Who is on the Lord's Side?

READ: Exo. 32:21-29
MORE LESSONS: I Jn. 2:15-17
Bible Reading in One Year: Joel 1-3

Joining the multitude to do evil is the in- thing in the world today and it has started spreading to the Church of God. Christians now do things without understanding and it does not bother them. The only explanation for the type of dressing and the type of words and language that a lot of Christians use today is simply that is what everybody is doing. Everybody wants to do popular things but Jesus warns, …for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Matt. 7:13.

A true child of God should not follow the multitude to do evil. The believer should be the example that people of the world are copying not the other way round. In my early Christian days, it was not difficult to differentiate a Christian sister from the worldly ladies but today, all that has changed. Church music and the worldly one are also hard to differentiate, not to talk of the dance. I don't know how Jesus feels in Heaven right now, especially each time He looks down to see His Church; the Church He sacrificed so much to purchase.

When Israel messed up in the wilderness by making a molten calf to replace Moses and God because Moses delayed in coming back from the presence of God, Moses’ only call to them was; …Who is on the LORD'S side?.... Exo. 32:26. God is asking the Church the same question today, Who is on the Lord's side? Who is going to forsake the multitude even if alone and walk the pathway of consecration (Exo. 32:29)? Who will deny the crowd, the broad way and follow the Lord in the unpopular, lonely way of consecration? Who will declare like Daniel, others may, I shall not. Both the pew and the pulpit must cry to God for forgiveness and ask for God's grace to return to the Lord's side of being the example to the world and not being influenced by the world.

Prayer / Action
* Ask the Lord to purge you of anything you might have copied from the world
* Declare war against every form of worldliness in your life.
* Tell the devil you are on the Lord's side
Find a hymn book before the close of today and locate the hymn "The Old Rugged Cross". sing it and pray it.

Like and share

Eternity

READ: Lk 16:20-26
MORE LESSONS: Lk. 16:27-31
Bible Reading in One Year: Acts 24-26

Eternity refers to not having an end, being endless or infinite. God is eternal, heaven and hell are eternal; I mean forever. Anybody who accepts Christ as his Lord and Saviour and has his name written in the book of life will live with God eternally. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (ESV) Jn. 3:16. Let us examine some things the believer will enjoy with God in eternity:
1. a new name – Rev. 2:17,
2. an immortal body – I Cor. 15:52-53,
3. eternal life – I Pet. 5:10, I Jn. 2:25,
4 . the tree of life – Rev. 2:7,
5. no second death – Rev. 2:11,
6. the morning star – Rev. 2:28,
7. his name shall not be blot out of the book of life – Rev 3:5,
8. Jesus' new name – Rev. 3:12.

On the other side of eternity is the lake of fire, where Satan, his host and those who served him on the earth shall be. This also shall be forever, eternal and unending. Let us consider the activities and characteristics of this side of eternity:
1. weeping and gnashing of teeth forever
– Matt. 13:50,
2. darkness forever – Matt. 25:30,
3. unending wailing and gnashing of teeth,
4 torment of fire – Lk. 16:24, Rev. 20:10,
5. eternal separation from God – Lk. 16:26,
6. regrets and guilt – Lk. 16:27-30,
7. worms that never die – Mk. 9:44.

These are the two places available to spend eternity, but each is by choice. You and I have the great honour of making our choice. The rich man and Lazarus both had a choice between eternity in hell or in Heaven (Lk. 16:25), the prodigal son had a choice between riotous and prudent living (Lk. 15:11-15); Israel under Joshua had a choice between Baal and Jehovah (Josh. 24:15). To spend eternity on the side of God you have to be reconciled to God, accept that you have been a sinner and that you now want Jesus to come into your life, forgive you, wash you with His blood and accept you as His child. It can not be delayed anymore, not even for a second. Remember, eternity is a long! long!! long!!! time. Where will you spend eternity?

Prayer / Action
* Pray that whatsoever takes men to hell will be removed from your life.
* Pray that your name shall not be blotted out of the book of life.
* Pray that the power that kept Jesus on the earth will keep you till you see Jesus face to face.

Like and share

Dare to be Different

READ: Gen. 5:1-25.
MORE LESSONS: Dan. 1:1-9
Bible Reading in One Year: Acts 21-23

Life is about choices; you write the report of your life (good or bad) through the choices you make. A man will continue to make the usual and common record for as long as he goes after the popular demand, thought or choice of the people. However, you need to dazzle your generation. The world is too small to contain you, make it impossible for the world to predict you.

Enoch broke the record in his generation by being different. His walk with God was matchless, setting itself up as a paradigm of the perfect walk with God. He refused to be trapped in the mistakes and apathy of his peers and ancestors. Rather, Enoch was driven by a vision and purpose to make a difference in his time. No wonder he made a record no man has ever had. This is particularly outstanding considering the fact that Enoch, like other men, had a wife, children and probably had a job that kept him busy. However, he did not allow all this to hinder his consistent walk with God.

The decision you made to come to Jesus should carry with it a determination to walk with God despite your busy schedule and family demands. You can be the Enoch of your generation if you dare to be different in any way necessary. Remember, human excuses will not change the purpose of God that man should be in His likeness. Purpose in your heart to be like Daniel in Babylon who decided to be different from others by refusing the king's portion and he never regretted it. Choose to be different from the world today. Dare to be different at work, when others are lazy, idling, gossiping, and doing eye service, be committed to your assignment.

When your peers are living in worldly pleasure, fornicating, partying, and being riotous, be godly and different. Dare to be different in the society, in the neighborhood, your compound, e.t.c. Dare to be a Daniel, Paul, John. etc Dare to be a saint in a corrupt, decaying generation. Stand out for God.

Prayer / Action
* Pray for courage and grace to be who God wants you to be in the face of opposition.
* Ask God for strength not to bow to temptation even if others bow.
* Thank God for the power of the Holy Spirit to make you a role model everywhere you go.

Like and share

Engraved upon Stone II

READ: Matt.16:13-20
MORE LESSONS: 1Pet.2:6
Bible Reading in One Year: Acts 19-20

The Bible says that whatsoever the Lord doeth abides forever. This is a serious statement because It means that God is no joker. His words are as writings engraved on a stone; that cannot be reversed or erased. If you stick with God you will come back with lasting testimonies because what God intends to do with your life will establish you forever. The process maybe painful and uncomfortable but if it's God dealing with you, you can count it all joy. Even when the enemy means it for evil, God will work it all out for your good. This is why our decisions are powerful because decisions that are taken outside the word and voice of God too may create negative engravings that can testify against us in life and destiny.

When God gave the law to Moses, He wrote it with His hands on tablets of stone; but today, in the New Covenant God shows us the perfection of what He intended when He gave Moses the tablets of stone; as He engraves His word in the tablets of our hearts by His Spirit. That is what the psalmist yearned deeply for and said, thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin against you. By that, he meant, if only His word can be engraved on the tablets of his heart, the power of sin was broken over him. Satan is powerless over people who have the engraved word of God in their hearts. Until we begin to desire that our lives become as engravings on the eternal stone of God, we might not experience the prosperity, sustenance and supernatural supply that the Bible promises us. And how do we engrave God's word on the tablets of our hearts? It is by meditating and insisting on the report of the Lord irrespective of what the immediate situation dictates.

As we confess and ponder on God's word, it holds firmer with the very fiber of our being. It is when we are one with the word of God, that every work of Satan is dissolved and destroyed. This is the way to victory. It is more than lifting verses of the scriptures to memory; it is making God's word your first response to situations and circumstances that confront you daily.

We need to be firm in professing what we believe. Jesus is our solid rock so we can stand strong. God is building His Kingdom on earth but He needs a rock to engrave it upon just like He found in Peter in our text. When He does, the very gates of hell will not prevail against you.

Prayer / Action
* Thank God because you know that the enemy has lost over your matter because you have been engraved upon the Stone of the Rock of Ages
* Ask the Holy Spirit to engrave the Word of God in your heart on a daily basis.
* Pray that you will receive the grace to contend in meditation and prayer for the word to take roots in your life.
* Declare that the word of God is working in you and bringing eternal rewards for you.

Like and share