Vessels of Praise I

READ: Lk. 11: 27-28
MORE LESSONS: Acts 3: 6-11
Bible Reading in One Year: Amos 4-6

A vessel of praise is one whose actions causes men to praise God. Jesus was a perfect example of a vessel of praise by His works and His words. In the main text, Jesus was teaching and doing miracles and a woman was so impressed that she could not but burst out saying; Blessed is the womb that bare thee… Lk. 11: 27. And it came to pass, as he spake these things, a certain woman of the company lifted up her voice, and said unto him, Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked. But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it: Luke 11:27-28. Jesus by His work caused praises to go forth. There are also vessels of disgrace. When people repeatedly make negative statements to God and man because of your actions, you are a vessel of disgrace.
Children who are well taught but living contrary to the teaching and causing people to make negative remarks about their parents are vessels of disgrace. May you be a vessel of praise in Jesus’ name. You become a vessel of praise by providing solutions to problems.

If you solve problems anywhere you find yourself even when not called upon you will be remembered as a vessel of praise. Some people only cause problems anywhere they go making themselves so difficult to get along with. Such people will also be remembered for that. In life being a vessel of praise or of disgrace is a choice. Everyone will be remembered for something. The good that a man does will speak for him while he is alive and even after he is dead. In the same way there are those who will be remembered for the problems they caused.

Today I urge you to make the choice to be a vessel of praise- be the reason why somebody is happy and praising God every day from today. There is a reward for being vessels of praise.

The little boy whose lunch pack was used by Jesus to feed 5,000 people obviously has God’s reward and may be the owner of the 12 basket left over! Paul says: and let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not: Gal. 6:9. It is wonderful to be a tool of blessing. Jn. 6:9-11.

Prayer / Action
* Decide to always be a vessel of praise to your generation.
* Ask God for forgiveness in whatever way you were a vessel of disgrace.
* Make up your mind to solve problems of at least two people today.

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Bearing Fruits

READ: Gal. 5:13-26
MORE LESSONS: Matt. 7:15-20
Bible Reading in One Year: Amos 1-3

Every tree is known by its fruit, But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith: Gal. 5:22. A mango tree cannot produce an orange fruit nor can an orange tree produce a mango fruit, For every tree is known by his own fruit: Lk. 6:44a. The character and acts of a man will always tell who he is on the inside. The best way therefore to prove a man is by his works, deeds, words and behaviour. These tell who a man is because they are the fruits of a man's life. The proof of a believer is in his character.

One man of God once said, You cannot eat rice and vomit pounded yam. A good man cannot produce bad works nor can a bad man do good works. A believer will bring forth only godly acts proving who he is on the inside and a sinner will do sinful things naturally, Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit: Matt. 7:17. So don't expect good from a sinner no matter how pius and a believer should not have a reason for evil sinful acts under any circumstance.

What is the secret of righteous living? Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt: for the tree is known by his fruit: Matt. 12:33. Redemption by the blood of Jesus is the only way to plant a good tree in a man's life. With Jesus in a man's life, the tree is good and the life will be good. Any time the acts recorded in Gal. 5:19-21 are found in a believer's life, that believer has heard a word for such tree, Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire: Matt. 7:19. What type of tree are you and what fruit do you bear?

Prayer / Action
* Ask God to remove from you any character that is contrary to Jesus.
* Command every satanic tree in your life to catch fire.
* Receive grace for godly living.
Lay your hands on your head and begin to prophesy to your destiny to bear godly fruits from today on!

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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.

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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.

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