The 37th Psalm I

Text: Ps.37:1-10
More Lessons: Matt.13:37- 43
Bible Reading in one Year: Ezekiel 15-18

We have well aid out pattern for living no matter the shifting of the times. This pattern is in our ever living manual; the Bible. Today's Psalms is one of such patterns laying instruction procedure for correct and proper conversation in times like these. This Psalm clearly spells out two ways men live in the world: wicked living and righteous living. It distinctly outlines the portion of the wicked and the lot of the righteous, then urging us to make correct choices. In this world, there are men who glory in wicked practices, they are agents of Satan who lurk in darkness, kidnapping children for money, selling bombs for destruction of lives and collecting wages for wickedness. To such, there is a reward: For they shall soon be cut down like the grass and wither as the green herb. For yet a little while the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shall diligently consider his place, and it shall not be: Ps.37:2;10.

Several times, when we look around and see the world full of evil doers that flourish and prosper, on all levels we start to fret, to envy even their liberty to get wealth by unlawful means in the indulgence of their lusts; we are apt to fret at God for allowing such men to live, prosper and prevail as they do. Hear what the Bible above says about their end and cease to envy them. We are tempted to think they are the only happy people; and we are therefore tempted to share in their gains and join ourselves with them. The Bible strongly warns us against such behaviour lest we share in their eventual destructive end if they refuse to repent.

The flourishing of a righteous man is like that of a fruitful tree Ps.1:3 but that of the wicked man is like grass, which is short lived. The triumph of a wicked man is short but his weeping and wailing will be everlasting. Instead of envying the wicked, we are to do the following
i)Trust in God and do good. Ps.37:3.
ii)Delight in God and He will give you your desires without you needing to cut corners or exploit others for it.Ps.37:4.
iii)Ask God daily for where your daily bread is and He will lead you there. Ps.37:5.
iv)Rest in the Lord in contentment with what He provides and patiently wait for what He is yet to bring to fulfilment in your life. Ps.37:7.
v)Do not allow bitterness at others deprive you of the joy of life
vi)Thank God daily for His mercies.Ps.37:8

Prayer/Action
* Lord, I choose the way of righteousness because it is the way to peace and joy. I refuse to envy or imitate the wicked so that I will not perish like him.
* My portion will be given to me as I go out today and the rod of the wicked will not rest on my portion.

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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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