God Loves You So Disciplines You

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: ASSURANCE OF GOD'S LOVE

Reading: Proverbs 3:11-12
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Proverbs 3:12 (NIV)
because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.

The love of God makes it difficult for Him to ignore to discipline us when we sin. Those the Lord loves, He chastises, so that they can walk on the right path and be called children of God.

He that refuses the rebuke of God is gearing towards their own doom. And it makes you unaware of the glory we can enjoy under the emblem of God.

Never take the sufferings and sacrifice you have to make as a punishment from God: they are there to refine you to conform to the purpose and glory of God for your life in Jesus Christ.
Hallelujah!

Let's Pray:
Almighty God, we bless You. Father, give us the strength to endure affliction and replenishment from You that we may be refined to conform Christ. Amen.

God's Love Is Unfailing

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: ASSURANCE OF GOD'S LOVE

Reading: Psalm 36:5-7

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Psalm 36 (NIV)

*_How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings._*

The love of parents may wax cold. The love of friends may cease. The so called loved are mostly not seen in times of trouble, but God's love never fails.

God never fails us in anyway. He cares to provide our needs each and every day according to His riches in glory. Even when we begin to loose hope, He is right there to turn situations around for our good.

Sometimes, we turn to forget God. We forget that He is the creator of all things, and that He is the giver of life.

In spite of all our shortcomings, God never fail to shower us with love. Let us continue to place our hope in Christ, for in Him are we justified to enjoy the unfailing love of God to the utmost.

Stay blessed.

 

Let's Pray:

Abba Father, we thank You. Lord, shower us with Your unfailing love, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Surrounded By God's Shield Of Love

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: ASSURANCE OF GOD'S LOVE

Reading: Psalm 5:11-12
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Psalm 5:12 (NLT)
For You bless the godly, O Lord; You surround them with Your shield of love.

How glorious and sweet it is to walk in the love of God; it is more than the protection of the world put together. When the Lord loves you, He shields you with it.

Yes, the LORD God loves all, even the ungodly, but His shield of love is for the righteous, those who have been justified through the blood of Jesus Christ.

When God shields you with His love, you become an apple of His eye, and no one dares to take you out of His hands. This is why Jesus Christ said that it is of the will of the Father to keep all those the Father has given Him. Are you surrounded by God's shield of love?
Selah.

Let's Pray:
Abba Father, we thank You. Lord, surround us with Your shield of love, in Jesus' name. Amen.

God's Love Too Great To Understand

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: ASSURANCE OF GOD'S LOVE

Reading: Ephesians 3:18-19
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Ephesians 3:19 (KJV)
[19]And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

Why did God allow His Son to die for a rebellious people; people who take no delight in God's Word? This could be due to nothing, but love.

When you think about the love of God, there is no way you can fathom. The mind is too shadow to discern the depth of God's love. Had it not been the love of God, we would have been consumed in His wrath.

Dear friend, God's love is unsearchable and cannot be understood. Christ death for all men is a prove of God's love for all men, including me and you. Have you experience this kind of love in your life? If not, allow Jesus Christ to reign in you today.
Stay blessed.

Let's Pray:
Heavenly Father, we adore You. Lord, may we know the love of Christ which passes knowledge, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Nothing Can Separate Us From God's Love

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: ASSURANCE OF GOD'S LOVE

Reading: Romans 8:38-39
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Romans 8:38 (KJV)
[38]For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,

Having the assurance of God's love, nothing can separate us from this unfailing love. Since God's love is certain, we are fully persuaded that no affliction or joy can separate us from God's love.

How did we gain assurance of God's love? While we were yet sinners, He made His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for us; even when He was not obliged to show us love, He showed us love unfeigned.

By God's divine authority has He justified us, not condemning us due to our own iniquities. This is a prove that God loves us so much that we cannot allow anyone to come between us and God's love.
Shalom.

Let's Pray:
Abba Father, we thank You. Even though we rebel against You, Your  love for us never ceases. And so Father, keep us in love with You, in Jesus' name. Amen.

He Is Our Peace

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: PEACE WITH GOD AND HOPE OF GLORY

Reading: Ephesians 2:14-18
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Ephesians 2:14 (NKJV)
Christ Our Peace
For He Himself is our peace, who has made both one, and has broken down the middle wall of separation,

We cannot talk of the essence of justification without talking about the peace it brought between the Jews and the Gentiles.

Without Christ, the Gentile was seen as an outcast. It is very sad to see Christians of different backgrounds not at peace with each other. The issue of denominationalism is taking root in the body of Christ today, making it difficult for peace to reign.

If we can embrace that the work of the hand is different from that of the eye, but acknowledge that these two need each other, peace will reign in the body of Christ.
He is our peace, so let us not be the ones to prevent Him from reigning in us.
Stay blessed. Shalom.

Let's Pray:
Most blessed, most glorious Lord, we praise Your great name. Through Christ, You reconcile the world to Yourself, so that peace will reign in the hearts of man; may the peace of Christ Jesus reign in us forever. Amen.

Be Happy In Hope

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: PEACE WITH GOD AND HOPE OF GLORY

Reading: Romans 12:9-12
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Romans 12:12 (KJV)
rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer;

Hope is like a bridge between the possible and the impossible. It is the believe that sees the impossible as possible. Having hope makes you refresh always, knowing that no matter what happens, what you expect will come to pass.

Without hope, we will do nothing. Without hope, we shall accomplish nothing. Hope is what moves us to act even in the face of fear. With hope, we see what we expect as possible and work toward it.

Hope is not something we can downplay, especially as Christians. We must be happy in hope for God's salvation and goodness in spite of what comes our way.
Stay blessed.

Let's Pray:
Heavenly Father, we praise You. Lord, we are happy that our hope is in Jesus Christ, Your Son: may our hope never be cut short, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Christ In You, The Hope of Glory

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: PEACE WITH GOD AND HOPE OF GLORY

Reading: Colossians 1:25-27
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Colossians 1:27 (KJV)
to whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

We are still looking at the benefits of justification. Justification is simply an act of grace that sets a person right with God. This is because by the virtue of God, He imputes His righteousness on the individual without him/her having worked any act of righteousness.

This, we have learnt, can only be achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. When Christ comes into us, He aligns us with the plans of God; plans for a glorious future, both in this world and the next.

Therefore, when the storm, pestilence, and all kinds of evil hit the world, and affect us as we are in the world, we have this great hope that against all odds, there is a glory ahead of us; and so we are not moved. We know that Christ is in us to navigate us to the glory.
Hallelujah!

Let's Pray:
Almighty God, we thank You. Lord, may our faith be built in nothing less than in Jesus Christ, that we may have Him in us to give us hope for the glory You have prepared for us. Amen.

Hope Does Not Disappoint

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: PEACE WITH GOD AND HOPE OF GLORY

Reading: Romans 8:18-21
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Romans 8:19 (TLB)
For all creation is waiting patiently and hopefully for that future day when God will resurrect his children.

God is not a man that He should lie. What He says, He will surely bring to past. This is the hope we have as Christians that no matter what this world may present, it shall pass away.

Even as the world continues to decay of sin, sickness and evil, we have the hope of glory. We are not moved by the thorns and thistles God put in the world, rather, we have hope in Him who made all these possible.

Dear friend, if you have not put your trust in Jesus Christ, now is the time. This is because, it is only in Him we hope and wait patiently for the promise.
Shalom.

Let's Pray:
Abba Father, we thank You. Lord God, give us the spirit of patience to wait on You, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Hold Tightly To The Hope You Profess

Theme for the Week: THE BENEFITS OF JUSTIFICATION: PEACE WITH GOD AND HOPE OF GLORY

Reading: Hebrews 10:23-25
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Hebrews 10:23 (NLT)
Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.

In this world full of deception, we can still hope unswervingly the hope we profess. This is a benefit for us, in that, our faith is increase due to the justification we have through Jesus Christ.

We grow in our relationship with God and in fellowship with other brethren who have believed. Thus, we encourage each in various ways and also worship together.

When we are justified, we have have this great hope that keeps us alive in this world and even the  world to come. Let us, thus, hold tightly to the hope we profess, and we shall not be put to shame in this world or the next to come.
Stay blessed.

Let's Pray:
Abba Father, we thank You. Mighty God, increase us in faith that we may hold tightly to the hope we profess in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Abraham Believed God

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFICATION NOT BY LAW

Reading: Romans 4:1-6
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Romans 4:3 (KJV)
[3]For what saith the scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was counted unto him for righteousness.

How was Abraham justified? Was it under the Law of works? Certainly not; Abraham was justified not by Law, for the Law came long after he has exited from this world.

Abraham believed God, and it was accounted for righteousness to him. He who works receives their pay, and this cannot be termed as grace, since grace needs no work to be effective.

Dear friend, which one of these ways do you like? Do you want to carefully work out the Law without breaking even one that you would be justified, or you will choose to believe and be justified? The choice is yours to make, but I urge you to choose to believe

Let's Pray:
Lord God, to you be all glory. Father, we choose to be justified by faith in Jesus Christ. Amen.

The Just Shall Live By Faith

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFICATION NOT BY LAW

Reading: Galatians 3:10-14
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Galatians 3:11 (KJV)
[11]But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith.

Faith, according to the English Dictionary, is the trust in somebody's ability or knowledge. It is the trust that somebody/something will do what has been promised.

Since the Law was not the one who promised us righteousness and salvation, but the Lord God, who gave the Law, we cannot put our trust in the Law to save us.
Apparently, the Law only condemns, since breaking one means breaking all; and it has no means of reversing this condemnation.

The just shall live by faith; faith in Jesus Christ, who took upon Himself the curse of the Law that we will be justified in the presence of God. Selah.

Let's Pray:
Abba Father, we thank You. Lord, keep us in faith which works by love, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Consequences Of Trying To Be Justified By Law

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFICATION NOT BY LAW

Reading: Galatians 5:1-6
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Galatians 5:4 (NIV)
You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.

When a person tries to be justified by the Law, he is like someone who enslaves themselves in spit of the freedom granted. It is like when the dog goes back to eat what it has vomited.

Instead of being alienated from sin, you become alienated from Christ, making Christ of no effect unto you. Also, you become a debtor to do the whole Law, for which without faith in the Lawgiver, there is no salvation in it.

Dear friend, it is about time we put up faith which works by love. It is about time we focused on Christ, who will help us get closer to God by imputing on us righteousness, and helping us to walk in them, rather than focusing on the Law that always draws us away from God.
Stay blessed.

Let's Pray:
Abba Father, we thank You. Lord, keep us in faith which works by love, in Jesus' name. Amen.

If Anyone Be In Christ

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:16-18
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2 Corinthians 5:17 (KJV)
[17]Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

Throughout this week, we are looking at justification through faith in Jesus Christ. We have come to know that righteousness is something that God credits to those who believe in Jesus Christ.

When true repentance occurs, and faith is placed in Jesus Christ, God takes off the old self and puts in us a new one which is born after righteousness. But, it takes the individual to acknowledge and embrace this new creature and walk in it.

This is a true saying that everyone who wants to follow Christ must first be reborn within before they can walk in newness without. By the time you see someone walk in newness of life, such person must have already encountered God through the Lord Jesus Christ. Anything other than that is hypocrisy.

If anyone be in Christ, he is a new creature, not just somebody who has been reformed or reeducated. The nature of Christ is imputed on him and he now live in union with Christ.
Hallelujah!

Let's Pray:
Almighty God, we adore You. Father, as You call all men to the saving grace in Jesus Christ, may they acknowledge and embrace the newness of life You impute into them and live in union with Christ Jesus. Amen.

Gentiles Have Obtained Righteousness

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

Reading: Romans 9:30-32
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Romans 9:30 (KJV)
[30]What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith.

Salvation is not for Israel alone. Salvation is for all humans race, alternatives God chose Israel as His people through whom the whole world shall be reconciled unto Him.

God gave the Israelites the Law in order that they may be righteous. Instead of believing in Him who gave them the Law as the creditor of right, they focused on the Law and was unable to be right following it.

Before a person begins to work the Law, they must first acknowledge and believe in the giver of the Law. This is what the Israelites failed to realize. But the gentiles embraced that, putting their faith in God, the Law giver instead of the Law; for they acknowledged their frailty. Selah.

Let's Pray:
Almighty God, we adore You. Lord, as You have shown us that we are nothing without You, may the world recognize this, in Jesus' name. Amen.

Saved For Good Works

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

Reading: Philippians 2:8-10
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Ephesians 2:10 (KJV)
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

Someone would wonder that if we are saved by God's grace, is work of any relevance? Yes, it is!
We are saved unto good works. We are saved by grace to manifest the goodness of God.

When God saves you through grace, He makes a deposit of good work in you. Why? Because He is good. This is for you to have nothing to boast about, and to humble you for His greater glory.

Brethren, work is essential in the life of every believer. However, we must not think that it is the work that brings salvation, instead, it is the salvation of God that urges us to walk in good works.
Stay blessed.

Let's Pray:
Heavenly Father, we thank You for saving us for good works. Help us, o LORD, to walk in good works, in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Credited to Those Who Believe

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

Reading: Romans 4:24-25
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Romans 4:24 (NIV)
but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead.

Abraham's faith in God won him righteousness. This righteousness had nothing to do with his works, but his believe in what was seen as impossible before man to be possible.

Without seeing Christ Jesus' days, anyone who also believes that Christ died for our sins and rose for our justification is imputed the righteousness of God, a perfect righteousness.

No one can be justified by works before God without the intervention of an unmerited favour; for even our good deeds are like filthy rags before God.
Let us embrace this grace in Jesus Christ, believing in Him, that we also we will be credited the righteousness of God.
Shalom.

Let's Pray:
Almighty God, we adore You. May You credit to us Your righteousness, just as You did in the life of Abraham, as we believe in Jesus Christ. Amen.

Not A Righteousness Of My Own

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

Reading: Philippians 3:9-12
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Philippians 3:9 (KJV) 
and be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

If there was something man could bring on board in other to gain salvation, other than our faith, we would have been boasting of it. Glory be to God that there is nothing to boast, since it is not a righteousness of our own.

Many people try by their own efforts to gain salvation, but to no avail. Self righteousness only leads to self gratification, boasting and failure, but there is the righteousness which is of God by faith.

Beloved friend, we cannot please God in anyway possible by our efforts; it takes faith in Jesus Christ to please Him that He imputes His righteousness on us. Keep in mind that our justification is only by faith in Christ Jesus, but not any righteousness of our own.
Stay blessed.

Let's Pray:
Almighty God, we adore You. We pray that we may know Your Son, our Lord, and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His suffering that we may conform to His death; for in Him we are justified and made right with You. Amen.

Peace With God

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFICATION THROUGH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST

Reading: Romans 5:1-5
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Romans 5:1 (NIV)
Peace and Hope
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Peace ceased to exist between God and man immediately after the fall of man. It was only a few people who realized the need to reconcile with God, hoping in the coming Saviour.

Through faith in Jesus Christ, we have peace with God to the extent that we can now enter boldly into the throne room of God without being prevented, because we have been justified. Hallelujah!

By this peace, we stand to rejoice even in tribulations, since we know that He that is in us and with us is greater. We are not moved by any storm, because we have the inward assurance that we are with the Saviour.
Dear friend, have faith in Jesus Christ and you also will experience peace with God.
Shalom.

Let's Pray:
Almighty God, be praised forever. Lord, give us strength to stand throughout the stormy gale and say All is well; for our faith is in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Work Out Your Salvation With Fear And Trembling

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFIED THROUGH GRACE

Reading: Philippians 2:12-13
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Philippians 2:12 (KJV)
Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.

When you come to Christ, believing in His death and resurrection, salvation is sure. However, you need to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

To work out your salvation is to put your believe into practice. Salvation is for all men, but you must decide as an individual to receive it of God.
God does the initial preparation in your by putting the desire to be saved in you and creation every opportunity for you to make the decision.

Thus, as you have chosen to follow Christ, put into practice what you have believed, keeping in mind that you have been justified through the grace of God in Christ Jesus.
Stay blessed. Shalom.

Let's Pray:
Abba Father, we thank You for Your salvation plan for all mankind, including ourselves. We pray that as You have justified us through grace, work in us both to will and to do of Your good pleasure through Christ Jesus. Amen.

The Lord's Patience Means Salvation

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFIED THROUGH GRACE

Reading: 2 Peter 3:3-9
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2 Peter 3:9 (KJV)
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

Do you know that the Lord's return will be futile to us now if we fail to believe in His death and resurrection? The return of Jesus Christ is not as important as believing in His death and resurrection.

Many wonder why He has still not return, but fail to understand that our days are not as God's own. He is patient in His coming, because many are out there who have not believed Christ's death and resurrection.

Do you believe in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ? If yes, happy are you to live to see His return or to sleep and await His return. If no, then God's salvation awaits you now that you have breath, but for some time; because even if Christ do not return in your days, you will die and face Him at the judgement seat. Selah.

Let's Pray:
Eternal Father, be glorified. Thank You for being patient with us and drawing us to Your salvation. Let everyone under our voices see these waiting period as a grace period of salvation, and draw them to the saving grace in Christ Jesus. Amen.

Christ Receives Sinful Men

Thursday, March 2, 2023

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFIED THROUGH GRACE

Reading: 1 Timothy 1:12-17
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1 Timothy 1:15 (KJV)
This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

⁴Christ receiveth sinful men,
Even me with all my sin;
Purged from every spot and stain,
Heaven with Him I enter in (MHB 322:4).

The grace of God is not for the perfect, but sinners like me; For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10).

The eternal bliss is that He justifies us through the grace in His death and resurrection, and reconcile us back to the Father. 

If only we can acknowledge our sinful nature, Christ Jesus will receive us, justify us, and present us blameless before our Heavenly Father.
Stay blessed.

Let's Pray:

All honour and glory belong to You, o Jehovah. Sinners, You will receive: may You draw men unto Yourself in Jesus'name Amen.

Jesus Extends Grace To The Adulterous Woman

Theme for the Week: JUSTIFIED THROUGH GRACE

Reading: John 8:2-11
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John 8:11 (NKJV)
She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Justified through grace indeed! This is an unmerited favour extended to the adulterous woman from Jesus. If it were to the law of Moses, she would have been unpardoned for such an act, but glory be to God that she was brought to the Man of Grace.

This tells us that everyone can receive of this grace from Jesus Christ. God has made this undeserved favour available for all humans everywhere, so do not think that your sin is beyond redemption.

Grace is available in Christ Jesus, so come to Him with all your burden; those things which have been weighing you down. Come, you heavy laden and Christ shall give you rest, and say to you; “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”
Hallelujah!

*Let's Pray:*
Almighty God, we thank You for the undeserved favour You've made available in Christ. May You extend this grace to us and also to all lost souls everywhere. Amen.