God Cares for You I

Text: Heb. 13:5-6
More Lessons: I Pet. 5:7
Bible Reading in One Year: Psalms 146-150

There is a question people often ask when in the midst of adverse unexplainable situations and circumstances. Does God care? When John the Baptist was in prison, he expected Jesus to do something to get him out but Jesus did not do anything. Also the Scripture records that a friend that Jesus loved was sick to the point of death and his sisters sent for Jesus but He didn't come on time, so Jesus' friend, Lazarus, died from the sickness. Martha asked as other people ask, Lord, Don't you care that . . .? Lk. 10: 40. This same question was asked by Martha when she was busy and tired in the kitchen and her sister was not helping her. When there are difficulties, failures or marital problems; when something negative happens to you or when others are receiving letters of promotion but you get the opposite; when those that got married after you have given birth to five children but you are still waiting on God, the question you ask is: God do You really care? I want you to know that God cares for you. Be strong and of a good courage, fear not, nor be afraid of them: for the LORD thy God, he it is that doth go with thee; he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. Deut. 31:6 That is what God is saying. Whatever the situation you are facing, God says He will not leave you nor forsake you. For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name's sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people. 1 Sam 12:22 Are you a child of God? Then the Lord will not forsake you; He will keep you and help you. When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up.

Ps 27:10. A mother may forsake her sucking child but the Lord will not forsake you. Isa.49:15 How can you have these promises and allow anything to tell you that God does not care for you? In every area of your life and no matter what you are passing through, hear what God says today: ''I CARE FOR YOU.'' Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you: I Peter 5:7. More than the care of a wife, husband or pastor, God cares. All you need to do is to cast your care, worry and trouble upon Him because He cares for you. This is the testimony of Peter who had been with Jesus and his conclusion is that God cares for you.
Only cast your care upon Him.

Prayer/Action
* Give thanks to God for He cares for you and for all His promises over your destiny.
* Praise God for being a faithful God.
* Tell God you believe His faithfulness over you will not fail.
* Read Psa. 23:1-6 and claim the promises.

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Who do you want to See?

Text: John 12:20-21
More lessons: John 14: 18-21
Bible Reading in one Year: Psalms 143-145

What people come to see in church and at every gathering this days is unheard of. We come to church most of the time and there is no single encounter with Jesus, neither is anyone asking questions of how to have an encounter with Him. The Bible says there were some among those who came to worship, which means the Greeks were just among many that came to worship at the feast. Let us say 5000 went to worship, and among the 5000, maybe there were about 50 Greeks. 'Some Greeks', this is a very serious matter, all of them came to worship but the Greeks came to Philip with a request. The same came therefore to Philip, which was of Bethsaida of Galilee, and desired him, saying, Sir, we would see Jesus: Jn. 12:21. These people said we came to see Jesus. And I ask, what then did other people come to see? W ere there no other people there too? And there were certain Greeks among them that came up to worship at the feast: v20. There were more people there of course, but the Greeks came with only one agenda, to see Jesus.

Until you begin to thirst to see Jesus, you may forever remain on the same bus stop. There are many policemen that work for presidents of different country but had never seen the president. Some of them are commissioners of police and they may never have seen the president. The pulpit is filled with ministers who have never seen Jesus. Many came to worship but these Greeks said, Philip, take us to the Man. We have seen dancing, acrobatic display by men, but we want to see Jesus. There have to be a time in your life when you will have to pause and ask yourself if Jesus is present in everything you do, if you can't find Him, begin to ask for Him until you see Him. It is in seeing Jesus that we can experience His glorious presence. He is the brightness of God's glory and the express image of His person (Heb. 1:3). It is a pity that many believers are not looking for Jesus today. I don't mean being born again, but seeking Jesus beyond being born again experience. And that is why people come to a church today and if they don't see what satisfies them, they pack their load and move to another church. He said… I will come to you… the world seeth me no more; but ye see me John 14:18-19. The problem is not with Him coming to us but with us seeing Him when He comes. You will never be able to see Jesus as far as you have an idol of what you want to see in your heart. He will always come to His own but are we able to discern His presence. This is what the gathering of the people of God should be, a place where men see Jesus. These Greeks knew fellowship without seeing Jesus is not a complete one. Who do you want to see in your gathering?

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to increase your faith and expose your spiritual state to you today.
* Pray that as God reveals your life to you, you will be broken and humble enough to make necessary adjustment.
Ask yourself who is Jesus to me and who am I to Jesus.

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Who are your Friends?

Text: Mk. 2:1-12
More lessons: 1 Kings 12:1-14
Bible Reading in one Year: Psalms 137-142

I have discovered in life and destiny that, whoever you are, you need help. Most of the time, the supernatural help of God comes in display or manifestation through men. The man sick of palsy needed to be carried from the point where he was to the point where Jesus must see him and help him. He could not help himself, if he could help himself, he would have not remained in that condition for that long. Oftentimes in some life's situations, a man may lose all the ability to help himself. There are so many leprosy situations in peoples' life that cannot be seen physically but they are there. We read about how some four men helped the sick man to get to Jesus. A man who stands alone is in danger of falling. The Bible says Two are better than one… but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up Eccl. 4:9-10. Good friends are assets in times of trouble. You need people to help you. Friends can be source of encouragement in times of trouble. Also, bad friends can be the undoing of a man. So the friends you keep have either negative or positive effects on your life.
The friends you keep can make or mar you. The type of people you keep around you or hang up with will determine how you may likely end up. Y our purpose and goals in life should determine the type of friends you keep. Friends have influence on your journey in life and they can determine if you will get to your destination or not. It is wisdom to identify each of the friends you have and what effect they have on you. Whoever is in your life and does not have anything to do with the plans and purposes of God for you could not have been by the plan of God, he is an extra luggage and will slow you down. This man's friends made every effort to bring him to Jesus. As soon as the major assignment of bringing him to Jesus was performed, we never heard about them anymore. The friends you keep should take you closer to Jesus. Any type of friendship that does not take you to Jesus will take Jesus from you. But for the good friends of this man he would have died in his infirmity. His friends were tools to his deliverance and healing.
God desires healthy relationships for you. God has placed people around you who can help you reach your goals and heights He has destined you for. You need to identify them and know the part they are to playing in your destiny. Cherish relationship, cherish the people around you, you may need them in your days of trouble when no one is there to help.

Prayer/Action
* Ask God to turn away every negative company masquerading as friends around you.
* Ask God to lead you to friends of life not adventures and friendship merchants.
* Pray that you will be a productive friend in all your relationship.

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The Heart, not the Message

Text: Luke 8:4-15
More Lessons: John 8:31-36
Bible Reading in One Year: Psalms 133-137

A friend once asked me why there are so many churches and powerful preachers in Nigeria, yet unrighteousness abounds. Before I could pose an answer, he concluded, I think there is something wrong with messages that are preached. It is either the preachers are not preaching the right stuff to change the people or the messages lack power to convict men of sin, righteousness and judgment. My friend may be right, but I also think there is something more as the Scripture reading explains. The sower planted the same seeds at different locations, but what influenced the performances was the nature of the land. Those which fell by the way side were trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured the seeds. Some fell upon a rock and as soon as they sprang up, they withered because there was no moisture. Some fell among thorns and were choked up by the thorns that sprang up with it. Yet others fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bore fruit a hundredfold.
In the explanation of the parable, Jesus says the seed is the Word. No one can doubt the potency of God's Word. If the Word fails to produce result, it is not the inefficacy of the Word or of the sower, but the land, and in this case the heart of men that influences the performance of the seed. It is unfortunate that some listeners in church have the hearts that are vulnerable to birds of the air. Such hearts are those that wonder about when preaching is going on. They hardly hear anything in church. Even if they hear, the Word does not get home with them. The enemies of their souls simply pick everything. Some others have hearts that cannot stay upon God's Word for a season. Although they hear and even respond to altar call, when their flesh demands for things contrary to the Word they hear, they easily submit to their flesh. These are believers who cannot resist temptation because they are not deep rooted in the Word. Some other believers have hearts full of the cares of this world. Although they seemingly love God, they also love the world. They are those who use the Word as a cloak for covetousness. You never can be a friend of the world and please God in anyway, as the Scripture cannot be broken (1John 2:15-17). The cares of the world will stunt the growth of the Word. It was the same seeds that fell on fertile ground and produced fruit in thirty, sixty and hundred folds. Anytime God's Word finds a fertile ground, the fullness of its potential will manifest. God's Word is perfect, converting the soul. It is a lamp to the feet of men, a light to the path of them who believe. Make your heart ready today for God's Word, and the preaching you hear daily will produce effect in your life.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, make my heart fertile for Your Word.
* I declare that the Word I hear daily will profit me.
* I receive grace for obedience to God's Word.

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