A WORD IN SEASON; THURSDAY 10TH AUGUST, 2023: " DESTINY" (PART II)
*[[Eph 1:11]] WEB* We were also assigned an inheritance in him, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who does all things after the counsel of his will,
A WORD IN SEASON; WEDNESDAY 9TH AUGUST, 2023: " DESTINY" - 1JOHN 3:8
"... For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that hd might destroy the works of the devil."
A WORD IN SEASON; MONDAY, 7TH AUGUST, 2023: 'CHRISTIAN WAY OF HANDLING WRONG DONE TO YOU' - JAMES 5:11
Texts: James 4 & 5, Ron 5:1-5
A WORD IN SEASON, THURSDAY, 3RD AUGUST, 2023: 'PRINCIPLES OF SATISFYING DESIRES/LUST'
JAMES 4
James 4:1 -2 ( James 1:13-14, 17)
Fightings, struggles,temptation, conflict come as a result of temptation brought about by lust. People try to satisfy these lusts/cravings their own ways. These ways might include lieing, stealing, killing, etc. But but they are not able to find peace. They don't find peace because they didn't ask from God (James 1: 17, Matt 7:7-9). And even when they ask, they are asking wrongly. You are asking for the wrong things. Asking to fulfill inordinate desires, cravings, lust:
*[[Mat 20:22]] KJV* But Jesus answered and said, Ye know not what ye ask. Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They say unto him, We are able.
Verses 4-17 tells us about by the sins which were brought about by lusts, desires of this world which are in opposition to God. God doesn't grant such desires, so people find satisfaction elsewhere-in the world. These are:
*[[1Jn 2:16-17/KJV]]* %v 16% For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. %v 17% And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.
8-9 exhorts us to repent of such practices and draw high to God.
A WORD IN SEASON, WEDNESDAY 2ND AUGUST, 2023: 'MASTERING THE TONGUE ' - (JAMES 3:8)
A WORD IN SEASON; 31ST JULY, 2023 - THE LIFE CYCLE OF TEMPTATION (JAMES 1:13-15)
INTRODUCTION:
Temptation is different from sin. Many a time, persons erroneously think they have sinbedror done wrong when they are tempted. However, temptation is only a phase in the process.
TEMPTATION (Peirasmos-Greek) simply means a trial, struggle, conflict. I will here adopt the word, conflict for the temptation because it conveys a clearer meaning of temptation. Conflict depicts an opposition. For you there to be temptation, there has to be conflict and opposition. What is this opposition? It is you (your spirit or your soul) having a problem with what your body is craving or desires. It is your spirit and/or conscience in opposition and variance with what your unrenewed soul is trying to feed it. Hence, there is conflict. There cannot be temptation where there is no conflict. The Lord Jesus was tempted; Matt 4:1-11, Mark 1:12-13. This disharmonious craving or desire is what is known as lust.
LUST is a craving, desire or voice. It is usually used in the negative to refer to an unrighteous/unacceptable (and often times, uncontrollable) desire for things by the soul and/or body.
A WORD IN SEASON, TUESDAY 25TH JULY, 2023: 'FAITH KEEPS YOU IN TIMES OF DIFFICULTY' (HEBREW 12:16)
A WORD IN SEASON, MONDAY 24TH JULY, 2023: 'THE THIN LINE BETWEEN WALKING IN FAITH & WALKING IN IGNORANCE ' Hebrew 11:8
A WORD IN SEASON, THURSDAY, 20TH JULY,2023: ' A SHADOW OF BETTER THINGS TO COME "
Hebrew 8:6
A WORD IN SEASON, 19th (WEDNESSDAY), July, 2023: 'LEADERSHIP THROUGH PARTICIPATION'
ANCHOR SCRIPTURE: HEBREW 5:2
Texts:Hebrew 5:1-9
INTRODUCTION
Until the leaders of a nation share the same standard of living of the led, there shall be no change.
The greatest leaders in history were those who led by participating in the weaknesses and sufferings of the people. Ghandi, Nelson Madela, Moses, David, Jesus the Christ. When the peopleand the nation has been saved, then and only then could the rich, strong, etc lead- David and Solomon, Jesus, the Son of Man and Jesus, the ressurected and reigning King. The Bible made clear standards on how leaders should be chosen. Hebrew chapter 3 verses 2, 8 and 14-15 talks about how Jesus though He was the Son of God and God himself had to become a man to save a man. He had to become weak, hungry, naked, mocked, etc for him to be JUSTIFIED to save man. It was not a punishment, but a criterion for becoming a leader- leadership through participation. Verses 1 through 3 of Hebrew Chapter 3 specifically says that the reason the high priest is taking or chosen from among men (and not angels (emphasis mine) is because he himself is a participator of their challenges.
The Word of God can be trusted. It is pure as silver that has been tried in the fire , it is sharper than any two-edged sword and it created the universe (PS 12:6, Heb 6:12, 2Pt 3:5). It isn't a textbook. It's a guide for practical living. Let us hear His voice. Leaders of countries, industries, companies, families should lead through participation.
A WORD IN SEASON, 18th July, 2023: 'Hearing God's Voice for Direction unto Rest' (PS 95:7)Texts: Psalms 95, Hebrew 3 INTRODUCTIONAs Christians, we have been called (by a voice) out of the world through a journey to a destination (rest). Hearing the voice and following it is the only way to arrive at the predestined destination. The voice as used in our anchor text; Psalms 95:7 was taken from the context of sheep hearing their 'Shepherd's' voice and following. The Shepherd is leading from somewhere to a destination. Voice is a UNIQUE sound made by the articulation of speech organs. Everyone has a unique voice. God/Shepherd has a unique voice also. That's why whenever He calls, the sheep hear His call and follow. Rest is a destination, physical or spiritual (Heb 3:18). It denotes completeness, accomplishment. It doesn't denote abstaining from a task because one is tired, but a completion of a task (Gen 2:1-3). Hebrew chapter 3 quotes nearly the entire Psalms 95 to draw the readers attention to hearing the shepherd's (Jesus) voice. He speaks fr! Chapter one of Hebrew how the readers (Christians) should listen to Jesus whom God is speaking through after speaking through the Prophets. Know that the day you became a Christian, you heard a voice and that voice called you from a place and is leading you to a place through directions. Outside the voice directions and leadings is death (Hebrew 3:7-19, Psalms 95:7-11). Listen and follow.
