Times and Seasons II

Text: Hosea 6:1-7
More lessons: Jer. 29:5-12
Bible Reading in One Year: Ezekiel 12-14

The reason why some people resort to using the mediums to know their future instead of seeking God is because they want to know times in their own way. Yet God is willing to reveal to men if they will do it His own way. Men's way is to ask the Lord for the total picture of their life at the time they pray to the Lord. God's way is the way of faith, Then shall we know as we follow on to know the Lord; His going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth: Hosea6:3. God expects us to walk each day with Him in faith and by faith(Heb.1 1:6).The Christian walk is that of faith and daily obedience.

As God gives an instruction and you obey, He gives the next instruction. Each step of obedience takes you higher and leads to an orderly pattern of walk that culminates in a fulfilled and accomplished destiny (Jer .2:1 1). Be assured today that if you are God's own, His expected end for you is peace, void of evil. As months go by with different seasons unfolding, take time to seek the face of the Lord and He will direct your path. There are several assurances of divine guidance and direction for God's children among which are: Prov.3:5-6; Ps.48:14; Ps.73:24.
The Holy Spirit is available to guide into fruitful seasons, profitable opportunities and investments (John16:13). The more you fellowship with the Lord both in personal devotion and congregational worship, the clearer your mind will be and the brighter your path also because you will be more discerning of His ways.
Be assured that He that spared Moses as a baby from the sword of the tyrant Pharaoh, guided his infant basket to be nurtured in the same Pharaoh's palace, groomed him among the Midianites and raised him as a deliverer for Israel will surely direct your times and seasons to greatness! Seek God and stay with Him.

Prayer/Action
* Lord, take over my times and seasons, lead me to my greatness in the land of the living.
* Let the lines fall to me in pleasant places and give me a good heritage.
Make a purposeful pattern for better times of fellowship with the Lord and follow this pattern, avoiding distraction.

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Times and Seasons I

Text: Ps. 31:1-15 More lessons: James 4:13-16
Bible Reading in One Year: Ezekiel 8-11

The issue of times and understanding times has always intrigued men. The search for the knowledge of times is something several pursue with great interest. The irony is that many people want to understand the times neglecting the Creator of times, the Almighty God, Why, seeing times are not hidden from the Almighty, do they that know him not see his days? Job 24:1. Some people resort to horoscope instead of getting close to God in order to know, understand and experience their times.

They substitute the leadership of God over their life with stargazing which the Bible strongly warns against because it’s idolatry, There shall not be found among you any that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times [horoscope], or an enchanter, or a witch, or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard or a necromancer: Deut.18:10-11.

God says all who do stargazing are an abomination to Him. The methods of observing times as listed in Deuteronomy above have become modernised and easily accessible in newspapers, on the Internet and mobile phones. Some go for fortune-telling and to wizards and "prophets" to discover secrets of the future using various forms of spells and incantation to cure diseases and form league with familiar spirits. Through these, many fellowship with devils. Let it be clear that those involved in such acts cannot fellowship with God and therefore cannot understand times and seasons if they are not in agreement with God the owner of times and seasons.

Today's reading clearly states that if anyone will truly understand the times, he must trust God, But I trusted in thee, O Lord; I said, thou art my God. My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me: Ps.31:14-15(AMP). The Amplified version says to trust God is to lean on, rely on, and be confident in God. God is reliable, dependable and trustworthy. He has kept the universe intact from creation till now and the order hasn’t been disrupted: the ground has not sunk under our feet nor the sky fallen on our heads. This same God assures, But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and green and tomorrow is tossed into the furnace, will He not much more surely clothe you, O you of little faith?

Therefore do not worry and be anxious...: Matt.6:30-31(AMP). Men who have become God's own by the salvation experience obtained through faith in Christ Jesus and are abiding in Him are secure no matter what the times and seasons hold. Therefore, trust God!

Prayer/Action
* Lord, I will trust in You continually and I will experience the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.
Throw out all materials of observing times and stargazing. Cleanse your house of all idolatrous materials that show independence of God. Take time to seek His face for divine guidance.

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Keeping the Heritage II

Text: Mark 7:6-13
More lessons: Col.2:6-8
Bible Reading in one Year: Ezekiel 4-7

Today, we will like to find out how we can know when a doctrine is truly Biblical in order not to be deceived or lose the Christian heritage given to us. A doctrine to be passed on to the younger generation can be said to be truly biblical when it is explicitly taught in the Bible. An issue could be unbiblical meaning it opposes the teachings of the Bible; it could be extra Biblical meaning it is outside of the bible or not mentioned in the Bible, it could be Biblically based meaning it is connected to the teachings of the Bible. We must do all we can to be firm and unchanging about Biblical doctrines to preserve and keep the Christian heritage. I must avoid unbiblical teachings which are any teaching that opposes the Bible's clear teaching, for example a teaching that Jesus sinned is unbiblical opposing Heb.4:15. An extra Biblical teaching can be either good or bad. We must weigh such in the light of the Bible or go for counsel from sound church leaders: example to observe holidays is neither good nor bad, each person must be fully convinced in his own mind.Rom.14:5. Teachings can also be based on Biblical teachings for example it is not written in the bible that “thou shall not smoke” but we can assert that the practice should be avoided based on I Cor.6:19-20 that says we should glorify God in our body which is His temple. Biblical doctrines are explicitly taught in the Bible; example -the infallibility of the Bible, that the Bible is the final authority for Christian conduct and work II Tim. 3:16-17. All other claims of authority must be thoroughly scrutinized in the light of the Bible; - God created the heaven and the earth Gen.1:1; -the sinfulness of man. Rom.3:23; -the virgin birth of Jesus Matt.1:20-25; death and resurrection of Jesus I Cor.15:3-1 1 and several others.

One must not confuse these categories to be able to preserve and keep the Christian heritage. To teach that the virgin birth is an optional doctrine a Christian is free to believe or not to believe is to reject a core teaching of the Bible. It is heresy to present a Biblical teaching as non-essential. People's opinion and preferences must not be given the weight of God's law as warned against in the reading of today. Every true Christian must speak and teach firmly when the scripture is plain, be careful to avoid dogmatism in extra Biblical matters as many have said in essentials unity, in non-essentials diversity and in all things charity. We must do everything to preserve the Christian faith that the Lord Jesus can meet faith on earth when He comes again. Luke 18:8.

Prayer/Action
* I will abide in the truth continually in Jesus name.
* I will not be shifted out of the faith by any falsehood in Jesus name.
* The Christian heritage will be preserved in my time in Jesus name.

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Keeping the Heritage I

Text: II Jn.9-13
More lessons: I Tim.4:13-16
Bible Reading in one Year: Ezekiel 1-3

Heritage means the features belonging to the culture of a particular society such as tradition, languages or building, which exist from the past and still have importance in the present. The Christian heritage must be preserved in the face of passing fashions and practices in the world wherein we dwell. Some have started to lose sight of the fact that though Christianity teaches grace and love abundantly, it is a faith with a definite system of beliefs with definite content. If Christianity will not be phased out among the upcoming generations then the heritage must be preserved by all members of the body of Christ. The first place to start this preservation is to clearly and firmly recognize that Christianity has doctrines. Christian doctrine is a clear articulation of Biblical truth. Doctrine has to do with preserving our Christian heritage and giving a legacy to future generation of Christians. Doctrine is content of teaching intended to be accepted and believed as truth. Removing doctrine which comprises the essence of the Christian faith is to become non-Christian. The advantages of learning and teaching doctrines include; i) It helps cure our minds of childishly subjective interpretations of the Bible. ii) It is both for discipleship of our minds, spiritual formation of our hearts helping to nurture our relationship with God and people. iii) Correct doctrine helps us mature and guard against sin giving stability to our lives. iv) Doctrine gives power to witness, encourages believers and it is the foundation of fellowship among believers. v) Biblical doctrines consistently taught is an anchor that keeps us from drifting from scriptural moorings taught by Jesus and His disciples while on earth.

What we believe affects what we do therefore to keep our Christian heritage we must all have good and sound knowledge of Biblical doctrines much more now that we are in the last days when false prophets and false doctrines are multiplying. The second way to preserve the Christian heritage and stay in the truth till Jesus comes again is to attend Bible studies regularly in a Bible believing church.

Gradually, pursuits of life are making many abandon Bible studies attendance to the detriment of keeping their Christian heritage and passing it to their children. Some even attend Bible studies and leave their family members at home. Anyone who does not attend Bible studies will soon end up with a dead faith and such a person may miss heaven at last. Ask yourself in the last one month whether you created time to attend Bible studies as you should? Finally to preserve the heritage we must all be like the Bereans who studied the Scriptures to check whether what they were taught were so Acts 17:11. Evaluate yourself today. Is your Christianity still alive? Are you passing it to your children? Will it still be in your family after you are long dead?

Prayer/Action
* Father, let the Christian heritage live in my time and beyond in Jesus name
List five ways you can preserve the Christian heritage in your home and family and begin to do those things immediately.

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