Word for Today: Thursday, January 31, 2013

Titus 3:1-15 Right Living in the society

Memory verse Titus 3:8(KJV)

8 “This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men”.

Word for Today: Wednesday, January 30, 2013

Titus 2:1-15 Right Living in the Church

Memory Verse Titus 2:11-12(KJV)

11” For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, 12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world”;

The church consists of different age groups, although these groups all help to make the church stronger, they also pose some challenges. Pauls gave Titus counsel on how to help the various groups to grow in the faith. Although it is the same gospel but different methods has to be adopted to pass the message across.

According to verses 2, 3, 4, 6 and 9, the various groups are

•        The old men

•        The old women

•        The young women

•        The young men

•        The Slaves

The older ones should teach the younger ones by words and example. We shouldn’t only teach the gospel, we should also live by them as well. The power to live as Christians comes from the help of Holy Spirit.

Word for Today: Tuesday, January 29, 2013

Titus 1: 10-16 Opposition to false teachers

Memory verse Titus 1:15(KJV)

“Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled”.

Yesterday we saw the qualities for leaderships, these qualities are not only essential for leaders alone but for everyone who wants to live a godly life for Christ. Today, we are going to learn about false teachers and their characteristics. There are many people who claim to be Christians but go about propagating their own gospel; they do not want the gospel of Christ to be preached hence they go about spreading their false teachings. Any teaching that is not in accordance with the bible should be discarded and regarded as heresy. False teachers are capable of turning the heart of the people against God; therefore they should be rebuked and silenced.

Paul gave Titus some of the attributes of false teachers. What are the characteristics of false teachers according to verses 10-16?

•        They are rebellious, mere talkers and deceivers. The main aim of false teachers is to deceive people from the truth. They are rebellious against the truth and against those teaching the truth.

•        They claim to know God but they deny him by their actions

•        They are detestable, disobedient, and unfit for doing good.

Paul wrote this letter to Titus so that he can expose these false teachers who in the name of Christianity propagate wrong doctrines. Paul also warned Titus to be alert for the Cretans because they were famous for their liars. The Cretans had some notorious characters that Paul knew about, he buttress this by quoting a line from a poem by Epimenides, a poet and a philosopher who had lived 600 years earlier, which said that the people are liars, evil, brutes and lazy gluttons (verse 12)

There are many people in this world who claim to be followers of Christ, we may not know them for certain but a glance at their lifestyle can quickly tell us if they follow Christ or not. Our lifestyle speaks volumes.

As Christians we shouldn’t tolerate false teachings, otherwise they are going to spread like an epidemic. Be on your guard, by their fruits, we shall know them. As you go about your daily routine, meditate on Colossians 2:8 “ Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ”.

Word for Today: Monday, January 28, 2013

INTRODUCTION TO TITUS

Titus was an early Christian leader and a companion of Paul. He was sent to organise and oversee the churches at Crete. This epistle to Titus instructs him on how to lead the church. There are three major categories:

•        Leadership- Titus 1:1-16

•        Right Living in the church- Titus 2:1-15

•        Right living in the society- Titus 3:1-15

Titus 1:1-9 Qualities for Leadership

Memory Verse Titus1: 7(KJV)

“For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre”;

Verses 1- 4 give the salutation of Paul to Titus.

Paul started the letter with an introduction as well as a wonderful greeting, although Paul was writing to Titus, I am sure he knew that someday believers all over the world will also read his letter.

The purpose of this letter was to establish the correct teaching and appoint leaders in every town to assist in propagating the gospel and to help the Church grow in faith and truth, so that through their knowledge of the truth, they can grow into godliness.

Our faith and knowledge lies in the fact that God does not lie and he cannot lie and therefore we believe his promise of an eternal life- a promise made even before time began.

In verse 5, Paul stated his reason for leaving Titus in Crete. There was a lot of work to be done in Crete and Paul knew the task was too burdensome for one person to handle alone, hence he told Titus to appoint God-fearing leaders to assist him. Verses 5-9 gives the qualities a leader should possess.

What are the Qualities of an Elder according to Verses 5-9?

To be a leader means you have been placed to look after God’s people you are an example to them. Therefore it is necessary to possess the following qualities

•        An elder must be blameless- there is a strong emphasis on blameless in verses 6&7. Being blameless should also be a quality for all believers. God wants us to live a holy life and since we are God’s representatives here on earth we should endeavour to live godly lives. Note that the world is watching us. Some people have been discouraged to accept Jesus due to the wayward lifestyle of some so-called Christians.  Paul said that we are writing epistles for the world to see and through our ministry we reveal Christ (2 Cor 3:2-3). Do you portray Christ in your daily living or are you the reason why some people are discouraged to accept Christ. Examine your life today and make amends.

•        He must have one wife- he shouldn’t be a polygamist.

•        He must be a responsible father and his children must be godly- most people fail in their responsibilities as parents. The bible urges us to train up our children when they are young (Proverbs 22:6), teach them the way of the lord as soon as they are born. As believers our first ministry is to our families, how can we minister to people if our own family is messed up? If you are not capable of taking care of your family, then you are not capable of shepherding the folk of God.

•        He must not be quick-tempered

•        He must not be a drunkard

•        He must not be violent

•        He must not pursue dishonest gain

•        He must be hospitable

•        He must love good

•        He must have self-control

•        He must be upright, Holy and disciplined-

•        He must hold firm to the truth of the gospel and he should be able to encourage others through with this truth. Most Pastors today will try to spice up the gospel to suit their congregations so that they can retain them in the church. This shouldn’t be so. The Gospel of Jesus should be preached in accordance with the bible. No addition and no subtraction. (Proverbs 30:5-6, Rev 22:18-19)

The qualities of a leader here are in accordance with the one Paul wrote to Timothy. Notice that these qualities involve a person’s lifestyle and character not knowledge or skills. A person’s character provides a window into his or her character.

In our Christian race, we need each other. It is not possible for the Pastor to be the usher, chorister, instrumentalist, etc, it would be too much work and as leaders in church evaluate your lifestyle with the qualities stated in this passage and make amends.

Word for Today: Sunday, January 27, 2013

 Hebrews 13:18-25 Conclusion

Memory Verse Hebrews 13:21-22(KJV)

“20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen”.

Yesterday we saw our duties as believers, we are also saw the promise of God to never leave us forsake us. Today, we are concluding our study of Hebrews. I don’t know about you but I have had a lovely time studying the book of Hebrews. Let us go down memory lane of our study if this wonderful book.

We saw the supremacy of Jesus. Now, we know that Jesus is our great High Priest and he is greater than any priest that ever lived and he intercedes for us daily. We also know by faith that he has a reward for us but we need to complete the Christian race to receive our rewards. We need a lot of help from him and we need to look with faith to him, lay aside all our burdens and run the race with perseverance. We know that we should obey our leaders and live at peace with everyone, we know now that we have to be holy to please God.

Word for Today: Saturday, January 26, 2013

Hebrews 13:1-17 The Lord is my Helper

Memory Verse Hebrews 13:6(KJV)

“So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me”.

The Author of this book summarizes his letter and reminds us of some of the basic instructions given in this book. In Chapter 11, we learnt about faith, chapter 12 taught us about hope now we are going to learn about love in chapter 13.

Love is a continuous process, we are told to keep on loving one another. Christians are to love as brothers. The same love God has made available to us is the same love we should express to other people.

Let us list chronologically the people we are told not to forget

•        Do not forget to entertain strangers, verse 2

•        Remember those in prison, verse 3

•        Remember those that are ill-treated, verse 3

We should endeavour to put ourselves in place of those suffering, only then can we understand the magnitude of their suffering. As Christians, we are all united in the body of Christ and when one member suffers, everyone suffers.

Jesus told us in Matthew 22:39 to love our neighbours. Now some people will think neighbour means only those people around them, but Jesus gave us a definition of who our neighbour is (Luke 10:25-37).

Our neighbour today could be that homeless man or woman who needs food or shelter, those people suffering from calamities, flood victims, refugees, the poor, and the list goes on. We do not need to know them personally to be able to help them. Apart from your physical presence, you can also show them love with your resources, money and prayers. The author cited Abraham’s example in Genesis 18:1-15. It is the love of Christ that will make us entertain strangers.

Verse 4 talks about honouring the marriage bed. God instituted marriage when he gave Eve to Adam as a companion. God will judge whosoever defiles the marriage bed. How does one defile the marriage bed? By committing adultery and fornication. God wants us to flee from sexually immorality, our body is his temple; he will be displeased if we misuse our body. The fact that God keeps stressing on sexually immorality in the scripture show the great value God placed on us. Many believers struggle with sexual sin today; it is one of the major devices of the Devil to lure us from our birth rights. We should stay clear of anything that can make us defile our bodies.

Let us look at verse 5-6 “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee. 6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.”

God wants our manner of life to be free from greed and love of money. God our provider (Jehovah Jireh) is more than capable of providing for our needs (Philippians 4:19). It is profitable to live a godly life and it is even a greater profit when we are content with our lives in Christ (1 Timothy 6:6). God loves us so much and if you are in doubt take a look at verse 5b, he has promised to never leave nor forsake us. When we think about this promise, we would be stimulated to live a godly life and go through persecutions for Christ.

God has given us some spiritual leaders to lead us and help us in our walk with Christ, we are told in verse 7 to remember them and imitate their ways, verse 17 also talks about obeying our leaders. This buttresses the fact that obedience to leadership is very important. When we obey those in authorities by playing our part, it reduces the burden place on them. One man isn’t capable of doing everything. In the epistles to Titus which we are going to be looking at after our study of Hebrews, Paul told Titus to appoint elders to support him, he knew Titus couldn’t do the work alone because it will be cumbersome for him. Sometimes, it may be difficult to work under people we are older than or those we know more than, but we are told here to obey them nonetheless. There is a reason why God allowed them to occupy those positions in the first place.

Verse 8 tells us about the status of Jesus. He can never and will never change. The status of man can change, due to favourable and unfavourable situations but Jesus never changes. Our unfaithfulness or weaknesses cannot limit or diminish Jesus. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.

Now let us move on to verses 9-14 which talks about false teachings and the sacrifice of Jesus. We are in the perilous times and right now there are so many false teachers trying to lure men away from God.  The Jewish Christians had a problem with ceremonial food, the author warned them not to be carried away by these doctrines of ceremonial food but instead they should strengthen their hearts by grace. It is not the food that we eat that will make us save or draw closer to God. Paul said in 1 Cor 8:8 that food cannot bring us closer to God, so whether you eat meat or not it is not going to affect your relationship with God. It is the word of God that will bring us closer to God and enable us live a sin-free life. (See Psalm 119: 11, 18,105,130 and 2 Timothy 2:15)

  

Verse 10 gives us a comparism of what the Old Testament folks have in contrast to what we have in the New and better covenant. Their altar was a throne of judgement and they couldn’t eat of it but our altar is a throne of grace where we can feed our spiritual being which is much more beneficial than feeding our bodies. In the Old covenant the High Priest burnt the bodies of the animals outside the camp after offering it in the Most Holy place. Jesus our great High Priest didn’t offer animal sacrifices instead he became our sin offering and he was sacrificed outside the city (Golgotha).

We are told in verse 13 to go to Christ, leave your comfort zone and move towards Christ. The Hebrew Christians were stuck in the temple, they didn’t want to let go of the Old Covenant. Christ had already redeemed them and all they needed to do was to be separated from the rituals of the Old Testament unto Christ, to draw closer to Christ. There are so many religious people around today. We need to break away from religion and ritual and be separated unto Jesus.

Verse 15 talks about the spiritual life of a Christians, we are Priests and we can make sacrifices to God. We can offer to God

•        Our bodies (Romans 12:1)

•        Our gifts (2 Corinthians 8)

•        Our praises and thanksgiving (verse 15)

•        Our performance of doing good (verse 16)

So when we offer our sacrifices of praise and thanksgiving, keeping ourselves pure and holy for God, helping those people who are suffering by offering our love and gifts we make God please with us according to verse 16.

Now we have seen the life of a believer. We are royal priesthoods (1 Peter 2:9); we are called to serve both God and man, and our duty to God being uttermost. There are a lot of people suffering today. A simple ‘hello’ can go a long way in making someone happy. Try as much as you can to make someone happy as you go about your daily routine today. We have been separated from a life of sin unto Christ; therefore let us endeavour to live a holy life for Christ.

Word for Today: Friday, January 25, 2013

 Hebrews 12:12-29 Warning against Refusing God

Memory Verse Hebrews 11:25(KJV)

"See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven":

In our previous passage, we learnt that we are in a race and we saw the requirements we need to run the Christian race. We need to

·        Lay aside every weight

·        Run with perseverance and faith

·        Look unto Jesus, our great High Priest

We also learnt about enduring hardship as discipline. Discipline signifies our mark of legitimacy. As children of God, we will go through discipline, it is always painful but the end product is rewarding. God loves us so much to leave us the way we are.

Today, we are being warned not to refuse God. We have previously seen the dangers of refusing God, and are going to look at them again today. God’s wrath and Judgement await those who disobey him.  God has done so much to reconcile us to him, let us therefore be careful not to drift away from him even as we run this race.

We know that our God is holy. Psalm 92:15 says God is Holy and there is no unrighteousness in him (see also Deut 32:4). To be able to fellowship with God, we have to be holy as well. No matter how much you stir oil and water, they can never mix same goes with light and darkness. We are encouraged here to pursue holiness, we live in a world where sin is the order of the day and it is openly practiced. These days, even the church encourages sin, they sugar-coat the gospel to suit themselves and their members. God is calling on us to pursue holiness today. How do we pursue holiness is this perverse world? We need to constantly study God’s world (2 Timothy 2:15) and have we have seen in Hebrews 3:1b, 12:2, we need to fix our thoughts on Jesus.

When Jesus was on earth, he was tempted to participate in the sins of men. He could have chosen to sin against God and enjoy the pleasures of this world, but he didn’t. As believers, we should learn from Jesus and whenever you find yourself in a compromising situation, ask yourself “What will Jesus do in this situation?”

Inasmuch as God wants us to have a relationship with him, he also wants us to have a relationship with our fellow human beings. One way of reflecting God’s love is by loving others. How can claim to love God whom we haven’t seen yet hate our brother whom we see? (See 1 John 4:7-21). In Children Sunday school, my teacher taught me that JOY means Jesus first, others and you. It is very important to live at peace with everyone, because we will also be judged based on our relationship with other. (Read Matt 25:31-46)

I saw a note by a 4years old to God on the internet and it reads, Dear God, how do you do it? We are only four in my family yet I find it hard to love them. How do you manage to love everyone?

It is really hard loving everyone especially those who are mean to you. I come from a country where the Christians are persecuted by the Muslims on a daily basis. Every time, we hear news about bomb blast and the death of Christians, and I told a friend that I wish I could possess God’s power for some hours and I would use it to bomb all the Muslims in my country as payback for killing the Christians. That was just me talking out of anger but later when I began to ponder on it, God made me see the need to forgive and pray for those Muslims. Jesus, while he was on the cross prayed for all his persecutors, he asked God to forgive them, even Stephen prayed as he was being martyred.

Lately God has been teaching me so much about forgiveness. It is very difficult to forgive sometimes. It can be really disappointing when those who you hold in high esteem fail or hurt you badly but God wants us to live at peace with all men, not just your immediate family. He wants us to live at peace with everyone.

The grace of God is fulfilling what he has called us to do. We are warned in verse 15 not to miss that grace. We need to be in tune with God to know his will for us, only then would we be able to walk in them. Esau wasn’t in tune with God, he was godless and unfaithful and it was easy for him to trade his birth right for just a bowl of stew. God has a plan for us, we can never fulfil his plan if we decide to trade our birth rights to the devil for worldly pleasures that will perish.

We have been bought with a price and by the death of Jesus we have a new and better covenant with God, let us be careful not to sell our birth right by indulging in sexual immorality. Sexual sin is a sin against our bodies and we know that our bodies is God’s temple, therefore we should keep it holy and honour it. (1 Cor 6:18-20)

Verse 18-29 gives us the final warning.

Mount Zion connotes the place of God’s dwelling; it is the new covenant in Christ for the believer. Coming to Mount Zion means coming to God through our mediator Jesus who pleads for mercy on our behalf and whose blood is able to cleanse us from all sin. Fellowship with God can make us grow into perfection, perfection means maturation, growing from a baby Christian to a full blown adult in Christ.

We also see the dangers of refusing God, disobedience against God’s commands enacts God’s wrath. He is a consuming fire to those who are disobedient to him.

God has given us the new and better covenant through the blood of his son Jesus; let us therefore open our hearts to God. He is still calling people today, we are being warned in verse 25 not to refuse God. The way you live your life will determine how you want God to treat you. If you are obedient to him, he will be a father to you but if you are disobedient to him, then he will be a consuming fire to you. Endeavour to live a life of thanksgiving and worship to God, reverencing him always.

Word for Today: Thursday, January 24, 2013

Hebrews 12:1-11 LET US FIX OUR EYES ON JESUS

Memory verse Hebrews 12:2(KJV)

 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God”.

Today, we are studying a new Chapter. This chapter is one of my favourite chapters in the bible. The Christian life is likened to that of an athlete running a race. I am not an athlete but I do know that before any competition, an athlete must have done some rigorous training months or even years before the competition. Last year, we witnessed the Olympics, and we saw athletes like Usain Bolt and Mo Farah defending their titles. These men have been preparing religiously for the competition, they had long hours of endless trainings, trying to beat their previous records. In the end those training paid off. They won gold medals. But not all who run in a race finish it, some will fall by the wayside due to one reason or the other,  it is God’s will that we all run this Christian race to the end. We have been provided with some biblical examples of men who ran the race to the end, let us learn from them as we run this race. I pray that God will give us the grace to finish the race even as we fix our eyes on Jesus. Amen

Let us take a look at verse 1 “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us”,

In chapter 11, we saw some of the great witnesses of faith, these people ran the race with faith and now they have passed the baton to us. According to verse 1, what are we to do? We are to lay aside every weight and sin that can hinder us from running this race.

Have you ever seen an athlete running a race with a backpack or a box? Those things will slow them down. We have been set free by Jesus (John8:36), therefore let us lay our burden down at Jesus’ feet. What are these weights that we should lay aside? Some Christians carry bags of guilt, shame, worry, anger, disgrace and so on. We can be weighed down by the pursuit of wealth, career, and societal status. We should never allow these things distract us from the ultimate goal. Jesus knew what his purpose on earth was and nothing could stop him, not even the shame, pain, scorn, suffering, and humiliation. The journey may look far but you need to keep moving, there is no reward for those who give up.

Let me tell you a personal story, on a very faithful Tuesday, we had just finished from fellowship and about 7 of us (2 girls and 5 boys) went to the bus stop to take the shuttle home. After 5 mins of waiting, the bus came and to our dismay it didn’t stop at our bus stop but it went on to the next bus stop. Immediately, we decided to give it a run, the other girl and I had bags that were hindering us from running and we could see the boys really ahead of us. While we kept running, we overtook some people on the way and some other people also overtook us.

I decided to stop running when I noticed the other girl was too tired to keep running. We were almost at the next bus stop, we could even see the bus but because we were too tired to continue we missed the bus. If we didn’t have our bags or if we had preserved, we wouldn’t have missed the bus. We had to wait for 30 mins in the cold to get the next bus but while we were waiting, it dawned on me. We had a goal and our goal was to catch the bus. We actually started well but our strength failed, we gave up and missed the bus. Some started running late but they overtook us and made it to the bus while other started well and ended well.

As Christians we have a goal and our goal is to make heaven and win as many souls as we can for Christ, our strength alone cannot guarantee us finishing the race, we need more than our strength to run this race. Verse 2 tells us that we need to fix our eyes on Jesus our perfect example, he had a goal set before him, and he didn’t ascend into heaven until he finished the goal. His goal was to die for you and I, to save us and restore our relationship with God.

Verse 4-11 talks about enduing hardship as discipline. God loves us so much to leave us in our wretched state, we are his children and he can choose to discipline us as he wills.

As believers, we shouldn’t be discouraged when God rebukes us in form of discipline.  The author quoted Proverbs 3:11-12 to emphasize that God only disciplines those he loves. Discipline is always painful but the end product is rewarding.

When I was younger, I always saw my dad’s discipline as wickedness, but as I grew older I realise that my dad didn’t enjoy disciplining my siblings and I, but he had to do it so that we do not become spoilt. I am grateful for those times he disciplined me because they actually helped in putting me on the right track.

It is unfortunate that some Christians take God discipline the wrong way. When we go through discipline, God wants us to learn something that will be useful to us in life. We live in a world where churches are preaching the wrong message that a Christian cannot undergo hardship. This is false because God can discipline us and his discipline may include one form of hardship or the other. Just as our earthly parents will not turn a blind eye when we go wrong so also God cannot and will not ignore us when we go wrong. He will always try to bring us to the right path.

As we run this race, let us continually focus our thoughts on Jesus. And no matter the persecutions or sufferings you are currently undergoing, remember that Jesus also went through the same sufferings but he never gave up. He is our great High Priest and he intercedes for us continually. So hold on, persevere for surely you will receive a reward in the end. Amen

Word for Today: Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Hebrews 11:32-40 Something Better

Memory Verse Hebrews 11:40(KJV)

“God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect”.

This passage is a conclusion of what we have been studying since we began Hebrew 11; it tells us about the many examples of heroes of faith who won favour from God because of their faith in him under impossible circumstances. Faith in Christ is what gives Christians the assurance of a better life. Let us therefore learn from these heroes of faith as we journey through this foreign land.

There are other many men of faith the author of Hebrews would have loved to talk about but he was restricted by time. Let us on our own search the scriptures and identify other people who acted in faith and let us add it to our list of examples of faith to emulate. As we do so I pray that our names will also be added to the list of men and women who exercised their faith during their lifetime on earth.

If we look closely at the men mentioned in today’s passage, we will notice that they were all rulers. They were involved in a war for God and they all won it by faith.

It starts with Gideon. He was a judge and a fearful leader (Judges 6). Faith like Gideon tells us that God doesn’t work with number. God can use even the least person to do his work. The greatest work of God is being done by individuals and little groups of people.

Like Gideon, Barak too was a judge and a fearful leader (Judges 4&5). He had prophetess Deborah behind him. God gave a command through Deborah that Barak should go with 10,000men to meet Sisera and God also promised victory but Barak was scared and would go to battle only if Deborah went with him. Deborah promised to go with him but assured him that the honour of killing Sisera would not be his but that a woman’s. Faith like Barak’s tells us that God can use the weakest people to accomplish his purpose. Our weaknesses cannot limit God; He can use our weakness to achieve his purposes and his name is glorified even in our weaknesses.

Samson was a Judge and a Nazarite (Judges13-16), he was supposed to liberate the Israelites from the Philistines who were oppressing them at that time but Samson used his power mostly for personal revenge. Although Samson went out of God’s will yet God used him to bring victories for his people. It can be noted that Samson killed more philistines in death than in his whole lifetime. Faith like Samson can make God fix even the very undeserving person to do great things for them and by them also overcome the roaring lion that is going about looking for who to devour.

Faith like Jephthah (Judges 11&12) will make us bold and courageous to face our enemies.

Faith like David will enable us  overcome every Goliath in our lives (1 Samuel 17) and leave testimonies as to the trials and acts of faith, in the book of Psalms, which has been, and ever will be, of great value to the people of God. 

Faith like Samuel enables us to serve God and his people in whatever way God demands of us.

Verses 36-38 gives us a description of the death of Jesus’ disciples Some of them were flogged, stoned and put in prison,  Philip, Andrew, and Simon were crucified James, the brother of John and Thomas were killed by the sword. John-the beloved was put in boiling oil at the Coliseum but he escaped and was exiled to the Island of Patmos.

One thing was common with all these heroes of faith. None of them received the promise but they believed and held on to their faith even unto death. Sometimes, we may not see the promises, it may be difficult to see it especially in times of trials and persecutions but we like the men of old should hold on to our faith for surely we will receive our reward in the end( Mathew 24:13)

As Christians we will suffer for Christ but it is our faith that will keep us going. In fact our faith does not guarantee a suffering-free life. Even Christ said it that in this world, we will have tribulations and trials but we should rejoice because he has overcome for us (John 6:33). Faith makes us cheerful even in persecution and gives us the assurance that Jesus has won the battle for us.

Each day brings difficulties that are impossible to handle but it is faith in God that will make us surmount them all. Faith looks beyond today, if it’s only in this life we believe then we are to be pitied (1 Cor 15:19)

 Let us then pray continually for the increase of our faith, as we follow these examples of faith and let us also look at our author faith Jesus and stand firm in him to the end. Amen

Word for Today: Tuesday, January 22, 2013

Hebrews 11:20-31 Looking ahead

Memory Verse Hebrews 11:26(KJV)

“Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward”.

We have seen the faith of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, now we are going to see the faith of Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, the Israelites and Rahab. These men were looking ahead to a greater promise and they readily sacrificed the pleasure of this world to gain that which is imperishable.

Our first example here is Isaac, Isaac like his father Abraham also walked with God, he had a relationship with him and when he was about to die prophesied into his children future having faith that God will bring it to pass (Genesis 27&28).

Jacob also walked with God just like his forefathers. We are told in Genesis 32 that he wrestled with an angel and there he got a new name. Faith inspired Jacob to bless the Children of Joseph (Genesis 48). Faith is prophetic; parents should learn from the examples of Isaac and Jacob and prophesy positive things into their children’s future.

Genesis 46 gives us the story of the Israelites journey into Egypt. God approved of the Israelites going into Egypt but he also promised to bring them out to the land he promised their forefather, Abraham.

Joseph through his father Isaac must have known that Egypt wasn’t the Promised Land, hence the instruction he gave concerning him bones to be taken to the Promised Land. It was faith that made him give that instruction because at this time life in Egypt was pleasurable and it seem like the Israelites have finally found a final resting place. Joseph looked ahead of the present enjoyment, he knew there was a greater and better inheritance and he wanted to be part of it (Genesis 50:24-25).

Moses faced death as soon as he was born just as our Lord Jesus; he was born at a wrong time when the birth of the female child was more favourable than the male (see Exodus 1:8-22) but the faith of his parents preserved his life. It was faith on the part of Moses parents to hide him for 3 months in such a very difficult situation (Exodus 2:1-3).They knew he was no ordinary child.

Faith can make one choose rightly, Moses was brought up in the palace, and he was known as the son of Pharaoh's daughter meaning he must have been a possible successor to the throne but he choose to suffer with the people of God rather than enjoy the wealth of the palace.

Faith calls for self-denial. Moses was guided by faith when he chose to ill-treated with the Israelites. Moses valued God more than the pleasures of the world. Faith sees disgrace for Christ’s sake as a greater value than pleasures of this world. There are pleasures in this world, no doubt but nothing compares to the rewards of those who endure suffering for the sake of Christ. We must like Moses should refuse to be associated with the pleasure of this world. We know by faith that the earth is not our home and that we are sojourners in this land.

Moses lost all the privileges when he choose the way of faith. 2 Timothy 3:12 says that anyone who wants to live a holy life for Christ will be persecuted, but it is faith in Jesus that will keep us going even when we are being persecuted. Moses valued the life of faith more than the pleasures of this world. He decided to suffer because he was looking ahead to a greater reward.

Through the faith of Moses, God was able to deliver the Israelites. It was the faith of Moses that made the children of Israel pass through the red sea. For 430 years, the children of Israel were treated unjustly as slaves.  They didn't have the faith; they had lost all their faith. They only thing they were good at was murmuring and complaining but God used their weaknesses and the faith of Moses to prove to the Egyptians and the world that he is God.

  

Faith leads to action. It reveals itself in action. It would have seemed stupid to some people when Joshua said to march around the city of Jericho for 7 days. Many people would have found it preposterous. But Joshua acted in faith. When you have faith, act on it. Faith obeys God even though what he is telling you to do seem ridiculous. It was the faith of Joshua and the Israelites that brought down the walls of Jericho (Joshua 6).

 To conclude our heroes of faith in today’s passage, we will look at the story of Rahab (Joshua 2). Rahab wasn't an Israelite and she apparently didn’t know God as much as the Israelites yet she believed God was able to give the Israelites the land for an inheritance.

 We as Christians should be ready to suffer for Christ and forsake the worldly pleasures. And we should endeavour to follow the examples of faith that we have studied so far.

Christ is our source of faith; we should focus our thoughts on Christ through his word.

When we look ahead to the greater promise, we are not overcome by the pleasure of this world and I pray that God will raise up men and women of faith who like the people of old will obey him no matter the situation or consequences in Jesus name. Amen

Word for Today: Monday, January 21, 2013

Hebrews 11:8-19 Heroes of faith Part 2

Memory Verse Hebrews 11:13(KJV)

 “These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth”.

Yesterday we saw some heroes of faith. Today we are going to look at the father of faith- Abraham. We first encountered Abraham in Hebrews 6:13 and Hebrews 7. Now, we are going to learn about this man of faith and as we learn about Abraham today, I pray that our faith will be increased in Jesus name. Amen.

Abraham was a man of faith and also a friend of God. We can find the story of Abraham beginning from Genesis 12. The first test started in Genesis 12:1 when God told Abraham to leave his people and go to a place he will show him. It was a very difficult task and it had to take faith to do that because Abraham had no idea where he was going. Abraham left immediately; he didn't deliberate on what God had told him to do.

It is not easy living in a foreign land and I am talking from experience. I was born and bred in Africa but I had to come to the UK for my Masters. I arrived in the UK during the winter, and was welcomed by the terrible cold. This was my first winter experience. It is really hot in Africa and we use Air conditions, but when I got here I didn’t need an air condition, I needed an electric heater to make me warm. It wasn’t easy adapting to the weather. I had to buy some thick winter jackets and gloves to keep me warm.

Prior to my coming, I have never been to the UK before, what I knew about the country were things I saw on TV or read in the papers. And although I had an idea about the place, I was still scared because for the first time in my life I will have to be alone and in a strange place. At least my case was better than Abraham’s. I had a slight idea about the UK but Abraham had no idea where he was going yet he went on. That is faith. When Abraham left his own people, he had no idea where he was going and he had no thoughts of returning home, he knew God was taking him to a better place because of the relationship he had with God.

 Imagine God sending you to go to a remote village with no electricity, water or internet to evangelise and win souls, I know many people won’t go. Faith is total obedience to God’s command even when it looks ridiculous or impossible.

 It was faith that made Abraham take Isaac to the mountain to offer him as a sacrifice unto God. Who in their right mind would want to sacrifice their only child to God? Someone who has a close walk with God and understands Him. A closer Walk with God can lead to obedience and work for God.

Faith is total obedience to God’s command even when it seems outrageous or humanely impossible. Many Christians including myself would have questioned God saying “didn’t you promise that Isaac will be the heir of many nations, how can that promise be fulfilled if he dies?” Abraham knew that God was capable of raising Isaac from the dead hence he acted in faith and total obedience to God.

Faith enables believers to obey God when they do not know the way to go. It looks ahead trusting God. It helps Christians to receive God’s promises in impossible situations. Faith and obedience go pari-pasu.

One thing we should never forget as believers is that we are pilgrims and strangers on earth. It is faith that will enable us persevere even when the promise is not immediately fulfilled. I know some people are waiting for Jesus to come any minute and some have even grown weary of waiting. We shouldn’t give up, we should learn from these people of old. They saw the promises from afar and they believed. Although they didn’t receive it, they still had faith even unto death.

Abraham and Sarah never saw the fulfilment of God to them. They didn't live to see the tribe of Israel being formed but they believed. We need faith in our Christian race.

We have some modern day heroes of faith. About two Sundays ago, I came across an article on the web about men who sacrificed their lives for the sake of the gospel. By faith, these men knew there is a greater reward awaiting them and they readily offered their lives to gain that which is imperishable. Below is the link to the article. Please do check it out and be encouraged. God bless you. Amen.

http://www.christianheroes.com/ch/people.asp

Word for Today: Sunday, January 20, 2013

Hebrews 11:1-7 Faith and Heroes of faith Part 1

Memory Verse Hebrews 11:6(KJV)

"But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him".

This passage gives us the importance of faith and also provides us with a lot of biblical examples who lived their lives by faith.  These were ordinary men like us and if they could do it then we can do it. Faith is the very foundation of our Christianity, it is the guiding principle of our Christian life, the foundation and object of our faith is God.

We can grow our faith by studying the word of God. (Romans 10:17) and by fixing our thoughts on Jesus the source of our faith (Hebrews 3:1, 12:2).

Now Let us look at verse 1, it gives us a biblical definition of faith. Faith does not live by what is seen. Faith sees what others cannot see. Faith is not a feeling we manufacture, it is our total response to what God has revealed. Faith is obedience to God's word inspite of circumstances and consequences.

Faith has a backward look; it declares that God has done mighty acts in time past. It has a present look, it declares that God is doing mighty acts right now and it has a forward look, it declares that God can be trusted in the future.

It is very easy to give up especially during extremely difficult times. Faith is really applicable in situations that seem impossible. We will face persecutions for the word of God but it is faith that will keep us going. 

Verse 3 tells us about the creation story. None of us were present but we understand that the earth was formed by faith. I know a lot of us were taught about the evolution theory, but I know by faith that I was created in the image and likeness of God and not from animals. Genesis 1&2 gives us a full account of the creation and from John 1; we know that God spoke the world into existence.

Verse 4 begins with our biblical heroes of faith. Genesis 4 gives us the story of Cain and Abel. We were told in Gen 4 that Abel offered a better sacrifice to God, but here we are made to know that he offered that sacrifice by faith. God accepted the sacrifice not only because he gave his best but also because he gave by faith.

V5 tells us about Enoch, not much is said about him in Genesis, but we know from Genesis 5:21-24 that he walked with God and God rewarded him by not allowing him to experience death. Before Enoch there was Adam, Eve, Seth and they all died but Enoch was the first person not to experience death. His testimony was that he pleased God by faith.

From Verse 6, we understand that it is only through faith that we can please God. We can come to God by faith and through our works, but it is impossible for anyone to come to God by works because no one has a perfect work, so the only option is by faith.

We cannot seek God with our work, therefore let us approach God in faith and seek him earnestly. He still rewards those who diligently seek him.

It takes faith to obey God especially if what he demands seems impossible to the human eyes. Noah began the construction of the ark by faith, even though there was no sign of rain, he never gave up. And each day he warned the people about God’s judgement.  Noah represents those who are in the world and are going to be saved during the great tribulation.

It is apparent that faith plays a very big role in our Christianity. When we are at our comfort zone, we do not value the importance of faith. Hebrews 11:6 tells that it is only by our faith that we can please God. And who is our source of faith? Jesus is our source of faith; we should fix our thoughts continually to him by studying his word. God bless.

Check out this video, I know it is titled woman of my dream but it is about faith. It describes faith like you have never heard of it. Enjoy and God bless.

  

         

Word for Today: Saturday, January 19, 2013

Hebrews 10:32-39 Do not throw away your confidence

Memory Verse 10:35(KJV)

“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward”.

Yesterday we saw the dangers and consequences of drifting away, today the author encourages us to continue in faith and well-doing. A call to remembrance of the former days.

Let us look at verses 32-34, the author reminded the Hebrews Christians about their good works. See also Hebrews 6:10. These Hebrew Christians were once burning for Christ. Initially, when we first gave our lives to Christ, there was this excitement and we were ready to do anything for God but as time passed, the excitement begun to diminish due to worldly pressures/pleasures until we find ourselves no longer interested in the things of God. That was the same problem the Hebrew Christians were facing.

Once upon a time, they were actually fervent, serving God whole-heartedly and also helping other people. The author reminded them of those good works. According to verses 32-34 the good works are:

·They stood their grounds in sufferings.

·They were exposed to public humiliation, insult and persecution for the sake of the gospel.

·They sympathised with those who were persecuted and shared their sufferings.

·They sympathised with those in prison.

·They joyfully allowed their properties to be impounded for the sake of their faith.

Verses 35-36 gives us an assurance. There is always a reward for doing well and working for God. It will be very foolish of us after we have done all these good works to return back to our sinful ways. It is very important to preserve to the end. When we endure, we will receive what he has promised. Jesus is our perfect example of perseverance (Hebrews 12:1-2).

I remember one time in high school, the school bus broke down and the driver was trying to figure out what was wrong. Some students got impatient and they were scared of going late because there was a punishment for lateness. So, they started walking to school but a few of us decided to wait as the driver tried to figure out a solution to the bus. Not long after the others left, the bus started and we got to school earlier than them. They got late and were punished. There is a great reward in perseverance. It may not be easy but it is worth it.

Waiting for the fulfilment of God’s promises requires time and patient. We are running the Christian race, we need to focus on Jesus and run this race with perseverance. I pray that God will give us the grace to remain firm in him and to run this race to the end. Amen

Word for Today: Friday, January 18, 2013

Hebrews 10:26-31 Vengeance is for God.

Memory Verse: 10:30(KJV)

"For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people".

Yesterday’s passage we were told to hold steadfast to the confession of Hope and shouldn't forsake the assembly of the saint but encourage one another in love. Today, we are given a severe warning about wilful sinning.

The author of Hebrews gives the Hebrew Christians a stern warning in today’s passage because many of them were considering a return to Judaism. Some of them were already offering sacrifices in the temple making it clear that the sacrifice of Christ was meaningless.

Now we understand why the author took his time to expatiate on the supremacy of Jesus and the sacrifice he made to unite us to God. We have learnt a lot about Jesus that we previously didn't know. It will be foolish of us to return to our old ways and sinful lifestyle.

Sinning wilfully is a terrible sin. It is equivalent to rejecting Jesus sacrifice for sin and the result is judgement. We are being warned again the peril of continuous wilful sin. These warnings are there to prevent us from falling.

Verses 28-29 makes comparison between the punishment of those in the Mosaic times and those under grace. Those in the Mosaic times didn't know as much as we do now. They didn't even have the opportunity that we have now, yet God didn't spare them. God’s judgement on us will be worse.

According to Verse 29, when we sin wilfully we are doing the following

·      > Tramping the son of God (Jesus) under foot

·      > Treating the blood of the covenant as unholy

·      > Insulting the Holy Spirit

 God is a merciful God but he is also a God of Justice. He has called us several times to repent but if we don’t harken to him and continue in our wicked ways then his wrath will befall us. It is better to have God on your side than to have him against you. Really who is gonna save you if God chooses to deal with you?

There are great dangers of drifting away and we have been warned numerous times. The book of Hebrews contains so much warning about drifting away. It is difficult for one to return back after they have falling (Hebrews 6:4-6, 2 Peter 2:20-22)

The grace of God has been given to us freely but we shouldn’t misuse it (Rom 6:1). The grace of God will not be available forever; it will be terrible for those who misuse the grace of God on the day of Judgement.

It is really a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of God, therefore we should ensure to holdfast to the hope that we have in Christ and run this Christian race with perseverance as we fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.