “I’ll be praying for you.” Sometimes, the smallest amount of loving concern can make all the difference to a hurting person.
We are willing to give to those in need. How we respond to opportunities reveals our heart towards those who are less fortunate. If we are reluctant to give our time, attention, money, and effort to help the needy, then we need to take a good look at our relationship with God. Regardless of your situation in life, He has provided you with unique opportunities to make a difference in other people’s lives.
We have the courage to respond. Sometimes, opportunities require us to take risks. Fear of the robbers could have kept the Good Samaritan from helping the wounded man, but he chose to act anyway. Even the fact that Jews and Samaritans were enemies didn’t stop him from having compassion.

How about you? Do you have the courage to act on the opportunities God gives you, even when there is a risk involved? For instance, speaking to a hurting person about his relationship with God takes courage. But he needs to know that Jesus can be his Healer, Comforter, Savior, and Encourager.

We trust God to enable us. The Lord will never call you to do something and then not empower you to achieve His plan for your life. You never have to respond to an opportunity without His enabling presence.

Maybe you worry about how to share the gospel because you feel you don’t know enough about the Bible. Remember Jesus promised His disciples that the Holy Spirit would show them what to say (Luke 12:12). The Spirit is willing to do the same for you and me.

We have a servant’s spirit. Jesus said, “Whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant” (Mark 10:43). Those who are unwilling to respond obediently to the opportunities God gives them reveal that they don’t have any compassion or love for others. Consumed with their own concerns, they are willing to do only what is absolutely required of them, and nothing more. That, my friend, should not be the attitude of a believer in Jesus Christ.
Our priorities are in line with God’s. Opportunities reveal our primary concerns. The priest and the Levite made it a priority to get home rather than stop to help their fellow countryman. The Samaritan took the time to have compassion on a fellow human being. Is one of your goals in life to show kindness to hurting people? Aside from our devotion to Him, God’s highest priority for our lives is how we treat others (Luke 10:27; Matt. 7:12). Allow Him to open your eyes to the wounds of the people around you, and then reach out to meet their needs.
We are ruled by faith or fear. The open doors God provides might include an element of danger or difficulty. How we respond reveals whether we are acting out of faith or fear. The Samaritan could have let his worry about being robbed stop him from helping, but he didn’t. The Lord also wants to give you and me opportunities to make a difference in the lives of others. If we trust Him, He will give us the courage to step out in faith.

CONCLUSION:

Do you usually respond wisely to the opportunities God gives you? Or have you begun to view them, for the most part, as interruptions to your life? I want to challenge you to begin asking the Father to open your eyes to the opportunities He sends your way every day. Pray for the discernment to recognize them as chances to serve, and for the courage to be able to respond in faith every time. Yes, there will be risks, and there will be times you might make a mistake. But if you will act in obedience to the opportunities the Lord sends, He will do amazing things in and through your life.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

A CALL TO GODLY LIVING

KEY PASSAGE: Romans 12:1-2 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: John 14:6 | 1 Corinthians 15:33

2 Corinthians 6:14-15, 17 | Philippians 4:8 | Colossians 3:3

SUMMARY:

God calls every believer to a godly life.

That means Christians should obey, love, and serve the Lord on a consistent basis. A godly life isn’t necessarily sinless. But eternal priorities should capture our hearts more than temporal, earthly pleasures.

Our culture places a tremendous amount of pressure on those who want to pursue a godly life. The doctrines of our faith are mocked and ridiculed in the public arena. Believers are tempted to compromise spiritually and morally to fit in. If we aren’t careful, the world’s standards become our own. How can we resist the influence of this godless age? We must surrender our lives to God and renew our minds daily with His Word.

SCRIPTURAL PRINCIPLES:

God calls us to godly living.

In the first 11 chapters of Romans, Paul writes about salvation, victorious Christian living, and the Lord’s ultimate plan for Israel. In our key passage, Romans 12:1-2, the apostle essentially says that because of the rich mercies of the Lord towards us—described in the earlier chapters— each believer should answer the Father’s call to live a godly life. Notice that Paul says, “I urge you,” which is a strong admonition. He emphasizes that each believer should present or her body as a living and holy sacrifice. Paul means someone’s entire being, not just a person’s physical self. In other words, your mind, your will, and your emotions should be surrendered to God.

Believers no longer have a right to run our own lives. We were created for the Lord’s purposes, and He has a plan for each individual. But we still must make the choice to surrender control to Him. That’s why Paul refers to it as a “sacrifice.” In the Old Testament, a sacrifice was usually an animal that was burned during worship. Once the offering had been consumed by fire, the worshipper could not ask for it to be returned. In a similar way, if we want to call ourselves followers of Jesus, then we must let Him take charge of our lives. We should not continually take back the control we have surrendered to Him.

Paul encourages us to be living sacrifices (Rom. 12:1). This means we must allow the Holy Spirit to live His life through us. As we surrender to His guidance and leadership, the Holy Spirit enables us to live righteously. The apostle also says that believers should be holy sacrifices. In Greek, this word meant “set apart” (as in, for a special purpose). One of the paradoxes of our faith is that sanctification—being made holy—happens immediately at salvation. But it is also a life-long process. As believers grow, we are increasingly successful in overcoming sin, and we become more like our Lord.

The world is right to expect Christians to be different. Our goal should be to act as Jesus did. We must be forgiving, loving, and helpful—as well as truthful and uncompromising. Will believers sometimes fail to behave in a godly manner? Yes. As humans, it is impossible for you and I to walk in perfect holiness. But we should never try to rationalize or excuse sin.

The truth is when you seek to live a godly life, some will be drawn to you. Others will hate you for it. What I’ve noticed, however, is that some of the same people who resist the gospel will seek out a believer when life gets difficult. They recognize that Christians have the answers they seek.

Those who desire to live a godly life will face conflict with the world.

Many believers today would rather compromise their convictions than deal with disapproval from those in the world. Some churches have abandoned the theological foundations of our faith, such as the virgin birth, the resurrection, and man’s need for salvation. Or they approve of immoral choices and then congratulate themselves on being accepting and open-minded. As individuals, believers sometimes excuse their sin by telling themselves that they are “being a witness” by spending time in ungodly pursuits. Instead, Christians should make sure that our best friends are believers who are growing spiritually (2 Cor. 6:14-15, 17). The Bible says that “Bad company corrupts good morals” (1 Cor. 15:33). Rather than following the crowd, our highest priority should be to do what God wants us to do.

Romans 12:2 warns us against compromise: “Don’t be conformed to this world.” In other words, we shouldn’t let the world shape our value system and determine our priorities. The mainstream media tells us the key to happiness and contentment is to be rich, attractive, and famous. But I’ve heard enough testimonies to know that wealth, beauty, power, and fame don’t satisfy. They can never give us lasting joy and peace.

To resist conforming to the world’s image, you must “be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2). How can you do this?

Fill your mind with the Word of God. It is through the Bible that we learn God’s perspective.
Focus on positive, righteous, and holy things (Col. 3:3; Phil. 4:8). This should include choosing your friends and entertainment wisely.
Apply Biblical truth to your heart. As you go about your day, ask the Father to show you how to put into practice the principles of His Word.
Practice the presence of the Lord. God is always with you. Ask Him to make you more sensitive to His presence. As you allow the Holy Spirit to live through you, He will enable you to withstand temptation and help you become more Christ-like. Renewing your mind will allow you to resist conforming to the world.

CONCLUSION:

The key to living a godly life is full surrender. That means we must let God have complete control over us. Is there anything in your life that doesn’t please the Lord? It may be a sinful habit, a pattern of ungodly thoughts, or a relationship that hinders your walk with Him. Or perhaps you simply need to make time again in your schedule for fellowship with your heavenly Father.

The Lord is looking for faithful men and women who will stand up for truth in a world that is increasingly hostile toward the gospel. Rather than basing your standards on popular opinion, allow Scripture to set your values. My prayer is that you will answer the Father’s call to a godly life.

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

DISTRACTED FROM GODLY MEDITATION

KEY PASSAGE: Numbers 14:1-4 | SUPPORTING SCRIPTURE: Psalm 19:14 | Hebrews 13:5

SUMMARY

To meditate is to have our thoughts consumed by something. An anticipated pleasure, a problem, a desire or dream, or even a person—all these and others can be objects of meditation. The question for believers is: Are we consumed with thoughts about the Lord or have we allowed other things to fill our minds and distract us from that which is our highest priority—knowing and loving God?

SERMON POINTS

Meditation on God’s Word focuses our minds on the Lord, strengthens us spiritually, and brings us closer to Him. It’s a private time in which we receive His good, righteous, and wise direction for our lives so we can become the person He wants us to be. However, there will also be times when we feel God’s conviction regarding sin in our lives that we need to confess and forsake.

Israel’s Erroneous Meditation

After spending 400 years in Egypt living as slaves, the children of Israel were delivered by God when He sent a plague in which all the firstborn Egyptians died. Then Moses led the people through the wilderness to the Red Sea. Although Pharaoh pursued the Israelites and thought he had trapped them, the Lord parted the sea so that they could cross over on dry land. Afterward the water returned and drowned the Egyptian army.

When they finally reached the edge of the territory God had promised to give them, Moses sent 12 men to spy out the land. Joshua and Caleb came back to report that the land was good and that the Lord would certainly help them conquer it. But the people chose to listen to the bad report of the other 10 spies who told them the inhabitants were too powerful for them to overcome.

Instead of meditating on the promises and power of God, the people’s thoughts were consumed with fear. Rather than trusting and obeying the Lord, they wanted to appoint a leader to take them back to Egypt to become slaves once again.

This is an example of erroneous meditation. They evaluated the situation based on their own abilities and left God out of the equation. Although Joshua and Caleb focused on the Lord, the people could only think about themselves and the possibility of defeat and loss of life. They chose to depend on themselves rather than on God.

We all have this same choice. Will we depend on the Lord for every aspect of our lives or rely on ourselves? Will we set our focus on the world and its pleasures, pursuits, and fears, or on God and His sufficiency to handle everything?

The Benefits of Meditating on Scripture

It quiets our spirit and calms our thoughts. God enlightens our minds to think like He does and do what He desires.
He increases our energy with His power, enabling us to obey Him in every circumstance.
The Lord purifies our hearts by exposing sin so we can confess.
He enlarges our view of Him. He is almighty God, and all things are under His control.
God increases our love for Him. As we spend time learning to know Him, our love for Him grows.
Our faith increases. We are able to trust the Lord in the trials of life because we see evidence that He is always with us.
We have an increased awareness of God’s presence.
The Lord infuses us with joy. Knowing Him more intimately through His Word produces indescribable joy, completeness, peace, and security.

Godly meditation is a conversation with the Lord. As we read and think about His Word and seek to understand what He is saying and how it can be applied to our lives, the Holy Spirit guides our thoughts and questions. Without the Lord’s presence with us, His Word guiding us, and His Spirit helping us, we would be unable to live righteously in this world.

If we’re not listening to the Lord by meditating and reading His Word, we are missing His best for our lives just as the Israelites did when they refused to believe and obey Him. They lost the Promised Land and suffered 40 long years of wandering in the wilderness.

God’s Word is His holy, eternal gift to every one of His children. He doesn’t want us to think and live like the world around us. His plans for us are more wonderful, righteous, and fulfilling than anything the world can offer. That’s why we must listen to the Lord, let the Scriptures sink into our hearts, and let go of everything else that distracts or hampers our ability to meditate on Him.

Wrong Attitudes That Hinder Meditation

Bitterness steals our focus from the Lord and obscures our need to love and forgive others.
Anger becomes stronger when it consumes our thoughts.
Hatred for others makes a right relationship with God impossible.
Unforgiveness is a barrier between us and the Lord because our thoughts are centered on the wrong done to us rather than our own sins that put the innocent Jesus on a cross.
Hostility is a desire to hurt others or get even, and this is incompatible with meditation on God.
Resentment is a self-destructive dislike of others based on who they are or what they have.
Unbelief is manifested by doubts that God is interested in our lives and will meet our needs. However, reading and meditating on His Word can increase our trust in the Lord as we learn to know Him more fully.
Grudge. Holding a grudge against someone is linked with other sins like anger, resentment, and hostility, which are spiritually destructive and make us miserable.
Fear. This was the focus of the children of Israel when they faced what seemed like an impossible situation and forgot about the Lord’s power. Today, fear still grips many people as they react to all the uncertainties and dangers around them and forget about God.

We all meditate on something. The issue is whether we will choose to dwell on God’s Word, which is healthy and spiritually uplifting, or focus on ourselves, our fears, or worldly desires. God’s blessings await us when we make Him our priority, but if we leave Him out, painful consequences are sure to follow. The Promised Land or the wilderness stands before us. What we choose to dwell upon will determine which way we will go.

RESPONSE

What is the focus of your thoughts? Do you tend to dwell more on your problems, plans, or pleasures than on the Lord and His Word?
How does the focus of your thoughts affect your emotions and attitudes? What effect does it have on your own faith?
How much time on any given day do you set aside to be alone with the Lord, listening to Him through His Word?

Author: SEKAMANJE EDDY | 0772415972 | 0708561543 | Email: sekamanjeeddy@gmail.com

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